by Scarlet Day
Mark wasn’t the only one stalking her and casing the casa. Claire turned her focus up the street, toward the other figure watching the house. Atticus leaned against a light post, openly staring at the house. He apparently had no qualms about being obvious. She wondered what Mark thought about his competition, since she was certain someone with Mark’s lethal skills would have noticed there was more than one hunter targeting the house.
Christian had tried, so far unsuccessfully, to contact a light reaper. So Claire knew that if her plan failed, her soul would be in the hands of Atticus and his master. She really didn’t want to think about what that would mean. She had spent the last four years in captivity, tortured and abused. She didn’t relish the thought of her soul enduring even worse treatment for an untold amount of time. But considering the payoff if her plan worked, it was a risk she was willing to take.
Those same years of abuse had been a time when she hadn’t had control over her own destiny, always being told what to do and how to act. Even though Christian and Stefan truly had her best interests at heart, Claire was tired of her fate being decided for her. She was calling her own shots now. And she would face whatever consequences her decisions might bring.
Warm hands wrapped around her from behind and she leaned backward, dropping the curtain and pressing herself into Christian’s body. She could tell the difference between the brothers, even with her eyes closed. Christian’s unique scent was all cinnamon and clove, while Stefan reminded her of salty ocean spray. She thought it suited their personalities. Where Stefan was more carefree and impulsive, Christian often seemed brooding and mysterious. It was an exciting combination.
Christian nuzzled her neck. “The last guests just left. We’re all set.”
Claire nodded. It had taken the last couple of days to vacate the bed-and-breakfast and cancel pending reservations. She shuddered, despite her absolute determination to see this through to the end, whatever that end may bring.
“Hey.” Christian turned her around and cupped her face in his hands. “It’s going to be okay. I promise not to let anything bad happen to you.”
Claire stared into his earnest gaze, hating herself for lying to him. “I know you won’t.” She smoothed her hands over his wide chest. “Where’s Stefan?”
“Outside, watching Morgan.”
Anticipation gnawed at Claire’s stomach. “I can’t believe this is happening tonight.”
Christian pulled her toward him and wrapped her in his arms. “Tomorrow it will all be over.”
Tomorrow. One way or the other, it would be over by tomorrow. Claire rested her cheek against his chest. “Do you think he knows I’m in here?”
“I do. He’s entirely too focused on the casa to think otherwise. He’s talked to enough people in town to know you’ve been seen frequently with Stefan and me. I think he’s just waiting for his opportunity.”
Claire nodded. Mark would get that opportunity tonight. It was going to be handed to him all tied up in a neat little bow. “Do you think he’ll suspect a trap?”
Christian hesitated before answering. “Maybe. Considering his profession, probably. But men like him have an arrogance concerning their abilities. I think he’ll know he’s walking into a trap, but I also think he’ll be confident enough to think he can accomplish his goal and get out before the trap is sprung.”
Claire closed her eyes and concentrated on Christian’s breathing and his strong heart. The thought of what she was going to go through tonight, of what she would likely endure at Mark’s hands, unnerved her. It was comforting to listen to the beat of Christian’s heart, steady and sure. Christian put his hand under her chin and lifted her face to his. The fierceness in his eyes almost took her breath away.
“I love you, Claire. I never thought I’d fall in love.” He chuckled. “Hell, I never thought I’d even give myself the opportunity. When we get through this, I’d be honored if you’d take my family name.”
The declaration rocked Claire to her core. Her heart practically sang with happiness while her conscience cried out in agony. She was going to lie to him, betray his trust, and risk her future with him. But at least she would let him know how she felt first.
“I love you, too, Christian. And nothing would make me happier than to share your name.” It was the truth. She would be taking a lot of chances tonight. She would just have to take the chance that his offer would still stand after she carried out her plan, assuming she survived.
Christian lowered his head and captured her mouth in a searing kiss. His lips branded hers with all the fierceness she had seen in his eyes just moments before. She surrendered completely to him, parting her lips and allowing him to explore her mouth. His taste drove her to incoherency and lit a fire inside her that burned through her body with a raging intensity.
Christian broke the kiss. “I need you, Claire.” His voice reflected the raw desire she saw in his eyes.
“Yes, Christian, please…” She might be about to go against his plans, but she couldn’t deny him her body. Nor did she want to.
She threw her head back as he blazed a trail of hot kisses along her jaw and down her neck. His hands moved to the waistband of her shorts and he wrenched them down over her hips. She tore at the buttons on his shirt, wanting the material off so she could feel his skin against hers. She knew this would not be slow and gentle. Their passion ran too hot, the fire consumed them too fast. He shoved her shorts and panties to her knees and she wiggled them the rest of the way off. He shoved her shirt up over her head and tossed it aside, then disposed of her bra just as quickly.
Her hands skimmed down his toned abdomen and went to the front of his jeans. She popped the button and then unzipped them. Her impatience growing by the second, she pushed the jeans down, freeing his erect cock. Christian groaned and closed his eyes as she took his thick length in her hand. She dropped to her knees and gripped his heavy cock in her hand, rubbing her thumb over the silky head and smearing the pre-cum already shimmering along the slit. Christian groaned again and entwined his fingers into her hair. She leaned forward and licked his swollen head, the salty liquid coating her tongue.
Christian hissed. “Gods, yes, baby.”
He tightened his fingers in her hair and pulled her forward. She willingly leaned into him and wrapped her lips around his cock. The velvety shaft slid into her mouth and filled her up with his heady scent. His breathing became harder as she worked him, sliding her tongue along his length and pumping the base with her hand.
She felt his whole body tremble and knew he was close, but he pulled out of her mouth before he spilled his seed. He pulled her up off her knees and then grabbed her by the waist and picked her up. She wrapped her legs around him and he walked with her around the couch. He perched her ass on the back of the sofa. It was the perfect height. She gripped his shoulders as he raised her up and then plunged her down onto his wet cock. His full length slid into her easily, her pussy already wet and aching for him. With her legs wrapped around his waist, her ass supported on the sofa, and her hands tightly gripping his shoulders, Christian was free to hold her hips and slam into her, again and again.
He gave her no mercy and she asked for none. She wanted everything he could give her and more. If things ended badly tonight, and they could, at least they would have shared this before it ended.
Christian plunged into her and withdrew, hitting her clit every time his pelvis slammed back into her pussy. She cried out with every thrust and felt herself hurtling toward the brink. She balanced on a knife’s edge, ready to topple. With one final thrust, Christian gyrated his hips against her and ground against her clit.
She threw her head back and light shattered behind her eyelids, exploding into a million pinpoints of energy. Christian’s cry matched hers and he jerked inside of her again and again as her walls clamped down on him.
They both breathed heavily as they came down from their fast and furious joining. She leaned her head against his shoulder while they recovered and
he wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her tight to his chest.
Regaining her breath and able to speak again, Claire tilted her head up and cupped Christian’s cheek in her hand. “I want more than anything to spend eternity with you and Stefan. Whatever happens tonight, please know that.”
The door to the bedroom opened and Claire turned to see Stefan walk in. “Damn, why wasn’t I invited?” His grin told her he wasn’t upset to find her and Christian together. Hell, over the last two days Stefan had cornered her alone enough times, in the shower, in the kitchen pantry, and over the back of the armchair in his own bedroom, among other places. Claire had learned quickly that being confined to the casa with Christian and Stefan had its advantages.
Stefan joined them at the couch and ran his hand over Claire’s ass and up her back. His touch sent tingles up her spine and her pussy clenched with renewed anticipation. Stefan chuckled and nuzzled her neck. He pulled back and looked into her eyes. Even though he wore a lighthearted expression, Claire recognized worry in his eyes. “I’d love to comply, honey, but the cab will be here in ten minutes. As much as I like to look at your bare ass, you had better get dressed.”
Claire’s gut clenched with dread. For better or worse, she was out of time. She just hoped that after tonight, she would have an eternity, instead.
Chapter Nineteen
The evening sun disappeared behind the casa just as the cab pulled up in front. The fading light cast long shadows that reached out into the street and darkened the sidewalk in front of the house. Stefan let Christian slide into the back of the vehicle before he turned around and grabbed Claire around the waist. There was no hiding now. Morgan was still down the street, sitting on his bench and watching the scene unfold. Atticus stood across the street, waiting for his chance to redeem a soul for his master. Stefan prayed to every deity he could think of that neither of them would get what they sought.
He leaned his lips close to Claire’s ear. “Remember, ten minutes. Go inside, lock the door and we’ll circle around and be back in exactly ten minutes.”
Claire nodded. “I love you, Stefan.”
Stefan’s heart broke and sang in the same instant. He loved this woman so much. But leaving her for even ten short minutes, long enough for Morgan to break into the house so they could trap him there, was killing Stefan and taking every ounce of willpower he possessed. He still hated this plan. He had wanted to continue to track Morgan at night or just damn the consequences and put a bullet in his head during the middle of the day. But Stefan had been outvoted by Christian and Claire. And he was learning very quickly that, at least in many regards, Claire had more votes in this relationship than he and his brother combined.
He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, not caring that Morgan would see. Hell, if anything, it would drive Morgan crazy and ensure that he would walk into their trap, even if he knew it was a trap.
Stefan released Claire, not wanting to let her go but knowing he had no choice, and then slid into the cab next to Christian. Stefan could have sworn he had left pieces of his heart and soul standing on the sidewalk. He closed the door and turned his head to watch Claire as the cab pulled away from the curb. She held up her hand with a small wave and then walked back into the casa’s courtyard, closing the heavy gate behind her.
Stefan glanced back down the street to where Morgan sat. The man hadn’t made any moves yet. Just as the cab turned the corner, Stefan saw Morgan put his newspaper down. The cab finished the turn and buildings blocked Stefan’s view.
He looked down at his watch. Ten minutes. It felt as though it might as well be a lifetime. The cab drove down the street, but Stefan didn’t even see the buildings they passed. He focused on his watch. One minute. Two minutes. Claire should be upstairs by now, both the front door and Christian’s bedroom doors firmly locked behind her. Stefan knew it wouldn’t take long for a professional assassin to break in, but the locks on both sets of doors were robust enough to take him at least a few minutes. And Morgan would probably wait a couple of minutes before approaching the casa, just to make sure Christian and Stefan were really gone.
They turned another corner, weaving their way through tourists and locals who still strolled the streets or were on their way to dinner. Three minutes. Four minutes. Christian drummed his fingers on the seat next to Stefan, ratcheting up Stefan’s nerves another few notches.
A traffic light turned red and people flooded across the street in front of the car. It seemed to take forever for the light to turn green again. Five minutes. Six minutes. What if they had timed this wrong? What if it didn’t take Morgan as long to get into the house as they had anticipated?
The cab driver turned down the main street that ran along the bay front. Stefan barely noticed when they drove by the old Castillo de San Marco. Seven minutes. Eight minutes. God, they shouldn’t have left her alone. There had to have been another way to draw Morgan into a trap. Stefan should have just killed him on the sidewalk in front of tourists.
Nine minutes. The cab turned the last corner and drove back down their street. Stefan gripped the door handle and tensed, ready to bolt. The cab pulled up at the curb. Ten minutes.
Stefan didn’t even wait for the cab to come to a complete stop. He threw open the door and launched himself out of the car. The courtyard gate stood open. He raced through it, his eyes scanning the courtyard as he ran. The front door was closed. He reached for the handle. Unlocked. He darted inside and took the stairs three at a time. Christian’s bedroom door was open. He threw himself into the room, ready to kill. But the room was empty.
A panicked yell ripped from his throat. “Where the hell is she?”
“Oh, dear God.” Stefan spun at the sound of Christian’s stricken voice.
A note had been taped to the bedroom door. Stefan hadn’t even noticed it as he had sprinted into the room. Christian ripped the note off the door and then turned and raced back down the corridor. Stefan stayed on his heels as they practically flew down the staircase and then hurtled out the front door and through the courtyard. The cab driver hadn’t pulled away yet.
Christian yanked open the rear door and threw himself inside. “We need you to take us somewhere else. It’s an emergency.”
The cab driver shrugged. “Sure. Where you headin’?”
“The Fountain of Youth.” Christian glanced at Stefan and handed him the note he still clutched.
Stefan took the note and read it. His heart felt as though it sank into his gut with every word. Claire had changed the plan.
Chapter Twenty
Claire sat in the back of the cab, wringing her hands and hoping she hadn’t just signed her death sentence. She laughed nervously. What was she thinking? Of course she’d signed her own death sentence. That had been the whole point of this plan. It was the one way she could ensure that both she and Mark died tonight. She had needed to make sure that she put enough distance between her and the brothers to give Mark the few minutes it would take to kill her. She just hoped hers wasn’t a permanent death.
She turned and looked out the rear window of the cab. The black SUV, obviously a rental car, was still following behind them. She had seen Mark run to it when her cab had pulled away from the curb. Her stomach lurched at the thought of what was coming, but she’d set this plan in motion and would have to see it through.
As soon as she’d told Stefan and Christian good-bye and had gone back into the house, she’d raced upstairs. She had taped the note she’d written earlier to Christian’s bedroom door and then grabbed the small water bottle she had already prepared. By the time she had run back downstairs, the cab she’d reserved this morning waited for her at the curb. Mark stood several hundred yards down the sidewalk, waiting to see what was happening.
She fingered the small bottle that she’d stuffed in the front pocket of her baggy shorts, needing the reassurance that it was still there. Without it, this night would not turn out well.
“Miss?” The cab driver glanced back at her in t
he rearview mirror. “You know the Fountain of Youth is closed tonight, right?”
“Um, yeah. I know. But I’m meeting someone at the entrance. Just let me out up front.”
The cab driver shrugged. Claire glanced back behind them again. Mark’s black rental car was several cars behind them, but she could still see it. The cab turned right and then drove down the treelined street in front of the Fountain of Youth Archeological Park. Spanish moss hung from branches that arched across the expanse of the street. It created an eeriness that Claire thought was appropriate, considering the circumstances.
The car stopped at the front entrance to the park and Claire threw a twenty dollar bill at the driver, knowing that would be more than enough to cover the fare. She wrenched the car door open and hurled herself out of the vehicle. She needed a head start, since Mark could run faster than she could. The cab pulled away and she looked down the street. Mark’s SUV rounded the corner.
Claire ran to the wall to the right of the front gate. It wasn’t very high, just as she’d remembered from her trip here a few days ago. She could easily reach the top of the wall, but it was constructed out of oyster shells, with their sharp points and edges sticking out at all angles. She pulled herself up the wall, ignoring the pain from the bone in her left arm. The deep cuts on her arms and legs as the oyster shells dug into her exposed flesh were harder to ignore, but she gritted her teeth and muscled through the pain. Just as she hoisted herself up and over the wall, Mark’s headlights illuminated the night around her. She jumped down off the wall and pain shot up her right leg. Cringing and fighting back sobs, she really hoped Mark rotted in hell after tonight.
