Free On The Prowl by Cynthia Eden Page B

would have been total bullshit. “We’re not the ones trying to hurt you now.” There. Much better. “I’m walking away, all right?” Rayce took a step back. “I’d suggest that you go to sleep and have—”
    ”
Screw your sweet dreams!”
    His lips twitched. He could really like that vamp. No wonder Julian was obsessed.
    Whistling, he turned on his heel and headed down the hallway. He’d check on the human visitor and then maybe…maybe he’d go for a run, too. His wolf had been dying for a night out.

Chapter Six
    Julian came back to the house just before dawn. Streaks of light were starting to edge over the water as the sun rose. He’d grabbed a pair of sweats from one of the cabins nestled on the island. There were plenty of places like that set up—safe spots for shifters so that they could dress after a transformation.
    He paced down the hallway and stopped before his room. Rose was in there. He could smell her. He could—
    The key was still in the lock.
    Fucking hell.
    Rayce had
locked
her inside. He’d never told the wolf to do that! He’d just said to keep her safe! Fuck, fuck, fuck! Julian yanked at the key and shoved open the door. He bounded inside.
    Rose was in the bed. She wore his shirt, a big, black t-shirt that seemed to swallow her. She was turned on her side and he could see the tear tracks on her face.
    Rose didn’t like to be locked up.
    I am going to kill Rayce.
He whirled, ready to rip the wolf apart.
    “Don’t lock me in again.” Her voice. Soft, husky, and coated with pain.
    His shoulders stiffened. “I won’t, love. I swear it.” He was just going to beat the ever loving hell out of a certain mangy werewolf.
    He heard the rustle of the bed covers behind him and then the faint pad of her feet on the hardwood floor. Julian forced his hands to unclench as he turned toward her. “I’m sorry.” The words came out stilted and felt awkward on his tongue. He didn’t usually apologize to anyone or for anything, but this was different. This was Rose.
    His hand lifted and he wiped away a tear that lingered on her cheek. Her lips parted. Her eyes seemed to go even greener.
    “I never meant for you to be locked up.” Protection was one thing. Trapping her was another.
    “So I’m not your prisoner?”
    “No, hell,
no.
” He should stop touching her. He wasn’t. He was caressing her cheek. Her skin was like silk. “I brought you here so you could be safe. Not so some dumbass wolf could torture you. You’ve been hurt e-fucking-nough. It needs to stop. It
has
to stop.” If he had his way, she’d never know a moment of pain again. His hand slid down her neck. A soft, tender neck. “I’ll stop it.”
    Her head tipped back as she stared up at him. “How did we get here?”
    He blinked, confused.
    “I thought I’d found Mr. Right. You were tall, dark, and mysterious. I looked at you and didn’t want anyone else.”
    He’d looked at her and, as far as Julian had been concerned—there had been no one else.
    “But you were lying to me, the whole time. Pretending to be someone you weren’t.”
    Pretending to be a human. “It wasn’t damn easy.” Especially when he’d had her in his bed. He’d wanted to let his wild side out, wanted that so badly, but he’d held back. For her.
    Then he’d lost her anyway.
    Because when I’m close to her, she always gets hurt. That’s what happens to anyone who is connected to me. Pain.
    He wanted more for her.
    Julian cleared his throat. “I’ll leave the door open, okay? I swear I will. You get back in bed and sleep for a few hours. I won’t interrogate the human without you.” Mostly because he needed her for the interrogation. A little vamp compulsion would help immensely. Of course, if she wasn’t in the mood to lend a hand, he could always do things the old fashioned way…with his claws.
    I’ve hurt so many others in my life. I’m Luke’s assassin. Death is my game. Why did I ever think my life could be different? That I