Infinite Desire
Gayle Donnelly & Robyn MacKenzie
Book three in the Blood Feud series.
Coteri warrior Tremayne has hidden his darker side for centuries. Yet after months of working in the oppressive heat of New Orleans, Tre is struggling to keep his inner beast in check. Then one chance meeting with a mysterious newcomer threatens his control.
Alexandria’s family has sheltered her for her entire life, grooming her since birth to hate and fear their enemies. She has worked tirelessly in her genetic research, her sole focus on helping her people to survive. Now she wants one night to experience all New Orleans has to offer.
Even as their bodies burn for one another and their beasts call like to like, Tre and Alex struggle to accept that many of the rock-solid truths they have always believed are just an illusion. With each new truth exposed, more doubt surfaces, but learning to trust in this new reality ends up no match for the power of their passion.
A Romantica® paranormal erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave
Infinite Desire
Gayle Donnelly & Robyn MacKenzie
Dedication
We would like to again thank our families for their undying support and patience in getting this third book written. Without their encouragement and love, it wouldn’t be this much fun!
To Lydia, Kimberly, Trish, Britta, and Crystal…thank you so much for being our friends. We treasure and love you dearly.
To Desiree…our rock, our mentor, our oracle. We thank you beyond measure and every day, think about what would have happened if we hadn’t caught that last shuttle bus. We don’t know what we did to deserve you but we thank God every day for whatever it was.
To the readers like Elizabeth and Margie who have supported us from day one, thank you for sticking with us and promoting our stories with others. We hope you enjoy Tremayne as much as we have!
Not of my blood but always of my soul.
Forever sisters. Forever friends.
Chapter One
The sultry, smooth tenor of a lone saxophone drifts gently through the open french doors as Alex silently tiptoes across the old wooden floor of the hotel suite. The cool night air brings with it the faint scents of the wet streets with a touch of patchouli, blending seamlessly with the softly muted music to envelop the room. She hastens a glance at the king-size bed and its occupant. Her breath stops short at the sight of the gorgeous man sleeping peacefully before her, his tan, muscular form a stark contrast to the pristine white sheets rumpled haphazardly around his waist. Alex closes her eyes as an internal battle rages between the desire to return to his bed and the reality that she needs to leave…now.
She can’t suppress the shiver racing up her spine at the memory of what happened earlier that evening, in this bed. The touching, licking, kissing, tasting. Alex had never felt so sensual in her life. This man brought out things in her she hadn’t even realized she could do, or would want to do for that matter. But she’d done them all, with no inhibitions. With him. She smiled at the memories. It had been an amazing night. One she had needed. And one she knew, without a doubt, she would never forget.
Alex shook her head. Time to get moving, she chastised herself. Last night had been a night to remember but forgetting a piece of clothing would be one hell of a mistake. Alex looked down and spotted her jeans. She quickly scanned the room for the rest of her clothing. She located her panties and shoes in the corner and proceeded to dress in what she found. As she turned to look for her shirt, she couldn’t stop her gaze from traveling once again to the bed.
He was lying spread-eagle on his stomach, one powerful leg bent, with his muscular arms tucked beneath a pillow. He damn near dwarfed the enormous bed. She licked her suddenly dry lips as she acknowledged that this man was the source of the delicious soreness between her legs and the reason her throat felt like sandpaper. Her gaze traveled up his solid thighs to a perfect ass, just barely covered by the sheet. She smiled, remembering digging her fingers into said ass as he pounded into her for hours. Alex felt a now-familiar warmth seep through her veins just thinking about what he had done to her. And how much she craved it. Wanted it. Needed it. The pleasure so intense the result had been her screaming away whatever bit of voice she might have had left by the time they were finally finished and fell asleep.
She closed her eyes and envisioned his face as he came inside her the first time. That had been fast and hard, against the wall, just as they had entered the hotel suite. Faster than she could have imagined, he’d had one of her legs out of her jeans and her panties pulled to the side before he’d driven his impressive length into her core and sent her flying with pleasure. But afterward, he had taken his time. Slowly removing the rest of her clothing once he’d carried her into the bedroom. Following his hands with his mouth as he’d worshiped her body with his talented lips and tongue. He’d dominated her every movement and seemed to know exactly what to do to fulfill every one of her sexual fantasies.
He slowly adjusted his position on the bed and let out a low groan. Alex quickly ducked down at the footboard. She peeked over the edge and watched as a long, muscled arm moved across the bed as though reaching for her. Smiling at the thought of him wanting her again, she assured herself he remained asleep before she stood and walked silently toward the door of the bedroom to collect the rest of her discarded clothing. Damn it, she had to get out of there.
Alex scooped up her T-shirt and quickly pulled it over her head. The music outside changed tempo and slowed to a seductive moan. Her body warmed as the notes floated from the street below. She looked back at the massive bed and the sleeping man in it. She shook her head. This man was a Coteri, a warrior if her assumptions were correct, which meant he was completely off-limits. And although her brain had repeated that truth over and over throughout the evening, her body had had its own ideas and in the end her body had won…oh man, had her body won.
When they’d first met the night before she’d known he had recognized her as one of his own kind but she’d made sure her true identity remained a mystery. Only a select few knew of her presence in New Orleans. Not many even knew she existed. Kept hidden for her own protection for decades, Alex was trained and educated in the medical sciences, more comfortable in the solitary recesses of her lab or with her medical journals than socializing with others. Most of her time was consumed by her research, trying to solve the mystery of why their race had difficulty successfully reproducing. But every now and then, she needed to push away from her responsibilities and take time out for just her, to interact with others and feel connected to the rest of the world. And last night had been just one of those nights. She pulled her shirt down over her stomach and leaned silently against the doorframe as the memories rushed through her.
Hours before, she had ended up at the Cat’s Meow on Bourbon Street intending just to relax with a few drinks and listen to the French Quarter tourists belt out eighties songs. She just wanted some time away from her duties, responsibilities and the ever-present watchful eyes of her family’s protectors. She wanted to feel free. And after a couple of drinks and listening to one really bad rendition of Michael Jackson’s Billy Jean, she was actually having fun. She deserved a night of fun, right? After all the hours spent studying, researching and dissecting information, she felt she deserved a night to herself, no matter what anyone else thought.
Throughout the evening, Alex had gently rebuked a number of men. She craved freedom from her gilded gage but wasn’t interested in spending the limited amount of time she had diverting cheesy come-ons from drunken tourists. She was sitting at the second-story bar when she slid off the stool and walked out onto the balcony for some much-needed air. She leaned over the wrought iron banister and wa
tched the throngs of people migrating down Bourbon Street in search of something they thought only the Quarter could provide. Bikers, businessmen, college kids…all there to step over their own personal boundaries of decent behavior, even if it was for just one night.
She took another long swallow of her beer before a group of men caught her eye. The crowd seemed to part like the Red Sea as they made their way down St. Peter. There were three of them and they were big. Really big. The hair on the back of her neck stood up as she realized just who and what they were.
Coteri warriors.
She immediately sensed the power that surrounded them. Felt the electricity pulsing off them as they patrolled through the streets, clearly searching for…something.
Alex slowly leaned back toward the double doors to the bar. She had to get out of there, and fast. If they found out who she was, she was dead.
She swiveled through the doors and darted for the center staircase. She gripped the cold metal rail and started down, hoping she could slip out the door before they reached Bourbon. If she could sense them, she knew they would be able to sense her as well.
She reached the bottom of the steps and slid past the Goliath bouncer and out onto the street. She hung a left, trying to get to the darker part of the Quarter so she could shift and disappear to safety. Head down, walking along the cracked sidewalk, she rushed through the crowd, praying she had gone undetected.
She had made it about a block before she dared to turn around and see whether she had made it. She slowed in front of a tourist shop and glanced over her shoulder. Nothing. She was safe.
Alex let out a sigh of relief and closed her eyes. So much for her fun night out. Damn, for having been in New Orleans for only a short time, she sure knew how to find trouble. She dropped her chin to her chest and shook her head in defeat. Time to get out of there and get home.
“Well, hello there, darlin’. I don’t think we’ve met.”
Frozen. Alex’s body went stone-stiff with terror. There was no breath in her chest, as if it had evacuated her body along with every brain cell in her head. She couldn’t bring herself to open her eyes, knowing that if she opened them it would only be to look at the warrior who would probably end up torturing her to death for information she knew he would only use to do harm to others.
A surprisingly warm hand encircled her arm and gently squeezed. “Hey, are you all right? I didn’t mean to startle you.”
At his touch, Alex immediately calmed and a warm heat spread through her body. Although his touch was almost comforting, she knew he wouldn’t be handling her like that if he knew who she really was. She would already be in an iron vise if he had figured it out.
She opened her eyes to see the broad expanse of a muscular chest, outlined perfectly in a dark, fitted T-shirt. She lifted her chin as her gaze slowly traveled up and up until her eyes locked with the stranger’s. Her jaw dropped. He was Coteri. He was definitely a warrior, given his size. He was her enemy. But God help her, her body liquefied as she stared into the most stunning amber eyes she’d ever seen.
Think, Alex! Think!
“Uh…yes, I’m fine. Can I help you?” she finally managed to respond.
He smiled, revealing perfectly straight white teeth as he continued to gently stroke the skin on her forearm.
“I just haven’t seen you in this area before. I make it a point to know everyone here in the territory. Part of the job, ya know.”
She melted a bit more. Voice like hot caramel. Did my nipples just harden?
She slowly took a step back from his distracting touch and rubbed the sensitized skin with her other hand, trying to regain her equilibrium. She had to get away from him. This man was dangerous! So why the hell was her body telling her to rub all over him?
She took another hesitant step back, her brain winning the argument with her body for the moment. “Y-yes…I understand. I just arrived a short while ago for a job and haven’t had much free time to enjoy the city.”
She continued to back away from him but with each step she took, the warrior kept coming toward her, his movements fluid, stalking.
He smiled again. “Not a problem. So what’s your name and what job are you here for?”
His deep voice slid over her senses, drawing her in. His gaze was heated. She didn’t understand her body’s response to this man. She shook her head slightly to clear her thoughts. Damn. What job am I here for? As if she wanted to explain she was a scientist who was studying ways to advance reproductive success both within their species as well as with humans? Oh, and how about throwing in the fact that she was his mortal enemy, just for kicks to see what he’d do? Think Alex, think!
“Uh…I’m Alexandria. I’m in from Belize for a medical turn at Loyola. Studying…” What the hell am I studying? “Venereal diseases in humans.”
Seriously? Nice one, Alex. Way to think on your feet.
Without a beat, the beautiful enemy in front of her threw his head back and let out a low, throaty laugh that made her chest ache. His brown wavy hair flopped across his brow as he looked back at her with a comedic gleam in his eye that forced a slight smile to her mouth. Damn, this man was pretty.
Lethal but pretty.
“VD. You’re here to study VD? In humans?”
Alex gave him a weak smile and shrugged. “Yeah. Interesting, isn’t it?”
He locked gazes with her and took a step forward, one side of his mouth turned up into a sexy grin. “Yeah. Very interesting. Alexandria is it?” He reached out and brushed her hair behind her shoulder, taking time to rub the ebony strands between his huge fingers. “Well, Alex, I’m Tremayne—Tre—and let me welcome you to the Big Easy.” He lowered his voice and held out his hand. “Where sin, sex and savagery rule the land.”
The sound of her shortened name from his lips both startled and warmed her. No one called her Alex, even though that was what she preferred. How had he known? She placed her hand in his to shake and felt a flood of instant warmth when his much larger hand enfolded her own. Yeah, sin and sex were suddenly on her mind, but for all the wrong reasons. She was standing in front of enemy number one and all she could think about was how he would feel inside her. And by the way his heated gaze slowly roamed over her body, she would bet her best Louis Vuitton purse he was thinking the same thing.
Damn, how long had it been since she’d had a man? Obviously too long, if she was contemplating following through with any of the fantasies bouncing through her head at that moment, especially with her enemy. But something in his eyes, his touch and the deep timbre of his voice pulled her inexorably to him. She knew she should run, far and fast, but couldn’t force her legs to move. It was obvious he had no idea who she really was. She had been born and raised Valta. Raised to know what the Coteri were and what they represented. It was ingrained in her being to loathe everything about them, but for some reason the man in front of her didn’t come off as the brutal beast she’d thought he would be.
He was charming. He was cordial. He was beautiful. And Alex wanted him. That thought shocked the hell out of her. How could she want her enemy? It was wrong on so many levels and it was dangerous. Hell, she had come out tonight to try to loosen up. To get away from the overprotective eyes watching her night and day. To try to find a bit of excitement and adventure. Well, sleeping with a Coteri warrior would certainly constitute an exciting adventure and bring with it that hint of danger she craved. Her mind continued to scream all the reasons she shouldn’t be doing this but her body wasn’t listening.
They stood for long moments, facing one another in silence, their hands still clasped. Alex watched Tre’s amber eyes darken as he made a show of slowly perusing her body. He started at the tips of her polished toes in her strappy sandals, continued up her thighs and hips in her tight black jeans, over her abdomen, then loitered on her generous breasts before finally returning to meet her answering gaze. He closed the distance between them and lowered his mouth to her ear to whisper, “Alex,” then seductively nipped
and sucked her earlobe into his mouth. Here breath quickened at his touch.
The heat of his soft breath and mouth on her skin shot shards of pleasure through her entire body. She unconsciously leaned closer as her taut nipples rasped along his solid chest. She bit her bottom lip to stop the moan that threatened to escape. Alex knew in that moment that she was his…at least for the night.
Tre straightened and locked his fiery gaze onto hers, silently waiting for her answer to his unspoken question. The heat of his gaze caused a small shiver to race down her spine and she slowly licked her suddenly dry lips. The side of his beautiful mouth lifted into a knowing grin before he began to lead her through the crowd. She watched as he gave a two-fingered salute to the other two men she had seen him with earlier, then led her in the opposite direction. Before turning back around, she noticed the high five the men gave each other. She smiled to herself, somewhat confused by their juvenile reaction. Not the sort of thing she’d envisioned from evil, cold-hearted monsters. But so far nothing about tonight was fitting into the established reality she’d known her entire life.
Alex turned back around as Tre led her down Bourbon. None of this was making sense. She felt his fingers tighten around her hand as he pulled her closer to him, keeping the distance minimal. He looked down at her and smiled, melting her insides once again. His smile changed his entire demeanor, making him appear almost youthful and mischievous. Decision made, she thought. Enemy or not, dangerous or not, she was having this Coteri warrior tonight.
Quicker than she realized, they had traveled several blocks to the Royal Sonesta, where he ushered her through the glass doors and around the corner to the side elevator. Hitting the button to go up, he placed his large hand at the small of her back. She absently wondered why he already had a hotel room but that thought vanished when, at his touch, heat immediately radiated through her shirt and coursed through her body. She turned her head and gazed up at him, in complete awe of his presence. A warrior. He was not someone she’d thought she would ever get near, much less be intimate with. But hell if she wasn’t going to run with it. Her body would accept no less at this point. It would be her only chance to taste the other side. To walk that seductive line of danger. Her instincts told her she would be safe with Tre, just so long as he didn’t figure out who she really was. No—tonight was for her, and she was determined to enjoy the fantasy.
Infinite Desire Page 1
