Page 4

“You are beautifully unique, Soleil. Remember that, my dear,” he said in a low voice.

There was a deeper meaning in his words, but she was damned if she understood what it was. However, if the Aether decreed it, she’d try like heck to adhere to it.

“I’ll take Sabrina back now.”

“No need. I’ll escort her to Vivian,” Damian said, hoisting his daughter in his arms. “Maybe my wife can figure out how to curb Beastie’s impulsiveness. Goddess knows I can’t, no matter how I’ve tried.”

“Blane, we’ll talk soon,” he added.

With one last stern look toward their visitor, the Aether teleported away, leaving Soleil at a distinct loss as to how to extract herself from her current situation gracefully. Taking a deep breath, she faced Trevor.

His haughty-eyed stare made her squirm inside. She wasn’t in any doubt about the man liking her. He definitelydid not. Why her niece felt he’d care to meet her again was anyone’s guess. If Soleil was disappointed, she refused to show it.

“I’ll let you go back to whatever it was you were doing,” she said as politely as she could manage. She didn’t know why she paused for Trevor’s response, but she did, and when it came, she cringed.

“Trust me, you’d never be able to stop me from whatever I was doing.”

His arrogance rankled.

“Well, have at it, buster. I hope you have fun.” In a huff, she turned and began the trek back to her greenhouse.

The contrary man trailed along behind her.

She spun back around. “Why are you following me?”

“I’m getting on with whatever it was I was doing.” For the first time, he looked amused. “And I intend to have fun with it.”

Soleil’s stomach dropped, and she was positive she wouldn’t like the answer to her next question. “Whatwereyou doing?”

“Observing you.”

“Why?” Her heart rate kicked up, and her palms became sweaty.

“An assignment from the Authority.”

Dreading his response, she ventured another “Why?”

“I’m their resident Death Dealer.”

Panic took over. His mission could only mean one thing—her demise! Blackness descended, and she promptly fainted.

CHAPTER2

Trevor wasn’t quick enough to catch Soleil when she collapsed, but he was a damned sight faster when it came to stopping the blood flow from the wound on the side of her head. She’d connected with the sharp edge of a rock as she fell, and now, Trev’s life was forfeit if he couldn’t heal her before Dethridge found out. The Aether would assume he’d attacked her.

Irritated with his new charge, Trev lifted her into his arms, surprised it didn’t feel like an effort, and teleported to her greenhouse. After placing her gently on the cushioned bench serving as a daybed, where she liked to read, he squatted next to her and smoothed the burnt-chestnut hair from her wound to examine it. It was nothing to provide the healing touch that came naturally to him.

Soleil wasn’t going to suffer undue injuries on his watch. Not as long as he was forced to answer to the Aether. He could dance around anything the Authority threw at him later.

Trev heard her sharp inhale followed by a hiss of pain, but he didn’t stop until the gash was sealed. He was finishing up as her lashes fluttered open, and he made the grave mistake of eye contact.

Those eyes!

Round, with milk-chocolate irises, they were large and warm, but they saw through him in an instant. Never before had a woman looked at him with trepidation or disdain—not without reason. Soleil had none.

She awoke spitting mad and shoved his hand away. Glancing wildly around, she calmed somewhat the instant she recognized her surroundings. Still, she kept a safe distance from him, with her back pressed against the greenhouse wall.

“Thank you,” she said. Grudgingly, at that.