Secrets of Night

by Virginia Cavanaugh

His gaze dropped down to her arm again. “You’re still bleeding.”

  “Yeah. I think I’m going to have to go find a healer. Although I really don’t look forward to explaining how this happened.” I really don’t want to leave yet.

  “May I?” he spoke softly, touching the hand towel covering her arm.

  She gave a slight nod as he removed the cloth covering her wound.

  “It’s pretty deep, but I can fix it. You’ll have to trust me though.”

  “Is it going to hurt?” she inquired, pulling slightly away from him.

  With a soft smile he replied, “No.”

  “Okay. I’ll trust you,” she whispered.

  Her stare followed him as he lowered his head. When his warm, wet tongue came into contact with her skin, it sent a tingling sensation down her spine. Every nerve ending suddenly came alive with super sensitivity, ready to respond to even the slightest stimulation. Softly … slowly, he probed the depth of the wound. Then he ran his tongue up the length of her arm to her shoulder as she inhaled a staggering breath and released it on a sigh. The throbbing in her arm stopped, and the pain vanished as the skin knit itself back together again.

  He looked at her with barely restrained passion, and she could only imagine it mirrored her own. A low moan escaped his lips as he cupped the side of her face in his hand.

  “I know I shouldn’t want you the way I do, but damn, I can’t fight it anymore,” he whispered and then pulled her mouth to his for a hungry kiss.

  His tongue slid past her lips, and she welcomed it, matching him stroke for stroke with fevered need. The feelings he evoked in her surpassed any she’d experienced before. He feasted on her mouth as if he’d been starved. And she drank just as greedily from his.

  The coppery tang of her blood flavored the kiss, but she didn’t mind. The sweetness his lips offered was like a drug and she wanted more.

  She wanted to touch him and feel the heat of his skin. Her hand went to his shoulder, gripping the hard muscle beneath. His arm snaked around her waist and lifted her, pulling her into a straddled position across his lap, never losing possession of her mouth.

  She moaned as her pussy pressed against his erection. Liquid heat eased out of her, making her labia slick with need. Kierra moved her hands to his chest, tracing the lines of each muscle with her fingertips.

  Kale growled, nipping at her lower lip as he pulled his mouth away from hers for a brief moment, then claimed it once again.

  She couldn’t believe this was happening. Hell, that she was allowing it to happen. For years she’d denied herself his touch because it was the right thing to do. But now she had to question that, because what they were doing now felt more right than anything she’d done in her life. Even when Kale had appeared in her dreams things hadn’t been this good.

  She rocked against the large length of his arousal as he grabbed her hips and pulled her into him. A cry of pleasure escaped her throat, muffled by the kiss. He responded with a low moan as his hand slid up her side to cup her breast and roll her nipple between his thumb and index finger. He released her lips.

  “This isn’t a good idea,” he growled.

  She sighed, baring the column of her throat for his greedy open-mouth kisses. She grasped the hem of his tank top and pulled it over his head. As she tossed it behind her, his gaze met hers. She saw the silent question in his eyes and knew he wanted to hear her confirmation.

  “Yes,” she whispered. “Damn the rules. I want this… I need this.”

  With a growl that rumbled his chest, he grabbed her waist and flipped her onto her back, covering her with his body. She welcomed the hard, heavy weight pushing her into the mattress. He slid down, placing hot, wet kisses on the swells of her breasts and then used his fangs to rend her shirt and bra, baring her flesh to his view.

  “Why did I ever try and resist you? You’re so beautiful,” he whispered before dipping his head to swirl his tongue around one erect nipple.

  “Yes.” Her breaths became rapid as she held his head in place. His tongue flicked back and forth, creating a delightful sensation that made her pussy throb with want. She released his head and grabbed the satin sheets as his body trailed lower. He nibbled her side with his fangs as he unfastened her pants and then stood up to rid them of the remainder of their clothes.

  Her gaze latched on to him, taking in every delectable inch of his magnificent body. His muscles tensed and rippled, and his thick, long cock stood up with pride and eagerness.

  He prowled up the bed on all fours, covering her naked body with his as he ran his tongue up the length of her neck before recapturing her kiss-swollen lips. His hand skimmed down between their bodies. She released his lips on a sigh as she felt his finger slide between her labia, finding her clit and stroking it wickedly. She couldn’t think. All she could do was feel the fiery passion he ignited in her.

  With every circular pattern his finger traced against her slick, sensitive flesh, a ripple of delight spiraled through her pussy and tightened into a knot of desire in her lower belly. His finger slipped inside, and her inner muscles clenched around it. He pulled back and she groaned at the emptiness, but then he moved two fingers inside of her, stretching her, preparing her.

  His finger slid in and out of her causing a wonderful sensation that had her lifting her hips to meet each stroke. His thumb resumed the circular pattern against her clitoris.

  The forbidden tasted so sinfully sweet. His scent filled her nose with each deep breath she inhaled. Fine wine could never compare to the heady feeling that coursed through her now. Every nerve ending tingled as she arched her back, pressing her breasts into his chest. He released a moan into her mouth, and she felt his chest rumble against hers with the force of it.

  When she started to climax, he pulled his fingers away and entered her in one smooth thrust. She broke away from his lips, calling out his name as she scourged his back with her nails. Her body trembled as her pussy spasmed. Pleasure spiraled through her as he fucked her deep.

  As the orgasm waned he continued to rock slowly on top of her and nuzzled her neck, inhaling her scent. She knew what he wanted, knew he was resisting it. But she also craved more, needed more. She wanted him to take her vein. She couldn’t explain the intense need that rode her. A part of her cried out insistently that she needed him to do this—as if it would bind her to him and ease the emptiness inside her soul.

  “Do it,” she demanded. But still he resisted. “Do it,” she moaned forcefully, turning her head to give him better access. His tongue touched the side of her neck, and a red-hot wave of desire washed over her as she gave voice to her pleasure.

  It was all the encouragement he needed. With a low growl, he bared his fangs then swiftly pierced her neck. Her whole body quivered as she climaxed again. The intensity heightened as a euphoric feeling swept through her. He sucked on her neck as she released panted breaths. His hips increased in speed with every glide and pull of his lips. She rode wave after wave of ecstasy. Even as he took from her, he filled her. She felt complete … whole, bound to him not just by body but blood, fusing them together with a power not used since long ago. Blood magic.

  He pulled away from her throat and arched his back, roaring with his own climax before collapsing on top of her, licking the puncture marks on her neck to seal them.

  ****

  Kale rolled over, taking her with him, not wanting to give up his connection with her just yet. He heard her sigh of contentment as she laid her head on his chest. He realized he was in love with her. Had been for a while. But it didn’t matter because when they left this room, he knew it would be over. It had to be. Their ruling powers would never allow them to stay together.

  Tightening his arms around her, he brushed away the painful thoughts, wanting to concentrate only on the now. This moment they had together.

  Chapter Four

  The sound of the phone ringing penetrated Kierra’s peaceful dream, bringing her slowly awake and back to reality. She heard Kale’s lo
w, sleep-laced voice answer it. He rose from the bed, and she snuggled deeper into the covers, surrounding herself in his scent. She felt sore in all the right places, and a shiver of delight ran through her with the remembered thoughts of their lovemaking.

  They’d made love on and off throughout the whole day, exploring each other’s bodies, discovering what each other liked most. She never knew she had a ticklish spot behind her right knee until earlier when Kale had nibbled the sensitive flesh, causing her to giggle tremendously and crawl backward up the bed. Then later, in the shower, he had taken her against the tile wall with such fierce passion that even now her body trembled with the memory. She treasured this time they had spent as carefree lovers, but pain filled her at the thought of never being able to be with Kale again.

  She noticed the excited frustration in Kale’s voice and rolled over to look at him as he hung up the phone. He sat in the chair next to the desk, rubbing his face with both of his hands. When he raised his head, he met her gaze. The look he gave her conveyed that the news he’d received was not good. She propped herself up on her elbow and waited patiently for him to relay what he’d been told.

  “My men worked over the shifter they caught, and he finally cracked about twenty minutes ago. Apparently Eric has had some sort of lab built. His goal is to create some kind of hybrid out of the DNA of all our races. He took the women not only to harvest their DNA, but to also impregnate them in vitro with the hybrid. He couldn’t say much on the process, but he said they have managed to fertilize eggs of different races with sperm from another. It has taken some splicing, but they have done it nonetheless. There seems to be a problem with a female carrying the embryo once it is implanted though.”

  “You can’t be serious?” She felt the blood leave her face as a feeling of dread washed over her. It couldn’t be possible. Her race had safely guarded the secrets that could unleash great power. It had to be a coincidence.

  “Yeah, I know. Pretty unbelievable, huh? Well, that’s not all of it,” he replied, rising from the chair.

  “There’s … more?” she asked, tracking his movements with her eyes as he began to pace.

  “Apparently this is not the first time he’s done it, although I haven’t seen any missing persons reports come across my desk. Have you?”

  “No. I only heard about the three yesterday.” Her throat tightened as she wondered if her race’s worst fear would quickly become a reality. “And the two you mentioned this morning.”

  “We’ll need to check with the other area senators and see what turns up. From what the shifter said, all the other women died during the process. He wasn’t sure, but he thought they had hemorrhaged after their bodies started miscarrying.”

  “This is crazy. Did that shifter happen to say where they’re being held?”

  “Yes, at the lab. Lex is trying to locate it as we speak. The shifter could only give him the location of where he’d been instructed to make the drop-off after the raid on the small colony. The sun should be down in a couple of hours. We’ll leave then.”

  She should say something. Her mind scrambled to come up with how the shifters had found out about the ancient oracles’ foretelling. Under the circumstances, would she be going against her oath of secrecy by telling Kale? She didn’t want to defy her people, and if she were to break her oath, they’d see it as turning her back on them, and then she would have no safe harbor. His gaze felt heavy on her.

  His pacing ceased, and he crossed his arms over his chest. “You know something that you’re not telling me.”

  She remained silent.

  “So, are you going to tell me or what?”

  Her gaze drifted up to meet his. Tears of frustration gathered in her eyes, but she refused to let them spill over. It pained her to think that no matter what she decided in this moment she would be betraying someone. Her loyalties should be to her people, but she couldn’t help but feel a bond between herself and Kale. The pull to put her trust in him was strong. The part of her that had cried out insistently earlier now twitched to life again. “You don’t understand. I want to tell you, but…”

  “But what? You can’t? Or you won’t?”

  “You are asking me to betray my race.”

  “No. I’m asking you to give me the piece of the puzzle I don’t have so that we can save lives. Besides, it looks as if the shifters already know. So, are my people the only ones to be left in the dark?”

  “I can’t be sure that they know any of it.” Nor could she come up with any other reason to explain their actions.

  “You know what? That’s always been one of the biggest problems in the Order. Your race thinks they should be allowed to withhold any information they desire while we’re to be entirely forthcoming with any and every piece of knowledge we have.” He resumed his pacing as he ran his hand through his hair. “For instance, why are you not allowed to mate with us? A rule, I might as well remind you, that you had very little problem breaking a few hours ago.”

  “Is that how it’s going to be then?” She stood up and started gathering her clothes.

  “Damn it, Kierra. I didn’t mean it like that.”

  She dropped her clothes and marched up to him, standing on her tiptoes to try and reach his eye level. Her temper spiked to where she no longer cared about their states of undress. “You damn well know the wrongs Thorian, your past king, committed thousands of years ago against our departed queen, Morganna. He seduced her and then tossed her aside like trash after that bastard king Curtis of the north held her in a dungeon and raped her repeatedly for weeks. She had no control over what happened to her.”

  “Yes. I remember the legend very well. It was the day that queen bitch Morganna died cursing two entire kingdoms of people for the sins of two men. She punished all of us.”

  And she had. Morganna had been heartbroken when Thorian discarded her. It hadn’t been her fault she was held prisoner by Curtis. But both men had been power hungry, wanting to sire a child on her to increase their kingdoms’ standing. But she’d loved Thorian and never imagined he’d turn her away once she escaped Curtis.

  Kierra poked him in the chest with her index finger. “Do you really think they were justified in their actions?”

  “Hell no, I don’t agree with their selfish actions, but the rest of us had no control either. And, if you think for one moment you have steered me away from getting an answer to my question, you’re wrong. Now, damn it, stop evading me because a five-thousand-year-old grudge is a crock of shit as far as an answer goes to my question.”

  “No, damn you. Don’t you think I want to tell you? Do you not think that maybe it’s killing me that I have to keep secrets from you?”

  “You don’t have to do anything. You choose to.”

  “That’s it. I’m leaving.” She turned to re-collect her things from the floor. Her temper flared even hotter as she picked up her ruined shirt and threw it at him before marching over to his closet and taking the first T-shirt she could find with a grumbled, “You owe me a shirt.” She pulled it over her head in a swift motion, not bothering to pull the length of her hair from its back.

  “If you think I am going to let you just walk out of here without an explanation, you’re out of your mind,” he bit out between clenched teeth.

  “Oh. So now you’re going to hold me hostage?” She conjured electricity in her hand. “I would love to see you try.”

  Quick as lightning, he darted across the room and snatched her up into his arms. She let the blue light fade as he claimed her lips in a rough, demanding kiss that kindled an altogether different heat inside her. She knew there’d be nothing gentle about this coupling and relished the knowledge. She needed to feel his power. Needed to know she could trust in his strength.

  His hands skimmed down her back, gripping her bottom and lifting her. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and his cock rubbed against her wet pussy. She moaned her pleasure into his mouth as their tongues continued to slide against each other, conveying both
their fierce passion and frustrations where their words had failed.

  He tossed her onto the bed, and she bounced slightly before he gripped the shirt she’d put on and ripped it from her body. “Mine,” he growled as he looked down at her, tossing the shirt over his shoulder.

  “We really are going to have to work on your clothing removal skills.” She gasped as he placed his mouth over her sex. Her hips flexed off the bed to meet his hungry mouth as she wound her hands into his hair. His hands gripped her hips and held her in place for his feasting of her flesh.

  She bit into her lower lip as his tongue played against her clit. The pleasure he gave her was unlike any other. When he sucked it into his mouth, she moaned, lifting her hips to grind her pussy against his wonderful mouth. Her body began to shudder as the first waves of her climax claimed her, but still he did not stop. Instead, he slid his finger into her core as his tongue continued to pleasure her. Her breathing became erratic, and she felt as if she would die from the intensity of the orgasm that rocked through her body. She couldn’t get enough of the sweet torture that made her resolve weaken with each sensual lick. She wanted to give him everything. She didn’t want him to stop. She rolled her hips under his mouth, dragging out her orgasm as long as she could.

  Kierra shivered as he tore his mouth away on a low growl. She looked down her body at him. His eyes were glazed with uncontrolled passion. He gripped her hip and flipped her over on to her stomach.

  She felt the weight of his body on top of her. Felt his fangs as he nipped lightly at her neck. His heated breath caressed her skin and caused her to tremble with anticipation.

  “I will never let you go.”

  She sighed and arched her back, pressing her bottom against his cock. He placed slow kisses down her spine as he gripped her hips and began to lift her slowly to her knees. He nibbled the curve of her hip and then her left cheek as his hands slid down her inner thighs, spreading her legs farther apart. The tip of his cock slid against her slick folds, right before he plunged himself fully inside her.