Seal of Destiny Read Online Free PDF Page A

thumbs-up and reached for the phone.
    • • •
    Kagan righted his toppled stool and sat down. He grabbed his beer and took a long swig from the bottle, forcing his tense muscles to relax.
Threat eliminated
.
    He’d watched the dance floor skirmish escalate until the violence erupted into a brawl the bouncers were ineffectual in terminating. When they’d summoned the girl to handle the oversized oaf, his hackles rose. Women were to be protected, not thrust into battle. Still, she’d handled the problem with the skill of a seasoned defender.
    Mira strutted past him without so much as a glance. He read the rear of her hot pink T-shirt after she passed, its black glitter letters sparkling in the dim neon light:
Skills sharper than a backstabber’s dagger.
Kagan raised his beer bottle in another silent salute to her retreating form.
Si,
the girl’s combat skills had been excellent. He tracked her movements, noting the cool distance she kept from others around her. She remained a loner, an isolated island, in the midst of the throng. Mission aside, her contradictions were intriguing. Kagan turned his attention to the safer realm of the dance floor, and concentrated on the best plan to isolate his target.
    The loud crash of glasses beside him snapped his head around. Mira glared up at him, her arms crossed and legs braced, ready for a fight. “Okay, buddy. Who the hell are you and why are you watching me?”
    Kagan held up an innocent hand accompanied by a wary smile, his beer bottle dangling between his fingers. “How about one question at a time?”
    “Oh, I’m sorry. You’re slow.” She presented him with the same patronizing mini-smile she’d given the oaf. “Okay, let me break this down for you, caveman. Who-are-you-and — ”
    “
Basta
!” Kagan grabbed her by the arm and twisted slightly, not enough to hurt, but enough to let her know he meant business as he directed her to a corner booth. He ignored the half-full beverages and coats scattered on the seats and shoved Mira into the confined space. When the booth’s original owners took issue with his hostile takeover, Kagan dispatched them with a lethal glare. He wasn’t sure where the girl had gotten the idea his mind was damaged, but he was damn sure he didn’t like it. He moved in behind her to block her escape.
    “Oh, hell, no!” After several unsuccessful strikes to his muscled physique, Mira tried to slide out beneath the table. The angle proved too awkward. Defeated, she shoved as far away as she could into the corner and propped those killer boots on the seat in front of her in warning. “You better let me out of here, asshole, before I call the cops! I caught you stalking me, pervert!”
    Kagan took a deep breath. He never lost his cool in battle, and he wasn’t about to start now. “Pervert? You’re of age,
si
?”
    Mira glared. Kagan ticked through their earlier interactions, searching for a reason behind her intense hostility. His preternatural instincts sensed her intention before her hand reached his carotid. He blocked her quickly, locking her small hand within his and forcing it to the table beneath his own. Her pulse raced against his palm. He took another swig of beer then flashed his most endearing grin. “Let’s start over.” He released his bottle and extended his hand. “I’m Kagan.”
    She refused to acquiesce. Kagan dropped his hand and spoke in quiet tones meant to calm, to reassure. “I know I’m a stranger, but we have things to discuss.” He glanced around the crowded club, at the bodies packed tight. “We can’t do it here, though — no privacy. My apartment is close. Why don’t we go there and talk?”
    Mira kicked him hard in the thigh.
    “Merda!”
Kagan grabbed his throbbing leg. “What’s in those damn boots? Marble?”
    “Let me out of here, jackass, before I sideline your baby-maker!” Mira struggled within the tight confines of the booth. As she squirmed, the spicy scent of her shampoo wafted, and