by Aubrey Ross
He tensed against her, then gently touched her face. I’ll stay as long as I can, but I’m almost out of time.
They kissed while their desire simmered. Their hands wandered with bold curiosity, memorizing texture and shape. He squeezed her butt and she squeezed his. His caress turned to a playful pinch and her wiggling motivated his first thrust.
Abandoning foreplay entirely, he rolled her beneath him and draped her legs over his arms. She arched into each forceful drive, relishing the slap and slide of his big body. His tempo sped and sensation gathered, passing back and forth with the motion of his hips.
You’re not alone. He punctuated the statement with a deep thrust, and pleasure surged through her body. Regardless of what he says, you are not alone.
Chapter Three
Aidan paced his sister’s living room, ignoring her amused expression. “There must be a way to break Lark. I will not retreat!”
“Then you’ll shatter her mind.” Brook curled her legs to the side of her body and snuggled into the plush sofa. “You’re trying to recreate her and that’s not possible in so short a time. It took you years to control Connell completely. You need to adjust her reality, change her perception just enough to align with our agenda.”
He faced her and shoved his hands into his pockets. “How the hell did she dispel the sexual frenzy? That was the most powerful compulsion I’ve ever launched.”
“Do you really need to ask?”
“It couldn’t have been a Burton. I’ve remained silent after dark. There is no way they could have tracked my energy.”
“Dichotomies are not the only beings capable of tracking psychic energy.”
He shook his head. “Vampires are nocturnal too.”
“Elves aren’t.” She arched her brow, eyes shimmering with gathering menace. “We can’t let the setback distract us. We’re running out of time.”
“She is hopelessly focused on finding Holly. Her determination erodes any suggestion I implant.”
Brook pushed to her feet and approached him, a sly smile curving her lips. “So we’ll use that determination to our advantage, increase it even. How far will Lark go to uncover the mystery? We need an access point inside Burton security. All we need to do is suppress Lark’s inhibitions and let her go.”
* * *
Evan groaned as he emerged from sleep state. Twelve hours of life were compressed into a few seconds each time his physical body materialized. But this was more than the expected confusion. Joseph’s emotions bombarded him like shotgun blasts.
“It happened again?” Evan tried to focus through the lingering disorder. For the past three days Joseph had done everything in his power to counteract the blonde woman’s torment. “Is she all right?”
Joseph sat on the edge of their bed, head clasped in his hands. “We have to find her.” His voice was barely a whisper. “They finally broke through.”
“Damn it. Did you get any sense of where she was? Did she tell you her name at least?”
He shook his head and blew out a shaky breath. “She’s afraid and confused. She’ll barely acknowledge my existence now.”
“Torral and Leos have tried to track her. They’re as frustrated as we are. Is there any chance there’s more than one woman? Maybe that’s why we can’t pinpoint her location.”
“No. It’s the same woman each time. I’m sure of it. What good is our connection if I can’t stop them?” He lay on his back and draped his arm over his eyes. “I’ve never felt so useless in my life.”
Nothing Evan could say would change the situation, so he let Joseph rest.
“I wanted to congratulate Nicole,” Joseph said without raising his arm from his face. “But I don’t think I can hold on that long.”
“I’ll make sure she knows we’re all proud of what she’s accomplished.”
Joseph transitioned a few minutes later, leaving Evan alone with his thoughts.
Helplessness was a feeling he knew well. After years of watching his older brothers flex their paranormal muscles, Evan had been thrilled when his own abilities emerged. Nocturnal Dichotomies were dominant, and paranormal gifts were far more common in the night crew than in their day-dwelling halves. Evan’s telepathic range increased and he was able to scan a person’s thoughts without their feeling his mental touch.
These were very basic abilities and he was rather disappointed until one evening he discovered his true gift. Tired and ready to relax, he’d stopped by a convenience store to pick up a few items. As he waited for the incompetent clerk to take care of the customer in front of him, the couple behind him engaged in a heated, extremely profane argument. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and thought, Just shut the fuck up.
Immediately the couple fell silent.
Awareness unfurled within Evan. Leos was able to launch mild compulsions, so he helped Evan expand his control and encouraged him to experiment with intensity. Evan happily experimented on his brothers for the next few weeks until they threatened violence if he didn’t stop.
The temptation was undeniable and controlling others became effortless. The power was addictive and Evan found himself succumbing to the impulse with horrifying regularity. He saw the potential for corruption within his own soul and it terrified him.
He approached the elder council and asked them to bind the ability. When their suggestions that he strengthen his self-control rather than sacrificing his gift fell on deaf ears, they reluctantly agreed. He could still feel the power within him, like a tiny cancer waiting to spread, but he had never tampered with the containment. He had no desire to start the cycle all over again.
He dispelled the mental tangent with a sigh and crossed to the closet. Joseph’s awakening was unusual, but not unheard of. Evan had long since adjusted to life with only minor paranormal abilities. If his day-dwelling twin was the vehicle through which Aidan was brought down, he would be grateful. The important thing was stopping Aidan.
Torral refused to leave Kendra’s side and she was safest within the security of their estate. Leos was determined to identify the blonde in Joseph’s visions, so that left Evan to attend Nicole’s opening. He pulled his tuxedo out of the back of the closet and started to dress.
Nicole was one of the few humans who knew the secrets of the Dichotomy. After the death of Evan’s mother, his father had taken a human lover. Some claimed the affair began before his mother’s death, but Evan didn’t believe it. The two eventually bonded, but many refused to accept the union as legitimate. Nicole was the granddaughter of his father’s second wife. Evan smiled. Relationships become complicated fast when the Dichotomy ventured outside their closed society.
His trip to San Francisco was uneventful. Finding a parking place in the Mission District was another matter. The tiny lot behind the gallery was full and curbside parking was taken as far as the eye could see. Finally scoring a space several blocks from the gallery, Evan locked his car and glanced at his watch. The private party had just begun. Nicole shouldn’t have had time to miss him.
No sooner had he stepped through the door of the gallery than Nicole rushed to his side. Her ivory skin was flushed and panic shone in her wide green eyes.
“That’s not the expression I was expecting to see on your big night.” He gave her a quick hug then held her at arm’s length. “You look wonderful and this is a fantastic turnout, so what’s the matter?”
She hooked her arm through his and pulled him toward a quiet corner. “I have no idea how they got invitations. I certainly didn’t send them. I anticipated all sorts of complications, but this never crossed my mind.”
“What are you talking about? Did someone crash the party?”
“They didn’t crash.” She stepped closer, impatience creeping into her expression. “Someone invited them.”
“So what’s the problem?”
“They’re…working girls!” She sounded horrified.
Evan did his best to hide his smile. Nicole was obviously upset. “Someone invited hookers to you
r opening?” He looked beyond her, searching the crowd for spandex and stilettos. “Where are they?”
“By the multimedia display. The brunette in red and the blonde in black.”
Evan followed the direction of her nod. “What makes you think they’re professionals?” They looked more like swimsuit models than hookers.
“Pierre, the gallery owner, is acquainted with the brunette.”
“Then he probably invited them.”
“He said he didn’t. But he just waved away my concern when I asked him to get rid of them.”
Snatching a glass of Champagne from a passing waiter, Evan asked, “Would you like me to talk to them, make sure they’re only here to admire your work?”
“If they’re legitimate buyers, it’s none of my business how they make their living. But I don’t want them conducting business on my dime.” She shook her head and laughed. “I never realized I was such a prude.”
“You want this night to be perfect. No one will fault you for that.” He kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll talk to them.”
“I have a call,” Joy said as she closed her phone. “Can I trust you here alone?”
“Of course.” Lark looked away from her companion, concealing her relief behind a speculative expression. She would be thrilled to be rid of Brook’s watchdog. The situation was complicated enough. “If this is a dead-end, I’ll call a cab.”
“We all want to find Holly. Don’t waste this opportunity.”
As if she needed to be reminded. Lark turned to face the multilevel display as Joy took off. Flowers scrolled from one screen to the next in a visually stunning swell of color and motion. The wind’s whisper combined with subtle music, drawing her into the tranquil meadow. A time-lapse thunderstorm followed, complete with brilliant strikes of lightning and the rush of falling rain.
“Which scene better suits your mood?”
The hint of an accent added character to the deep male voice. Lark tried to picture the man before she replied. Dark hair and night-black eyes.
“The piece is unpredictable, rather like my moods,” she told him. “That’s why it’s mesmerizing. Just when you think you have it figured out, it changes.” A sunset darkened the scene and the man’s reflection became visible on the largest screen. If she kicked off her heels, she’d fit neatly under his chin. Sunrise revealed his slashing cheekbones and firm jaw line. His eyes gleamed as he stared back at her, but she couldn’t determine the color.
“Where did your friend go?”
Unable to resist her curiosity, she turned around. “I’m much more interesting than my friend. You’ll never miss her, I promise.”
“Is that so? What makes you so interesting?” His eyes were dark, as she’d imagined, but not brown. They were a deep, navy blue that shimmered when he tilted his head just so.
He had a rugged appeal that seemed out of place in a tuxedo. She admired the width of his shoulders then pictured herself peeling the formal jacket down his arms. Attraction arced between them, making her lips tingle and her fingers long to wander.
“Did Nicole ask you to get rid of me?” That would be just her luck. She had yet to identify her target and she was about to be escorted out the door. Did cocktail parties have bouncers? The thought made her smile. “Nicole turned the most adorable shade of pink when Pierre told her what I am.”
“What are you?”
“Thirsty.” Before he could find a waiter, she took his glass from his hand and raised it to her lips. Their gazes locked as she took a sip and then slowly licked her lips. “Very nice.”
His eyes narrowed as he focused on her mouth. “I know you had an invitation, but I’d like to know why you decided to come.”
“I come as often as I can. Don’t you?”
His smile flashed and he took back the glass of Champagne. “Are you in the market for art or are you working?”
A silver-haired man clasped him on the shoulder, postponing her response. “Evan, my boy, how have you been? I haven’t seen you in ages.”
So, his name was Evan.
“Busy, as always.”
“Are Torral and Leos with you? I can’t remember the last time I saw Ryan, Joseph or Daniel. Those three never seem to make it to social functions.”
“They focus on business and leave the night life to Leos, Torral and me. Can’t say I object to the arrangement.”
Each name sharpened Lark’s interest. Her mission would be considerably easier if her target had just made first contact. When Brook suggested she pose as a call girl to get near the Burton brothers, Lark hadn’t been opposed to the idea. She wasn’t as certain they were responsible for Holly’s disappearance as Brook was, but it was worth investigating.
“Then it’s just you tonight?”
“Unfortunately. Nicole is going to be disappointed when she realizes I’m here alone, so be evasive if she asks you about me.”
The older man chuckled. “You can count on me. We opened the Cabernet Sauvignon last night and, my God, it was wonderful.”
Evan inclined his head, his lips bowed with the hint of a smile. “Thank you.”
“You’re a winemaker?” It would have seemed suspicious if she hadn’t asked.
“This is Evan Burton, young lady. Burton Brothers vineyards are some of the finest in Napa Valley.”
“Please. This night is for Nicole. I won’t allow anything to distract from her success.” His gaze returned to Lark with the last statement.
“Well, tell your brothers I said hello. I’m going to mingle.”
She watched the crowd swallow the visitor. Evan hadn’t felt it necessary to introduce a hooker to his friend. His careless insult reinforced her determination. “You’re Evan Burton? I’m impressed. I thought you worked for the gallery.”
“You know my name and occupation. Why don’t you reciprocate?”
“My name is Lark and I’m a professional mistress,” she stated without shame.
“How is that different from a call girl?”
“I interact with one client at a time.” Brook felt the compromise would be more believable. “My employer is responsible for all of my expenses in addition to my salary and I’m available to him whenever and in whatever way he chooses.”
“I see.” He cleared his throat before he went on. “Are you currently employed?”
She looked into his eyes and smiled. “Are we negotiating?”
Evan dragged his gaze away from Lark’s vivid blue eyes. God, she was beautiful. Her golden hair had been swept up and away from her face, leaving her neck bare. He wanted to lick his way from her ear to her collarbone. The black velvet dress hugged her torso, accenting her lush breasts and the dramatic indentation of her waist.
“If you’re here for the party, you’re welcome to stay. If you’re trying to find a new client, you’ll need to look somewhere else.”
She stepped closer and her warm, floral scent tantalized his nose. “I don’t have to troll parties for clients, Mr. Burton. Both my clients approached me.”
“Both? You’ve only had two clients?” Why the hell should he care? The question was completely irrelevant.
“My past is none of your business.”
“You’re right. But you didn’t answer my original question. Is tonight work or play?”
“I’ve obviously made Nicole uncomfortable and that wasn’t my intention.”
She sighed and his gaze gravitated toward her breasts. Were they as firm as they looked or were they propped up by padding and spandex? His cock hardened as his imagination provided tantalizing possibilities. He pictured her with the dress lowered to her waist, arms trapped against her sides. The soft mounds overflowed his fingers, warm and resilient.
“I’ll make you a deal.” Her purring tone drew his attention back to her face.
“I’m listening.”
“My friend was also my transportation. If you drive me to my hotel, I’ll remove my taint from Nicole’s party.”
If she was legitimately interested
in the exhibition, it wasn’t right to make her leave. He glanced at Nicole and easily read the hope in her eyes. Lark was right. Nicole didn’t want a prostitute tainting the party. “Where are you staying?”
“Embarcadero Center Hyatt.” He hesitated and she raised her chin. “If it’s too much trouble, just call me a cab.”
Her defensiveness compounded his guilt. People probably treated her like shit on a daily basis. “It’s no trouble, but I had to park in Sausalito. Do you want to wait while I get my car or walk with me?”
She looked around the room, then sighed. “I think it’s best if I walk with you.”
Chapter Four
A chilly breeze caressed Lark’s cheek and she shivered. She had to hustle to keep up with Evan’s long strides.
“Are you cold?”
His concern surprised her. He hadn’t said a word since they left the gallery. “The wind has a bite tonight.”
He slipped off his jacket and draped it around her shoulders. Still warm from his body, the sturdy fabric settled around her like a lover’s embrace. Her role was designed to test him. If he wasn’t interested in her services, it cast doubt on Brook’s theory. If he accepted her offer, however, she would need to convince him she was not only willing, but professional.
Brook believed Evan was the most likely suspect and Lark had no reason to doubt her conclusion. Leos and Daniel, the oldest set of twins, would do anything to protect their brothers, but Brook doubted either of them would care enough about sex to pay for it. Torral and Ryan were in a new relationship. Brook hadn’t come right out and said it, but Lark suspected they were involved with the same woman. They hadn’t had time to get bored. Joseph, Evan’s twin, was too laid back to cause trouble, which brought Lark back to Evan.
She looked at his sculpted profile and heat cascaded through her body. At least she wouldn’t have to pretend she was attracted to him. The man was sex personified.
He stopped without warning and he grasped the jacket with both hands. He pulled her onto her toes and kissed her. His lips marauded and his tongue pillaged. Her head spun, unprepared for his sudden aggression.
