Free Kade's Dark Embrace (Immortals of New Orleans) by Kym Grosso Page A

her face against his chest. They slowly danced. “Okay, one dance. Just tell me....Luca?” She was too tired and attracted to him to fight.
    “Luca found a bracelet. It is a Voodoo bracelet, possibly charmed. I have contacts in New Orleans I will consult.”
    Sydney was losing herself in the dance. Why didn’t he come up into her condo with her tonight? Why did he refuse? She stiffened a little in his arms. She wanted to convince him, or herself, that this was all business. “Ada called me. She's running the hair. By tomorrow, we should have something else to go on. I'll meet you at the station tomorrow night around six.”
    Kade held her closer, refusing to let her go just yet as they continued to slow dance. “Sydney, you must know that I can sense great danger. I know you are a seasoned cop, but this danger...you cannot fight it. You must trust me when I say that there are evil, supernatural forces that await us...you will need me to keep you safe.” He leaned in and kissed the top her head, unable to resist.
    “Evil is a reality of this city, Kade. This is what I do, and I'm quite capable of keeping myself safe...just ask Jennings.”
    Kade stopped dancing. He reached over and cupped her face gently with both his hands. They locked eyes. “We will do this together, love, but know that it will be done my way. I will keep you safe, and after this evil is extinguished, you will be mine and no one else’s.”
    Sydney felt the blood rush to her face. She wasn’t sure whether to yell at him or fuck him right there in the middle of the dance floor. Somehow she knew his words were true...she would be his. Determined to not let him see that he had just gotten to her, she pulled away, turned and looked back at him over her shoulder and smiled, “Kade love, you should know here and now that I belong to no one but myself.” With that, she walked out the door. She knew it wasn’t true. Something about him drew her in and threatened to change her entire life. He made her want to belong to him. She wanted to love someone and have him love her back...she wanted Kade.
     

Chapter Seven
     
    After sleeping a good ten hours, Sydney got dressed and sped off to grab a latte at Starbucks. She ought to be a shareholder with all the money she spent on lattes, but damn, she loved the flavor of steamed milk with espresso. A few lattes a day really added up over the course of the month, but besides loving shoes, coffee was worth the price in her book.
    Sydney stopped by the sporting goods and craft stores to pick up a few things for the kids at the children’s center where she volunteered. She loved seeing their faces as she brought in her weekly presents. New markers meant more pictures, more happy faces, and more creativity. Sydney knew how great it felt to create: inspiring, fulfilling, accomplished. These kids felt it too. Their creations were evidence they had a future, not one on the streets, but a future perhaps in art school or college. These kids had a dream to get out from under the poverty and the violence of the streets, and Sydney was determined to help them.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    Even though Sydney had a busy life, mostly filled with work, the truth was that she had only a few trusted friends and no family to speak of. Her mother was tragically killed by a drunk driver several years ago, the grief from her death bringing Sydney to her knees. Sydney just wasn’t the same after losing her Mom and neither was her Dad. Sydney’s father fell into a deep depression, moved to Arizona and died a few years later.
    Death was a merciless teacher. It taught Sydney to steel her emotions, build a wall big enough, so she would not have to feel the grief. Having her mom die only confirmed her decision that she would not get married, because she couldn’t stand the heartbreak of losing someone. She had several boyfriends over the years, even a few she that thought she loved, but she never really could commit to any of them because of her