"Mortal, get your hands off me," Echo snarled.

Crap! He was going to bring the roof down.

"CORA! Where are you?"

The fear in his voice pelted my senses like a gust of hailstones. I careened around the corner, almost bumping into Joan, the head of entertainment. I burst into the foyer, which was streaming with the staff. I pushed past them, my eyes locked on the four men dragging Echo toward the entrance. That he let them grab and move him was a testament to his self-control.

"Echo," I called out. "Here."

His head whipped around, his usually golden eyes a stormy wildness I'd never seen before. He shook the four men holding him like they were ragdolls, sending them flying. Then he closed the gap between us. I flew into his arms, wrapping my arms around his neck and my legs around his mid-section. He was shaking.

"I'm okay, baby," I whispered. "I'm okay."

"I couldn't feel you." He buried his face in my nape, his arms almost cracking my ribs. I engaged my runes just in case. "I couldn't feel you," he added again.

"That's because I was safe." Stroking his hair, I absorbed the tremors shooting through him. "I'm here now. Nothing bad happened."

He turned and carried me out of the building, his strides long, tremors still shooting through him. I could feel eyes following us. I didn't know how I'd explain him to the nursing home staff or if they'd understand, yet I had to try if I wanted to continue helping out there.

Echo propped me against the body of my car and leaned back to study my face. He looked like Hel swallowed him and spat him out.

"I'm sorry I worried you," I whispered.

Instead of answering me, he forked his fingers through my hair, gripped my head to hold it in place, and crushed my lips with his. The unfiltered fear I'd seen in his eyes translated into something dark and stormy. I wasn't ready for the total invasion of my senses.

He ravished my mouth like a man starved. The adrenaline coursing through his veins made him ruthless in the way he molded me to his will until I couldn't think of anything else but his mouth, his tongue, his hard body pressing against my softness.

We strained against each other. Soon the need to reassure him and ease his fear mushroomed into something more primal. Runes blazing, senses exploding, I wanted to rip the clothes off him.

When he yanked his lips from mine, we were both panting. His gleaming golden eyes bored into mine, telling me what he still couldn't put into words. He'd thought he'd lost me, and he needed to reconnect with me, to confirm I was really here and allay his demons.

Still cradling me, he opened the car door and sat with me on his lap, arms tight around my waist. I buried my face in the crook of his neck. We didn't speak until our heartbeats settled to a normal rhythm. I stroked his nape and kissed anywhere I could reach on his face.

"Look at me," I said.

He did, his eyes still haunted.

"I stopped to talk to a soul, and I thought it would only take a few minutes. I didn't know I'd taken long."

He kissed my nose, still not speaking. Echo was a talker, so for him to clam up said a lot.

"Open a portal and take me home," I whispered.

He nodded then nudged me to my feet. In the next second, he engaged his speed and invisibility runes, and pulled an artavus from inside his duster. He was gone before I could ask what he planned to do. Probably to etch forgetful runes on the people who'd witnessed his brief meltdown.

Less a minute later, he was back. He slid behind the wheel, but didn't start the engine. Instead, he gripped the steering wheel and stared straight ahead. I reached out and rubbed his back. Splayed my fingers through his hair and massaged his scalp, imagining how he would react if something bad ever happened to me. He'd probably lose his mind.

"I need you in my life, Cora-mio," he said.

"I know."

"If someone took you from me..." He let out a shaky breath as though the thought was too painful to voice.

I gripped the back of his head and tilted it so he could look into my eyes. "No one will ever do that, Echo. Never. Remember our vow. I'm yours and you are mine. Alive or dead."

His eyes blazed. "Engage your invisibility runes," he added in a voice gone husky.

He reached under his duster and removed his portal artavus. His movements fast, he created a portal like he'd done earlier. This time it led to his bedroom.

He took my hand. We stood and entered the room. He faced me, hands fisted on his sides, his eyes raw with emotions I couldn't begin to understand, his entire posture defenseless.

"I need you," he whispered.

"I know."

He swallowed. "Will you love me?"

My heart squeezed in my chest. "Always."

He went into hyper-speed, duster, shirt, pants, and shoes flying from the whirlpool that was Echo. When he finished, he stood before me.

I stared, my mouth dry. He never failed to take my breath away.

He walked to where I still stood in the middle of the room, cupped my face, and lowered his head. The kiss started sweet and soft, but shot up to sizzling hot in seconds. He took off my clothes faster than he'd taken off his. My head spun as he scooped me and lay me gently on the bed.

He paused and studied me with an unreadable expression.

"What is it?" I asked.

He ran a finger down my chest, leaving a heated trail, past the swell of my stomach, and found me. "I can't lose you."

"You won't." I ran a hand along his chest, past his taught sculptured abs, and found him. He sucked in a breath. I squeezed and a shuddered rocked his body. "You're mine."

"You unman me, Cora-mio." He joined me, legs intertwining with mine, skin speaking to skin. "The feel of you. Like warm silk." He took my hand from my favorite play toy and trapped it with the other above my head. Then he ran the tips of his fingers down my arm, stroking my face and my shoulders, while his legs moved up and down mine.

"The taste of you," he whispered against my lips then kissed me, focusing first on my upper lip, then the lower one, which he trapped with his teeth. My entire body trembled at the sharp nip. Then he proceeded to take away the sting, his hand scuttling down to my chest to play and torment. He moved lower and his lips replaced his fingers. I writhed and bucked, as he strummed me like a fine-tuned guitar.

"The essence of you," he whispered against my skin when he moved even lower and my skin quivered in response.

His enthusiasm and utter joy in driving me a little crazy with his mouth and lips triggered so many responses I cried out his name more than once, but it wasn't enough. It was never enough until we were one.

He crawled up my body, kissed me long and hard, then ordered, "Look at me."

I did through a haze.

Eyes locked, he carefully joined us, taking my breath away. It was always the same. Getting used to the feelings that simple act churned inside me was going to take a long time.

Taking his time, he rocked, watching my every expression. I felt vulnerable, like everything about me was there for him to see. He knew what to do to make me tremble with anticipation, gasp with pleasure, and cry out in frustration.

Rolling us over so I was on top, he whispered, "Love me, Cora-mio. Make me yours."

I did, starting slowly, watching the play of emotions on his face. Picking up tempo as runes exploded on his skin and starting that crazy reaction where I couldn't tell where his feelings ended and mine began. He pulled me down for a gut-wrenching kiss as the heavens burst open and stars exploded around us, my name a victorious yell from his lips.

Still wrapped in each other's arms, bodies glistening with sweat, we rolled to our sides and floated slowly back to earth.

"I'm an ass," he whispered.

I wasn't arguing with him on that, but at the moment, I didn't see the relevance. He'd just rocked my world. Again. "What did you do this time? Other than cut the circulation on my poor leg?"

He rolled on his back, taking me with him. Blood rushed in the leg he'd trapped under his, and it tingled as sensations returned.

"I use your body instead of dealing with whatever crap my screwed-up head can't deal with."

I stroked his back and smiled. Nothing grounded him like connecting with me. When he got scared or pissed, he craved contact in any form to calm down. I was beginning to anticipate his moods. I knew when he wanted me to love him. Knew when he needed to wrap himself around my body and absorb my essence as he called it. I never knew the power of skin-to-skin contact until I fell for this man. It was insane, but it was Echo.

"You don't hear me complain," I said.

"You should if you'd like. I'd feel like the lowest worm, but I'd bounce back. I'm tough like that."

My heart squeezed. I'd never do that to him. I lifted my head and studied him in the dark, the blazing runes providing enough light. It might be around six in Kayville, but it was nine in Florida.

"I'll always want you, silly. No matter how messed up your head is, I'll always be here for you."

He stroked my lower lip. "I know I don't always say this, Cora-mio, but I don't deserve you."

I hated it when he put himself down. Too often I'd play along and tell him in excruciating detail why he was right. Not tonight. He'd had enough of a scare. "Why?"

"You're loving, sweet, and selfless, everything I'm not." He ran his fingers down my back then up again. I trembled, but I doubted he noticed. "My greatest fear is one day you'll take a really good look at me and decide you could do better."

I was done. First he tells me I should fight him when he needed me, or used me as he put it, and now I could do better? I sat up and touched the lamp on top of the bedside chest. I wanted to kick him from here to next century.

"Explain exactly what you mean so I can go out there and find someone opposite you."

Surprise flickered in his eyes. He sat, his expression serious. "I'm mean and ruthless. I like to win and will do whatever it takes to do it. I don't forgive a slight and get a great deal of pleasure from punishing those who've hurt me or those I love. I, uh, I..."

So far he hadn't said anything I didn't already know. Know and not particularly care about, except for the last part. I planned to teach him the power of forgiveness if it was the last thing I did. Could take centuries. Didn't care. He was perfect, damn it. He must see that.

"Yes?" I urged, my stance softening.

"I don't know how to love." His brow crunched up, his eyes darkening. "I don't think I can the way you deserve to be loved. I said I wanted to court you, starting with dinner. Yet here we are instead of sitting at some restaurant."

Dinner was overrated. "Echo-"

"Love is sharing, yet I don't want to share you with anyone." He growled, his eyes brightening in intensity. "Not with the dying people in that stupid Mortal nursing home or gawking idiots in restaurants. I hate sharing. Don't know how. Love is putting your needs above mine." He shrugged. "I'm a selfish bastard. Maybe I've been alone for too long. But..." He sighed and I waited even though it was killing me. I wanted to tell him I didn't mind his way of doing things, but I knew he wouldn't believe me. "But I'm willing to learn and become a better man for you. So if I promise to do something, don't let me distract you with this." He indicated the bed.

I didn't know if I could ever tell him no. I loved the way he shared himself even though he didn't see it. And yes, he could be selfish, but he always put my needs first. Always. Even when he yanked clothes off us like a demented fool, his touch was always gentle.

"Cora?" he asked and peered at me.

"Okay. We'll learn together because I don't know how to share either. I'm an only child. Spoiled. Never learned to share. And let's be honest, I distract you too, so we're even." I gave him a toothy grin.

He glared. "Don't compare yourself with me, Cora-mio. You are perfect the way you are. I'm trying to tell you I plan to change. I promise."

I sighed. Hel's Mist. Time to play along. "And I promise to be patient as you learn to love me."

"Good." He swung his legs to the side of the bed and stood. "We're going to dinner. Then I have a surprise for you afterwards." He pulled on his pants. "I'll pick you up in an hour."

I didn't feel like going to dinner, but if it made him feel good, who was I to argue. I wasn't good with the few speed runes I had, so he was done before me. He watched me finish with a wicked gleam in his eyes.

"We could always skip dinner," he said, helping me button the front of my dress.

Was he testing me? I narrowed my eyes, wanting so badly to call his bluff. "Nah. I'm hungry."

"We could order takeout."

I smacked his arm. "Cut it out. You're not distracting me. I want to be courted."

He grinned with approval. Clueless man. Oh well, he was going to find out soon enough he couldn't control me. He picked up his duster from the floor, pulled out an artavus, and created an air portal to my car. I planted a kiss on his lips and walked through it.

"One hour," he warned before the portal closed.

CHAPTER 6. FINALLY A DATE.

Halfway home, Dev appeared in the seat next to me. I didn't even blink. "Use the radio."

He chuckled and slithered through the CD slot. "Where did you two disappear to?"

"None of your beeswax," I retorted.

He chuckled. "Same ol' same ol' Echo. Acting first and asking questions later."

I wasn't sure whether he meant the incident at the nursing home, so I tried to contain my annoyance. "If you don't cut out that mocking tone, mister, I'm so not going to help you."

"I'm starting to think you can't, gorgeous. Echo hasn't changed. He'll ditch you the way he did Nara."

I smiled. "You don't know anything, Smokey."

"Was that a smile I heard in your voice?"

"Yes. And I plan to prove you wrong. I will help you." It meant helping Echo too, which was more important.

"As long as you don't call me, Smokey."