Harleigh_Dark Paranormal Romance

by Nikki Landis

  I smirk at him. “Having a baby would be a colossally bad idea.”

  “Right now? Agreed.” He tilts my chin, crooks a finger under it, and raises it up so we are eye to eye. “But I could have babies with you someday when you’re ready.”

  Shit. See how he always knows what to say? “You’re crazy.”

  “Only for you baby.” He keeps grinning, so wide and slightly sardonic, I’m reminded of the Joker and I shiver with delight. “I’ll be your villain Leigh.”

  How does he always know what I’m thinking? Am I that transparent?

  Nah. I call bullshit but since I like what he’s saying, I give in. “My villain?”

  He expertly maneuvers me out of the bathroom straight to the bedroom wall and I never notice. He raises my arms and shoves them against the drywall, not too hard but enough to ignite a little fire of desire in my lower belly. He sees the spark in my eyes and it fuels his hunger. “Yes. I want to fuck you again baby, long and hard.”

  He’s naked. How did I miss the fact that his pants hit the floor?

  My eyes dart to his hard, thick cock and I’m deliciously attracted to the size and girth. The man is hung. I lick my lips as he leans closer.

  “I want to make you forget every man you ever met but me.”

  Those words set off an ache deep in my soul, a longing to embrace every word he says with absolute conviction. I’m affected so deeply it’s almost frightening.

  A low voice in the back of my mind echoes along with emerald eyes that glow with warning as I remember Viktor’s possessive words, “You’ll always be mine.”

  I don’t want to think of him, ever again.

  “You’ll have to make me submit,” I purr into Derek’s ear as I bite down on his earlobe lightly, letting the heat of my breath wash over his skin.

  Derek is still for about ten seconds, panting as his chest rises and falls, before he roughly spins me around and pins me against the wall, my breasts pressed against the cool texture. I fight him knowing my struggles will increase his lust but from this position I’m at his mercy. The thought makes the moisture between my legs nearly drip onto my thighs.

  “Keep those palms pressed flat against the wall baby.” I listen to his order out of curiosity. He drops to his knees as I feel his fingers kneading my bare cheeks. “Spread your legs wider.”

  “No,” I blurt.

  He smacks the right side of my ass, hard. “Spread. Now.”

  The stinging slap turns me on so much I moan lightly before I can stop the sound from escaping, “No.”

  He smacks my left cheek. Now they’re both stinging and the slick warmth between my legs increases. “Spread for me, little vixen.”

  I finally obey.

  “I fucking love your tight little pussy.”

  I hear those naughty words and close my eyes as his hot, wet tongue lands right inside my core, buried in between my slick folds as he spreads me open. “Oh!” I yelp when two fingers slide in effortlessly and he begins to pump with a steady rhythm that makes my knees tremble. I arch my back so my ass is sticking out more, giving him the access to do as he pleases. The heat of his tongue glides along the length of my pussy from top to bottom, teasing and sliding across, eliciting loud moans from my throat as he nibbles on my clit and flicks then suckles my little nub as it hardens. My involuntary muscle control lapses and I’m faltering on shaky limbs, ready to drop to the ground.

  He’s so in tune to my body he knows just what I want and need.

  Derek picks me up and squeezes gently before he lays my back against the cool, silky sheets. I expect to see his eyes full of need and excitement, blazing their triumph as I give myself over to his every whim. He’s ready to go and he wants me. His stiff cock is at full attention and commands the throbbing of my core as I feel the sheets dampen beneath me.

  Those amber eyes lock on mine and I forget to breathe. There’s need and desire, lust and passion, but what I see the most has my breath accelerating in frenzied gasps.

  Love.

  So much love that I’m swept away.

  Holding my gaze he slips inside me, his hard, hot cock filling me completely but it’s not in a rush. Oh no, he drives in nice and slow, until he can’t go any deeper. His hips roll smoothly, seductively, grinding into my soft body with his harder more muscular frame. Each swivel of his hips increases the fire burning beneath my skin, arousing my body to dizzying heights. He’s fucking me alright, there’s no mistake about that, but he’s making love to me too.

  I’ve never had that, a guy who could so entirely own my body and needs like Derek, who could give me what I want and take what he desires at the same time. I’m left in awe, unable to tear my gaze from his as he thrusts in a tender but firm and deliberate rhythm. His strokes are perfection and hit that perfect spot as I feel my orgasm rising. My breath quickens.

  It should be illegal what he can do with his body. There needs to be a warning label attached to his forehead – watch out girls this guy can love, fuck, suck, and rock your world into oblivion – and I’d probably jump at the chance to test him out. Over and over again.

  “My Leigh,” he rasps, his deep voice tingling the fine hairs on my skin as he drops his head close to my ear, “I fucking love you baby.”

  My throat tightens with emotion.

  I want to say it back, need to say the words back, because he’s looking at me like I’m his whole fucking world and any moment I expect to see devastation and disappointment in his dark sexy eyes when I fail to do it but that isn’t what happens.

  No, Derek grins wide and flips me over, driving into me from behind while he pulls my head back by my hair. He’s building the friction as he increases his tempo and one hand slides between my legs to tease my clit, circling with the perfect amount of pressure until I feel myself tightening and my inner walls shudder.

  I’m close.

  He’s expertly working my body and increasing my pleasure to the point that I feel I’ll explode.

  Derek flips me again and teases me with tip of his engorged cock, rubbing it against my slick folds and driving me insane. A whimper leaves my throat and his lip curls up with a confident smirk. I hear my voice as I beg and it’s so needy I want to cringe but I can’t. It feels so damn good.

  With a hard thrust he fills me completely and leans down to capture my mouth in one of his earth shattering kisses. He’s fucking me with his cock and his tongue at the same time, swirling his hips like his tongue, swallowing up my moans as they grow louder. The sex is fucking amazing, in fact its mind blowing. The ecstasy is almost more than I can handle.

  When his fingers touch my clit this time I jolt in his arms, my entire body ready to spasm.

  “Come for me Leigh,” he commands and I’m blasting off like a fucking rocket.

  My orgasm is life-altering. I see stars. I’m riding such a high wave of bliss I’m only vaguely aware of Derek filling me, his load spurting inside me. Again.

  He’s kissing me gently but firmly when my eyes open and meet the amused but intense expression on his face. Derek’s lips slant across mine before he speaks, and it’s the perfect thing for him to say.

  “Mad love baby. I’ve got such mad love for you.”

  Mad love.

  Just like Harley and the Joker.

  Chapter 20

  “So, you’re the infamous Harleigh.”

  I’m staring at a petite blonde, a little shorter than me but curvier in a Barbie doll way that probably has all of the guys drooling at her feet like a bunch of idiots. I’m actually entertained by this thought. If I wasn’t already a fucking knock-out myself I might have a little blip in confidence level but I know how hot I am so this is unimportant.

  I give her a little tick of my chin and sit down at the breakfast nook, gathering food onto my plate. Derek’s all night sex session from the night before was exhausting and leaves me starving. I’m not sure where he’s off to but I appreciate he let me sleep in.

  “So how’s it going with Onyx? I bet he
fucks like an animal.”

  I nearly choke to death on a bit of scrambled eggs as I reach for a glass of water. “Ugh,” I croak. “You know him?”

  “Of course,” she says and grins. “Since we were little kids.”

  I’m not sure what to think but decide humor is probably best. “I can tell you this he’s got –”

  “Omg, stop!” she yells and covers her ears with her hands, trying to hum loudly.

  “You’re funny. I was certain you wanted to know all about it a moment ago,” I smirk.

  “Well if I knew about my cousin’s cock that would just be some sick twisted shit,” she laughs and I have to agree with her.

  “What’s your name?”

  “Seriously, he hasn’t mentioned me yet?”

  I shake my head, “Nope.”

  “I’m gonna kick his ass.” She sits next to me and sticks out her hand, “Tasha, but around here I’m known as Ember.”

  “Fire elemental?” I ask as we shake, and she nods. “Cool ability.”

  “Compared to some, yes. Derek’s is one of the most complex and unique. Whenever I see his shadow hunters I’m in awe.”

  “I’ve not seen it yet,” I admit.

  “You will baby,” Derek’s deep voice is right behind me as his hand drops on my shoulder. “Chaos wants to see us.”

  He pulls me into his chest as I stand and places a sensual kiss against my lips. I think he’s going to deepen the kiss but then he’s shoved away by Ember. “Ewww, come on. You can suck face later.”

  I laugh, loving her already.

  Outside groups of people are sparring, paired off, and either practicing their abilities or stretching muscles before they begin. It’s sort of surreal. I dodge a careless fireball that nearly singes my head while a bolt of lightning lights up the ground a few feet in front of us as Derek growls in the direction of a young girl. She scampers off in haste but giggles.

  Shaking my head lightly I reach for his hand. My world keeps growing weirder by the day, might as well just roll with it.

  Chaos is standing with Devon and Ivey, which completely surprises me. I run for them both and soon we’re a three person sandwich, hugging it out like a bunch of drunks at the bar. It’s pretty awesome. For about ten seconds I wonder if the way his eyes linger over Ivey means more than friendship. I never noticed before how his gaze rests on her face and his eyes soften with a tenderness that usually is reserved for me alone.

  Once we’re calm enough Chaos gestures for us to follow until we sit at one of the picnic tables off to the side, away from the danger zone. Yeah, I made that up. This place is like Harry Potter on crack. No lie.

  “Harleigh I was wondering if you would fill us in on what you learned while with the Collective.”

  Derek and Dev start to protest that it’s too fresh and traumatic but I actually want them to know. I start with the reason I left in such a hurry and have to stop to comfort Ivey who decides she needs to cry over my massive sacrifice. Girl is crazy but I love her.

  I continue until the moment I wake up in Viktor’s office, handcuffed to his bed railing. Derek jumps up and begins to pace, cracking his knuckles. Cute, but he’s gonna be way more pissed in a minute. As I tell them about the file, the fertility treatments, and the school for the gifted my brother’s eyes narrow and his brow furrows.

  “So,” I say, “I think Graves Sanatorium is actually the site of the school, renamed decades later. I believe that’s the location where Devon and I received our ‘education’,” I air quote, “and it’s where we learned to develop our skills in our youth.”

  “It is.” Dev confirms and glances at Derek, “The same location that Derek was also brought to before his parents were killed.”

  “What?” I ask, gaping at him in shock.

  “Yes,” Derek answers with venom. “So now you know why I hate the Blackstone family.”

  “I do,” I whisper, reaching for his hand. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be Leigh. Just know that I’m gonna kill him, as soon as I can.”

  “I don’t think it’s going to be that easy,” I confide. “There’s something happening. My interactions were odd. I was drugged almost nonstop and forced into deadly circumstances where I had to fight for my life more than once.” I explain about the deranged doctor with strange eyes and the mugger that Viktor gave me as a gift. I don’t tell them about the day he went down on me and I came so hard I saw stars. I wasn’t willing to share how deeply that day affected me.

  “I understand Harleigh,” Chaos answers quietly, as I glimpse the sympathy in his eyes. “But we need to know why you’re suspicious.”

  “I think I was forced into these situations in order to increase my abilities and access ones that are dormant until our twenty-fifth year. The children of the Collective are unique but they’re also incredibly gifted.”

  He nods and leans forward, his voice lowering, “I agree which brings me to the next reason I wanted to speak with you all. I believe the original genetic enhancing codes in our DNA have evolved.”

  Ivey gasps as I stare without blinking. Derek sits down hard next to me while Dev sighs. All predictable reactions.

  “Evolved how?” I ask, since no one else has yet.

  “When Silas Blackstone first opened his fertility clinic he was focused on improving and enhancing DNA in order to give couples the best version of themselves in their children. What no one knew was that his sinister plan involved cloning DNA, splicing sequences, and creating his own ‘super’ human genome. Couples flooded his office after astounding results.”

  “How could he do such a thing without being caught?”

  “Easy, he kept all his records and findings off site in his own secret facility that he quickly named Graves School for the Gifted. These grateful couples were fooled into thinking their children were brilliant, musical geniuses, etc. and needed extra guidance to reach their full potential.”

  “But that’s not what the school was doing,” Ivey adds.

  “No, he was conditioning his patients, testing them and pushing their boundaries. Using fear, intimidation, pain, and shock to unlock further abilities he believed resided in those ‘super’ genes.”

  “So what happened?” I ask, reaching for Derek’s hand as he squeezes tight.

  “He was exposed and forced to shut the school down but the damage was already done. Hundreds of us exist. Maybe thousands over the decades he had access to those embryos. Before he died so much information was collected that we estimate nearly ten thousand embryos were tampered with and altered, thanks largely to a staff that worked nearly twenty-four hours a day in shifts to accomplish his nefarious goals.”

  “But you said you think the DNA changed and evolved,” I point out. “I can attest to that since my abilities are starting to surface, just like you warned me. I’m able to sense auras for instance.”

  “A perfect example of what I mean and you’re correct Harleigh. I think Silas never anticipated just how successful his project really was. The abilities you see before you aren’t only enhanced, they’re inhuman.”

  I blink, wondering if I hear him correctly. “Inhuman?”

  “Do you think Onyx and his demon shadows are human? Or my ability to manipulate the muscles of the body in such a way as to crush my victims without ever touching them? Or your brother’s blue fire that burns so hot it scorches on impact yet never singes his own skin?”

  “No,” I concede. “But what does this mean for us?” For me?

  “I don’t know yet but something tells me that Viktor knows and whatever he’s planning will have a huge impact on both the Collective and the Sinners Syndicate.”

  As my eyes meet each of my loved ones at the table, I’m certain that Chaos is right.

  Chapter 21

  I close my eyes as tight as I can and hold back the scream that wants to rip from my throat.

  “It’s ok Leigh,” a low voice whispers, reaching for my hand and squeezing my fingers. “You don’t have to look.
”

  “I don’t want to look. I hate him,” I whisper back, my voice quivering.

  “I know. I hate him too.”

  My lower lip trembles. I’m fighting the urge to vomit as the noises around us continue. “You do?” I ask, mostly for a distraction.

  “Yeah Leigh. You wanna know why?”

  Shaking my head I answer with a squeaky, “Yes.”

  “Cause he’s making you stay here. It’s not fair.”

  “He’s making you stay here too,” I point out.

  “He’s my dad Leigh . . . where else am I gonna go?”

  I tremble as his arm settles around me and pulls us closer together, our backs to the wall, facing away from the torture and mangled bodies that line up in row after row of hospital gurneys. “You could go with me.” I’ve never offered before but he looks right into my eyes, his deep green gaze shimmering like pools of liquid emerald.

  “I’d go with you . . . if you want.” There’s uncertainty in his voice.

  “We can leave when he’s not paying attention,” I offer, hoping he agrees.

  “He’s never distracted long enough.” The bitterness in his voice makes my heart sad.

  “We could cause a distraction.”

  “What if he catches us again? He’ll hurt you, no way.”

  “I’m a big girl. A badass,” I say and snicker.

  He laughs and covers his mouth quickly, tugging me closer as we hear footsteps, “Shhh.”

  I think we’re safe until scary muscular arms with tattoos snatch him away from me.

  “Viktor!” Screaming his name, over and over, too frightened to move, I watch his father pulling him away.

  “Leigh!” he cries out in return, one hand stretching in my direction, the fingers desperate to reconnect.

  “Nooooo,” I wail, and back away further into the darkness, seeking the shadows . . .

  “VIKTOR,” I WHISPER as I sit up straight in bed. I’m shivering, my skin covered in a light sweat and sweep the covers from my body, struck by the sudden need to run. I want to fade away . . . as far as I can for as long as I can. The desperate need to leave everything behind is strong in my chest and I ache with a foreign longing that nearly consumes me.