Up in Flames

by Trista Ann Michaels

  Taron leaned in and murmured, “Hands off.”

  Alex’s scowl deepened. “I pity the poor man that’s dumb enough to fall in love with her with you two SOBs as his in-laws.”

  Taron chuckled.

  “What’s so funny?” Sidious asked as he opened the door and ushered them outside.

  Taron strolled out first and smiled at Sidious as he passed. “I was just thinking how much the boy is like you.”

  “Boy?” Alex snapped.

  Sidious’s lips twitched as he let the door shut behind him and followed the other two to the ship. “You’re still in your thirties. At our age, you are a boy.”

  * * * *

  Cara sat on the weight bench, watching Hayden just a few feet away. He was…shirtless, restacking weights. She couldn’t seem to take her eyes off his shoulders as he moved. They flexed and bunched with every weight he pushed back into its slot.

  She swallowed as memories from the night before made every inch of her flesh tingle. The way he felt inside her. The way he kissed her, touched her body, and made her want things she never… Their eyes met in the mirror, and Cara’s breath caught. He’d been avoiding touching her all afternoon, to the point she was ready to jump out of her skin.

  She had gotten to know him, recognized the heat in his eyes for what it was. She knew he wanted her, but he held himself back. Why?

  Letting out a deep sigh, Cara stood and began walking toward the stairs. If he wanted to be stubborn, then so could she. As she walked past him, his hand snaked out and grabbed her wrist.

  She stopped and glanced at him over her shoulder. The hungry look on his face made her gasp.

  “I’m tired of fighting this,” he murmured.

  Cara started to say something but was cut off when he jerked her toward him and lowered his mouth to hers. She landed against his chest and gripped his upper arms. She held tight as his mouth plundered hers, leaving her literally weak in the knees.

  It wasn’t gentle at all. It was hard, aggressive, and so hot Cara wanted to purr in contentment. She loved this side of Hayden—this raw, alpha, extremely sexy side.

  He jerked her top over her head, exposing her aching breasts to his hands. Practically bending her backward, he covered one breast with his mouth and bit down delectably on her nipple. Cara moaned and buried her fingers in his hair, trying to tug him closer. He swiped his tongue over her engorged nub, making her shudder in delight. When he sucked the tip of her breast farther into his mouth, she yelped in pleasure.

  She’d been aroused all day. Now her body was screaming to have him buried inside her.

  “Hayden,” she whispered and began to tug at his pants.

  They both shoved them down, then removed hers. Before she could even draw in a deep breath at the sight of Hayden naked, he pushed her against the wall and landed a kiss on her lips that had her squirming.

  There were no gentle touches. No sweet kisses. There was only deep-seated need as Hayden settled the head of his cock at her entrance and thrust forward. Cara squealed as his thick girth stretched her walls, filling her so full she shouted in pleasure. There hadn’t been any pain this time, no sharp prick, no burning in her walls, just a desire to feel him moving inside her.

  “Hayden,” she groaned as he rotated his hips and pressed in even deeper.

  Cara gripped his strong shoulders, holding tight as he forced her body to take even more of him. She never imagined being joined together with another human being would feel this good or that it would tie her so much closer to him emotionally. Every time he touched her, she could feel herself losing a little more of her heart to him. Was this what it felt like to love someone? Was this what her father had with her mother?

  Hayden cupped her breasts and squeezed them in his palms. He pinched her nipples hard before rolling them between his thumbs and forefingers, tormenting her with little bites of pain that sent her lust careening over the edge.

  “Hayden,” she screamed as her body erupted into pulsating waves of bliss. “Don’t stop. Please don’t…”

  “Don’t stop?” he purred, then did exactly that. “You mean like this?”

  “Damn you,” she growled.

  Hayden chuckled and bit her earlobe. Cara sucked in a breath and tried to move her hips. She found out quick that he would have none of that. He lowered his hands and gripped her hips, holding her still.

  “You realize I can make you move,” she whispered.

  Hayden lifted his head and grinned at her. “You’ll get it when I’m good and ready to give it to you, and not before. I suggest you remember that.”

  Cara’s whole body ignited in a wave of heat. What was it about the way he said things during sex that made her so hot?

  “I feel like I’m on fire,” she sighed. “Please, Hayden.”

  He pressed forward slowly, filling her inch by glorious inch.

  “Faster?” he asked softly.

  “Yes.”

  He moved faster, but it still wasn’t enough. She wanted it hard, deep, forceful. She wanted it rough.

  “Say it, Cara. Tell me what you want.”

  “I want you…I want you to fuck me hard. Rough.”

  He pounded into her, giving her exactly what she wanted. Several seconds later, when Cara thought she couldn’t possibly take any more, she screamed as her release barreled through her, sending shock waves of pleasure straight to her womb.

  Hayden found his own release deep inside her. She felt his pulse against her walls and marveled at how their hearts seemed to beat in rhythm. It was so odd, yet so perfect.

  He sighed and rained soft kisses along her jaw and neck. She moaned at the feel of his soft lips against her skin.

  “Can we do that again?” she asked.

  Hayden chuckled. “I may need a few minutes first.”

  She moaned and wiggled her hips. “Why?”

  He smiled down at her and brushed his thumb over her bottom lip. She wanted nothing more than to melt into his arms and stay there forever.

  “You are so adorably clueless,” he murmured.

  “Is that a bad thing?”

  She bit at her bottom lip. Hayden used his thumb to tug her lip away from her teeth. He placed a soft kiss against it, making her sigh.

  “No,” he whispered. “Not bad at all.”

  He kissed her on the forehead. “Let’s get dressed and go eat lunch before Beena starts searching for us. After that, we’ll spend the rest of the day doing whatever you want.”

  She smiled. “I already know what I want.”

  “Me too,” he purred, then bit her chin.

  Cara giggled, then whined slightly as he pulled from her body, allowing her to put her feet on the floor. He swatted her behind. The sound of his palm hitting her flesh echoed through the room, and she gasped in surprise, both at the loud sound and the heat of awareness it sent snaking up her spine.

  She rubbed at the sore spot as she glanced at Hayden through her lashes. Would he do that again if she asked him? It had stung but at the same time sent a wave of desire traveling through her belly. Was it supposed to do that? If men enjoyed spanking, did women?

  “Stop looking at me like that before I give you another smack on the ass,” Hayden drawled.

  She smiled and took the clothes he handed her. They quickly dressed before heading up the stairs that led to the den on the main level. Hayden opened the door and turned to smile down at her as he stepped through it.

  A loud pop sounded, then a groan from Hayden as he was thrown across the room, landing in a heap against the wall a few feet away. Blood soaked his chest, and Cara screamed at the pain that raced through hers.

  “Hayden!”

  Chapter Thirteen

  “You will come with us, Cara,” a deep voice she recognized as Comune’s called from the den.

  Cara’s eyes narrowed at the sound of the older Mundi’s voice. He was one of the Mundi who’d trained her and the one responsible for the majority of her broken bones. For a man who felt nothing
, his brutality was often shocking.

  She tamped down the pain of losing Hayden. Nothing had ever hurt so badly in her life, but she forced herself to go numb, to feel nothing. “I will not,” she snarled through her teeth.

  She climbed the rest of the stairs and turned to face Comune and fourteen other Mundi, all there to take her back against her will. Squaring her shoulders, she stared Comune down, silently daring him to try.

  “You have no choice, Cara. You serve the Order.”

  “I serve no one. Not anymore.”

  Typical of an emotionless Mundi, Comune showed no surprise, no anger, nothing at her refusal. Had she really been that cold? No wonder her father called her a stone. Keeping her eyes on Comune, she slowly walked toward Hayden. Kneeling by his side, she fought the despair that threatened to take over her mind. Her lip began to tremble, and she drew in a deep, calming breath.

  Don’t let them see. You can’t let them see you cry.

  “We have orders to take you by force if we must.”

  “I dare you to try,” Cara growled.

  “Your emotions weaken you, Cara,” Comune said calmly. “I can see his injuries upset you. He can be used to force you to do our bidding. This is why we don’t feel. So we’re not taken advantage of, weakened.”

  In a fit of anger, she screamed and raised her hand palm out. Comune went flying across the room and landed against the stone of the fireplace with a grunt of pain.

  “You will not touch him!” she shouted.

  Comune stood slowly, wobbling slightly from the force of his body hitting the wall. She’d only thrown him as a warning. She could’ve thrown him through the wall but had restrained herself for now. If they continued to push her, they would see the full extent of her capability firsthand.

  These emotions didn’t weaken her. They terrified her.

  “Finish him,” Comune said.

  Cara again raised her hand and threw the three men who approached her out the large plate-glass window that overlooked the terrace. Three others came forward, and she moved her palm toward them, forcing them across the room and through the wall.

  Two lay motionless. Shards of wood protruded from their chests, and blood covered their shirts. Comune raised his blaster, but Cara knocked it from his hand, sending it flying across the room. Using her mind, she lifted him off the floor and slung him against the wall.

  She held him there, choking him. As her anger grew, her mental grip on his throat tightened. His face turned red, but no fear shone in his eyes as he struggled. He was a true Mundi. He felt nothing.

  Cara let him drop to the floor as four others attacked her. Reaching out with her hand, she mentally pulled the fireplace poker toward her. She wrapped her fingers around it and thrust outward toward the first Mundi to get to her, forcing the poker deep into his chest. Blood spurted out and covered her hand and arm. She ignored it, shoving the horror she felt at her actions to the back of her mind as she pulled the poker from the man’s chest.

  He fell to the ground motionless. Cara gripped the poker like a baseball bat. With a growl of anger, she swung, catching the next Mundi across the face, sending him back several feet, where he fell to the floor, lifeless.

  She quickly scanned the remaining men’s belts, looking for more blasters. Very few Mundi carried them. They preferred hand to hand. Looked as though Comune had been the only one.

  “Come on, you son of a bitch,” she snarled as another approached.

  Cara raised her hand and sent him flying through the patio doors. A large piece of glass lodged in his neck. Blood soaked the terrace as his body jerked and heaved one final breath.

  Cara turned to face the next set to approach. They wouldn’t give in. Mundi never did. They didn’t feel fear, so why would they? They were sent to do the elder’s bidding, and they would succeed or die trying.

  * * * *

  Sidious secured the small shuttle craft into place at the far side of his private hangar on Daego, which was attached to the lake house by an underground tunnel. Alex paced restlessly behind them. The closer they’d gotten to Daego, the more agitated Alex appeared.

  Sidious liked Alex, but right now, all that pacing was about to get on his last nerve. “Alex, if you don’t stop, I’m going to cut your legs off at the knees.”

  Alex snorted before shooting him a look of censure that Sidious could see clearly in the reflection of the front glass. Sidious turned the chair and stared at him. “What’s going on with you?”

  Alex frowned. “Something’s wrong.”

  Taron turned his chair as well and nodded. “I feel it too. Did you check the security system for the lake house?”

  “Yeah,” Sidious replied. “It’s armed. Nothing seems out of place.”

  “Yet something is out of place,” Taron mumbled.

  Marcone caught sight of Beena entering the hangar through the underground tunnel. She looked pale and scared. She leaned against the wall, trying to catch her breath.

  “Shit,” Sidious said as he pushed out of his chair.

  “What?”

  Taron turned to look as well before quickly shoving past Sidious to get out the door. Taron and Sidious both rushed toward Beena, Alex close behind.

  “Beena,” Marcone said as he grabbed Beena’s arms, helping her to straighten.

  “It’s Hayden,” she panted. “He’s in trouble.”

  “How many?” Sidious asked, knowing instinctively the Mundi were here.

  “Too many,” she sobbed. “And she’s fighting them alone.”

  “Cara,” Alex said just before taking off down the tunnel.

  “Alex,” Taron yelled as he reached out and gripped his arm, stopping him dead in his tracks.

  Alex turned and snarled at Taron. “The Mundi will kill Hayden and take Cara with them back to Bellara!”

  “We know that!” Sidious snapped, trying to keep the worry for his son from having him make a stupid mistake. “We can’t just rush in there, Alex.” He turned to Beena. “You stay here.”

  Beena nodded, and Sidious curled his finger, indicating Alex and Taron should follow him. “This way. We’ll sneak in through a private entrance.”

  * * * *

  Cara stared in shock at the dead bodies littered around the room. She felt numb inside, dead. She dropped to her knees and locked her gaze on the bloody wall a few feet in front of her. She’d lost Hayden. Her whole world felt as though it was ripping apart, and all she could do was stare straight ahead.

  “Hayden,” she whispered to herself.

  She would give anything to hear his voice again. Pain unlike anything she’d ever felt ripped through her gut, making it hard for her to breathe. Her hands began to shake as fear tightened its hold around her heart. She was terrified. How could this much emotion, this strong of an emotion, be good?

  “My God.”

  Cara glanced over toward the doorway to the den and saw a man who looked so much like Hayden. He was tall with long white hair and gray eyes. He was broad shouldered and carried himself with a grace and purpose that spoke of years of being in charge. He had to be Hayden’s father.

  He rushed toward Hayden, who still slumped against the wall.

  “He’s dead,” she whispered.

  “No, he’s not,” the man replied. “Taron, get me Hayden’s medical bag. He keeps it in his bedroom.”

  Cara didn’t even look to see the man run from the room. Her heart still ached from what she’d done. Her emotions were still so jumbled, so raw she could hardly breathe. She’d killed them all. Blood was everywhere—on the walls, on her. She raised a shaking hand and tried to wipe some away, but it had dried to her skin. With a whimper, she rubbed harder, scratching her flesh. She had to get it off.

  “Cara?”

  Alex’s soft voice caught her attention, but she couldn’t look at him as he sank to his knees in front of her. He cupped her face and forced her to meet his concerned stare. Tears streamed down her face, and nausea rolled through her stomach at her actions. />
  “How’s Hayden?” Alex asked as he continued to stare with concern into Cara’s eyes.

  The man who’d left the room earlier rushed back in, carrying Hayden’s bag. “He should be fine,” his father replied.

  “Can you fix him?” Alex asked as he finally turned his stare from Cara and back to the man kneeling by Hayden.

  “I was trained as a medic when I was in the militia. I should be able to fix this.”

  “He’s going to be okay?” Cara asked softly.

  Alex turned back to look at her. “Yes, Cara. What happened here?”

  She pulled from his hands and looked around the room. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I thought they’d killed Hayden. I wanted them to pay.” She still felt numb—cold. “What happened to me?” she whispered.

  * * * *

  Alex leaned his hip on Sidious’s desk as Taron paced back and forth across the room. Sidious sat in the chair, still watching the camera footage from Cara’s fight. Alex had watched a few minutes of it. He’d seen Cara fight before, but this was different. It was angry and vengeful. It wasn’t Cara.

  “I’ve never seen anyone fight like this,” Sidious said as he stared at the computer screen and the footage of what had happened. “The woman doesn’t need a weapon. She is one. It’s no wonder they want her back. Where is she?”

  “She’s, ah, on the terrace,” Alex said.

  Alex walked toward the window and glanced out. Cara still stood at the rock wall, staring out over the lake. Right where he’d left her twenty minutes ago. She’d said she needed a few moments alone. Alex had thought she would be by Hayden’s side, but once she found out that he was okay, she put him from her mind. Or at least it appeared to Alex that she had. It was as though she was reverting back to her old self, and he hated to see her do it.

  “What’s wrong with her?” Taron asked.

  “I’m not sure,” Alex replied. “Hayden said she’d lost the ability to control her emotions.”

  Sidious tapped the computer screen. “That’s obvious. She feels, and she just killed about fifteen Mundi. She’s probably trying to figure out how to cope with it.”