Fallen Star

by Cyndi Friberg

  Possessiveness twisted through him as desire erupted again. He draped her legs over his shoulders and moved both hands to her hips. He pushed his tongue into her core, savoring her taste. She twisted and arched. Her body was open and, more importantly, her mind was open, utterly yielded to him.

  Humbled by her trust, he tried to slow down, to be less aggressive. There was no hope for gentleness while her scent filled his nose and her taste filled his mouth. He dragged his mouth away from her sex and kissed his way up her body.

  Her legs slid off his shoulders, catching on the bend of his elbows. He hovered over her perfect breasts, adoring the nipples with his lips and tongue. Everything about her pleased and excited him. He wanted to spend the rest of his life learning what made her gasp and giggle. What made her sigh.

  Reluctantly releasing her nipple, he cupped both her breasts with his hands as he kissed his way up her neck. His taste still lingered in her mouth when he pushed his tongue between her parted lips. The combination of his taste and hers was nearly his undoing. He deepened the kiss, sliding his tongue over hers, mixing their tastes so completely he could no longer identify the separate components.

  She drew her legs up along his sides, opening herself for his penetration. Rather than resorting to words, she pushed her hunger into his mind, intensifying his need in an instant. He angled his hips and found her entrance without moving his hands from her breasts.

  You are mine as I am yours. The words tore from his soul as he drove into her clenching passage. Her snug walls caressed him like a rhythmic fist, yet her wetness allowed him to sink even deeper.

  I am yours as you are mine. He wasn’t sure how she’d known the ancient reply, but the thought thrilled him to the marrow of his bones.

  Their link swelled, expanding as emotions flowed freely from one being into the other. Unable to pace himself in the face of the emotional deluge, he drew his hips back then slammed his full length back in. She came around him, her inner muscles squeezing so tight he moaned. So damn good!

  He drew breath from her lips and shared his energy without reservation. Their bodies rocked against each other, over and into one another, perfectly synchronized. It felt as if they’d been born for this moment, this joining.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his kiss with equal fervor, utterly lost in the sharing. Release raced up the back of his legs and drew up his balls. He stubbornly fought it back, not yet ready for it to end.

  It won’t end, my love. We have forever. If that’s what we want.

  Her thought shocked and thrilled him. Was she ready for forever? Just the possibility pushed him over the edge. He clasped her to him, shaking as he came deep inside her. Their link expanded again. The emotions carried across the connection focused with crystal-clear sharpness.

  She wanted the same things he wanted, a permanent relationship, the ultimate intimacy of a soul-bonded mate. Her hesitation didn’t come from indecision; it came from the fear that no one could love her the way she loved him. And she did love him, completely and without reservation.

  He framed her face with his hands, still buried deep inside her body. “Search my mind, gennari. My devotion is true. I love you more with every beat of my heart. I will always love you.”

  Tears filled her eyes but happiness rippled across their link. “I can feel it now.”

  “If you ever doubt it again, do the same. My heart and my mind will remain open to you. Always.”

  “It still feels strange to have you there, but I’m not afraid.”

  “To have me here?” He contracted his abdomen and made his cock buck inside her. “Or here?” He pushed a wave of sweet contentment into her mind.

  She smiled up at him as she whispered, “I’m rather fond of both.”

  “Glad to hear it, because I’m not going anywhere for a long, long time.” He pulled back his hips and showed her what he meant.

  * * * * *

  Loose ends. Sevrin worked hard not to create them, but once formed they had to be addressed. This particular loose end had been evading retribution for longer than she could remember. With the new lab fully functional, she could no longer tolerate the possibility of exposure. She was too close to her goals to watch it fall apart now. Which meant Gerrod Reynolds must die.

  “Get dressed.” She tossed Flynn his jeans, startling him awake as the garment smacked against his bare shoulder.

  It had taken all night and part of the morning for her to break Flynn, but he’d been infinitely cooperative during their last encounter. She hadn’t removed his collar, so there was a slim possibility he was toying with her. It was more likely, however, that he’d seen the advantages to playing the game by her rules and reluctantly swallowed his pride.

  “Are you sure?” A cocky smile lifted one corner of his mouth. “I thought you wanted me naked and accessible whenever we’re alone.”

  “We’re not going to be alone for long, so get dressed.”

  After he’d surrendered the first time, she’d taken him out of restraints. When he physically dominated her without harming her the second time, she’d moved him to a standard employee apartment. Their third time had been wild and aggressive on both sides. They’d both been so sated when they finally finished, that they’d fallen into an exhausted sleep.

  She’d awakened before him a short time ago and slipped from his room. After a quick shower and a large cup of coffee, she’d dressed and begun to plan the day. Rather than her usual chic leather outfit, she wore jeans and a black T-shirt. Once she made up her mind about something, she never hesitated.

  “Where are we going?” Flynn asked after using the utility room.

  “To clean up one of my father’s messes.”

  Flynn paused with a clean shirt in hand, obviously confused by her statement. “You better not mean Roxie. You’ll have a mutiny on your hands.”

  Sevrin threw her hands in the air and shook her head. “What is it about Roxie that turned trained killers into mother hens? I think I could strip her naked and lock her in a room with ten of you and no one would lay a finger on her.”

  “I wouldn’t go that far.” Flynn pulled on his shirt and tucked it into his jeans before zipping them up. “More like nine would end up dead and lucky number ten would claim her.”

  “Well, lucky for me this particular mess is middle-aged and male.”

  He sat on the edge of his bed and pulled on is boots. “Capture or kill?”

  “Kill. Fast and clean, but there are complications.”

  His scoff sounded almost strangled as if he’d tried to suppress the sound. “Aren’t there always.”

  “His range is extremely limited, but he can teleport.”

  “So give him one of these.” Flynn tugged on his collar with obvious distaste.

  “I was going to give him yours unless you’ve grown attached to it.”

  He stilled, gaze boring into hers. “A few orgasms and we’re friends again? Am I supposed to believe that?”

  She sauntered toward the bed, knowing the snug denim accented the sway of her hips. “I need a partner not a pet. Which would you rather be?”

  “Partners have to trust each other. Pets only have to obey.”

  And he had obeyed every command she’d given him as if he were born to the role. “So let’s start with obedience and work our way around to trust.”

  He parted his legs and pulled her between them. “I’m listening.”

  She ran her hands up his chest and along the collar. “I need your word that you won’t desert me if I take this off.”

  His brows drew together and his eye narrowed to glistening slits. “I thought you’d want my promise not to hurt you.”

  “You don’t need access to your powers to hurt me. You’re much stronger than I am. If you’d wanted to hurt me, you would have last night.”

  He clasped his hand around her throat and squeezed just hard enough for her to feel the pressure of his long fingers. “I’m so glad you realize that fact.”
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  “I need an assassin. Are you available and are you willing?”

  His fingers released, trailing down over her chest as he lowered his arm. “How do you intend to pay me?”

  Excitement tingled through her, but she didn’t let it distract from the task at hand. “What’s your price?”

  “Your submission for one night.”

  She paused as if she were considering it, but already her insides were melting, softening, anticipating the things he would do to her. “After you’ve successfully ended Gerrod Reynolds’ life, I will submit my body to you for one night.”

  He stood, forcing her to step back. “What are the logistics? Where is he?”

  “He lives alone in a small suburban house. I’ll drive you to the neighborhood and you can flash inside. It shouldn’t take long. Slap him in the collar so he can’t get away, then do what it is you do.”

  “Can I operate the collar? I thought it was DNA sensitive.”

  “Anyone can push it closed. It takes a DNA scan to open it.” As if to prove her point, she reached up and scanned open the collar, disentangling the flexible band from around his neck.

  She watched him for a moment, half afraid he’d leave.

  “It will work much better if you go with me. You collar him while I do my thing.”

  “If I have to participate, you only get two hours.”

  “At the end of two hours, we’ll renegotiate.” When she didn’t object, he asked, “Not that it matters, but why have you waited so long to take out the trash?”

  “He served my father faithfully, so Father assured him that he’d be safe on Earth. It took me a long time to justify why I’d go back on my father’s word, but there is no help for it. Gerrod knows too much. He needs to die.”

  “Then take me to his house. I’m anxious to enjoy my payment.”

  Chapter Eleven

  “Are you sure you want to go through with this? Lor is convinced the Shadow Assassins are on their way out of Las Vegas.”

  Talking with a disembodied voice shouldn’t have seemed odd. People talked on speaker phones all the time. Even so, it still felt strange to hold a conversation with someone Jillian couldn’t see. She glanced in the rearview mirror, but the backseat appeared empty.

  “If they’re really on the move, then this opportunity is more important than before.” She pulled her car into a parking space near the front door of Unique Ink and turned off the engine. “What do we have to lose? My new tutor doesn’t arrive until tomorrow. I’ve got time to kill.”

  She opened the door and stretched, giving Odintar a moment to float out of the car. He could push his energy through the door if he needed to, but this was less exhausting.

  With her purse slung over her shoulder and her sunglasses holding back the front of her hair, she walked into the shop.

  “Hey there, beautiful,” Jett greeted. “I thought you weren’t coming in until tomorrow.”

  “I’m not official until tomorrow, but I was in the area. Figured I’d stop by and see how things were going.”

  Roxie snatched the privacy curtain open and rounded the display case, welcome shining in her pale blue eyes. “I thought I recognized that voice.”

  Before Jillian could do more than return her smile, Nazerel stepped into the opening. “Well, isn’t this awkward?”

  Her mouth dried up as her heart thundered in her chest. What was he doing here?

  You shouldn’t know who he is. Odintar cautioned, his signal reed thin and heavily shielded.

  “Excuse me?” She recovered enough to reestablish her role. “Do I know you?”

  “Oh I think you do.” He brushed past Roxie and stalked toward Jillian, menace emanating off him in waves.

  In a flash Odintar, Lor and Blayne surrounded Nazerel and the two humans crumpled to the floor. Jillian summoned Air, creating a swirling vortex around Nazerel. His eyes widened as he struggled against the confinement. Then he looked at her and smiled. “Very good.” His dark gaze shifted to Lor and his smile evaporated. “Someday you’ll have to tell me how you turn latent females into Mystics overnight.”

  Lor’s arms were extended and fire swirled around his fingers. He ignored Nazerel’s jibe and motioned Blayne forward. “Grab him. Let’s go.”

  Nazerel drove Blayne back with a wave of his hand, but his gaze remained on Lor. “I am not looking for a fight. I came to warn Roxie.”

  Odintar crept forward. Nazerel pushed him back as well, though it took considerably more effort. “This is neither the time nor the place for a battle.” Nazerel forced the words out between clenched teeth as Blayne and Odintar combined their energy. “She must be warned!”

  Jillian poured energy into the vortex, but the struggling men barely noticed. Forget the invisible tug-of-war; they needed to get Nazerel out of here before Jett or Roxie woke up.

  “Warn her about what?” Lor asked without relaxing his stance, then to his men he added, Let him speak.

  Maintaining his hold on Nazerel, Odintar neither forced his way forward nor allowed himself to be driven back.

  Nazerel panted, sweat now beading his brow. “Gerrod wouldn’t tell me why, but Roxi is important to Sevrin. That bitch has a use for Roxi and I don’t think it’s good. She needs to disappear and disappear now!” As if following his own advice, he flashed out of sight, Lor and Blayne half an instant behind him.

  “Damn that man is strong.” Odintar rested his hands on his knees, panting harshly.

  “What the hell just happened?” Jillian rushed over to where Roxie lay. She didn’t seem to be harmed, just unconscious. “Can you wake them up?”

  Odintar stumbled to the couch and collapsed. “It’s better if the compulsion wears off naturally. They’re still going to feel like shit. There wasn’t time to be gentle.”

  So Odintar had been responsible for their sudden collapse. She’d known it was one of the Mystics. She just hadn’t known which one. She checked Jett as well, straightening one of his legs so he lay more comfortably. “How long will it take to wear off?”

  “Not long.” Gradually his breathing returned to normal, but his face remained flushed, his hairline damp. “He resisted us, but why didn’t he attack? He could have done some serious damage. Why’d he just stand there?”

  “Trouble in paradise?” She crossed to the couch and sat beside him. “If Sevrin’s hold over the men is slipping, it could be a very good thing for us.”

  He looked at her and smiled. “I like the way you said us.”

  She nudged his shoulder. “I might not have your mad skills, but I’m a member of the team.”

  “I consider you one. I’d just never heard you place yourself among us.”

  The door flew open and Elias rushed in, followed by two of his men. “There are definite advantages to the way you guys get around.” He waited until his team confirmed that the scene was secure before leaving his position by the door. “Do they need a medical team?” He nodded toward the two lying on the floor.

  “They’ll be fine,” Odintar assured. “But we better figure out what to tell them. They’re going to be more than curious.”

  “Gas leak?” Elias offered with a sardonic smile. Then his gaze returned to Roxie and lingered. “Damn,” he muttered under his breath as he went and knelt by her side. He pressed his fingers to the pulse point at the side of her throat then slid his knuckles along her jaw.

  Jillian couldn’t help but smile. Checking her pulse was probably procedure, but that caress had been interested male.

  “Is this Roxie?” He glanced over his shoulder then carefully lifted her in his arms.

  “Yeah.” Odintar rubbed his temples, eyes tightly closed.

  He was obviously distracted by his massive loss of energy. Still, Jillian was fascinated by this softer side of Elias.

  Elias crossed to the large easy chair and arranged Roxie as comfortably as he could. “Her pictures don’t do her justice and that’s saying a lot.”

  Jett stirred, groaning loudly before his eye
s flew open. “What the…” He sat up then pressed his hands to each side of his head. “Why do I feel like I just came off a three-day binge?”

  Not trusting the men to invent a story that would satisfy the curious artist, Jillian hurried across the room and helped Jett to his feet. “Nazerel was right. I not only know him, he’s the real reason I applied for the job.”

  “They’re criminals. I knew it.” Jett’s usual enthusiasm was muted by his pain, but he hung on her every word. “What sort of technology are they into?”

  She wasn’t sure what he meant, but it set up her story perfectly. “Can’t you guess? You just experienced the effects of one of their toys.”

  “They’re arms dealers?”

  “They’re many things. Inventing new weapons is just one of their businesses.”

  Apparently Elias didn’t want her tall tale to grow any taller. He moved up beside her and stuck out his hand. “Special Agent Elias Bertram.” Jett shook his hand. “We’re sorry about all this, but the less you know the safer you’ll be. Suffice it to say that Nazerel and his companions are extremely dangerous. We believe they’re headed out of Las Vegas, but we want you to lock up the shop and head out the back if you ever see them again.” He handed Jett a very official-looking business card. “And then contact me immediately.”

  Jett nodded and put the business card in his wallet.

  Jillian tapped Elias on the shoulder and pointed to Roxie, who was just beginning to stir.

  Elias moved to the chair and waited until she opened her eyes. “Hello. How are you feeling?”

  “Like someone kicked me in the head.” She pushed her hair back from her face, her light blue eyes finally focusing on Elias. “Who are you?”

  “Special Agent Elias Bertram.” He held out his hand, but she ignored it in favor of rubbing her temples.

  “Holy mother of God, my head hurts.”

  Odintar stood and moved behind her. “If you’ll allow me to touch you, I can ease the pressure.”

  He could barely stand. Did he have enough energy to heal her?

  I can do this in my sleep, gennari. But your concern is sweet.