He watched her face closely, looking for any sign of deceit. All that registered was an underlying sense of panic, and steely determination.
Her lips really were beautiful, and his eyes were riveted to them as she began to speak in a slow controlled voice. “I gotta make this short and sweet. My name’s Frankie and I shifted back here to protect you. Those guys out there are a lethal bunch of killers, and for some reason that I don’t even know of, they want you dead.”
She grabbed at his hand and began leading him back towards his bedroom. “I won’t repeat myself again. I still need a shirt, you need some clothes and I hope to hell there’s another way out of here.”
He let her lead him back to his room and quickly opened a cardboard box. He rifled through it until he found something that would fit her. He tossed her a white T-shirt, and then grabbed some clothes from his armoire. Once he was dressed, he slid his feet into a worn pair of boots and indicated they move towards the walk-in closet.
Her breasts were lovingly encased in the tight T-shirt, her dusky nipples hard and clearly visible through the thin fabric. He felt his mouth water, wanting only to claim them once more. The black and silver logo that was splashed across them brought a smile to his face.
Dekkar James was emblazoned in bold letters, as if announcing to the world that she belonged to him. He laughed wickedly. Fuck, he totally liked that idea.
Their eyes met, and a tug of emotion washed over him. She was worth the effort.
“You have any guns?”
Her words were clipped, her breathing was elevated and energy seemed to crackle in the room. Dekkar motioned for her to follow and they entered the large walk-in. He could feel her eyes on him as he shoved aside a bunch of clothes to reveal a hidden safe. He quickly opened it, and retrieved a gun.
It was shiny, new and never been used. Dekkar wasn’t into guns and the violence they attracted, but when he became famous and the crazies had come out of the woodwork, he’d bought one.
He grabbed the bullets and slammed the safe shut.
Turning back towards Frankie, he felt a need to protect grab him hard. Her hands were outstretched, and she glanced behind her once before speaking.
“Great. Give it to me.”
Dekkar laughed outright. “I don’t think so. It’s my gun.”
The look of fierce anger that crossed her face was adorable and Dekkar grinned wickedly. He could tell she was not used to being denied anything.
“Have you ever shot a gun? Do you know how to use it? ’Cause I can tell just by the way you’re holding it…you’ve never handled a gun before. So, I’m not asking, I’m telling you to give it to me.”
A loud smash reverberated through the apartment, and her wild look of anger convinced him. He tossed the gun to her, along with the bullets.
“A fucking Glock? Christ I’ve only seen these in museums.” She flashed a smile at his confused look. “You do have another way out of here, right?”
Dekkar pointed towards the back of the closet and ran for it, Frankie hot on his heels. What looked like a large armoire was really a fake piece of furniture that hid another exit. It was coded, and he punched the numbers in as fast as he could.
“Frankie Black! Been a while, no?”
Dekkar whipped around, his body tensing with anger at the stranger who stood mere inches from the woman. The intruder was tall, heavily muscled and menacing. He’d not noticed Dekkar, as his focus was solely on Frankie.
“Christ, it’s been a while since you’ve been in the field, Connor. Is Daddy running out of operatives to send out?” Her voice was light, yet Dekkar knew she was tense.
The large man inhaled sharply and his face whitened in fury. Dekkar made to move, but stalled as Frankie motioned behind her back. He slid quietly into a pile of hanging garments, out of sight.
“I can smell him all over you. Couldn’t wait for his cock? You had to go and fuck him the minute you met? I had such high hopes for us, but you’re no different from any of the other Opals. You’re all a bunch of whores.” He sneered as he stepped closer, his hand snaking out and closing over Frankie’s throat. His voice was lowered, the fury contained somewhat.
“I am going to kill him, and then I’m going to fuck you like you’ve never been fucked before. I’ll wipe his seed from your body and you will be mine.”
He brushed a kiss over her lips and Dekkar wanted to fucking kill him.
“You were always meant to be mine. That’s why I wanted this assignment. I wanted to be the one to kill the rock star.” The large man sneered.
Dekkar had no clue what the hell he was spitting out, and he tensed, waiting to attack.
The large man snarled in glee at the look of surprise that crossed Frankie’s face. “Your bitch mother didn’t tell you? This Dekkar piece of shit is supposed to be your destined mate. That’s why we’re here to take him out. We can’t let it happen.”
The man’s mouth slashed wider, his tone maniacal. “You were supposed to be mine, but his bastard might already be buried deep inside your fucking pussy. You’re damaged goods now, but I’m gonna fuck you just to say I did and then I’ll find one of your sisters. The next Black Opal to procreate will be pregnant because I screwed her.”
The man laughed harshly then as Frankie began to struggle. “Hell, maybe I’ll fuck ’em all.”
Dekkar watched as Frankie’s arms spun up and she clipped the bastard hard on each side of his head. He roared as she fell away from him, and he kicked her hard in the gut. She flew to the ground, the gun flying out and away from them.
The intruder was breathing hard as he stood over Frankie. She spat at him, “You’re gonna have to screw a corpse asshole, ’cause I’ll never let you touch me while there’s breath in my body.”
“Don’t worry, Frankie, I have no problem with that. I’d fuck a corpse just to say I’ve had a piece of a Black Opal.”
Dekkar could take no more and blinding rage fell over him as he charged forward. He tackled the intruder, the force of his anger tumbling both of them to the ground.
They rolled, but in the confines of the closet he felt a wall at his back as his eyes locked onto the bastards black ones. A large meaty fist came flying at him and Dekkar ducked, jabbing out hard with his right hand, making contact and smashing the man’s jugular. He was up in a flash, and kicked out hard, hearing a satisfying crunch as he connected with his head.
The man roared his fury and only then was Dekkar aware of two shots ringing out. He whipped his head around in time to see Frankie standing over two dead bodies.
She looked up then, and their eyes met. Hers widened and he dropped and rolled away as another shot rang out.
Utter silence filled the walk-in, and Frankie flew into his arms. He crushed her to his body, feeling a sense of contentment strike him hard. He wanted this woman, and now that he’d found her, he wasn’t letting go.
“So,” he murmured, “I’m guessing you’re really not from around here.”
Chapter Six
Frankie took a moment just to savor the feel of Dekkar’s hardness against her body. A lot was whirling through her head. Connor’s words were alarming. They’d shot straight through her, and the feeling of panic that had been riding just underneath the surface was bubbling up fast and hard.
She shakily drew in a breath, trying to think. One thing was clear to her. The New Order had just upped the stakes. They’d somehow managed to find out which men were meant to mate with each of the Black Opals. Her heart fluttered as she realized how close she’d come to losing Dekkar.
Not only were they were trying to stop the Black Opals from carrying on their line of warriors, they wanted their seed planted and growing inside of her sisters.
That could never happen. They were evil men, and any child they brought into the world didn’t stand a chance of living a noble, honorable existence.
Frankie had to get home. She needed to warn the others.
She pulled away, her blue eyes capturing the intense
gaze of the man who stood before her.
Her perfectly, imperfect…mate. God, she could feel it now; the pull, the invisible cord that linked the two of them together. No wonder she hadn’t been able to resist him. She’d never, ever, fucked with a target and now she was considering breaking yet another rule.
She wanted him; no…she needed him to shift forward in time with her.
She just hoped he’d agree, because she wasn’t at all sure it was even possible.
His green eyes were regarding her silently. Frankie had always been a straight forward, no bullshit kind of person, so she just dove in full throttle.
“You’re right, Dekkar. I’m not from around here. I’m not from this country. I’m not even from this planet.” She watched his eyes widen in surprise, and even though his lips tightened he didn’t speak.
“The real kicker is probably something you won’t be able to grasp. I’m not from this time. I’m from the future.” she drew in a shaky breath before continuing, “About three hundred years to be exact.”
Silence stretched between them, and she watched as Dekkar’s eyes moved to the dead bodies strewn about his walk-in. He scrutinized them carefully, his hands grabbing at the rough start of beard at his chin.
When he looked back to her, his eyes blazed with an intensity that started the whole burning pulsation deep inside of her.
“This might sound totally fucked but I believe you.” He shook his head and laughed. “I fucking believe you.”
His smile pulled at her insides and Frankie felt her heart melt. “Your world is no longer safe. When they find out you’re still alive they’ll send more operatives. They won’t stop until you’ve been taken out.”
“So when do we leave?”
“You need to think long and hard about this, Dekkar. I’m not asking you to go away on vacation. Once we leave there’ll be no turning back.”
His eyes bore into hers and she could sense his elevated heart rate. The intensity that lit his face, shadowed the handsome features in such a way that he reminded her of the feral clans from the planet Lupine.
He looked around. “There’s nothing here for me. As of about an hour ago, you became my world.”
Frankie didn’t hesitate. She grabbed his mouth to hers and poured every bit of emotion that saturated her body into a long, searing kiss. The feel of his hands at the back of her head, as he ground his mouth back into hers was exquisite. When they finally parted, both were breathless.
“Ok, we’ll try. I’ve never shifted back with another body before. I don’t even know if it’s possible. But if Connor was right, and you were meant for me, then…”
“Then we can try.” His voice washed over her like the most decadent, smoothest dark chocolate imaginable.
She nodded her head. “We need to get to the alley I shifted into. It’s a block from Madison Square Garden.”
He grabbed her hands, and Frankie shivered at the heat that emanated from his skin. “Follow me. This elevator takes us to my private garage. We’ll grab my bike.”
“Bike?” She laughed loudly, excitement spilling everywhere.
“Yeah, I just bought a new Harley.”
Her grin was infectious as she followed him into the darkness. Shit, he really was her other half.
The ride down only took a minute or so, but to Frankie it felt as if time had slowed to a crawl. The desire to be home with her family, to see their faces and know that they were safe, had manifested into a physical need. It was painful, and her heart was beating a mile a minute, as if a crazed drummer flowed through her veins.
She was shaking like a leaf by the time they’d gained entry to Dekkar’s private garage, and angrily, she berated herself, wanting only to calm her spirit and focus.
They passed several vehicles and finally she felt a slice of peace drift through her as she eyed the Harley that shone like a beacon to her.
It was a beauty, and her fingers caressed the smooth chrome and steel machine with feather-like touches.
“Nice ride,” she murmured, not taking her eyes from its sleek lines, as she slid her bottom over the seat to settle in close to Dekkar.
The bike roared to life and Frankie welcomed the feel of power beneath her, as well as the warmth of the man her legs melted into. They took off as the throttle let rip, and the vibrations tickled her ass, humming along her cheeks and singing a sweet song of ecstasy that shot right to the hot center between her legs.
Her arms were around Dekkar, and her body was pressed up against his back as they exited the parking garage, and rumbled out into the open air. The breeze lifted her long hair into a moving, snaking mess that circled her head madly.
But she didn’t care.
All that mattered was the man she held, and the future that waited for them.
They rode through the busy streets, weaving in and out of traffic, and when they arrived at their destination, Frankie was exhilarated. The huge vibrating machine had teased and tortured her body into a heightened state of arousal.
Dekkar slowly drove into the alley and the bike came to an abrupt halt. They both slowly slid from the machine, his arms bringing her softness against his chest.
He pulled her into a hard embrace, “So, what now?” His voice was a whisper and she shivered as his breath softly caressed the sensitive area under her ear.
“We wait.”
“How do we…? How will we get there?”
Frankie lifted her head slowly, trying to hide her fear. She’d never shifted with another before and truthfully she didn’t know if it was possible. He needed to know.
“Dekkar, this might not go well.” She shook her head and exhaled softly. “I’ve never attempted a shift…like this.”
He looked down at her, his green eyes dark with emotion and then wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her in close to the heat of his body.
“Glad to know I’m your first.” He teased lightly, but the severity of the situation wasn’t lost on him. He reached for her face, cupped her chin and lowered his lips to hers. When Frankie felt the soft touch she melted against him, opening herself up and taking what he offered with a ferocity that scared her.
Is this what it would be like from now on? This intense and all-consuming?
The two of them clung to each other, their bodies so close they appeared as one.
When the chanting started, deep in the recesses of her mind everything went silent but the voices of her sisters.
A feeling of peace, contentment and purpose washed over her and she grabbed Dekkar close to her chest, their eyes locked onto each other.
“Can you feel it?” She asked breathlessly. “The power of my sisters?” She tried to appear brave but truthfully, she was scared shitless.
Frankie Black had no idea if she could take him with her, and as the vortex began to swirl around them she clung to his body and prayed.
Something she hadn’t done in years.
Everything went to black. All sound ceased to exist. They were in a sea of nothingness, that whirled frantically all around. Her sister’s incantations rose into a loud crescendo that invaded her brain and clung to every cell in her body.
And then it stopped.
When Frankie opened her eyes she lay on the floor of the chamber at the Black Opal. Her sisters were gathered around, hands flying in animation as they all began to speak at once. She could see her mother weeping silently in the background, her father’s hands at her shoulders.
But it was what she felt underneath her that gave her pause. Her mouth trembled and she fought the tears that threatened to spill over.
Dekkar looked stunned, winded, and for the moment he was speechless. Slowly she sat up, bringing him along with her. She held him close, feeling a rush of emotion as his arms went round her in a hard embrace.
He kissed the top of her head, whispering softly. “Okay, just so you know, I don’t want to be doing that again anytime soon.”
Serena’s voice rang out, a squeal that startled them
both. “Geez, but he’s hot, Frankie!”
Frankie laughed softly, kissed Dekkar on the nose and stood in one fluid movement, pulling him along until they both faced her family.
Her mother was wiping tears away and she looked at her, puzzled. “Mom, why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t want…” she began, her voice tremulous. “If you’d failed…I just wouldn’t have wanted you to know,” she finished quietly.
“Will someone please tell me what the fuck is going on?”
Frankie’s oldest sister, Sasha, pushed through her sisters until she stood before them all.
“The New Order has finally made their move and declared war on us.” Rachel said quietly, her gaze slowly caressing each of her daughters. “They’ve discovered a way to find your mates and are determined to assassinate them before we can get to them.”
“That’s not the whole of if.” Frankie said as she closed her eyes briefly, enjoying the warmth and hardness of Dekkar’s body. “They’re determined to impregnate our line with their spawn.”
“Ew, that’s freaking gross,” Serena said, and Frankie laughed at the expression on her youngest sister’s face.
She looked around and frowned. “Where’re Jaden and Lily?”
Her mother shook her head and she felt her belly drop. “Jaden’s still on assignment but Lily…”
Frankie did not like the look or tone of her mother’s voice.
“What the hell is up with Lily?”
“Your sister hasn’t checked in and we’ve lost communication with her.”
“Well where the hell is she?” Frankie asked, her words colored by fear and anger. Dekkar’s arms tightened around her and she leaned into him.
“She’s in the third quadrant, two hundred years into the future.”
Silence greeted her mother’s words and it felt like the air had been sucked from the room. Long faces and disbelief stared back at her.
“So what do we do?” Serena asked as she slipped in beside her mother and sought out the warmth of her embrace.
Sasha stepped forward, her eyes fierce. Her long, blonde hair glowed in an eerie light and she flicked a stray curl away impatiently.
Black Legacy: Black Opals, Book 1 Page 4
