Vampire: A Dark Protectors/Rebels Novella, Rebecca Zanetti [best novel books to read txt] 📗

and entering.” Thank goodness she’d gotten dressed after her shower. She’d lived alone for so long that walking around in a towel wasn’t a big deal.

“I didn’t break, but I did enter.” He rolled his neck, finally moving. “The window lock is flimsy in your guest room, and it didn’t take much to jimmy it open. I’ll fix that for you later today.”

She put her hands on her hips. “That lock was fine, and I had a wedge in the sill.”

His eyebrows rose. “No wedge. Interesting. I thought you said the guy came in from the garage.”

“He did.” The memory of the kidnapping would haunt her until they caught this guy or his team. “The wedge is really gone?”

“Yeah,” Raine said softly. “Somebody removed that wedge from the sill—and the only reason would be so they could return and get inside easily. Look around the house and make sure nothing else is missing.”

This wasn’t making any sense. The kidnapper had thrown her in a trunk and driven away. Had his partner gone through her house? Bile spiraled through her stomach. “The stalker went through my home,” she whispered. After his buddy had taken her, he’d spent time in her house? She rubbed her arms, suddenly chilled. Definitely violated.

“It’s okay.” Raine stretched to his feet, looking formidable and dangerous. “I meant what I said. We’re going to figure out who this guy is, I’m going to take care of him, and you’re going to be fine.”

Her mouth went dry. Bone dry. “Take care of him? You mean you’re going to turn him in to the police, right?” Hopefully Evan O’Connell would be sheriff by then.

“Right,” Raine said, a veil over his eyes again. “Here’s the plan. I’m going to take a quick shower and change clothes. While I’m doing that, you search your house and see if he took anything. If you need me, yell and I’ll be right by your side. Then we’ll make breakfast and come up with a plan.”

A naked Raine Maxwell in her shower? Yeah, those chills dissipated quickly. “Why don’t you go home to shower?”

“I don’t have a place in Indiana,” he admitted. “I gave up my lease on the condo when I left town.”

Her chin lifted. This was all too much—and so was he. He was sexy and dangerous and unfathomable. She didn’t know him, and she shouldn’t trust him. Not yet, anyway. “Then go to a hotel.”

“No.” He turned and prowled into her guest room, walking right to the small adjoining bathroom, where he shut the door.

She gaped at the empty doorway. No? He couldn’t just say ‘no.’ Oh, she should call the sheriff and have him arrested for trespassing, but the sheriff was a dolt. Kind of. He’d impressed her with some of his questions and reasoning, but right now, she was on her own.

Well, on her own with Raine Maxwell. She’d never admit it to him, but she felt much safer with him around. Of course, right now he was naked in her guest bathroom.

Her body did a whole tremble top to bottom at the thought.

Oh, this was a disaster.

* * * *

After a long shower where he figured Mariana could come to the conclusion that she wanted him around for now, Raine pulled on a fresh pair of faded jeans and a black sweater he’d stolen from his brother a year ago. It fit him better, anyway. Finger combing his hair, he padded barefoot out of the room and into the living room, where he caught sight of a small gathering in the kitchen. “What the heck?”

Evan McConnell looked up from the table, his cop eyes appraising. “Heard you got darted.”

His mate and fiancée, Tabi Rusko, snorted in delicate laughter. “That’s hilarious.” Tabi was a full demoness who’d mated Evan just a couple of months before, and so far, Evan seemed to be doing okay with going from human to immortal. The situation was incredibly rare when the human was male, and often they were too volatile or dangerous.

Raine didn’t want him around Mariana at the moment, just in case. “How are you feeling, Evan?” he drawled.

“Stronger than ever.” The cop’s brown eyes sparkled. “If you know what I mean.”

Yeah. He certainly did. Raine rocked back on his heels and noticed a place set for him next to Mariana. She dished him a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon.

“I couldn’t wait,” she murmured. “After calling in these two, I made breakfast.”

Tabi tipped back her mimosa. “I vouched for you, so stop looking so grumpy. There’s no way you’re a stalker or that you kidnapped anybody.” Her white-blond hair was in a ponytail, and her black eyes danced with amusement. The few pure-bred demonesses alive had similar coloring and were notoriously petite…and slightly nuts.

Even so, Raine’s spirits lifted. “Thank you.” He should’ve thought of calling in Tabi for a character reference. While they hadn’t known each other long, she was a sweetheart and from his world—and Mariana seemed to like and trust her.

“Sure.” Tabi snagged a piece of bacon from her mate’s plate. “I’m sure Abby and Noah would vouch for you, but they’re still in the Caribbean.”

Evan munched happily on a bagel. “They needed the vacation but will return to help with the final week of the campaign in a few days.”

Oh, they’d definitely needed a vacation. Noah was a hybrid who’d mated Abby and defended her from a psycho ex by killing him. “Has the sheriff still been harassing them about her ex’s death?” The sheriff had tried to pin the death on Abby, considering her scumbag ex had been a friend.

Evan’s mouth flattened out. “Yeah. We have to get him out of office.”

It was difficult not talking about real life, but Mariana couldn’t know about immortals. So Raine took his seat and dug into the eggs. They were delicious.

Evan leaned back. “Mariana told us about the kidnapping, and I’m so sorry I missed her call about the roses being left on her porch. What’s your take on it, Raine?”

Raine