by Bonnie Dee
“Jacob, why don’t you take Miss Massri out on the boat?” Valarian spoke with the distant, cool tone of an employer posing a question that was really an order. “I’ll leave you two alone. I’ve some work to catch up on.”
He vanished in that catlike way of his, leaving Akila and Jacob staring at one another.
“Last night was good. Really good.” She finally broke the silence. “I liked talking with you and learning more about you.” She inhaled. “What you saw just now, me with Valarian, was… I don’t know what it was. I don’t just do things like that. It took me by surprise.”
“Mr. Kaspan has a way of doing that,” he said dryly. “It’s all right. You don’t have to explain anything to me. He’s a very sexual creature. So are you. It was inevitable.” He began to walk down the hallway. “I’m going to clean up and get changed; then I can take you out on the boat.”
“I thought you couldn’t take much direct sunlight,” Akila said, happy for the change in subject. “It can’t be easy for you living on a tropical island.”
“I keep to the shadows when I go outside, and there’s an awning on the boat so I’m out of the sun. Mostly we go out at night. The water’s never too cold for a swim this far south.”
Akila smiled, imagining Jacob and Valarian diving through the waves like dolphins, perhaps playing together a little. A picture of the two men naked and embracing while waves crashed around them dashed through her mind. She shook it off. “Great. I’ll be in my room getting my sunscreen.”
As she retreated into the solitude of her oyster shell, she considered that her fantasy life was getting far too rich. But on the other hand, her real life was starting to feel far too much like a fantasy.
Taking a boat ride turned out to be a wonderful way to clear her head of all her tangled thoughts. The breeze blew through her hair as the motorboat bounced over the waves. It was exhilarating, especially when salt spray bathed her face as she leaned too far over the edge.
Jacob steered the boat around atolls and over the shadowy shapes of coral reefs beneath the startling turquoise water. At last, he cut the motor and dropped anchor in the shallow lagoon of what appeared to be an uninhabited island.
Almost immediately Akila’s erotic tension began to build. There was nothing to distract her from thoughts about Jacob and how hot he looked in a loose, long-sleeved shirt over a strappy white undershirt. Even though she’d been satisfied by Valarian only a little while earlier, her body felt warm and buttery, melting in all the right places at the sight of Jacob. But did she want a repeat of last night? If they had sex again, it would begin to feel less like a vacation fling and more like a commitment of some kind.
Jacob rose from the captain’s chair and came toward her. “Would you like to snorkel? It’s pretty amazing down there.”
Akila stared over the edge of the boat. The water was so crystal clear she could see grains of sand at the bottom. “I don’t know. It’s one thing to swim in a pool, but the ocean kind of freaks me out.”
“I’ll be right beside you to fight off the sharks.” He smiled. “I can’t stay in the water too long this time of day—too bright, but it’s all right for a little while.”
He so clearly wanted to submerge himself in the watery depths that Akila didn’t have the heart to refuse to join him. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. She’d have to get over her fears and dive in.
She took off her wrap, very aware of Jacob’s gaze on her body—and there was a lot of body showing since she was wearing a skimpy two-piece. The suit was a deep wine-red that made her bronze skin glow. Could she help it if she was sexy?
She turned to him, hands on hips. “So what do I do?”
He outfitted her with a mask and tube and a pair of flippers. Suddenly not so sexy. It was hard to look anything other than goofy in the gear. She stared through the mask at the water beneath the boat.
“No hurry,” Jacob said. “We’ll start in shallow water first. You need to learn how to use the snorkel.” He jumped into the water, which was up to his chest.
Akila sucked in a breath and followed. The ocean was bathwater-warm at this southern latitude. The water welcomed her in and soon Jacob had her submerging her head and practicing breathing through the tube. It was strange but not so bad and the view beneath the surface was amazing. Schools of fish darted around seaweed and rocks and the bottom was cleaner than most fish tanks—nothing squishy or gross to step on.
After she felt comfortable, Jacob cajoled her into deeper water, demonstrating how to keep afloat with her fins and clear the snorkel tube. This part was not as fun. She didn’t like being completely submerged, dependent on a little plastic tube to bring her oxygen when she rose to the surface to suck in air. When she accidentally inhaled a mouthful of briny water and started sputtering, Jacob’s strong arm was around her immediately, pulling her back to shallower water and bringing her head to the surface.
Akila spit out the mouthpiece and gasped a deep breath of air, then coughed as some water went down with it.
“All right?” Jacob held her close, bobbing against him in the warm water.
She nodded mutely, still coughing. When she got her breath, she said dryly, “That was fun.”
His palm slid over her belly, and the light hair on his chest tickled her back. She floated, cradled in his arms, and thought it was much better than snorkeling. “You’ll get the hang of it. Try again.”
“How about I bake on the beach while you dive?” she suggested.
He glanced at the bright strip of sand not too many yards away. “Are you sure?”
“You don’t have to entertain me. I’m happy to relax in the sun. Enjoy your snorkeling.” She disengaged from his arms with some reluctance and splashed toward shore.
It wasn’t until she reached it that she realized she had no towel or blanket to lie on. Faced with the prospect of coating her wet body with sand, she decided to take a short walk on the beach instead. She roamed the edge of the surf, shading her eyes now and then to look out to where Jacob occasionally broke surface for fresh air.
There was a lot to see on the spit of land, shells and pebbles and sea creatures left behind by the tide. She watched a starfish, still moving its arms. Soon enough it would be dried to a crisp. She considered throwing the creature back in the ocean but figured it was too late to save it. Besides, if the tide had brought it in, maybe its death was meant to be.
When she was dry, she lay in the shade of a tree and closed her eyes. The rhythmic sound of waves breaking on the shore soon lulled her into a doze, from which she awoke abruptly as she felt a presence standing over her. She looked up at Jacob.
He was a fine sight with beads of water sliding down his body, his muscles ropy and well defined, his chest rising and falling. His swim trunks left little to the imagination, molding around a visible erection. Akila was very aware of her own near-nudity. Her bikini barely covered the pertinent parts.
“Are you ready to go back?” he asked, but the way he scanned her body and the husky tone of his voice told her he was in no hurry.
She patted the sand beside her. “Sit for a minute.”
He dropped down beside her and grains of sand peppered her skin. His leg brushed against hers as he stretched out with his arms behind his head, and his flesh was cool.
“You really love the water,” she noted.
“It’s always interesting down there, and I love the feeling of weightlessness, like flying but without any fear of falling.”
She smiled. “No, only the fear of drowning.”
Jacob gazed out at the ocean, his eyes nearly matching its intense blue. “There are plenty of things to fear in the world. Death isn’t one of them.”
She propped her head on her hand and watched him. “What is? What do you fear, Jacob?”
“I fear the cruelty and viciousness some men are capable of, the pain they inflict on those weaker than themselves. But for myself, I fear nothing anymore. Everyone I cared about has already been taken away,
so I don’t have to fear the loss of them.”
“What about Valarian? You must care for him.”
“Must I?” He stared at her, then shrugged. “Maybe I do. But I don’t worry on his behalf. He’ll always be all right.”
Akila reached out and touched his arm. “It must be strange to live so isolated from the world.”
“We don’t always stay on the island.”
“That’s not what I mean. I think you could live in the middle of the busiest city in the world and be alone, just the two of you.”
“Enough talking about me and Valarian.” He abruptly changed the subject. “Tell me about yourself. What are some things you like to do, hobbies, likes and dislikes?”
“I’d like to be a writer. I studied journalism in college, but it’s a hard field to break into.” She sighed. “Anyway, if money were no object, I think I’d be happier writing fiction. That’s what I’d really like to do.
“As for hobbies,” she continued, “there are so many things I enjoy. Writing and reading. Sports like skateboarding, skating and rock climbing. I’d like to try sky diving someday. Crazy, huh? I’m afraid to be under a little water, but not afraid to jump from an airplane.”
Jacob smiled. “Flying isn’t for me. I’ll do it, but I don’t like it. What is something you hate?”
Akila didn’t pause to think before answering. “Liars.”
Miguel’s face flashed through her mind. She hadn’t thought of him in a long time and the memory of his cheating no longer had the power to devastate her. She’d grown up a lot since that college romance. Still, he’d been her first big heartbreak and one she’d always remember.
Jacob nodded. “I, too, despise liars. I’ve met far too many of them in my life. Although I suppose I must be included among them. I lie all the time on behalf of Valarian.”
“That’s different. Shielding his identity isn’t the same as, for example, scamming old people out of their life savings. What you do is necessary.”
“Is it?” He met her gaze. “What if we were to go public, reveal that vampires exist? Maybe then we could expose Carl Overton for what he is, and stop his movement before it gains too much power.”
Akila frowned. “Maybe there wouldn’t be any need for a savior after all.”
He shrugged. “It’s something I’ve been thinking about, weighing the pros and cons. But it could start a witch-hunt and might put Valarian in danger.”
“Does he know you’re considering it?” she asked.
His gaze returned to the sea and now his eyes were as dark and brooding as the ocean on a stormy day. “I think so. Maybe. He tends to read my mind.”
“We should discuss it with him. It sounds like a real option.” Akila was enthusiastic. Anything that would prevent her from being turned into a baby-making machine sounded good.
“He won’t like it.” Jacob sat up and turned his intense attention on her. “That little sex show you two put on this morning? That was Valarian reminding me who’s in control. He will give me only so much line and then he reels it back in. It seems I can have nothing for myself alone. He may have transformed himself into a philanthropist, but at heart Kaspan is still a creature who craves power. He won’t put himself at risk, not for you or me or even the fate of the world.”
“You don’t know unless you ask,” she protested.
He leveled a serious stare at her. “I know.”
She didn’t argue. There would be no changing his mind. Not yet, anyway.
“Hey, about earlier. I’m sorry. That was outrageous and I knew it, but I couldn’t seem to stop myself.” She paused then admitted, “Part of me wanted you to see. Knowing you were watching made it so hot.”
The memory of that steamy interlude coupled with the breeze blowing off the water had her nipples at attention, poking against the cups of her bathing suit. Her bare thighs rubbed together when she shifted and her pussy contracted hard at the sensation. There was a low thrumming inside her, like the surf pounding against the shore.
“And I liked seeing you,” he answered in a husky voice, “as he knew I would. I wanted to kill him and join the two of you at the same time.”
He swept his gaze from her face down to her body, eyes traveling over her skin and heating her more than the sun’s rays. He moved toward her and slid an arm around her. His mouth covered hers, plucking her lips teasingly before he slipped his tongue between them.
Akila whimpered in pleasure and curled her hand around his neck, pulling him closer. His skin was cool from swimming, but his body was hot underneath. She felt the blood coursing through his neck and the muscles shifting beneath her hand. Her own body seemed to swell toward his, opening and reaching with every cell. This felt so right. Something about Jacob pulled her; that shadow of brooding melancholy in him made her want to nurture him and bring him joyfulness.
He groaned and the sound set her stomach fluttering. Jacob kissed her sweetly—a contrast to Valarian’s arrogant, demanding kisses. His tongue curled around hers, stroking and sliding and awakening tremors throughout her body.
He pressed her back onto the sand, his body lying heavily on hers, his erection pressing against her groin. The fine grains of sand shifted beneath her and she imagined them infiltrating all sorts of uncomfortable places. Beach lovemaking might not be as sexy as it sounded.
Akila pulled away from Jacob’s mouth and murmured, “Let’s go back to the house, shower and then continue this in my bedroom—or yours.” She thought she’d like to see his lair, and imagined it would be decorated in somber tones to reflect his personality.
His eyes were dark and unfocused, hazed with lust, and she was certain he’d happily carry on right where they were, sand be damned. But he rose and offered her a hand to help her to her feet.
The swim back to the anchored boat chilled Akila’s arousal only a little. The breeze whipped it up again as it turned her nipples to diamond points in her wet bikini. She pulled the towel Jacob gave her around her body and shivered with cold and eagerness. Maybe they should’ve done it on the deck of the boat, really set it rocking.
Soon enough they were back at the dock. Jacob tied off the boat and they hurried up the walkway to the house, hand in hand.
“We’ll use my bathroom.” His commanding tone made her wiggle like a puppy inside. A shared shower sounded like soapy fun.
Jacob’s room was decorated more warmly than she’d imagined. Earth tones from walnut to burnt sienna, tan and cream were accented with flashes of deep green and dramatic scarlet. Large potted trees filled the corners and live ivy draped the twisted copper frame of the bed.
As she padded across the thick carpet, Akila’s eyes were trained on the rippling muscles in Jacob’s back, the line of his spine pointing like an arrow straight down to his ass. As they entered the bathroom, she slipped her arms around his waist and pressed her cheek against his warm back. Sliding her palms over his hips and thighs, she dragged his swim trunks down his legs. Then she crawled around in front of him and looked up from her crouching position at his feet.
He swallowed as slowly, deliberately, she took his cock in hand and guided it to her mouth. She swirled her tongue around the soft foreskin, tasting the salty ocean and his male musk. She sucked hard enough to make him gasp then drew him deep into her throat. As she bobbed up and down, Jacob rested a hand on her head. She glanced up at his face, loving his grimace of pleasure and how she could make him helpless with her hands and mouth.
After sucking and pumping for several minutes, Akila left him hard and rose to turn on the shower in the enormous stall.
Jacob came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her. He walked her under the warm spray and pushed her up against the cool, tiled wall. He kissed her neck and shoulder, making her squirm. He slid his hands down her body, peeling off her bathing suit and tossing it from the shower onto the floor.
Then he turned her around and pressed her against the wall again, the tile slick and cool against her back and buttocks. For a mo
ment, he drank in the sight of her naked body. His eyes told her she was beautiful.
Akila reached for bath gel and a sponge from the shower caddy. She squirted sandalwood-scented soap—no wonder the man always smelled so good—onto the sponge and worked up a lather, then began to soap Jacob’s body.
He was as sleek as an otter with his hair molded to his skull and his skin gleaming wetly. The white suds rolled down him in streams as Akila glided the sponge over shoulders, arms, chest and groin. She dropped the sponge to the shower floor and went to work on his erect cock with her hands, soaping the length of his shaft and reaching between his legs to cradle his balls.
Jacob watched through spiky, long lashes and rocked his hips slightly, pushing into her hand as it glided up and down. But after enjoying the attention for several minutes, he moved her hands away and stooped to pick up the sponge. It was his turn to minister to her.
Akila sighed and nearly closed her eyes as he soaped her body and the hot water beat down on her head and back, rinsing her clean. She inhaled steam and felt as comfortable and pliant as a rag doll—until Jacob knelt before her and began washing her pussy. He plied the sponge between her legs and over her clit, tormenting her with soft, silken touches. She groaned and squirmed and her pussy opened, begging for more. But Jacob left her wanting as she’d done with him. He rose and turned off the water.
By silent mutual consent, they prepared to finish their play in bed, wrapping themselves in towels and heading toward the other room.
But when Akila stepped into the bedroom, she stopped stock-still. Valarian lay on the bed waiting for them, naked and gorgeous as a sculptor’s dream or a skin magazine’s pinup model. His hair looked blacker than ever against the cream-colored pillow sham. His limbs were muscular and marked with battle scars that brought home to Akila the fact he’d been a warlord long ago. He’d lived a lifetime—dozens of lifetimes to her brief span. Yet there was an ageless quality about him that made those countless years unimportant. He was here now, vibrant, alive and, if the poker thrusting from between his legs was any indication, very much aroused.
