Sweet Temptation

by Wendy Higgins

  I first cover her knife hand with mine and pry her fingers open. She gives a slight gasp as I relieve her of the weapon and slip it into my pocket. Then I reach for the other hand . . . a torch? Or, rather, flashlight to Americans. It’s hardly big enough to use as a weapon, but I suppose it’s better than her bare hand. I drop it to the floor and close the door behind me, still moving her forward until I have her against the wall. She glances toward the whisperer, then back to me. I have to ignore the hurt and fear in her eyes and get her to focus solely on me.

  Her breathing goes a bit ragged as she stares up at me. I remind my body this is not for real, but it responds excitedly all the same. She puts her warm palms on the rise of my chest, and pushes me back with a fierce look in her eyes.

  “Back off, son of Pharzuph.”

  I feel a wicked smile spread across my face because she’s figured it out and she’s playing along. She’s the most sexy and spectacular creature on earth.

  Let’s do this, Anna.

  “I’m only here as a precaution,” I tell her. “To be sure our little daughter of Belial is behaving properly.”

  It’s vital that she knows what’s at stake and that she trusts me for what’s to come. Anna’s breath hitches and her eyes widen as if she’s frantically searching for something to say.

  “I heard you don’t even like Neph girls.”

  I laugh and jerk my head to the side, flicking the hair from my eyes. Then I close the space between us. “I don’t. But I’m willing to make sacrifices for the greater evil.”

  Don’t show innocence, I want to beg her. Be hard. Be tough. Act like you don’t care.

  “So, what are you saying?” she asks with attitude. “The Dukes don’t think I’m working? Is that why they’re sending every Neph to question me and fight me?”

  Fight her? I was under the impression she hadn’t had any contact with the other Neph. Bloody hell.

  “Just covering all the bases,” I tell her. “They know you’re pushing alcohol, but you weren’t exactly a well-rounded worker at that summit, yeah?”

  Her eyes flash with indignant anger. “That was a year and a half ago. I’m very well rounded now.”

  “Prove it.”

  I press her hard against the wall and slant my mouth over hers. She lets out the tiniest yelp of pain, and I have to stop myself from backing off to see if she’s all right. I wasn’t being gentle, but I also hadn’t been rough enough to hurt her. I move past the awkward pause and focus again on her mouth. Anna’s hands go to my chest. Her nails dig in and grasp my T-shirt. That’s it, Anna.

  The side of my body chills like it’s been hit by a cold breeze, and a wet, bubbling sound of ecstasy fills my head. Fucking demon. Anna cringes and I turn to glare at the spirit, who’s right in my face.

  “Bit of a turnoff when you do that,” I say through clenched teeth. “Mind shutting up?”

  I hope it will back off long enough for us to give a decent show before I attempt to send it away. I take Anna’s warm mouth again, but I’m finding it hard to focus on the charade. I want to savor my girl, and I can’t think like that right now. I have to think of this like a job. Like a random hookup.

  I can’t let myself feel for her right now.

  I kiss her harder. She doesn’t melt into me like she usually does, but she’s not pushing me away, so I press on. Father’s whisperer is not going to want me to take my time with Anna. I have to get to business.

  My shirt comes off first. I’m craving her touch all over my bare skin, but she’s acting sort of stunned by what’s happening. When I reach for the hem of her T-shirt, her arms automatically lock down to her body.

  C’mon, Anna . . . trust me.

  With a resigned expression, she raises her arms and I tug the shirt over her head, then our bodies are together again. Oh, God. No bra. She’s bare-chested. For the first time, I can feel the soft and taut parts of her touching my own skin. Her arms go around my neck, tight with tension. I release a series of curses in my mind. I want to look down. I know, I’m a pig, but I’m dying to see every bit of her. However, she’s as stiff as a board, so I pretend her naked chest is no big deal to me—not worth checking out.

  It’s time to take this to the next level by removing more clothing. I continue to hope Anna won’t throw on the brakes.

  Just a bit longer, I want to tell her.

  But the biggest part of this show hasn’t even happened yet.

  I kiss down her neck to her shoulder and slide my hot hands down her back. My fingers easily push past the elastic of her sleeping shorts, and then her underwear, until I’m cupping her bare arse.

  This is the most perfectly fucked-up moment of my life, because having her ass in my hands is heaven, and I should not feel that way right now. My body is so overcome I can’t move. She’s mine and I want her.

  Then I remember that my most heavenly moment is being closely scrutinized by a demon.

  Still overcome, I manage to say, “Take them off.”

  Anna freezes. We don’t look at each other. We have about two seconds to make this look believable—two seconds before she reacts or I rip them off myself.

  “You don’t have to be such an ass!” she snaps.

  That fiery voice is just what I need to hear. She is livid, but still playing along. Anna will not strip herself, so I will do it for her. A dark part of me is loving every minute of this—thrilled that I will finally be naked with Anna Whitt, even if it won’t lead to sex. I turn her and push her onto the bed, refusing to look at her face as I kneel above her. Before she’s settled I grab the material at her beautiful hips and pull it down her legs.

  A single sight catches my eye and puts the dark part of me to rest. There’s a bruise on her thigh, and as I pull her shorts the rest of the way off, I see a series of purple-greenish markings down her calves. I stop breathing. My sweet girl has been injured.

  Badly.

  Fury burns like heated coals under my skin. Who did this to her?

  The whisperer gurgles and flies over us, excited. I can’t stop to demand answers. With great effort I force myself not to stare at her bruises, or her breasts, or . . . well, anywhere.

  I move off the bed and stand at the end. She stares hard at me as I unclasp my belt and unbutton my shorts. I’m trying very hard not to look at her body. I want to, desperately, but not like this. However, I’m more than happy to let her see all of me.

  It doesn’t happen. As soon as I’m nearly naked, her eyes shift and I’m quite proud to see the look of Neph nonchalance on her face. But I also know her well enough to notice the set of her jaw jutting out—a sign she’s trying not to cry. And behind that glazed expression I can see her hurt, her fear.

  I’ve hurt her. I’m scaring her. Does she think I’m going to do this, for real? If she thinks that, I will stab my own damn self with her sword. She has to know I would never force myself on her. Anna’s opinion of me is the only one in the world that matters.

  I have to get rid of the damn spirit so I can explain. Just another minute more.

  All I have to do now is climb onto the bed with her—breathe—throw a sheet over us—breathe—and pretend. And then it will be over. I won’t let anything happen. I swallow hard and yank the blanket down from underneath her. She scoots back and I put my hands on the bed. Then a knee. Anna’s eyes are on my chest. She knows I’m coming for her, and she’s breathing fast.

  I am nearly on top of her when the demon spirit makes a disgusting sound, like something gurgling inside a zombie’s throat. Anna flinches from it, then her eyes light up and she surprises the hell out of me.

  “Do you have to be here?” she yells at it. “You’re really distracting.”

  “Shut up,” it hisses into our minds, diving forward. “As if I want to be here with you boring Neph!”

  Bingo, baby.

  “Then leave,” I say in a lazy voice. “We’re almost finished here. Anyway, I think you’d find room 108 far more interesting.”

  My heart i
s pounding. The whisperer goes still. Then moves up and down, pondering. Please, let this work.

  “You won’t tell?” it hisses.

  “Tell what?” I snap, as if I’m eager to get back to work. “You did what you bloody came to do—you saw me find the girl and assure she’s impure. Your job is done, and I can finish mine much better if you’re not hovering.”

  For a horrible moment I imagine it will refuse, then it spins and disappears through the side wall into the hall. Just like that. I stare at that spot forever, because it’s too bloody good to be true. When he doesn’t come back, I fall to my face on the bed beside Anna, screaming into the mattress with relief and tension.

  My man parts are crying.

  I want Anna so bad. My girl is naked next to me. I didn’t even get a proper glimpse. I want to beg her to let me climb atop her, just for a moment, if I swear not to let it happen, just to have our bare bodies touching. . . .

  Anna scrambles under the covers away from me and throws something soft over my bum.

  Right. That’s a no.

  I look at her face as she stares at the wall in agony, and I can’t take it any longer. I reach a hand over her waist and lay my head in her blanketed lap, breathing in her sweet scent. I have to erase any shred of doubt, fear, or distrust in her mind.

  “I would have stopped, Anna. I swear,” I babble with desperation. “I’d die before I took you against your will. Please tell me you believe me.”

  Her voice is filled with emotion when she says, “I believe you.”

  My head is suddenly too heavy to lift, though I know I should move away from her. Then I feel Anna’s fingers tentatively push into my hair, moving through the strands so tenderly. I cannot move away.

  “Get under the covers with me,” Anna whispers. “We need to lie here for a little while in case it comes back.”

  Yes. I lift my head and the doubt is gone from her eyes. Only love and concern are there, and I feel myself melt.

  Her head tilts and she touches my cheek. “There you are.”

  Here I am.

  She pulls back the sheet and I move next to her, shielding myself with a pillow. We lay silent, side by side, and I’m trying damn hard not to think about our nakedness. About her waist and hips and thighs and legs . . .

  I bolt upright. The bruises!

  I take her arm and gently twist it to find fingertip bruises on the soft flesh underneath. The smoking coals beneath my skin reignite with a vengeance.

  “Anna . . . ,” I whisper in disbelief as I think about her being hit and kicked. Bright spots soar in my vision. “What. The bloody hell. Happened? Who did this to you?”

  “Listen, Kai.” It’s her calming voice, but it’s not working. “I’m all right now, okay?”

  No. Not okay at all. Anyone who is capable of putting marks like this on Anna does not deserve to live. “Who?” I demand.

  “The sons of Thamuz.”

  HolyMaryMotherofGod.

  My mouth goes completely dry as I recall the things they did to Marna when she was so young—things that forced her to begin seeing evil whisperers. “What did they do?” I don’t want to hear it, but I need to know. If they raped her and stole her innocence, her power . . . “So help me God—”

  “Nothing!” she assures me, grabbing my arm. She sounds as if she means it, and I try to calm my breathing. “They tried to take me, but I fought. And . . . Kope showed up.”

  I’m sorry, what? “Kope?”

  Her eyes dart about like she wants to run. “Yeah. Um. I figured it might be safe to call him for information. I didn’t ask him to come. I didn’t have any idea the sons of Thamuz were going to attack me. I was only planning to meet with the son of Shax to see if he was an ally. But I guess Kope was worried and came to make sure I was okay, and he showed up just in time. He went sort of crazy and beat the crap out of them.”

  I can see the worry on her face, that I might get jealous, but I’m not jealous of Kope anymore. I know there’s nothing between them except friendship. However, my foolish pride makes me hate the fact that she had to ring another person for help while I had no clue what was happening. And I hate that Anna charges into these dangerous situations with no thought for her safety. She’s still too trusting.

  I rub my face hard as exhaustion hits me.

  “I can’t . . . I just . . . Anna, swear you’ll never engage another Neph like that. You’re bloody lucky Kope showed! God, what would I do? Look at you!” I move her hair aside and look at her back.

  Her shoulder blade is swollen and purpled. I want to vomit, remembering how she’d yelped when I pushed her against the wall. “I’d no clue you were injured. I was too rough. . . .”

  She takes my hand and angles herself so I can’t see it. “I’m okay. I swear. You had to be rough. It was more convincing that way.”

  But I don’t hear her. I’m too busy picturing the evil sons of the Duke of Murder manhandling her. “I’ll kill them.”

  Anna shushes me and pulls me back down until we’re lying close, facing each other.

  “If it makes you feel any better,” she says, “I zapped one of them pretty good.”

  “You did what?”

  She points at the torch on the ground by the door. “It’s a stun gun.”

  I chuckle at the thought of this, and Anna gives a small smile. We can’t stay in this hotel room long, but for now, Anna is safe, and Kope nearly beat the sons of Thamuz to death. I let myself picture it, and I feel a bit better.

  We dodged a bullet tonight, but we’re not out of the dark yet. What happened tonight was only a temporary fix on a major problem. Father and the others will come looking for Anna eventually, and when they do, the true darkness will show itself. For now, I will hold her close.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  Blake and the Twins

  “Bright and early for the daily races, going nowhere, going nowhere . . .

  I wanna drown my sorrow, no tomorrow, no tomorrow.”

  —“Mad World” by Michael Andrews, featuring Gary Jules

  I don’t want to leave Anna. Not when I know she’s being sought by madmen, and they’ve already laid hands on her once. I will never rest when she’s out of my sight. I trust that her father is working on a plan, but he’s MIA and Anna’s not sure where to turn next.

  Too much has happened in the short time since she was in California. She tells me about her strange interactions with the son of Duke Shax, named Marek, and the daughter of Duke Jezebet, named Caterina. I don’t trust them. We know Caterina is not on our side—she was the one who told the Dukes that Flynn was lying, which led to his death. Marek is a wild card.

  Anna’s mobile rings, and when she sees it’s Marna, she begins trembling. I’ve no clue why the sight of her friend’s name would cause her to go pale. But the way she looks up at me tells me something big is going on.

  On the other end of the line, Marna is equally distraught. “Anna. She’s still not back and she won’t answer her phone. It’s been more than a day, and I’m too scared to wait any longer. I’m going to her.”

  Who’s she going on about? Ginger? I move closer, trying to figure out what’s happening.

  “Are there any Dukes in California?” Anna asks me. “Blake’s dad?”

  I shake my head. “All the Dukes should be back in their respective areas,” I say. “What’s going on?”

  “Is that Kai?” Marna asks. “What’s he doing there?”

  “Yes, it’s him,” Anna tells her. She puts the phone to her shoulder and looks at me. “Can you call Blake and see if he answers? We think Ginger’s with him.”

  What? That makes no sense. They’d never be so stupid.

  I dial Blake and leave him a message telling him to ring me back straightaway.

  “I’m going to meet you there,” Anna tells Marna. “I think it’s going to take more than just you to break the two of them apart.”

  Wait just a damn minute. They’re going to Santa Barbara?

  “I’m g
oing,” I say.

  Anna doesn’t argue. She hangs up with Marna and buys tickets, then gets her things together in a rush. Her lips are pursed and there’s obvious sadness in her eyes. Whatever’s going on, she doesn’t want to talk about it, but I need to know.

  “Did Gin go mad when she found out Blake’s engaged?” I ask.

  She stops and chews the inside of her lip for a second before standing to face me.

  “She was upset about that, but it’s not what sent her over the edge.”

  “So what did?” What on earth could possibly cause Gin to leave her sister and do something as reckless as shack up with another Neph?

  “The twins had a . . . disagreement.” Anna looks scared to death, and I’m starting to get bloody nervous.

  “About what?” I ask.

  She swallows. “Marna’s pregnant.” The words come out dry and brittle, and I cannot make sense of them. Those two simple words cannot possibly go together. Marna . . . no. NO. There’s been a mistake.

  “I sensed it,” Anna whispers. “It’s Jay’s.”

  “Bloody hell.” Each of her words slams into me like a bullet and I cannot stand. I fall back onto the bed and grab at my hair as if I might rip the words out of my mind. This cannot be happening. Marna. She’s like a baby sister to me. God, no wonder Anna didn’t want to tell me. We only have Marna for nine more months, and then she’ll be . . . no. I shake my head. I can’t fathom it. I cannot think about Marna in hell.

  I raise my heavy eyes to Anna, and my heart sinks further. Her eyes are lowered. Devastated. I think of Jay, how Anna never told him what we were, or that her mother died in childbirth, as all mothers of Neph do. I imagine how she must’ve felt when she sensed the pregnancy, when she had to tell them. Ginger’s reaction would’ve been colossal. I can’t bloody believe this is happening. It’s madness.

  “Come here,” I say to her, holding out a hand. I pull her to my lap and she wraps her arms around me. “It’s not your fault.”

  She lets out a sob. “It is my fault they got together. I didn’t think they’d move so fast, and if I’d known she could get pregnant—”