Page 54 of Twilight Destiny

“You’d tell me if there was anything wrong?”

“Don’t I always?”

“Not always. Something’s bothering you, Rosie. I can hear it in your voice.”

“Just a little man trouble,” she said brightly. “Nothing for you to worry about.”

“All right,” he said. “Don’t tell me. What are you doing for dinner Saturday night?”

“Eating it?”

“Very funny. I’ll be by around six to take you out.”

She wanted to argue, but then he would know for sure that something was wrong. “Great. See you then.”

She ended the call, then stared at the phone. What was she going to do about Micah?

What was she going to do about Jake? Was it possible to fall in love with a man you’d known less than two weeks? A man who wasn’t really a man at all?

She pressed her hands to her temples, thinking that her two favorite men in the whole world had given her a first class headache.

Chapter Twenty

Kincaid arrived atThe Bloody Roseat 10:30. He walked around the perimeter twice, all his senses alert, but there were no hunters lurking in the shadows.

Going inside, he took a table in the rear and sat with his back to the wall. He wasn’t sure meeting the vampire hunter was such a good idea, but he was suddenly curious to hear what the man had to say. He ordered the house special with an extra splash of blood.

He thought about Rosa while he waited for Rhinehart. As expected, she had been horrified when he’d told her about killing the man back east. Not that he could blame her, but she had tried to understand. Hell, she had even been sympathetic. He wasn’t sure why he’d gone to see her. Maybe he’d wanted someone to lash out at him. Maybe he’d been hoping for solace. All he knew was that, right or wrong, he couldn’t stay away. It had been all he could do not to wrap his hands around the throat of the man she had been with and break his fool neck.

But the biggest surprise had come when she climbed onto his lap, as trusting as a child, to comfort him. If she could find it in her heart to forgive him for what he’d done, maybe he’d be able to forgive himself. Saintcrow had surprised him, too. He hadn’t really expected the master vampire to destroy him. After all, he hadn’t killed the guy in the vampire’s territory. But he’d been so damn understanding. He had always envied Saintcrow’s self-control.

Kincaid drained his glass when Rhinehart came through the door.

The hunter glanced around before spotting him. He hesitated a moment before striding toward the table.

“Right on time,” Kincaid remarked.

“And you came early.”

Kincaid grinned. “So, what do you want to talk about?”

Rhinehart gestured at the gold band on Kincaid’s wrist. “I want to know where you got that. It hides your whereabouts from Luca, doesn’t it?”

“Maybe.”

“He’s quite mad,” Rhinehart said quietly. “He’s determined to have your head and Saintcrow’s, too. And now he’s threatening me and my family if I don’t bring him what he wants.”

“You’re afraid of him.”

“Damn right! I told you, he’s stark, raving mad. I can’t destroy him and unless I can find a way to hide, I’m a dead man. And my family, as well.”

“Saintcrow told me you’ve got kids.”

“A girl and two boys.”

“How old are they?”

“Why?”