Page 26 of After Midnight (Skye Druids #7)

Chapter Twenty-Two

They needed out of the cottage, but no matter how hard he looked, Kurt couldn’t find a way. He threw open the cupboards in his desperate search as the house groaned and creaked threateningly.

“ Think there’s a hidden passage there?” Sabryn asked from behind him.

He shut the door and turned to her. “ I was?—”

“ I know,” she said over him. “ I looked in the bathroom cabinet.”

“ Looks like we’re stuck. Do you have any suggestions?”

“ We wait for the others.”

He turned his head to look out the kitchen window. “ Or until Edie gets tired.”

“ Can the cottage withstand that?”

“ We’ll have to ensure it does.”

She tucked her hair behind her ear. “ Reinforcing the wards every hour?”

“ That’s a good start.”

“ But it won’t hold forever,” she said with a twist of her lips.

Kurt rubbed the back of his neck. “ All we need to do is buy our friends some time.”

“ But we’re also giving Edie time. And Parker .”

“ Trust me when I say we can’t walk out into that.”

Her eyes dropped to his torn shirt. “ I’m fully aware. I’m going to start the wards again in the bedrooms.”

He watched her walk away before warding the window nearest him.

As he made his way to the opposite side of the house, he couldn’t help but acknowledge that he had gotten exactly what he wanted: time alone with Sabryn to speak his truth.

He had gotten the story out, but not with the words he rehearsed.

He’d been so sure he couldn’t forget them, but then again, he hadn’t been sitting before an angry Sabryn when he practiced.

Once he finished his round of the cottage, he sank onto the sofa and opened his computer.

All he needed was half a second of internet to send a message to the Knights .

There might have been something he could do if he was at the warehouse with his six monitors, ten hard drives, and as much voltage as he needed.

All he had now was a laptop. He had built it, adding power for quick, on-the-go instances, but it was never meant to be his only tool—especially not against magical foes.

And that, it seemed, was where he had gone wrong.

He’d never imagined a scenario where he wouldn’t have access to all his equipment or the internet, because he hadn’t ever believed he would reveal his identity to the Knights .

Yet , here he was. He’d been in tight situations before and managed to come through somehow.

He wouldn’t stop searching for any small thread that might allow him to reach cyberspace.

The whack against the side of the cottage caught his attention.

He looked up from the screen to find Sabryn sitting on the edge of a chair, her arms wrapped around her middle and eyes darting about nervously.

Another smack sounded. He listened closer and heard the wind once more.

That couldn’t be what was making the noise. Could it?

“ Is that…?” he asked.

Sabryn nodded. “ It started about ten minutes ago.”

“ Do you want to try to control it again?”

“ I already did,” she admitted grudgingly, her gaze darting away. “ It won’t acknowledge me.”

Kurt closed the computer. “ Why didn’t you tell me?”

She motioned to his laptop with her hand. “ You were doing your thing. I tried mine. Tell me you were successful.”

“ I wish I could.”

She leaned forward and blew out a long breath. “ I need you to say you were.”

He studied her tightly drawn face, pinched lips, and the fear in her eyes. If she needed him to lie, then he would lie. “ I got through to the lads. Carlyle , Finn , and Elias will be here as quickly as they can.”

She turned her head away and nodded. He was searching for something to say to fill the silence when Sabryn sat up and turned dark blue eyes on him. “ I still don’t understand why Diana would kill you.”

Kurt realized Sabryn needed a diversion, and as much as he didn’t want to talk about his family or the past, there were things that needed to be said. “ I went back on our deal.”

“ By being around me?”

“ I swore I’d keep my distance.”

Sabryn rolled her eyes. “ You did. I had no idea it was you.”

“ Everything is black and white with Diana . There are absolutely no shades of gray. You’re either on her side or you’re not. By going back on our deal, I set myself against her.”

“ You’re her child,” Sabryn insisted.

He shrugged and got to his feet. “ She was never very maternal. Are you hungry? I can’t remember the last time I had a full meal.”

“ You want to eat?” she asked in disbelief.

“ We’re going to need our energy.” He looked over his shoulder as he walked to the kitchen. “ Unless you plan on sitting the battle out.”

She pulled a face. “ Right , because that’s what I do.” She followed him. “ I’m not sure how long we can stand against Edie .”

“ It doesn’t matter. I don’t plan on going down without a fight, and I know you won’t either.”

Sabryn said nothing as she opened the fridge and looked inside. “ How do you feel about a sandwich?”

“ I’ll take it.”

He got out plates and bread as she pulled the other items from the fridge. They were sitting at the table making their sandwiches when she slid a jar of small gherkin pickles toward him. He hid his smile of pleasure that she remembered.

They ate quietly, the thunder of wind as their soundtrack.

They were halfway through their meal when the howling suddenly stopped, and the peculiar silence began again.

The windows creaked from being pushed inward to being pulled out.

They finished their sandwiches quickly and began another round of reinforcing the wards.

Eventually , they would break. They both knew it.

But neither was the type to sit around and wait for something to happen.

Not long after cleaning up from their meal, they found themselves in the living room again. Kurt didn’t know what was worse: the silence or the howling. Both were unnerving.

It seemed Sabryn was done talking. She curled up in the chair with her back to him, which gave him time to look his fill.

After so many years, he was finally close enough to touch her.

He had touched her. But she was here without a screen and miles between them.

He listened to her breathing and remembered when the silences between them had been easy and not the awkwardness that hung there now.

He rested his head on the back of the sofa and smiled as memories of the first time they met filled him.

It was at an event at a politician’s mansion.

Men in suits and women in after-five dresses glittering with jewels.

He had stood on the stairs leading down to the room when he caught sight of Sabryn in a body-hugging, deep red dress that showed off her stunning figure.

Her black hair had been longer then, coming down to the middle of her back, and it was pulled into a sleek, low ponytail.

The only jewelry that adorned her were diamond stud earrings.

She stood out in a sea of black dresses, drawing all eyes to her.

A flame among the ashes. Alluring , beautiful, and desirable.

She moved about the room, talking to some and waving at others—but always with a smile.

He hadn’t been able to take his eyes off her.

He’d studied everything there was to know about Sabryn Beaumont , but he hadn’t been prepared for what he saw.

Her head had turned his way, and their eyes locked.

He dipped his head, and to his surprise, she inclined hers.

Kurt was headed to her when Parker came from the opposite direction and made his move.

Sabryn had quickly and subtly rebuffed him.

Kurt hid his smile, but it soon became apparent that she refused everyone.

Two nights later, they were at another event together.

This time, she wore a long, sexy royal blue dress that brought out the color of her eyes.

She left her lustrous, thick hair free except for one side she pinned back with a glittery clip.

This time, when their eyes met, he raised his glass of champagne to her.

She raised hers in return while offering him a soft smile.

It was an invitation, but instead of taking it, he left the party.

The next night was the theater. He had almost decided not to go—there were plenty of other opportunities for them to meet since he had hacked her digital calendar. Only after Parker left to have some fun of his own did Kurt dress and make his way to the auditorium.

He spotted Sabryn the moment he walked into the building.

The sleeveless, black lace dress ended above her knees in a ruffled hem that was both sassy and flirty.

The short length and black stilettos showed off her impossibly long, toned legs.

He was seated in a box across from her, and though he appeared to keep his attention on the stage and the performers, he knew every time she looked at him.

During intermission, he was at the bar for a drink when she walked up beside him. The air had crackled with barely contained desire when their shoulders brushed, and he turned his head to her.

“ You’re a new face in town,” she said.

He cut his eyes to her. “ That I am.”

“ I’m Sabryn Beaumont . And you?” she asked.

“ Kurt Barclay .”

She quirked a gently arched brow. “ British ?”

“ Guilty .” He shifted to face her, leaning one elbow on the bar. “ Are you enjoying the show?”

“ Not really. Are you?”

He shrugged. “ It’s all right.”

“ You came alone?”

Kurt sipped his drink without breaking eye contact. “ My brother is in town somewhere. You ?”

“ My parents. I’m actually on my way out.”

“ That’s too bad.”

“ Not if you come with me.”

The invitation came as a surprise, but he wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity. Kurt set down his unfinished drink. “ I’m all yours.”

They didn’t leave by the front entrance. Instead , Sabryn led him out a side door right into the rain. She didn’t shriek or run to escape it. No , she raced into it, her arms out at her sides as she twirled in the deluge. He’d never seen anyone so beautiful. Or free.

Then she looked at him. Desire , hot and feral, raced through his veins.

He stalked to her as she came toward him.

The next thing he knew, she was in his arms. He backed her against the building wall as their lips met in a passionate kiss.

It scorched through him, igniting a yearning for her that would never be quenched.

And that was all it took. One press of her lips to his, and he had been hers—body and soul.

She wrapped a shapely leg around his hip as the kiss deepened and became more urgent, passion blazing out of control.

He gripped her thigh and slid his palm beneath her skirt to her firm arse.

He’d never been so hard or hungered for another as he did her.

He never felt the rain or heard the traffic.

There was only Sabryn and desire.

She gently scraped his scalp with her nails as their kiss intensified. Moaning into his mouth, she pressed her body into his. He couldn’t get enough of her lips, her body, or the taste of her kisses. He ground against her, ravenous for more.

Shrill sirens split the air and interrupted their kiss.

He looked from the police car at the side of the street and around them to make sure no one was watching.

Then , he looked down at her. They were both drenched, their breaths ragged.

Her swollen lips begged for another kiss.

A groan tore free of him when her eyes grew heavy-lidded, and she rocked against his arousal.

He was seriously considering taking her right there when she lowered her foot to the ground and grabbed his hand.

She led him to the sidewalk and hailed a cab.

It was all he could do to keep his hands off her on the ride to her apartment.

He tossed money to the driver as she slid from the vehicle and headed for the steps of her flat, him right on her heels.

It wasn’t until they were inside that they reached for each other, tearing off clothes as each sought to get the other free first.

Kurt squeezed his eyes closed and shut off the memory.

He shifted on the sofa to adjust himself since his cock had gone hard thinking of that night and the passion.

It had always been like that between them.

They had never been able to keep their hands off each other.

He’d made love to her a million different ways and only craved more.

At first, he’d been excited to have a mark as tempting as Sabryn , but that hadn’t lasted long when Diana made it clear that it was vital the Beaumonts join the London Druids .

Kurt had been ordered to do whatever it took to bring Sabryn into the organization.

And he had done everything that was asked of him.

The problem was that he’d been unknowingly falling head over heels in love the entire time.

And once caught, there was no escape.

From then on, all Kurt had wanted was a future with Sabryn —one away from Diana , Parker , and the London Druids .

He’d even convinced himself that he and Sabryn could be together once she and her father joined the organization.

But people talked themselves into all sorts of things when they didn’t want to face the truth.

Things might have gone differently if Parker hadn’t been there.

Kurt sat forward on the sofa and scrubbed his hands down his face.

Sabryn didn’t so much as twitch. He quietly stood and leaned over to see her face, finding her lids closed.

Kurt grabbed the throw and laid the blanket over her.

He wanted to touch her hair or her face.

It was almost painful to be so close to her and know a vast chasm that would likely never be crossed separated them.

To have loved someone as vibrant and amazing as Sabryn , only to lose her… It was unbearable.

But the only one he could blame was himself. He had chosen to follow Diana’s orders. He could’ve stopped it all at any time or at least told Sabryn everything. But he hadn’t. And that was on him.