Eat Prey Love las-9

by Kerrelyn Sparks

  “So would the dead bodies.” She glanced curiously at Phineas. “He looks like he’s sleeping.”

  The young Vamp had sprawled on the bed on his tummy with an arm dangling over the edge.

  Caitlyn giggled as she drew closer. “Look at his boxer shorts. They’re perfect for a Love Doctor.”

  Carlos frowned at the white satin shorts with red hearts. His frown deepened when he realized Caitlyn was openly studying the half-naked Vamp. He grabbed the sheet at the bottom of the bed and covered Phineas up.

  Her mouth twitched. “Right. He might catch his death of cold. Does he have a girlfriend?”

  Carlos’s chest tightened painfully. “Why do you want to know?”

  She smiled. “I was just wondering if the Love Doctor had his own lady love.”

  “He does,” Carlos said quickly, then reconsidered. “Well, he hopes he does. He’s been pursuing a mortal woman named LaToya, but I believe she told him to take a hike.”

  “Oh, how sad.” Caitlyn picked a photo frame off Phineas’s bedside table. “Is this his family?”

  “Yes, his aunt, and his younger brother and sister. Phineas supports them all.”

  “He’s their hero.” She set the photo down. “If they’re still alive, then he must be a fairly young vampire?”

  “Yes, just a few years.” Carlos shifted his weight. “Why are you so interested?”

  She shrugged. “I’ve been plunged into a whole new world that I need to learn about. It’s all fascinating, really.”

  “You find vampires fascinating?”

  “Yes.” Her mouth curled up as she gave him a flirtatious look. “Shifters, too.”

  His chest tightened. And then his groin. “You’re not turned off by claws and teeth—”

  “And fur balls?” She grinned. “As far as I’m concerned, the more exotic, the more I like it.”

  A low growl rumbled in his throat, and her smile faded. Her eyes widened with a big turquoise take-me look.

  Merda. He hadn’t meant to growl. He was losing control. With a mental shake, he strode toward the door. “I need to check on Angus and Emma.”

  She followed him up the back stairs to the foyer. “I think I’ll take a break and grab something to drink in the kitchen.”

  “You should come with me.”

  She gave him a dubious look. “To the fourth floor?”

  “It’ll be good cardio for you.” Carlos jogged up the stairs. “Come on.”

  She groaned, then ran up the stairs after him. On the third floor landing she stopped to catch her breath.

  “Come on.” He continued to climb.

  “What’s the hurry?” She trudged up the stairs. “It’s not like they’re going anywhere.”

  “Keep moving. It’ll help you get in shape.” He sprinted up the last few steps to the fourth floor. “This is the room Angus and Emma use.” He opened the door and flipped on the lights.

  Caitlyn winced as she joined him. “I would be so angry if somebody turned on the lights while I was sleeping.”

  “They’re not sleeping.” He spotted them in bed, then crossed the room to make sure the aluminum blinds on the windows were shut tight.

  “Oh my gosh, look.” Caitlyn slowly approached the bed.

  Carlos glanced over and noted the Vamp couple appeared to be naked. A bedsheet covered the bottom half of their bodies, and Angus’s broad back and arm hid Emma’s breasts.

  Caitlyn quickly dragged the comforter up to their shoulders. “I think they were making love,” she whispered.

  “None of our business.” Carlos headed back to the door.

  “They were gazing into each other’s eyes.” Caitlyn clasped her hands together and her eyes gleamed with moisture. “They died in each others’ arms. It’s so beautiful.”

  Carlos paused at the door with his hand on the light switch. “Death is never beautiful, menina.”

  She turned to look at him with her misty blue eyes. “You saw most of your kind die, didn’t you?”

  He glanced away so she wouldn’t see his face twist with pain.

  “Did you lose your family?” she asked softly.

  He pushed away the images of his dead parents and brother. He couldn’t afford to confide in Caitlyn. She was such a compassionate soul, she would try to comfort him, and that would be a disaster. He’d suffered for so long, he would be powerless to resist her.

  He switched off the light. “Let’s get back to work.”

  He headed down the stairs, reminding himself not to touch her. He was too close to the breaking point.

  Would this day of torture never end?

  Would this day never end? Caitlyn asked herself after an hour of lifting weights and jumping rope. The man was trying to kill her. She felt sweaty and grimy, and he still looked gorgeous, like it was all a walk in the park.

  They moved on to the punching bag. The first time she jabbed the damned thing, it rebounded and smacked her in the face. After thirty minutes of learning how to execute jabs, hooks, and upper-cuts, her arms were sore and aching.

  She stumbled when Carlos had her perform a combination.

  “Don’t lose your balance,” he warned her. “Keep your knees bent. Stay light on your feet. Shift your weight.”

  She shot him an annoyed look. He’d been barking out orders like a drill sergeant. “My arms are falling off.”

  He scowled at her. “Fine.” He strode toward an exercise mat. “We’ll do some tae kwan do. I’ll show you some of the basic kicks.”

  Caitlyn hated to admit it, since he was torturing her, but she loved watching him move. He was so strong and graceful at the same time.

  He moved off the mat. “Now you try.”

  She bowed to him, repeated every kick he’d performed, then bowed again.

  His eyes widened. “You’ve studied martial arts.”

  She shrugged with a smug smile. “A little. I wanted to be able to shop without getting mugged. I take my shopping very seriously.”

  He snorted. “Let’s see how well you can defend yourself.” He stepped onto the mat and bowed to her.

  She bowed back, then took a defensive pose. When he advanced with a slow and basic set of punches, she blocked them all. “You’re babying me.”

  “Just trying to see what you’re capable of.” He grinned. “This is great news. I’ll be able to train you much faster than I had originally thought.”

  So he could leave sooner to find his perfect mate. A twinge of anger needled her. She wasn’t good enough for him. She wasn’t furry.

  He stepped back. “Let’s see what you can do. Attack me.”

  Oh, she felt like attacking him now. She moved toward him with a quick succession of jabs and kicks.

  He smiled as he easily blocked her. “Not bad.”

  She jumped back, glaring at him. “Don’t patronize me.”

  “Menina, I’m truly glad you’ve had some training. We need to work on your kicks, though. You need to aim for your opponent’s chest to make him lose his balance. Now came at me and kick as high as you can.”

  “You got it.” She swung her right leg up.

  He grabbed her foot one inch away from his groin. “Not funny, Caitlyn. I’m not the straw dummy.”

  “I didn’t aim—”

  “Do you have something against a man’s balls?”

  “No! I’m just not very limber.” She hopped around on one foot. “Can you let me go? I’m about to fall.”

  He dropped her foot. “Try it again. And aim for my chest this time.”

  She winced. She’d aimed for his chest the first time. She leaned back to kick as high as she could but put so much power into the swing of her leg that both feet flew up and she fell, landing with a smack on her back.

  “Ow.” She lay there dazed.

  “Sorry about that.” He leaned over, offering her a hand to help her up. “Are you okay?”

  The amused look on his face made her snap. He’d tortured her for the last few hours. And he was eager to lea
ve her so he could find a mangy were-panther.

  She grabbed his hand, rolled halfway up, then jerked hard, making him fall on top of her. His weight knocked her breathless for a second, but the victory was worth it.

  “Sorry about that,” she said sweetly. “Are you okay?”

  He lifted himself onto his elbows and frowned at her. “Not a good strategy, menina. You don’t want your opponent on top of you.”

  “Really?” She rubbed a bare foot against his leg and wrapped her hands around his neck. “I kinda like it.”

  The golden flecks in his eyes glittered like amber. His jaw shifted as if he was grinding his teeth.

  She slipped her fingers under the neckline of his white T-shirt and tugged it down. “I’ve been wanting to see your tattoo for days.” It looked like a black panther leaping through flames.

  He grabbed her wrist. “Stop it. We can’t—”

  She shoved him. Since he’d been supporting himself on only one arm, he lost his balance and landed on his back. She straddled him, sitting up on her knees. “Don’t tell me what I can’t do.”

  He attempted to sit up, but she pushed him back down, pinning him down at the shoulders.

  His eyes gleamed. “I could get up if I wanted to.”

  “Then I guess you don’t want to.” She lowered her hips until she was sitting on his groin.

  He hissed in a breath.

  “Sorry,” she murmured. “I was aiming for your chest.”

  His mouth twitched. “That’s what you always say.” His smile turned into a grimace. “You naughty minx. You’re torturing me.”

  “I hope so. ’Cause you’re torturing me, too.” She moved her hips to rub herself against him. He was already swollen. And hard.

  “Catalina.” He placed his hands on her face. His breaths were quick and choppy. “You’ve got to stop me.”

  “No.”

  With a growl, he flipped her onto her back and claimed her mouth with his own.

  Chapter Thirteen

  T o hell with it all. He wanted her. He wanted to taste every inch of her. He wanted to make her squirm in his arms and scream his name and beg for more.

  A low growl rumbled in his throat as he kissed her. All the hunger he’d kept locked away broke free, and he ravaged her lips. His mind whirled with a frenzy of passion, yet somehow he managed to make an important observation. She wasn’t afraid of him. She seemed every bit as frantic and determined as he was. That in itself filled him with awe.

  “Catalina,” he whispered as he nuzzled her neck. Her scent filled his nostrils, sending a cascade of pleasure through his mind before rushing to his groin.

  “Yes.” She skimmed her hands down his back and lifted a knee to rub against his hip.

  He planted a hand on her thigh and squeezed. He nibbled her lips while his hand slid up her thigh and under the loose opening of her gray shorts. There it was. That beautiful round butt he’d seen that morning when the little minx had mooned him. He’d wanted to grab it for hours. He dug his fingers underneath her underwear so he could clasp her bare ass.

  She moaned, her breath sweet against his mouth. He invaded her mouth with his tongue, and she met him with equal passion. She tugged at his T-shirt, gathering it underneath his armpits so she could rake her hands down his back.

  He broke the kiss just long enough to pull his T-shirt over his head. He fell onto his back, rolling her on top of him. She traced his tattoo with her fingers, then bent down to tickle it with her tongue.

  With a groan, he slipped his hands underneath her T-shirt. “Sit up.”

  “Mmm?” She lifted her head with a questioning look.

  He unhooked her bra, then whisked her T-shirt and bra over her head. She gasped with surprise, then gasped again when he pushed her onto her back.

  “Catalina.” He’d never seen such lovely breasts. Full, with plump pink nipples that pebbled as he watched.

  Her chest heaved with quick breaths. She reached for him, wrapping a hand around his neck. “Kiss me.”

  He touched his lips to hers and relished their softness and sweet strawberry taste. He kissed the base of her neck, then scraped his jaw against a breast.

  She moaned, arching toward him. The hardened tip of her nipple nudged at his lips, and he couldn’t resist. He clamped his mouth around the nipple and suckled hard.

  “Carlos,” she cried, raking her hands into his hair.

  He released her nipple and blew on it. She shuddered. A surge of joy swept through him. Victory. Possession. With a grin, he glanced at her face.

  He froze. She was looking at him with so much tenderness and trust.

  And he couldn’t be trusted. If he found a were-panther woman, he would marry her.

  The truth hit him like a sledgehammer, and he reeled back from the pain. Caitlyn deserved more than a romp on the floor. She deserved loyalty and…love.

  Her eyes clouded with concern. “Carlos?”

  He scrambled to his feet. “Forgive me. I had no right.”

  She struggled to sit up. “You wanted this. I did, too.”

  “We can’t!” He stepped back. “I’m sorry.”

  Her eyes glimmered with tears. “Don’t apologize for how you feel. There’s…something between us. You know it.”

  “I’d better go.” He strode to the door, then halted. “I can’t go. I’m on duty.” He glanced back, wincing at the tears in her eyes. “We’ll…take a break. Maybe after you’ve rested awhile, you can do the grocery shopping. I would do it, but I can’t leave the Vamps unprotected.”

  “I left my heart unprotected,” she muttered.

  Her words hit like the jab of a knife. “I’m sorry. I…I’ll see you later.” He ran up the stairs as if he could run away from the pain he’d caused. Beautiful Catalina. How could he do this to her?

  He sprinted up the stairs to the office on the fifth floor, then paced around the large room, breathing heavily. Coward, he chided himself. Running away from his crime. He ought to go back to the basement and let Caitlyn slap his face.

  What was she doing to him? He couldn’t let her get ahold of his heart. He had to stay away from her. For her own protection. If he kept succumbing to passion, he could end up doing the unthinkable.

  Just bite her, an inner voice nagged him. Then you can have her forever.

  “No!” he shouted, stopping to clench his fists.

  He couldn’t bite her. It was too dangerous. He’d seen mortal women die, writhing in agony, their bodies unable to sustain the massive genetic change that came with transforming into a different species. Caitlyn was strong mentally and emotionally, but physically she was soft.

  So soft. Her legs, her breasts. He groaned. His erection strained against his karate pants.

  He couldn’t train her anymore. That was obvious. And yet, he still needed to get her trained, so he could leave for his trip.

  “Merda,” he growled. Merda was right. He was in deep shit.

  “Surprise!” Tino bounced into the foyer, followed by his little sister.

  “Oh my gosh!” Caitlyn feigned shock even though she wasn’t surprised. Her sister had called earlier to let her know they would be arriving about six-thirty.

  Shanna set two heavy tote bags on the floor so she could give Caitlyn a hug. “How are you?”

  “Mommy!” Sofia covered her ears. “The noise is too loud!”

  “What noise?” Shanna looked confused, then glanced at the security monitor by the door. “Oh. The alarm went off.”

  “It did?” Caitlyn shut and locked the front door. She hadn’t heard anything.

  “You have to turn it off before opening the door.” Shanna punched some numbers on the keypad. “It’s set at a high frequency that only Vamps and shifters can hear.” Her gaze settled on her daughter. “Sofia, you could hear it?”

  The little girl nodded.

  Caitlyn felt her skin tingle with goose bumps. It wasn’t just a reaction to Sofia, it was…him. She could actually feel his presence.

&n
bsp; She glanced at the staircase, and sure enough, Carlos was there on the first landing. The alarm must have lured him out of hiding. He’d spent the rest of the day barricaded in the office on the fifth floor. She’d done the grocery shopping around noon, and when she returned she noticed the empty plate in the sink. He’d come downstairs to eat lunch while she was gone.

  His eyes met hers for a sizzling moment before he looked away. She turned her back to him so he wouldn’t see how much she was hurting.

  Shanna touched her son on the shoulder. “Did you hear the alarm?”

  “No,” he grumbled, then lifted his chin. “But I can teleport and Sofia can’t.”

  “Tino.” Shanna gave him a look of warning. “This isn’t a competition. Sofia’s gifts may be entirely different from yours.”

  Sofia nodded and gave her brother a prissy look. “I’m different.”

  “Yes, you are.” Shanna leaned over to hug her daughter.

  The phone on the nearby console rang.

  “Oh, that’ll be Howard.” Shanna strode toward the phone. “He’ll want to know why the alarm went off.”

  “He knows?” Caitlyn asked.

  “Sure. He knows everything that goes on here.” Shanna answered the phone.

  Caitlyn winced. She glanced at the stairs and Carlos had disappeared.

  Shanna listened on the phone for a moment. “Okay.” She turned to Caitlyn. “Howard wants to know if you’ve learned how to operate the alarm system.”

  Caitlyn shook her head. “No.” As long as Carlos was avoiding her, she’d have a hard time learning anything.

  “I’ll show her how it works,” Shanna told Howard, then waved at a camera. “Don’t worry about us. As you can see, we’re perfectly safe.” She hung up.

  Caitlyn stared at the surveillance camera in shock. “Howard can see us?”

  “Sure,” Shanna answered. “He’s able to monitor whatever goes on here. It’s another safety precaution.”

  Caitlyn gulped. “How many cameras are there?”

  Shanna shrugged. “A few. None in the bedrooms, of course.”