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that
    was pretty much inevitable. No, his problem was not knowing how  long he could survive until he did sleep with her.
    Things were going to get complicated.
    He put away the game board and the checkers, then went to
    the front door and stepped out. The night air  was cool and crisp. So  different from the city noises. A coyote howled, a deeply mournful  sound. Roan took a couple of deep breaths, then went back inside  and locked the door before going up to his room to get ready for bed.
    He wore pajama bottoms, but that was all, and only because of  Lyraka just in case something happened and he had to hurry from the  room. He didn't want to send her into shock.

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    He picked up the manila envelope Joe had given him and dumped out the papers. There weren't that many. He began to read.
    Joe mentioned her speed, but that was all. Apparently, he didn't know she could blend in with her surroundings. He flipped through the pages, skimming mostly, then replaced the papers and placed the envelope on his dresser.
    Lyraka had lived at an artist colony all her life, been home schooled by an over protective mother-- hell, Lyraka was probably a virgin. Oh, yeah, now he felt a hell of a lot better.
    God, he was in such deep shit. A Nerakian virgin. If her powers were strengthened because she was of mixed blood, what happened when she made love? He'd heard all sorts of locker room tales. Some
    of the men had actually been leery of repeating the experience. He
    hadn't paid a lot of attention to their stories. Now, he kind of wished
    he'd listened a little more carefully.
    Had he awakened Lyraka's sexual drive?
    He dragged his fingers through his hair. Man, coming on to her
    in the woods had been low. Her Nerakian side had been hot and
    bothered in record time. Crap, not one day had passed and he'd
    already made a mess of things.
    He sat on the side of his bed. Heat washed over him. He'd
    enjoyed kissing her, and it had been nice the way her breast had fit  perfectly in the palm of his hand.
    Go to sleep, Roan. Forget about her.
    The little voice inside  his head was right. He didn't want to get  mixed up with a Nerakian, even if she was half earthling. They only  spelled trouble as far as he was concerned.
    He switched off the light, then lay back in the bed and closed
    his eyes, but sleep was a long time co ming. When he did finally fall  asleep, he dreamt of Lyraka and her naked body pressed against his,  her hands roaming over his naked skin, drawing him closer before  spreading her thighs in open invitation.
    Sometime during the night Roan woke and reached fo r her,
    only to find that side of the bed empty. He cursed, flopped to his other  side and closed his eyes as he prayed for peaceful sleep without

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    visions of Lyraka.
    Except it didn't happen.
    Roan was in a foul mood when his alarm went off the next
    morning. He grabbed his clothes and headed toward the bathroom  that was farther down the hall, knowing a shower might wake him up.  He seriously doubted he would feel much better than he did now-- which was pretty much like death warmed over.
    He turned the knob. It was locked. He could hear faint humming  on the other side.
    Lyraka.
    He rattled the doorknob.
    "Just a minute."
    He leaned against the door facing and waited. A few moments later, she opened it, looking like a breath of fresh air. His gaze slid lazily ove r her. She wore deep blue leggings that clung to her incredibly long limbs and a light blue T-shirt that reached the top of her thighs.
    Had she not been tormented by dreams of them making love?  He frowned. Apparently not.
    "Roan, you look bad. What's the  matter? Didn't sleep well?"
    "You could say that," he grumbled as he went inside the bathroom and closed the door. Her expression said it didn't bother her a bit that he hadn't slept well. Hell, she probably relished his discomfort.
    "I'll meet you downstairs," she called to him.
    "Whatever." He