Bee didn’t react in a way he expected. There were no squeals or reaching for a towel to cover herself. She just stood there wet and glistening. Her nipples puckered into hard jutting points. Growing harder under his scrutiny. He couldn’t help but look. Those hard nubs were dark against her fair skin. And the thatch of midnight curls at the apex of her thighs. Au natural never looked so good. Ah hell, he could feel himself harden, lengthen a whole lot more. How could his mouth feel so damned dry yet so ready to drool all at once?
Her eyes dropped half-mast and her raspberry stained lips opened as she released a rugged breath. He knew in that instant that if he were to go to her, she would let him. Garrett could have her sprawled on his bed in seconds. Could have her crying his name as he pumped into her if he so wished. Despite his vision, he was sorely tempted. But Bee…Brice was a hybrid no matter how much he wished to believe otherwise.
What was her game? Hybrids were not interested in sex only blood, death. But isn’t that what his vision had predicted? Was she tempting him so that he would let his guard down so she could kill him?
“Get dressed,” it came out sounding gruffer than he’d intended. “Help yourself to whatever you need.” She took a step towards him, but he put up his hand stopping her. Thank God.
A shadow slipped across her face. A pained, hurt look. It affected him more than it should have, made him want to apologize but damn it she was a hybrid. He a Demon Chaser. An apology was not going to happen. “Don’t.” Stay there. “Get dressed.” The words were strained, a little choked, as he turned scrubbing a hand over his face.
This was ridiculous. They hadn’t said more than two words to one another. He wasn’t the kind of guy that had sex indiscriminately. One that was ruled by his dick. He’d seen first-hand the kind of damage a man like that could do. Could still hear his mother crying herself to sleep waiting for his father to come home from whichever pussy he’d decided on for the night. Unfortunately, he did share a certain amount of DNA with the man, but they were nothing alike. Nothing. Garrett would make sure of it. But fuck if he didn’t still have a raging hard on and not for the first time since meeting her.
Remembering the way she’d devoured that sandwich didn’t help either. Those unbelievable little moans and whimpers. The way her tongue had whipped across her full lower lip every few bites. Better not to think about that right now, he was trying to lose the erection not make it worse.
Chapter Four
The wonderful scent of fresh bamboo shoots and the first dew on a spring morning hit him straight in the nose. Sure there was an overtone of soap from her shower, but the one thing she smelt most of was power, barely contained, wild, hungry power. Like the way the air smelt as a thunder storm brewed. The gathering. The build. Strong and pulsing. Just his luck, it was one of the most intoxicating, most desirable scents he’d ever had the opportunity to savor. He clenched his hand on his coffee mug and closed his eyes for a few beats. What had he ever done to deserve this?
To make matters worse, she was wearing one of his shirts and nothing else. Sweet Jesus. The least she could have done was dry off first. But that would be fate letting him off easy. Fate wanted the pale blue cotton to mould and stick to her in all the right places. There was a Nike twirl on her left breast, he heard the slogan ‘Just do it’ echo inside his head. It all taunted him. There were forces at work here. Forces that wanted his vision to come about.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…for that to have happened. Didn’t mean for…you…me…”
“It’s fine. It was an accident.” He saw more of that same innocence as she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth.
Then, even worse, she cast her eyes down to her feet. “I also…I’m sorry, but I used your toothbrush. I have this thing about my teeth. Stupid I know…considering.”
“It’s not,” he mumbled. “Don’t worry I have a spare. Coffee?”
“Is there any more of that juice? Maybe some eggs and bacon?”
Something to drink yes. The food, could wait. He wasn’t about to subject himself to more of her sexy moans. At least not until they’d had their little chat.
****
Why was he so angry with her? It had been an accident. She had even apologized. Had never meant for it to happen. But she wasn’t sorry really. It still buzzed from the experience. Her thing actually vibrated inside of her.
His eyes had glazed and heated growing more intense as they smouldered across every inch of her naked body. Branding her with his gaze. His boxers had tented with what could only be a hell of an erection. That’s when the vibrations had started. The thing was so happy, deliriously so. She’d taken a step towards him. Something she wanted but had the feeling she would have done regardless of her own feelings. The thing had taken control. It wanted him. Maybe more than she did and she wanted him bad.
Garrett smacked down two glasses of juice, jolting her back to the present. He gestured for her to sit, taking a chair on the opposite side of the table. He was wearing the clothes from last night. Complete with the tell-tale bulge of the weapon he had been holding a few minutes ago. Why did he need it? Was he afraid of her? He was probably the only person on the planet that had nothing to fear from her.
“It’s time we cut the bullshit.” His eyes had turned a gleaming gun metal grey. His brow became more furrowed than she thought possible. Hard, stern, even more attractive. “Who the hell are you? I want details.”
“I told you. I’m Bee.”
“Bee who?”
“I’m nobody.” She downed the juice. Shit, shit, shit. Vacation time was over and all too soon. She’d been really stupid to let her guard down. To get so comfortable around him. He was a cop. The enemy. “Look, forget it okay. I’m gone. Out of your hair.” She downed the juice, only just managing to hold back a groan. Nothing had ever tasted as good. And she had so hoped to be able to wash her clothes at least before having to go back. To get those eggs and a mountain of crispy bacon. To be close to him for a few more precious hours. Brice stood sighing softly as she rose.
“Sit.” She met the gathering storm clouds that were his eyes. “Now.”
Shit with sugar. He meant business. The thing had gone back to being silent. Almost gone. So strange, she was in a compromising situation and it gave her nothing. It was going to be so hard to leave. Reluctantly, she did as he said and lowered herself to the chair.
“Talk. Who are you?” he growled.
“Brice,” her name just slipped out. She didn’t like him angry.
“Brice who?”
“I’d really rather not say.”
“Why?”
“I ran away a couple of months ago and don’t want to be found.” Damn, she was still finding it impossible to lie to him. Not that she’d ever been much of a liar before, but right now the situation demanded it. Yet, truth after truth kept leaving her traitorous mouth.
“Why did you run?”
Brice shrugged, “I was scared.”
Garrett clenched his jaw, his teeth grinding together in…anger? Was he angry at her? Why? He didn’t even know her. Then he took a deep breath, leaning his elbows on the table and looked down at his hands. When he looked back up, his eyes had softened. Flecks of blue within the steel.
“Brice.” He breathed out her name in a soft whisper and goose bumps formed on her arms. “I need you to tell me everything.’
“I can’t.”
“You must.” He leaned forward reaching his hand towards her for just a second before pulling it back. “You’re in danger. I want to help you. I really, really do. I won’t be able to do that unless you tell me everything.”
****
Brice chewed on her lip for a while before looking him in the eye. Those big golden orbs of sheer innocence. So wide and trusting. Made him want to take her in his arms and tell her it would be okay. That regardless of what she told him he would protect her, keep her safe at all costs. Hearing her say that she had run because she wa
s scared made him want to hit something, or the someone who had instilled that fear. It had taken every ounce of will power he possessed to keep him from demanding immediate answers so that he could find the culprits. Make them pay.
“I was hurt a couple of months ago.” Her hand moved to the scars on her neck.
“How?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”
“Try me,” he said. She’d be surprised just how much he’d believe her.
“I was kidnapped. My abductors did tests on me.” Her lips trembled.
“What kind of tests?” he ground out.
Brice flinched.
“It’s okay honey.” He moved to sit on the same side of the table as her, putting his splayed fingers to her forearm. “You’re safe.”
“Why are you so angry with me? I’ve done nothing wrong. Well…except…that was an accident. I promise you, it was an accident.”
“I really need to get to the bottom of this.” He pulled his hand back because he wanted to pull her into his arms and mesh all that softness against him. The need was almost overwhelming. It would be too easy to lose control of himself with this woman. To start something he could never finish. Even though he wanted to. Man oh man did he want to. “I’m not angry with you. It’s just the thought of someone hurting you…”
She smiled shyly and a lump the size of a small island lodged itself in his throat.
After taking a deep breath she continued. “Experiments – that’s the word they used. There were three of them. Really bad…um…people especially the one woman, she was cruel. She hated me.” Another shaky breath and he had to fight the need to throw questions at her. “She was the one who tried to kill me. She did this.” Brice pulled her hair to the side.
Although he’d seen the scars in his vision and had seen glimpses since she’d arrived, nothing prepared him. She should have died from her injuries. The one scar was particularly bad, it ran from behind her ear to the bottom of her throat. Thick, angry, he traced the length of it with his thumb.
“A she-wolf,” the words slipped out before he could stop them.
Her big brown eyes grew wider as her mouth dropped open. Brice stood, scrambling backwards to get away from him. In two beats he had her wrists clasped. She continued to back up until her back hit the kitchen counter and then at long last there was sweet contact. Garrett used his lower body to pin her to the counter. He couldn’t take any chances, if she escaped no telling the damage she could cause. Although he had yet to feel in any danger himself. Despite the vision. She struggled and squirmed and writhed.
“Easy honey…easy.” Unexpectedly she calmed to the sound of his voice. “Was it a wolf that did this to you?”
“How did you know? Who the hell are you? Is your name really Garrett?”
This time she fought harder. All she managed to do was slide herself up and down the length of him. It was completely inappropriate, but all he could think of was parting those luscious thighs. Of doing everything in his power to get her dripping wet and of sinking into her tight sheath over and over until she begged him to make her come. There was something about this woman that did crazy things with his mind. Just like that he could feel himself thicken. His cock straining for her from behind his zipper. She gasped, looking down between them, her wide eyes narrowing in anger. That wild scent of barely contained electrical storm grew stronger. Utterly intoxicating.
Somehow he managed to put a rein on his need for her. “How is it that you manage to keep such control?” It should be impossible for a hybrid not to explode, carnage and death it’s only thoughts. She bit on her bottom lip, shutting her eyes for a few seconds. When she opened them again, they were glistening with unshed tears.
****
One second she’d been ready to tear out his eyes. Not in a literal the-thing-has-taken-control kind of a way, but more of a-woman-angry-with-her-man kind of a way. Not that he was her man or anything. Right now though, she just wanted answers. Garrett, if that was even his name, knew more about all of this than he was letting on. Maybe he could help her. For the first time she felt there was hope. Such a dangerous thing to feel, but she couldn’t help it.
“I’m not saying another word until you tell me who you are.”
“My name is Garrett. I am a cop. I’m also a Demon Chaser. I work for The Demon Control Agency.”
Shit, shit, shit. This kept getting worse. He was one of them. Way worse than a cop. They’d visited her often during her stay at the hospital. Asking all sorts of questions. One day, when two jerk off Chasers thought she was sleeping, she’d overheard them talking about how they had taken her last batch of blood in for testing. That if she was compromised she would need to be exterminated. It was also the first time she’d had one of her gut feelings. It told her to get away. Even though she was still weak. Still in so much pain, she needed to run and hide. She did. And had been ever since.
“A small number of the human population house demons inside of them. Different species which give the human various traits. Werewolves, vampires and many other creatures of myth all exist. It’s my job to keep the various species in check.”
“What are you going to do with me?” His hands were still clamped on her wrists. His hard, hot body still fixed her in place against the counter. His equally hard, hot erection pushed up against her stomach. It irritated her how much he affected her. How much she wanted him. Her nipples had tightened and a needy ache resonated from between her thighs. It was important to remind herself that although his body reacted to her, he didn’t seem to want her. She must not allow herself to think for one moment that he was on her side. Garrett was very much the enemy.
“What I should do is take you in, but I’m going to give you a chance to come clean first. Then…I’ll decide.”
She made a sound of frustration. “Yes. It was wolf. I thought she was a normal woman until she turned and tried to tear out my throat. The two others were…not human.”
“They were demon skins.”
“Oh.” Not that she had any idea what he was talking about, and it was as if he could pick up her train of thought because he continued.
“Highly aggressive demons that can change to any shape or form of their choosing. When they get mad out pop their big fangs and sharp claws.” Memories flashed through her mind and she cringed. Seemingly without thinking, he let go of one of her arms to cup her cheek. “You’re safe, remember.”
“Am I?” Was he going to turn her in? He took back her wrist, but allowed their arms to drop at their sides. “Can we sit back down?”
“Not until this talk is over. What did they do to you?”
“Injected me every day. I don’t know what it was, but it smelt sweet and looked a lot like blood.” Bile rose in her throat at the thought. “It hurt like fire through my veins for hours after.”
“It was blood. Their blood.”
“How do you know? What did they do to me?” This time she couldn’t help it. Even though she squeezed her eyes shut and breathed deeply, the tears still came.
“Bee, honey, please don’t cry.” He cupped her cheeks with both hands using his thumbs to wipe away the tears. Then he pulled her into his chest and enveloped her with his arms. She moaned. A sound he mistook for misery instead of utter joy and peace like nothing she had ever felt before. She buried her face into the solid wall of his chest. He was hers. She pushed the thought away. It was just the talk of a woman who had craved contact for so many lonely months. Nothing more.
****
What the fuck…
She felt perfect in his arms. It wasn’t his dick talking, not this time. This had nothing to do with lust or sex. She felt right somehow. Like she belonged, but that was lunacy.
She was a stranger. A hybrid of a demon skin that had to be warring for control inside of her. It was a wonder they could conduct a normal conversation at all. Still, he had to force himself to damn well let her go. Just so she didn’t get
any ideas, he took back her wrists. It wasn’t because his hands needed contact with her. “I had a look at your file.”
Her lip quivered but at least she’d stopped crying. “Tell me everything you know please.”
“You were left for dead after a female demon wolf ripped your neck open. You should have died yet something kept you alive.” He paused not liking how she clung to his every word, licking her lips in anticipation. She nodded gently urging him to continue. “The demon skin’s blood turned you into what the DCA calls a hybrid. It affected your genetic make-up. You’re no longer fully human.” She didn’t react with the shock he expected. “You knew this already?”
“Yes…no.” Part of him wanted to smile. This was the second time she’d answered a question with opposite answers. “I mean I knew something was wrong with me, I just didn’t know what. Tell me everything Garrett please I need to know.”
Her eyes were so golden. Her long lashes dipping every time she blinked. Sweet, innocent. He simply could not believe that she was evil. Garrett refused to believe it. God how he wished things could be different.
“You have a piece of demon inside of you. They injected you enough times with the demon skin blood to take hold. The problem is you weren’t born this way, you were created which means you have never developed control although”—she had been nothing but restrained since meeting him—“you seem fine. Demon skins are aggressive. We don’t know very much about them which makes your situation worse.”
Her face scrunched in thought.
“I’m also a hybrid.” He hadn’t meant to tell her the last part, it just kind of happened.
Spring Feve Page 22
