Caressed by the Edge of Darkness (Rulers of Darkness Book 5)

by Amanda J. Greene

  Gabriel set her on the edge of the tub before turning to the cupboards lining one of the walls. He began to rummage through their contents, searching for something.

  Steam rose from the water and Jordan couldn’t resist dipping her fingers into the warmth. Bad idea. She tumbled and fully anticipated to meet the water. A large hand gripped her shoulder and pulled her upright.

  “Can’t leave you for a second.” Though Gabriel’s tone was sharp, his eyes sparkled with amusement.

  “Sorry, I haven’t recovered my balance yet.”

  He shrugged then tossed two pink discs in the water. They instantly began to fizz and the room filled with the scent of midnight blooming jasmine. The water foamed over, billowing clouds of bubbles took shape.

  Gabriel reached over and turned the faucet off. “I should give you some privacy, but I’m afraid of leaving you alone.”

  She smiled. “I promise to stay in the shallow end.”

  That earned her a chuckle. “See that you do. I’ll be right back. Try not to slip or drown in my absence. I’d hate to have spent so much energy saving you only to have you perish from an accident in my home.”

  How is a girl supposed to respond to that? She shrugged. He’s a sweetheart.

  Jordan’s fingers trembled as she unsuccessfully worked the buttons of the shirt. This was going to take forever. After another futile moment ticked by, frustration got the best of her. Gripping the material with both hands, Jordan tore it apart. Buttons flew like tiny missiles, some binged off the mirror over the double sinks while others bounced and rolled across the floor.

  Once free of the shirt, she scooted her bottom back and gingerly slipped into the welcoming heat of the water. “Oh, yes,” she sighed, her eyes closing. This was exactly what she needed. She sank further under the bubbles and rested her head on the rim. The warmth eased her aches and twinges and chased away the cold that had seemed permanently settled in her bones.

  “Good. You survived while I was gone.”

  Jordan’s eyelids snapped open. “Y-your back already.” Did she just squeak like a mouse?

  The edge of his lips twitched, but he didn’t smile.

  She cleared her throat and eased into a sitting position. Stretching her arms wide, she drew a mass of bubbles to her chest to conceal her breasts. “Not going to lie, it was touch and go there for a minute.”

  Again he resisted a smile. Why? He’d be beyond gorgeous if he smiled.

  Gabriel set a way too large black robe on the counter then headed back to the wall of cupboards to pull out a stack of fluffy white towels. After placing the pile beside the tub, he said, “That should be everything you need. I’ll remain in the room to grant you privacy.”

  “No.” The force of her tone even caught her off guard and the panic that had laced that one word struck her like a blow to the gut.

  “Jordan?”

  “Sorry.” She flashed her best I’m-fine smile. “For the last few days…weeks? Damn, it could’ve been months, I’ve been locked away. Isolated. I missed having someone to talk to.”

  Anger flashed in Gabriel’s eyes but vanished as quickly as it appeared. He gave her a tight nod then crossed to the counter. Leaning against the granite edge, he folded his arms over his wide chest.

  “You’re staying?” she asked, trying her hardest to hold back her surprise.

  “Warning, I’m not one for chatting.”

  “A man of few words, uh? I like that.” Jordan smiled then dipped below the water’s surface. Slicking her matted hair back, she reached for the bottle of shampoo. Her fingers still trembled. She cursed when the bottle slipped from her grip and banged to the floor. Gabriel abandoned his post to retrieve it.

  Studying her hands, she curled and uncurled her fingers. Was it the shock of the night’s experiences, the remnants of adrenaline? Or was it withdrawals? How long ago was her last dose?

  “What time is it?”

  “A little past eight.”

  Her eyes went wide. “In the morning?”

  He answered with a nod.

  “Shouldn’t you be dreaming of nocturnal rainbows and blood fountains right now?”

  Gabriel arched a single golden brow. “Nocturnal rainbows?”

  “Yeah, or…whatever vampires like.”

  “Such as unicorns.”

  Jordan gaped. Had the rough and gruff vampire made a joke?

  “The sun doesn’t rule us all,” he added with a shrug.

  “In other words, you’re old and very strong.”

  Again, a silent nod was her answer. How interesting, she thought. Her aunt had explained that powerful vampires could resist the call of the sun. Rumor was some could even walk under its rays without becoming as crispy and chard as burnt fried chicken. Could he chill on the beach and not burst into flame?

  Gabriel offered her the shampoo. This time, Jordan reach for it with both hands, but still couldn’t hold on to it. The bottle dropped into the tub and water splashed across Gabriel’s shirt. “Sorry. My hands won’t stop shaking.”

  He dipped his arm into the water and retrieved the bottle. “Would you like me to help you?”

  Heat stung her cheeks. His hands in her hair? Oh, yes. Lord, please! A simple touch could lead to so much more. Did she want more? Was she ready for more? Never had she been so completely attracted to a man. Her interest in the opposite sex normally rated next her love for oral surgery—seriously low. But Gabriel Erhard, the Chief of the misfit Outcast Society, was no ordinary guy a girl would meet walking in the mall. He was a warrior to the bone: lethal, powerful, and sexy as sin. His dangerous aura and I’ll-protect-you-from-everything-but-me gaze called to her wild, base instincts. She wanted him with a ferocity she never knew existed inside her. Since the night they’d met at the bar, she’d been infatuated with him and while she languished away in Hell, her desire to see him, to hear his voice, to feel his touch one more time was torturous. Gabriel Erhard, the enemy of her enemy, the male who dared to break the laws of his society to save the humans and bring peace to the realm of darkness, was a man she’d fight to possess.

  Jordan mentally shook herself. She’d never been the brazen type and short of throwing her naked body at him, she wasn’t sure how to seduce the big, bad vampire. Was he single? Did he find her attractive? She’d seen the desire in his eyes earlier, she’s felt his erection—hadn’t she?—when she drank his blood.

  That had been a dream. Jordan’s brows pinched into a frown and she began nibbling on her bottom lip. That hadn’t happened. Right? Her hopes dwindled as she realized she’d likely imagined his reaction to her when he placed her on the bed.

  “Jordan?”

  At the sound of his forceful voice, she violently flinched, sending water cascading over the side.

  “Are you feeling well?”

  She met his gaze and the concern she saw there made her heart melt. “I just got lost in here,” she tapped her temple, “and I’m not used to having company.”

  Gabriel’s eyes flickered black with rage then return to their serene, normal green. “You’re here now and you’ll never experience that again.” He went to his knees beside the tube. “Turn around. I’ll wash your hair.”

  Mouth suddenly dry, Jordan gave a silent nod of her own. She turned in the water and dunked her head under again. When she came back up, Gabriel was ready. His large hands worked the shampoo into her matted hair. His touch was so light, so gentle, and welcome. Her eyes drifted closed and she swore she heard purring, from him or her?

  Clearing his throat, he asked, “Why were you quarantined?”

  Jordan tensed. She preferred to keep her skills as a hunter secret, a deadly surprise. Should she tell him she’d fought her captors, tried multiple times to escape and killed two of her guards? The result: solitary confinement and sedation. Would Gabriel view her as a threat? Could she trust him? Up to this point, he hadn’t given her any reason to doubt him and Scott could’ve already told him about her past. Keep it short or give detail?

/>   “I didn’t mean to pry—”

  “No. It’s okay.” She took in a breath, tried not to fidget and failed. She ran her fingers through the bubbles.

  “Is it safe to assume you don’t play well with others?”

  His bland tone made her smile and instantly her nerves and doubt dissolved. “Something like that.”

  “Tell me.”

  “Scott may have already mentioned this but, I grew up with hunters. Until my aunt passed, I lived as one.” Her throat grew tight, her eyes suddenly burned with unshed tears. Shaking her head, she continued, “Anyway, I took down two guards and that landed me in some deep crap.”

  “Took down?”

  She sheepishly nodded. “Yeah, you know, ended them.”

  Gabriel whistled low. Was he impressed?

  “Little scrapper,” he chuckled.

  He picked up the hand-held shower head, flipped the water on and rinsed her hair. Then he started with the conditioner, lathering it on layer after layer to ease the mass of tangles. A tiny moan parted her lips when his fingers began to massage her scalp. His hands moved lower, kneading the tight muscles of her neck. Nothing had ever felt so amazing.

  “Tilt your head back.” His rough voice, shiver inducing.

  Jordan complied and he rinsed her hair clean. She sensed him shift behind her. His head dipped down, his cool breath fanned over the heated, slick skin of her neck. Gabriel’s long fingers smoothly stroked through her hair. “Like silk.”

  Her eyes fluttered open. His fingers brushed her throat, gently skipped over her pulse. Desire shot through her, making her toes curl.

  “Done.”

  “Thank you.”

  He grumbled in response and came to his feet. Jordan spun and—Oh, god—his gaze burned. Deep black flickered with shimmering green. Was he just as affected as she was?

  “Relax and soak as long as you like.” He exhaled a deep breath, his eyes returning to their natural color. “This room adjoins mine. I’ll be just a shout away.”

  He was leaving? But she hadn’t asked any of her questions. She’d been too caught up, savoring his touch, her brain had stopped working. Damn it. Get your head in the game, Jordan.

  “Wait.” She shifted and lunged for his hand, water sloshed over the side to slap the floor. Her fingers laced around his wrist. He could’ve easily pulled out of her weak grasp, but he froze and slowly pivoted. His gaze fell to her hand, his expression hard and the muscle along his jaw ticked.

  Jordan tightened her grip and his eyes snapped back to her. Was he angry? She released him and settled back in the water. Her legs could barely support her, yet she’d shot through the water like a torpedo to stop him. Where had the energy and strength come from?

  Silence thickened the air.

  Jordan nervously cleared her throat and said, “Please, stay. I’ve so many questions.” When he didn’t respond, she added, “I’d like us to talk and…I don’t want to be alone right now.”

  Gabriel’s wide shoulders tensed, his chest rose and fell with a heavy sigh. “I’ll stay.”

  The hard edge of his voice caused her to have second thoughts, but she wouldn’t back down. She had to know. The questions had been slowly driving her mad, circling on an endless loop as she sat alone in her cell. Now that she had the mysterious male within reach, all she could think of was brushing her fingers up his arms and over his shoulders. What would he taste like?

  Focus! Jordan opened her mouth then closed it. Opened it again and said nothing. Where to start? Why did you come to the bar? Did you know I was a target? After I was taken, did you search for me or was my rescue a happy accident? She dropped her gaze to the bubbles and nervously began to draw designs in the foam.

  As if reading her mind, Gabriel grunted, “We didn’t meet by chance. I knew you were on my enemy’s list.”

  Jordan swallowed hard. One fear confirmed and one question answered. She’d had a feeling the Slave Handlers had been tracking her for a while before they’d made their move. If she’d been paying attention, as she’d been taught, she would’ve seen them coming.

  “What was your plan? I mean, was the music bit legit?”

  “You needn’t doubt my motives.”

  “So, you own a record label and fully intended on signing me?”

  He gave a short nod.

  Okay, seems this vamp is on the straight. “Did you know I was going to be taken that night?”

  Chapter Ten

  Gabriel’s gaze shifted to the side then quickly returned. “No.”

  He’d been blinded by her beauty and awestruck by her voice. His uncharacteristic and maddening obsession had impaired his judgement. Jordan’s capture, her imprisonment, torture, and impending death was his fault. But he’d make it right. Gabriel would find a way to cross her off the shadowy Specter’s most wanted list and, if possible, he’d rid her of her nightmarish memories.

  “If I’d known they planned to take you that night, I wouldn’t have left you alone,” he declared.

  Her pupils dilated, a blush rushed to her cheeks. “In the hall, you mean?”

  Gabriel responded with another simple nod. He didn’t know how to answer that question without revealing too much. That night he’d denied his instincts and fought the need to pin her to the wall, to kiss her, to take her. If he’d surrendered to his dark desires and ignored his no humans’ policy, he’d have been with her. Boras’s men wouldn’t have dared to strike in his presence. But he’d disregarded the primal whisper that begged him to touch her. I have her now, that’s what matters.

  Jordan stared at his mouth. Was she thinking of the moment they’d shared that night? Had she wanted to know his kiss as much as he craved to know hers? Would she have let him push her against the wall?

  She ran her tongue over her top lip before drawing on her bottom lip with her teeth.

  Damn. How could such a simple action be so unbearably sexy?

  “I thought about you,” she confessed, her words breathy. “In the beginning, I wondered if you’d been a part of my abduction. As time pasted I started to question if you were even real. Maybe I’d dreamed you up to help cope with…Then I heard rumors. Your name was spoken like a curse by the guards. And the slave houses were destroyed.”

  She traced her fingers through the fragrant foam, drawing little designs once more. Gabriel remained perfectly still as he waited silently for her to continue. Jordan was perceptive and he knew where her thoughts were heading. But Gabriel wasn’t going to volunteer information.

  “In the purchasing room, Klein, the lead Slave Handler, he asked if you’d been searching for me.” She boldly met his stare. “Were you?”

  I was obsessed with finding you. “With every raid, I hoped to find you.”

  She swallowed hard. “Last night, did you release any other humans?”

  He shook his head. “The security was tight. We had to go in undercover,” he explained.

  Jordan inched toward the edge of the tub, her fingers gripped the rim. The bubbles gathered around her, concealing her breasts, her trim waist and rounded hips. Her eyes narrowed as she slowly looked him up and down—studying him—her gaze burning him straight to his soul.

  “Jordan, I’m no hero. Don’t confuse me with being a chivalrous knight.”

  Her tempting lips curled with a sweet smile. “I know. I just want the truth,” she replied.

  Gabriel knelt beside the tub. His voice dropped an octave as he stated, “You know the truth.”

  Jordan’s eyes rounded with understanding. “That night, you came to the bar to protect me.”

  He bit back a menacing growl, hating his failure. “Yes.”

  “Why?”

  You belong to me. Gabriel’s head snapped back as if he’d been slapped. Jordan didn’t belong to him. Hell, she didn’t even belong with him. She was mortal, a being meant for the light and he was steeped in darkness.

  “Gabriel?”

  He briefly closed his eyes, savoring the sound of her honeyed voice whi
spering his name. He’d dreamed of her sighing his name as he kissed her, calling out his name as he brought her to orgasm. His blood heated to a dangerous degree as his gaze roamed her face, drinking in every detail. Jordan was so close. He could grip her upper arms and draw her against him. He could lay claim to her luscious lips. Inhaling deeply, he scented her desire, and shuddered. Yes, she’d let him kiss her and he’d have her moaning, begging for more.

  Yes, more.

  Gabriel shook his head. What the hell was he thinking? She’s human and so easily breakable. Every caress would have to be tempered, every kiss reserved, every thrust controlled. He could never have more with Jordan. The fantasies had to end.

  He tugged a hand through his hair. There was no point in torturing himself. He’d accomplished his goal: rescue the mortal. Jordan was safe. It was time for his life to return to normal, first thing, he had to end his monkish ways. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had sex, not that any of his bed partners were ever memorable. He shared pleasure with countless, nameless women. His recent lack of sex must be why Jordan was having such an effect on him. Once back in the city, he’d find an eager vampiress or two.

  “I’ll leave you to your bath.”

  Gabriel shifted and began to stand when Jordan’s hands settled atop his shoulders. His body became immobile, his limbs heavy as boulders. He couldn’t pull way even if he’d wanted to and he knew he should want to break free of her hold.

  He leaned into her touch.

  “Please, wait. One more question.”

  He sighed, trying to appear exasperated. “What is it?”

  “Did you know I was going to be at the auction house?”

  He reluctantly provided the truth and muttered a curse when she smiled. Jordan was beautiful, but when she smiled her violet eyes brightened and Gabriel’s thoughts turned hazy.

  “You infiltrated your enemy’s camp to rescue me.”

  Her breathless whisper sent shock waves through his system, igniting his blood and stiffening his cock. Damn it.

  “Thank you.”

  Gabriel gave her a quick nod in response. He would’ve pulled away then, but Jordan’s arms wound around his neck and she tugged his head down. Their lips met. Automatically, Gabriel’s entire frame tensed. The pressure of her lips was gentle and innocent at first, but this wasn’t like the chaste kiss they shared on the plane. Jordan thrust her tongue into his mouth and…god damn, she was delicious, like fresh berries. He should pull away. He should make her stop. End this now, he told himself. But her kiss was electrifying and he was completely enraptured.