She could really do with some protein to help build her strength, and her growling stomach answered for her.
He chuckled low and seductive against her hair. “I take it that’s a yes?”
The other two seemed caught up in the computer screen.
Raven left her in the kitchen and disappeared to change. She walked around opening cupboards and looking in drawers. She was constantly amazed by this place. It had everything that was needed. When Raven returned, he wore combat pants and a tank top, all in black, and was barefoot. She loved him barefoot.
“I wonder how Oberon got this place set up so well,” she said. “It must’ve taken some time to get it all fitted out.”
“It used to belong to a black-ops team disbanded years back.”
“How do you know?” she asked.
“Heard rumors in the service.” He pulled some meat from the refrigerator and ripped at the plastic covering.
“You told me Seph wanted to go into the service as a tracker. She seemed fairly capable last night— Did you train both her and Cal?”
He looked at her then. “I wanted them to be able to protect themselves should anything happen.”
“I want to show Oberon what they can do.” If he was going to recruit students to the cause, maybe Seph could be one of them. What she’d seen of the girl’s talent last night would be a shame to waste, especially on something she didn’t want to do. Kitt placed her hand on his forearm and stepped closer. “Trust me.”
He turned the meat over in the pan. His muscles flexed under her fingers.
A sudden need clenched her stomach. The past few days of serial killers, dreniacs, and demons made everything else seem insignificant for the moment. An Animalian could not exist on protein alone—there was something else she needed to feed, and she’d been ignoring her physical appetites for far too long.
Watching him work, she realized how much she needed him to make love to her like he used to. She needed the contact, the touch of him, to soothe the beastly desire, if only to relive the carefree days of their love affair for a few short hours.
She stepped closer and ran her fingers up his bare arm, over bunched, corded muscle, over smooth, supple skin. But it wasn’t enough to touch him with the tips of her fingers; she needed to feel him with her entire palm. His hand stilled above the meat, the fork he used to turn the steaks trembling.
She reached down, turned off the stove, and stood on tiptoes to kiss lips that tasted of green forests and wild mushrooms. He dropped the fork into the pan and gathered her against him—deepening the kiss to consume her very soul, it would seem.
“Take me to your room,” she whispered.
He pulled back, his gaze searching her eyes.
“I’m not promising anything more than just now.”
He swung her into his arms. “I’ll take it.” He kissed her again. “For now.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck, clinging to him as he carried her to his room.
He kicked the door open and she looked inside. It was identical to the one she’d woken in this morning, with a single bed, chair, dresser, and very little else. Spartan and martial.
He dropped her feet to the floor and took her face in his hands. “Do you know how long I’ve waited for this?”
She answered. “Far too long.”
He smiled and nodded. His eyes searched hers, drinking in her face. His fingertips brushed her earlobes and caressed her jaw.
“I feel like I’m dreaming and any moment I’ll wake and find you gone.” His hot breath brushed her lips, leaving her wanting more.
“I’m here,” she whispered back.
He touched his lips in turn to each of her eyelids, kissed her forehead, her cheeks, the tip of her nose, and finally her mouth.
No man knew her as Raven did—no man got to see the part of her she kept only for him. She’d had other lovers, but she kept them at a distance. And for the first time in years, she relaxed.
Kitt dropped her hands to his waist, pushing her thumbs through the side belt loops of his jeans. He moved to her throat, and she tilted her head back, giving him greater access as he trailed burning, feverish kisses along her collarbone. His skin smelled so good, so familiar—the earthy wildness of woods mixed with the warmth of a still summer night. Her breath caught as he nipped the skin where her shoulder met her neck—and she couldn’t have stopped the moan if she’d wanted to.
He chuckled against her skin. “I remember how much that used to drive you crazy.”
She let go of his jeans and dug her fingers into his shirt. He continued to snag her skin gently with his teeth. Their familiarity drove her to a new level of confidence. Memories of Raven making love to her on a carpet of fall leaves or under the waterfall where they used to swim flashed through her mind.
She pushed him down onto the chair and unzipped his fly. Freeing his erection from the confines of the jeans, she ran it through her hands, his skin silky smooth under her fingers, and brushed the tip of one finger across the swollen head.
She stood, slipped off her panties and straddled him, then stopped to look at him, savoring the moment.
They locked eyes, the tip kissing her opening. She wanted to watch his face as he entered her, wanted to breathe in the air that left his lips. She pushed down, and he filled her perfectly.
Oh God.
His eyes softened as they fell to her mouth. He pulled her face to his and snagged her lower lip, sucking it between his teeth, nibbling it. She rose up and down slowly, and he let loose her lip for a brief second as he gasped. She rocked back and forth. The pressure was building fast. It was going to be over quickly. She could feel him rising to meet her and she could tell he was close by the change in his rhythm. Then he stopped kissing her, and held her face inches away from his.
“I want to watch your face as you come,” he whispered.
His voice sent her over the edge. The orgasm started hard in her groin and spread to her limbs, making every nerve in her body tingle. He pulled her close again so their foreheads touched, breathing out hard followed by a short intake of air and then out again—once, twice, and then a long low moan and he shuddered with his release as the tremors of her orgasm rippled to a stop.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and burrowed into his shoulder. Both were panting hard and unable to speak for some time.
Finally he stood up with her in his arms and looked at her. “Round two,” he said, carrying her to the thin military-issue cot.
She was not about to argue.
Kitt had known Raven a long time, but there was still so much she didn’t really know about him. When they were together before, it’d been about sex and secrecy. They didn’t talk much about themselves, their hopes or dreams or the future.
Kitt traced the black tribal tattoo on his left pectoral muscle. He’d had it as long as she knew him.
“Does this have meaning?” she asked.
The dragons—one in black, the other in negative—lay head-to-tail in a yin and yang style.
He raised his head, watching her fingers. “It’s just something from my past.”
“And this?” She traced the scar across his eye that could only have been made with silver.
“Yep, that too.”
Kitt could see he wasn’t about to tell her anything more.
“You’ve never told me about your past.” She came up onto her elbow beside him. “Why not?”
He reached up and traced the edge of her face with his fingertips. “Because until I met you I was damaged and had no past worth remembering. You saved me. And our children gave me a reason to be.”
“To be what?”
“Alive.” He kissed her cheek.
He avoided her questions, kept her out. And she remembered how he’d done the same, even back then. Suddenly she remembered there were bad times as well as good—bad times that left her alone. She’d lost her husband, her children, and her lover.
“I’d better go and see what the
y’ve found out,” she said.
“Stay,” he whispered and pulled her down to meet his lips.
She melted against him again, her free will dissipating. She could think of nothing but his lips on hers, his hands running down her body, his hardness growing against her stomach.
“Has anyone seen Kitt?” she heard Tones asking outside the door.
“No, why?” That was Cody.
“I think I’ve found something,” Tones said.
“Maybe Raven’s seen her,” Cody said as a knock sounded at the door.
“Shh!” She put her finger to her lips and broke away to gather her clothing before making a run for the bathroom.
Raven was pulling on his pants as she closed the door behind her.
She slipped into her panties and clipped her bra into place, then buttoned her shirt and tucked it hastily into the skirt before doing up the zipper. She looked at herself in the mirror, at her flushed cheeks and glowing skin. She padded her face with cold water.
Kitt opened the bathroom door to find Raven sitting on the edge of the bed.
“Raven,” she said, searching for something to say, “I . . . ah . . .”
She didn’t want to give him the wrong idea about what had just happened between them.
“Don’t say it.” He stood up, jeans still unbuttoned, his torso bare and no shoes. “It was just a thanks-for-the-memories fuck, wasn’t it?”
She couldn’t look at him and dropped her eyes. “What we had was great twenty years ago, and what we just did was fantastic, but it doesn’t change anything. The girls need one of us there. I must get accepted back into the Pride to protect them. For that to happen, we can’t be together.”
“Why not?” he said, anger flashing in his midnight eyes. “I turned my back on my Pack years ago when I chose our daughters. Your family abandoned you, kicked you out, dropped you like yesterday’s garbage.” Instant regret crossed his face. He stepped forward and reached for her. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean that.”
“Yes, you did.” She backed away from him. “I miss my family and my home, and I want to go back.”
His eyes flashed with pain as she yanked open the bathroom door and slammed it behind.
What had started out as something amazing had ended by leaving a foul taste in her mouth, and she was the shit who had caused it.
Raven was nowhere to be seen when she finished fixing herself and left his room. She made her way back down to the office.
Antoinette pushed out the slow, controlled Tai Chi movement. Raven came into the workout room without seeing her and struck at the punching bag several times before tearing it from the ceiling, and kicking it across the room.
“I think it’s dead,” she said as he was walked over to stand above the torn equipment, fists clenched.
He turned on her, eyes blazing and teeth bared. His eyes closed for a second and his hunched shoulders loosened as he stood straighter. She knew that expression, had it herself many times when the hunger came upon her, but he seemed to have little trouble reining in the beast.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to destroy the bag. I just had to hit something. Hard.” His face and shoulders relaxed further.
“Do you want to spar with me? I could use the practice.”
“I don’t think so.” He turned toward the door and started walking.
“Afraid of getting beat by a girl?” She placed her hands on her hips.
He stopped but didn’t turn around.
“Come on, I’m a trained Venator and Aeternus female. I doubt you could really hurt me.”
Raven threw her a look over his shoulder, an amused glint in his eye. “Okay, little girl. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He pulled his long dark hair back and tied it with an elastic band he wore on his wrist.
Antoinette took a moment to admire the view. As he claimed the mat, he rolled his head and his shoulders and shook out his arms. He fell into a stance, feet apart and knees bent. She didn’t let him get too comfortable and flew at him, intent on driving her knee into his solar plexus. By the time she reached where he stood, she hit thin air. The next thing she knew, she was staring up at the ceiling as he swept her feet from under her.
She knew he was good, but he was still in human form, with hardly any of his enhanced abilities. How could he possibly match her Aeternus speed? Okay—she’d underestimated him that time.
Not again.
They fell back into their stance facing each other off. This time she’d wait for him. But he didn’t move. After nearly a minute she could take it no more and attacked. He blocked her punch with practiced ease, and then twisted her arm behind her. The only thing that hurt was her pride.
The tinkling chime of her cell broke the tension and he let her go so she could answer it.
It was Tones. “We have reports of a male and female matching the dreniac and Marvella. They are down by the homeless camp.”
“On my way,” she said.
“So I guess the sparring session is over,” Raven said. “Just as well. I think you were just about to beat the shit out of me.”
Not a freaking chance in hell. “You better believe it, buddy,” she said, grinning, yet she got the distinct impression he was toying with her. “Though, I want a rematch.”
“Okay,” he said with a smile. “Next time.”
“Yeah . . . next time.”
Cody looked up sharply as Kitt entered the room. His eyes sparked and narrowed, his nostrils flared, and he licked his lips.
To avoid his intense examination, she bent to look at the computer screen. “Find anything?”
“I think we have.” Tones looked from the image of a body already stitched up post-autopsy and smiled. “This is the second body, from the library. I have blown it up as much as the image resolution will allow, and you can just make out the marks.”
She peered closer and frowned. “I don’t see anything.”
“Here, let me help,” Tones said, clicking a few buttons.
Red slashes matching the marks found on the third body overlaid the photo.
Oh my God.
“Turn the lines off,” she said waving her hand at the screen. Tony complied.
The result was unmistakable. She could even see it clearly now without the enhancement. Above the mark of the Dark Brethren was the second symbol carved into his chest before he died—but because of his Bestiabeo abilities, it healed beyond visibility. Well, almost.
“What about the first body?” she asked.
“That one’s trickier,” Cody said. “He must have survived longer. Show her Tones.”
A few keystrokes later and another image appeared, and he made the red lines appear again.
This time there were not many strokes that could possibly correspond.
“You think it’s possible that was once the same symbol?” she asked Cody.
Tones placed the symbol over the marks and they seemed to fit. “I’d say in all likelihood it is but can’t be conclusive.”
The outer door slid open behind, but they were all too intent on the screen to look around.
“I agree,” said Cody. “Maybe it’s there because we want to see it, maybe it’s real. Who knows?”
“Who knows what?” Oberon asked.
Cody straightened. “We think other bodies also had the symbol carved into their chest.”
“Send them to me in an email. I’ll be in my office,” Oberon said and walked away.
Tones jotted down something on a notepad and Kitt noticed a small double yin-yang dragon symbol in the corner.
She took the pad from Tones and looked at it closer. “Where did you get this from?”
Tones glanced up at her half preoccupied. “I found it with some old stationery back in the storage room. Why?”
“Nothing,” she said and followed Oberon into his office.
“Do you know what this is?” she asked.
He looked up as she closed the door. “I can see you’ve finally put two and two together.
”
“Raven’s tattoo?”
He nodded and leaned back in his seat, with hands behind his head; the chair groaned under the pressure.
“Are you going to tell me what it means?” she asked.
“The Draconus Nocti was a team of Department-trained assassins and covert-ops agents set up during World War I to be dropped behind enemy lines. They were active through all the wars including the cold war until they disbanded around twenty years ago. This was a real bunker, and used to be their headquarters.”
“Trained assassins,” she said, falling into the chair opposite. “And they broke up before we met. No wonder he said he was damaged.” She looked at the ursian, suddenly afraid. “Apparently he’s trained the twins to defend themselves. I thought that meant a little kung fu or something. What if he’s been teaching them to kill?”
“If he trained them that well, then who better to start training those new recruits?” Oberon said. “Why do you think I want him involved? His skills as a covert operative are invaluable. You don’t survive that long on luck alone.”
She could see his mind ticking over. “If we catch the real killer, my father would have to remove the bounty. He’d be in the clear.”
“Only if we can prove the killer is the same one who murdered Emmett,” Oberon added. “Though, now knowing his past, and from what I’ve seen of Emmett’s case file, it was rather messy for a man of his talents.”
She sighed and slid in her seat, the worry over what Raven had taught the girls gnawing away.
“Well,” he said, “if you really want to know, ask him. But I’d still like to put the girls through their paces and see what they can do. I’ll get Antoinette to set it up.”
Cody burst through the door. “There’s been another body found. This time at a Web design place that hired NYAPS students.”
Chapter 17 - Murder Most Bloody
Raven stretched in the night air. He was going stir crazy and had to get out for a run, especially after what had just happened with Kitt. The attempt by the Aeternus to take him on had only exacerbated his need to get out of there.
He hadn’t had time to put on any Abeolite, just wanted a run. He stood in the park slipping out of his jeans, then hung them on a tree branch and willed the change. His body spread, contracted, and popped into place. It was never like those old horror movies: his muscles didn’t tear apart, there was no pain, and it didn’t take nearly as long as they made it look. But the movies were all about effect, not truth.
Death’s Sweet Embrace Page 14
