Her hand reached out to wrap around his cock. “Don’t make me ask you again. Make love to me, Ember.”
She pulled him until he pressed inside. Her nails lightly trailed over his thigh, and then sank into the meat of his ass. His hips jerked forward and she moaned as she threw her head back.
“So damned good,” he groaned, then started to move.
She clenched him tight, urging him faster. “Need you.”
Grabbing one of her tiny ankles he pulled her leg to his shoulder, tilting her hips. She cried out as he found her end and thrust in and out, the sound of slapping flesh filled the room. Each stroke sent waves of pleasure through his body.
* * * *
As promised, Preston became a part of her. They synced as their bodies meshed. She was close, right on edge, as he slammed into her again and again.
Heat washed through her as a breeze kicked into overdrive around them. His hand landed on her thigh, and his thumb found her clit, slipping back and forth with enough pressure to send her soaring as he surged deep inside.
He held himself there, trying to catch his breath as he stared into her soul. She felt bared to him, and it was the most comforting thing she’d ever experienced.
With a smile, he dropped beside her, and wound his arms around her, tucking her into his embrace. She pressed closer, but met his gaze.
“I love you, Dacia.”
She wound her leg over his hip with a smile. “I believe you. I feel the love—both sides. I never realized what I was missing. It’s so strong it wipes out all the doubt.”
“Never want you to doubt me again, Minx. I’ll prove my love for you every day as long as you’ll let me.”
“My turn to prove it to you.” Dacia rolled on top of him and sat up as she straddled his hips.
He ran his hands up her sides, caressing her tattoo, then wrapped his arms around her, sitting up to lick her nipple. Her hips rocked, her heat sliding over his length, and she moaned as she guided him, still hard, back inside.
“Part of me,” she moaned, “best part.”
He placed a kiss over her heart. “I’m not the best part of you. This is.” He pressed another kiss. “And it’s mine.”
She twined her arms around his shoulders as she took their pace slow, enjoying the way their bodies worked in tandem, creating delicious friction.
Looking up, his mouth captured hers in a dueling kiss that further built the passion igniting between them. Every touch, every kiss, every stroke drawing them closer as the pleasure exploded into bliss.
He fell back, bringing her with him, holding her tighter.
* * * *
Toryn paced through the living room. Remus had made it out of Faerie, pushed through some randomly created portal that closed as quickly as it had been summoned.
There was no telling where on Earth that sick fuck was. Isadora was in danger. Preston was in danger. Even Dacia. And yeah, Isa would argue so was he, but he didn’t give a flying fuck about himself at the moment.
Remus was up to something. However, no one had managed to find out where the slime bag was, and he wasn’t sure how to go about finding him.
The question was, did he warn Preston now? Or later. He trusted the mage, his son, to do what he promised. Take Remus in and hand him over. He didn’t see the asshole getting away as Preston’s failure any more than it was his own when the slippery shitbag disappeared into thin air before he could turn him to cinder.
Fuck! Calling is the best policy.
Slamming his hand on the table he pulled out his phone and dialed Preston. It took a few moments before the line picked up and a yawn came through. “Hang on,” Preston murmured.
Toryn could hear the bed creak and a sleepy feminine moan. A door shut and then quiet footfalls.
“Sorry, had a nap.”
Toryn chuckled, sure they were up to something before the nap. “Sorry to wake you, but I have some bad news, and it’s not very informative.”
Preston sighed. “That’s usually how it goes. Spill it.”
“I’ve confirmed Remus has come through a portal. To where, I’m not entirely sure, but I’m willing to bet he’s in Europe for now. Means we have some time, though I don’t have a clue how much. I have people looking for any of his known aliases, but so far I’ve got nothing.”
“Thanks. We knew about the Europe possibility, so I can get my people on it. Hopefully we can find something before he has a chance to make a move.”
“You’ve got my number, and if I find anything out, you’ll be the first I call.”
“I appreciate it.” The phone went dead, and Toryn sat down at the computer, trying to figure out where he could start his electronic search. Though he had a feeling eyes and ears would be better.
Chapter 25
Priscilla took a deep breath as she thought about calling her son. Preston wanted to protect her. She knew that, but he couldn’t this time. It was her turn to help him.
Remus was nearby, and he wanted revenge.
She was on her morning run when she felt his eyes slide over her.
Maybe she should have stayed in touch with Preston. She hadn’t talked to him since the day he showed up at the diner. He had enough on his plate, and she was legitimately worried that her secret would come back to bite them both, so she’d been lying low, avoiding her restaurant.
Stupid move? Perhaps. Robert was a brilliant man, and would always be on Preston’s side. She knew that deep down, but she had heard enough criticism for her choices over the years.
Priscilla slipped into the hidden tunnel and wove a spell around the entrance. Once shadows wrapped around her, and drowned out the sound, she made a call to the only man who knew her secret all along.
Leon answered quickly. “Morning, Priscilla. You do realize it’s the ass-crack of dawn on the West Coast, right?”
“Apologies, old friend, but I need to talk.”
“Always do, and it generally leaves me between a rock and a hard place.”
“At least the secret’s finally out. I know you’ve hated keeping things quiet, but I had my reasons.”
“You tend to be right more often than not. Now, why are you calling before the sun has risen?” There was a note of suspicion in his deep voice.
“Remus is watching me. Not this very moment, but he’s near. I’m going to need your help, and you’re going to hate me for what I’m about to ask.”
“I could never hate you, darling. You’ve been a good friend over the years. Your methods may not be what I would choose, but they do get results.”
She took a slow breath, and decided her fate. “Remus is going to kidnap me. I’m going to let him, but he’ll not have the pleasure he wants. I’ll be well warded, and drive him with illusions to keep him moving.”
“Wait, think about this, Pris. He doesn’t have full use of his favorite weapon. That’s likely to make him take out his frustrations on you. He won’t rein himself in.”
“Don’t worry about me. He needs me, and he’s going to find he can’t rouse me until he gets where he’s going. I’m going to push him until he gets there. Things are going to happen to make him keep moving. He has a van. I don’t expect it to take him more than two days to get back to Washington.”
“Why Washington?” he asked.
“Everything he wants is there. Princess Isadora, Toryn, Dacia, and my son. He’s going to try to do as much damage as possible. I need you to be there. For Preston at the very least. He’s going to take what he sees hard, but it will be okay.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Remus is a simple creature, goal driven, and he doesn’t have what he wants. He won’t kill me while I’m useful, and I won’t give him time to play. Do you trust me?”
“Fuck, unfortunately. At least you’ll get the results, but I have a feeling I’m not going to like your methods any more than anyone else.”
“Please, Leon, I need your help. You’re the only one I can trust not to interfere before I’m read
y to make my move.”
“Tell me what I need to do.”
* * * *
Remus moved silently toward the trailhead. He’d expected her to make an appearance already.
He’d slept on the plane from France to the States, and plotted on the flight to Charleston. He already had the vehicle, and had arranged special accommodations for his soon-to-be traveling companion.
Now where the fuck is she?
Steady footfalls approached. She wasn’t even out of breath. He reached out to touch her arm and whispered the spell. As Priscilla fell forward, he scooped her up and quickly carried her to the van, where he secured her in the enchanted cage.
He ran his hand over her body, looking for hidden weapons, but found none. He was tempted to wake her long enough to cause some pain for the ride, but there wasn’t time.
Sooner or later someone would notify the Silver Council about his presence, and her disappearance. He did his best to cover his trail, but there were eyes and ears everywhere.
The Others of Earth always sided with the Silver Council as if they were the true ruling force. Even exiled fae were on their side, turning their back on true royalty.
At present he was exiled, but certainly not on the Council’s side. They promised to hand him over to the Elder Guard. Very few had the gall to oppose them. Remus wouldn’t normally, but after his sister’s betrayal, he had no choice.
He climbed out of the van and shut the door in time for another runner to go by. Pity he didn’t have time to enjoy his prey. There would be plenty of opportunity to pay the bitch back for the months of recuperation after they first met.
* * * *
Toryn sat at his desk at the security firm he ran with a couple long-time friends. His phone rang. “Hi, Leon. How’s Lisanna?”
“She’s good. I’m going to miss her for the next few days. On my way up there, in case you need me. I received word Remus made it to New York. From there he hopped a plane down to Charleston where he paid cash for a van outfitted for god only knows what.” The words were out in a tumble.
Toryn’s brow arched. “What else do you know?”
“That’s it.”
“You’re leaving something out. I can feel it.”
“You’re the clairvoyant one, not me.”
Pinching the bridge of his nose, he groaned. What’s in Charleston? “Shit. He has her, doesn’t he?”
“Has who?” Leon calmly asked. He’d always been able to lie without raising suspicion.
“Priscilla. And don’t you fucking tell me you don’t know who that is, or that you didn’t know she was there. It’s no secret you keep in contact with her, and knowing now that you’ve always considered Preston a friend, it makes a lot of damned sense.”
“Yeah, she lives there. That doesn’t mean she’s the reason he went to Charleston.”
“What do you know, Leon? If he has her, she’s in danger.”
“I don’t know anything more than he went to Charleston. I’m coming to help defend against whatever he has planned.”
Toryn slammed his hand on the desk. He wasn’t getting more out of Leon. Chances were Priscilla had found a way to force him into secrecy. Again.
* * * *
Preston hung up the phone, the new information a kick in the stomach. He looked to Robert. “I need to know if Remus has her.”
Robert stood there, watching as he had the whole phone call, never saying a word. “First you need to tell me what’s going on,” he answered rationally.
Shoving his fingers through his hair he paced away and relayed all the information Toryn had about Remus landing in New York, flying to Charleston, buying a fucking blacked-out van.
Only thing back in South Carolina was his mother, who’d humiliated Remus once before. The possibilities crawling through his mind left him nauseated. He took a deep breath. “Take me, please,” he said forcefully.
Robert nodded. “I will, but we’re going to be too late.”
“I fucking know that!”
“Then why are we going?”
“Leon is the one who called with the information. Leon knows. I swear, he fucking does. I need to find out what I can about why she disappeared because Leon isn’t going to tell me. She probably did something to ensure that.”
“Where are we going first?” Robert asked.
Preston checked his phone. “Her house.”
Chapter 26
Preston hadn’t answered his phone. Hadn’t called. Now she was worried. So far he kept her apprised of what he was doing, or at least when to expect him home.
It was six p.m. and she was borderline freaking out. She sent one more text that she expected to be ignored.
He’s busy—must be, she reminded herself. She climbed out of her car and walked up to the entrance of the last place she’d ever thought she’d want to be.
Her heart thumped in her chest as when she came to the front doors of Jamie’s new gym. A few weeks before she was handing over the keys and making stupid comments about how working out had no benefits.
After learning Preston’s body, she realized her mistake. And on the nights he had to work late, it might help her burn off some stress.
Slipping through the door, she found Jamie instructing Devlin as he maneuvered through an obstacle course that made absolutely no sense.
Caught somewhere between horror and awe, Dacia whispered, “What in the abyss is that?”
Jamie smiled as she turned. “Freerunning. Quite liberating with practice. What can I do for you?”
Closing her eyes, she gathered her courage before making eye contact with Jamie. “When you were with Preston, how did you deal with him being gone late without a word?”
A frown tugged at her lips. “Is he all right?”
That wasn’t the response Dacia hoped for. “Don’t know. Haven’t heard from him since he left my house this morning.”
Jamie smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, your anxiety made me jump to conclusions. Remember, I can feel what you do.”
“Sorry.” Dacia frowned.
She shook her head. “Don’t stress. He’s not always going to be able to stop and tell you he’ll be late. This is part of his job.”
Dacia took a slow breath. “How did you deal with it?”
“Getting a good workout in usually helped me. It tends to take my mind off waiting.”
Dacia took a tentative look around. “I wouldn’t have the first clue where to start, or even what to do.”
“That’s where I come in. I can train you, if you want.”
Dacia swallowed hard and nodded slightly. “Please, especially if it’ll help.”
Jamie grinned. “You might hate me in the morning.”
“Better than sitting around worrying.”
Scanning her up and down, Jamie nodded toward the locker rooms. “Follow me. We’ll get you changed into something appropriate.”
* * * *
“Gone, gone, fucking gone!” Preston punched the drywall, putting his fist through it. Cracks spread outward, then the sheet fell in pieces.
A hand landed on his back and Preston growled low in his chest. “Don’t tell me it will fucking be all right.”
“We’ll find them. We’ll get her back,” Robert told him.
“I should have—”
Robert spun him around. “Listen to me. There was nothing you could do. You didn’t know he was here. So take a deep breath, and let’s head back.”
Preston’s chest heaved with every breath. “I can’t lose her to that twisted fuck.”
“You won’t. Your mother is tough, and she can handle herself.”
“What if—”
Robert shoved him. “No. Don’t go there.” Then he grabbed Preston and they were standing in Robert’s living room. “Tremaine,” Robert called.
Preston took a step back and tried to get his thundering heart under control. No one had seen or heard from his mother. She went for her daily run and disappeared. There was no sign of a struggle.
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He sank onto a chair, his elbows landing on his knees as his head fell into in his hands. Fear and anger were about all he was feeling. Nothing else registered as he wracked his brain to find a solution.
He vaguely heard Robert say, “Trem, please explain to Preston why he needs to relax. His mother is gone. We think Remus has her. Please, help me convince him that she’s not dead or worse.”
There was a muttered curse, then Tremaine sat down on the coffee table in front of Preston. “Hey, kid. Your mom’s a tough broad who can handle herself better than most mages. If she was taken, she let it happen because she has the situation under control. It wouldn’t be the first time. She always comes out fine. Remus, on the other hand, won’t be so fortunate.”
“How can you be sure? She wasn’t expecting him.”
“You know that talent you have for tracking people? That didn’t come from your father. It came from your mother. I guarantee she knew he was there.”
“There was no sign of a struggle.”
Tremaine pushed his fingers through his dark waves. “Yeah, which further suggests she’s playing a game, one she always wins. She lets them take her, and keeps enough going on around them they won’t stop moving until they get where they’re taking her. Once they think they have her where they want, she proves them utterly wrong.”
“But—”
“Can’t think like that. I’ve known your mother for a long-ass time, she was my partner for decades. This is her specialty. It’s why she never failed a mission. She’s going to be fine.”
Preston took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Tremaine wouldn’t say it if it wasn’t true. “How do I relax?”
Tremaine placed a hand on his shoulder. “Go to Dacia. Keep her safe.”
“Shit, I haven’t answered her calls or texts. I had to turn off my phone because she wouldn’t stop.”
Mending Scars Page 18
