Going the Distance

by Mandy M. Roth

  Each step was harder than the last, the pull to turn and go to Carri nearly maddening. He inhaled deeply, doing all he could to force thoughts of her from his mind.

  “She’s not your concern,” he said so softly it was nearly inaudible. “She’s the reason you took the latest beating.” He huffed. “Hell, she’s why you’re here to start with.”

  He came to a dead stop, his body refusing to cooperate a moment more.

  She’s also the reason you’re free right this second, dumbass.

  Scowling, he walked with a purpose, heading towards the lab once again. He entered cautiously, seeing the scientists first and Mickens second. All backs were to him. They were focused on the glass window.

  Mickens’ shoulders moved up and down, his breathing fast enough to be noticeable. He touched the glass. “Dammit, Carri, why did you push me to this point?”

  Overturned equipment and chairs littered the lab. Quinn stepped carefully over broken glass and a sideways chair, wanting to keep the enemy in the dark about his presence. He was close enough to touch them now, yet no one noticed him. He was like a predator stalking the shadows, watching them, able to kill them without their knowledge but wanting to savor the sweet scent of victory a moment longer.

  Harsh reality caved in on Quinn as he stared past Mickens’ shoulder and through the window to the holding chamber. Carri was there, her lip bloodied, her eyes wide and red, angry bruises beginning to form on her forearms and cheek.

  Rage scorched his very soul. He swept a hand out, claws emerging from his fingertips, slicing through the air, connecting with the scientist closest to him. The man went down without a fight. A thundering silence filled the gap which felt longer than it was as Quinn attacked the next man. This one had warning and opened his mouth, a scream partially free before ending abruptly.

  Mickens was so close, his eyes wide with the reality of pending death. His hands rose in an attempt to block what was to come.

  Preparing to deliver the killing blow, Quinn’s gaze flickered to the window. Carri was there, pressed to the glass, shaking her head. Hesitation cost him as Mickens rushed from the room, stumbling and then regaining his footing.

  Indecision weighed on Quinn. The urge to rush after Mickens was there but the fierce need to see to Carri took hold. He grabbed the handle of the thick metal door and thrust it open. She came at him fast. He expected her to react violently since it was all he’d known for the past two years. When her arms wrapped around his waist, he froze.

  Her head tipped against his chest and he found himself returning the embrace. The sound of her sniffles ripped at his gut. He wanted to make them stop, ease her pain, but most of all, he wanted to remove Mickens’ head with his bare hands for daring to cause her to cry.

  “I shouldn’t have left you,” he supplied, the guilt settling on his shoulders.

  She clung to him. “Why did you come back? They’ll lock you up again.”

  He bent, his lips meeting the top of her head. “That boyfriend of yours is falling over himself to get the hell out of here and the other two aren’t a threat anymore.”

  She stiffened and Quinn waited, expecting her to scream or launch into hysterics upon the sight of what he’d done to the scientists. She snuggled closer to him. “I want to go, umm…”

  He smiled despite himself. “Quinn.”

  She nodded, already seeming to know as much. “I want to leave this place, Quinn.”

  Her sweet scent rode the air, finding him, causing his fangs to explode in his mouth. He hissed, refusing to move or give in to the pull to sample her. A bite from him in the height of passion would mean he’d staked a claim on the human. That wasn’t something his kind took lightly. If anything, they avoided it at all costs. Humans were nothing more than frail beings who caused trouble.

  Walking away was the smart thing to do. Damn if Quinn didn’t find himself dropping IQ points with every breath of her he took.

  Carri tipped her head back, staring up at the man she’d assumed would have been long gone. He’d come back for her. Above that, he actually seemed concerned, as if her feelings mattered to him. She wanted to be strong, to release him and know she could take on the situation all by herself, but something deep inside urged her to surrender herself to him—to trust him fully.

  “We need to get out of here,” he warned, his hands slipping into her hair. “Mickens will alert the rest of the security team and they’ll swarm us.”

  Carri put her hands on his forearms and stared up at him. “I’m sorry they did this to you.”

  She expected a sarcastic remark. What she wasn’t prepared for was his lips meeting hers. The kiss was chaste yet explosive, reminding her of just how much passion the man possessed. It had been too long since she’d known the touch of his lips. She closed her eyes, welcoming the feel of his full lips pressed to hers. She opened her mouth, wanting more but he drew back slowly, seeming to collect himself.

  “We,” he paused, “have to go now.”

  She nodded, knowing at that moment, she’d follow him to the ends of the earth if need be. What she didn’t understand was why.

  Chapter Four

  Quinn washed the filth from his aching body. The jet of hot water continued to spray down upon him. Carri was in the other room. His supernatural senses could pick up on her breathing, her nervousness and most of all, her sweet scent.

  He palmed the hotel bar of soap, allowing a lather to build. He clenched his cock, his thoughts still on Carri. The way she’d held him, so trusting, so openly, still resonated in him.

  He pulled at his cock, moving the foreskin up and over the head of his shaft. The feeling was good, but not good enough. He fisted his cock at the base and then wrapped his other, sudsy hand around the top. Pumping, he put his forehead against the wall of the shower, staring down at himself as he masturbated.

  Carri’s dark gaze entered his mind. Her rosy lips. Her perfectly shaped ass.

  For a split second, Quinn teetered on the verge of ejaculating but prolonged his state of arousal, denying himself an orgasm. He had a beautiful woman in the other room who, if he pressed, would surrender to him. He was sure of it. He could spend himself in an unfeeling shower stall or in heaven.

  Really, there was no choice.

  He rinsed, killed the water and grabbed his towel.

  Wringing her hands, Carri stared out the tiny window, overlooking the street below. Cars full of people made their way down the street, oblivious to the reality of what was around them. How many had no clue what lay just blocks away? How many times had she herself been in a taxi, driving through the area, unaware of the atrocities taking place?

  It sickened her.

  Her world, as she knew it, had crumbled down around her. She’d started yesterday believing her life was nearly perfect but ended it with the realization it had all been an illusion. Smoke and mirrors from day one on Jason’s part. He’d managed to hide the darkest side of himself from her and she’d missed every warning sign.

  She touched the cool glass, leaning forward and putting her forehead to it. She’d run every conversation she could ever remember having with Jason through her head in search of answers as to how and why he’d ever participate in something as horrific as the deathmatches. There was no justification to be found.

  The water in the bathroom stopped running and she tensed, wondering if Quinn needed any assistance. He’d looked sore when they’d made their way from the underground holding facility to a seedy motel. The man behind the desk seemed as if he’d seen a ghost when they’d entered. He called Quinn by name and offered to phone a long list of people. He’d bent over backwards, ensuring she and Quinn had a room and anything they might need. More than once it seemed as if the man was holding back from embracing Quinn.

  “You all right?”

  Carri shook her head, clearing her thoughts. “Hmm?” She glanced over to find Quinn there, a towel slung low around his hips. Rivulets of water dripped down his chiseled chest, running over the har
d planes of his body before vanishing beneath the towel.

  Shiny scars criss-crossed his body. Some were clustered in groups of three or more, others were singular yet no less severe in appearance. One ran through a large tattoo on his upper right pec. It had a slight tribal feel to it and was obviously a skull. It bore a close resemblance to the one she’d seen on the flag at the warehouse. She pointed to it. “Did they do that to you?”

  “Yes.”

  She gasped, tearing up again. He said something but she didn’t hear it, her emotions getting the better of her again.

  Quinn lifted a hand, toweling his shoulder-length hair. The muscles in his biceps rippled and the towel around his hips loosened, slipping slightly, teasing her.

  He cleared his throat. “I asked if you’re all right.”

  She stood. Nervous energy took hold of her, making her palms sweat and her chest flutter as if she were a teenager once more. The mere sight of the man did things to her she wasn’t even aware were possible. She’d thought they’d part ways after leaving the facility. Quinn wouldn’t hear of it. He’d all but insisted she stay close to him. He seemed to think Jason would come after her in order to keep his secret. Carri would have disagreed but she’d already been wrong about the type of man Jason was. The proof was clear when he’d hit her before pushing her into the locked room at the lab.

  She yanked her gaze away from Quinn and looked back out the window. The pull to him scared her.

  Quinn stepped forward, picking up on her unease. The streetlights shone through the window, illuminating her just right. She looked surreal, like an angel sent forth for him and him alone.

  The hideously ugly wallpaper on the walls even seemed to take on a glow, as if it too was captivated in the presence of beauty. Quinn wasn’t exactly thrilled with the refuge he’d sought with his cousin but he knew they’d be safe. He didn’t like putting others in danger.

  The bed dipped in the middle and the sheets were threadbare, having seen a lot of miles over the years. While it wasn’t the Ritz by any shape or means, it was clean, and for the time being, they were safe. He couldn’t ask for more. He needed time to gather his thoughts and come up with a plan. If what Crosby hinted at was true, everyone in his life assumed he was dead. Mickens had stolen two years of his life and Quinn intended not only to get it back but to exact revenge on the man in the process as well.

  Carri bent her head. Her long brown hair slipped forward, covering her profile from his view. Flashes of the night two years prior when he’d answered the call of his mate came to him. He sucked in a deep breath, feeling as feral as the night it had happened.

  Carri gasped, the tiny cry sounding almost identical to the ones he’d heard on that night long ago. He froze, surveying her with a keen eye.

  Was she scared of him? Didn’t she understand she was the one person in the world nature assured he’d do anything for—even give his life?

  She bunched a portion of the flimsy curtain in her hand, her eyes wide. “Q-Quinn?”

  The scent of her alarm held him in check. The last thing he wanted was for her to be afraid of him. She’d already seen him in the ring. Seen what he was truly capable of. Pushing her too far could be a bad thing and the last thing he planned to do was let her out of his sight. Mickens and his crew would do anything to protect their secrets.

  There was too much money in the underground deathmatch business. There was no way Mickens would turn his back on the amount of cash he made off the pain and suffering of others. His jealousy and hatred of Quinn’s kind had to be rooted in something and Quinn’s guess was Mickens felt inferior to supernaturals. He’d seen the extents Mickens and his buddies would go to more than once when they’d felt as though their operation was in jeopardy. There was no way he’d allow Carri to be on the receiving end of what those men were capable of.

  “I won’t hurt you,” he reassured, doing his best to appear non-threatening. It wasn’t simple, considering he was covered in scars, branded and fighting with every bit of his resolve to keep the beast within him at bay. It seemed as intrigued by her presence as he was.

  She swallowed hard, the veins in her neck moving, exciting the wolf. Quinn could easily picture himself next to her, skimming his lips over her tender neck, his teeth nicking her skin, her blood rolling over his tongue.

  His body hardened, his erection pushing at the towel. It would be so easy to walk over and take what he wanted from her. It had been over two years since he’d known the touch of a woman. Two long years since he’d been able to slake his manly needs. There was no way he’d be able to be gentle and that fact alone kept him rooted in place. Hurting her wasn’t an option.

  Carri’s bottom lip trembled. Her nipples were hard and her inner thighs quivered with desire. The man before her seemed to leak testosterone. His manly scent made her eyes flutter. He wasn’t one of those pretty boys who hid behind designer suits, flashing their money to get their way. This was a man who fought hard, who struggled for his very life. She had no doubt he’d approach sex in the same manner. Hard. Passionate. Complete.

  He tossed the hand towel to the right and shifted to the side. The towel around his waist slipped more and someone moaned. Carri wasn’t sure if it was her or him. When she realized she was all set to bite a hole through her bottom lip, she figured it was most likely her making the noises.

  He watched her in a way that only added to the moisture pooling between her legs. It was as though he was the straw and she a tall glass of water he was prepared to plunge into and drain dry.

  She rubbed the back of her neck, her skin overly sensitive. Energy seemed to prickle between them. He moved closer and the feeling increased. She took a step back, finding herself out of room to move. The primitive look in his eyes excited her.

  Her tongue darted out and over her bottom lip.

  Quinn groaned, blatantly adjusting himself through the towel. He stepped even closer. The pale light from the window reached him. Never had she seen a more perfect specimen of a male. She wasn’t one to surrender to her baser needs but something about Quinn let caution be damned.

  The T-shirt she’d put on after her shower fit more like a short nightgown. The man from the front desk had brought up a handful of clothes for them and it had been all that would work for her. She wished she’d put on her own clothes. The thin shirt did nothing to hide her diamond-like nipples. The cool air of the room eased over her feverish legs.

  Quinn covered the distance between them in the blink of an eye. She stared blankly up at him. His eyes dipped, fixating on her mouth. She bit her lower lip again and his entire body jerked. He knew he should back away, leave the room—hell, leave the damn country in order to put distance between him and the human, but he couldn’t. All he could do was yank her to him.

  Her body was soft against his. The scent of her arousal filled his head and his cock throbbed. “Woman, you smell good enough to eat.”

  Having Carri so close, her pert nipples teasing him from beneath the shirt she wore and the scent of her wet for him left him on the verge of finishing before he truly started. How could she put him on edge instantly? It wasn’t as if other females hadn’t frequented the makeshift arena. Hell, he hadn’t experienced anything close to this with a woman even before he’d been taken to the deathmatches and it wasn’t as though women hadn’t tossed themselves at him when he was the champion. Never had any seemed to mystically call to him over the crowd. Never had any held his attention.

  Only her.

  “You need to tell me to leave,” he said, his voice harsher than he intended.

  She nodded. “Mmmhmm,” she murmured, her gaze on his mouth.

  He fisted his hands into her hair, tugging lightly. “Carri. Tell me to go.”

  “Go.” She went to her tiptoes, her lips meeting his. He lost control then, thrusting his tongue into her mouth. The taste of her nearly did him in. Forbidden nectar. So perfect.

  She gave him full access to her mouth and he took advantage of it. His tongu
e greeted hers. They danced artfully around one another. Her nipples scraped his chest and the press of their bodies left his towel falling away. His throbbing erection pushed at her lower stomach, wanting to be buried in her.

  Quinn tried to regain control of himself but failed miserably when she reached down and took hold of his cock in her hands. Her fingers were like velvet perfection, teasing him sweetly, stroking him willingly. She moaned in his mouth and he swallowed the sound.

  He stiffened, fearing he’d come in her hands. She toyed with the head of his cock, tracing the crown, making him twitch. Pre-come seeped from his shaft and he knew he’d explode soon at this rate. “Keep that up, beautiful, and I’ll bathe you in my come.”

  Carri’s breathing increased and her excitement was evident. “Yes,” she whispered against his lips.

  “Fuck,” he moaned. “You’re killin’ me, beautiful.” Reaching down, he slipped his hands around her wrists, gently. He eased her arms above her head, eating at her mouth. She tasted divine, like honey against his lips.

  His incisors burned and lengthened at a speed he could not hope to control. He pulled back, fearing he’d scare her. Carri’s gaze flickered over him and a sensual smile curved her mouth. She tried to free her wrists but he held firm.

  “Kiss me.”

  “I can’t,” he said, his voice deeper because he was fighting the pull of the wolf.

  She rubbed her lower body against his erection and he strained to keep from doing what felt natural. He wanted to lean forward and sink his teeth into her exposed flesh, to sample her and never let her go. The call too great to deny.

  He was powerless against his beast. It left him bending his head, putting his mouth near Carri’s. She kissed him, slipping her tongue into his mouth and tracing the tips of his lengthened teeth. He sensed no fear from her. Only passion.