by Bree Younger
“It’s okay, Gia. I’ll talk to her about it.”
He gave her a quick hug and had just released her when Claire came back in, her laptop bag slung over one shoulder.
Hawk saw her eyes narrow a bit when she noticed how close he and Gia were standing, but he just smiled. “Ready?”
She nodded. “Yeah. Whenever you are.”
“Let’s hit the road, then.”
Gia led them down the hallway and out the front door, where she gave both of them another hug. “Be careful, you two.”
“We will. Look, Gia. I meant to tell you this earlier, but it slipped my mind. We may have a couple of guys on our tail. If they follow us here, you need to be prepared.”
Gia shrugged. “I have protective wards around the house, so I don’t expect that I’ll have any problems. Most people can’t even find the place if I don’t want them to.”
Hawk knew that Gia’s coven was very powerful. He’d experienced their warding abilities before, so he knew that Gia would be safe. “Just be aware that somebody might come sniffing around, okay?”
“Will do. Let me know how everything goes. I’ll be thinking of you guys and keeping my fingers and toes crossed.”
They said their final good-byes before Claire and Hawk climbed into his SUV and drove off.
“I really liked Gia,” Claire remarked as they hit the highway and headed north.
Hawk smiled. “I’m glad. She’s good people.”
“She wasn’t what I was expecting,” she told him.
“In what way?”
“Well, for one thing, she was absolutely beautiful. You didn’t mention that she was so gorgeous when you told me about her.” Hawk knew Claire was jealous, and he barely managed to suppress a smile.
“Didn’t I?” He was enjoying this game.
“You and she were involved?”
“I don’t know if I’d say we were involved, exactly.” Hawk knew his short answers were annoying Claire and wondered how long it would take her before she got to the point.
“But you were lovers. Right? I could tell that from the way she greeted you.”
Hawk raised an eyebrow questioningly. “What do you want me to say? Yes. We were lovers, but we were never involved in anything more serious than a few brief encounters.”
Claire was silent for a moment, but Hawk knew she wasn’t finished. “She knows you pretty well, though.”
“Yes. I’d say that was a pretty accurate statement. We’ve been friends for a long time.”
“What did she mean by that comment about you not drinking beer or wine?” Hawk reached out to turn off the radio, which had been a low background hum to the conversation, because he didn’t want any distractions for this conversation.
“Gia told me you asked her.” Hawk speared her with a brief look before returning his attention to the road. “You should have come to me first if you had any questions.”
He heard her give a low huff of frustration. “Probably. But I’m asking you now. Are you going to answer?”
Hawk considered his next words carefully. “I’m an alcoholic. I’ve been sober a long time, and I intend to stay that way, but I don’t deny the fact that at one time, I let alcohol have way too much control over my life.”
He waited tensely for her response. It came quickly, as her hand reached out to rest on his knee and give it a light squeeze of support. “That’s so great that you were able to overcome such a self-destructive addiction. I know it had to be hard.”
He let out a relieved breath, not even realizing he’d been holding it. “It wasn’t easy. I had help from some good friends, or I never would’ve been able to do it.”
“What made you start? The drinking I mean. Was it when you were turned?” Hawk didn’t normally like to talk about that time in his life, but he figured it was only natural that she should want to know.
“No. Way before that. I started drinking after my family died. It was difficult. Not only my wife and child but most of my village was killed by the smallpox that ravaged our home. Almost everyone I had known was gone. The rest were fragmented, spread out. My whole life was gone, and I just crumbled. A group of trappers had come through our village the month before. Several of the villagers had traded for bottles of whiskey. I hunted until I’d found every bottle, and then I went on a week-long drunk.”
“Oh, Hawk.” Her voice was a comfort to him, and he reached down to cover the hand that lay on his knee.
“The whiskey numbed the pain. After I’d drunk all I could find in our village, I left. I didn’t care about anything or anyone else. Just where I could get my hands on the next drink. I became the stereotypical drunk Indian. I don’t know how long I lived like that. I stumbled my way from town to town, begging or stealing whiskey wherever I could find it. I honestly did not care if I lived or died.”
“How did you get sober?”
He smiled, remembering his savior. “An angel rescued me.”
Claire’s voice held shocked disbelief. “An angel?”
He nodded. “A five-year-old, blonde-haired, blue-eyed angel named Amanda Rose Hankins.”
He heard Claire laugh. “A little girl?”
“Yep.”
“How did a five-year-old girl save you?” He could tell she was intrigued.
“Well, it all started with a sweetheart of a child who snuck out of her house because she knew that there were kittens in the stable.” As Claire listened raptly to his story, Hawk was taken back to that night that had changed his life.
It was in a small town called Danielsville that Hawk had met the little girl who had saved him. He’d been sleeping off another drunk, propped up in a corner of the stable. At first, the noises that he heard seemed to be part of the dream he’d been having, but after a while, he’d woken up enough to realize that it wasn’t a dream.
One of the stallions was kicking up a fuss in his stall. He sounded extremely agitated, snorting and stomping his hooves repeatedly. Then Hawk had heard the high-pitched scream. It had pierced right through any remaining alcoholic haze. His first thought was of his daughter. “Inola,” he’d whispered, and then he’d started rushing toward the stall. The door was half opened, and when he looked inside, he saw the little girl plastered against the far corner, screaming and crying in fear. The stallion looked half crazed, his eyes rolling in his head, and Hawk feared that those stomping hooves would soon strike the child.
In his village, he’d been well known as one who had a kindred spirit with the horses. He prayed that he still had the same touch as he approached the angry beast. He began a soft whispering stream of nonsense words, moving slowly closer and closer to the horse, who began to slowly calm. The girl’s screams ceased as if she, too, was mesmerized by his voice.
Finally, he was able to pick up the child and get her out of the stall. Her parents met him at the door. The mother had snatched the child from his arms and clutched her tightly to her breast, while the man had stood looking at Hawk. When their eyes had met, Hawk had seen the tears of relief. “Thank you. My God. You saved her.” He held out his hand and, for a moment, Hawk was unsure what the man had wanted. Then he recalled how the trappers and hunters who came through the village would offer their hands in friendship. A white man’s custom.
No one had offered Hawk such a greeting since before his family had died. Slowly he’d reached out to clasp hands with the man whose child he had just saved.
“That’s when you quit drinking?” Claire’s voice recalled him to the present.
“Yes. The man and his wife, Cliff and Norah Hankins, offered me a job. They owned the stable and needed someone who was good with the horses to help out.”
“They wanted to repay you for what you’d done for them.” Claire’s voice rang with approval.
“Yes. But they made it clear that if I wanted to stay, the drinking had to stop. They offered me a place in the loft to sleep, three square meals a day, and a few dollars of spending money.”
“They offered you mo
re than that,” Claire spoke confidently.
He nodded. “Yes, they did. They offered me friendship.”
Claire smiled gently. “And love. They offered you love.”
Chapter Eleven
By the time they reached Grenada, Claire was more than ready to get out of the vehicle and plant her butt somewhere that wasn’t moving. It felt like they had been traveling constantly for the past couple of nights, and they just about had. Dawn was fast approaching as they pulled into the hotel that Kirby had arranged for them to stay at. Hawk registered quickly, and they grabbed their overnight bags and computers and took the elevator up to their suite.
Hawk’s phone rang as they were unpacking, and when he answered it, Claire grabbed her pajamas and toiletries and headed to the shower. The hot water felt wonderful, and Claire stood under the showerhead and just let the heat cascade over her for several minutes. When she turned to reach for the soap, the curtain was suddenly pushed aside and a very large, very naked vampire stepped in and crowded her against the far wall.
“What are you doing?” she gasped as Hawk’s hands reached out to pull her against him.
“I thought we’d shower together. You know, save water.” His eyes gleamed down at hers a second before his mouth took hers in a hungry kiss. Claire closed her eyes and gave herself up to the moment, feeling his hard body plastered against her, his erection a firm reminder of his fierce masculine power.
She slid her hands up around his shoulders to encircle his neck and release his long hair from where he’d tied it back from his face. She tangled her hands in the thick mass, loving the silky feel of it against her skin. He backed her up until she was up against the shower wall and spun her around. Taking her hands in his, he placed them on either side of her head and murmured, “Keep them there,” in her ear.
She saw him pick up the soap and squirt some into his palm, and then his hands were on her, soaping her skin up and sliding silkily all over her most intimate areas. He lingered on her breasts, pulling her back against him and cupping his hands underneath each mound and massaging them over and over. He tweaked the nipples, and Claire pressed herself against him in heated response.
“You like that, don’t you, sweetheart?” she heard him ask as he continued to stroke and caress her, stoking her arousal higher and higher. She could feel herself getting wet with excitement, her body eager to experience again the intense pleasure that only he could give it. When she felt one of his hands leave her breast, she moaned in protest. In response, he took her earlobe in between his teeth and bored down gently, not enough to break the skin but enough to bring an edge of pain to her arousal. She recognized it as a warning to remember who was in control.
Then his soapy hand slid between her legs, exploring her moist pussy and delving into her feminine channel, which clutched at him eagerly. Again and again, his fingers slid into her as he pressed his cock hard against her back in a regular rhythm. She reached down and covered his fingers with her own, pressing him deeper as she felt her orgasm approach. His wicked chuckle teased against her neck as he kissed his way down the long line of her throat, his fingers stilling. “I thought I told you to keep those hands on the wall.”
Claire groaned but released him and returned her hands to their former position.
“Good girl.” She could hear his pleasure at her immediate obedience, and it made her even more excited.
“God, Hawk. I need to come.”
“Do you, baby?” His finger encircled her clit in a teasing stroke. She wiggled and pressed her hips forward into the motion. “Yes. I believe you do. But what do I get if I let you come?”
She gasped as he took her clit between his fingers and squeezed lightly. “Anything. Anything you want.”
“Do you really mean that, Claire?”
“Yes. Yes, whatever you want. Just please let me come.”
“Then come for me. Come now.” His fingers twisted up into her, and his thumb pressed hard against her clit, and she went soaring into her climax, screaming out his name as she came. She was panting a few minutes later, her body slumped against the wall. The only thing holding her upright was Hawk’s arm around her waist, molding her back to his chest. His voice was a soothing murmur, and his hand petted her as the last pulses of her orgasm began to fade.
“That’s my baby. That’s it, sweetheart.”
She finally got breath enough to say, “God, Hawk. That was…”
“Shh. You don’t have to talk. Save your energy. We’re not finished yet.” His gruff command sent another wave of heat bursting through her. How was it possible that he did this to her? No one had ever turned her into this crazed sexual creature. No one had until Hawk. But as soon as he touched her, as soon as he whispered a command in her ear, she was his.
Hawk’s hands soothed over her heated flesh, the cooling water from the shower making her shiver. He reached down to turn the knob off but continued to caress her back and shoulders, dropping light kisses onto her tender skin. His hands cupped the cheeks of her buttocks, pulling them apart and squeezing them in a large circular pattern. She felt one finger probing against her anal opening and automatically clenched her butt cheeks together to guard that forbidden spot.
“Relax, baby. I’m not going to fuck you here tonight. But I will fuck your ass. Count on it. Right now, I just want to play a little bit.”
She bit her lip and cast a glance at him over her shoulder. “I’ve never…”
“I know. I promise, you will love it when it happens. But this is just to loosen you up, to get you ready for me. Okay?”
Allowing the steady murmur of his words to soothe her, she relaxed and let him have his way. She felt his finger touching her again, pressing against her until it breached the opening. She jerked slightly, but he calmed her with a muttered word. He eased in a bit more, moving his finger in and out in a circular, screwing motion. With each thrust, his finger went deeper, until she could tell that he’d pushed as far in as he could. Then a second finger joined the first, and she felt a slight burning discomfort, but it was overshadowed by a dark surge of pleasure as Hawk penetrated her boldly.
He fucked her ass with his fingers, pumping faster and faster. His other hand moved down to cover her pussy, his finger stroking over her clit in conjunction with the steady rhythm in her ass. He scissored his fingers in her back channel, twisting them back and forth.
“How does that feel?” He breathed into her ear.
“I don’t know. I don’t know.” Her own gasping response was a dead giveaway. She liked it, and he knew it. His fingers moved faster, both front and back.
“That’s it, sweetheart,” he whispered as she began arching back against him, forcing his fingers deeper and deeper. Then he pulled his fingers out of her and spun her around so quickly she didn’t quite realize what was happening. Lifting one of her legs to drape over his arm, he slid his cock inside her pussy with a hard thrust that drew a sharp moan from her.
Then he was fucking her hard, pounding into her, giving her no quarter. The hard wall of the shower was at her back, and Hawk covered her front. Her pussy was a greedy beast, grasping at his cock each time it was pulled from her only to be thrust back in again.
She looped her arms around his neck, trying to get closer, to feel as much of him against her as she possibly could. Hawk’s breathing was a broken grunt in her ear as he continued to shaft her with unflagging energy and power. Pausing in his exertions, he grabbed her other leg and lifted her up, urging her legs around his hips and opening her wider for his possession.
“Fuck, you feel too damn good, Claire. I won’t last much longer.” Hawk’s voice was a tight band of steel on the edge of breaking. “I want you to come for me again, Claire.”
“Yes, Hawk. Soon. I’m almost there.” She could feel herself climbing higher and higher, her body reaching for that ultimate peak, straining for it with every thrust of Hawk’s hips against hers. Her nipples were crushed against his chest, their sensitive tips aching from the r
ough contact.
Without warning, Hawk bent to her neck, and she felt his fangs penetrate deep into her skin and drink. She came. Immediately, she heard his own shout of completion echo around the small confines of the bathroom. She felt the stroke of his tongue across her neck and realized that he was closing the wound. Dazedly she was aware of him toweling them both off and then lifting her to carry her into the bedroom. He placed her into the bed before moving off. She forced her eyelids open and saw that he was making sure the window was completely covered. Then he was sliding into the bed beside her and pulling her close against him.
She wanted to say something to him, but she was just too tired and could feel the pull of sleep dragging her down. With her last conscious thought, she felt the light brush of Hawk’s lips across her brow. And then she knew no more.
* * * *
Hawk was dreaming. After the exertion of the lovemaking he’d experienced with Claire earlier, he’d expected to sleep heavily and dreamlessly until dusk. So he was startled almost into wakefulness by the exquisite feel of a soft hand moving over his chest, moving so possessively and so carefully that he felt it to the tips of his toes. No woman had ever made him feel such intensity, no one except Claire. Even in his dreams, he recognized her touch. Slender fingers stroked across his nipples, teasing them into tight points. Then he felt the wet heat as his dream lover lazily tasted his skin, licking circles around each hardened tip and driving him to a fever pitch of need.
She ran her fingers down his chest to his navel, tracing random patterns against his skin and lighting a fire in him that he wasn’t sure he was going to be able to control. Her mouth moved to his neglected nipple, taking it between her sharp little teeth and nipping lightly, tormenting him with each tug. Fingernails scraped over his skin, the movement jerking him into wakefulness.
His hand reached down to entangle in her hair, and Claire raised her eyes to stare into his. “What are you doing, sweetheart?” he asked.
