by Aubrey Ross
She didn’t miss the dislike crackling in his tone. “You’re not a Burton fan, I take it?”
“That’s an understatement. They’re ruthless and arrogant. They act like the entire world is their due.”
“Is there any chance one of them lured Holly away from Aidan?”
His hood dropped to his shoulders and his gaze locked with hers. “I hadn’t thought of that. Holly was so insistent that she was trying to get out. I presumed she wouldn’t want another client.”
“It sounds like I need to have a chat with the Burton brothers.”
“You’ll never get past their security here, but at least one of them will be at the art show. They’re silent sponsors of Nicole Fierbrose.”
“Do they know about her previous vocation?”
“I’m pretty sure that’s how they met.”
“Then it’s possible they met Holly while she was still in San Francisco.”
He nodded, eyes narrowed and thoughtful. “It all fits together. I can’t believe I didn’t see it sooner.”
She smiled, yet speculation filled her mind. “I think you’re too close to the issue to see it clearly.” When he didn’t respond, she suggested, “Give me your phone number and I’ll let you know what I find out.”
Lark entered his number in her phone; then he headed for his car. His shoulders were slumped and he looked utterly defeated. She’d treated him like a criminal and he’d been nothing but helpful.
“Thank you,” she called out as her guilt mounted.
He waved his hand without turning around.
Chapter Two
Joseph Burton massaged his temples, waiting for the pain to recede. “He’s getting bolder.”
“We’ve been all but useless in dealing with this bastard.” Ryan’s tone was sharp and impatient. “Why shouldn’t he be bold?”
“What did you see?” Daniel asked. “Did you get a sense of his location?”
Blinking away the pain, Joseph looked at his brothers. Afternoon sunlight bathed the large country kitchen, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere. They were the day-dwelling set, even tempered and less inclined to impulsive reactions than their nocturnal twins.
“He was in the parking lot of an apartment complex,” Joseph said. “But I have no idea where the complex is located. I still have little control of what the visions reveal. It’s hard to master these skills when Torral is only available two hours a day.”
Torral was nocturnal and Joseph was a day-dweller, so they were only corporeal at the same time during transition. “Torral has been honing his skills for decades. This is all new to me.”
“Torral is convinced you’re going to be amazing.” Ryan offered an encouraging smile. As Torral’s day-dwelling twin, he knew Torral’s thoughts and feelings almost as well as his own. “Aidan knows Torral can track him. He’s not nearly as careful during the day.”
“What was Aidan doing?” Daniel refocused the conversation. “Is he staying in one of the apartments?”
“The tag I used is activated by a surge in his energy. It’s basically an alarm that lets me know whenever he’s using his abilities.”
“What set off the alarm?” Ryan asked.
“He was implanting a compulsion in the mind of a blonde woman. I couldn’t sense what the compulsion was, just that she was vulnerable to it. I tagged her as well. If I did it right, I should be able to sense it whenever the compulsion modifies her behavior.”
“Did you recognize the woman? Do you have any idea what he’s trying to accomplish?” Determination hardened Ryan’s expression. Aidan’s tendency to use women in his plots to destroy their family infuriated them all, but Ryan’s mate Kendra had been Aidan’s last target.
“I didn’t recognize her and what he was trying to accomplish is anyone’s guess.” Joseph pushed back from the table and crossed to the French doors, needing the sunlight on his face. “Unfortunately, there’s not much we can do until the compulsion kicks in. Let’s hope we can balance his influence or at least minimize the damage.”
* * *
It had taken just over an hour to reach San Francisco from Napa. Aidan wasn’t sure how much time Lark would waste searching Holly’s apartment, but he wanted to be ready when she arrived. The art studio was in the Mission District, so Lark was likely to find a hotel nearby.
He’d established a psychic tether with Lark and launched the first compulsion. If she didn’t show up in San Francisco soon, he’d compel her toward the destination. Some minds were more susceptible to compulsions than others. Still, he only had three days to wear her down.
Parking in the garage beneath his sister’s apartment building, Aidan prepared to endure her ridicule. Brook felt it safer to avoid direct contact, but Aidan desperately needed her assistance. He had never come near her while in Connell’s form, so he hoped she’d forgive this one indiscretion.
She ran Exotic Escorts out of a luxury apartment with a fabulous view of the bay. The girls were dispatched from all over the city and most had never seen Brook’s face. Discretion was everything in her line of work.
Displeasure was obvious in her pale blue eyes when she opened the door a few minutes later. “Did you break her already? Holly likes it rough. I figured she’d be good for a month or two.”
“May I come in? I’d rather not have this conversation in the hallway.”
Her gaze narrowed and she hesitated before allowing him inside. “I thought we agreed never to meet face-to-face.” She closed the door, but remained in the foyer. Dressed in jeans and a faded T-shirt, she looked more like a maid than a madam. “Where is Holly? Several of her regulars were upset by her departure. If you’re here for a new plaything, I want her back.”
“The Burtons have Holly.” He held up his hand to deflect her angry rebuttal. “Before you go off on me, Holly has no idea we’re related.”
“How did she end up with the Burtons?”
“I involved her in something I shouldn’t have and they capitalized on the opportunity.”
A tense silence followed. She started to speak then shook her head. “I don’t want to know the details. I’m sure they’ll only piss me off. Why are you here?”
“Another opportunity has presented itself, but I need your expertise.”
She arched her brow and amusement cooled her anger. “You must be really desperate if you’re asking for my assistance.”
“Your lessons are invaluable. I never would have been able to trap Connell if it weren’t for your guidance. Holly’s aunt showed up in Napa, determined to find her wayward niece. I launched a compulsion, but I only have three days to reshape her past.”
“Why does her past need to be reshaped?”
“So she can seduce one of the Burtons, of course. Their security has been impenetrable since I tried to snatch Kendra. They’ll sense any direct assault, so I’ll be creative.”
“Let’s sit down.” She nodded toward the living room. “I’ll admit I’m intrigued. Explain exactly what you have in mind.”
* * *
Lark grabbed a sandwich at the sub shop around the corner from her hotel then settled in her room for the night. Holly’s apartment hadn’t taken nearly as much time to search as she’d anticipated. Sparsely furnished and all but abandoned, it had been obvious Holly didn’t spend much time in the tiny cluster of rooms.
Knowing none of her clothing was appropriate for an art exhibition, Lark had borrowed a black cocktail dress from Holly’s closet before heading to San Francisco. She left a detailed message for her sister, updating her on what she’d learned and how she intended to spend the rest of the week.
The exhibition wasn’t until Saturday, but the Burtons were the best lead she’d had so far. She kicked off her shoes and crawled onto the bed, stacking pillows behind her so she could relax. Her eyelids drooped and she glanced out the window. The sun hadn’t even started to descend. Why was she so sleepy? She set the timer on the television, unable to resist the odd lethargy.
A surreal haze c
louded her mind. Just when she thought she’d fought through the muddle, it gathered again. Featherlight sensations drifted through her body, sending tingles dancing across her skin. Images twisted, moving in and out of focus with no discernible pattern. This couldn’t be a dream, she wasn’t asleep. Was she?
How had—? What was—? She couldn’t hold a thought, could only feel. She was drawn deeper, sucked into the scene as if by some mystical undertow.
“Oh Lark, that’s so good.”
The male voice was familiar, yet she couldn’t quite identify the man. His image separated itself from the haze, enveloping her, and tingles bounced across her nerve endings. He stood at an angle to the bed, his features tight with desire. His chest was bare, his pants bunched around his ankles as if he’d been too lust-crazed to fully undress.
A woman knelt before him. Her long blonde hair swished as she vigorously bobbed her head. She steadied herself against his hips and tilted her head to take him deeper. He groaned, muscles flexing.
“Yes. Oh God, yes! Swallow me, take it all.”
Lark shivered. Her nipples rasped against her bra and melting heat spiraled through her pussy. She could see little more than the woman’s back and the fall of her golden hair.
“I don’t want to come in your mouth.” The man pulled out and braced his hands on his knees. “You are way too good at that.” His cock swayed before him, massively erect. The woman wrapped her fingers around his shaft and pumped him slowly, cupping his balls with her other hand. “Turn around.”
Without hesitation the woman pivoted and lowered her shoulders to the floor. Again, Lark could only see the back of her head and the arch of her naked body.
“You make me so damned hot. I’ve never been this crazed before.” He knelt behind her and thrust into her waiting pussy.
Tension swirled through Lark, creating tingling heat, despite her confusion. He grasped the woman’s hips and fucked her in earnest. His rhythm was less frantic now that he was surrounded by her heat.
He opened his eyes and his gaze locked with Lark’s. The tension inside her mounted. Desire flared with consuming intensity.
Lark, my love. His lips didn’t move, yet the words were just as clear. Feel me. Need me. Crave me.
She watched the firm shuttle of his hips, unable to move, helpless against the erotic torrent. Her head swam and her body ached. Nothing felt right, yet she couldn’t free herself from the illusion. She sank into the vision, merging with the blonde.
Lark felt his hands grasp her hips.
This wasn’t real! She didn’t know this man, had no desire to fuck him.
Pain burst behind her eyes. She cried out and clasped her head. Vivid images streamed through her mind, fractured impressions of sexual abandon. Corresponding sensations erupted in her body. She burned, desperate, needing, wanting.
Time suspended. Hours or days, she couldn’t tell. Darkness rose up to meet her and she dove into the blissful void.
* * *
Infuriated by his helplessness, Joseph searched infinite strands of metaphysical connection. Concentration was the key. His lessons with Torral had taught him that much. He had to filter out every signal but hers.
Aidan’s compulsion had stabbed into his mind, leaving him disoriented and blind. She needed him. Ripples of desperation and fear cramped his stomach as he reached out, stretching farther than he’d ever gone before.
Like the echo of a memory, he sensed her.
Silence. Darkness. She was alone and afraid.
He poured energy into the strand linking his mind to hers. Her presence intensified, but the darkness remained. He approached slowly, unwilling to add to her fear.
He’s gone now. It’s all right. You’re not alone.
Her being surged and emotions sliced into his mind. He opened, absorbing her terror as fast as their tenuous bond allowed.
I won’t hurt you. No one will hurt you as long as I’m here.
He felt her doubt and hesitation. She wanted to believe him, needed to believe, but it was almost impossible for her to distinguish him from Aidan. Despite his gentleness, he felt very much like his enemy.
Understanding her confusion, he wrapped her in tenderness and waited for her to accept that he meant her no harm. She relaxed gradually, allowing him deeper.
Their embrace became tangible. He felt her soft body curled against his side. She stroked his chest, her warm breath teasing his skin. He wasn’t sure why they were naked. These were just psychic representations of their physical bodies; perhaps everyone was naked on the metaphysical plane.
Who are you? Her question was thin and shaky.
My name is Joseph. Are you feeling better?
She moved restlessly, sliding against him. Why did he do this to me? Why can’t I make it stop?
He left you desperate for release so you’ll be more manageable when he returns.
I can’t let that happen. She stopped fidgeting and determination flowed into him. He’s evil. I can still feel him in my mind. I have to stop him.
Where are you, sweetheart? I’ll come to you in person and protect you.
How do I know you’re not working with him? I don’t know you any better than I know him!
Refusing to be insulted, he rubbed her back and inhaled the sweet scent of her hair. You said you could sense his nature. Can you sense mine?
I can’t think. I need… I ache so badly nothing else seems real.
I won’t hurt you and I’ll do everything in my power to keep him from hurting you again.
He slowly increased their connection and her basic shape separated from the darkness. If he pushed much harder, Aidan was sure to sense the intrusion. He touched her face and brushed her hair back from her brow.
I can help you combat these feelings, but you’ll have to trust me.
Her hand found his face, her fingers warm against his skin. You’re whatever he is, but you’re not like him. I understand that much.
I’ll only touch you if you want me to. I have no desire to add to your fear.
Better you than him.
Joseph smiled. That’s a miserable place to start. I’m sure we can do better.
He brushed his lips over hers, inhaling her breath and memorizing her scent. Desire curled through his metaphysical body and seeped into the physical realm. This was more than protectiveness. He genuinely wanted this woman.
She was soft and pliant for a long time. Her lips parted and her fingers curved around the back of his neck. She allowed his kiss, accepting the inevitability of the contact. He nipped her lower lip. This would never do.
Kiss me, sweetheart. Use me to put out the fire.
Desire thrummed through Lark. She didn’t understand what was happening, had stopped trying to rationalize the experience. She’d been terrified and alone and this man appeared. Her body burned for fulfillment and he touched her.
She hesitated a moment longer, then fit her mouth to his. His breath was warm and inviting. She eased her tongue past his lips and pushed her fingers into his hair. The darkness swirled, amplifying each sensation.
He rolled to his back, drawing her on top of him. She straddled his hips and kept right on kissing him. Their lips clung and their tongues curled. He stroked her arms, squeezed her shoulders, and then teased his way down her spine.
One of his hands insinuated itself between their bodies while the other drifted onto her ass. A moan escaped his lips as his fingers explored her flesh.
I wish I could see you, he murmured. You feel amazing.
She rubbed against his erection, wiggling, trying to align his shaft with her clit. His hands returned to her hips and held her steady while he moved with more precision. She shivered and clutched his shoulders as pleasure gathered inside her.
They weren’t really kissing anymore. Still, she was reluctant to lose the intimacy of his mouth.
Sit up. I want to touch you.
Long before she settled on her knees, his hands cupped her breasts. His eagerness thrilled h
er as much as his touch. He squeezed gently then circled her nipples with the pads of his thumbs, sending darts of sensation deep into her body. This was good, so good, yet her body demanded more.
His cock pressed lengthwise against her slit. Her folds parted to embrace him. Her core clenched and the emptiness made her groan. If she lifted up and brought him to her entrance, would he thrust inside?
Before she could discover the answer, he rolled them back to their sides. His cock slipped out of reach and she arched, trying to regain the pressure.
Relax, sweetheart. I’m here.
The assurance had never sounded sweeter.
His mouth returned to hers while he positioned her lower body. He raised her leg to his hip, but left room between them for his hand. She tilted her pelvis, bringing her heated flesh into contact with his fingers.
Touch me, please, she pleaded. I need this.
He traced her crease, sliding easily in her cream. His middle finger circled her clit then teased her opening. Like this?
No, inside me. I need you inside me.
Very slowly, he pushed his finger into her core. She tightened her inner muscles, concentrating on the blessed penetration. He slid in and out, but it wasn’t enough to dispel the brutal emptiness.
More.
He added a second finger and finally a third. She moved with him and against him, taking his fingers as deep as she could. It didn’t help.
With a boldness born of desperation, she reached down and grasped his cock. He lifted her leg, making room for her to maneuver. Her leg settled around his waist and her folds parted in the wake of his wide tip.
Inch by glorious inch, he sank into her heat. She closed her eyes and savored the stretch, the utter bliss of being filled. When her clit rested against the base of his cock, he stopped and clasped her to his chest.
This feels so damned good. I don’t want to move.
She smiled, the hair on his chest tickling her nose. Fine by me, as long as you stay right where you are.
