Free Calm Before the Storm by Cara Lake Page B

fluid. Irina froze, mesmerised, unable to tear her
eyes away from watching hard muscles flex and uncoil as he smoothly placed his
palms down on the table and bent his dark head toward her. So close she could
feel the whisper of warm breath in her hair. He was so tall that Irina was
forced to tilt her face upward, eyes meeting his burning gaze. It was a
compulsion she could not ignore.
    “I wanted to ask you if you can feel this
connection between us.”
    Irina was startled by his directness. He
was challenging her to deny it. “I…I…don’t know what you mean,” she stammered,
panic rising. She was prey and he had her cornered.
    “Oh, I think you do,” he said coolly, going
into attack mode. “You were at the fight, weren’t you? I saw you in the crowd
at the start.”
    She couldn’t deny it, although why it
mattered she wasn’t sure. “Lots of people were,” she countered.
    “Yes, but no one else has eyes your color.”
    “What color is that?” she felt compelled to
ask.
    “The color of liquid fire.”
    Irina was losing the battle. Her defenses
were down but she called in the reserves. “Even though I may have been at the
fight, it has no bearing on your situation here, Mr. Bellor. We need to get
down to business.” A shot to his flank . Tyr reached across to cup her
cheek in the palm of one large hand. “I think business can wait.”
    The heat of his touch was intense, but
Irina managed to steel herself enough to wrench backward and circle around him
to edge toward the door. It was then, as she backed away, keeping her eyes on
his neck before he turned, that she caught a glimpse of something familiar that
made her heart lurch in total shock.
    “What the hell is that?” she gasped, striding
back toward him. Tyr turned, eyebrows arched in bewilderment as Irina pushed
his right shoulder around to verify that what she thought she’d seen was real.
“Is this some kind of a setup? Did Cassi put you up to this?”
    There was bafflement in his eyes as he
looked down at her with a frown. “I’m glad you didn’t leave,” he said, “but
I’ve no idea what you are talking about.”
    Irina was practically punching his shoulder
now. “The tattoo on your back!” she cried. “Where did you get it?” He looked
even more bemused. “What tattoo? I don’t have one.”
    “Yes you do and I want to know where you
had it done.”
    Tyr shook his head. “I’m still in the dark
here.”
    Irina pulled a small compact mirror from
her bag and angled it for him to see. “Look,” she said in an exasperated tone,
as Tyr craned his neck to observe the small yin-yang symbol etched into his
left shoulder. His surprise intensified as his eyes met hers. “Can’t say I’ve
seen that before. Why are you so interested anyway? Do you want one too?” Tyr’s
voice was teasing although he still appeared confused, just as she had been
this morning.
    Irina pulled the material of her shirt
across her left shoulder. “I already have one,” she said, “exactly the same as
yours.”
     
    Tyr’s brain already vibrating with the
sight and scent of her presence was thrown into shock as he registered yet
another connection between himself and this slip of a girl. He had no
recollection of the tattoo and absolutely no explanation for it. The fact that
she had one too… His brain began to compute. Was she involved with Abrasax? Was
he being set up with her as bait? But this magnetic compulsion he felt toward
her couldn’t possibly be manufactured, could it? It was too real. So tangible
he could almost touch it. More unanswered questions and Tyr was going have to
add them to his growing campaign list. He needed to get out of here. Abrasax
had indicated that he would ensure his release and he hoped to god it was soon.
    Irina was still staring at him
suspiciously. With her cheeks flushed and the indignant expression flashing in
those beautiful eyes, she looked like some vengeful goddess of justice. His
gaze was drawn to her