by Flesa Black
“Harm…”
“Soon, I promise.”
He gave her shoulder a small bite, the thrill of it wild and hot. There was no thought now as he smoothed his hands down her torso, his rough skin scraping her sensitized flesh. She felt moisture slicking her throbbing folds and was desperate for him to relieve her almost intolerable need. Then he was there, cupping her in his hot palm. She wriggled, her body begging for more, but he only squeezed and kneaded her.
A small gasp of longing rolled from her lips and he chuckled against her shoulder. A moment later, he slipped one thick finger between her walls, slowly pressing up and inside. She groaned, her hips giving an involuntary jerk. He encouraged her with measured movements and slipped in another finger to stretch her farther. She pushed into his hand, filling herself with his fingers while the feel of his rigid cock against her backside drove her mad. She wanted him, wanted everything he could give her, and wanted to give back to him. And in the giving, draw out her own desire.
She slipped out of his arms and turned, laying her mouth against his. Nipping his bottom lip, she pressed her curves into him, cradling his shaft against her warm flesh. His hold tightened and she could feel his body shake against hers.
“I haven’t had a chance to taste you.”
His eyes blazed wildly as he squeezed her hips with unsteady hands. She didn’t wait for a verbal response, but fell to her knees. The heated water rained down on her back like an erotic benediction. Smiling with her sexual power, she wrapped tender fingers around Harm’s thick cock. It was hot and long, the texture like velvet over titanium. She stroked his erect flesh, mesmerized by the feel, absorbed in watching his shaft jump and throb against her palm.
She lowered her head with unhurried movements, her eyes on his cock as she came down. She finally brought him between her lips, gently licking at his hardened muscle. She pulled him in, sliding down until she had engulfed him. She held him there for a moment, listening to his rough growl of pleasure. She peeked up at him and saw that he was watching her with scorching eyes. Her heart tripped and her swollen center began to pulsate in painful vibrations.
Driven by her desire, she let her inhibitions drift away and devoured him. The sounds he made, the taste of his cock against her tongue, the shudders that racked his body, all drove her on. There was pleasure for both of them, she thought, and set a deep, steady rhythm that ripped ragged sounds of passion from her throat.
She was enjoying herself, her attention absorbed in what she was doing, forgetting where she was. There was a tugging in her hair, an annoying pull that didn’t register at first. The hazed cleared for a moment and she realized it was Harm dragging her. She readily let go of her pleasurable concentration, allowing him to take the lead, however momentary.
“I want to be inside you when I come,” he told her.
He didn’t give her time to answer. He captured her mouth with his, shoving his tongue past her lips to mate and tangle with hers. He turned them, bringing her back against the heat-moistened tile of the shower stall. He slipped his hands down to her bottom and grasped her. He lifted her with a quick movement and she went with him, instinctively wrapping her legs around his waist.
He slid between her walls in one fluid movement, filling her so completely that she gasped with it. He ravaged her mouth, kissing her into mindlessness as he began moving. She lifted and fell, lifted and fell, keeping the tempo that he set. It was a frantic thing, this mating, each move done without thought or planning. He dipped her hips, his shaft stroking just the right spot, and she felt her fragile reality splinter. Her orgasm rolled just underneath her skin, heightening each sensation and making her heavy with need.
His hips began to rock with a faster, mind-shattering pace, slamming into her before drawing away. Her release danced along the edge, teasing her before pirouetting out of reach. But Harm wouldn’t be denied and, even after his short time with her, he knew how to get what he wanted.
Leaning down, he sucked one hard nipple into his mouth. The world contracted to a minute speck of magical light, the warm rays of it heating her. Then everything exploded, sending shards of brilliant light cascading down behind her closed lids. Her body curled and bowed as her orgasm rocked through her, her fingers digging into Harm’s shoulders as he buried his face in her neck and cried out his release.
She stood for endless moments, floating back to reality. When her thighs gave a shaky tremble, he unwound her legs from his waist, careful with her languid limbs while her feet slid down to the tiled floor.
She held on to him, letting the warm water coat her sweaty skin as she laid openmouthed kisses across his chest. “My God, you are the most incredible man.”
“I aim to please,” he teased in a badly executed American accent.
“I can’t believe you slipped in here. What if someone had heard us?”
He leaned away from her, pushing her wet hair out of her eyes with gentle fingers. “That’s not a problem. We’re alone for now. Jack won’t be back for another half hour, and Millicent is busy on the phone. The others won’t be in until after Millicent contacts them.”
“Hmm.” She gave a small sigh and cuddled against his chest. “I suppose you came in to warn me about what could happen when we go up tonight.”
“But it wouldn’t do any good. You are one damn stubborn woman. I can’t help but wonder if your father had this much trouble with your mother.” She could hear the humor in his voice and smiled as he continued. “Still, I’ll be going up with you and Jack, just in case.”
“And I suppose I could argue with you about that, but you’re just as stubborn as I am.”
“Maybe more.” He stroked her back, and though his strokes were smooth and delicate, she could hear the steel underlying his next words. “Diana, once this is all over, I want you to move in with me.”
She should have been shocked, or afraid or amused. She should have been any number of things, but what she felt was a strange sense of completeness. His tone told her he was expecting some sort of a fight, but it was one that he wasn’t going to get from her. Knowing he was prepared to argue with her just to get what he wanted—just to get her—brought a spurt of joy that bled into her words.
“Okay, but you’d better have room for all my books.”
She smiled against his chest as she waited in the stunned silence. Then he caressed her with hands so tender that she thought she might weep with it.
“We’ll be good, I swear. I want this. I want…I want you.”
She leaned back and stared up at the incredible man who was holding her. In less than twenty-four hours he’d changed her life, and something inside was telling her that the change was exactly what she’d been waiting for.
“I want you, too. I want everything you do, everything we’ll do together, and I know it’ll be good.”
He gave her a crooked smile before dropping a soft kiss on her lips. “We’d better get moving, Ms. Allen. Millicent might get suspicious if we aren’t dressed by the time the lab calls with their results.”
Diana grinned, reveling in the hope that was blooming inside her chest. “Suspicious? I think she’d nail both our asses to the wall for fraternizing on government property.”
Harm chuckled in appreciation. “Then we definitely ought to get dressed. You don’t want to see Millicent Wright on the verbal warpath. She’s scary.”
***
Jack slipped into Millicent’s office, his gaze raking over the impeccable woman behind the neat desk. Her eyes found his immediately, and she gave him an absent nod as she continued her phone conversation.
“Yes, sir. Of course we intend to be careful. No, I do not think we need any more assistance. Yes, we will contact you as soon as we’ve released the serum.” She paused and her dark eyes narrowed. “I would prefer not to be present when you speak to the press, sir. Thank you. Of course. Yes. I will, sir. Goodbye.”
She sighed quietly and Jack couldn’t help but chuckle. He put a warm Styrofoam cup of coffee o
n her desk as a peace offering while he slid into the chair across from her.
“The Prime Minister?” he asked with a smile.
Millicent rolled her eyes and nodded. “Damn nob, doesn’t know when to stop. I swear the man campaigns in his sleep.”
“You wanted to see me. I’m assuming it’s about the woman.” Jack tilted his head towards the door and lifted his eyebrows.
She watched him speculatively as she took a sip of coffee. “You are much too observant, but since this will involve you, I suppose I should tell you you’re right.”
“Do I need a bevvy for this?”
A small smile played along her pretty lips. “No, you’ll need to be sober.” She paused and stared at him, as if she was impressing how important this was. “We have the cure.”
Complete shock held him to his seat. He could hear his heart roaring in his ears. “Gobshite.”
“That young lady is Diana Allen.”
“That totty is…? But I thought…”
“She was a boy, yes, so did we all.” Millicent stood, leaving her coffee behind as she went to stare out her grungy window. “She’s been working on a serum for Shifters. So far our scientists have confirmed that it works brilliantly.”
“Fuck me,” he managed, dazed.
“We should have conclusive results in the next hour.” She turned her gaze back to him and he could see what others rarely did. Concern, hope, fear and the weight of a world she had to protect. “We can stop the madness.”
Jack stood slowly, his legs slightly shaky as he moved towards her. “Mills, are they positive?”
She nodded slowly and he could see her outer shell crumbling. “Close enough, and I believe Ms. Allen. All we’ll need to do is release it over the city. Once we’ve proven it’s effective the other countries will fall in line. I’ve already cleared the way for you to take Harm and Diana up tonight, just before sunset.”
“When the Shifters are coming out.”
“It will be the most effective…”
He waited as she stood quietly, giving her a moment to gather her thoughts. When he saw the first tear he couldn’t stop himself. He pulled her into his arms and cradled her against his chest.
“This is what we’ve been waiting for, Mills.”
She nodded against his chest but didn’t pull away. “You shouldn’t be seeing me like this. I’m your superior.”
“You’re also my friend. The things we’ve been through together, the things I’ve watched you deal with…”
She gave a shuddering sigh and took a step back, giving him a wobbly smile. “But tears, for God’s sake. I don’t care for anyone seeing me this afraid.”
“Relieved, more like. Look, Mills, we haven’t exactly been sitting on our arses watching the telly for the past few years. We both know this could mean a new world. No more hunting the baddies at night. No more hush-hush funerals. Bloody hell, we could both be wasters for a year if we wanted, nipping out to the pub for a pint or two every night instead of tracking Shifters.”
She smoothed her hair back, a sure sign she was gaining that rigid control of hers again. “Just don’t expect me to come get you out of a fix if you’re caught for public drunkenness.”
He gave her a mockingly innocent look and pressed his palm against his heart. “Me? Public drunkenness?”
He watched her lips twitch a moment before she waved him out of her office. “Go, get ready to fly you barmpot.”
Pleased to see Millicent amused, Jack gave a quick nod and headed for the door, the twin thrills of freedom and relief riding his heels.
Chapter Seven
Harm gazed out at the airfield as the constant drizzle beaded on his shirt. The filtered light of the sun was slowly ebbing away as nighttime began to close in. They’d have to take off soon to spray the red-streaked skies, the closer to when the Shifters came out the better. Millicent had been pleased that the serum, dubbed Alupenite, was what Diana had promised. She’d wanted more time to study it, but they all knew that the gene was mutating, and Alupenite might become obsolete sooner rather than later.
“Beautiful day to fly,” Jack said from beside him.
Harm smiled and buffeted the other man on his shoulder. “Any day’s a good day to fly according to you. You’re happier with your arse in the pilot seat than you are shagging in a bed.”
“Ah, but shagging in the pilot seat…absolute perfection.”
Diana gave a quick laugh as she huddled closer into her black raincoat. “You’ve had sex in the pilot’s chair?”
“And you haven’t?” Jack gave her a sly wink before striding towards the large airplane. “Speaking of a pilot’s seat, I’m going to kick the interloper out. The plane should be warmed up by now.”
Harm studied the woman beside him, noting the tight skin over her cheekbones and her deliberately slow breathing. “You’re going to be all right, love.”
She turned her eyes to him and he could see the anxiety in their blue depths. “I know. It’s just…this is it. This is what my father worked for. This is what I’ve been working for.”
“You still have this unit. Once Millicent brings you in, you have a home for life.”
“I’m not worried about my career.”
He reached over and ran a comforting hand down her back. “Everything else will fall into place. You’ll have time to figure out what you want, without having to be afraid of who’s around you.”
Her lips tipped up as she laid her palm over his heart. “And I’ll have you.”
“You’ll definitely have me,” he assured her. “Come on, let’s—”
His hackles rose as a sudden chill trickled down his spine. Quickly, he pushed Diana behind his back and turned to look towards the hanger. He saw the movements in the shadows just before the wolves appeared, their fangs bared as feral growls filled the air. There were twelve, a full pack.
“Get on the plane.”
He felt Diana stiffen behind him. “Harm—”
“Do what you have to do, and I’ll be here when you come back.”
“Is this a bad time to tell you I think I love you?”
Her words were soft but packed enough punch to take his breath. “You can say that any time you want, sweetheart. Now, get on the plane.”
He felt her fingers brush the small of his back before he heard her booted feet smack against the asphalt. Once he was sure she was safely inside, the world disappeared, narrowing down to the Shifters. He listened, his hearing intent as he made sure there weren’t others hiding.
The first few moved with quick grace, bounding at him in tandem as he whipped his guns up. He fired in rapid succession, grim but satisfied as four fell to the ground. Two more charged and Harm let out another volley of bullets. One fell immediately, while the other dodged and continued coming. Harm fired twice more, this time hitting the Shifter’s chest and head.
The other six were more cautious as they advanced, the fur on their backs raised and their ears pinned back. There was no time to reload. They would attack the minute he dropped the empty clip. He abandoned the guns and spread his fingers, loosening the tendons as he waited for the next assault.
The attack came from the left side. He heard a body moving through the air before he saw it. Reaching out with his hand, he grabbed the scruff of the wolf’s neck and twisted the animal around. Harm slammed the animal down, clearing his grip just in time to catch the snapping muzzle of another Shifter. He used the momentum of the wolf’s body and continued its wide arch, spinning the opposite way. He heard the Shifter’s neck snap and dropped the body, stepping forwards to keep his balance.
The other wolves divided slowly, creating a semicircle around him. His gaze focused on the alpha in the middle, watching its muscles twitch. He didn’t flinch when he felt a wolf tackle his back. He jerked one of the animal’s forelegs over, dislodging the fangs from his shoulder as he flipped the Shifter around. The moment the wolf was on the ground Harm brought his booted foot down on the animal’s head, li
stening as the skull splintered.
The remaining wolves sent up loud howls, but the noise was lost to Harm. He kept his attention focused and ready for the next attack. He didn’t have to wait long.
A Shifter pounced from the right, snaring his arm in his teeth. Harm pivoted sideways and clamped the wolf’s jaw closed, securing him so he couldn’t let go or move. When he felt a new set of hard fangs sink into his leg, the frigid pain disappeared underneath his adrenaline. He glanced down and found another Shifter clinging to him. Harm began to swing one into the other, stopping short when the last wolf sprang towards him.
He changed tactics quickly, dropping down on his free leg and ripping the Shifter from his arm. He swung the snarling animal up just in time for the alpha’s teeth to tear at the Shifter’s belly.
He shoved the dead wolf away and punched the animal clamped to his leg. Caught off-guard, the Shifter yelped and let go, giving Harm the chance to grab his tail and whip him through the air. He flung the wolf’s body at the charging alpha, listening to the slick thunk of the animal’s head as it smacked into the hard ground.
Then there was only the white wolf, whose dark eyes were narrow and intent. Straightening his body, Harm returned the alpha’s gaze. The moment the Shifter’s muscles tensed, Harm was ready. As the animal launched itself at Harm’s chest, Harm dropped to his knees and leaned backward, his palms smacking the hard tarmac. In that split second, he felt it, the hard, serrated stone underneath his right hand. He yanked it up, holding it steady as it sliced through the wolf’s belly in a jagged line. He heard the alpha fall, heard its harsh breathing and knew he had dealt a decisive blow.
Slowly, Harm stood and walked to where the alpha lay, stepping over dead bodies as he tracked his own blood across the black asphalt. He looked down at the wolf and wasn’t surprised to see the animal shifting back into a man. This was what they’d known was coming. This was proof that the Shifter’s were advancing to change at will.
