Ka'Cit's Haven (Riv’s Sanctuary #3)

He could see it now, she supposed.

The doors in the direction she’d come from were closed.

“They’re locked. That’s what I was trying to tell you.” She turned and tugged on his hand, but it was like trying to pull a ship by its anchor. “We have to go this way—”

Her words cut off in her throat as she realized that up ahead was a solid wall. Or, rather, the doors were shut up at that end too.

“What the fuck…”

Why were the doors closed?

There was a sound like a chuckle or grunt, and when she turned and looked up at the stranger, her gaze met startling green ones through the slit in his mask.

Even in the now-thin veil of smoke, his eyes were a startling diopside.

“You shut down the sector?” The awe in his voice didn’t register because all she could do was stare up into those eyes.

They were wild…free…and a bit crazy.

It was like looking into the eyes of someone who lived life completely different from the way she did.

Things were happening behind his eyes that she did not understand…and there was interest.

Intelligence.

Amusement.

And interest.

Something moved behind the male and her gaze flicked to it.

His tail.

She’d have thought it was a snake if not for the mop of dark wavy hair at the end of it.

Like a lion’s tail, it was.

It was curling toward his leg in much the same way a cat’s tail would curl to the side of its body when it felt affectionate.

Watching it made Nia swallow hard, and she switched her gaze back to those green eyes.

His gaze was so intense, it almost made her squirm.

It was strange looking at someone directly in the eyes, without seeing any other part of their face.

His gaze was powerful, and she got the distinct impression that he could break her without even laying a finger on her.

Who was this man?

Riv’s friend, the voice inside answered, always so helpful.

But who was he really?

And how did he find her here?

“You locked down the sector. I wonder how you managed to do that…” He was still studying her, and she imagined he was frowning behind his mask at the conundrum.

Nia shook her head and broke the spell.