"Let me guess, more survival skills."

He remained awkwardly quiet. If not for his rubbing his biceps, she would have thought him a statue. Kiara sighed, wishing she knew how to deduce his feelings and past the way he did hers. Sitting back in the seat, she tried to enjoy the rest of the ride.

Nykyrian smelled her exotic perfume and yearned to bury his lips in the sweet, scented flesh of her neck. He found it difficult to breathe with her so close. It would be so easy to share his past with her, lose himself in her charm and wit. His body throbbed with desire and for a moment, he wanted to pull her into his arms and take what he needed most.

Steeling himself, he dared a glance at her. His breath caught in his throat. Her arms were crossed over her chest in annoyance as she stared out the window, and displayed to his casual glance was the top swell of her breasts covered by the black lace of herundergarment.

His hand ached to touch her, his loins tightened. Nykyrian shifted in the seat and drew a trembling breath. He had to get away from her. He didn't need her for anything. He didn't need anyone, period.

Finally, the car stopped in front of the shopping complex.

Kiara slid out of the car behind him. She studied the already thronging crowd over his shoulder. "Looks like they got an early start as well."

His answer was a grunt.

Well at least she was making some improvement, it wasn't his usual growl. Without thinking, Kiara took his hand to lead him to a nearby shop. He snatched his hand away from her as if she had stuck it inside a blazing fire.

"Don't ever touch me," he said in the most growling, intimidating voice she had ever heard.

She swallowed the fear choking her. "Sorry," she apologized weakly. "I didn't think."

He tucked his hands into the pockets of his coat without saying anything more.

Shrugging off his distemper, she started toward her favorite store. Nykyrian stayed a step behind and eyed the crowd like a mother gimfry guarding her young.

As they entered the store, Kiara became acutely aware of the reactions he inspired around them.

She glanced about, noticing the way mothers snatched up the hands of their children, pulling them out of Nykyrian's path, and other patrons who eyed him in fear. Her heart ached as she overheard some of the hate-filled whispers-"Killer, cannibal." She looked up at Nykyrian's face, and she could tell he heard them as well by the hard, tight line of his lips.

Trying her best to ignore the imbeciles and their prejudice, she made her way to the women's section.

It took several minutes before Kiara could find a clerk to wait on her. "Excuse me," she finally said, cornering one before the woman could escape to another department. "Doyou have this jacket in a size twelve?" she asked, holding up the present for the clerk's inspection.

The clerk's eyes drifted over her shoulder to where Nykyrian had withdrawn and Kiara wanted to shake the woman for the unwarranted fear. The clerk's gaze returned to Kiara and the jacket. "I think so," she said, her voice trembling.

She took it from Kiara's hand and disappeared into the back. Kiara's eyes narrowed in anger. Looking around, she couldn't believe the way people stared and for once, it wasn't because of her fame.

After a minute, the clerk returned with the right size. "Will this be all, ma'am?"

Kiara nodded, her teeth clenched.

After ringing the order, the clerk leaned over the counter and whispered, "Where did you find an Andarion? I've never seen one on Gouran before. Aren't you afraid to be with him?"

Kiara tossed a strand of hair over her shoulder as if she were obliviously stupid. "Why no, I'm not afraid, he's already had his daily feeding."

"What do you feed him?" the clerk asked, fear heavy in her voice.

Kiara glared, unable to believe the nerve. Snatching up her package, she left the store.

She started toward another shop, then reconsidered. By the tenseness of Nykyrian's jaw, she could tell he wanted an end to this expedition. It actually amazed her he didn't say something to that effect.

"I'm ready to go home now," she whispered, her throat tight in sympathetic pain.

"Not so much fun with me around. I should have sent Rachol with you."

She stiffened at the simple way he stated the fact as if it didn't bother him in the least.

"Do people always act this way around you?"

He shrugged as if it were just a normal occurrence to be overlooked. "You should have seen the reactions when I wore a League uniform."

Kiara stared at the sidewalk while he hailed another transport. "Do Andarions react the same way to you?"He choked.

She looked up in startled amazement that her question had wrung such an unnatural response from him. "I think that was a negative answer."

He took a deep breath and faced her. "Humans fear me because they think I'm going to feed on them at any minute, Andarions look at me like a pitiful, weak giakon."

"Like I know what that means," she said bitterly.

"A castrated coward."

Her mouth formed a small o. Her hair rippled from a sudden breeze as a transport pulled up to the curb. Stepping inside, she thought about his words.

Depressed, she leaned back against the cold seat. No wonder he closed himself off from people. He was caught in the middle of all the hatred and fear of both races. "Has anyone ever attacked you for your mixed blood?"

"You can deduce that without my help."

She sighed at his flat, emotionless tone. "Why are people so stupid?" she asked rhetorically.

His voice surprised her. "They fear for themselves. I'm a reminder humans and Andarions aren't two separate species, but derived from the same genetic make-up.

Unfortunately, neither race wants to admit it could possibly be anything like the other. I quit blaming them for it years ago. Now I just try to avoid mingling with them. It makes life easier to live."

Coldness consumed her as she thought about what it would have been like growing up an anathema to everyone. "What about your parents?" she asked. "How did they cope?"

He took a deep breath. "My mother abandoned me when I was five."

"And the commander?"

"He adopted me."

Kiara smiled. She vaguely remembered Nykyrian's father from a few of the political trips he had made to Gouran when she was a child. "He must have loved you dearly.""Never assume anything."

This time, there was no mistaking the emotion in his voice. Hatred, cold and simple. She trembled, trying to remember what Huwin was like, but all she could recall was the image of a kind man who patted her on the head while speaking with her father.

She wanted to reach out and soothe away Nykyrian's pain. Kiara couldn't imagine what it must have been like for him. Her parents would have torn anyone apart who looked at her the way people did Nykyrian. She couldn't believe a mother would give up her child for any reason.

Kiara sat in silence the rest of the way home, her mind mulling over her lessons for the day.

When they returned to her flat, Rachol looked up from where he lay on the couch watching the viewer, shock etched on his face. "That didn't take long. I've never known a woman not to take at least half a day to shop for anything."

"I can't imagine why the trip was so short," Nykyrian said in a sarcastic voice that made Kiara take a second look at him.

Rachol laughed, switching off the viewer and sitting up. "You should try smiling. I think it would take the edge off people."

Nykyrian doffed his long, black coat and draped it over a chair. "Actually, they mistake it for an attempt to bite. Once my teeth are bared, they quake in fear. I've even seen a few lose control of their bodily functions."

Rachol laughed even harder.

Kiara didn't find it amusing in the least. She sat her bag by her chair and moved to the closet to get wrapping paper and tape.

"Do you want me to relieve you tonight?"

Kiara paused at Rachol's question. Biting her lip, she looked at Nykyrian.

He continued to face Rachol. "No," he said to her immediate relief. "I think I can handle everything. You know how lightly I sleep."Rachol snorted and glanced at Kiara. "If you come out while he's sleeping, don't touch him or make any sudden moves. He's been known to bite."

She pulled the tape off the top shelf. "I'll take care," she said absently.

Rachol lifted a questioning brow. "What, no fear?"

She shrugged and plopped her bundle of wrapping supplies on the floor. "I'm the daughter of a soldier. My father comes awake with a blaster aimed at your head if you disturb him from his sleep."

Rachol gave Nykyrian a knowing smile. "And I thought it was just you and your idiosyncrasies."

Nykyrian shrugged and sat in the other chair across from the couch. "I've told you not to think. It's just a waste of your time."

Kiara looked up, startled by the barb. There was a tiny lifting of the corners of Nykyrian's mouth that might actually be a smile. She glanced at Rachol who took the words in stride.

"Well, I guess I should be going. I've got a psycho to track." Rachol hesitated for a moment, casting her a sheepish glance before looking back at Nykyrian. "Are we still planning on tomorrow?"

"We can't. Everyone's scheduled tomorrow."

Rachol scratched his head. "Then when are we going to do it?"

Kiara pursed her lips, wishing she knew what they were talking about.

"Hauk's free the next day. He can watch Kiara."

Rachol nodded. "I'll have Hauk come over then the first thing." He gave Kiara an encouraging smile. "You two be careful and don't let the diras get you."

Kiara waited until Rachol left before questioning Nykyrian. "Why are you leaving?"

"I've got a few things to take care of."

She unrolled the wrapping paper and cut a square large enough for the box. "Can'tDarling stay with me instead of Hauk?"

His head snapped toward her. She saw his breathing intensify as if her question outraged him. Too late, she realized her mistake. "It's not because he's Andarion," she said quietly, wrapping the paper around the box. "Even you have to admit Hauk's not the nicest person around."

He relaxed. "I guess not," he said with a sigh. "Darling has his own things to do. Hauk just likes to intimidate people. Stand up to him and he'll back down."

"Or, have me fricasseed by the time you return."

"There's always that possibility."

With a grimace, Kiara pulled the tape off with a loud screech.

Hours passed quickly while Nykyrian worked and Kiara tried to find some way to occupy her time. Reluctantly, Kiara finally called the dance company to inform them of her temporary withdrawal from the show.

She lay on her bed, listening to the clacking of computer keys as Nykyrian worked on whatever seemed to occupy him. If only she could put him out of her mind as easily as he seemed to do her.

After awhile, she got up and went to the studio to practice. She might not be able to perform for the next few weeks, but she couldn't afford to let her muscles stiffen.

In spite of Nykyrian's efforts to concentrate on paperwork, the sound of Kiara's dance music lured him out of his cocoon like Tyna lured Brilar to his early demise. Without conscious effort, he found himself walking down the corridor to the studio.

His breathing stopped as he saw her in all her graceful glory twirling about the room.

Chills ran down the length of his body. What he wouldn't give or do for the right to peel the tight exercise suit off her lithe body and make love to her for the rest of the night. He gripped the wood of the door frame until his knuckles turned white.

Kiara turned about and caught a sudden flash of silver. She almost stumbled as she realized Nykyrian was watching her. "I'm sorry," she said, taking deep, calming breaths, unsure of what made her more breathless, her exercise or his obvious interest. "I didn't realize you were there."She reached to turn off the disc player.

"Don't stop," he said with an odd note she couldn't quite place.

Kiara let the next song begin. She walked up to him on her toes. Intending to awe him with her pirouette, she gasped as her foot gave way under her weight.

Nykyrian caught her before she fell. The sudden impact of strong muscles surrounding her, stole her breath.

"Are you okay?"

She smiled at the warm concern in his voice. "It's my foot. I think I might have hurt it."

He eased her to the floor. Kiara wished she could think of some way to keep his arms around her, but his warmth vacated her and left her longing.

With deft movements, he unlaced her shoe and pulled it free. A hiss escaped his lips.

Her eyes widened at the emotional display. "My God, what happened to your foot?"

Kiara wiggled her toes and looked down at the member expecting to see it broken or swollen. Instead, it looked quite normal to her. "There's nothing wrong with it."

He brushed his fingers over the ball of her foot as if he held a holy relic. Chills crept up her legs despite the burning sensation she felt where his hands touched her, "You've got more blisters on your foot than I've got scars ..." his voice trailed off.

Kiara gave a half laugh. "It's a hazard of my business," she answered. "I'm used to them.

They only hurt when they bleed."

His grip tightened. "You shouldn't do this to yourself. I'm sure it hurts like Hell."