by Devyn Quinn
“For a partnership as long as you two have had, it sure is one fucked-up dynamic.” Sam shot him a squinted look. “And you’ve been off the bite how long?”
Catching the unspoken contempt lacing Sam’s words, Maddox looked at him suspiciously for a moment. He had to wonder if Sam was feeling him out, sniffing around for the answers Reyen might want. Maddox wasn’t sure whose side Sam might stand on if he were asked to pick between them. Sam did a good job of staying neutral when the tensions mounted, but he had a feeling that wasn’t going to last.
Suddenly he felt cornered, like a rat in a trap. A lump of panic rose in his throat, threatening to cut off his air. Shit. It was the one subject he hated to discuss with anyone.
For an instant he felt the sting of self-revulsion. Like every addict, he wanted to think his secret was his own, something he would make every effort to conceal even as he indulged his need for another fix. The sneaking around, the deceit, was beginning to gnaw away at his conscience. Perhaps that was why he’d begun to drink more. By the time he finished a bottle, he would have temporary respite from his craving for the forbidden.
He swallowed hard, refusing to look away. A liar always looked away and avoided direct eye contact. He met Sam’s gaze without flinching and said, “Years.” He even offered a wry grimace so his lie would seem more authentic. As he spoke, cold awareness rushed over him. Of course, he’d never given up the habit.
And he wasn’t about to start now.
Sam raised his brows. “Really?” Faint surprise and hesitation colored the single word.
Maddox knotted one hand into a fist, forcing his nails deep into the palm of his hand. “Absolutely,” he said drily. His even, neutral voice betrayed nothing.
Grimly, Sam nodded. “Good.”
To Maddox’s relief, Sam left it at that, which was just as well. He didn’t feel like talking anymore, especially about such a touchy subject. If nothing else, the conversation served as a reminder that the men he worked with didn’t entirely trust him.
Suddenly he was conscious of deathly weariness and terrible depletion of nervous energy that was the inevitable result of taking down a noxious beast.
Maddox shut his eyes, concentrating on the hum of the engine. Right now all he wanted was to go home and sleep.
Preferably without dreaming.
Chapter 10
Sliding through the narrow crawl space leading to his underground apartment, Maddox reached up to pull Jesse through the opening.
“You think she’ll be okay?” Sam asked as he helped maneuver her unconscious body.
Cradling Jesse against his chest, Maddox nodded. “I think so.” He cocked his head. “Slide that grate back into place before you go.”
Sam grunted and wrestled the heavy iron bars back into place. “I don’t know why you didn’t find something above the ground,” he groused. “Only rats and spiders hide in dark spaces.”
Maddox managed a shrug. “I feel safer underground, less exposed.”
“You’re really more vulnerable,” Sam argued back. “If any of those baddies gets down here, you’re trapped. And what about the flooding? If another damn storm comes through, this place will be under water again.”
Maddox managed a nod. “We’ll be fine, Sam.”
Sam Chen peered through the grate he replaced. “You going to be out tonight?”
“Think I’ll skip it.”
“I wish you’d quit turning off the cell I gave you. It would make it easier to keep in touch.”
He frowned. Sam was all for using the latest gadgets and electronic wizardry to coordinate their movements. And while he’d admit such items had their uses, there were times when he didn’t want to be tethered to any form of communication. Sometimes it was more desirable to be out of touch, incommunicado. “I don’t like those things,” was all he said.
Sam shook his head. “You are living in the twenty-first century, man. Even Reyen has enough sense to roll with the times.”
“I like being a dinosaur.”
“Dinosaurs died out because they couldn’t change with the times, man,” Sam reminded him. “You’d better get with the program. I have a feeling things are going to get worse before they get better.” He shivered. “If they ever get better again.”
Tightening his grip on Jesse, Maddox cocked his head. “See you later, Sam.”
“Right. Whatever.”
Heaving a sigh of relief, Maddox carried Jesse through the wreckage of the old bar. Thin shafts of morning sunlight streamed through the cracked plywood nailed over the huge stained-glass window and matching door that had once been the centerpiece of the lounge’s decor. At one time a narrow staircase located at one side of the hotel had led down into the salon area. The stairway itself was presently filled with debris from the floods. A second exit toward the rear led to an elevator locked permanently between floors.
Sam was right, of course. Getting trapped down here with something nasty would probably mean not getting out alive. The old manager’s apartment he presently occupied didn’t have a separate exit of its own. Going inside led to a dead end. There wasn’t even a window in the bathroom.
He hadn’t lived here long—maybe a year or so. The place was cozy for one; cramped for two. If he was going to keep Jesse with him, it might be wiser to look for a safer place. The old business district was filled with abandoned buildings. Surely a little scouting would turn up something more suitable. That was, if someone else wasn’t already squatting there. After the hurricane, a record number of people had been left homeless. Those unwilling to relocate or unable to gain other housing options had quickly denned up in the abandoned districts, creating encampments of their own. Like him, these people now existed on the fringes of so-called normal society. It seemed to be the way the world worked. When a society began to crumble, people seemed to revert to an almost primitive state, becoming violent, vicious, and utterly destructive.
It was exactly how prophecy predicted the end of days would happen, he told himself. When civilization began to fall, chaos would inevitably ensue. As man turned upon man, the beasts would glut themselves on the remains.
Maddox sighed. “I don’t want to think about that anymore,” he murmured. All he wanted to do was get Jesse taken care of and climb into bed himself. He wouldn’t think about such things until absolutely necessary. Otherwise, he believed he’d come to the conclusion they were fighting a losing battle all around. In that case, it would be better to get out. A loaded gun cocked under his chin would take care of that just fine.
An emotional knot wedged in his throat. That wasn’t the way any man wanted to think of his future. In a way, he was glad to have found Jesse. She could be his touchstone, someone to keep him from slipping too far over the edge during one of his depressive episodes. Though not naturally predisposed toward the dark and the annihilative, recent events had cast a gothic aspect over his life.
Slipping under the threshold, he deposited Jesse on the bed. Much to her credit, she’d actually made the damn thing, smoothing out the sheets and straightening the faded comforter. Most of the things in the apartment had been salvaged from the upper floors of the hotel, which had included a nice stash of bedding. He supposed it wouldn’t hurt to dig around for some cleaner sheets and a better bedspread. What they slept on now probably needed to be tossed into the trash and burned.
Jesse roused herself from sleep long enough to uncurl her body. Her eyes were closed, the lashes sweeping like butterfly wings against her pale skin.
Maddox reached out, running his fingers across the waves of her hair, brushing aside the sweat-matted tangles that clung to her face. Her skin and clothing were stained with the remnants of stinking black blood from the undead she’d slain.
A frown creased his brow as he looked over her state of disarray. Without further thought, he began to unbutton her blouse, slipping her arms out of the sleeves and easing the garment out from under her body. Not the least doubtful of what her reaction would be if she were
aware of what he was doing, he smiled wryly as he unzipped her jeans. Slipping her shoes off her feet, he manipulated the tight denim over her hips and down her long legs.
He tossed the stained garments aside. Jesse was left only in a bra and panties.
Maddox eyed her nearly naked body. The sparse light of the nearby lamp sucking away the last few ounces of precious oil lent her milk white skin a phosphorescent, almost unearthly, glow. The thin white tendrils woven beneath her flesh seemed to form a pattern as delicate as a spider’s silky web, the mark of the demon that claimed her as its own.
Unable to stay his move, Maddox ran his palm across her flat abdomen. He suddenly became aware of the feel of her naked flesh beneath his hand, now barely less than an inch from the breast cupped by a plain white cotton bra. At the same time he felt a new, smoldering intensity come to light in his chest.
Gritting his teeth, Maddox forced himself to lift his hand away. Yes, it was true he wanted Jesse; he would take her in a heartbeat. But molesting her as she lay unconscious wasn’t the way to commence any sort of decent seduction.
Wiping a hand across his brow, Maddox lit a few more lamps to chase away the shadows before heading toward the bathroom. He emerged a few minutes later carrying a couple of cool damp washrags and a towel.
Sitting on the edge of the bed, he lifted one of her hands. Jesse Burke was a tall woman, and the size of her grip well matched her height. Her fingers were long and tapered; her palm wide and strong. Though Reyen’s armament hadn’t been one she was familiar with, she’d done an admirable job with it. He had no doubt she would be a force to be reckoned with once she had a weapon of her own.
He wiped away the sticky remnants of blood, working his way from the tips of her fingers to her forearm. When her hands were clean, he reached for a clean cloth to wipe down her abdomen. Concentrating on his washing, he almost didn’t hear the low, nearly inaudible moan that broke from her lips.
He paused, and his gaze lifted to her face. Her eyes were half-open, and her lips were parted and invitingly moist. Her body trembled slightly at the intimate contact.
“W-what happened?” she slurred woozily. “Where am I?”
Maddox withdrew his hand. “Don’t worry. You’re safe.”
Jesse struggled to sit up. A long low moan broke from her throat. “I . . . ugh . . .”
Maddox pressed a hand against her shoulder. “You should lie down,” he urged. “Try and get some rest.”
She immediately shook off his touch, clutching at her face with her hands. “I can’t,” she gasped painfully. “I’m burning up inside.” She flung out her arms as if attempting to fling off the very skin she wore.
Suspecting the worst, he immediately stiffened. “The hunger?”
Jesse made a strangled sound in her throat. “No,” she grated. “It’s something else. Something more.” She started tearing madly at her shoulders and chest, digging in her fingernails deeply. Raw red scratches appeared in her flesh. “I’m burning up. It feels like electric acid boiling under my skin.”
Maddox grabbed her flailing hands before she harmed herself. Remembering the way the dying demon had attacked her before its energy dissipated, he wondered if she was somehow affected by the lingering remnants of its energy. Though he’d done his best to wash the unclean beast’s blood off, traces of dried blood still lingered.
“Calm down,” he said, forcing himself to speak in a steady voice. “We’re going to cool you down.” Somehow he got her off the bed and into the bathroom, half dragging, half lifting her into the tub. Curling an arm around her waist to keep her standing, he turned the tap on full blast. Cold water rained down on them.
Jesse immediately ceased her struggling. Limbs quivering, her body sagged against his. A great sigh of relief winnowed past her lips. “Better,” she murmured. “That feels so good.”
The shock of her warm body pressed against his sent Maddox’s senses reeling farther from the bounds of concern. He could not think as anticipation began to twist though his belly, circling and swirling, rushing to tighten the skin everywhere on his body until the flesh of his groin began to grow rigid.
Hastily he lifted her away, putting some much-needed distance between them. “Are you going to be okay?” he asked, his voice hoarse and grating even to his own ears.
Slowly opening her eyes, Jesse nodded. Tilting back her head, she lifted her arms, running her fingers through her hair. “Y-yes,” she stammered. “I—I think so.” Thin rivulets of water streamed over her, beating away the last flakes of blood. Her bra and panties practically disappeared. The hard rosy tips of her nipples blossomed against the clinging material.
Mouth going bone dry, Maddox was barely aware of his own wet, clinging clothes. His heart stumbled over several erratic beats. “Good.” Flipping off the water, he started to climb out of the tub.
Jesse’s fingers curled into his shirt, and her eyes widened and flared with something akin to desire. Her eyes had begun to change, taking on a softly luminous glow that made her sometimes-gray irises appear almost white. “Don’t go.” The heat of her touch was like a flame, scorching and searing him to the bone.
Maddox started to shake his head. It was as if Jesse had stepped out of her body and something else had stepped in. She wasn’t a victim now, but a powerful woman with an appetite. “We shouldn’t.”
Jesse smiled and reached up, taking his face between her hands and pulling his head in a downward tilt. “I need you,” she breathed. “Now.”
Maddox found himself drawn deep into the merciless center of her unblinking gaze. A strange sense of anticipation rose in his chest—an anticipation that ranged from all-consuming terror to a sudden, terrifying lust.
Lurking inside Jesse was the beast he craved. At the moment he desired nothing more than to sacrifice himself to her. Whatever she needed, whatever she wanted, he would offer it.
Willingly and without hesitation.
Jesse was melting. She was on fire. But the heat came from within her heart, spilling down to pool heavily in her core. Images of their naked bodies writhing together filled her mind, sending away all logic or reason. She knew only that she wanted Maddox. She had to have him.
At any cost.
Still holding his face, she drew him close, claiming his mouth with intense pressure. His lips briefly resisted hers, challenging her to take what she wanted.
An unholy thrill went through her as she traced the seam of his lips with her tongue, breaching his defenses to take full possession of his mouth. The contact of tongue against tongue caused her core to flare brighter and hotter than before. She heard herself growling softly, reveling in wondrous power.
Her assault became bolder. She pulled at his wet clothes, fighting her way through the soggy mass to find warm hard flesh underneath. Somehow his shirt came off, and then she was tugging open the front of his jeans, eager to free the erection straining beneath the heavy denim. Unthinkable desires and urges steamrolled through her mind, flooding her senses even as they defied her not to give in to the temptation of the heated pulse beating beneath his skin.
Dimly she felt his hands tug at her bra, freeing her breasts from their cruel confines. When his hand cupped one bare breast, it was all she could do not to rip her fingernails through his vulnerable flesh. Instead, she immersed herself in the erotic sensations filling her, almost crying out when his thumb skimmed the aching tautness of her nipple.
An indistinguishable sound rolled past her throat.
A low laugh passed his lips. “You want more, don’t you?” he murmured.
“Yes,” she gasped. “Everything.”
Taking control, he pressed her back against the wall. His questing hands skimmed toward her hips. Slipping his fingers into the elastic band of her panties, he tugged the wet cotton down over her hips. Seconds later, his hand invaded the silky juncture between her thighs.
Barely managing to bite back a gasp of surprise, Jesse welcomed the exquisite explorations of his fingers. Clutching a
t his strong arms for balance, she lifted and braced one foot against the opposite edge of the tub, allowing him better access to the throbbing ache that was threatening to drive her insane.
With the scantest touch of his fingers, he caressed her dewy softness. Jesse cried out softly, clutching her fingers deeply into the solid ridges of muscle. Despite her recent shower, her skin was burning up and her throat was dry and parched. Her nipples were puckered tight, straining for the relief of his mouth upon them. Every nerve and vein in her body throbbed and vibrated, demanding satisfaction.
As if able to read her mind, Maddox responded. His mouth plundered the tender arch of her throat before blazing a fiery path to the silken tautness of her rosy nipples. She gasped aloud as moist suckling heat closed around one quivering tip, even as his fingers easily penetrated her.
A curse and the feel of tearing skin beneath her fingernails brought climax closer.
Jesse opened her eyes long enough to see the deep scratches she’d carved across his shoulders; red, raw, and welling with fresh blood.
She shook her head to deny the shock and the pleasure, but the needs of her body betrayed her.
Hand slipping away, Maddox lifted his head. “If you want a taste, take it,” he urged. Repositioning their bodies, his hips intruded between her thighs. His erection, swollen and impatient, pressed against her creamy sex.
A cry of intense hunger tore from her throat. The smell of his heated, sweating skin pressed against her own was enough to drive her wild with longing. “I can’t,” she gasped.
As though to punish her for her refusal, Maddox delivered a hard thrust. The single move impaled her, filling her to the ends of her depth. A savage growl tore from his lips. Deep inner muscles rippled around his pulsing shaft. “Do it,” he urged. “Tear me up. Take what you want . . .” His voice was harsh, strained by his own voracious urges. “Take what you need.”
Mesmerized by the sensation of their bodies locked together, Jesse slid trembling hands across his sweat-matted chest. At the same time she felt the demon inside, eager to have the thing she’d continued to deny it. For a moment her formidable barrier of steely denial wavered. The demon, the invader, the black hungry beast within her, fought to take control of her mind. Escape was close.
