Amazon Heat

by Leigh, Melinda

  He moved to the door and pushed against the heavy wood. The door held, solid and tight. Must be bolted on the other side. His discomfort swelled. He peered through the small, barred window. Across the hall was a larger chamber with a door made entirely of iron bars. Through it he could see a wide slab. Restraints dangled from its corners. Behind it, a mix of old and new laboratory equipment cluttered a table. Holy shit. His bones went cold. Whatever they had planned for him involved shackles and science experiments.

  He had to escape.

  Logan crossed to the window and gave the bars a two-handed rattle. Neither iron nor stone gave a millimeter.

  The angry-looking Amazon had informed him that he was being moved to the men’s barracks. Exhaustion had overcome him before he’d attempted to investigate his new quarters. But with the clarity of a few hours’ rest, this looked more like a jail cell.

  The creak of the cell door startled him out of his thoughts. He whirled to face it and realized that he held one of the window bars in his hand.

  “What the…” he muttered. “Must have been loose.” He was certain it had been secure just moments ago. Odd. There’s no way he was strong enough to rip the bar from the stone foundation.

  Still, it could be a handy weapon should he need it. He lunged for the cot and shoved the bar under the pillow, before turning back to face whoever was coming through the door.

  He stopped cold when he saw her. Elizabeth stood, framed in the arched opening, looking as beautiful and vibrant as ever. Her scent drifted to him, and his whole body tightened. She’d dressed in worn khaki cargo shorts and a faded green button-down shirt. Her hair was pulled up in the ponytail she perpetually wore in the field. In the scant moonlight, he could see the graceful curve of her neck, the skin tan and smooth, waiting for his lips. But he could also see fear in her worry-darkened eyes.

  Elizabeth waited a few seconds, her head cocked toward the door as if listening. Then she rushed to him. “Logan, are you okay?” she whispered.

  She ran her hands over his face, neck and shoulders. He figured she was checking him for injury but still reveled in her touch. The brush of her fingers on his bare skin was electric and sent more blood rushing to his groin. Breath shuddered out of him. His Elizabeth was alive and standing right here in front of him. He did what he’d wanted to do from the moment he’d opened his eyes to see her standing over him. He clutched her to him, buried his face in her neck and breathed her in. She still smelled of warm, rich woman, but a new and exotic fragrance also intoxicated him.

  He needed more.

  “God, I missed you.” He crushed her to his chest. “I thought for sure you were gone. Kidnapped and killed in the jungle. What happened? Why are you here? Why didn’t you ever come home or even just let me know you weren’t dead?”

  She cupped his face with one hand and stared into his eyes. Elation, hurt, anger and confusion rioted through him and surged in a bolt of passion that shook him to the core. Her answers could wait. He claimed her, infusing his kiss with the desperation of two years’ grief. His tongue plundered her sweet mouth, possessing, taking, branding her as his own.

  But it wasn’t enough.

  His hand slipped down and covered her breast. She pressed into his touch. She wasn’t wearing a bra, but a frustratingly thick layer of cloth lay between his palm and her body. Skin. He needed her skin against his. He wanted her hot and naked and moaning for him. Only him. He wanted to erase the last two agonizing years and imprint himself on her body and soul.

  He made quick work of her buttons and opened her shirt. Normally, he’d take his time and enjoy the sight, the taste of every inch of her, but the energy that surged through his veins took on a life of its own, an insistent pulse that throbbed in his groin, a primitive instinct that compelled him to mark her as his mate.

  He thickened painfully. His hips surged toward hers, his body unable to get close enough. He needed to be inside her more than he needed to draw his next breath. He lifted her, pressing her back into the wall.

  Elizabeth arched into him. She hitched her long, tan legs around his hips as he pressed against her center. Her body writhed against him. His heart pounded in his chest, his body on fire with want. Lips parted. Eyes met. Elizabeth gasped and panted. This encounter had started in a wild rush, but he wanted to make certain that she stayed with him all the way, that she knew that this wasn’t a fantasy or a dream. His gaze held hers as he slid his hand down between her legs, cupping her, rubbing and circling with the heel of his hand. Her head fell back. The moist heat of her radiated through the thick cotton. She was more than ready for him.

  His fingers pulled at the snap of her shorts. He lowered her to the ground, her legs slowly sliding down his. He waited, pulse pounding in his erection, as she dropped her pants and stepped out of them. He stood, transfixed by her gleaming skin in the silvery light. The fire of lust inside demanded he take her. Logan bent his head and sucked a nipple deep into his mouth. Elizabeth’s answering moan spurred him on.

  Her hands moved over him, threaded into his hair, clasped him to her breast. Finding him, she stroked him just right, pushing him closer to the edge. He moaned her name as he dipped a hand inside her panties, seeking, probing, wanting to make her as wild as she had him. When his fingers found warm and soft flesh, wet with desire, he could wait no longer. Need hurtled through him.

  Tugging off her panties, he let them drop to the floor before lifting her again. He carried her to his cot, lowered her to it then settled between her thighs and locked his lips to hers. He forced himself to slow down, to retain some semblance of control before he hurt her. She was so much smaller than him and he was charged with some kind of energy he didn’t understand.

  “God, Logan, please. All these years, I’ve dreamed of you, of this.” Her whispered plea was his undoing.

  He needed her. All of her.

  He trailed kisses down her body, breathing in her spicy scent before pressing his mouth to her center. She bucked, grasping his head with both hands as he delved into her with his tongue until she jammed a fist into her mouth to cover her scream. The taste of her desire only drove him harder, made him need to be one with her even more.

  His hands ran up the insides of her soft thighs. Gripping them, he spread her wide and moved his body over hers. Hot and ready, she arched as his tip pushed at her opening. One smooth thrust and he pierced her to the core. Pleasure rocketed through his body as her tight sheath clung to him, pulling him deeper. Their gazes met, and the love they’d once shared blossomed fresh in her eyes. Her heart was still his. The thrill of her love surged through him, as powerful as the physical pleasure they shared. He could contain his motion for only a second before instinct took over.

  Every thrust was a primal affirmation that she was alive and that every cell in his body, everything that he was, still belonged to her.

  He possessed her. And she responded with equal passion. Her nails dug into his back, urging him faster. She tightened and clenched around him. Pressure built in the base of his spine as she squeezed him. He pushed as deeply into her as possible, savoring the glorious friction. Her body jerked as orgasm ripped through her. She bit the curve of his shoulder to muffle her cry of pleasure. Her inner muscles milked a climax from him. The jolt of energy that shot from the base of his spine and blew through the tip of his cock felt like a lightning bolt.

  Elizabeth went limp under him. Logan pushed his torso off her delicate frame. He searched her face for any sign that he’d hurt her. For a moment, a confused blend of emotions warred in her eyes.

  Logan started to pull away. “Liz, I—”

  “Shhh.” She pressed a finger to his lips and tightened her legs around his waist. “I know reality is just beyond that door. But just give me a minute. Please, hold me a moment longer.”

  He didn’t argue but kissed her again, tenderly this time. He could remain buried inside her for eternity and it wouldn’t be long enough.

  They lay still while their heartbeats slowe
d and their breathing eased back to normal.

  The room brightened with the first gray streaks of dawn. His eyes sought hers again. And the reality of their situation stepped out of the corner with all the subtlety of an entire herd of elephants. The intimacy was wonderful, but solved nothing.

  She slid out from under him. While she redressed, he scanned the room and noticed a pile of folded clothing next to his cot. The simple trousers were loose enough but six inches too short. Still, better than nothing. He shook out a tunic. The side seams ripped as he drew it over his head. There was no way it was going over his shoulders. He tossed it aside and paced the room, four strides in each direction.

  Elizabeth moved to the window. She leaned on the stone, shoulders hunched, turmoil etched in every line of her body. Logan wanted to reach out to her, to comfort her, to gather her into his arms and never let her go again. But she’d put the distance between them. Instead, he faced her from across the room, crossed his arms over his chest and waited. She broke the silence. “So much has happened. I don’t even know where to start.”

  She’d put him through hell for the past two years. And he wanted, needed an explanation.

  “How about, I walk away from my lover to trek through the jungle two seconds after he proposes, wander away from my team and disappear. Go ahead. Take it from there.” The anger that had coiled inside him for so long sprang free.

  “Logan, please. We have very limited time here.”

  He sucked in a deep breath to contain his frustration. “I finally find you after years of searching for your dead body, and you’re not going to tell me what happened? You left me, dammit! You owe me an explanation.”

  “I’ll tell you everything. Please be patient.” It wasn’t a request but an exhausted plea, edged with a fine line of fear.

  Logan braced himself. He knew he wasn’t going to like whatever she was about to tell him.

  Elizabeth stared out the window. “You know how excited I get when I discover something new.”

  Logan’s body tensed, his muscles hard as the stone at his back, as Elizabeth related her capture. His gut clenched at the thought of her terrified, alone and at the mercy of a band of ruthless men. Hurt and pride be damned. He should have been with her. He’d known what the research meant to her. What making a name for herself meant to her. He should have supported her. He should have taken the spot on the team. He should have made sure she was safe so that when she was ready she could have worn his ring. If he had, so much might be different right now. She might already be his wife and partner. Instead they were both concerned about simply staying alive. Unable to remain still, he shoved agitated hands through his hair.

  “Did they touch you? Hurt you?” he asked.

  She looked away.

  “Oh God, did they…”

  “No.”

  He braced his hands on his hips and his chin dropped to his chest as he exhaled. Relief flooded him.

  “Believe me, they weren’t above hurting me in that manner. The only thing that stopped them from taking the next step were the Amazons. A scouting party came across the encampment. When they discovered me, my captors had two strikes against them. First that they’d hurt a woman, but worse, we were too close to the fissure that leads into Amazon Valley. Amazon directive number one, ingrained from birth, above all things protect this valley. Do not let it become known to the outside world. Needless to say the Amazons eliminated the threat.”

  “The mass grave. The one I came to investigate, near where I fell. Those were the men.”

  “Probably. Although I’m sure that wasn’t the Amazons’ first or last mass slaughter. The warriors were quick and practiced. Those men were dead within minutes. They’d clearly done this before. Then they brought me here.”

  “So you’ve been trapped here. They won’t let you leave. Will they?”

  “No. Once they discovered how much expertise I have in researching diseases, my knowledge made me extremely useful to them…” She shook her head. “The Amazons are dying from some sort of genetic disease. Something they can’t cure with their magic water.” He saw a small beam of passion light her eyes. The same passion he’d always wished was directed at him. With a drive to cure cancer fueled by the deaths of her sister and mother, how could he possibly compete? That question summed up their entire relationship.

  “The waterfall has some sort of healing power I can’t identify. And I’ve found more species of plants than I knew existed.” She crossed the room, stopping in front of him. Her eyes softened. “Logan, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left you.”

  “You had an opportunity you couldn’t pass up. I didn’t like it, but I can understand.”

  “No, Logan. It was more than that.”

  He gave her a small smile. “I know, but it took me a while to get past the hurt and the mad to realize it. By then, you were gone.”

  Logan threaded his fingers into her hair and leaned in to rest his forehead against hers. A hollow feeling invaded his joy at finding her alive. He’d seen her excitement when she’d talked about her work. How much had she really missed him? He pushed his doubt aside. “They could’ve killed you.”

  “But they didn’t. They need me, which is why I’d pretty much resigned myself to living out the rest of my life here. The valley’s defenses are impressive. The same supernatural energy that powers everything here also helps to keep it hidden from the outside world. Only an Amazon can manipulate the energies here and bypass the security.” She paused. “But I will find a way to escape.”

  Her shoulders shook, and his anger melted. She was alive. That was the important thing.

  “I’m here with you now. We’ll figure it out together.” He pressed a soft lingering kiss to her lips. Liz clung to him as though she never wanted to let go, burying her face in the curve of his neck. He inhaled the floral fragrance of her hair mingled with the scent their lovemaking. A new pulse began to throb in his groin. The urge to take her again surged through him. He moved his arms to wrap them around her, one hand cupping the curve of her rear, but she pushed against his chest, putting an arm’s length of space between them.

  “We—we don’t have time for this. Right now we need to focus on getting you out of here.”

  “I’m not going anywhere without you.” Even if it meant living in this ten by ten cell.

  Her palms slapped his pecs. “Dammit, Logan, I’m not the one in jeopardy right now. My first concern is getting you out of here. You are in deep trouble.”

  “Why? What are you talking about?”

  “This is a tribe full of black widows, Logan. The only reason you’re alive, the only reason they agreed to heal you is because they need what only you have. The only thing they want from any man. Sperm. They plan to use you to continue the Amazon line the old-fashioned way.”

  “They want me to sleep with them all?” A humid breeze wafted through the open window. Goose flesh erupted on Logan’s arms.

  “No, Logan. They want to strap you down and use you until you get at least five of these women pregnant. Once that happens, they’re done with you.”

  “Done as in…” Numbed shock washed over Logan. This couldn’t be happening. He had to be stuck in some sort of pornographic nightmare.

  “You got it. So unless you relish the idea of getting put out to stud and then eliminated, we need to come up with a plan to get out, fast.”

  Logan buried his emotions. His brain began formulating a plan. “Okay. We’ll need a map and weapons.”

  “The map I can get or draw. Weapons won’t be as easy to come by, but I’ll do what I can.”

  “Fine. Also I need to know if there are guards stationed anywhere around, if and when they have shift changes, what time patrols come around. Patrol routes would be great too, but you’re unlikely to get that information. Any little bit of data on the security of this valley would be a help.”

  “Oh there are definitely all of those things. Despite the fact that this valley is supposedly impenetrable, the Ama
zons are still hyper-vigilant about monitoring their lands, especially with outsiders around. There could be another way out, but I’ve never found it. Their trust only extends so far with me. With you there is no trust at all. They won’t risk you get loose and rampaging through their village.”

  “I’ve never rampaged in my life.”

  Elizabeth huffed out a laugh, but turned serious again. “I’ll start working on it immediately. I’ve been gathering info since I arrived, but we still have one huge problem. The valley veil. Only an Amazon can activate it.”

  “Dammit.” He rose, paced. “We’ll figure something out on that front even if I have to take a hostage and force her to open the veil. One way or the other we are getting the hell out of this damn valley within twenty-four hours.”

  Chapter Six

  “My Queen, the male is being held just down this hall.”

  Elizabeth, standing in Logan’s embrace in the center of the room, froze as her assistant’s voice echoed through the stone walls.

  “The last chamber on the left, Your Majesty.” Mari’s voice rose in clear warning.

  Beneath Elizabeth’s palms, Logan’s chest tensed.

  “Mari, there is no need to yell. I’m not deaf.”

  “My apologies, Your Majesty.”

  “Crap!” Elizabeth hissed. “Back in bed. Now. You’re still weak.”

  Logan crossed to the cot in two strides and shoved his legs under the blanket. Elizabeth sat on the edge, placed her fingers over the pulse in his wrist and looked at her watch unseeing. Panic raced through her. She took a deep breath and forcibly steadied her hands.

  The door opened.

  The royal guards entered, short swords drawn and ready. They located Logan on his cot and took up positions on either side of the door without relaxing their vigilance.

  Queen Phoebe stepped over the threshold. Her eyes creased at Logan, then shifted to Elizabeth. Her head tilted. “Is he defective?”

  “No, Your Majesty. His injuries appear to be fully healed, but he has not yet regained all his strength.”