by Nocturne
Cass couldn’t imagine that ever happening, but she didn’t say it. Connection? Yes, she felt it. Scary? Hell, yes. But the lure of Malachi was stronger than the fear of whatever.
We hardly know each other. But Cass didn’t say that aloud, either. She might not have every detail about him, but she knew who Malachi was at his heart. That frightened her, too.
And she was tired of being afraid to let anyone close. Tired of worrying there was something wrong with her, something that made people walk away. Tired of thinking. She pulled his mouth back to hers. “Kiss me, damn it.”
He hesitated, peering into her eyes, maybe into her soul, and then he smiled. “I think we’d best find a bedroom before I kiss you again, yes?”
“Yes.” Cass had a pang of embarrassment over how enthusiastically she’d agreed, but it didn’t last long. Not when Malachi didn’t waste any time getting her up the stairs and down the hallway to a guest room. His eagerness made her feel special, but it was the look in his eyes as he closed the door behind them that made her heart roll over in her chest. This wasn’t going to be just sex. It was going to be more.
A lot more.
Her gulp was audible.
“I know. Look at my hands.” Malachi held them out so she could see them shake. “This is how much I want you, Cass.”
She let her purse fall to the floor and started tugging off the chunky plastic bangles on her wrist. He watched with an intensity that made her burn and she wondered how explosive things would get when clothes started coming off.
Tossing the last bracelet on top of the dresser, she took a step toward him and stopped. “Are you going to want to bite me? Because I’m not sure how I feel about that.”
“I’ve no fangs as a shadow.” Malachi crossed the floor until he stood in front of her. Slowly, he brought a hand up and trailed the backs of his fingers along her cheekbone. “But even if I did, I’d honor your wishes. It will always be your choice.”
He was telling her that he’d put her needs ahead of his wants. Cass fell a little further. A little harder.
She went up on her toes, kissing him. It started sweet and easy, but that didn’t last. Malachi devoured her mouth as if he were starving for her and Cass kissed him every bit as desperately. She couldn’t get enough of him, would never get enough.
A moan of protest escaped her as he stepped back, but when he lifted her sweatshirt, she raised her arms to help him. As soon as it was off, she reached for his T-shirt. He removed it and let it fall to the floor. His shoulders were broad, his chest muscular, and Cass felt her mouth go dry. Damn, he was beautiful.
“If this is what being a farmer does for a man, then viva la…” She couldn’t come up with the Spanish word for peasant, and as Malachi tossed her tank top aside and reached for the hook on her bra, Cass decided it didn’t matter.
He stared, and with a growl, she curled her hands around the waistband of his jeans and tugged him closer. “Gawk later,” she told him and pressed her breasts against his chest.
They both groaned at the contact. Malachi wrapped his arms around her, bringing her tightly against him, and lowered his head to take her mouth. She ran her palms over his back, her fingers enjoying the warmth of his skin, the hardness of his muscles. So good. He felt so damn good.
Malachi slipped a hand between their bodies to cup a breast and his thumb teased a nipple. Cass arched, needing more contact, needing more of him.
It wasn’t enough.
She reached for the button of his jeans, worked it free of the loop, and eased down his zipper. It was Malachi who broke the kiss and gasped as she cupped him through his briefs. Her smile widened as she saw how dilated his pupils were.
“I’m trying to show you how much you matter,” Malachi said with some English in his voice.
“That doesn’t mean you have to dawdle.”
Okay, she sounded as breathless as he had, but it got her hot and achy to touch him. To know that she was eroding his self-command. It might have taken her some time, but she’d figured it out—Malachi James only lost his American accent when his control slipped. Being the woman who made him surrender that restraint? Major turn-on.
Malachi studied her before one side of his mouth quirked up in a lopsided smile. “I can move quicker.” He stepped on the backs of his tennis shoes to get out of them, bent to pull off his socks and pushed down his jeans. “You’re not keeping up. Is this too fast for you?”
“Hell, no.” With a laugh, she kicked off her shoes and wiggled out of the capris. The flare of heat in his eyes as she stood in front of him in only her panties nearly made her squirm.
She laughed when he bent down and picked her up. Not romantically sweeping her off her feet, but a fireman’s carry and Cass loved it because it told her how much he wanted her.
Yanking back the bedspread and blankets, Malachi put her on the bed and followed her down. He kissed her briefly before moving to her throat and then her breasts. She splayed a hand through his hair to keep him there. It worked for a moment, but then he was kissing her stomach, tracing the edge of her navel with his tongue and sliding lower.
Cass lifted her hips as he pulled her panties off, then pushed him onto his back. “It’s my turn.”
Ignoring his protest, even if it was made with that toe-curling English accent, she leaned over him and put her lips on his. She could kiss him forever and it wouldn’t be enough, but there was more of him she wanted to taste.
His chest and shoulders tempted her. She let her fingers travel over his body, trailing openmouthed kisses behind them. Cass watched the way Malachi reacted to learn what he liked. If his hands fisted or he tensed, she repeated what she’d done. She stroked his erection through the cotton, squeezing his shaft gently.
Growling, Malachi tugged her up, turned her on her back and, after pushing off his briefs, settled between her thighs. Cass rocked into his hard-on, gasping at how good it felt.
It got even better when, gaze locked with hers, he slid slowly inside her. Cass moaned, but that changed to a gasp.
“What? Did I hurt you?”
“No.” Her voice was ragged, but he sounded completely English, so she figured they were even. “I can see through you.”
Bowing his head near hers, he said, “Sorry. Give me a moment.” Malachi closed his eyes, and with a muscle jumping in his cheek, became more solid. “Better?”
“Yes.” And now she understood. He had to concentrate if he wanted to be visible to her.
As he thrust, Cass let her eyes drift shut, immersing herself in the sensations. Everything seemed more intense, more brilliant because she was with Malachi.
It didn’t take long before she dug her fingers in to his hips, demanding everything. They’d had four days of foreplay, how much longer did he think she needed? “So close,” she managed to say. “Malachi.”
He got the message and Cass arched into his strokes. Her orgasm slammed into her. All she could do was ride the waves and cling to him.
Cass was nearing a second orgasm when she heard him groan and knew he was coming. She opened her eyes, wanting to watch his face, and stiffened.
Malachi had vanished. Again.
This time, she knew he was here. She could feel him against her body, inside her body. Cass closed her eyes, trusting touch rather than sight. His orgasm sent her soaring again.
Later, after he’d rolled to her side, Cass propped herself up on an elbow and brushed his hair off his forehead. The clutching she felt in her chest as he smiled at her made everything clear. This man had her heart. There was only one thing left to do.
“We have a few hours until sunrise,” she said quietly. “Let’s dig you up.”
CHAPTER SIX
Malachi winced as Cass forcefully drove the shovel into the earth. “Careful, sweet, you don’t want to hack off some part of me that you’ll miss later.”
Her head jerked up and she appeared startled until she caught his grin. A spark of answering humor made her green eyes dance with mi
schief, but it was her smile that hit him square in the chest.
“If you did more digging yourself and less standing around, you wouldn’t have to worry about losing your parts.” Her dry tone made his grin broaden.
“I can’t dig and extend my senses as far as I’d like. I want as much notice as possible if the hunters arrive.”
Cass straightened and said, “You’re presuming they know about shades, but there’s no proof. No one ever told me about the possibility.”
They’d been over this once when he’d informed her that the men after them had seen an invisible person throw the phone out the car window. “I hope so, but in my experience what the foot soldiers are aware of and what the officers know are usually two different things.”
She scowled. “Yeah. And the organization gets off on secrets.” Cass looked around, but the wooded area remained quiet. “We should be getting close to your body—you weren’t buried that deeply.”
“More reason to take care.” Malachi winked at her and returned to digging.
They couldn’t waste time. Coming here tonight was a calculated risk. He hoped it would take the powers-that-be time to round up the troops to cover the general burial locations where Cass might have left her not-quite-dead vampires, but that’s what it was. A hope.
Waiting a few weeks might have been better. That would be long enough for the hunters to question if there truly were a shade with Cass and give up on the graves.
But that meant counting on friends to protect her while he remained a shadow. He trusted Jet and Laurent, but neither of them would die to keep Cass safe. Malachi would.
With all that had transpired tonight, he didn’t think she’d stopped to consider the ramifications of her situation. It would require a covert operation to recover her things from her apartment and she’d never be able to hold a job. It would be a hell of a life for her even with his help. Unless…
He glanced up briefly. Moonlight illuminated her face and he could see the determined expression there. Cass was young—how could he consider it?
You were but twenty-two when you were brought across.
True, but in his day that was near middle-aged. The world was a different place now. Still, despite her tendency to be flip at times, Cass was more mature than her years in many ways.
“I think I just hit your body,” she said, breaking into his thoughts.
“I hope you used the word hit in a figurative sense. It’s going to take considerable strength to recover from the stake without adding additional damage.”
Cass ignored the teasing. “I was careful.”
She put down her shovel and went to her knees, using her hands to move the dirt. Malachi tossed his own shovel aside and joined her. It seemed an eternity before he saw his face. With mock sorrow, he said, “I look so peaceful.”
“You’re on a roll. Getting laid must bring out your inner smart-ass.”
That sobered him. “We made love. I know things were intense and that scared you, but don’t diminish what we shared.”
“I wasn’t—”
“Yes, you were, but it’s okay. I understand your reasons. Of course, that doesn’t mean I won’t call you on it.” Her glare made him smile and Malachi kissed her forehead. “We need to clean the dirt from my eyes, nose and mouth before you pull the stake.”
Without saying more, she did it quickly and thoroughly before removing the garlic. He’d forgotten that detail.
Standing, she put a foot on either side of his waist to give herself leverage. Then she looked at him, asking wordlessly if it was okay.
Malachi reached out and took her hand in his. “As soon as you remove the wood, get out of the hole. Give me room to acclimate.” She nodded, but he hesitated. “We’ve both been avoiding the words, but I’ve no idea what will happen once I’m back in my body. In case things don’t go well, I want you to know that I love you, Cass.” Without waiting for a response, he released her. “Now pull the stake.”
For an instant, she gaped at him. Then with a short nod, she bent down, wrapped both hands around the wood protruding from his chest and yanked.
The world went black. Malachi had no sense of self, no sense of place, there was only an abyss of nothing.
Until he hit bottom hard enough to force a groan.
Where was he? Why did he feel so weak?
Injured. Severely, if the energy his body was using to repair itself was any indication. His brain was sluggish, his senses dulled, but he reached out with them anyway, needing information. There was a presence nearby. Human. Female. Malachi forced his eyes open.
A worried face peered down at him.
She had short dark hair, enormous green eyes and an elfin chin that wobbled as he watched. “Are you okay?”
He gazed up at her, but didn’t answer. His body continued to mend, but something had caused the damage. Something or someone. Her?
Tears filled her eyes and her teeth sank into her lower lip. Memory flashed of biting that lip himself while he’d kissed her.
“Malachi, please.”
He’d heard those words before from her, he knew it. Closing his eyes, he tried to think. The visions that filled his mind were erotic enough to assure him it wasn’t merely his fantasies. She’d been his lover.
“Damn it, Malachi, I love you, too, but I swear I’m jumping in that hole and putting that stake back in you. At least when you were a shade, you talked to me.”
The tartness jarred his memory into sharp focus. “Give a man a chance,” he said. His voice was raspy from disuse, but he ignored that and opened his eyes. “Even for a vampire, recovering from a major trauma isn’t instantaneous.”
She swiped at her cheek, ridding it of the tear that had dared escape. “You scared me.”
“Sorry, sweet. I need a minute or two more.”
It was closer to twenty before the wound was healed and he felt capable of moving. Cass was there to help as he hoisted himself from the grave and the feel of her hand at his elbow caused his fangs to descend. Damn.
Malachi staggered as she released him, but when Cass tried to grab him again, he stepped out of reach. He shook his head. “I need blood badly. You’re safe,” he assured her. “I’m old enough to have control, but it’s easier if you don’t touch me.”
“You know, if you wanted like a pint or something, I could give you that.”
Cass looked so earnest that Malachi smiled despite the gnawing hunger. “No. I won’t be able to stop until I’ve taken enough to heal completely. The blood loss would kill you. If you wanted to become a vampire, it would be all right because I’d have to take that much anyway, otherwise it’s not a good idea.”
She only stared at him, answer enough to his unspoken question.
He ignored the stab of disappointment. Becoming a vampire wasn’t something to be done on impulse or because she was worried about him. “I’m feeling strong enough to walk to the car and we need to get out of here.”
They started away from the grave. He knew Cass was worried, but he couldn’t reassure her, not when it took every bit of concentration to merely put one foot in front of the other.
Car doors slammed and they stopped short.
“We got lucky; that’s her car.” The voice was soft, but clearly audible. More door slams. At least four men then, possibly more.
Malachi gestured behind them. “We’ll hide.”
Cass nodded and turned with him. His head swam. The timing could have been worse. They could have arrived while he’d been lying in the hole, but this was bad enough.
Without blood, a lot of it, he couldn’t survive a fight. Not for long. And if he died, his Cass died, too. They wouldn’t keep her alive, not even to chop the heads off the remaining vampires. Bringing him back was a clear announcement of whose side she’d chosen. He stumbled and started to fall, but she put an arm around his waist, propping him up until he regained his footing.
The second time he tripped, they both went down. “Keep going,” he told her softl
y. “I’ll catch up.”
“That’s bull and we both know it,” she whispered hotly. “I’ll be damned, Mal, if I’m leaving you here as some sacrifice to those bastards. Win or lose, we’re in it together.”
Instead of wasting energy arguing, he stood. Cass was stubborn, but she wasn’t stupid. This area wasn’t big enough or wooded enough to hide her for long. The best he could do by staying behind was delay them. Briefly.
“You need blood,” Cass said when they’d managed to gain a bit of ground between them and their pursuers. “If you make me a vampire, will that be enough to give you a chance against them?”
“Yes, but—”
“If I’m a vampire, will I be able to fight with you tonight?”
“For a limited time, but then you’ll need blood as much as I do now. Becoming a vampire is overwhelming at first. You won’t know what you can do or what your restrictions are and finding out in the middle of—”
“Do it.”
“You should know the pros and cons. You should have time to consider them and weigh how the change will affect your life. This isn’t a minor decision.”
“No, it’s not, but there’s no choice. If you don’t bite me, we’re both dead. Do it.”
Malachi hesitated a moment more, then nodded. This gave them a chance and it was the only thing that would. As weak as he was, he’d never get close enough to feed from any of the hunters. He picked a sheltered location and guided her to it. Half-falling, he sat and patted his leg. Cass settled on his lap.
His fangs were down before she stilled. She looked at him, her eyes apprehensive. He tried to think of something to reassure her, but only one thing came to mind. “I love you, Cass.”
Her tremulous smile stayed in his mind as he leaned forward and found the artery he wanted. Slowly, taking care not to hurt her, he sank his teeth into her throat.
Need swamped him and he drew her blood in quicker. When Malachi realized how greedily he drank, he battled within himself. He had to pay attention, had to know the right moment to stop and give her his blood in return. To help focus, he chanted her name in his head.
