by Dane, Lauren
He stood. “I’ll break it down here in four parts.” She watched him do it twice from two different angles.
“You’re doing like a hybrid of a few different styles. Instead of that lined-up karate roundhouse, you’re leading with that back leg to change your weight.”
“Yes. For your style, since you’re scrappy, I think it’ll help as you’re already sending your energy into the kick.”
“Scrappy?”
She tried it his way and by the third time she’d perfected it.
“Scrappy. You’re all over the place. Which is unexpected. You have all your focus, of course. But you’re not afraid to get in there and poke eyes or kick some balls.”
She shrugged. “It’s not an Olympic event. It’s a fight and sometimes to the death. If I gotta poke some eyes to stay alive, I’ll do so. And pull hair too.”
“You’ll get no argument from me.” And getting her worked up in a physical way would not only keep her mind off all the stuff going on just then, but the exercise would get her focused. She was that way, he realized. The more physical she was, the better able to lock out all the other stuff and get the job done.
“I propose that since we have a little less than an hour until Mei shows up we forget this and have sex instead.”
She underlined her point by pulling her shirt and bra off.
“It has been a very long time since I’ve had you.” He circled her and she gave him one of her I have a secret smiles.
“Like twelve hours at least.”
He laughed and gave in to the temptation of her skin. She was warm beneath his palms, pliant against his lips. The curve of her shoulder, familiar and still thrilling, the salty-sweet taste of her neck.
She pulled the shirt from his body and kissed across his chest, pausing, her ear against his skin above his heart, listening to the reassuring thud-thud-thud of his heart. “I know you’re trying to distract me.” She shoved his pants down and he sprang, hot and ready, into her hands.
He’d been kissing and licking up her neck but when she grabbed his cock and gave it a little squeeze, he growled and then bit, holding her in place as he took her to the rug.
Quick, clever hands got rid of her pants and underwear and they rolled, skin to skin, gasping at the heat and wonder of the feel of each other.
She ended up on top, urgency riding her. Blind need for him raced through her senses. He hissed, reaching up to cup her breasts. “Slow down.”
She shook her head with a grin. “I want you now. All of you.”
He cursed and she laughed, pulling up enough to grab him, guide him true and sink down, taking him deep inside her body in two moves.
She stilled. “Unless you’d rather do something else.”
“Get moving. You brought this all on yourself. Now pleasure me.”
Laughing, she bent to kiss him, grabbing his bottom lip between her teeth and tugging. He held her, big strong hands at each hip. He set the pace, guiding her with his hands.
She arched, taking him deeper, and he groaned. There was something so powerful about giving him pleasure this way. This big, powerful male who could easily use that strength to harm only used it to cherish and please. To adore.
She’d never been adored before. It was not overrated.
“You are the most exquisite thing I have ever seen. I can’t believe you’re mine,” he murmured when he stretched up to kiss her.
Sex after the binding was different. Better. The connection between them was deeper, his pleasure wrapped around hers, teased it. Took it and fed it back over and over until she nearly vibrated with it.
He let go with one of his hands and his fingers found her clit, sliding side to side until she was nearly blind with need. And then she exploded. His fingers dug into her left hip as he began to thrust back at her as she slid down on him over and over. He was deep and hard and she knew when he hit his own climax. He thrust up one last time and held her there on him as he arched his back. Her knees dug into the carpet, her nails digging into his side as he snarled her name.
Chapter 25
WHEN Tosh opened his door with a black eye, Delilah raised her brows and came inside. “Good thing I brought some dinner. What the hell happened to your gorgeous face?”
“Out front. There were protesters when I got home. One of my guards had to get three stitches because he threw himself in between me and a bottle.”
She put the bag of takeout down and touched his cheek. “This makes me very angry. To mar such perfection is to spit in God’s eye.” She kissed the bruise gently. “And it makes me want to rip someone’s throat out.”
He let go of some of his tension and pulled her to his body. “My lip is a little bruised too, I think.”
She kissed his mouth and he luxuriated in her taste.
“You did a great job today,” he said as she pulled back a little.
“I’m told I’m an excellent kisser.”
He laughed, taking her hand and leading her back through the house and into the dining room. “I meant on the floor. But you are an excellent kisser.”
“My office got so many calls the system overloaded four times. The server shut down more than once. My inbox exploded. I’m relieved to say it was eight in favor of me voting against to two to vote in support.”
He got plates and silverware out and she began to dish the food up. “I’ve got about those same numbers. More like seven to three, but still, a clear indication to vote it down.”
The House would hear debate on their version of the bill by the end of the week. He just hoped the people made their voices heard so this ridiculousness could be halted before it got any worse.
“Did you see the news about the riots in St. Louis?”
He nodded. “I’m concerned that it’ll get worse before it gets better. The little girl who was attacked is in critical condition. One hospital refused to treat her when they found out she was a shifter. The ambulance driver was nearly arrested for assault when he attacked the hospital administrator who refused to let them bring the child in.”
“That’s running in Chicago. Her family is an affiliated pack to Great Lakes. The COO told me they’ve sent guards to her family’s home and the hospital. There are already attorneys at work on the refusal-to-treat issue as well. Her mother appealed to the rioters to stop the violence. I don’t know if it will help.”
“How many death threats did you get today? Don’t deny it, the FBI interviewed me already.”
She sighed. “Six. I’m an overachiever apparently. Parrish only got one. Though once he speaks on the House floor, I’m sure he’ll try to beat my record.” She squeezed his hand. “It’s all right. I’ve got two extra guards and the witches warded my house, my car and my office. They’re not going to scare me into silence.”
“I know.” He sighed. “But it scares the hell out of me. I hate the thought of you in danger.”
“Toshio, I can shift into a wolf with razor-sharp teeth and claws. I’m good.”
“A silver bullet can kill you.”
“Yes. But none of us is immortal. How you live is important. Your grandmother told me about how freaked out she was when she went into labor with your uncle. She nearly bled to death and there were no doctors around and people were dying in the camps from infections and complications from health conditions easily treated in the outside world. She said she was so mad at the world, but she had her kids and her parents to worry about. And your grandfather was off getting shot at and fighting the war in the Pacific. She had no choice but to live and so she did. I have no choice but to live. So my nieces and nephews can enjoy the freedoms I grew up with.”
So one day, when he asked her to marry him, she could say yes and know their children would have a place in the world. He was that sure about Delilah Sperry.
“So you should put your money where your mouth is.”
Surprised, she smiled. “Oh yeah? About what?”
“You promised me once I got into bed with you my life would change. I want you, Delilah. So badly it’s an ache in my belly.”
They’d fooled around enough that he knew she had a beautiful body and knew how to use it. He knew what she looked like when she climaxed, knew what it felt like to orgasm at her hands and her mouth. They had amazing sexual chemistry but had been taking it slow.
Suddenly it felt like slow was the last thing he wanted.
She put her fork down. “We need to talk about that.”
Uh oh.
“All right. Let’s talk.”
She licked her lips. “I . . .This thing between us isn’t just fun for me. It’s far, far more.”
“Well, good. Me too. Are you worried I’m going to get you into bed and walk away? Because I can tell you right now, once we get into bed I’m not going anywhere.”
She blushed and he felt better.
“Werewolves mate for life. Did you know that?”
“I think I did, yes.”
“Well, so how it works is when two wolves or a wolf and a suitable partner, um, have sex, the exchange of bodily fluids is part of what sets off the chain reaction that sets off the mate bond. And there are other things, complicated things, that I don’t know if you’re ready for. We could use condoms, but every time we’re intimate sexually, the bond between us strengthens for me.”
He wasn’t surprised at all, now that he thought about it. He was intensely attracted to her. From what he understood about werewolves and mates, it was a for-life thing. And that didn’t freak him out at all. “Are you saying I’m your mate?”
“Yes. Speaking for myself only because I can’t speak for you, but yes, you’re it for me. If nothing happens between us, eventually I’d find someone else. It’s not a situation of one person only on earth or anything. But each time we’re together sexually, it becomes clearer to me that you’re my mate. And I don’t think you’re ready for all that will entail.”
He snorted. “Delilah, I was just thinking about our children. I’ve been fascinated by you from the first time we met.”
She smiled. “Well, that’s good. Generally, nature isn’t so cruel as to put a person in our lives who we could mate with but who hates us. At the same time, this is forever. Right now, we are both involved in some major stuff. Things are insane. Violent. We’re on the verge of war between humans and Others. I want you to take this step with me, you have no idea how much. But I want you to do it knowingly. After you meet my family and understand my culture. A culture you’ll be part of if for no other reason than your being my mate. This is so much more than sex. This will change everything, and while I am so down to having sex with you, so much you have no idea. I just . . . it’s more for me and I want to take the time to be sure you know what you’re getting into. Do you understand?”
He blew out a breath. “I’m not afraid to commit to you. But . . . I do understand what you’re saying. Though I still want to sex you up in the worst way.”
She laughed. “Meet my family first. And come to a Pack meeting in Chicago. And I’ll explain all of what it means to be my mate. Once all this has calmed. Then, if you’re still on board you can sex me up all you want. Wherever you want. However many times you want.”
• • •
MEI NiaAine was astonishingly beautiful. Helena found it hard to stop looking at her until she finally just spoke. “I wanted to thank you for helping me with this. I know the Fae have been trying to keep out of this issue.”
Mei was even more beautiful when she smiled, and Helena could see why human folklore referred to the Fae as the Fair Folk.
“Thank you, Helena. Cardinian and his family have been there for me more often than I can ever repay, so I’m always pleased to help when I can be of service to Leviathan. What we need to do with this travel spell is to visualize the space. Can you do that?”
“I haven’t been inside Hayes’ office, but I’ve been in the hall just outside. If we can get there, I can pop a lock quickly and get in. As for PURITY, Faine has been.”
Faine nodded. “I’ve got a mental snapshot of the layout of the building. And of the outside of Carlo Powers’ town house as well. I’ve not been inside, but I’ve done surveillance outside.”
“All right.” She took Helena’s hand and Jayce, her other husband, took her free hand and Faine’s as well. “Lower your shielding and I’ll look. Just visualize that hallway with as much detail as you can.”
She did and when she opened her eyes again at Mei’s squeeze of her hand, she was standing in the hall outside Marlon Hayes’ office.
It was after midnight, but a busy enough legislative time that she knew there were others around. “You might want to keep an eye out and also use a shielding spell if you can. If not, I can cast one.”
“I’ve got that handled.” Jayce took care of it and with a few murmured words, Helena got Hayes’ door open and they quickly moved inside and closed it behind them.
They stood back while she did her work, but while she was there, Faine looked through drawers and papers while she copied data onto a few memory sticks.
“There are some clumsy spells here. Nothing major. I’ve gone around them rather than getting rid of them. That way there’s no indicator anyone was here. A mage cast them so they’re third-rate.” She curled her lip as she gathered up the data sticks.
Faine grinned at her. “You’re sexy when you’re full of derision.”
Jayce chuckled. “You and your brothers seem to share a love of the same type of female.” He tipped his head toward Mei, who shook her head.
They then moved to PURITY’s headquarters. Because they didn’t know if anyone would be inside, they chose a spot down the block. Faine had them stay while he and Jayce moved closer.
They returned shortly. “Looks like the lights are off in the downstairs, but one is on upstairs.”
“You all stay here. I can cast a don’t-look spell and get in and out quickly.”
Faine snorted. “I think not. I’m better at stealth than you are. And I’ve been inside to check them out once before. I know where everything is.”
“Yes, but I know if any trap spells have been cast.”
“Good goddess, you two are so much like Card and Mei it’s sort of scary.” Jayce sighed. “You’re both right. Mei and I can easily hide the four of us from detection so I’m going to suggest we travel into the first floor and we’ll take it from there.”
Which is how Helena found herself standing in the front entry to PURITY’s DC headquarters. The hatred emanated from the walls. She’d heard witches talk about such things and had been close enough to Carlo Powers and some of the others from PURITY that she’d felt their personal hatred toward her and the rest of Others, but this was as if the whole place overflowed with negative power.
Faine bristled as they moved carefully through. Someone was on a phone call but the main reception area was empty and the lights were off. There were no spells of any kind but she figured there’d be cameras. Before they’d arrived, Jayce had done something to shield them from any camera view.
Helena then sent a magickal bomb of sorts out that would overload the closed circuit cameras and any security for about ten minutes. More than enough time. She hoped that phone call wouldn’t have any trouble though.
“I’ll keep an eye on the door,” Mei murmured and headed out.
Helena used the data sticks and Faine searched the drawers and they repeated the process on the two other offices downstairs.
“He just got off his call. No one else is here.”
Helena moved to a spot just outside the door and used a sleep spell. It would last for about ten minutes. Once he was out, she’d give him a suggestion that he had done something to mess up the security and cameras and caused a short. He’d want to cov
er up his stupidity so he’d keep it all to himself and no one would know there was ever an issue.
It turned out her sleeper was one of Powers’ sons, his top goon.
She wished she could put him in a tree outside so when he woke up he’d fall and break something. But she reined it in. It would be better this way. No one would suspect anyone was ever there.
Helena did the spell and planted the suggestion before she also cast a surveillance spell keyed to certain phrases as she and Faine did a search and gathered data from all the computers on the second floor.
“I can get into his head.” Helena looked Greg Powers over. “It’s moderately dangerous. But I won’t kill him.”
“I don’t care if you do or not.” Faine shrugged as he took out Greg’s phone and removed the SIM card. “This could be helpful.”
She got to her knees in front of Greg’s body. “If he starts to wake up, don’t panic, I’ll take care of him.”
Using the spell she and Lark had perfected over the years, she dove into his head, riffling through his memories, not bothering to be subtle. He wouldn’t know why he had a headache but she didn’t care anyway.
And what she saw chilled her to the bone. So much that it was difficult to leave without doing some real damage. He didn’t deserve to live.
But she didn’t want to deal with the added weight on her soul of killing when she didn’t have to. She had enough death in her future and some in her past. It was better to only do it when she had to.
Sometimes being the better person sucked.
She pulled free and noted they had only a minute or so until the security and cameras kicked back on.
“I was getting ready to shake you.” Faine helped her stand. “Can we get out of here?”
“Yes, let’s go. Back home, we don’t need to go to Powers’ house. It’s not worth the risk and I’m pretty sure we’ve got more than enough information.”
