by Tina Moss
“No.” The word escaped him dark and sensual. He cleared his throat. It didn’t help. “Not Kansas.”
Her gaze snapped to his face, holding him captive with a magnetic pull. She pushed a strand of amber gold hair behind her ear. A blush crept to her cheeks, which she tried to hide behind a coy smile. “So, how’s this five star gaudy palace supposed to be safe?”
“Don’t let the Taj Mahal feel fool you.” He winked and patted a marble column. “This place is more secure than Fort Knox. Makes that old military relic look like a child’s toy.” Thrusting his chin toward the chandeliers, he pointed out the crystals along each rung. “See those?” He leaned close to whisper in her ear. “All cameras. Three hundred and sixty degrees of pure surveillance.”
She angled toward him, their lips inches apart. “And does that surveillance go everywhere?” Her breath came hot and fast on his neck.
A deep yearning coursed through his veins. Desire so strong, he beat down the intense sensation with nothing but iron will. Not even the shifter urge in his youth had burned this bad. “Holy hell, Sera.” He muttered her name low like a prayer and a curse wrapped in one. He palmed her cheek, unable to resist touching her smooth skin. His thumb feathered across her lips. As she drew a quick intake of breath, he damned his weakness and let his hand fall to his side. “What were we talking about?”
“Cameras,” she said, but her voice hitched at the end, hinting at uncertainty.
“Right.” He cupped her elbow and guided her to the check-in counter. The woman behind the desk nodded to them with a smile. Her chestnut brown hair trailed down her back in an elaborate braid. Her hotel attire, a black suit jacket and matching skirt, screamed sophistication. Any other time, Talon might have found her attractive, but with Sera by his side, the receptionist held no appeal for him. He slapped his PCD ID on the counter. “We need a secure room.”
“Yes, sir.” The smile never left the woman’s face. She picked up the ID, punched his number into the computer, and nodded. Two electronic key cards sputtered out of the machine complete with visible microchips. She scanned them both, running an infrared light over the plastic. A low beeping emitted from the computer. Holding the keys by the outer edge, she placed them both on the counter. “Please press your thumb onto each key, Agent Rede. Your room number will be imprinted onto the keys with your fingerprint authentication.”
“Thanks.” Talon placed his thumbs on the plastic. The cards shone the number 306 in black, then disappeared. He leaned over the counter, looked the receptionist in the eye, and inclined his head over his shoulder. In a hushed tone, he said, “I need twenty-four hour monitoring in the hallway and any entrance points into the room.”
“Not a problem, sir. I’ll see our security teams are aware of your order.” Her fingers clicked rapidly over the keyboard.
“Appreciate it.” He nodded at the woman, then turned his attention to Sera. Her pursed lips and narrowed eyes didn’t bode well. He feigned a boyish expression and handed her a key card.
She snatched the key without comment and stalked across the lobby. Her hips swayed with her steps, drawing his notice to where her bottom rounded inside her snug jeans. As if she sensed his thoughts, she stopped and spun around. Her eyes blazed fire, but whether from jealousy or desire, he couldn’t tell.
Better diffuse this before she burns you alive. He tried not to laugh, he really did, but an amused snort escaped nonetheless. The thought of her jealous made his smile widen. He closed the distance between them. Wrapping his arms around her slender frame, he drew her tight against his chest. The thin red sweater he’d given her—and damn if it didn’t pump up his ego to see her wearing it—pulled taut, emphasizing her ample breasts. The key card chafed his back pocket, beckoning him to open the door to paradise. He envisioned a swank hotel room with a king size bed. Don’t push it. You’re supposed to be making up for your stupidity. Remember?
His body had other ideas about that little assessment as she shimmied against him. The fire in her eyes glowed with longing, the jealousy having faded with their close contact. Her feminine core rubbed his manhood as she rose on tiptoes, setting flames racing through his blood despite her jeans, his jeans, and an additional two layers of cotton—assuming her panties were cotton, not silk, or a string thong, or she wore them at all. Not. Going. There.
“So you going to show me this secure room or we going to make a scene right here?” Her voice trailed over his senses.
“Damn.” Lust shot him worse than any bullet wound. Okay. Maybe going there. He backed up a step to suck in some air and put much needed distance between them. “You’re killing me.”
“Your call, Talon,” she said, cocking a hip out to the side and tossing her hair. Her laugh bounced off the marble lobby. “Now that I know I’m not going to burn you, and that you’re not a total d-bag...”
He narrowed his eyes at her.
She laughed again. “I see no reason not to—”
Talon didn’t wait for her to finish. He pulled her into his arms, kissed her soundly, and then headed for the elevator. Her boots clicked over the tiled floor as she fought to keep up. When they reached the elevators, he punched the key into the slot and counted the seconds until it arrived. At twelve seconds, the doors chimed and slid open.
After they stepped inside, he waited a brief moment before dragging her into his arms again. She met his urgency with a fiery need of her own, melding their lips together, tongues dueling. He couldn’t get enough of her. His hands wandered over her back, down her hips, and squeezed her...
“Talon,” she cried, rubbing her ass. An evil smirk crossed her face. “You’re going to pay for that.”
The doors flew open. They stepped into the hall. “Looking forward to it,” Talon said.
The hallway blazed bright and luxurious like the lobby below. Crystal chandeliers hung every five feet with more intricately laid cameras. Mosaic tiles ran a hip high border across the walls. They passed several doors until they reached room 306.
“Your key card opens and locks the door as well as controlling the lights.” He stared at the ceiling, pretending to check the surveillance. “No one can use the elevators without key cards and no one gets those without a security check in. You’ll be safe.”
She nodded and tested her key. The door slid open without sound. Her hand rested on the knob, but she stopped, half in and half out of the room. A blush brightened her cheeks. “So...”
He inclined his head, allowing his eyes to trail down her face. “So?” Smiling, he gripped the edge of the door and held it open. “Am I allowed in?”
Her eyes blazed gold. “Well, I was going to make you work for it, but...” She dove at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and crushing their lips together.
Her unbridled passion, the fury of her kiss, took him by surprise. When her soft curves molded to every part of his body, he lost all hesitation. Desire struck deep in his gut and danced in his blood. Her skin heated hotter than the hungriest fire. He met her seeking mouth with a blaring urgency, parting her lips and tangling their tongues in an age-old clash. Light flickered in the hallway, sneaking to the corner of his closed eyes.
“The cameras,” he mumbled, pulling back and scanning the hall. “Let’s go inside.”
“Not up for an audience.” She laughed. The little vixen flew from his arms and strolled into the room. With each step, she shed a piece of her clothing. First her jacket and boots, then her red sweater and dark jeans, until she stood in nothing but a lacy bra and skimpy panties.
He growled. “I’m not up for sharing you with anyone.”
Sitting atop the king-sized bed, she stretched out her arms. “Then, come here.”
He kicked the door closed, stripped naked, and answered her siren’s call.
Talon came at her like a hungry wolf, a predator stalking prey. His arms crushed her to his chest as he lifted her off the bed and guided her legs around his waist. She squeezed his sides with her thighs and tangled her hands in hi
s hair. He sat on the bed, her bottom resting snug against his manhood.
An unquenchable thirst seared her throat. A blaze licked up and down her skin, sending her temperature soaring to new heights. She feared exploding in his arms, bursting into a thousand little flames.
“Talon,” she whispered his name.
He groaned and pushed her higher. His tongue found her breast through the lacy fabric. She cried out when his teeth scraped the taut peak. Her back arched in response. “You have one second to take this off before I shred it.”
Smiling, she slowly brought the straps off her shoulders. His lungs expanded on a ragged breath as his eyes tracked the movement. The blue hue shadowed to midnight black in the darkness. She reached behind her and undid the bra’s fastening, holding the two ends in place as she brought her hands to the front. Draping an arm over her breasts, she pulled the bra free and threw it to the floor.
One hand snaked from around her waist to grab the arm covering her breasts. His touch was firm and gentle on her wrist, but sent desire racing to her core. He flipped her hand over and planted a kiss in the center of her palm. With slow languid strokes, he licked his way from her wrist to her elbow, then up her shoulder and neck. Allowing her arm to fall away, she grabbed his biceps when he moved to her collarbone. The first long stroke over her breast had her arching once more into his mouth.
She squirmed as he lavished the same attention on her opposite side, starting again at her wrist until she moaned and pleaded with him. When he again caught her breast between his lips, she screamed. “I can’t take this.”
“Yes, you can,” he said. Whips of electricity crackled between them. He shifted on the bed, laying her down on the cotton comforter. The cool fabric against her back did nothing to ease the fiery ache.
“Please.” Her voice sounded small and foreign to her ears.
“Don’t worry.” He bent over her. His teeth elongated a touch to leave light scratches along her skin. The friction nearly sent her over the edge. She bit back a cry as he skimmed her stomach and inner thighs. When his tongue swirled against her hidden nub, she saw stars. He showed no mercy as he licked and stroked, sucked and caressed. The shudders crashed over her and the fire leapt from her skin. She cried out as the orgasm took her under.
He left her for a moment still riding the waves of pleasure. She tilted her head to the side to watch him. His erection jutted forward. He rolled a condom over it. Her heart beat double time. Anticipation had her insides tightening once more. She licked her lips.
He smiled at her, then pulled her to the edge of the bed. He hooked her knees under his arms and buried himself inside her. Colors burst before her eyes, shades of yellow and red. She soared skyward as he thrust hard and fast, his rhythm causing her own pleasure to rise. When at last she thought she would never come down from the high, he roared his release. Her inner walls gripped him, claiming him, welding him to her. Intense joy filled her heart. Waves of warmth swam through her body and soul.
He rolled to his back, dragging her atop him, holding her close. She placed her head upon his chest and listened to the steady beat of his heart. After a few minutes, his light snores brought a smile to her lips as they mingled with the gentle rhythm. As she closed her eyes, basking in afterglow, she thought she could stay this way for a long time to come.
When a piercing ring ricocheted across the room, she popped her head up. Talon’s eyes shot open. She kissed his chest and said, “Well, at least time with you is never boring.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Grand Lux Hotel, Calgary, Alberta
Talon’s cell started firing like a car alarm, breaking him from a peaceful sleep. The annoying ringtone signaled an unknown caller. Sera rolled off him and sat up. Her arms snaked the blanket around her breasts. “What’s up?”
“Dunno.” He stumbled over to his discarded jeans, then dug the cell from the pocket. He flipped over the screen and stared at the Blocked message. A tingling sensation crept along his skin. He shrugged it off and held the phone to his ear. “Hello?”
“Hello, Agent Rede. So good of you to take my call.” The words rasped over the line as if years of neglect rendered the caller’s voice useless. “Put me on speaker, please.”
“Who is this?” Talon squeezed the cell.
“We’ll get to that, I assure you.” He coughed twice. “I’d far prefer to say this to all in your company.”
“All right, start talking.” The phone clicked to speaker mode as he placed it on the corner nightstand and pulled on his clothes.
“Good agents of the PCD and Sera, since I assume she is with you as well, I’m afraid we’ve come to a bit of a crossroad.” Talon’s jaw tightened. The caller paused. Sera stared at him with wide eyes. “You see, you have something I want, and now, I have something you want.”
Talon went to switch the phone off speaker, but Sera held a hand over his wrist and shook her head. A sudden sharpness in her eyes, gold bleeding into brown, stopped him from erupting. “Go on,” he said through clenched teeth.
“Not too long ago, agents from your PCD entered a location in Calgary’s glorious suburbs. I believe they were looking for me.”
The blackmailer? Sera mouthed the words.
Talon snorted and asked the question aloud. “So, you’re the one blackmailing the senator?”
“Yes. Very astute of you, Agent Rede.” A shuffling sounded in the background. “Now, as I was saying, unfortunately for your agents I expected their visit and set a small trap.” Scraping noises accompanied the caller’s words. “Well, perhaps not small.”
“Where are they?” The cell nearly broke in Talon’s palm as he clutched it off the stand and fisted the device.
“Temper, temper. You’ll be happy to know they’re both alive. Though, neither can be considered well at the moment.” A click and a rush of air signaled the caller switched to speaker mode too. “Here, tell your friend your names.”
“Go to hell.” A pissed off Jame growled.
“Now, now.” The blackmailer said before a slap and a feminine grunt of pain. “Behave.”
“Talon, we’re okay. He drugged us, so we can’t shift.” Slick shouted over the commotion. “We’ll be fine. Don’t give this bastard anything.”
A sickening thud that sounded too much like metal hitting bone echoed over the call. A door slammed and the call grew quiet again.
“Son of a bitch,” Talon roared. The shifter’s buzz started deep in his skull and vibrated down his spine.
“None of that.” The blackmailing bastard said with eerie calm, “I’ve kept them alive. You should be thanking me.”
“Thanking you?” His hands sprouted fur, the nails elongating into claws.
“If you want something, spit it out,” Sera said addressing the caller and brushing a hand up Talon’s arm. The soothing caress refused to appease his rage, but he managed to get his shift under control. “Provoking him with his agents’ lives isn’t going to get you what you want.”
“Sera.” The sicko cooed her name. “I’ve been waiting a long time.”
“Who...” Sera’s body tensed. He gripped the nape of her neck and massaged, a gesture he hoped eased her as much as her touch had done for him. She exhaled and shot him a weak smile. To the caller, she said, “Who are you?”
“The phone is far too impersonal for such a revelation, angel.” A distinct crackling echoed, the unmistakable strike of a match lighting. “Which gets me to my point. You, Agent Rede, will bring Sera to Blue Rock Warehouse off Route 1 in exactly one hour. No back up. No weapons.” Talon’s threatening grumble warned the blackmailer, but he continued, “You will hand her over to me and I will return your agents to you. Simple. However, if you do not comply, I’ll burn your agents alive and send you what’s left of them.”
“If you think for one second—” Talon said.
“We’ll be there.” Sera snatched the phone from his grip, spun away from his hand at her nape, and rose to stand at the opposite side of the bed
.
“Wise choice. See you then.”
Sera ended the call and threw the phone on the bed. Talon tracked the movement as he stalked her. His upper body vibrated with suppressed rage. Pointed nails dug into his biceps as his arms crossed over his chest. Black fur covered his forearms. His eyes simmered with violence, morphing them to the wolf’s deep golden glow.
Sera skirted around the king size bed to grab her clothes. “I told him that to get him off the line. We’ll come up with a plan.”
“No,” he said. The booming growl rang out low and firm. “You’ll stay right here.”
“Talon, I can help with this. I’ve wanted to get to the truth and now I’m the best shot to—” His hands shot out to grip her shoulders. The claws retracted leaving soft paw pads to land on her.
“I’m not putting you in danger. Not for any reason. Do you understand?” The strain to fight back the shift mixed with his fear of losing her. It left him in a ridiculous half wolf, half human form.
“I can more than defend myself in case you forgot.” She pouted her lips and patted his hand. Fire shot up his arm and she smiled. “But let’s figure out how to rescue your friends without walking into a trap, okay?”
The beast roared inside him, not assuaged by her calm logic. She’s being rational. Be the same. His hands shifted to normal with painful self-control. A caveman instinct overwhelmed his senses. He imagined hoisting her up, throwing her on the bed, and showing her why she’d be doing as he said. Her cries of satisfaction from earlier echoed in his ears.
“Talon.” His name upon her lips drew him to the present problem—getting her to listen.
He inhaled a shaky breath and put his thoughts in order. “We have one hour to figure this out. I need to check in with District Eight PCD and see what they know.” He mentally patted himself on the back for sounding so unruffled. “Stay here and put together a list of everything we know about the blackmailer. The more we know, the better prepared we can be.” And the safer you’ll be.
