“Miss? Miss what is your name?” the doctor asked.
“Storm, Annalise Storm,” she whispered in a hoarse voice.
The doctor’s eyes widened. He glanced at Mavel. “Are you her servant?”
Mavel nodded. “She is a HPD detective. You should contact them first.”
“Mavel…” She outstretched her hand. “Stay.”
He shook his head. “I will come back, Anna.”
With that, he was gone out of sight. She was wheeled into surgery, and the nurse injected something into her veins. Her mind grew fuzzy and sleep welcomed her.
Annalise woke up in a hospital bed with her parents, Rios, Des, and Jamen, scattered around the room. Her mother clutched her hand and was asleep on the covers of her bed. Her father, whom she didn’t expect to see, was looking out the window at the evening view of Divinity.
“How long have I been out?” Annalise asked.
Her mother stirred in her sleep. This had to be the first occasion where Regina Storm wasn’t wearing any make-up. For once, she seemed like a worried mother and not a politician’s trophy wife.
Rios stood and stretched.
Jamen circled the bed, stopping at her side. “You were out for most of the day. We got a call from the hospital this morning about your situation.”
Her mind raced. Memories of the previous night came flooding back. In the search for answers to what happened, she studied the worried faces of her co-workers. “Mavel, Devlin… Where are they?”
Drawing closer to her father, Rios smiled. “Sir, could we ask Annalise a couple of questions in private?”
William’s piercing eyes bore into Rios who flinched and scratched his head. Her father turned his attention to her and his gaze softened. “Is that what you want, Annalise?”
She managed a faint smile. This was another first. He seemed to care about her opinion on the matter. Was I hurt that badly? She couldn’t feel much, the painkillers ought to be still in her system. “I need to talk to them. Please wait outside.”
Her mother pursed her lips together, ready to protest, but William cupped her shoulders and ushered her into the hallway.
Des stepped out after them, grumbling, “I need some caffeine in me.”
Rios and Jamen both gathered by her bedside.
“Glad you’re alive, Storm,” Rios said.
Jamen gave a curt nod.
“I’m glad to be alive.” Her eyes narrowed on Jamen. “Now answer my question.”
“You are only a couple of hours out of surgery and all you do is demand answers. I swear you are a tough nut to crack.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not in this bed to receive flattery. Where are they?”
“Mavel is gone. He contacted us and told us what happened. It appears he needs to lie low from now on. After all, the Falcon Group is looking for him. He said Devlin, of all people, got you out of their secret facility in Silver.”
Her chest hurt as the next words left her mouth. “Is Devlin alive?”
Jamen shrugged. “If you are asking if we have found a body, then no, we haven’t. Other than that, we cannot be certain.”
That wasn’t good or bad news.
Rios patted her hand. “We couldn’t get the case back, Storm.”
“Of course not. Not when Falcon was behind the deaths of both politicians and Robert Fern.”
Rios’ eyes bulged, but Jamen didn’t react to the news. She raised her brow, and he said, “I expected their involvement one way or another.”
“And the Landon’s case? Did you find out anything about that?” Rios asked.
“No. Whatever the reason may be, it doesn’t excuse the death of so many purebloods…”
Jamen pinched the bridge of his nose. “Drop this matter, Storm. If you don’t, you may be our next case.” He removed his hand and looked her directly in the eye. “They could have killed you both before you got here. They could have eliminated you in the hospital at any time, yet they left you alone. Why? Because what you received was most likely a warning. If you keep digging into their business, they will kill you.”
“You seem to know a lot about the way they operate,” Rios said.
“It doesn’t take a lot of brainpower to figure that organisation out,” Jamen replied.
So that’s it? We can’t touch them even if we are the police? She balled her hands, wrinkling the covers she was grasping. This has to be a joke. The Falcon Group can do anything they like, and the DPD have to look the other way. “I can’t accept this.”
Jamen pointed at the door. “Those people back there, your family, are they important to you?”
Her throat constricted and her fingers uncurled. She knew where he was going with this. “Yes.”
“Then think about them the next time you dive into the deep waters. They will be the ones crying over your casket, even if you won’t be around to see it.”
She faced the window. His words sank in when she discovered her reflection. It was a young woman with tired eyes and the complexion of a ghost. A month ago, she was full of spirit, wanting to be the best detective there was and clean the streets of Divinity. Now, a hardened soul stared back at her. She guessed that was what they called experience.
“How long until I can get discharged?”
Rios grinned. “Two days of intense Cell-Regen therapy and you’ll be almost as good as new.”
“Good. I want to get back to work,” she said. “But, for now, I think I need to rest.”
They both said their goodbyes, leaving her alone.
Mavel was on the run from Falcon. He couldn’t possibly survive in Divinity by himself. Knowing him, he would not return to his family. That would be where they’d look first. Yet, since Falcon allowed them to escape, did that mean they didn’t care if he was captured or not? That thought brought her hope.
Rios lied through his teeth. It wasn’t two days. No. For two weeks, she was stuck in Cell-Regen therapy. When she told the doctor she was leaving after a week, he had the nurses strapping her to the hospital bed and sedating her.
At last, the weeks went by, and Rios was there to collect her. He took her bag from her and slung it over his shoulder. “You ready to return to your Tower, princess?”
She punched him in the arm. “You’re lucky I don’t have a gun on me.”
“I guess I’m glad about that, too. Ah, almost forgot. We are throwing your welcoming party at the Iron Carver in your favourite Red District tomorrow night.”
“What made you think it was my favourite?”
Rios winked, and a blush painted her cheeks and neck. He couldn’t possibly have watched the video feeds from the Macabre club for the night she and Mavel first went in there.
“You didn’t!” she said.
He tapped his nose with his index finger and ran ahead of her through the hospital entrance.
If she wasn’t told to take it easy, she would have throttled him. To return to full-time work, she had to wait until someone from the Academy was assigned as her new partner or she had to hire a new servant to be independent. Reconsidering Rios’ murder, she got in his car.
He nattered about the lack of cases and drove towards the Towers. She took this chance to study her surroundings. Citizens of Divinity walked on the pavements in their suits and expensive clothing. Some strolled at their own pace, others rushed to get to their destination. Yet, none of them knew or cared to know what truly went on in this messed up city. The control they had over the modded was an illusion that could be shattered at a moment’s notice.
Rios left the Silver District and entered the Golden one. They passed by the giant mansions separated by tall iron gates and trimmed hedges.
He cleared his throat. “Storm?”
“Yeah?”
“We’re almost at your Tower. I’ll drop you off out front ‘cause I have to collect Des from the office.”
“That’s fine.”
Ten minutes later, Rios parked the car in front of the 200-foot-tall glass Tower One.
She got her bag out of the boot and waved as he drove away. Who would have thought she would become friends with that guy in the end? The fact he had stopped hitting on her helped tremendously.
With a light heart, she entered the Tower and passed the scanners. Instead of taking the route through the shopping centre, she aimed for the private lifts to the apartments. A group of people rushed ahead of her, making her wait for the next one.
On her floor, she stepped out of the lift, adjusting her bag’s strap on her shoulder. She let the scanner at her door read her wrist comms, and she was finally at home. When the door closed behind her, Annalise stilled, listening out for any sounds. This place was just as she had left it two weeks ago—empty.
Her bag fell to the ground, and she went into her bedroom. The lights flicked on with her clap. She scanned the expanse of her room, searching for anything out of place. Her work clothes were exactly where she left them, on the floor. On her desk sat an empty mug in desperate need of being washed.
“I’m home…”
Someone grabbed her from behind and covered her mouth with a large hand, muffling her scream. Blood drained from her face. Her eyes frantically searched for a weapon she could use on the intruder.
“Anna, it’s me,” Mavel spoke into her ear, and her heart nearly leapt out of her chest from relief.
He released her.
With a flurry of emotions coursing through her, she slapped him.
Stunned, he stared at her. A week’s worth of stubble coated his cheeks and his light-brown hair had been trimmed short.
“Not a welcome I expected, but I’ll take it nonetheless,” he said, rubbing his face.
“You-you scared the life out of me!”
He smiled and his fingers trailed from her shoulders to her waist. Mavel pulled her in, and her face collided with his solid chest. His arms wrapped around her, and she relaxed into him, enjoying the smell of his musky cologne.
“I’ve missed you,” she mumbled into the soft material of his black shirt.
Mavel’s breath tickled her ear, and she held in a giggle that threatened to flee. His hold on her grew as if he was unconsciously trying to merge their bodies together. “You don’t know how long I’ve waited to be able to hold you again.”
She lifted her face, meeting his silver eyes. “All it took was a near-death experience for me to realise how much I wanted you to touch me.”
His cat-like pupils dilated, engulfing the colour of his irises. “Do you mean that, Anna? Are you sure this is what you want?”
She couldn’t think in his embrace. His absence from her side became the buffer for this overflow of strange fuzziness in her stomach. The world they lived in was too confusing with their laws, restrictions, and control. She pushed everything but him to the back of her mind.
Without breaking eye contact, she brought his head to her level, pressing their lips together.
Mavel’s groan vibrated against her mouth. His fingers dug into her back as he crushed her body to his, destroying all of the barriers between them. Sliding his hands upwards, he buried his hands in her hair.
Annalise gasped, and Mavel’s tongue plunged inside her mouth, accepting the invitation. She returned his needy kiss. Beneath her palms, she could feel his strong heart racing, matching hers in its excited pace. Their breaths mingled. She could taste coffee as he stroked her tongue with his.
A single minute with him felt like an eternity. Her lungs ached from lack of oxygen. She pushed against his chest, not because she wanted to separate but because she was growing lightheaded.
He reluctantly drew back, settling his hands to her waist. “I’m sorry. Do you want me to stop?”
Her cheeks flushed red, and she looked at her hands. His chest rose and fell under her touch, it was captivating. “No, it’s just I’ve never felt this way before…”
Mavel cupped her face and planted soft kisses on her forehead, eyebrows, eyelids, nose, and a single peck on the lips. His hands moved to her shoulders, and he left tender kisses along her jawline.
She sucked in a breath when he nibbled on the sensitive flesh of her neck. He continued the arousing assault on her skin with tiny nibbles that descended all the way to the collar of her jacket. Mavel brushed her hair to one side, making the cool air send a shiver of pleasure down her spine.
Not knowing what to do, she moved her head back, giving him more freedom.
Mavel smiled against her skin. He ran his tongue from her collarbone to her jaw in one excruciatingly slow motion as his skilful fingers peeled the jacket off her shoulders.
In response, she allowed the material to slide down her arms and fall to the floor.
Mavel knelt on the ground before her. He took both of her hands in his and planted kisses on each of her fingertips. Somehow, every time his lips made contact with her skin, her heart swelled with love for this man. He was a beast, yes. He was her servant, yes. But, above every title, he was the man she loved. For all the years he spent with her, for all the times he protected her and studied with her, she would have readily given him her heart all over again.
When he finished, Mavel smiled at her, and she melted inside. His hooded eyes reflected everything he felt. Yet, amidst the hunger and the passion burning in the molten depths of his eyes, she also discovered fear. He was afraid, for them, for her.
A tear rolled down her cheek, and she knelt in front of him. She ran her fingers over the contours of his chiselled jawline, feeling the prickle of his stubble irritating her skin.
“Mavel, it’s okay,” she told him. “I’m certain I want this.”
He brushed her hands away. “You will be the death of me, Anna.”
In an instant, she was in his arms, and he was carrying her to bed. Mavel lowered her onto the soft sky-blue cotton sheets and pulled his shirt over his head.
She swallowed. She didn’t know what to do with her hands that wanted to feel every inch of his powerful body. But, her eyes were a different matter. She was unable to look away. He was beautiful. His well-defined muscles rippled as he sat back on his haunches, letting her drink him in. It didn’t take long for her mouth to go dry. Her attention travelled from the fine hairs on his chest to the darker curls that peeked from under his jeans that hung low on his hips.
Ever since this case began, Mavel radiated more and more authority as the days went by. Now, he seemed like someone beyond her world. It excited her and frightened her at the same time. Am I losing him on an emotional level?
He took her right hand and helped her sit up. “Do you want to touch me, Anna?”
She bit her lip a little too hard, making it throb, but she didn’t care about the sting. None of her worries or fears mattered when he guided her hands to his chest. The pads of her fingers came in contact with his smooth skin, and she couldn’t shake the urge to explore further. She let her nervous hands wander across his chest and his hard abdominal muscles before resting them on his sides.
Mavel took this chance to bring her closer to him. His fingers grabbed the hem of her shirt, and he lifted the material over her head with ease.
While she sat in front of him in her bra and jeans, his hands caressed her stomach, waist, and back with a feather-light touch. She closed her eyes, revelling in the new sensations. All it took to mediate the cold air in the room was a tender touch from him that warmed her like a campfire.
She let out a soft moan, and her hands shot to her mouth, covering her betraying lips.
Mavel chuckled, making his chest shake with his mirth.
Was she the only one nervous? She glanced at his hands. They trembled slightly and paused under her bra.
Their eyes met, and he finally asked, “May I?”
She nodded as words and logic abandoned her.
His hands moved to her back, and he undid the hooks of her bra. Oh-so-gently, he used his thumbs to pull on the straps and make them descend her shoulders and arms.
Her breasts sprang free, and she looked away. This was too embarrassing. If sh
e knew ahead of schedule this would happen, she would have called the flare from Macabre and asked for her assistance.
Mavel shifted, and she couldn’t help but wonder what he was doing. His hot lips collided with hers. He pushed her down, and his hand landed on her left breast, kneading it gently.
The sensation made her arch her back as wetness pooled between her legs. He tweaked her nipple, bringing out another moan from her.
Mavel kissed her chin and rained kisses down her neck and collarbone until his lips found the pointed buds of her breasts. He kissed each one of them at first, and she had to stifle another moan with her hand.
“Don’t cover your mouth,” he murmured against her skin and tugged her hand away. “I want to hear your pleasure, Anna.”
These feelings, sensations, and emotions were beyond her. She wanted to defy his request. Every cell in her body begged her to, but the intensity in his eyes prevented her.
He smiled and dipped his head, taking the whole bud into his mouth and sucking on it.
Her breath hitched, and she clenched her legs together, enjoying the friction her jeans created. When he rolled the sensitive nipple around with his tongue, she grasped the sheets beneath her. His woody shampoo filled her senses and surrounded her like a cocoon.
“M-Mavel,” she said between gasps.
He did not stop. Instead, he quickened his actions, and her body vibrated with excitement while her legs struggled to find a comfortable position. Breathing through her nose was impossible as her body demanded more oxygen. Her lips parted, and she sucked in breath after deep breath.
He moved his mouth to the valley between her breasts and travelled to her stomach, kissing every inch of her on his journey. Mavel undid the three buttons on her jeans. His eyes never left hers. He was still measuring her reactions and, for some reason, it made her want to work harder.
She wanted him to know that being with him was what she needed, without any barriers created by the societal prejudice.
Mavel tugged her jeans off, leaving her black underwear clinging to her hips.
Her hands migrated to conceal as much of her as possible, but he caught her wrists and trapped them above her head. His hard body hovered above hers, and she held her breath when she met his passion-filled gaze.
Case: 0 (Annalise Storm Chronicles Book 1) Page 19
