by Lawna Mackie
“I’m sorry, precious, we haven’t figured out how to send you home yet. I don’t mean to hurt you, but you need to know the truth, and you need to learn everything you can about yourself and your powers to protect yourself. I think we should get you back home so you can eat and get some rest for tomorrow.”
* * * *
She dried her tears, knowing Kerrigan was right. Her heart sank along with her confidence. She wasn’t the simple girl she had been a short time ago. Now, weary and sore, her defenses weakened. She was falling in love with man who had two sides. She wanted the warmth and security she felt when he held her in his arms. She wanted him to kiss away all her fears and to drive her crazy with uncontrolled passion.
“I think food and rest would be a good idea.”
He took hold of her hand, and in a blink, they were back in his home. Catz followed, appearing at her side. The house smelled wonderful. Then she heard Paddy’s voice humming from somewhere in the house.
“Thank heavens for my mom.”
The kitchen was even larger than the one in Paddy’s home. Paddy greeted her with a giant smile.
“I’m so glad you are okay, dear. I was worried about you.” “Thanks, Paddy, but I’m fine.”
Paddy studied her face and then marched over to Kerrigan. “Son, she looks exhausted. What did you do to her today?”
“You should see how Stryker looks.” He smirked, and winked at Meeka.
Her blood raced with excitement. He could make her pulse change with a simple smile and wink. Would the unfairness ever end?
“Where’s Threeo,” Meeka asked.
Paddy laughed. “Oh, those babies. They escaped again, and Threeo’s still trying to clean the room up.”
Kerrigan cursed, closing his eyes. “How’d they get out this time?”
Threeo appeared around the door into the kitchen. He looked grumpy. “This time,” he said, “The puppy Threeo chewed his way out.”
Meeka couldn’t help but burst out in laughter. “This time? What happened the other times?” “Well,” Threeo explained with an annoyed tone. “Last time, the burrowing owl baby managed to fly out, and the time before, the hippo head-butted his way out.”
Meeka was still laughing. “Well, what harm could they do? They’re just babies.”
Kerrigan rolled his eyes. “You have no idea. One of their favorite things to do is to have pillow fights. We still have feathers lining half the cupboards in this place. Threeo, don’t tell me they got the pillows.”
Threeo rolled his head completely around and squawked. “Threeo won’t tell you, then.” Paddy chuckled. “Sorry, Kerrigan. Threeo’s not kidding.”
The meal was delicious, and with a full stomach, she could feel exhaustion tugging at her control. Only after the second nod did she glance around, hoping no one had seen her tiny slip. Sighing sleepily, she leaned against Kerrigan’s shoulder, her breathing evening out. Kerrigan got up from the table, pulling her chair out. “Come on, Meeka. You need your rest. Tomorrow will be another long day for you.”
She pushed herself up. “I’ll just help Paddy clean up. Then I’ll rest.” “I’ll help Mom clean up,” Kerrigan stated.
“You do dishes, too? How about laundry?”
With a soft smile, Kerrigan helped her up. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her flush against his hard length.
“Thank you, Paddy.” Meeka turned as he herded her toward the door. She wallowed in the warmth of his touch, the caring she felt as his fingers brushed against her lower back.
Kerrigan walked with her up a few flights of stairs and then turned a corner. They continued down the hall and up a few more stairs to his bedroom.
He opened the door. “Go to bed, Meeka.”
Meeka looked around his room, feeling uncomfortable taking his bed. “Kerrigan, I don’t need to take your room. I can sleep on the sofa.” She turned to leave.
Before she took two steps, Kerrigan scooped her up and carried her to his bed. Her body tingled from head to foot the moment he touched her. She knew he would feel it, too. Meeka looked up into his face, but he kept his chin held high. His eyes focused away from her. She wanted him so badly the ache was worse than the soreness she felt in her muscles from fighting. Why didn’t he want her?
“Close your eyes, Meeka.”
She couldn’t resist the plaintive whisper. Her clothing disappeared and pajamas replaced them. She opened her eyes to find him staring down at her. He did want her! She could see it in his eyes. She reached up and traced the outline of his lips with her finger.
A groan escaped his mouth.
Gently, she placed her hand around the back of his neck, pulled his mouth to hers, and outlined his lips with her tongue. Meeka pulled back, hearing him growl as he pushed her back, pinning her to the bed. His mouth captured hers in a demanding kiss. The gentleness was gone, replaced by raging desire. Pleasure washed through her body as his tongue plunged into her mouth.
Her hands were tangled in his hair, urgently holding him close, when he swore quietly under his breath and pulled away from her.
“I can’t keep doing this. I won’t always be able to control myself.” He stood up with his fists clenched. “I want you so badly, nothing will stop me soon.” He let out a frustrated groan. “Especially if you keep tempting me like you do.”
Meeka finally found her voice. “I do want you, Kerrigan, more than anything I’ve ever wanted in my life.”
“I’ll be in the next room. Go to sleep, Meeka. You’re safe here.”
* * * *
Kerrigan sat down at the top of the stairs. Catz glared at him from the bottom. “Don’t start in on me,” he said with a deep sigh.
“It doesn’t take much to notice the way the two of you look at each other,” Catz said. “The question is, what are you going to do about it?”
Frustrated, Kerrigan spoke out harshly. “I’m not immune to her charms. Do you have any idea how hard it is to turn away from her time and time again? I don’t know how long I can keep resisting her.”
Catz walked up the stairs sitting just below him. “I know how irresistible she is. I always give in to her. I know you care for her, just as she does you. She nearly killed Stryker today because he threatened you. Not because of me, or anyone else. She hesitated until he mentioned you.” Catz paused. “She’s a woman falling in love. Be careful, Kerrigan. Fates are cruel. Don’t give in to scratch an itch; it would devastate her.”
“It’s killing me to stay away from her…to be harsh and to pretend I’m not interested.” Kerrigan felt uncomfortable speaking like this with Catz. He stood up and walked down the stairs. “I’ve gotta go. I’ll be back later.”
* * * *
Catz watched him go down the stairs and around the corner. Not much could stop the fates when they decided on a pairing. How cruel life could be.
Chapter Twenty-One
Jager hated this place. Even Tombs was nicer. Nobody ever came here to the Forest of Limbs. It was no wonder Thalius wanted to meet here. By the time Jager arrived, night had fallen.
The Forest of Limbs was eerie. Only the moon’s light illuminated the trees. Branches with no leaves spread wide like fingers on a skeleton waiting for unwary travelers. Soggy ground cushioned his steps and fog crept along his feet while he tried to stay as far away from the trees as possible. A putrid smell of mold drifted through his nose. He preferred the smell of rotting flesh. Cries and whimpers quietly echoed throughout the woods. Jager knew nothing in the forest could harm him, but the trees could definitely cause him to be severely delayed.
They were to meet in the clearing, which was a great idea because nobody would be there. The trouble was getting through the trees to get there. Jager couldn’t teleport to get through the forest. He had to go through the fucking center of it.
Straight ahead, Jager could see a very large tree. It stood twisted and tall, easily ten times wider than he was. He stopped and considered his options. Okay, there were no options. He had to go
around it. The problem was not so much the large tree, but that in order to pass by it, he had to squeeze between the smaller trees on either side.
“Shit,” he swore…just maybe he wouldn’t encounter anything strange while bushwhacking. Not likely. Bizarre events took place in The Forest of Limbs. Jager moved forward cautiously, wishing the damn fog would get off his feet. It churned between his legs, hindering his movement. Then he heard it—the soft sighs and panting of someone enjoying extreme pleasure, the voice definitely female.
He was a sick bastard when it came to sex. He didn’t really care what the creature was as long as it was female. He actually prided himself on his unusual appetite. Jager knew being sexually aroused in The Forest of Limbs would not be a good idea, but his cock tightened beneath his breeches. His feet followed the moaning until he saw her lying up against the base of the large tree. She writhed, thrashing her head from side to side. Her arms were stretched out to the sides, tethered at the wrists with green vines. Her pale body and long green hair shone in the moonlight. Her legs were bent at the knees, spread wide with her feet firmly planted on the ground. The same green vines also securely bound her ankles.
All other thoughts fled Jager’s mind as he stared at her wet cunt spread wide open and inviting. He stumbled closer, mindless of anything else around him, and stood between her legs.
She lifted her head to stare at him with green eyes. Seductively, she licked her lips. Jager almost came right there on the spot.
“Oh, please, let me touch you,” she begged.
Jager fumbled with clumsy fingers, trying to undo the button on his pants.
She stuck her long, pointed tongue out, beckoning him forward. “Ohhh, you’re so hard, please come closer so I can taste you,” she implored.
Large strands of drool dripped from Jager’s mouth as he stepped toward her. His cock sprang out eagerly, waiting for her mouth to enfold him.
This is just what I wanted. I haven’t had a good piece of tail in a very long time.
Ever so slowly, her tongue licked his manhood. Unable to control himself, he rammed his cock deep in her mouth. She moaned and sucked hard.
It won’t take much.
Just a couple strokes, and he’d come all over her. Her whimpers were becoming shorter and distorted, when he felt something wrap around his waist.
The long, green hair was gone. Vines were now cascading down from her head, binding him around the waist.
Fuck.
Jager tried to push her off him.
I should have known better.
Suddenly, his feet were jerked out from under him, and he fell to the ground. The tree woman was now on top of him. He struggled to grab at the vines, trying to free himself. A searing pain burst in his thigh.
The bitch is a fucking bloodsucker!
Pissed, he shouted at her. “Get off me, you whore!”
She lifted her head, and a trickle of his blood flowed out of her mouth. “Oh, come on, you wretched, vile creature. ‘Tis not what you were saying a second ago when your pathetic cock was in my mouth. Payback’s a bitch!” With a hiss, she sank her teeth into his other leg.
His scream echoed through the night. He had to get this bitch off him. He reached for his knife. With the blade firmly in hand, he slashed at the vines. A ghostly shriek sounded throughout the sky as she howled in pain. Jager continued hacking at the vines until he was able to stand. Then, pulling up his pants, he bolted for the small opening between the trees. He dove through the air and tumbled into the clearing.
Swearing profusely, he stumbled back to his feet.
Damn cock gets me into trouble every time. I should have turned her into a worm and let her shrivel up in the sun to die.
He looked down at his legs, which were now covered in blood and bleeding through his pants.
“Fuck!” he swore again as he looked up to find Thalius standing straight ahead looking pissed.
“How the hell did you get through the Forest of Limbs without injury?” Jager snarled. “You are a stupid bastard. I don’t know why I hired your sorry ass,” Thalius replied nonchalantly. “I hope you have a very good reason for not having the girl here with you.”
“You know damn well nobody else is capable of doing your dirty work. Back off a bit.” Jager hoped it would buy him a few seconds to think of a good reason for his failure.
Thalius stalked around him slowly and methodically. “Why don’t you tell me how you managed to screw up the first kidnapping attempt?”
“Why the hell didn’t you tell me how substantial her power was?” “What powers? Tell me about the so-called power.”
The tip of Thalius’s cane poked Jager in the chest. He pushed it away and brushed himself off. “The bitch almost incinerated me! I captured and held her. Then she turned into this ball of fire and thrust me aside. By then, her damn animal friend and Kerrigan were almost on me.” Jager spat.
“What other power did she exhibit?”
“What the fuck else is there? She almost fried me. Listen, Thalius, if you want to do the job yourself, send me back to Tombs.”
Thalius thumped his cane on the ground in thought. “Just don’t make any more mistakes. We’re going to have to think of something…and soon.”
“What’s the hurry? I’d rather do the job real careful and not get caught by Kerrigan.”
A sinister little laugh escaped Thalius. “Oh, I think I have the perfect plan for both of them, Jager.
* * * *
The two bent their heads together, their muted voices drifting away from the warrior hidden in the edge of the trees. Kerrigan would want to know the plan, but it didn’t seem likely he could get close enough. The gargoyle looked back at the meadow and then launched himself in the air and disappeared.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Meeka knew training wouldn’t be easy after a sleepless night. She gritted her teeth and looked at her reflection in the mirror. At least her breasts were securely held in place as she bent to place the leather band on her thigh and secured the knife. They couldn’t have made the stupid pieces of leather any smaller, could they?
Today, Kerrigan would be training with her and Stryker. She couldn’t bear it if she hurt him. Nightmares had kept her up all night as visions of hurting or killing Kerrigan clouded her mind.
“Catz, I don’t feel like a warrior today, I feel like road kill. And I look it.”
“Don’t be silly, Meeka. You are what you are—a warrior who looks like a princess,” Catz protested.
Meeka longed to explore every inch of every hall. They went up another flight of stairs and down a long wide corridor with arched ceilings. Was there no end to this house? How many stairs and halls could one mansion have? A bright light shone ahead, and Meeka heard the grunts of exertion and hearty laughter. Apprehension took hold of her. Images of the steamy kiss of the night before flooded her memory and dulled her senses. He wanted her. The hunger and lust were screaming from him. It would be physically impossible for her to stop thinking and dreaming of him. How she wanted him to give in to her.
Her pace slowed.
She dreaded another day filled with him. Why was he so hot-and-cold? Did it have something to do with his dragon form? One instant, he was caring and kissing her, and the next, he turned to stone. Ice-cold with no emotion. She just didn’t get it. His kisses told her he wanted her… but why, then, did he always stop? She didn’t buy his excuse about not wanting to take her virginity. Eventually, he had to send her back to Earth. She was so confused, her head hurt.
Embarrassment aside, Meeka stepped across the threshold and into the bright room. It was so bright, she squinted and raised her hand, trying to refocus her eyes. When she brought her arm back down to her side, she found herself staring at the large field, and on the fringes, what appeared to be a jungle. Obviously, magic had benefits.
Meeka’s eyes cased the area from side to side, and when she eventually looked up, she found she was staring at huge vines and a canopy of tree branches.
Could be useful.
Once again focused on the training field, she spied two warriors standing armed to the nines. Kerrigan and Stryker. Stryker was gorgeous—no doubt about it—but Meeka couldn’t tear her eyes away from the warrior beside him.
Like Stryker, he wore only a small piece of leather to cover his manhood. Beautiful couldn’t describe his body. He was a poem begging to be written. Tanned from head to toe, every part of his body demanded her attention. Every part of him had been trained to perfection.
Hard cords of muscle stretched down his legs, supporting his washboard stomach and powerful pecs. Shoulder-length black hair hung carelessly around his face. His eyes were startling.
Stryker and Kerrigan were speaking to her, and she hadn’t heard a word. Her cheeks flamed.
Meeka, you idiot.
She looked at the ground while she made her way over to the two men.
She muttered to Catz between her teeth. “Feel free to interrupt me when I’m making a total fool out of myself. Geez, why does he do this to me?”
The lioness looked up at her. “He isn’t doing anything to you. You are responsible for your own feelings and actions.”
“Ohhhhh, why’d I ask you anyway?” Meeka grumbled in frustration. “Because you like the sound of my voice?” Catz chuckled.
Meeka approached the two warriors and unexpectedly became self-conscious as she noticed Kerrigan’s eyes roving over her body.
He’d seen her yesterday. Why was he looking at her like this now?
Courage. She really needed some courage. Meeka lifted her head and squeezed her eyebrows together, prepared to ask him what he was staring at, but as her lavender eyes met his blue ones, she knew. It was a look of intense desire.
Hah!
The beginning of a smirk played out on the corners of her mouth. She didn’t know anything about passion or desire until she’d met Kerrigan, but his look spoke volumes.
