by Juniper Hart
“Holy shit,” she mewled, her hands closing into fists, her sexy frame trembling from head to toe.
His licks slowed as she quivered, his head moving upward to nuzzle her center. She could not move, her body his to manipulate as he pulled her toward him, her calves over his shoulder.
“I’m going to take you now,” he rasped, and she whimpered, tears of ecstasy pouring down her cheeks as he positioned himself over her.
“Are you okay?” he mumbled, his face appearing as he filled her.
“Take me,” she gasped, her eyes glazed with passion. “And don’t stop.”
It was all he needed to hear, his hips beginning to move, slowly at first, but she begged him to go faster, her pleading emanating in the manner of trembling jerks. Sweat poured down their faces, her voice catching as his thrusts grew impossibly deep, as if he had become a part of her, and Kyla no longer knew where she ended, and he began.
Pascal shuddered then, a feral grunt escaping his lips as he fell forward. His mouth landed on hers again and she inhaled him eagerly, her tongue tasting the remnants of her own orgasm on his lips as he seized again and again, his ass clenching to reach his own climax. Kyla clung to him with shaking arms, her muscles squeezing his shaft to drain him, her ankles locked around his head.
“Fuck,” he choked when he pulled away to crumble on top of her. “You were well worth the wait.”
“Oh my god,” she agreed, her voice wavering still, but she let out a short laugh. “That was amazing.”
“You’re amazing,” he told her earnestly, his eyes searching her face as he tried to catch his breath. “I don’t know what it is about you…”
“You already said that,” Kyla chuckled. “But it looks like we’ve crossed a line here.”
“Have we?” he asked quietly. “Or are we just doing what we should have been doing from the start?”
Kyla visibly swallowed and Pascal could read all the doubts in her face.
“Cal, we’re—”
He silenced her with a long, sweet kiss. When they parted, he shook his head.
“Let’s not talk about it right now,” he told her softly. “Okay?”
She nodded, darting her eyes away, and twined her fingers through his thick head of dark hair. Pascal lay his head on Kyla’s full chest and smothered a sigh.
I just made things a hell of a lot more complicated than they needed to be, he thought.
13
Kyla was awake well before Pascal the following morning. She had been stunned at how easily she had slept, despite the nervousness that had plagued her gut following their long-awaited lovemaking. It was not that she hadn’t enjoyed it. The release of pent-up emotions and feelings she had long suppressed were finally out there in the open where she had always wanted them to be but as she watched her love sleep, Kyla could not help but feel like she had done something wrong.
Perhaps she had long ago accepted that they would never be together, and the nearness unnerved her. Perhaps she had grown comfortable in the push and pull of the relationship. There had been some kind of comfort in knowing that it could not become anything more than an attraction between them.
Now all of that was out the window. What would Anatoli have to say about this?
She quickly dismissed the thought, knowing that she was getting way ahead of herself. Moreover, she had no idea if Anatoli was even checking in anymore. Any attempts that she had made to reach the Director over the past couple days had been fruitless. Not that it meant anything in itself. Before the call from Dex, Kyla had not had reason to contact Anatoli out of the blue and they had just spoken about Pascal.
If anything, a few days of silence from Anatoli is a good thing now. It will give me some time to sort out my thoughts.
But was there really anything to sort out or would there only be more problems to unravel once the dust settled?
One problem at a time, she chided herself as she made her way from the bedroom into the kitchen to make some coffee. Dawn’s early light streamed through the slat windows and with the coffee maker working, she ambled back into the living room to catch the early news. Kyla flopped onto the sofa and flipped on the television with an ancient remote control. Almost immediately, the picture of a now-familiar building appeared in the background as a reporter reported the facts in English with a heavy Afrikaans accent.
“…the firefighters are still on the scene but the blaze is finally under control. Investigators believe that it was used to cover a murder in the building last night. The police are seeking any information regarding this bizarre and horrific crime which left a little boy fatherless around midnight. Thirty-two-year-old Robert Nkosi was found in the ashes. Nkosi’s wife, Andrea Hoya, and the couple’s four-year-old son were at the scene. Hoya’s family said that she is in shock and unable to speak, so the details of what happened are still unclear.”
Kyla sat forward, her eyes wide.
What did he do? Why would he set a fire? There was no reason for that if he needed to feed!
Guilt and worry slid down Kyla’s spine.
Why didn’t I go in there? I should have gone in there! I could have stopped this.
But it didn’t make sense. She had watched Pascal leave the building without feeding. Had he gone back after she had lost sight of him?
Kyla forced herself to listen to what the reporter was saying even though her mind was swimming.
“…at this time. Witnesses believe that they had a couple visiting with them last night but so far no one has come forward claiming to have been with them prior to this senseless crime. The motive is not yet known but we will update you as more details come available. Now for sports. Back to you—”
“What are you doing up at this ungodly hour?” Pascal yawned, sauntering into the living room where she sat. “Don’t you ever sleep?”
“I just woke up,” Kyla replied quickly, eyeing him warily. “Did I wake you?”
Pascal shook his head and entered the kitchen. She heard the clatter of dishes and then the gentle pouring of liquid as he fixed a cup of coffee. A moment later, he reappeared, handing her a cup.
“So…do you want to talk about what happened last night?” Kyla asked when he sank onto the cushions at her side. A slow smile formed on his lips and he returned her smile evenly.
“I thought we did discuss it,” he replied lazily. “And that we both agreed that it was amazing.”
“I’m talking about the girl.”
Instantly, the beam faded from his lips and Pascal’s body tensed.
“What about her?” he asked, turning away as he pretended to focus on his coffee, but Kyla knew him well enough by now to know he was merely stalling.
“Why don’t you tell me?” she replied shortly. “Who was she and what was she doing here?”
Pascal was quiet for a very long moment. Each second that passed only fueled Kyla’s alarm.
“I don’t want to lie to you,” he mumbled, finally raising his head.
“Then don’t,” Kyla replied flatly. “Tell me the truth.”
He shook his head.
“I can’t,” he sighed. Kyla felt a rush of anger fly through her body.
“You can’t or you won’t?” she snapped back. “Because I think it’s the latter.”
“I’m asking you to trust me,” he said quietly. “I need to figure some things out and…” He trailed off, sighing. “And she’s one of the things I need to figure out right now.”
Hurt snaked through Kyla’s gut and she blinked as a sting of tears touched her eyes.
How long has he been seeing someone? How did I not see her before?
She realized that Pascal had done an excellent job of hiding this woman from her.
What else has he been hiding from me?
“Don’t look so upset,” Pascal muttered, reaching for her hand, but Kyla jerked it away, rising from her spot on the sofa. It was only then that she realized she was still naked. She felt vulnerable now and she reached onto the floor to grab her skirt.
“No,” she retorted. “I would rather you get your shit together before I go and ruin my life and career for you.”
She was on her feet, slipping on a pair of heeled boots.
“Ruin your— What are you talking about?” he demanded, ire falling over his face.
“What do you think is going to happen when Anatoli finds out about this?” she hissed, suddenly angry at herself.
Dammit. Why did I say that? This could have just been a one-off. Why am I making it into such a big thing?
But she knew why.
She had loved Pascal for months. Knowing that there was another woman in the picture twisted her heart into knots.
“How is Anatoli going to know anything if you don’t tell her?”
The question took Kyla aback and she gaped at him.
“What?” he insisted. “She doesn’t have eyes here. You are her eyes here. If you don’t tell her anything, how will she know?”
To her dismay, Kyla’s lower lip began to quiver but before he could see it, she spun away.
“You’re right,” she snapped. “I am her eyes here.”
“Kyla, wait!” he groaned but she was already out the door and slamming into her car before he could get in another word.
You damned fool! she cursed herself. He didn’t sleep with you because he wants you. He slept with you because he is trying to keep the heat off himself.
Kyla was sure she had never been so humiliated in her life.
14
For the first time in longer than he could remember, Pascal stayed home to collect himself. He didn’t have the urge to flee the house and drink himself into a fighting stupor. He wanted nothing more than to call Kyla back and explain the entire sordid situation to her, but he wasn’t sure he understood it entirely either. For all he knew, Lara was already back in the States, forgetting about him again.
Or was she telling Franz where to find him because Pascal refused her? Maybe Franz was on his way to South Africa at that very moment.
He wondered what he would do if that were the case and goosebumps exploded over his arms.
Yesterday, he might have still gone with Franz, especially now that he knew that he had not been abandoned after all. But today, after being with Kyla finally, he wasn’t sure what he wanted.
That wasn’t true. He wanted Kyla.
The problem was, he knew they couldn’t be together, not while he had split loyalties. But who was he loyal to? It was a question he hadn’t given much thought to until that moment. Was his loyalty still to the tribe after all this time?
The question bounced around in his head as the daylight slipped lower over the horizon and he fell deeper into his own thoughts.
There was little he could do but wait and see how the next couple of days played out, he reasoned. He loathed that he sat in limbo again, playing a waiting game because of Lara.
Killing Franz. Is she out of her mind? How could I have even considered it?
Someone knocked on the front door, shattering the reverie in which Pascal had cocooned himself.
For a moment, Pascal pulled a pillow over his head and willed them away silently, but the knock was becoming more insistent, urgent. Suddenly, Pascal broke into a sweat as he realized that it was probably the police.
He had seen the news reports throughout the day and while they had made no mention of a suspect, Pascal had left fingerprints and DNA all over the apartment.
Even if I didn’t do anything, they might have me on file.
He told himself that he was being paranoid, that it was impossible for the police to have found him, but as the knocking grew more insistent, Pascal could not imagine who else it might be.
I have to run! If Anatoli finds out that I attracted the attention of the police again, I’ll be in serious trouble. I can’t be here when they break down the door.
Pascal jumped from the sofa and scampered into the bedroom. He peered out the window and into the night. Blackness blanketed a moonless sky. The cloak of darkness would hide a shift and he moved to climb, hoping that the house was not surrounded.
Will they shoot me? he wondered, jamming his legs into a pair of black jeans and grabbing his jacket. He had not bothered to dress either, wasting the day away. A part of him had secretly hoped that Kyla would return but now he wished he’d gotten up at some point. He stuffed his feet into his shoes and bolted for the window.
Again, the pounding on the door increased and as he pried open the glass he heard a plaintive voice call out.
“Cal, let me in. I know you’re there. I can smell you.”
Pascal froze where he stood, a mix of emotions flowing through him. His instincts told him to ignore her, but he knew he couldn’t, not when she was still in South Africa.
It’s Lara, he thought. She didn’t go home after all. I need to see this through before she does something to ruin my life.
The echo of Kyla’s hurtful words haunted him, but he shrugged them off.
She isn’t wrong. There is a lot happening around us right now. Should she throw it all away for someone that can’t even be sure of where he’ll be tomorrow?
Maybe the best place for him was with Lara after all.
Isn’t it better to be with the devil you know?
“Cal, please! I don’t feel safe out here!”
Forsaking his initial plan to escape, he ran into the apartment and unlocked the door. Lara smiled at him and Pascal felt all his anxiety dissipate when he realized she wasn’t with the police.
Of course she’s not the police. She’s probably worse for me than the police.
“Come in,” he said, recovering from the sight of her in his doorway. She obliged, gingerly stepping across the threshold before turning to face him as he secured the door and began turning on lights in the dark.
“I wanted to make sure that your girlfriend was gone before I came back,” she explained, looking around nervously. “She is gone, isn’t she?”
“Kyla’s gone,” he sighed, shame tinging his words.
And she wouldn’t appreciate you being here right now, he added silently. He continued to flip on the lights even though he knew that Lara was just as comfortable as him in the dark. When the living room was lit, he looked at her uncomfortably, unsure of what to say. He folded his arms under his breastbone and stared at her.
“You killed them,” he blurted out. “You really killed them and you left a mess in your wake.”
“Yes,” Lara answered slowly. “I see you believe me now.”
“Well, yeah. Considering it’s all over the news,” he grouched. “I don’t really have a choice but to believe you. Why did you make such a production of it? I mean, a fire, Lar? Really?”
She shrugged indifferently and flopped unceremoniously onto the sofa.
“But why? Why would you do that?” he asked disbelievingly. Lara grinned again and reached for his hand. He uncrossed his arms and allowed her to grasp his palms in her cold fingers as she pulled him to her side. She gazed into his eyes and again the two were locked in some parallel universe that was both there yet not there.
Suddenly, Pascal felt a dozen buried emotions resurface when he stared at her. He could almost see the girl he had been promised to all those years ago, even if life had darkened her considerably. There were still remnants of her underneath it all.
“I did it for you,” she replied simply. “Or maybe for me. I’m not sure.”
Instinctively, Pascal felt like he understood but he didn’t know why.
“We’re not the same beings we were once,” he mumbled futilely. “Why are you pushing so hard for this?”
“You know why,” Lara sighed. “Because I’m trying to right a wrong between us.”
“It’s too late for that,” he insisted. “The time for that has long since passed, Lara, and killing Franz isn’t going to make things better for anyone.”
“Speak
for yourself,” she shot back. Pascal was taken aback by the harshness of her tone and again, he saw the desperation that seemed to plague her eyes eternally.
“I see.” He paused to consider her plight. They were both quiet for a long moment until Lara exhaled in a swooping breath.
“What is it?” Pascal asked. “What’s the matter?”
“You know what the matter is,” she insisted. “I need you to do something for me, the way I did for you.”
“What did you do for me?”
“I got rid of all the evidence, didn’t I?” Lara asked petulantly. “If I hadn’t, the police would surely be knocking down your door and placing you in the tombs.”
“For a crime that you committed!”
“I needed to feed! It wasn’t my fault that I can sense you anywhere.”
She pouted like a child and all the feelings of affection that Pascal had for her dissipated at the expression.
She hasn’t changed. She is still selfish and childish.
“I’m not going back, Lara,” he told her softly. “No matter what you say.”
She shook her head and sighed.
“I can see that now,” she agreed. “And if you won’t take on Franz, there’s only one other thing I can ask of you to get me away from him.”
Pascal frowned.
“What might that be?”
“Well, actually, it’s not you I want…but your friend.”
The vampire’s frowned deepened.
“My friend?” he echoed.
“The witch. Kyla?”
Uneasiness rocked through Pascal but he managed to keep his face neutral.
“What about her?”
“I think I’m going to need some of her talents.”
“What talents would those be?” he asked slowly.
“You’ll contact her on my behalf?” Lara pressed.
“Not until I know what you want from her,” Pascal insisted.
“I need her to cast a spell and if she does this for me, I promise, you’ll never see me again.”
Pascal eyed her warily.
“What kind of spell?”
“You promise to keep an open mind if I tell you?” she asked.
