Watcher Compelled: Dark Angels Paranormal Romance (Watchers of the Gray Book 6)

by JL Madore

  The best part was that in this dream, he wasn’t even sore. He could play out this fantasy and enjoy every moment.

  “Hello? Are you ignoring me?”

  “I asked you who you are. You’ll tell me when you’re ready. Or not. You wouldn’t be the first mystery in my life. Though, you are the sexiest.”

  “Don’t say that.” The curt snap of her tone had him wondering what he’d done to piss her off. If this were his dream, he’d have to picture her nicer.

  Naked would be good too.

  With that thought taking root, he sat up and studied her feminine contours. He extended his hand, urging her to join him on the wide bench. “Come here, Raven.”

  Her body swayed, though her feet remained rooted. “You wish. I’m not a nineties thriller movie. There will be no sleeping with the enemy.”

  “Who said anything about sleeping?” Rising, he strode forward. Despite having the look of a spooked fawn, she didn’t retreat. He pulled her against his body and for the first time in weeks, the buzz in his head fell silent.

  The relief was exquisite.

  Bo tilted his face up to greet the warmth of the sun and gave thanks for the reprieve. When the silence held strong, he soaked in the warmth of her body against his.

  A foot and a half shorter than him, she was seriously tiny. But not dainty or fragile. The fire in her emerald green eyes spoke of a female who knew how to fight for what she wanted. He brought their mouths together in a gentle brush.

  “Thank you, Raven. Even before I ravish your body, you ease me more than I can repay.”

  “You could try,” she said, her voice strained. “Tell me what you’ve done to me. Tell me how you’ve infected my mind and how I make it stop.”

  Bo conjured up a soft breeze and the distant call of sea birds. “I’ve done nothing, Raven. I don’t know you.”

  “You don’t remember, but you know me.”

  He searched his memory, and his beast growled inside his mind. Why would his unruly, violent self want to weigh in? “Sorry, beautiful. I don’t know who you are or why you’re here. I admit, this is a much nicer dream than the one you interrupted. Have you ever sailed the seas?”

  “I’m more of a ‘dinner at the observatory’ girl.”

  “The stars are wonderous at sea. You should come with me, and I’ll show you some time.”

  “Let’s work out my problem first. Other than your blood being poisonous to Darkworlders, what else might close contact do? What side effects would there be to a female getting close to you?”

  Nice, even in his dreams he couldn’t escape his preoccupation to tainting and harming the women who got too close. Stepping back, he sat down again and straddled the bench. “I’m not sure why my mind burped you up, but if you’re here to throw Gyda in my face, you can go.”

  Her gaze narrowed and she reached out her fingers. She twisted her hand like she was working the dial of a safe, and something unlocked in his head.

  The next moment, he had dozens of memories of this female. How she arched in his arms as she found release. The taste of her as his tongue swept her core. The sounds she made when he pounded so far inside her he thought he might die from the pleasure.

  “You were in Purgatory with me.”

  She dipped her chin. “So, again, what happened to me? Am I sick? Did you drug me? Poison me?”

  Now that he saw her and remembered the sweat they’d shared, his beast raged forward. He closed the distance between them, his heart racing. “This dream just got a whole lot more interesting.”

  She cranked her head up to meet his gaze. Gods, so tiny. Like a firecracker about to ignite. Or a Carolina Reaper, packing the punch of all the peppers into one tiny package.

  He cupped her jaw and brushed his thumb over her bottom lip. She bit him, and the sting of her teeth pinching his flesh riled him higher.

  With a mere thought, their clothes disappeared, and he took in the glory of her naked body.

  “What? Hey you can’t just—” She took a step back, and he followed, drawn by the thrill of the chase. “Give me my clothes back. I’m not here for you.”

  He licked his lips. The scent of her arousal swirled within his lungs, triggering a primal wildness in him. The throb of his erection grew more demanding. He stroked a gentle finger over the taut tip of her nipple and stalked closer. “I think this is exactly why you’re here. You’re hungry and know that only I can sate you.”

  Changing the landscape of his dream, the sails unfurled above, creating a canopy shielding them from the sun. As he wrapped his arms around her and took her to the deck, a large pallet appeared beneath them. Sinking into the padded mat, he drew his tongue up her breastbone to the hollow of her throat.

  “Why only you?” she asked, breathless. “What’s wrong with me?”

  Her back arched up to meet him, and he worked his mouth up to her jaw. “Nothing’s wrong. We’ve bonded. Our bodies found their perfect match. One soul now calls for the other. You’re my female. You’re mine.”

  He nibbled her lips, giving her the opportunity to answer. While he waited for confirmation, he reached between her legs to gauge where she was.

  She groaned, bucking her hips, the heat coming off her unreal. His recollection remained foggy flashes, isolated moments. Who was this Darkworlder and how had she blocked his memory?

  “No. I’m not,” she breathed against his mouth.

  “You want me, yes? Your core weeps for me. There’s no use denying it. I smell it.”

  She groaned again, her jaw clenched, her eyes pinched tight. “I burn, Viking. I want you to make it stop.”

  He wanted that too. Rolling over her, he gripped her wrists, and pinned her into the pallet with his hips. Arms locked, he swayed his hips. The head of his cock dipped and slicked in her moist channel.

  His cells ignited—this was the balm to all that ailed him. “Tell me you want me inside you.”

  “I don’t,” she said, her body quaking beneath him.

  “Do you want the ache to end? Do you want me buried inside you and pumping hard?”

  “No . . . and yes.”

  He chuckled, the vibration causing a skin-on-skin friction that drove him close to insanity. “Not good enough, Raven. I want you so bad that it burns in my veins and stings my skin, but not without a solid yes.”

  “Fine, yes. If it stops the ache, yes. If I can think straight again, yes. If it—” He pushed inside her and lost his vision as he stroked out. “Oh, gods, yes!”

  Joining with his little Djinn lit him up.

  He thought he understood what his brothers went through when they described their bonding, but his understanding paled against reality. She was his pleasure.

  The feel of her welcoming him. The heat in her gaze. The rightness of being one with another person. He hadn’t felt that since he was forteen years old. And even then, what he and Gyda shared was sweet and bursting with naïve hope.

  This wasn’t that.

  It wasn’t long before both of them writhed in the throes of orgasm, a violent wave of sheer relief washing over him.

  “No,” she breathed, her breasts rising with each breathless pull for oxygen. “I’m not yours. This doesn’t mean anything.”

  Had he spoken aloud? Had he voiced his claim? He didn’t care. She could deny it all she wanted, he’d make her see that no matter how unexpected, this was their fated path. “Thank you, kona,” he said, using an endearment from his native tongue. “You honor me.”

  “No, I didn’t honor you. I used you for sex.”

  Bo chuckled at the vehemence of her refusal. If she could stand, he knew she’d be stomping across the deck of the boat to get away from him. “Semantics. However you want to rationalize it, I’m thankful you came to me. Tell me your name?”

  Now she was the one to laugh. “Yeah, no. Not going to happen.”

  “My family are acquaintances of the Djinn Master. I could find you.”

  “This is a dream, remember? I’m a figment of y
our over-sexed imagination. You had an erotic dream and are reading too much into it. You’re a Watcher. You’re accustomed to taking what you want, and you want me. My answer is no.”

  The comment didn’t shock him. He and his brothers were aware of what the Darkworld thought of them. It was bullshit, but whatevs.

  “I didn’t take you by force. You were an equal partner.”

  “You sure about that?”

  “I live by a code. It might be peace through force and justice without mercy, but I protect the innocent and never take advantage.”

  “Honey, that high horse makes your ass look huge. You better climb on down. And for hell’s sake, would you get off me and give me back my clothes.”

  “As you wish.” He released her and rolled off the pallet. The whimper of despair made the withdrawal worthwhile. Strolling to the bow of the ship, he let the breeze cool his sweat-dampened skin. Gods, he missed the water.

  “Are you freaking kidding me?” She raised her palms looking furious. “It’s already building again. How do I make this sexual hunger end? I don’t want this. I don’t want you.”

  He laughed, staring off at the distant shores of ancient Denmark. “Keep telling yourself that, Raven. I understand that you’re a Darkworlder and I’m a Nephilim warrior, but the die is cast. You’re mine. I’m yours. End. Of. The hunger will ease once you accept our fate, but it will never end.”

  Phoenix had no idea what was with the power grid, but something blew a major transformer somewhere. No street lights. No radio. No Netflix. Standing at the glass window wall of what was once his and Seth’s apartment, his warrior-sitting duty got a whole lot more complicated. He’d been hoping for a Big Bang marathon and some oven pizzas to keep them busy until they figured out a way to prove Bo wasn’t a mind-controlled turncoat.

  He rubbed a hand over his black bandana, massaging his throat. He hadn’t expected the Adam’s apple sucker punch or the Viking making a break for freedom. Once the two of them muscled the guy back inside, he’d spelled him to sleep.

  “What the fuck was that?” Seth said, biting into Bo’s lunch. “He was like full-on zombie. ‘I gotta go. I gotta go.’ Where the fuck did he think he was going?”

  Phoenix shrugged. Maybe we should have let him go and followed to find out?

  Seth shook that idea off. “It’s broad daylight. Waaay too many innocents between here and who knows where. If it was three in the morning, maybe.”

  Phoenix’s phone buzzed on the table. He checked the text from Storme. How’s Bo?

  Restless.

  Understandable. There’s big stuff happening in his life. How are you?

  Horny. I miss my mate.

  Poor baby. Later. You got power?

  No. You?

  Nada.

  Huh, big grid. Phoenix stared out at the city his feeling of unease growing. I sense something off with the Darkworld power. The Celt’s noticed it too. Have you felt anything?”

  Nothing more than usual, but your powers trump mine any day of the week. What does your gut say?

  I think it’s the fuckers from that warehouse of torture.

  I thought you didn’t have anything on them.

  We don’t. Just a feeling.

  Feeling or not. Be careful.

  You too. No more diving off expressways.

  I’ll try my best. Love you, tough guy.

  Love you more, kitten.

  When nothing came back at him, he pocketed the phone and looked around for his twin. The door to the second bedroom was open, so he decided to join the fun.

  Seth stood over Bo, looking worried.

  He’ll be out until I wake him up.

  “Yeah. I was wondering about what might rattle around in his subconscious. Dream state can open doors, right? Things shake loose in REM and all that.”

  Are you suggesting a dream-walk? You, the stubborn asshole who nearly ripped my head off over exactly this only eight months ago?

  Seth rolled his eyes and shrugged. “Tomato-potato, bygones and all that. Besides, it’s not like Bo is going to soul-trap you. Homey don’t play that.”

  No. But they had no idea what kind of traps the orchestrator of this disaster might’ve laid in his mind to mess with uninvited guests.

  Still, it might be the fastest way to end this and get them all home. He didn’t know how long he’d last without getting wildcat with his female.

  “Okay,” Seth said, throwing him stink-eye. “How did the idea of dream-walking Bo get you horny? ‘Cuz I know that look and the three of us here in my old bedroom should not be bringing that on.”

  Fuck you.

  Seth flashed him a middle-finger salute and pointed to the mattress. “Be nice to me. I’m the one who’ll be standing guard on your soul.”

  Phoenix laid down and stretched out beside Bo. After a couple of deep, cleansing breaths, he put his hand over the guy’s forehead. Closing his eyes, he used his magic to flow into the sleeping mind of his brother.

  Come on, Bo, show me what’s doin’. Help me find some answers.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Layne couldn’t decide whether she should cry or fry his brain. All his blabbering about mating and fated paths and them being mates was insane. That’s what she got for screwing around with his dreams. She’d seen how strong his mind was when awake. Apparently, his will was just as strong while he slept. “You’re an asshole.”

  He laughed. Leaning with his elbows on the rail of the ship, he offered her a glorious view of his muscled ass and legs. If there was one compliment she’d give the assassins of her people, it was that they had the beauty of the Archangels accentuated by the bodies of warriors.

  They were killers. One look at the inked fretwork that covered his entire body reminded her why he and his kind were the bane of Darkworld existence.

  Peace through force and justice without mercy, he’d said. Yeah right, was that really how he saw himself?

  “How many Darkworlders have you killed?”

  “How would I know? Too many.”

  She chuckled, pulling at a piece of sail fluttering by her head. “Are you saying that you don’t keep score? It must be a point of pride. Make you feel like big men.”

  He turned, disgust thick on his face. “Taking life isn’t a point of pride. Each kill is someone’s son, or father, or lover. It’s the possibility of a future eliminated. Do you think we celebrate that?”

  “Yeah, I do.”

  The air shifted and shimmered on the other side of the boat, like the waves of heat rising from asphalt on a sweltering summer day. When the shimmering settled, a skull-trimmed goliath of a male leaned against the opposite side of the ship. “Well, you’re wrong.”

  Bo straightened and in the next instant, he was clothed again. “Hey, what’s doin’, my brother? Are you part of this dream or joining the fun?”

  The hulking male stood and opened his palms. “I came in to meet your friend. I’m Phoenix, and you are?”

  Layne back away from the pulse of the male’s power. This Watcher wasn’t part of Bo’s dream. He was really there and knew she was too. Dark magic enveloped them, and she broke her connection to Bo.

  She didn’t snap back into her own body. She remained on the Viking ship, both Watchers staring. Her heart froze in her chest. “Who are you? What have you done?”

  Phoenix’s gaze narrowed on her. “Back atcha, bitch. Did you think we wouldn’t notice you fucking over one of our own? Now, I hate to be unoriginal but let’s start with your questions. Who are you and what have you done?”

  Bo frowned and shook his head. “No, my brother. She’s not the one who scrambled my eggs. This is my mate. My bonded female. We had a bit too much fun in Purgatory and, well, the rest is history.”

  “I am not your mate. And I don’t know what you’re talking about. I didn’t scramble anyone’s eggs.” Layne drew a deep breath and focused on returning to her body. Nothing happened. She tried to find her power, to harness any amount of retreat. Still nothing. She was
a prisoner. “Impossible.”

  “Nope. Not impossible,” the hulk said looking smug. “It’s called a soul-trap, baby, and my power trumps yours by oh, say, maybe five hundred times. You’re caught and won’t be released until I hear all the dirty nitty-gritty, so let’s get comfy, shall we?”

  Bo looked stricken. “You put my family at risk? You fucked me in Purgatory to gain access and turn me against my brothers?”

  “Don’t sound so shocked. Has a female never gotten the better of you before? I find that hard to believe.”

  He scrubbed his fingers through his hair, looking wild. “Never the female that is destined to be my mate? This isn’t something either of us gets out of. How can I love the bitch who threatened everything I treasure?”

  Bo’s torment would’ve made Layne feel guilty, if she cared anything about him. She tried again to leave and screamed when not an ounce of her power came to her aid. “I told you, I used you for sex. Don’t be such a bleeding heart.”

  Bo cursed. “You’re not hearing me. This pull you feel, the burning desire, the hunger, the ache and itch and longing, that’s designed to bring us together. You’re the mate of a Watcher. My wife. My destiny. We fucked ourselves into a future that neither of us wants.”

  Layne ignored his rant and stared at the Egyptian. “Whether you hold me prisoner or kill me, you’ll get yours before long.”

  Phoenix offered Bo a look of genuine pity. “I’m sorry, Viking. We’ll leave her to stew and go catch everyone up. Maybe at our next meeting, she’ll be more agreeable.”

  “Go fuck yourself.”

  Phoenix shrugged. “Have it your way. Enjoy the void. I hope you’re not afraid of the dark.”

  What? Layne’s heart hammered as the two men, and the ship, disappeared. Gone was the warmth of the sun and the view of the sea. Everything around her went black. Cold closeness clawed at her from all sides.

  Dropping to the ground, she wrapped her arms around her knees and buried her face in her lap. Jhaia and Gheil might be able to get her free or reason with the Watchers, but after the fight they had, she wasn’t sure. And as for Bo’s crazy claims of them being destined mates—no way in all of Hell.