Out of breath and trembling with release, he fell back to the bed and pulled her limp body to him. Unlike the times before, she relaxed against him, and his lion growled in satisfaction as he placed his arm around her and held her tight against him.
This felt…so right.
THE WAY HE HAD TAKEN her…frantic and out of control…it had driven everything else from her mind. Everything but the need to be with him.
Being in his arms was bliss. As she snuggled against his warm body, she didn’t want to be anywhere else but here. With the shifter in this beautiful suite. But slowly, reality began to push its way into her mind. When she glanced at the clock on the wall, he followed her gaze, frowning. “Do you need to get going?” he asked.
She should go, because if mother awakened and found she was gone, how would she explain where she’d been? And yet, she couldn’t bring herself to leave him…not yet. And mother would be fast asleep in bed after taking her sleeping pills, unlikely to awaken during the night. As long as she was home by 6 in the morning…she glanced around the hotel room, this space where she could be herself…be with him. “I wonder…could we stay here tonight?”
She needed at least one night with him—one night when she could live how she wanted. That wasn’t too much to ask, was it?
Junaid grinned, kissing her on the lips. “Perfect. I’ll drop you off at work in the morning.”
“Work?”
He frowned at her expression. “You don’t work at your company?”
“John’s always taken care of everything…”
“Everything? But it’s your company. You’re not involved?”
“I want to be, but after I graduated, John said…well, I’ve never run a business. I don’t even know how big it is...I wouldn’t know where to start—” When he opened his mouth to say something, she spoke before he could. “Please…I don’t want to talk about this. Not tonight.”
His smile was full of affection. “As you want.”
He turned, reaching to the bedside table for his mobile. As he entered a text message, she asked, “Do you have to work or something?”
He shook his head. “When you called, I took time off work…” Without even knowing why she wanted to see him, he had been there for her, whereas for Michael, even organizing the biggest day of their life wasn’t enough for him to make time. “Blade—my boss—has a party at his villa tonight and had invited me to come over after I finished my shift. I’ll let him know I can’t make it.”
“Your boss…a supernatural?”
“Yes. A demon.” Her reservation must have shown on her face, because he said, “Look, supernaturals are not that different from you guys…we have a few extra powers, but we also have both good and bad among us. If you gave them a chance, you’d see that—” He paused, his gaze flitting between the phone and her. “In fact…if you like, you can come to this party with me. Blade’s villa is at the back of the venue, less than a ten-minute walk.” A party with supernaturals? “We only have to stay an hour or so and then we’ll come back. There will be humans there, too. Blade’s girlfriend is human, as is our friend Shaun’s—and we’ve other human friends who will be coming.” He brought his hand to her face, and she sank against his comfort. “But we don’t have to go if you don’t want. In fact, I want nothing more than to stay here with you.”
She smiled, glancing at the clock. It was still before 12. What would a party with supernaturals be like? Her mind went to her first day in Eclipse; if not for that night, she would have married Michael without knowing what it was like to live as she truly wanted. And now she was being offered another chance to experience something new. She could take it, or let that old fear hold her back as it had all these years…
“Let’s go,” she said, “But only for one hour.”
He grinned. “Awesome.” And then he glanced at the bathroom door. “Fancy a shower together—”
She chuckled. “If we go together, you know we’ll never make it out of here. You first.”
He gave her a hurt look before heading to the bathroom. She couldn’t pull her eyes away from his naked and muscled frame, her greedy gaze on him until he disappeared from her sight. She sank back on to the bed, closing her eyes and blissed out as she buried her nose in the pillow, inhaling his scent.
When he came out of the shower with just a towel around his waist and water dripping down his toned body, she almost changed her mind about the party…but it would be an experience she might never get the chance to have again. And hey, if the other supernaturals were anything like Junaid, she’d probably have a much better time than she’d had at any of the Association gatherings.
She walked past Junaid, naked, surprising herself at her lack of reserve. His eyes darkened as they traveled over her, and when he reached for her, she jumped out of his way, laughing. She took a quick shower, and when she returned to the bedroom, he was already dressed.
As she dried herself with a towel, he sat on the bed, his eyes on her as if he was unable to look away. She did not feel embarrassed—in fact, she enjoyed this hold that she had on him…she loved the fact that his gaze couldn’t stray from her for long. She squeezed into her dress and by the time she dried her hair, he had his jacket on. “Let’s go,” he said. As she pulled on her coat, she glanced at his mobile, still sat on the table. “It’s all right. Nobody’s going to call me.”
When they stepped out of the hotel room, she was hesitant about being close to him but then remembered that this was Eclipse, and no one here would judge her for being with Junaid. So she linked her arm through his, and together they walked through the corridor. As they left the hotel, her mind was considerably lighter than it had been when they entered. Her smile was wide as she snuggled close to the shifter.
But this is only for one night…
She pushed that thought from her head. However long this lasted, she would enjoy it.
They left through the gates and then walked along the wall that surrounded the venue, to an entrance at its rear. When they entered a garden, the security guards there nodded their heads at Junaid in acknowledgement. The garden was large, a little fantasy land with fountains and lit candles spread around it.
“This area is closed to the public,” explained Junaid as they walked past a cluster of roses. “On the other side of the garden are the villas, where some of the club owners stay.” The roofs of white villas were visible above the gated wall, and as they drew nearer, the sound of music and loud voices made it obvious which one the party was being held at. Junaid stopped before the villa gate, and Ivy hesitated when there was a loud roar of laughter from inside. This would be nothing like the Association gatherings where everything was strictly organized and sound only allowed in accordance with prescribed rituals.
Junaid glanced down at her, his hands on either side of her face. “We don’t have to go in if you don’t want to—”
“Let’s go in.”
As he opened the gate, she drew a deep breath and then followed him in. They walked along the wall of the villa until they reached a pool with people stood around it. Barbecues sizzled along one side, and people surrounded them, chatting and laughing with beers in their hands. Most of the guests were fully dressed, but some of the men were topless and women in bikinis.
Ivy fixed her eyes to the pool, not daring to look at anyone—and for a moment, she wanted to run out of there. But Junaid slipped his hand into hers and as he smiled down at her, his brown eyes warm, she knew she could do this. She forced a smile, moving her gaze to take in the guests’ faces. To her relief, most of them didn’t even look at her. And what was she worried about, anyway? Nobody here knew where she was from—in fact, nobody seemed bothered by their appearance…or the fact she was in a sexy red dress. Nobody cared what she looked like or who she was with…and it was a relief.
“Junaid!”
A young couple approached, the male tall and muscled, in a white tee shirt and navy jeans. Junaid shook the man’s hand and then turned to Ivy.
“This is Shaun and Angie. Angie has one hell of an antique shop. You should visit it some time.”
With him?
“Lovely to meet you.” The dark-haired Angie’s smile was friendly, and whereas Shaun’s eyes flickered, there was nothing to indicate that she was a supernatural. She must be one of the humans Junaid mentioned.
More of Junaid’s friends came forward, and each time she was introduced to someone, it became easier. Eventually, it no longer mattered if the people she was being introduced to were human or supernatural. When she had met several other guests, Angie appeared again. “Come and join my friends, Ivy.”
Ivy didn’t fancy leaving Junaid’s side, but she gave him a reassuring smile before following the other woman…what was the point of coming to a place like this if she would continue to clutch to her old behavior? Angie took her to one of the barbecues on the other side of the pool. There was a group of supernaturals and humans hanging out there. A female clapped her hands, and a flower appeared between them. A witch?
“This is Ivy,” Angie announced.
A young woman with a wide smile held her hand out, and Ivy could not help but notice the faint scars on her arms. “Lovely to meet you, Ivy. I’m Alyssa, your host.”
“Blade’s girlfriend?”
She grinned. “Not just his girlfriend. I also manage a small local club—”
“And she’s training to be a lawyer at the same time,” piped up Angie.
Alyssa’s smile was now shy. “The plan is to save money and open my own office.”
If it wasn’t for Michael and his father, Ivy would be managing Harrison Business Solutions and could stand among these women and talk about her own achievements. Instead, John had been to the lawyer and drawn up an agreement, according to which, Michael would become a partner in the firm. After that, there was no chance Ivy would set foot inside her own company.
As Angie talked about some new antiques she was sourcing, her enthusiasm made Ivy wish she could also discuss what she had got up to today. But unlike these women, she had spent most of the day in the house. John had been by to check on her, and she’d gone over the Association website analytics from her bedroom…
“You should come to my club sometime,” said Alyssa. She glanced across the pool, and Ivy followed her gaze. Junaid was talking to friends, but his eyes were on Ivy. “Bring Junaid, too—”
“Oh, we’re not—” Ivy felt herself blush. What was she supposed to say? That she was about to marry somebody else, but only an hour ago was in bed with the shifter?
Angie chuckled. “Try fooling someone else. The way he looks at you…it’s obvious you’re both more than friends…”
“But it’s none of our business,” said Alyssa, giving Ivy a reassuring smile. “Would you like a drink?”
When she held out a bottle of beer, Ivy took it without hesitating. And as she chatted with the women, she began to relax. Not just relax…she was enjoying it here…in fact, she felt as she did when with Rehana or her other university friends. Free.
When there was noise from the direction of the group Junaid was with, she turned to see he had removed his jacket and was facing off another guy, both their fists raised. When her eyes widened in panic, Angie laughed. “Relax. The guys and girls love testing their martial arts skills against Junaid…”
“Martial arts?”
“You don’t know?” asked Alyssa. “Junaid is a stellar martial artist. A weapons master, too.”
“Although he rarely gets to use his skills these days,” Angie mentioned.
The guests shifted to make a larger space around Junaid and his opponent. As they fought, Junaid easily dodged the other man’s punches and kicks, and when he dived away in a graceful roll, cheers rose around them. He jumped to his feet and returned to face his challenger.
Ivy gripped the bottle, overcome by his magnificence. He had a worthy opponent, but Junaid’s years of experience showed in his athleticism. The way he moved…it was pure art. As his biceps bulged and chest strained against his tee shirt, her breathing became labored, desire driving through her. And when he became more aggressive, fighting against his opponent with increased determination, to her horror, her nipples tightened. She drew her jacket closer around her to hide the effect the shifter was having on her, crossing her legs to alleviate the pressure between them. Her eyes flitted to Angie and Alyssa, but along with the rest of the group, they were too focused on the fight to notice.
She was no expert, but Junaid’s skills and training were obvious in every stance, his grace as he tumbled and his sheer physical form. There were many more things about him that she would never have the chance to discover. That thought brought a rush of regret with it.
After his challenger stepped back, Junaid turned to her, and their eyes locked. As she returned his smile, someone turned up the music volume, and a group on the other side of the pool began to dance. The atmosphere brightened by a few notches, and as guests danced or jumped into the pool, joy spread through her. This was what a party should be like…people doing what they felt like…enjoying themselves…not worried about putting a foot wrong and being reprimanded.
She took another sip of beer. The taste didn’t do it for her, but she continued to drink. And when someone pushed a burger into her hand, she didn’t care if it had been blessed. She bit into the tender flesh, munching as she listened to someone tell a joke, laughing out loud at the end of it.
Alyssa’s gaze shifted beyond her, and it should not have been possible, but her smile became even wider. “Blade!”
Ivy turned to see a tall and striking man with dark eyes towering over her, dressed in black pants and his biceps bulging under a blue shirt. His hair was thick and black, and small horns were just visible between the strands. He grinned at Ivy. “You’re Junaid’s friend?”
“Yes.”
He held out his hand. “I’m Blade. Welcome to my place.”
“I’m Ivy.”
His smile faltered when she mentioned her name. She glanced at Angie and Alyssa, but they were busy talking to a guy who had joined them. Judging by his fangs, he was a vampire. A red ring appeared around the black iris of Blade’s eyes, and his voice was low when he spoke. “Ivy Smith?” She glanced at Junaid, but he was talking with his friends. When she nodded, the demon’s eyes went to Junaid. “You’re getting married soon, right?”
“Yes…” The last thing she wanted was to get Junaid in trouble. “Junaid has done a fantastic job of handling the marriage arrangements.”
To her surprise, the demon grinned. “Indeed, it seems he’s made quite the impression.” His gaze flitted between both of them. “He’s a great guy, isn’t he?”
“Yes. He is.” So great that the idea that she would not see him again after marrying Michael caused an ache to clench her chest.
“Enjoy your night.”
Ivy’s eyes followed Blade as he went over to Junaid. Was the shifter in trouble with his boss because of her? But the demon was grinning as he glanced over at her. Whatever he said made Junaid laugh, his eyes twinkling as they landed on her. She drew a sigh of relief. She really thought that she’d got him into trouble. After all, he was supposed to be organizing a wedding, and instead, he was out with her late at night, but his boss didn’t seem to care. In fact, the demon seemed positively delighted…
Angie grabbed her arm. “Come on. Let’s dance.”
“Just let me finish this.” Ivy chowed down the last of the burger before guzzling the beer, throwing out all those lessons on ladylike behavior in one go, and then followed Angie to where the group was dancing. When she danced in Eclipse during her bachelorette party, it did not come naturally to her, but now she swayed with the music. She let herself go as Angie and Alyssa danced nearby. The witch joined them, waving her hand so a sparkling mist spread around the group.
“Quite an effect you’ve got there,” mentioned Ivy.
“I only use it at such gatherings.” The witch’s eyes were bright as she grinned. “I tried to
market a magic show, but it didn’t go down too well with your kind…”
Ivy laughed. “I imagine it wouldn’t.”
Suddenly, there were hands at her waist, and she caught the witch’s wink as she was turned to look up into brown eyes, now so familiar. Junaid brought his mouth close. “Having fun?”
The heat from his body started a slow burn deep inside as she whispered, “Yes. Thank you for bringing me here.”
“Thank you for coming…”
His voice trailed away as the music slowed down. He brought his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to move against her in a slow dance. At first, she was hesitant, but when she looked around, others were doing the same. One supernatural’s eyes flashed bright as he had a woman up against the wall, his hips grinding between her thighs, but nobody seemed to care. Angie and Alyssa were also dancing intimately with their guys. In fact, Angie lifted her face and kissed Shaun with a hungry passion, as if nobody else existed. The sight of them stirred something inside Ivy, and she shifted nearer to Junaid. His hand came to her face to brush her hair back from it, and when his fingertips skimmed her skin, she shivered, his mere touch sending sensation through her. And then he lowered his head to brush his mouth across hers. When his tongue swept across her bottom lip, she drew a deep sigh, and at last, he deepened the kiss.
Everyone around them…the people, music and lights…faded away as she melted into his embrace.
As his tongue pressed into her mouth, his hands grabbed her hips, bringing her closer. His hips pulsed against hers as they danced with their own rhythm, moving in perfect harmony. When she moaned against his lips, he lifted his face, staring down at her. His pupils were dilated and eyes flashed as he pressed his hand against her backside so she could feel how his erection strained against the material of his trousers. Desire surged through her at the contact, and she rubbed against him, gasping as heat pulsed through her.
Lion's Heart (Blood Moon Book 4) Page 12
