Now I didn’t have those concerns. What I did have was forty-eight years of inhibitions, but neither Tess nor Kamila wanted to hear about them. They grabbed my hands, dragged me out onto the lit-up dance floor, and showed me what to do.
When a beautiful woman put her hands on her hips and told you to work it, you did what you were told. When there were two of them, you more or less operated on autopilot. I turned off my mind, let my hips begin to work, and found that alcohol and lust can make anyone—even me—into a dancing enthusiast.
The music was the kind of pounding, loud, almost painful stuff I’d cringe at if I walked into a store. Here with this crowd, it seemed right. The people here were a lot younger than the crowd in the luxury restaurant, and they were all into having as good a time as a person could have with their clothes on.
Some of them weren’t all that concerned about that last requirement either. One woman wore an outfit that was completely transparent. She looked like a dream goddess, her lithe figure moving in sinuous lines under the clear garment, which clung to her skin in a changing pattern according to her motion. She danced like no one was watching, when in reality, everyone in the place had at least one eye on her the entire time. A couple of other people shed bits of clothing as they built up a sweat, until some of the men abandoned their shirts completely and some of the women wound up in their bikini tops. The room took on an air of Roman abandon as more dancers began to pair off, their eyes gleaming with desire.
I’d been out in the wild, more or less, for months. I’d been around exactly three people for any length of time, and even then, there was usually plenty of space between us. Here, the dance floor was crowded. The smell of people and their sweat made me sway a little on my feet. The booze, too, had its own unique aroma. With that many different drinks, mostly sweet drinks, added to the mix, the air took on an oddly sugary perfume that wasn’t entirely pleasant. It was—wild. Like a zoo, but with humanity in the cages.
And yet, I couldn’t think of anyplace else I’d rather be. I writhed and gyrated with the rest, not caring if I looked ridiculous or not. I danced with Kamila, rocking in time with her hips. I danced with Tess, nuzzling into her neck as we twirled around the dance floor.
I danced with a few other women too. I danced with a blonde in a yellow sundress, her hands busy on my body as we moved together. I danced with a petite Asian woman whose body seemed to defy the laws of physics, and I even managed to dance with the woman in the see-through clothing a couple of times, each moment with her like being in a spotlight.
As the night went on, though, something gnawed at me from the inside. I shouldn’t be out here, playing like this. I was having fun, but the fun felt almost hollow. Was fun going to help us survive if vampires burst into the nightclub, looking for a fight?
I wanted to stay and enjoy myself, enjoy youth the way I never had the first time around. But part of the reason I didn’t enjoy my youth the first time around was that I’d been raised with certain ideas about responsibility. Maybe it was the New England blood—I didn’t know—but it had always been hard for me to let loose and have fun when I knew I had something looming over me. An entire species of supernatural predators looking to eliminate people like me, and me specifically, seemed like a pretty big issue to just let slide.
When Tess and Kamila were distracted, I slipped out of the nightclub and out onto one of the rear decks. It took a little while to find my way out there, and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to find my way back again without help, but I’d finally found a spot I could use without being seen.
I made a tiny flame on the palm of my hand and watched it dance. Then I made it grow, sending it off into the universe once it got to be too big to keep on the deck anymore. If anyone saw it, they’d figure it was a firework or pyrotechnic trick. Cruise ships knew no limit to entertaining the guests, and my flame might be seen as just that: entertainment.
Something in my heart danced at the sight. I should probably have been a little horrified by the degree to which I liked playing with fire, but it was what it was. It certainly wasn’t the most disturbing thing about my new life, but it was raw and new.
I created a few fire arrows and sent them off into the sky. It pained me to see them go, but it thrilled me to watch them fly. Out here, all I could smell was the clean scent of the ocean and my own sweat from inside the club. Maybe I’d avail myself of another shower, since I had that option. Maybe I’d just go to sleep. Three showers in one day might be a little much for anyone, even someone bathed in the sweat of a gyrating crowd.
I looked down at the water and raised a column, releasing it with a satisfying splash.
I sat down on the edge of a lifeboat and stared out at the ocean. I could see why the water Ferin were always urging me toward tranquility and calm. Out here, tonight, the water could have soothed anyone. I breathed deep, looking for some of that serenity for myself, drawn from the vastness of the rolling waves. They hurried past, with no origin and no destination.
Of course, the tranquility of water was only half of the story. A campfire could be tranquil and calming too, but that wasn’t the real meat of fire. Water could be gentle and nourishing, but water could be one of the most destructive forces on the planet. Sure, fire could destroy a forest, but given enough time, even a calm and quiet waterway could destroy rock. Patience was the catalyst for many elements, even though it escaped me.
I created a whirlpool then peppered it with flames, watching as the lights vanished into the rotating maw, then I dispersed it all and regained my stillness, the wind passing me in a soft rush.
Practicing made me feel a little bit better about myself and what we were doing out here. I wasn’t just sitting idly, waiting to be attacked. There was no way to get to Belize without some downtime. Even if we’d driven down there, we’d have had the same issue and more hassles with immigration. This way was faster, more comfortable, and a lot more fun.
I heard footsteps behind me. I spun around, ready to fight, but the intruder was only Tess. “What the hell are you doing back here?” She looked around. “There’s absolutely nothing back here.”
“Well, no. That’s kind of the point.” I made a wreath of fire and sent it out onto the waves.
She grinned at me and shook her head. “You know, it’s okay to take a couple of days off.”
I sighed. “I know. I’m trying. I just couldn’t relax, you know? I was having fun, I was dancing, and then it was just like, I can’t do this. I had to get out and do something. I had to practice. I had to work toward getting better, or my brain was going to eat me alive.”
“Guilt.” She rested her head on my shoulder. “I want to tell you that’ll go away in a decade or two, but I’d be lying. For one thing, I haven’t lived through a war with our creators before. A few little skirmishes, but nothing like what’s coming. And for another, I still get that way.”
I pulled back a little. “Really?”
“Oh, hell yeah. I still feel that way all the time. I get nervous and confused. I get worried we’re not moving fast enough, we’re wasting time, we’re going to miss an opportunity. You want to know how I deal with it?”
“Yeah, I want to know how you deal with it. You’re always cool as a cucumber.” I put my hand on her shoulder.
“I do whatever I was going to do anyway. For now, we’re stuck. We have to be here, whether we’re practicing or not. It’s okay to have some fun once in a while, and it might even help us in the long run.” She smiled. “It’ll take our mind off of our troubles, and when we can come back to things, we’ll see them with fresh eyes.”
I started to object, but I closed my mouth before I could embarrass myself. She was right, and I knew it. It was something I’d always told people reporting to me, back in my old life. And it worked every time. Granted, the insurance industry didn’t have the same apocalyptic implications as the situation I was looking at, but that didn’t mean the same techniques wouldn’t work.
I nodded. “You’re right.
And I have had a lot of fun today. I could spend the next three days just in the shower to be honest. I don’t know. I just couldn’t relax all of a sudden, so I came out here.”
She grinned impishly for a moment. “Come with me. There’s something I want to show you.”
I took her hand and followed her back through the many corridors, stairwells, and elevators of the cruise ship. It was hard to keep them all straight, but I didn’t have to. Tess knew where she was going, and that was all that mattered.
I couldn’t have been more surprised when she led us back to our stateroom. “Come on,” she said and led me through our suite.
Daisy looked up from the couch, the one with the upholstery in her exact shade of fur. She yawned and wagged her tail a few times, and then she went back to sleep.
Tess led me out to the balcony. “It’s the same ocean,” she pointed out.
“It is.” I swallowed. “I’ve got to admit, it looks a little bit different from up here, though. Farther away.”
I turned to face Tess. She had a mischievous glint in her eyes, and she reached up to undo the fastenings on the halter part of her gown. I gaped as she let it fall to her waist, exposing her small, perfect breasts for all to see.
“We’re on the balcony!” I looked around wildly. “There are people next door—people who could come out onto their balconies at any moment.”
Tess laughed. The sound was like a direct jolt to my spine. “Wow. What an amazing thing. You should kiss me now.”
I did exactly that, tasting the champagne on her tongue like the sweet echo of a distant flower. I could smell her, and the champagne, and the ocean, and the vaguest hint of her arousal. Suddenly, dinner seemed like it had been a very long time ago. I was hungry again. Ravenous, in fact, and only one thing would satisfy me.
I bent to her lips, and she opened them in welcome.
8
Tess sensed my hunger, because she shared it.
She leaned her head back to give me access to her neck, and I planted kisses along her sensitive flesh, earning a small moan that drove my desire into the stratosphere. I devoured her neck, delighting in the salty tang from the ocean air. Her body began to warm under my attentions, and I stiffened in my pants when her fingers brushed lightly down my pocket, roaming as if lost, even while she knew exactly where she was going.
She slid her hand down to her hip, and I heard the whisper-soft motion of a tiny zipper, hidden under the silk of her dress. Then the whole thing pooled on the floor in a liquid tumble, revealing the expanse of her body. It was perfect, and in a moment, it would be mine. She kicked it into the suite, naked as the day she was born except for some jewelry and her high-heeled shoes. Light from indoors cast her in shadows, and I darted a look around our balcony. “Christ, Tess. What if someone sees you?” I reached out and stroked my thumb along her breast.
“Who cares?” She arched her back a little, pushing into my touch. “If we want it, why should it matter to us who sees anything?” She stepped forward, heels loud on the deck as she walked. The heat from her body melted me as she took off my cufflinks and unbuttoned my shirt. “If they see us out here, maybe we’ll start a trend.” Her laugh was wicked.
“They can try, but there’s only one you,” I said. She was stunning, and I let my hands linger. There was no need to hurry.
“True. That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t do their best.” She laughed again, her voice rippling and low. “There’s no excuse for being sloppy.”
“No. There isn’t.” I slipped my thumb inside her, earning a heated gasp as her legs twitched from the invasive pleasure. I used two fingers, moving them against her walls. Tess muffled a cry, clenching around my fingers until I went still, waiting for her to step back from the edge. Tess usually liked to come down for a minute or so before letting me in, and tonight was no different, even though we were out on the deck of a cruise ship. After a few seconds, she relaxed and let me pull my hand out. I held her close, treasuring every quiver of her body against mine.
Then she pulled back. She still had a little smile on her face as she turned around and braced herself on the railing.
“What are you doing?” I murmured into her ear.
“I want to see the waves, not a wall.” She winked at me and opened her legs.
She didn’t need to tell me twice. I lined myself up and sank slowly into her welcoming body, letting her envelop me the way I’d wanted to all day. I had to take a second to adjust once I was fully seated inside her because the sensation—her, the sea, the wind—verged into overwhelming. It was everything in a moment. Heat. Pressure. The possibility that someone else might have been watching. My motions grew longer, more measures. Tess pushed back against me, her skin stark white against the railing she held in a death grip. With each thrust forward, her heels clicked on the deck. When I was buried to the hilt, I leaned forward, my tongue darting into her ear as she turned to smile at me, drunk with lust.
“No place like home,” I told her, and her answer was another push backward, the softness of her body grinding into my unyielding hips.
The water in the ocean called out to me, but I couldn’t respond to it. I had no conscious thoughts right now. There was only Tess, and the echo of what would happen any minute. I could sense the pressure building as our bodies joined in a beat only we could hear.
I saw the pale expanse of her toned back. I heard her soft gasps and the chorus of sounds she made, carried away on the salt wind. I could only feel Tess—her body, her skin, the way she moved. I wanted nothing more.
And then Tess laughed. For a second, I almost felt hurt. No one liked to hear laughter when they were giving everything they had, but she pointed, and I followed the line of her vision. Out in the water, minor swells had become waves. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the wind was mild, but the ocean was bouncing.
There could be only one explanation.
“If this sea’s a-rockin’, don’t come a-knockin’,” Tess said and laughed again. Then she rocked back into me, reminding me of why we were out here. I forgot about the waves, and Tess turned her gaze down, tortured breaths leaving her in a staccato beat.
Pleasure overtook her, and she came, crying out to the ocean, and I followed after only a few seconds. The ship rocked as my release pulsed out of my body, whiting out my vision and taking my breath with it. We stood there panting for a long few seconds, and then I pulled gently out of her and turned her around for a kiss.
“That was amazing.” I held her up as her knees buckled a little. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen the water itself rise up in appreciation before.”
“Me neither.” She chuckled softly and rested her head against my chest. “Even the ocean respects our wishes. And we didn’t get caught.” She bit her lip, only half disappointed.
I blushed. She couldn’t know how hot I’d found the possibility—but then again, that had probably been one of the reasons she wanted to do it that way. “No, we didn’t, but we should still go inside.” The waves were only now starting to calm themselves. I suspected they’d completely settle within an hour, right along with my heart rate.
“Yes. Let’s.” She wrapped her arm around my waist, and we walked through the sliding door to our luxurious stateroom.
We found more than fancy furniture and a dog in the common room. We found Kamila sitting on the couch, one leg crossed over the other, frowning. She clapped slowly as we walked inside. “Bravo, both of you. Bravo. That was quite the performance.”
So much for privacy, but then a balcony is just another word for a stage. I gave Kamila a small bow, and she clapped again, her smile broad and lecherous.
I covered myself with my hands, but Kamila waved them away, her smile growing even wider. “You know that thing has been in, on, and around me, right?”
Tess didn’t even blush, which helped me regain some measure of control over my own features. “It was a good one, wasn’t it? We enjoyed it anyway, and so did the ocean. Not so sure about the neighbors
, but no one came over to complain, so I have to assume we had at least some admirers,” Tess said.
“Oh, Lord.” I tried to slink into the bathroom. I didn’t want to think about Mr. and Mrs. Babcock, with whom we’d sat at dinner, admiring anything about what we’d just done. “They’re in their eighties.”
“And I’m over a hundred, dear. Old enough to be your grandmother.” Tess kissed my nose. “Don’t forget that now. Anyway, were you watching us, Kamila?”
“As a matter of fact, I was.” Kamila stood up and stalked over to us. “I guessed what was going on when I saw the water going bonkers. And so did our host, Captain Logan.” She gave me what I figured was supposed to be a serious look, but her eyes were twinkling merrily. “And here I’d been hoping to get a little attention of my own tonight, but no. You were too busy with Ms. Tess. She’s only a hundred years old, you know? She’s practically a baby.”
“Oh, Lord.” I looked up at the ceiling.
Kamila trailed her nails across my bare chest. “Poor little old me, left all alone. Whatever was I to do?” She gave a plaintive, exaggerated sigh and stripped off her dress. “Well, there’s nothing else for it. I suppose I’ll just have to join you in the shower.”
I groaned. “Please don’t be mad.”
She snorted a laugh. “I’m not mad, Jason. I’m messing with you. I couldn’t be mad. We’re all on the same team, and we all love each other. It’s not like I wouldn’t have been perfectly willing to be right out there with you. Tess just got to you first. Hell, I’d have joined you if the balcony could have fit all three of us.”
My cock was exhausted from the night’s activities, but it perked back up again at the thought. I kissed her, and then I winked. “Do you think we could have gotten the waves big enough to capsize the boat, all three of us?” My recovery was complete. Kamila had that effect on men. And me.
“Could be.” Kamila laughed and led the way into our giant shower stall.
Forever Young - Book 2 Page 5
