by Elisa Adams
He picked her up, carried her out of the bathroom, and set her on her feet next to the bed. She shook her head. “Let me dry off first. I don’t want to get the sheets wet.”
“No. No time.” He dropped to his knees in front of her, grabbed her hand and tugged. She followed him to the ground, her tongue darting out to wet her lips, uncertainty blazing in her eyes. Did she know too, that this might be their last time together? She had to know, on some basic level. It would explain the tears that welled in her eyes. An answering sadness filled him and it was all he could do to push it away. Not knowing what to say, knowing nothing would change what he had to do—and what might happen as a result—he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer. Their bodies met, their lips coming together, their tongues mating in a primitive dance. Lips and teeth gnashed, their skin slick from the shower. Faith’s wet hair dripped cool water on his arms. Goose bumps broke out on his flesh, as much from his intense love for the woman in his arms as the cool air in the room. He dipped a hand between her legs and stroked his fingers along her folds. She was wet. Soaked. Ready for him. His cock hardened even further with that knowledge. What would he ever do without her?
That was assuming, of course, that he even made it back to her in the first place.
A sob threatened to tear from his throat, but he forced it back. There was no time for sadness, no time for tears. Only time for claiming his woman one last time.
Faith apparently felt the same sense of urgency. Her hands rested on his chest, pushed until he fell onto his back on the carpet. A secretive grin on her lips, she straddled him, grasped his cock, and guided him to the entrance of her cunt. She sank down on him, her nails grazing his nipples as she set a maddeningly slow pace. Her breasts bounced as she rose and fell over him, her lips parted and fire sparkled in her eyes. She said nothing. Didn’t need to. Everything she felt, every emotion flashed across her dark gaze.
All thoughts of Tomaz, of what he would have to do, fled from his mind as he immersed himself in the woman and the pleasure. The slick heat of her sliding over him wrung a shudder from his tensed muscles. His fingers found her hips, dug into the skin to speed her pace. The urge to rush, to barrel toward orgasm welled in him, taking over his mind. They didn’t have much time left. He had one last thing to accomplish, something he’d been waiting too many years to do. And then, if he survived, he’d be free to convince Faith that she needed to stay with him. That he wanted her. Loved her. She’d never been loved before, not in the way she deserved to be. And he’d never opened his heart enough to allow himself to feel the very human emotion. It hadn’t interested him before, but now everything had changed. He did love her, and he’d spend the rest of her life showing her how much. If he was given the chance.
He dragged one finger down the softness of her belly to her mound, circled it around her clit. She bucked, pitched forward until her hands landed next to his arms and her hair brushed his chest. The wet strands tickled his nipples, drove him wild. The scent of her shampoo filled his senses. He inhaled a gulp of air, then another, adding it to the list of memories that would have to keep him going once he left her to deal with Tomaz. With a small bit of luck, he’d be able to return to her soon. But just in case…
Stop. The strength of his emotions took his breath away. How could she come to mean so much to him, in such a short amount of time? It made no sense, yet it was the only thing in his world that still seemed right. He pulled her down to him, held her tight as her orgasm took her and her body bucked and writhed over his. The tensing of her inner muscles, pulling his cock deeper and deeper inside her, wrung his own orgasm from his body. He tangled his fingers in her hair, stiffened as his cum erupted from him in long, hot bursts. Every nerve ending tingled, light danced in front of his eyes. He pulled her down for a searing kiss. Please don’t let this be the last time I get to hold her.
He didn’t want to let her go, but come a few hours down the road he might not have a choice.
He let his head flop back on the carpet, closed his eyes, relished in his pounding blood and his sated body. He loved her, but he wouldn’t be able to show it. He pushed all thoughts of love and tenderness aside.
Focus on the task at hand.
Tomaz.
Don’t let emotions get in the way. Stay calm, stay cold and collected.
He heaved a sigh. What had once been as simple as flicking a switch had now become a nearly impossible task.
* * * * *
Sam tugged gently at a lock of Faith’s hair, pulling her out of near sleep. “You never did tell me where it is.”
She frowned. “Where is what? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“The formula, Faith. Where is Paul’s formula?”
Oh, that. She rolled her eyes despite the shiver that ran through her. “It’s in my purse. Inside an empty lipstick case.”
“How unimaginative of him.” He sat up, nodded, fixed her with an intense stare. “He gave it to you. Why didn’t you admit that yesterday?”
“Yes, he gave it to me. And he told me to keep it safe. To bring it to you, and you’d know what to do with it. Thinking it was something else, I wanted to make sure I could trust you before I let you know I had it.” She rolled onto her back. “Do you think he had second thoughts?”
“Sorry to disappoint. His only thoughts were to make sure it got into the hands of Marganis. He assumed, as money hungry as I appeared to be, that once I had the formula in my hands I’d be itching to sell it off.”
He glanced down at her. “Before you let this get you down again, keep this in mind. He knew what Tomaz intended with the formula. He supported the idea, relished in it, even. He did everything he could to make sure it got to Tomaz, even if he himself died. He thought I would have no use for you once I got the formula into my hands. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
Her eyes widened. Her blood turned to ice in her veins, her heart lurching into her throat to cut off her air supply. She sucked in a strangled gasp. Why hadn’t she seen it before? Why had she let Paul’s kindness cloud her judgment?
“He set me up. All he wanted me for was to deliver his formula. He was going to let you do what you wanted to me, even kill me. Did he know what you are?”
He nodded. “He was well aware of my…abilities.”
She pushed away from him, sat up, grabbed her purse from the floor by the end of the bed. She snagged the lipstick case and thrust it toward him. “Here. I want nothing to do with this any longer. Get rid of it.”
“Believe me, I plan to. And then I’m going to get rid of Tomaz.” He slid the small black case from her fingers, pulled off the cap to remove the glass vial hidden inside. “Is this all?”
“Yes. He said Marganis Pharmaceuticals had a lab where they could duplicate the formula and produce it in large batches.”
“I don’t doubt it.” He pushed off the mattress and walked across the room, stepped out the door onto the balcony.
Faith followed, curiosity compelling her to watch his every move. She wrapped her arms around her bare body, shivering as the cool breeze kissed her skin. He stood naked in the moonlight, the pale blue glow bathing him in an eerie light. The sight brought to mind a pagan god, strong, untamed and all-powerful. She would never get enough of him, the only man she’d ever cared about, the only one who’d ever cared about her. If they made it through this alive, she would do whatever she could to make sure he didn’t walk away from her. If he left, she might fall apart.
“Don’t come closer,” he warned. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”
She shivered at his tone. “What are you going to do?”
He didn’t answer, didn’t lift his gaze from the pale red liquid inside the vial. He curled his hand over the tube, squeezed until his knuckles turned white. The tube exploded with a loud pop. Small shards of glass broke free from the top, peppering the balcony floor. Drips of liquid leaked out from between Sam’s fingers, dissolving as they hit his flesh. He waved his hand over the
glass shards. They disappeared into smoke.
She gulped. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to seeing things like that.”
He glanced up, his expression dark. “Let’s hope you don’t have to.”
He pushed past her, back into the room, and started pulling on his clothes.
“Where are you going?”
“Now it’s time to destroy the demon who ordered that formula.”
She snapped into action, collecting her own clothes from the floor. Sam stopped her movements with his hand on her shoulder. “It isn’t safe for you there, so you’re going to stay here and wait for me.”
“I don’t think so. We’re in this together.”
He shook his head, sadness and worry passed over his expression. “Not this time. I won’t put you in danger like that. You stay, wait for me here.”
“No, Sam. I want to come with you.”
He scrubbed a hand down his face, pinched the bridge of his nose. “You have to stay. Please understand that, Faith. I could force you to stay in this room, but I don’t want to have to do that. For both our sakes, stay put.”
He grabbed a notepad and pen from the table near the door, scrawled something on the paper. “This is Eric’s cell phone number. He’s a trusted friend. Call him if I don’t come back in a couple of hours.”
He cupped her chin in his palm, lifted her face and brought his lips to hers. The hard, fast kiss sparked even more worry inside her. She wanted to go with him, to help him, to make sure he pulled through, but he wouldn’t allow it. Tears welled in her eyes, but she forced them not to fall.
“Sam, please take me with you. I won’t get in the way.”
“I know. But I won’t put you in that kind of danger.” He glanced down at her, his eyes conveying an emotion he didn’t put into words. “Stay put. Don’t go anywhere. And call Eric if I’m not back by midnight. He’ll come and get you out of here.”
With that, he was out the door.
She ripped the sheet of paper off the pad, shoved it into her pocket. Something inside told her not to wait, to call now. Sam was in grave danger, and his friend would be able to help. She nodded with her decision, turned to rush to the phone.
And ran smack into a solid wall of hard flesh. Her gaze shot up to see a tall, lean man with long, dark hair standing in front of her. His smile chilled her to the bone.
“Hello, Mrs. Richardson. We finally meet.”
She stumbled back a step, looked into the blackest eyes she’d ever seen. “Who are you?”
“It depends. To your husband, I was Thom Nicholas.”
Her breath stuck in her throat, her heart racing so fast it threatened to beat out of her chest. She turned and ran for the door, twisted the doorknob. It wouldn’t budge. She tugged, pulled on the knob, but got no results.
“I wouldn’t even bother. It’ll just be a wasted effort. I’ve sealed the door. You can’t get out until I decide to set you free.”
She froze, pivoted around to face him. Everything seemed to move in slow motion. “Sam is going to kill you when he finds you.”
His smile widened, revealing a row of perfect, gleaming white teeth. “My dear son won’t have the chance.”
She slumped against the door, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. “What are you talking about?”
“He won’t find you. You’re going to come with me.”
“No.” She struggled to keep her voice strong as a line of sweat broke out on her brow and her legs threatened to give way. “I won’t do it.”
“Oh, I think I can change your mind. Come with me, or I’ll kill you both.” He spread his hands in front of him. “If you come quietly, you’ll be able to save his life.”
“Why do I have a hard time believing that?”
He took a step closer, then another. His strong, masculine scent wrapped around her, overwhelming her senses. She remembered what Sam had told her about him, fought the pull, leaned even further back against the door. “How do I know you aren’t lying?”
His smile widened, turned sensual. “You’ll just have to take your chances.”
* * * * *
Sam crept around the back of the old, decaying mansion, careful to avoid the small piles of dead leaves scattered about the grounds. The scent of rot hung heavy in the air. The house, lit only by the half moon, brought to mind the haunted houses often depicted in horror movies. Knowing Tomaz as well as he did, knowing the man’s taste for the finer things in life, a house that looked to be falling down around itself didn’t suit him at all. But Tomaz was a master of illusion. Nothing here was as it seemed.
He came to a stop in front of a low window in the back, peered into the darkness of the house. He saw nothing. No lights. No movement. No signs of life.
Come on, Tomaz. Where the hell are you?
An unsettling thought hit him with the force of a punch in the gut. Had he walked into a trap? Had he done just what Eric had warned him against, and let his personal involvement cloud his judgment?
His thoughts flew to Faith, across town in the tiny inn room. He never should have left her. It wasn’t safe. He needed to get to her, before someone else did.
“Hello, Kincaid.”
The familiar, feminine voice made him freeze in his tracks. He spun to find Aiala standing behind him. Shit.
She raised her hand, rested it on his cheek. Her touch sent a chill through him, made bile rise in his throat. There was no goodness in her. Not a speck. When he’d told Faith that there was no absolute evil, he’d been lying. Absolute evil stood in front of him in the form of a small, striking blonde woman. A demon even more powerful than himself. “I should have known you were involved.”
“Yes, you should have. The woman has you acting like some sort of lovesick fool.” She smiled, shook her head. “That isn’t like you. How did you let it happen?”
“None of your business. I’d like to say you’re looking well, but obviously you’re not.”
She laughed, a haughty, humorless sound. “Thanks to you, I never will again.”
“What do you want from me?”
“My revenge. What else?”
He shoved her hand away. “Not tonight. I have things to do.”
“Not anymore. You will come with me.”
“Not in this lifetime.”
Her eyebrows shot up, a knowing look passing over her features. She ran the tip of one long nail down the side of his face, traced the scars that marred his cheek. “Tomaz has your mate. You will come with me, or she will die.”
“You’re lying.”
“No. I’m not.” She dangled a set of large gold handcuffs in front of her. “Give me your wrists.”
He swallowed hard at the sight. Those weren’t ordinary cuffs. They’d been specially designed to hold demons and other powerful creatures. He’d helped develop them, so many years ago. He knew exactly what they would do.
Render him completely powerless.
“No.”
She lifted one delicate shoulder in a shrug. “Suit yourself. I bet Tomaz would like you to watch as he kills your woman. Would you enjoy that, Sam?”
Shit. “No.”
“I didn’t think so. Give me your wrists.”
She touched her hand to his arm when he hesitated. “Now, Sam. The longer you drag this out, the more you lessen her chances for living through this. And getting out of it…untouched.”
Anger spiked inside him. If Tomaz laid one hand on Faith… He shook his head. He had no choice. He would find a way to get out of the mess. Somehow. He held his hands out in front of him.
“Good boy.” Aiala snapped the cuffs onto his wrists, gave them a tug. “How does that feel?”
His strength waned, his head spun. His knees buckled and it took all his strength to remain on his feet. “Fine. I feel no change.”
“Liar.” She pulled him in and kissed him on the lips, her tongue snaking into his mouth before she moved away. “Now I have you just where I want you. Unable to refuse me anything.
”
Chapter Twelve
Faith sat on a metal folding chair shoved in the corner of a tiny, windowless room somewhere in Tomaz’s decrepit mansion. He’d tossed her into the room more than two hours ago, and had yet to return. He hadn’t bothered to tie her up, as she thought he would, but had posted a demon guard at the door. A guard much like the ones who had been sent to kill her. All muscle, no brains. A face that would give her nightmares for months.
She shifted in the chair. Its legs scraped across the floor and the demon shot her a dirty look. “Hold still. You were told,” he growled.
“Sorry.”
He pointed a meaty fist in her direction. “No talking. Sit. Shut up.”
She wrinkled her nose at his foul stench and settled back in the chair. With a shake of his head, he turned his attention back to the door.
How was she supposed to get out of this? She had to get to a phone, had to call Sam’s friend. Where was Sam? Was he here? Hurt? Dead? Her stomach clenched at the thought.
No. He wasn’t dead. She would have known if he’d been killed. But something wasn’t right. He was hurt. He needed her. She had to find a way to get to him, had to find a way past the demon slave blocking the only exit. If she could just get rid of him, she’d be able to get away. Tomaz hadn’t thought she’d try to escape. She smiled to herself. He’d underestimated her. Severely.
As silent as she could manage, she pushed out of the chair. The demon didn’t turn around, didn’t seem to notice she’d moved. She took a deep breath, settled her hands on the folding chair, and lifted it over her head. With one quick swing, she brought it down against the back of his skull. He cried out, fell to the floor and writhed. A pool of blood grew around his head where it lay on the floor. She let out a sigh of relief.
And then he stood up.
Her stomach bottomed out. “Oh, shit.”
His eyes glowing red, blood still pouring from the wound on his head, he lunged for her. His shoulder connected with her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. She toppled to the floor with the heavy demon on top of her. He wrapped his hands around her throat.
