She retreated automatically, and her back hit the diner’s brick wall. Great. Bricks to her back, a phoenix to her front. “How? How did you find me here? How did you find me at the ranch? And how did—”

“I guess you could say that I’m . . . tuned to you. There is no place you could go on this earth that I could not follow.”

“Provided you wanted to follow me.” The words just snapped from her. “You were too busy with the vamp in Chicago to—”

“My memories of you hadn’t crystalized by then. In time, I would have found you.” His words, so very certain, sent a tendril of unease through her.

But since she was walking on a big old knife-edge of fear, she didn’t let the extra unease stop her. “Did you kill those people at the ranch?”

He shook his head. “I swear to you, I let them live.” His lips thinned. “Though I’ll confess, I did entertain the thought of going back to finish them off.”

He’d entertained the thought?

“Why are you looking so shocked? You knew what I was all the time I was caged at Genesis, but you still let me out of my prison.”

A monster . . . a killer . . . that was what the guards had always said. Dante belonged in maximum security because of the threat he posed to the world.

She’d never believed those whispers. She’d looked into his eyes and thought she’d seen a man who needed her.

But then, she’d also thought Jon had needed her.

She had to get a freaking clue.

“How are you tuned to me?” Cassie wanted to know. If she was ever going to get away from him, she’d have to be sure he didn’t follow.

His lips twisted. Almost a smile. As close as she’d ever seen. She hadn’t expected it to look so cruel.

“Ah, Cassie. If I tell you that, you’ll just try to escape, and that’s not on the agenda for us.”

“What is on the agenda?” Though she probably didn’t want to know.

He stared back at her.

“I’ll tell you what’s on my agenda,” Cassie snapped. “I’m going to Mississippi. People there are counting on me.” Without Dante’s cooperation, she wasn’t sure how to begin helping them.

“You’re going to the other phoenixes.”

“Yes.”

His gaze studied her face. “Then I will come with you.”

Wait. What?

He shook his head as he read her expression. “What did you think I would do? Hunt you down, force you to come with me?”

“I didn’t think you’d hunt me at all. I thought . . . I thought you’d be free of me.”

His hands flattened against the bricks behind her, and she was caged between his body and the wall. The wonderful, enticing heat of his flesh seemed to wrap around her.

“What makes you think I want to be free?” Dante asked.

Maybe because he didn’t love her? Maybe because he’d been spouting about Canada?

“While I hunted you—I mean, while I followed you . . .”

Her eyes narrowed.

“I realized that I had been too hasty. Perhaps it would be good to meet my own kind. There have been too many battles between us over the years—the centuries. It’s time to move past that. When I meet the others, I won’t be alone any longer.”

“No, you won’t.” Hope was trying to stir within her again. If she got him to Mississippi with the other phoenixes, maybe they could all convince Dante to join the research. She could find a cure and undo the nightmares her father had caused.

“So you will take me to them.” His mouth was just inches from her own. “And you won’t try to leave me again.”

Her gaze searched his. “Promise me,” Cassie demanded.

His brows rose.

“Promise me,” she said again, “that you didn’t have anything to do with that fire at the ranch. That those people—that you didn’t hurt them.”

“And you’d believe my word?”

“I don’t think you’ve ever lied to me.” Even though there were times she would have preferred his lies.

Maybe a lie of love over the years wouldn’t have made her heart feel so battered.

His head moved in a small nod. “I promise you, I didn’t kill those people. I spent my night with you.” A slight pause. His gaze warmed. “In you.”

Her sex clenched as the hot memory pierced through her. Damn him.

“And”—his mouth came closer, but instead of kissing her lips, his mouth pressed lightly to her cheek—“I’m the only one who has enjoyed that pleasure.”