Midnight Whispers - Paranormal Romance by Catherine Bullard Page B

proved to him
that his head and his hormones weren’t the only thing involved.
    After he’d
walked Kyra back to the maze, he’d asked his sister for advice on what to do
the next time she came. He had little experience with courting females, and
never in his life though he would be trying to win over a human. He knew that
he needed to spend more time with her alone, but that he needed some sort of
agenda or his mind would quickly follow in the direction of his overactive
hormones. Not that he would mind it very much, but when he finally did take
Kyra to his bed, he wanted her to be willing in every possible way.
    Looking up,
his eyes settled on the package his sister had left on his bedside table for
him, and smiled. Leah was the most reliable person he’d ever met—and the
only family he had left. She was just as saddened by that fact as he was, which
was another reason she was so keen to have Kyra around—if she did accept
him as her mate, it would give him the chance to finally expand their dwindling
line.
    Kyra was
wondering what was taking Bryce so long when he finally emerged. Her eyes
settled on the long, rectangular box tucked beneath his arm, and her eyebrow
quirked. “A present for me?”
    He nodded,
holding it out to her. “I thought I might teach you how to use it today.”
    Curious, Kyra
opened the package to find a longbow and a quiver full of arrows. Excitement
and surprise pulsed through her veins as she gingerly lifted the bow from the
box, running her hands down the glossy wood, gently plucking at the string.
    “Of all the
gifts I’ve ever received,” she murmured, “this is certainly the most unusual
one.”
    “I was hoping
to distinguish myself.” Bryce smiled crookedly. “Though admittedly a bow is
much easier to come by than the trinkets and baubles I’m sure a lady like
yourself is used to.”
    Kyra looked
up. “It also carries much more meaning than any silly, frivolous item picked up
in a boutique or shop.” She smiled at him. “Especially since you are going to
teach me how to use it.”
    “That’s the
plan.” Bryce said, his eyes lighting up, and Kyra noticed for the first time
the tension in his shoulders as they relaxed—he’d been nervous. The
thought warmed her, not because she wanted to see his discomfort, but because
he always seemed so confident, so assured, that it was nice to know he was just
as human as she—or at least in the ways that counted.
    Bryce grabbed
his own bow, which was significantly larger and heavier-looking than hers. He
led her outside the village and into the woods to an area he had set up for
target practice—a small clearing with a trio of shooting targets nailed
to a row of trees.
    “Let me help
you with that,” he said as Kyra struggled to adjust the length of the quiver
strap. He fixed it for her and then slipped It over her back, and Kyra shivered
slightly as the back of one of his hands gently brushed the underside of her
breast as he adjusted the strap over her chest. He helped her string her bow,
and then swiftly did his and hefted it up.
    “Are you
ready?” he asked.
    Kyra nodded.
“I think so.”
    “Good.” He
straightened. “You’re right-handed?” She nodded. “Then you’re going to grip the
longbow here with your left hand—“ he indicated the grip with his right
hand as he wrapped the fingers of his left hand around it, “and you’re going to
nock your arrow here and make sure the shaft is resting just here against your
finger.” He pointed as he worked, and Kyra watched closely. “Then you pull back
with your string, making sure your elbow comes straight back—” he did so,
the muscles in his arms bunching, “look for your target, and release.”
    He released
the bowstring and the arrow shot through the air almost faster than Kyra’s eyes
could follow, landing with a solid thwack in the middle of the target.
“Bulls-eye,” he said, lowering his bow with a satisfied smile before turning to
her. “Your turn