“Clothes off,” she demanded again.
This time he pulled away, stripping out of his clothing in mere seconds. Pleased he finally got with the program she opened her arms. Welcoming him back to her.
“Tira,” he said to her in a deep husky voice, turning her insides to mush.
He pressed against her, skin to skin. Even in the cool air, she burned hot as if her entire body were on fire. Her skin tingled, insides aching for him. She reached down, finding Damien hard and ready for her. He hissed as she stroked him. Once, twice, pumping her hand up and down. Loving the feel of his thick cock in her delicate grasp.
“Inside. Now,” he growled, scraping his teeth along the sensitive arch of her neck.
“Yes!” He would get no argument from her.
She felt the press of one large, thick finger against her center. Another joined, moving inside her. Testing her readiness. Oh, she was ready all right. More than.
She guided him to her, and in one sharp thrust, he fully seated. She clenched around him; everything felt so amazing. With every nerve ending in her body lighting up like a firework, she knew she wouldn’t last long.
“Look at me,” his gravelly voice commanded.
She opened her eyes, staring into swirls of silvery gray. She loved this man. Wrapping her legs around him, she tilted her hips, pushing him in deeper. He swore. His thrusts quickened, but his eyes never left hers. They stared at each other, breath coming in shallow pants, heartbeats racing.
“I can’t lose you again, Tira.” His voice broke with the confession.
“You won’t,” she whispered, truth. She loved Damien. He was her Tira, the man who had opened her, showed her there was more to life than books and science. She couldn’t imagine life without him. Right then and there, she knew she would stay with him if he asked.
“Come for me, Celia. Now!” Another demand. Another truth she couldn’t deny.
She felt her body tense as he quickened his thrusts. His hand reached between them, finding her. He stroked and she nearly shot off the bed. Her inner walls clenched, clamping down on him as pure white heat burned through her entire being. A scream left her lips, quickly followed by Damien’s shout as he pushed deep finding his own release.
They collapsed onto the bed. He rolled to one side. For all her inexperience, Celia knew what just happened was beyond astounding. Her breathing came in ragged pants. Sweat covered her body, but she didn’t care. She felt amazing.
Damien turned his head to her, a wicked gleam in his beautiful gray eyes. “Now, about that shower.”
Chapter 25
Celia sat on the edge of Damien’s bed, tugging on a pair of clean socks. He must have called Cuthbert before their shower, because her clothing had mysteriously appeared in his room. She blushed at the thought of the old, cranky man handling her undergarments, but better than having nothing to wear. The tattered scraps of clothes that use to cover her body would never again be decent to wear.
Damien held his phone to his ear, talking in hushed tones. She heard the worry in his voice even if she couldn’t make out the words. As he turned from the window and headed back toward the bed, his words became clearer.
“Call everyone back from the field. This takes top priority.” He hung up the phone and slid it into his clean, pressed jeans.
The mattress sank beneath his weight as he sat beside her on the bed. Things were bad. She had gotten away from the High Master, but he escaped as well. He left before she set off the explosions. Her boss’s evil twin mentioned something about checking on the Drones. It chilled her blood to know the Kakos had become intelligent enough to start hiding their Drones. They had to find this place and keep these people safe until the Kakos siphoning off their souls were killed and the Drones released.
“I called all my Enforcers back from their assignments,” Damien spoke. “I hate to do it, but we have to prepare in case the escaped Kakos bring a counter attack. They know where we are and how our security works.”
Her face flamed, guilt rising once again with the knowledge that the enemy had that knowledge because of her. Damien reached over, placing his arm around her and squeezing tight.
“Not your fault, Tira.” He kissed her softly and she relaxed against him. “I just want plenty of manpower in case anything happens. I also want to talk to that putrid ass Lela nabbed.” He told her earlier about the Kako the Vampire Enforcer caught and brought back to headquarters for questioning. “See if we can make the guy reveal his boss.”
The identity of the High Master. The identity she knew and wished to the gods she didn’t.
“I need to talk to Racine.” She had to tell her boss about the High Master’s identity. Damien sighed. “I sent a text informing all the heads we need an emergency council meeting as soon as possible. I think it’s better if we tell everyone about the new developments at the same time.”
“No.”
He turned to her, brow raised. She hurried to explain.
“I mean, yes, I think that’s the proper course of action, but we need to speak to Racine first.”
“And why is that?” Damien asked, a hint of suspicion in his tone.
“I know who the High Master is. I recognized him.”
The strong, chiseled jaw clenched. He drew in a sharp breath. “And you didn’t think to share this with me sooner?”
His tone remained even, but she heard the anger behind the words. Yes, she should have told him right away, but it wasn’t like he wanted to talk all that much, as she recalled, shifting on the rumpled bed. She was still processing the information she had. She didn’t intentionally withhold things from him.
“I was a little overwhelmed with getting kidnapped and blowing up a cell to escape, then you show up and—”
“Hold on,” he said stopping her mid-tirade. “You blew up the cell?”
He looked impressed. A small part of her preened under his adulation, but she shrugged off the praise.
“I knew I needed an escape route. It wasn’t like they brought me there for tea and crumpets. I made a few explosion spells when they left me alone. Figured I’d use them as a distraction to make a run for it.”
“Gods, you are amazing.”
He kissed her then. Took her lips in a passionate, tongue thrusting, bone-melting kiss she didn’t want to end. It did, however. Far too soon for her liking.
“I’m sorry. Now go on, tell me about the High Master.”
She ran a hand through her still damp hair. “Well, I don’t actually know him, but I recognized him. It’s a rather difficult situation.”
“And why does it warrant talking to Racine first?”
Sucking in a deep breath, she explained, “Because the High Master is Racine’s brother. His twin brother.”
Damien’s eyes went wide. “Impossible.”
“That’s what I thought. At first, I thought it was Racine, but in my heart, I knew Racine could never betray the council like that. Then the guy laughed at me and told me he was Racine’s brother. I never even knew Racine had a brother.”
“That’s impossible,” he repeated, disbelief still marring his face.
“I know what I saw, Damien. The guy even told me he was Racine’s brother.”
“Racine’s brother, Rysis, died over a hundred years ago.”
No wonder she’d never heard her boss talk about a brother.
“No, he didn’t. I saw him. I talked to him. Rysis is the High Master and we need to tell Racine now. Before he hears word of it from someone else.”
He nodded, clearly still reeling from the bombshell she just dropped.
“Something we need to do face to face.”
She agreed. Never a good idea to give bad news over the phone. Racine had sent a messenger in person to tell her of Cory’s betrayal. She would do one better for him.
“I’d like to head back to Colorado immediately.” Her heart screamed in pain at the thought of leaving Damien, but she needed to do this. She would not send an Enforcer to Rac
ine to give the news of his long dead brother not only being alive, but also being the big bad they’d fought for the past few months.
“Yes, of course.” Damien rose from the bed. “We’ll leave within the hour. Most of the Enforcers should be back by then. I’ll put Alex in charge until we return.”
He was coming with her? That was sweet, but unnecessary. His people needed him here.
“You don’t have to accompany me.” She stood as well, putting a hand on his shoulder.
He turned to face her. “You are my Tira. Where you go I go. And vice versa. I almost lost you once. I am not risking you again.”
Oh. Sweet words from such a strong man. Not a declaration of love, but almost as good. She just wondered if that vow extended to where they lived. Would Damien see fit to follow her to Colorado if she did not want to leave her job in region seven? Or did the vice versa thing mean she had to give up her life and fit into his?
With everything going on, she concerned herself with something as silly as her relationship with this man, but she couldn’t help it.
“And after we tell Racine? What then?”
What do we do about us?
The unspoken question hung in the air. She did not need to vocalize it. Damien knew the question. His large hand came up to cup her face. Gray eyes rimmed in silver stared into her soul. Happiness, fear, anger, lust, and—hopeful wishing on her part—even a bit of love shined from those smoky depths.
“One problem at a time, Tira. One problem at a time.”
He leaned down to kiss her, but a sudden shout from outside broke the tender moment. Scowling, Damien turned from her and headed toward the large bedroom window. He gazed out into the early dawn light. Celia tensed; something felt…wrong.
“Shit!” Damien swore, racing to the computer he had tucked away in the corner of his bedroom.
“What is it?” She asked, but the sinking feeling in her gut gave her the answer.
“They’re here,” he said, confirming her suspicions.
Damien clicked something out on the computer’s keyboard. A loud wailing siren pierced the calm morning air. Celia slapped her hands over her ears trying to drown out the sharp screech of the alarm. Annoying, but necessary. Damien had to warn his people. He had to let them know they were under attack.
She crept over to the window to look out. What she saw made her freeze with fear. Over a dozen supernaturals raced toward the house, sword, spears, and all manner of sharp pointy weapons, clutched in their grips. The attack party comprised of mostly Kakos, but she thought there were a few Shifters among them, a Vamp or two as well, no doubt.
Oh gods, there were so many. How would they take them all? Many of Damien’s Enforcers had not returned yet. They were outnumbered.
“Get away from the window!” Damien yelled at her, pulling her back.
She glanced up at him, knowing horror and fear shone in her eyes because it infused every inch of her being. Damien pulled her into his arms. He kissed her head, stroking her back in a reassuring manner.
“Do not worry, Tira. It’s not as bad as it looks.”
Really? Because to her, it looked really damn bad.
“They may have numbers, but this is my home. My castle. And I will defend it to the death.”
That’s what she was afraid of.
“They may know about the security measures and layout of the house, but there are traps, defenses they do not know about.”
That she did not know about, he meant. Things she didn’t know so the Kakos wouldn’t know. Thank the gods he hadn’t run her through all the security measures when she first arrived. Just the basics. She had never been so happy for a lack of knowledge in her life.
He pulled her away to could look down into her eyes. “Stay here. Lock the door. Do not come out for any reason. Do not let anyone else but me in. Understand?”
She nodded and he looked surprised she agreed so easily.
“Hey, I’m a scientist, not a fighter. I only blow up stuff when I have to. Or when I get a mixture wrong.”
He smiled and even in the midst of everything happening, it still made her heart skip a beat. “Yes, well, try not to blow the place up if you can help it, all right?”
She pasted on a smile even though inside she was terrified of what was to come. “I’ll see what I can do.”
He kissed her, hard and fast. Rushing to the wall across the room, he grabbed a large double-sided battle-axe that must weigh at least a hundred pounds and a small dagger about six inches long. Damien came back to her side, placing the dagger in her hands.
“Use it only if the need arises. Stay away from the window and the door. Hide. Stay safe.”
“You, too.” She pushed the words out, fear clutching at her throat. Rising up onto her toes for another kiss, she whispered in his ear, “Come back safely to me, Tira.”
He smiled as she used the word he had called her so often in the past days. This marked the first time she had used the endearment toward him. It meant something and they both knew it.
“Lock the door behind me. Let no one in.”
She nodded, following him to the door. The siren still blared, but she tuned it out. Damien opened the bedroom door slowly. The Kakos had not breached the house yet, but he was still a cautious man. He nodded his head in satisfaction that the hallway was clear and turned to her. They stared at each other for a heartbeat, and then he raced away.
Celia shut the door. She slammed the lock closed and pushed Damien’s large oak dresser in front of it for good measure. Now all she had to do was wait and hope.
Chapter 26
Damien rushed down the empty hallway. The alarm still shrieking. As he reached the bottom of the stairs, he saw Cuthbert shutting off the sound. The alarm did its job and informed everyone, no reason to go deaf.
“Cuthbert, where are they?”
The Brownie, region eight’s butler and all around go-to man, kept an eye on security. One wouldn’t think it by looking at the old guy, but Cuthbert was a wily old bastard. He didn’t miss a thing.
“Seven attacking from the front. Another six in the back. Mostly Kakos I would say, but I believe I saw a few Shifters and Sorcerers in the mix as well, sir.”
Despite everything happening, a grin tugged at his lips. Nothing got by Cuthbert.
Footsteps sounded behind him. Damien turned to see his men and women. Enforcers, armed and ready for action. They were still down a lot of bodies, most of his Enforcers out on assignment. They had to make do.
“Alex, you, Ava, and Stephan take the new recruits and head out front. Cut down every asshole you can.” Alex nodded, gripping the large sledgehammer in his hands tightly. “Kang, take the rest out back. No one gets inside, you understand me?”
They dispersed, gazes determined. They were ready for a fight. The Kakos made a mistake attacking their home base. The Enforcers would kill anyone who threatened what was theirs.
“Cuthbert,” Damien said, turning once again to the older man. “Lock down the basement. Keep all the lab personnel there. Keep them safe.”
“With my life, sir.” The Brownie turned and hurried down the hall toward the basement entrance.
The lab workers were no use in a fight. They had no combat training. His mind drifted to Celia, all alone up in his room. He should bring her downstairs with the others. There was safety in numbers. He started for the stairs once again when a scream stopped him. Too late. The battle had begun.
He rushed to the front door and threw it open. Pandemonium greeted him. The Kakos had made it farther past his security than he realized. No doubt thanks to the secrets they pulled from Celia during her imprisonment. His gut burned with rage.
These people took what was his. Time to pay them back.
Stepping outside, he shut the front door behind him. It locked automatically as programmed in emergency situations like this. Damien tightened his grip on his sword. He saw Alex use his powers to freeze a Kako who had him in a headlock. Not a good idea to touch a Fro
st Giant.
The Kako screamed as ice covered his body. The scream soon died. Encased in cold, clear, frozen water. Alex slipped from the Kako’s frozen grip. The Frost Giant lifted his mighty hammer invoking an image of the god Thor. Then he slammed it down with full force on the iced Kako. Bits of ice, blood, and chunks of Kako skull went flying.
Alex could handle his own, but some of the others did not fare as well. Damien saw one of the new recruits down on the ground. A Kako had a bloody knife held against the man’s throat. His Enforcer fought as hard as he could, but the Kako was just too strong. Damien let out a war cry, heading straight for them.
The Kako turned at the sound, eyes going wide when he saw Damien gunning for him.
That’s right you son of a bitch. Be afraid.
The Kako turned to Damien, forgetting the Enforcer on the ground for the more intimidating threat. Damien didn’t even let the guy get close. Bringing his sword back, he cut through the air and sliced the Kako’s head clean off. The head rolled into the middle of the melee. The body stood for another second before collapsing at his feet.
The Enforcer on the ground sprang up, nodded his thanks and rushed back into the battle. Damien smiled. He chose his men and women well. They didn’t back down, didn’t stop fighting. They knew if they did, evil won. That would not happen on their watch.
Chapter 27
Celia stayed away from the window. She hated to hide, not knowing the events unfolding on the expansive front lawn below. But if she looked out the window, she might very well be killed. She could see the fighting, but they could see her, too. Better that she stay away. Ignore the clashing sounds of steel on steel. The screams of rage and pain.
Oh, gods what is happening out there?
She wasn’t a fighter, never had been. So why did she suddenly want to rush into the fray? Why the indescribable urge to pick up the dagger Damien left with her and run outside to thrust it into the first Kako she saw? Where did this bloodthirst come from? She had never been a violent person.
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