She heard voices. Men. Talking. Coming toward them.

Dante spun her toward him. “If you try to get them to help you, it won’t end well for them.”

Who the hell was this man? She seemed to be looking at a stranger.

“Don’t call out.” With that last warning, he moved his hand from her mouth, and, of course, she wasn’t about to risk any humans. Humans would never be any match for him.

His arms wrapped around her, and he pulled her flush against his body.

His lips took hers.

She was so surprised that she didn’t even move at first. His mouth pressed against hers, and his tongue swept over her lower lip. A shudder went through her, and as much as she wanted to say that shudder was from fear—

It wasn’t.

Her body was far too attuned to his.

He licked her lower lip once more, and her mouth opened for him.

I’m biding my time. I’ll run when I can.

A wolf whistle sounded in the air behind them. The humans. And they were seeing exactly what Dante wanted them to see. An amorous couple. Not a woman in fear for her life.

Two could play at this game.

Her hands rose—when had he let them go?—and her fingers tunneled in his hair. She pulled him down, closer, harder against her, and she was the one who took over that kiss. He’d thought to seduce her? Well, just because she didn’t have a long history of lovers didn’t mean that she didn’t know a few tricks.

She bit his lower lip, a light sting, then she was the one licking him. Sucking his tongue. Tasting him and making him groan as he clutched her ever closer.

If he hadn’t been a walking, talking disappointment to her, she would have blown his mind in the next bout of lovemaking.

Your loss, jerk.

The footsteps shuffled past them as the men kept heading toward their cars. A few moments later, she heard their vehicles pull away.

That was her cue to pull away from Dante, only he wasn’t letting her go. His arousal stretched against the front of her body. Long and hard and thick. His hands were on her hips, and he was holding tight.

She kneed him in the groin.

Cassie didn’t know if she hurt him or shocked him, but Dante let her go as he swore. She stumbled back, raising her hand to her lips. She could still taste him.

Dammit. I want more of that taste.

She would not be having more.

“I didn’t realize . . . you liked things rough,” Dante growled.

Her heart skipped a beat at that. Images flew through her mind—no. “Why?” she demanded.

“Because I can give you anything you like,” Dante said as he straightened.

No, she hadn’t hurt him. Figured.

“All you have to do is ask.” He stepped toward her.

Cassie threw up her hands. “Why did you kill them?”

His unblinking gaze stared back at her. “I’ve killed a lot of people, sweetheart, so you’re going to have to be far more specific.”

“The people at the ranch—the guards, the researchers,” she gritted out. The ones who hurt me. “I asked you to let them live.”

A shrug rolled his shoulders. “So you did.”

“And you lied to me!” What about him isn’t a lie? “You waited until I slept, then you went back and burned the place to the ground.”

That same furrow—a thin line—appeared between his brows. “What makes you think I did such a thing?”

“Uh, because you’re a phoenix? The only one in the area. And because I saw the destruction on the TV in that diner not five minutes ago.” Her breath heaved out as she dropped her hand. “Two dozen people were killed in that blaze, Dante. Two dozen. They weren’t perfect, but did they all deserve to die like that?”

“I have no idea what they deserved. I’m not their judge.”

“Just their executioner?”

A muscle jerked in his jaw. “I did not kill them.”

“I saw the wreckage! The place was destroyed. It wasn’t—”

“If I had burned it, I wouldn’t have left any bodies behind. There would have only been ash left.”

The nausea rolled through her again.

He frowned. “Cassie, are you all right?”

“No, I’m talking to an insane phoenix, and I just found out that I’m some kind of freak experiment.” She huffed out a breath. “Why are you here? How are you here?”

His gaze—that couldn’t be real worry in his dark stare—swept over her face.

“I’m here because this is where you are.” He took another step toward her. “I can follow you anywhere.”