Born of the Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon Page B

broke her ribs, to stare at Tiyana's
    bright green eyes. Tiyana was everything she had always wanted to be— tall, blond,
    voluptuous, gorgeous and sophisticated, not to mention strong. "How could I miss it?"
    Kiara said happily. "It's not everyday you turn twenty-six."

    Tiyana shuddered and put her finger to her own perfectly rouged lips. "Don't say that so
    loud," she whispered conspiratorially, flipping a long blond curl over her shoulder. "I've told all the promoters I'm twenty-two. If they ever found out how close to thirty I am ..."
    She held her hand up to her head like a blaster and pretended to pull the trigger.

    Kiara laughed at the gesture. "Do me the same favor and we'll call it even!"

    "Done!" Tiyana said, pulling her into another hug.

    Kiara felt Tiyana stiffen. "Who's your date?" she whispered.

    Kiara moved away from Tiyana to stare up at Nykyrian. "He's not my date, he's my
    bodyguard."

    Tiyana's eyes widened. "Your father must be up to his old tricks."

    Kiara nodded.

    Tiyana smiled a dazzling smile at Nykyrian, but he didn't acknowledge Tiyana in the
    slightest way. Kiara couldn't resist feeling a bit satisfied that Nykyrian seemed as
    immune to Tiyana's charms as he was to hers.

    A frown of disappointment flitted across Tiyana's face, only to quickly disappear. She
    turned back to face Kiara. "Well I can't blame your father for being neurotic after the way those guys broke into your hotel room, and then that night at the theatre." Tiyana shook
    her head.

    "Enough!" Tiyana said, interrupting herself, and dragging Kiara into the house by her hand. "Come on in." Tiyana shut the door behind Nykyrian. "I think you know everyone here, if not, just give me a wink and I'll introduce you."

    Tiyana pulled Kiara to her and whispered in her ear, "Paulus is here and he's drunk, so be warned."

    Kiara rolled her eyes. Paulus was every dancer's nightmare. His father had made a fortune
    with his media company before becoming an art sponsor and as a result, Paulus thought
    he should have the privilege to sleep with any dancer who caught his fancy. Kiara cringed
    in distaste.

    Well she had always managed to avoid him in the past, by now she was used to prying
    his wandering hands off her body.

    With a final smile, a quick hug and grasping her latest present, Tiyana floated off into the
    crowd.

    Kiara searched the huge gathering for friendly faces. So much for Tiyana's word that she
    had invited just a "few" friends and associates. It looked like everyone Tiyana had ever spoken with was here.

    Kiara glanced back at Nykyrian. "How do we do this?" she asked.

    Instead of looking at her, he scanned the crowd. "I'm not going to hover over you like a
    buzzard." Kiara noted the irritation in his voice and wondered what upset him more, the
    fact she had drawn him along to this soiree, or the fact that they were forced into a large
    thronging mass of people. "Just don't get out of my sight."

    Kiara smirked. "That sounds like hovering to me."

    He didn't respond.

    Fine, Kiara thought, heading off to the punch bowl. He's a grown killer, he can fend for
    himself.

    "Kiara Biardi!"

    Kiara spun around to face Elfa Dicuta, her understudy. "Hi Elfie, how are you?"

    Elfa gave her one of those famous fake smiles. "Just fine. I can't tell you how sorry I am you had to pull out of the show. I feel just terrible about it."

    I bet. "So how's the show going?"

    This time, Kiara suspected the smile might be real. "Great." Elfa's eyes drifted to where Nykyrian leaned against the far wall. "Didn't you come with that Andarion?"

    Kiara picked up a cup of punch, wanting to toss it at the little blonde. "Yes, I did."

    A scheming look crossed Elfa's face. "The promoters might not like that." Kiara detected a hopeful note under the girl's tone. "Have you been dating him long?"

    Gripping her cup tightly, Kiara swallowed her mouthful of punch. "I'm not dating him at
    all. He's my bodyguard."

    "Well honey, he can guard my body any