Free NIGHT PLEASURES by Sherrilyn Keynon Page B

Rover. The back fender was slightly crushed in from his latest collision with a lamppost.
    Poor Julian, he really was a menace on the road. She slid a sideways glance to the Dark-Hunter. Then again, comparatively speaking, Julian wasn't so bad after all. At least he'd never given her a heart attack.
    Hunter helped her out of his side of the car, then led the way to the door. The old-fashioned bungalow was completely lit up, and through the sheer curtains over the windows, Amanda could see Grace sitting in an armchair in the living room.
    The petite brunette had her long hair in a ponytail, and her stomach was twice as round as it had been the last time Amanda had seen her. Even though the baby wasn't due for another nine weeks, poor Grace looked as if she could give birth at any moment.
    Grace was laughing at something, but there was no sign of Julian or their guests.
    Amanda paused to brush her hair with her hand, straighten her dirty clothes, and button her coat over the bloodstains. "Grace said they have company, so I think we should try and be a little inconspicuous, okay?"
    He nodded as she rang the bell.
    After a brief wait, the door opened to show Julian Alexander in the foyer. At six three, Julian was every bit as striking as Hunter. He had hair the same shade of blond and the bluest eyes Amanda had ever seen. His face was perfectly sculpted, but considering that he was the son of the Greek goddess Aphrodite, it was to be expected.
    The welcoming smile on Julian's face faded as he caught sight of Hunter.
    His jaw went slack.
    Amanda turned to see a very similar reaction from Hunter, who stood stock-still.
    "Julian of Macedon?" Hunter asked in disbelief.
    "Kyrian of
Thrace?"
    Before she could move, the two men grabbed each other like long-lost brothers. Her arm was snatched upward as Kyrian hugged him.
    "Oh gods!" Julian gasped. "Is it really you?"
    "I can't believe it," Hunter said as he pulled back and ran a shocked look up and down Julian's body. "I thought you were dead."
    "Me?" Julian asked. "What about you? I heard the Romans executed you. Dear Zeus, how can you be here?" Julian glanced down and saw the handcuffs. His frown deepened. "What the … ?"
    "That's why we're here," Amanda said. "We got latched together, and I was hoping you could separate us."
    "They were made by your stepfather," Hunter added. "Any chance you have a key lying around?"
    Julian laughed. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised. At least this time she's not an Amazon princess with an irate mother demanding parts of your body be removed." Julian shook his head like a father scolding a son. "Two thousand years later, and you're still getting into unbelievable messes."
    Hunter gave him a tight-lipped smile. "Some things never change. Care to indebt me to you again?"
    Julian cocked his head. "Last time I counted, I was two favors down to you."
    "Oh yeah, I forgot about Prymaria."
    By the expression on Julian's face, Amanda could tell he hadn't and she was dying to know what had happened. But there would be time for that later.
    First, she wanted her arm free. She jingled the chain, hinting.
    Julian stepped back and let them enter his house. "You're actually in luck," he said as he led them into the living room.
    Grace hadn't moved from her chair where she now held Vanessa on her lap while Julian's gorgeous, blond mother sat on the sofa teasing Niklos with a stuffed doll. A tall, dark-haired man sat beside Aphrodite, holding Niklos in his arms and laughing at the two of them.
    The Dark-Hunter sucked his breath in sharply at the quaint family scene. Roughly, he pushed Amanda away from him an instant before Aphrodite looked up and cursed.
    Before Amanda could process what was going on, Aphrodite threw her arm out and what appeared to be a bolt of lightning came out of her hand and struck Hunter. The blast knocked him off his feet and threw him to the floor, pulling her along with him.
    Amanda landed on top of his chest. She saw the burn on his shoulder