by Storm Savage
“The fire in your soul combined with your pure heart creates one hell of an aura.” He rolled onto his back and placed her on top in one smooth move. “Have your way with me, Flame with no last name,” he teased with a wink.
A mischievous sparkle flickered in her eyes and she smiled teasingly. “Thought you’d never ask.” She lifted her hips, then swallowed his entire length between those shapely thighs until every hard inch was once again buried in her heat.
He caressed her body, beginning at the small of her back, then let his hands glide along the long legs straddling his waist, while working his way up to her lovely breasts. She sucked in a sharp breath as he teased the nipples, then she leaned forward so that he could take them into his mouth. He groaned with ultimate pleasure. Sucking her breasts while she rode him hard took him over the edge quickly.
She never eased up and as if by sheer will, she commanded his body to obey by the power of her mind. He remained hard even after release and continued to remain firmly erect for her into the rising dawn. She’d had not been lying about channeling his power. Nothing else could explain her insatiable appetite and their enhanced stamina. She was without a doubt, the hungriest female he’d ever known.
“You please me in ways that go past the point of understanding,” she murmured during one of their calm moments. “I can’t seem to get enough though you’ve satisfied me many, many times. What is going on with us?”
“I was wondering the same thing.” He reached up and caressed her cheek. “You tapped into my power. The only thing I can think of is the blood-bond. It connected us in a surreal way.”
“Am I part of Twilight now?” Suddenly she appeared worried.
“No, sugar. I didn’t use Twilight’s energy to seduce you. I swear. What happened between us came about naturally. Something inside our souls longed to connect.”
“No tricks?”
“No tricks.” He raised his left hand. “The evil realm had nothing to do with the passion we shared. I actually felt everything, as a man feels a woman, only on a mind-blowing level. You are intense.”
She glanced at his palm then laced the fingers of her left hand with his. A rush of heat shot up his arm. By the look on her face, she felt it, too. They stared at their joined hands then gazed into each other’s eyes.
“Oh no.” She gasped softly. “We’ve officially mated.”
He laid a gentle hand alongside her face. “It’s okay. I won’t hurt you.”
“But if you betray me, then I will belong to Twilight. I weakened just as my mother did. History is repeating itself. And if you betray your master, he will curse you like he did Coop. You will be forced to make a choice to save me or save yourself.” Sadness and regret hung on her voice. “I swore I wouldn’t let this happen.”
“No, baby, relax. I’ve already betrayed the master by blocking him out of my thoughts. I never intended on handing you over when I pleaded for a second chance. That…is my biggest secret. I’ll save us both.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I tricked him into bringing me back so I could have a second chance with you. I’ve always wanted you but didn’t know how I’d do it. When you confided in me what you knew about my return, I knew it was something that Twilight overlooked. If he thought for one minute that using a woman to revive my soul would create a glitch in his plans, he’d have never done it.”
“So you willingly used Cassie to make a return?”
He sensed this bothered her and hoped she’d understand. “Cassie wanted in…I wanted out. I had not yet broken the mind-control they had over me so I used the situation to my advantage.”
“You turned the tables on Twilight?”
Von gave a short nod. “I made my decision before he brought me back. I didn’t want him sending someone else after you. Then you showed me the way. I will never betray you.”
“What about the kiss of death?”
“My fate is in your hands. If you choose to kill me and let the evil realm use Raef, then you’ll have your boyfriend back, but at what cost?”
“You’re not the easiest man to kill.” She held back a smirk he saw straining to break through.
“True.”
With wrinkled brows, she gave him a studious look. “So, though you realize that I can kill you, you’re taking that risk anyway.”
He sighed with a smile while running his fingers up and down her arms. “I believe this is the point where I have to earn your trust.”
“And I must believe that you won’t betray me.” A mixed expression traversed her face. “We’ve created quite a mess. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you planned it this way. Our souls are joined and the only way out is together.”
“I can imagine a worse fate.” He couldn’t withhold a grin.
“No fear in you, is there?”
“Nope.” He pulled her down and rolled her onto her back. “Why don’t we make the most of this mess before tackling our next battle?”
“You really did help me kill Coop for the right reasons.”
He gazed down at her. “Yeah.”
“Thank you.” She settled into his embrace with a sweet smile.
Her softly spoken gratitude warmed his heart, a heart that had grown void of feeling over the years. He desperately wanted to trust her, but until she was put to the test, he’d have to sleep with one eye open. He had no doubt over his ability to stay on track. However, with Raef’s fate hanging in the bounds and Flame loving him as she did, Von knew he’d be a fool to dismiss any chance of her losing her grip, especially when the evil realm brought on the heat, as he knew it would. Twilight would be hot on her tail for taking out their oldest fool.
Chapter Ten
Flame glanced sadly at the real estate sign mounted beside the mailbox of Raef’s home. Reality had set in during the long ride from Crescent City back to Von’s campsite on the beach. She left Von in San Diego and rode up to LA alone. Knowing her journey would soon take her far away from here and the memories she held dear, she longed to visit his house once more before it sold. She didn’t care about the money. No amount of money could erase the pain from her heart.
After parking her Softail in front of the garage, she walked around to the rear entrance to slip in unseen. Shadows cast by a setting sun danced across the concrete from trees bordering the winding sidewalk. The back door led into the kitchen, which faced the beach. She loved sitting by the window, watching the waves roll ashore. She longed to feel his aura again and breathe in his masculine scent before it was gone forever.
Her thoughts shifted to Von, who had also left his imprint on her heart. His profession of love had come as quite a shock. The entire ordeal in Crescent City was mind-blowing. Not only was Von a fierce warrior in battle but his skill as a lover went above and beyond her expectations.
I sure do complicate things. Now I have two men on my mind. One is dead and one is immortal. How do I sort my emotions over this? She sighed.
While fumbling with the key Raef had given her, hoping the locks hadn’t been changed, an unpleasant chill crept over her. A familiar pungent scent filled the air. Without warning, the eerie mist she’d previously encountered descended upon her. She jiggled the key and tugged at the door handle, but couldn’t get inside before the heavy fog knocked her to the floor of the back porch.
With her back against the wall, she peered upward into the heavily scented vaporous cloud that closed in around her. The same black eyes tinted with green flecks stared back at her. Fear seized her. She struggled to take a breath. Her body shook as cold sweat beaded her skin.
“You have been a busy woman,” a daunting male voice growled. “Taking on my original Satellite and killing him. And now by some strange coincidence, my newly improved Satellite has gone missing. Where are you hiding him?”
She tried to sit up but could not. “Go to hell,” she snarled in a strained voice. “You’ll never have me.”
“You will pay for your rebellion.” The mist swirled about furio
usly. “What have you done to my new tool? Von has been out of touch.”
“Fuck you.” She moaned against the heavy persuasion threatening to steal her thoughts. Even if she did understand the mystery surrounding Von, she’d never give it up or break his trust.
Invisible hands groped her. She curled away. Drawing her knees to her chest, she wrapped her arms around them and summoned all her strength to resist the lust coursing through her. This thing wanted to mate with her. She sensed its intentions clearly.
“Somehow you managed to thwart my plans and resist my new Satellite. For this, you will be punished but not killed. I won’t destroy you as I did your mother. She was useless to us after your birth. You are born of both worlds—the only woman able to spawn a perfect hybrid.”
“No,” she cried, writhing on the porch in agony. Never had she experienced this level of wanton lust. At that moment, she wanted nothing more than to relieve the throbbing ache in her core. Had Von been near, she’d have jumped him without reservation simply to end the unbearable sexual urge raging in her soul. Is this what Von has felt all these years? The thought came and went in a flash. She began to understand the curse of Twilight.
“If my current Satellite doesn’t reveal himself to me by sunrise, you will meet my next masterpiece. I have already begun the preparation process with your pretty boy lover.” An evil laugh echoed around her. “No woman alive will be able to resist Raef when I’m done with him.”
Panic tightened her stomach. Tears flooded her eyes. No, no, not Raef. I can’t let this happen. I didn’t kill Cooper in time. I must break the chain with Von. The heavy mist continued its assault on her senses. She rolled over in utter misery, burning for relief from the arousal mounting inside. “I’ll kill him, too,” she managed to mutter. “Bring on your best Satellite…I’ll kill each one.” A pleading cry escaped her as the powerful presence intensified its efforts. “I will never let Raef suffer this fate…never.”
“Do you realize I could take you right here and forego the use of my Satellite?” His voice carried an ominous air.
Coop’s words whipped through her mind, as if another unseen power had come to lend assistance. The master can only mate with her via his Satellite. She realized that her blood-bond with Von was giving her strength.
Flame forced herself to stare into those terrifying eyes. “No…you can’t.”
In his fury, the evil fiend lifted her off the porch and pinned her to the wall. Absolute rage shone in those black depths. “You are powerful.” The mist thickened around her, closing her in. “Soon, Flame, very soon, I will have you in my realm. If Von fails then his soul will burn for eternity. Raef will not fail. Your love for him will be your weakness.”
“You overestimate yourself,” she dared to say. “I’ll kill him if I must. I will never bow to you.”
He slammed her back to the floor. “And you underestimate me. Maybe you need a little reminder.” Another wicked laugh followed. “My next Satellite will be infallible—the power of three souls if Von fails, too. No flaming daggers—or kiss of death—will prevail against my new creation.”
She glared at the mist in utter horror, stunned that the Twilight Master managed to invade her mind despite her effort to guard her thoughts. She focused harder to protect Von’s secrets.
“Yesss…” the voice hissed. “I see you’ve been told about the lethal kiss. What I want to know is who betrayed me?”
“Try asking your original fool,” she groaned in agony.
An animalistic growl rolled from within the mist, indicating his rising fury. “You will belong to me or I will command Raef to mate every woman of your breed until you surrender to my Satellite.”
“No!” she screamed. “Leave them out of it. This war is between you and me!”
“Haven’t you been told?” he sneered. “There are no rules in Twilight War. Until you mate with one of my Satellites, I will pluck women from your village one by one.”
She trembled with a mix of rage and horror. This beast pulled out all the stops. She kept her thoughts sealed. He cannot create a new Satellite without tapping into the energy of an existing one. Coop had lied about what he was just in case Von failed again—another backup plan by the evil realm to preserve their favorite tool. And at the moment, Von was the only Satellite in existence.
All she had to do was pull Von over to break the chain and defeat this prick. Raef’s soul would be released from Twilight’s grasp if she succeeded in stealing the only remaining Satellite. The evil realm would not be able to complete whatever process they’d started on poor Raef. Just as the Supreme Lioness had revealed, this war involved more than just her. Not only was her entire nation at risk for extinction, but the evil realm was on the verge of creating an even more powerful weapon against them. Her heart tumbled over Raef’s imminent fate, yet she couldn’t allow her love for him to throw her off course.
I must steal Von and win this war to save us all.
She chose not to respond again for fear of unveiling the knowledge she’d obtained and thus far successfully concealed. It had come at a high price and she couldn’t risk opening her mind for one split second as Cooper had. This incubus was exceedingly cunning and unbelievably powerful.
“No more venom from your pretty mouth?” he taunted.
She shook her head with both arms wrapped around her knees. The need for sexual penetration tormented every nerve in her body. She was surprised that she’d managed a moment of clear thought during this predicament. Right now, she prayed that no men would arrive on the scene. Even a pizza deliveryman was not safe from her right now. In full heat, she’d eat him alive.
A long time had passed since she’d felt the intense desire to mate. However, tonight would be a different story.
If this fiend would only leave, she could lock herself inside Raef’s house for the night until her body came back under control.
“Very well,” he growled. “You have until dawn to lure my Satellite from hiding and mate with him. Your choice…Von or Raef.”
Tears streamed down her hot cheeks as she lay in a helpless ball on the porch. Time had run out. She had one night to successfully turn Von or face unfathomable consequences. The choice no longer belonged to her.
She sobbed in half agony and half sorrow over the situation at hand. Letting go of Raef felt as heart wrenching as watching her precious village plucked to pieces by this evil bastard. Even worse, the compelling desire to mate was literally driving her mad. She wondered how Von and Coop dealt with it all those years.
Seemingly satisfied with his sadistic visit, the pungent mist dissipated and finally left her. She wiped tears from her face with one hand and pushed to a sitting position, dazed from the ghostly encounter. By the time she’d regained enough composure to stand and try the door again the moon had climbed into a clear night sky. The weather was pleasantly warm for an October night. She keyed the lock and reached for the door handle.
“Don’t go in there.” Von’s sensual voice came from behind.
She jumped and swung around. “Why do you keep doing that?” Her heart raced. “Can’t you give me a heads up before appearing right behind me?”
He braced a strong hand on the door above her head. “You can’t go in there.” His alluring scent wafted over her. Sandalwood, patchouli, and leather—her stimulated senses honed in on each sensual note.
“Why not? It’s the only safe place I have right now.”
“Ian is trapped in the house.”
“What?”
“Remember when Coop told you that Ian and I teamed up?”
“Yes, but Coop lied about everything.”
“Not everything, sugar.” A look of remorse shadowed his face. “Twilight sent Ian back with me to make sure I didn’t weaken again. Once we realized that Raef’s house was sacred, we came up with a plan to keep the master distracted while I went after you.”
“Are you insane?”
He shrugged with an easy smile. “Maybe. Five decades of
torment drives one to try crazy shit to break free.”
She now understood some of his suffering. “Ian has been hiding here the whole time?”
“Yeah. If you go inside, he’ll haunt you. He’s beginning to get restless because the evil realm is searching for his soul. He’s doing his best to hold out until the end of this war.”
“Why would Ian join forces with you? You’re enemies.”
“Not anymore. He’s cursed, too. We both want out. Ian wants to avenge Raef’s death and save his soul, and well…you know what I want.”
The tone of his voice on the latter comment fueled the already blazing inferno in her body. She tried to appear unfazed yet her hormones were going crazy. “How do we set them free?”
“By winning the war.”
“The only way to do that is by learning to trust each other.”
“See the problem?” He gave her a spirited wink.
She drew a calming breath and did her best to ignore his sexy wink, his intoxicating scent, and extreme appeal. “You don’t trust me?”
“Do you trust me?”
“I’m working on it.”
He cocked his head to one side with a curious look. “Are you okay? You seem…distracted.”
“You smell incredible. Like leather…wood.” She drew a sharp breath. “And spice.”
Blue-green eyes shimmered in the moonlight as they searched hers. “Twilight paid you another visit, didn’t it?”
“Uh-huh.” Her gaze drifted over him. Impeccably muscled chest and abs beneath a clingy t-shirt and badass leather jacket, long lean legs once again cloaked in skintight leather, nothing turned her on more than a rebel rider in black leather. More so, he had the hair and eyes to complete the look to ultimate perfection. Her focus moved back to his strikingly handsome face. Those spellbinding eyes set beautifully over a flawlessly masculine nose. She made an effort to distract her lust with idle chat. “Your eyes are very unique. You never did tell me why they are now that amazing aqua color.”
“They returned to their original color after the evil realm used Cassie to bring me back,” he said with a peculiar expression. “You look hungry, babe.”
