Dark Operative_A Glimmer of Hope

by I. T. Lucas

  “You can bend the rules, but I can’t. If I want Kian to trust me, I need to obey his instruction and go by the book.”

  Besides, Robert preferred it that way. He wasn’t a rebel. He liked rules. Life was easier when everyone knew their roles and didn’t take liberties. Robert’s one and only rebellion had been practically forced upon him. Carol’s suffering and the need to end it had overridden everything else. He’d had to save her.

  It dawned on him then that perhaps he hadn’t been the only one doing the saving; in a way she’d saved him too. If not for Carol, Robert would’ve never left the Brotherhood. He would’ve spent eternity as a meaningless cog in a machine that didn’t give a damn about him.

  The clan, regardless of the limitations imposed on him, had given him a new life. He had a job he enjoyed doing, and now he had a shot at love, maybe even an immortal mate. It was a life he would’ve not dared dream about while in the Brotherhood.

  “I understand,” Julian said. “I’ll stay in my room, listening to loud music with noise-canceling headphones on.” He grimaced. “Those are so uncomfortable to sleep with. But whatever.”

  Robert inclined his head. “I’m grateful.”

  “One more thing,” Julian said. “This time as the clan’s new physician and not your roommate.”

  Robert arched a brow. “Yes?”

  “We need to have a talk about condoms. Do you have any?”

  “No. I never use them. What for? I’m sure Sharon is on birth control like all the other human females I’ve been with. The immortal females never asked for them either.”

  If the chances of him impregnating a human were slim, they were almost nonexistent with an immortal female. Still, it had crossed his mind that if that miracle happened, an immortal female would not acknowledge his paternity. If he ever had a child, Robert wanted to be more than a sperm donor. He wanted to be part of that child’s life.

  “You thralled the humans to think you used protection.”

  “Naturally.”

  “You should use them with Sharon, at least until you’re ready to reveal the truth to her, which you should do only when you’re sure she is the one for you and you for her. If she is a Dormant, a venom bite combined with insemination might trigger her transition. If it were me, I would want to spend a little more time with the girl and get to know her before that happened. It’s a big responsibility.”

  It was also dishonest and a generally shitty thing to do to someone without telling her. “What happens when I feel it’s time to induce her transition? Should I tell her then?”

  Julian sighed. “The moment she knows, she becomes a prisoner like you. Kian might relax the rules for her because of Eva, but that’s not a sure thing. That’s why I’m suggesting you wait until you’re positive it’s the right thing to do.”

  “Do you have any condoms?”

  Julian shook his head. “You can order a quick delivery. There are services like that. Someone buys what you need and brings it over. It’s expensive, but you don’t have much choice unless you can ask someone to go get them for you.”

  Right. He could imagine the sniggers. “Do you have the number for a service like that?”

  Chapter 16: Sharon

  As Sharon neared the address Robert had given her, the buildings turned taller, the avenues broader, and even the trees dotting the pavement were greener.

  This looked to be a pricey part of downtown Los Angeles. Apparently, her theory about Robert being strapped for cash was all wrong. To afford an apartment in one of those high rises, even when sharing rent with a roommate, Robert must’ve been getting one hell of a salary. The guy had been way too modest about his position in the company he worked for, the one Amanda’s brother was the CEO of.

  What was his story, then?

  Why hadn’t he invited her on a date until now?

  And why was he preparing dinner at his place instead of taking her out?

  It was sweet that the guy was cooking for her, a first for Sharon, but it didn’t make much sense. Maybe he’d figured it would be easier to get her in his bed if she was already there. But then it wasn’t as if she’d been playing hard to get. Sharon had given him plenty of indications that she was ready to sample the goods.

  Robert was such a yummy piece of maleness, and she couldn’t wait to undress him. A girl didn’t need to have a vivid imagination to picture what he was hiding under his clothes.

  Smooth, lean muscles stretched over a tall frame, and a set of shoulders she would love to hang on to while he pounded into her.

  Damn. Sharon wiggled to alleviate the sudden itch her naughty thoughts had caused. Better to think of other things than arrive all hot and bothered. She might jump the guy and skip the meal he’d prepared for her.

  Not nice.

  Besides, Sharon didn’t want him to think she was a slut. Except, the ship might have sailed on that. Robert had been so reserved and so shy that he’d left her no choice but to pursue him, and she’d done so, no holds barred.

  “You have arrived. Your destination is on the left,” the navigation system announced.

  “Thank you, Mike.” That was the name Sharon had given the computerized voice of her GPS.

  The personification of the device was just another indicator that she was spending way too much time alone. Her job was a solo operation, and she didn’t have friends other than her coworkers and the poker bunch. No wonder she was talking to the computer.

  As she turned into the guest parking, a valet waved her over. Apparently, guests were not allowed to park their cars without using the service. Sharon’s eyes darted around looking for the sign with the price per hour, but there was none.

  Crap, that was going to cost her. Parking in downtown Los Angeles was expensive.

  The valet opened her door. “Good evening, miss.”

  Sharon ignored his offered hand as she stepped out. “I was looking for the sign with the prices, but I must’ve missed it. How much is it per hour?

  The valet smiled. “The service is complimentary. But tips are greatly appreciated.”

  “Oh.” She reached for her wallet.

  He lifted his palm. “Only on your way out.”

  “But there might be someone else here.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” He winked. “We share the tips.”

  “In that case, thank you, and I hope to see you later.”

  “Same here.” He stepped aside.

  As Sharon headed for the glass doors leading to the lobby, her eyes darted around looking for Robert. He’d said he would be waiting for her.

  The place was enormous, probably spanning the entire width of the building, with soaring ceilings and sparse modern decor, but other than the two guys at the guard station and Robert, there was no one there.

  “Hi, Sharon.” He walked up to her, leaned and kissed her cheek. “Did you find the place easily?”

  Poor guy. Everything from the kiss to his words seemed rehearsed. He was trying so hard.

  “Mike navigated like the pro he is.”

  Robert tensed. “Mike?”

  Crap, she shouldn’t have said it. Now he would think she was weird. “My navigation system. I call it Mike.”

  Robert’s shoulders lost some of their rigidity, but his military posture never allowed for complete relaxation. Not that she wanted him to slouch, that wasn’t attractive, but it would’ve been nice if he could loosen up a bit. His innate tension affected her, stressing her.

  Or maybe it was sexual frustration.

  They’d been meeting over poker for weeks, and Sharon’s level of horniness was increasing with each time that ended with no more than a couple of stolen kisses.

  “I hope I didn’t mess up dinner too much. It was my first attempt.” He took her hand and led her to the elevators.

  Gosh, that was sweet. She was the first girl he’d cooked for. She would eat it and sing its praises even if it was awful.

  “What did you make?” Sharon asked as they stepped inside t
he lift.

  “Two roasted chickens with white rice and baby carrots.”

  “Two? Who else is joining us for dinner?”

  “No one.”

  “What about your roommate?”

  “Not trusting my cooking, he grabbed a sandwich from the vending machine.” They exited into a corridor that was lined with a thick carpet.

  “I’m sure it’s his loss. I can’t see you failing at anything. You’re too methodical and detail-oriented to mess up a simple chicken recipe.”

  Robert pushed open the door to his apartment, holding it open for her. “I appreciate your confidence in my abilities. I hope you won’t be disappointed.”

  Sharon walked in and stopped at the entry. “Oh, wow, this is one fancy place.” The apartment was spacious and incredibly well-decorated with stuff that was elegant and looked pricey. This was an interior designer’s work, not the collection of crap most young guys furnished their apartments with.

  “It is.” Robert didn’t elaborate.

  “Did you hire an interior decorator?”

  For some reason, he winced. “No, it came like this.”

  “Must be expensive.”

  “It’s part of my compensation package.”

  That explained how Robert could afford to live in such luxury even if he wasn’t making good money. “You have a very generous boss.”

  “I know.”

  “It smells fantastic in here. I can’t wait to eat your chicken.” Hopefully, that didn’t sound like an innuendo.

  “Yes, we should dine before it gets cold.” He walked over to the dining table, which was already set for two, and pulled out a chair for her. “My lady?”

  “Ooh, I like it. My lady. I feel important.” She sat down and let him push her chair in.

  “You are important to me.”

  What a nice thing to say, and coming from Robert it didn’t sound like a line. Sharon could melt into a puddle of goo.

  “Well, hello, Sharon,” a man, most likely Robert’s roommate, said in a pleasant baritone.

  She turned around and barely kept her mouth from gaping. This guy was a doctor? That drop-dead gorgeous panty-melter was also smart?

  Some guys got all the luck.

  “Julian, I presume?” She started to push away from the table.

  He put a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t get up.”

  Sharon craned her neck to look at him. He was even taller than Robert. “Then you have to sit because I can’t keep looking up at you without straining my neck.”

  Julian’s smile was blinding. “Of course, how rude of me.” He pulled out a chair and sat on it sideways, facing her. “Let’s do it properly this time.” He offered her his hand. “I’m Julian, and it’s my pleasure to meet you.”

  She shook what he offered. “I’m Sharon, and the pleasure is all mine.”

  Behind her, she thought she heard Robert growl. It had probably been his stomach because Julian ignored it.

  “Robert tells me you’re a detective. Must be exciting.”

  “I’m the fact checker and information collector. My boss is the detective. And yes, sometimes my job is exciting, but only to someone like me who likes to dig for hidden stuff. Nick, my coworker, thinks what I do is boring. He deals with all the surveillance equipment and hacks into encrypted systems when needed.”

  Julian shook his head. “Both jobs sound fascinating to me. I often feel like a mechanic who instead of machines fixes people. Or at least try to. There is a reason it’s called practicing medicine and not curing.”

  Robert cleared his throat. “Speaking of medicine, don’t you have a load of articles you need to catch up on?”

  “Yes, I do. Thanks for reminding me.” He pushed to his feet. “It was nice meeting you, Sharon. I’ll probably fall asleep with my headphones on and will not see you before you leave.” He bowed his head. “I bid you goodnight.”

  “Goodnight, Julian.”

  Robert waited until his roommate’s door closed. “He is handsome, isn’t he?”

  Her guy was jealous. How sweet.

  Sharon pushed away from the table, sauntered over to Robert, and wrapped her arms around his neck. “He is very pretty. But he is not my type. You are.”

  Robert arched a brow. “A young, good-looking doctor is every woman’s type.”

  “Not this one. I like my man to be a little rougher around the edges, and I don’t want to fight the entire female population over him. I want him all to myself.”

  Robert’s other brow went up. “I’m not sure if I should feel offended or flattered. Are you implying that other women don’t find me attractive?”

  God, men were just as bad as women at accepting compliments. “You are right that Julian is the type of guy every girl and her mother chases. Which probably gives him an ego the size of a zeppelin and an attitude of entitlement. I don’t find those attributes attractive.”

  “Julian suffers from neither. He is a very nice guy.”

  “I’m still not interested.”

  “Good. That’s all I wanted to hear. Let’s eat.”

  Chapter 17: Robert

  Sharon pushed away her plate, picked up her napkin, and dabbed at her lips. “It was excellent, but I’m full.”

  Robert eyed her with a frown. Her scent indicated truth, but she’d hardly eaten anything. “You must have a tiny appetite.”

  “I’m saving it for dessert.” She waggled her brows.

  Damn, he hadn’t thought of buying anything sweet. The best he could offer was popcorn, one of those ready packs that went into the microwave. “I’m afraid there isn’t any.”

  She gave him a lusty once-over. “I beg to differ.”

  As her meaning finally sank home, Robert’s shaft swelled even more. It had been hard since the moment Sharon had arrived, but until now he’d managed to keep it together. That little lustful remark had done him in, causing his venom glands to activate and his fangs to elongate.

  Robert was running out of time. The only way to hide the change from Sharon was to get her to his dark bedroom as quickly as possible.

  He was on her in a heartbeat.

  She squeaked as he lifted her into his arms, holding on to his neck as he strode with her down the hallway. “Ooh, I like it. Letting your inner caveman out is hot.”

  “You have no idea.” He chuckled.

  Her tone had been happy, her remark full of excited anticipation. Sharon was assertive and knew what she wanted, and yet she was nothing like the clan females who hounded him for hookups. Maybe the difference was that she wasn’t jaded. Sharon was full of joy, and having a new lover was still exciting to her. She was also interested in a relationship with him and not just sex.

  “It’s dark in here,” she said as he put her down on his bed.

  “I prefer it like that. Close your eyes.”

  She did as he asked, but a small smirk lifted her lips. “Are you shy?”

  “No. But I find that once one of the senses is deprived, the other ones sharpen. The pleasure intensifies.”

  Sharon stretched her arms over her head. “Then both of us should close our eyes and only use our hands to see.”

  He traced the curve of her hip with his hand, eliciting a shiver. “I want to pleasure you first. You don’t need to do anything, just feel.”

  Her heartbeat accelerated. “I can’t say no to that.” Her words came out in a hoarse whisper.

  The girl was beyond turned on. It was a good thing human females could orgasm many times in a row because she was going to lift off with the first swipe of his tongue and there was much more he wanted to do to her.

  Sitting on the bed, Robert lifted her foot and removed her high-heeled sandal, kissed each toe, and then repeated with the other one, all along careful not to tickle.

  Laughter was good, but not conducive to arousal.

  Her short dress was stretchy, and he pushed the bottom up until it bunched around her middle, then hooked his fingers in her panties and gently slid them down her
long legs.

  The scent of her arousal, which had been straining his restraint throughout dinner, intensified. It took all of his willpower not to dive between her legs and lap up his bounty. Instead, he smoothed his palms over her inner thighs, spreading her wider.

  For a split moment, she resisted, but then sighed and submitted to his gentle insistence.

  Dimly, Robert was aware that he was doing things differently with Sharon. The sequence was all wrong. He hadn’t kissed her, he hadn’t palmed her breasts, and he hadn’t waited for her to hint or tell him what she wanted him to do next.

  For the first time that he could remember, Robert was acting on instinct, somehow knowing what she needed without her having to clue him in. He hadn’t known he had any instinctual knowledge of that kind. Apparently, it had lain dormant until now.

  Or was he inadvertently probing her mind?

  Not that it was likely. He had a hard time getting into human minds deliberately, let alone accidentally.

  But maybe the explanation was much less mystical than that, and he was putting a spin on what was a practical decision. With his elongated fangs and glowing eyes, it was safer for him between Sharon's legs. Otherwise, he would have to thrall her, and he didn’t want to. Not yet. Unlike with his other human partners, he wanted to save it for after the bite.

  As his palms clamped over Sharon’s trembling thighs, he swiped his tongue over her nether lips.

  “Oh, my God!” Sharon exclaimed as soon as his tongue made contact with her wet center.

  To give her a few moments of build up before the inevitable explosion, he avoided the seat of her pleasure, going in gentle circles around it and then spearing into her opening to scoop up her juices.

  Her gyrations frantic, her moans keening, Sharon was teetering on the precipice. When her fingers caught his short hair, pulling hard, he knew she couldn't take it much longer.

  “Please, Robert, I need to come.”

  So did he. Her climax was going to trigger his, there was no doubt about that, but Robert refused to erupt in his pants. He wanted to be buried deep inside this succulent woman when he did.