hoot of an owl in the distance. She peered across the lake, but even in the weak moonlight, she could see there were no boats breaking the glossy surface.
Kiera turned her attention back toward the porch, which was supported by large round beams of thick wood since the ground veered sharply down toward the lake. This would be a great place to watch the sunrise and sunset—after she made sure there was no one here who wanted to kill her.
Details…
She crouched, her gaze sweeping under the porch to make sure nothing hid between the large wood supports. She found nothing but overgrown vegetation and rocks.
The hair on the back of Kiera’s neck prickled along with a strong sense of being watched.
She straightened, her Ruger coming up to firing position.
Two wide orange eyes stared back at her from the porch, over the barrel of her gun.
“Mrowwr.”
Kiera’s hands shook as she slowly lowered her arm and briefly considered strangling the cat. “I should fucking shoot you,” she whispered to Shiloh through clenched teeth.
The cat stretched and padded to the back door, where he promptly sat and began to clean his paws.
A few deep breaths calmed her heart enough to allow her to finish her perimeter check. When she found nothing out of place, she unlocked the front door and systematically checked each room of the small cabin.
Only a few dust bunnies greeted her, so she pulled the Humvee into the garage, unloaded half her cache of weapons and closed and locked the door behind her before venturing back inside the cabin. After a last quick look around, she set the alarms and stumbled upstairs to the master bedroom.
Her eyes burned and her limbs felt as if they weighed a thousand pounds each. She collapsed on the bed, not even bothering to kick off her shoes. Shiloh jumped up beside her, curling against her stomach, and she closed her eyes, sighing as the soft purrs soothed her to sleep.
Ryan stepped through the portal back onto his home planet of Tador and winced as bright sunlight surrounded him. Gooseflesh marched down his arms at the sudden temperature change, and he stepped off to the side to leave room for the Klatch guards who followed him. It took a few minutes for his eyes to adjust to the bright clear day after the inky blackness of the between .
For some reason, he always forgot Phoenix and Tador were on opposite schedules. Most likely because the bone-chilling cold of the between —the portal between the two worlds—took all his energy and attention just to traverse.
Fatigue weighted his limbs, and he briefly considered stopping by his rooms for food and sexual sustenance. As a Klatch witch, he needed sexual energy to survive and thrive just as much as he needed food and rest. However, whereas before tonight his fantasies had always been filled with soft willing women with dark hair and lavender eyes, they now featured a hellion with blond hair, deep blue eyes and sensual full lips.
“Here.” Gavin handed Ryan a small leather bag. “There’s some cheese, bread, fruit and a small skin of wine. That should hold you until you return from your discussion with the Seer. She is out at the waterfall looking for the hidden alcove mentioned in her childhood journals.”
No one had been more surprised than Ryan to find out the imaginary friend he had played with as a child had actually grown into a flesh and blood Earth woman—not to mention a powerful seer. Before the Seer and Prince Grayson were married a few weeks ago, Katelyn had found mention in her childhood journals of a hidden alcove with a statue that related to the Triangle that could save Tador.
Apparently, the Seer was finally getting around to searching for it.
Everyone hoped whatever lay in that alcove would help them unravel some of the mystery behind the Triangle and all it entailed.
Queen Alyssandra had taken a big chance reinstituting the Triangle she had only read about in some of the ancient queen’s journals. But the planet of Tador was too far gone for her to fully heal it on her own. She knew she needed Ryan and Grayson’s help to institute the Triangle and heal Tador.
And it couldn’t happen soon enough, if Ryan had finally found the Healer.
A sensual memory filled his mind of how the Healer’s lithe body had felt under him while her defiant gaze blazed into his. His cock surged to life inside his already tight jeans, and he widened his stance, trying in vain for a more comfortable position—especially since his balls were still tender from their earlier mistreatment.
Gavin cleared his throat, startling him from his musings. Ryan glanced around and realized the remaining guards had gone on their way, leaving just him, Gavin and the portal sentry. “Sorry, I was just taking a moment to—”
“Don’t bother to make up an excuse.” Amusement danced in Gavin’s lavender eyes. “I know you well enough to know you were thinking about your Healer—even though you should be replenishing your energy between some willing Klatch maid’s thighs.” The guard shook his head. “I must report to the king and queen. I’ll catch up with you later to see if the alcove has been found. I want to get out of these uncomfortable Earth clothes as soon as possible.” Without waiting for an answer, Gavin walked down the path toward the castle.
Ryan watched Gavin as he disappeared down the path without a backward glance. He had to admit Gavin had a point. A pair of breeches was much less restricting than the pair of tight jeans he wore—especially when even the smallest thought of the fiery blond made his cock hard. He shook his head and laughed at himself.
A gentle breeze tousled Ryan’s hair and brought the rich scents of roses, jasmine, gardenias and fertile soil. He inhaled, enjoying the lush clean air after the thick stench of car exhaust and heat-baked asphalt in Phoenix.
Phoenix was one of the cleaner cities he had visited on Earth, but it couldn’t compare with the paradise that was his home world. At least for now…
His thoughts turned dark as he started down the opposite path that would take him to the waterfall.
The destruction of Tador edged closer and closer to the populated areas with each passing day. If the Triangle wasn’t instituted soon, the utopian landscape before him would end up as nothing but a desolate wasteland like the outlying areas.
His chest tightened at the thought of such a fate, and he shoved it away. He and the rest of the royal family would fight until their last breath to save Tador and their way of life. There was nothing he wouldn’t do to save the planet.
Leaves and twigs crunched softly under his boots, and the sound of rushing water grew louder as he neared the waterfall. As always, the rhythmic music of the falls mellowed his mood and filled him with hope.
He skirted around the maze, which was made of thick green vines and shrubs meticulously groomed to keep the inner paths clear. The faint sound of female giggling reached him from just beyond the nearest maze wall, and he smiled.
Apparently there were some Klatch currently enjoying one of the many intimate dead ends within the maze. He hoped someday soon to show the Healer—
“Ryan!” The Seer’s voice reached him a moment before she jogged into view. Her long red hair streamed behind her, and her green eyes flashed with agitation. “Hurry, the Healer needs you.” She grabbed his hand and pulled him forward toward the waterfall.
Urgency
