Prince of Shadows by Susan Krinard

She felt his gaze on her for a long time after she started walking again. Her neck prickled. She longed to escape, back to the safety of the cabin where she would be in control. But Julie was already crossing the street, coming toward them with a purposeful stride.

“You guys ready to eat?”

Julie seemed back to her normal self now, grinning and merry-eyed, one hand still smudged with oil. She pulled a handkerchief out of one capacious jacket pocket and wiped the stain away as Alex dropped the groceries off in her truck.

Ready as I’ll ever be, Alex thought grimly.

Kieran looked from her to Julie and nodded.

“Then let’s go. You’re in for a treat, Kieran.” Julie started off without waiting to see if they followed. Alex considered a hundred warnings to give Kieran then, but every one of them died a quick death when he looked at her.

“Well, come on,” she said, striding after Julie. She stopped at the cafe door and looked through the big windows at the rows of booths and the counter along the open kitchen. The place was packed. Kieran paused beside her. Now, at last, he showed unease. His head lowered. She could almost see him bristling.

“We can still leave,” she whispered as Julie opened the door and went inside. “I can make excuses—”

“You’re afraid, Alexandra,” he said.

Her gaze flew up to his. “What?”

He touched her arm, stroked down its length in a caress. “I feel it. Why?”

She was paralyzed by the ease with which he read her. “I’m not afraid of anything,” she said hoarsely. “I’m not the one who’s lost my memory.”

“I’ll protect you.”

“I can take care of myself.” But the ache had come back to her chest, and it had nothing to do with fear. “It’s you we have to worry about.”

Kieran’s voice dropped intimately low. “Are you… worried about me, Alexandra?”

She was the first to look away, preceding him quickly into the cafe. Julie waved to them from a small booth in the very back. Kieran reached for Alex’s hand, lacing his fingers through hers. She almost jerked free. They would all assume—

She stopped herself. Let them assume. No one, no one was going to dictate what she did or stand in judgment over her. She’d committed herself to this, given her promise; she wasn’t going to turn coward now.

Kieran’s gaze swept from side to side as they passed down the aisle, his stride more of a stalk. Faces turned up and eyes tracked their progress to the booth. A wave of hushed conversation surged under the thrum of some popular country tune on the jukebox.

“Here we go,” Julie said, dropping onto the padded bench. “Privacy back here.” She waved at an acquaintance across the cafe. Her gaze took in Kieran’s grip on Alex’s hand, but she forbore to mention it. Alex slid onto the seat opposite Julie, and Kieran, after a brief hesitation, sat beside Alex.

“Now, Kieran,” Julie said with relish, “you’ve got to try their burgers. The best in Maheengun County.”

Alex glanced at Kieran warily. Burgers seemed safe enough, if Kieran didn’t remember how to use a knife and fork. “Fine by me.”

Kieran was giving his silverware a cursory inspection. “Yes,” he said. He grinned at Alex in a way she would have called conspiratorial if she hadn’t known better. His smile alone still had the power to startle her.

“Hamburgers,” he repeated. “With fries.”

“I like a man who enjoys his food,” Julie said, flagging down a waitress. The woman peered at Kieran over her bifocals all the while she took their order. When she’d left and returned with water, Kieran picked up his glass cautiously and held it to his nose.

Oh, God. Alex had a sudden image of Kieran lapping the water up like a wolf. She prepared to grab the glass from his hand just as he lifted it to his lips and drank. In a perfectly normal, human fashion.

“Thirsty, aren’t you?” Julie commented. “I’m for a beer. Want one?”

Kieran licked his lips. Alex could almost see him thinking—remembering—as he’d obviously remembered burgers and fries. “No. Thanks.”

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