“I guess that’s what they mean by fireworks,” Morgan goes on. “I might have heard those shots, but I thought they were fireworks going off.” She rubs my chest with her hand and squeezes my ass with the other.
I grit my teeth to stop from jumping a foot or two into the air as her hand closes over my glute. “I didn’t hear a thing…babe,” I murmur. “Except your screams.” I take a handful of her ass through my shirt and wish I hadn’t.
Fuck!
She’s lush all over. I want these guys to leave so that I can put her against the door and— What? No! That isn’t going to happen. I let go, moving my hand up onto her lower back. Right back into the safe zone. She doesn’t do the same. I’m pretty sure I have a semi. How fucking embarrassing.
“Okay…well…” one of them says.
“I guess that makes sense,” Coleman says. “Call if you think of anything.” He hands me a card.
“Sure.” My voice is thick.
“Okay, then,” the other detective says. “Good day, ma’am.” He nods. “Doctor.” His eyes move to me. Then they are leaving.
I push the door closed, and we come apart like touching is physically painful. We take one look at each other and burst out laughing. I’m not sure if it’s the adrenaline or what, but we can’t keep it in.
“Shhhhhh.” Morgan puts a hand to her lips. “They’ll hear,” she whispers.
“That was genius! I’m pretty sure I could have turned that around.”
She snorts. “Um…no…you were drowning. They were going to arrest you.”
“You told me to deny everything. I did what you told me to do.” I sound exasperated.
“Not about hearing the shots. I told you to deny fleeing the scene. You would need to be seriously busy not to have heard the shots.”
“Busy as in fucking.” I chuckle.
“Coming.” She chuckles too.
“Not just coming but coming…hard. You made that detective feel grossly inadequate, and so he should.” I shake my head.
“How so?” She’s smiling, confusion is written in her eyes.
“Because if that was all true and we had been fucking, you wouldn’t have heard a thing.”
“Oh, really now?” She folds her arms across her chest. Fuck, but she has great tits.
I avert my eyes. “Yes, really.”
“I’ll have to take your word for it.”
“She took my power,” I say. “I wasn’t lying to you when I told you what I am and that I’m the son of Apollo. My father is a great poet. A fantastic musician…and a healer. I have…had the power of healing.” I touch my upper arm and turn slightly to the side so that she can see my tattoo. It’s the only one I have. “This is his symbol…or one of them. The other is a Lyre…hence my name.” I pull in a deep breath, I’m getting ready to argue with her.
“I believe you.”
I frown and take a step back. “You do? Why now?”
“You can’t lie for shit.” She’s smiling. “I know that now, after watching you earlier.”
I’m not sure if I should be pissed or relieved. “You can lie really well, actually. Surprisingly well. Only, not to me.” I grin.
“I don’t know why that is.” She makes a noise of disgust. “Lilith is a harpy. There are very few of them. They’re elusive creatures. I think they can shift, but I’m not sure. They’re hungry…all the time.”
“Hungry for what?”
“I’m not sure.”
“There are writings of them traveling in swarms like locusts. That they are able to fly. Hence my deduction that they can shift. They are very rare nowadays, on account of being exterminated for being so vile and evil. A nickname for them is ‘snatchers’.” Morgan looks up in thought. “I think that she maybe ate your power.” She doesn’t look sure.
“If she ate it, how do I get it back?” I don’t like this idea.
“I don’t know.” She shrugs.
“My power is gone. If she ate it and it’s gone, why did she come back?” I frown. “Because it is definitely gone.” I pace away, looking out the window. “All of it…even my ability to shift.” I swallow thickly. This is something I haven’t told my brothers.
Morgan shakes her head. “I wish I knew. I thought it was sex. I thought that was what she took and why she came back…to get more…sex.”
“You’re wrong. I don’t think we had sex.” I try for the millionth time to remember what happened, and get a blank. “I think she knocked me out. I think she did the same thing to me that you did in my office.”
Something flashes in Morgan’s eyes.
“She did, didn’t she?” I lift my brows.
Morgan nods. “I showed her how to do it.”
“I wouldn’t mind knowing.”
“You have a weak spot. All non-humans have it, even her, I would imagine.”
“A weak spot?” I frown.
She nods once. “On your neck.”
“How do you know about this stuff? Where do you get your information?”
“I’m not permitted to say.”
I push out a sigh and rake a hand through my hair. “You are the most frustrating woman I have ever met. I’ve given you a whole lot of information. My private information. Stuff I don’t ever tell anyone outside of my circle.”
“You have a circle?” She cocks her head slightly.
This time I groan in frustration. “At least I know what I’m dealing with now…a harpy. Even if you won’t tell me anything else.”
“You have no idea what you’re dealing with.” She shakes her head.
“I woke up the next morning, naked with a raging headache. I soon found out that my powers were gone. I think I have an idea of what I’m dealing with.”
“You think you know, but you don’t. She’s beautiful and sexy, and she’ll use it to her full advantage.”
“Kind of sounds like someone else I know.” I drop my eyes for half a second. “That shirt looks good on you,” I blurt. I hadn’t meant to say anything.
Her jaw tightens, and her cheeks suffuse with pink. “No wonder you were such easy prey.” She narrows her eyes on me and then rolls them. “Men! You are all the same.”
“We are not all the same. I was giving you a compliment. Gabby will not be able to take advantage of me again.” I rub my jaw, feeling my beard through my fingers.
“You’re already underestimating her all over again.”
“I doubt she’s coming back. Not after that. You almost killed her.”
“Oh, she’ll be back,” Morgan says.
“How can you be so sure?”
“She’s after something.” I see her mind working.
“I told you, I don’t have any powers left.”
Morgan shrugs. “You must have something she wants because she was here watching you, which means she’ll be back. She won’t give up so easily. The only question is when she’ll be back. Tonight, tomorrow, next week. It’s going to happen. I think we should work together.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” I shake my head. “You won’t tell me how you know all this stuff about us non-humans.”
“You won’t tell me about your circle.” She looks at me pointedly for a second. “Some things are best left unsaid.”
My whole body bristles. I want to keep the others out of this if I can. I don’t fully trust this woman. “Point taken.”
“Look, I know stuff you don’t know. The harpy is coming for you, I know it like I know my own name. I know her. Let me help you. I can protect you from her.”
I burst out laughing. I can’t help it. “Sorry to sound ungrateful, but you’re a tiny human. I may have lost my healing abilities and my ability to shift into dragon form, but I’m still stronger…” I do the ‘real guy’ thing and flex the bicep of one arm. “I’m faster. I heal quickly. I can take care of myself.”
“A tiny human?” She gives me a dirty look. “I can fight. I know how to use my gun,” she mutters a silent curse. “Thank god I have a spar
e. I know non-humans. I planted you on your ass once, I bet I can do it again.”
I want to question the statement about knowing non-humans, but I don’t. “Not a chance. Thank you for the offer, but I can take care of myself.”
“Okay.” She smiles. “As long as you’re sure.”
“I’m very sure. Look, if she turns up, I’ll capture her, get my powers back and then I’ll call you, and you can take her off my hands and do whatever it is you plan on doing.”
“She set my partner and me up. We would have died. I only made it out because of Andy. He saved us. He’s rotting in a hospital bed because of her. They’ve said he’s slipping into a vegetative state. His mom is talking of… They’ve started to prepare the family.” Her eyes fill with tears. She sniffs twice and pulls herself together. “It’s not looking good.” She shakes her head.
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m going to kill the harpy,” Morgan practically growls the words as she walks over to me. “I’m going to put a bullet in her brain.”
She’s hardcore for a human. I find it…sexy. She’s also got a soft side I’m only seeing now for the first time.
Then she runs her hand down the collar of the shirt she’s wearing to the first button, drawing my eyes to her breasts. I’ve been avoiding looking because I’m in boxers and because it’s the right thing to do. I lift my eyes back to hers. She has this look all of a sudden. I feel that look in my balls, which tighten. Morgan licks her lips. “All that talk about fucking and coming hard…it’s turned me on.”
Say what?
That came out of nowhere. My head is spinning, and my dick takes note. Big time! “Um…oh…” I try to swallow down my own sudden need. “I thought Andy was your partner.”
“He is,” her eyes cloud for a second, “not that kind of partner.”
“Oh, I see.” I clear my throat. She’s toying with that top button, and I’m getting an erection. “You and me are probably not a good idea.”
“Who said anything about you and me? I’m talking about sex.”
“So am I, and it’s a really bad idea.”
“Why? It would be nice to take the edge off. A no-strings fuck between adults.” She undoes the top button and then the next button too. Her big, blue eyes are on me.
I’m salivating. My eyes move between her face and her chest. “What do you say?” she purrs.
I should say no and send her on her way. By now, my dick is huge and throbbing. My boxers are straining. “We shouldn’t.”
“Yes, we should.” She undoes another button, leaving the shirt closed to add to the suspense.
“We really shouldn’t, Morgan. You should go.” My willpower is at zero. Morgan is a beautiful woman. She’s different, in a sexy, pain-in-the-ass kind of way. I find I want her more than I’ve wanted anyone in a long time.
“We really should.” She pulls the shirt open just a teeny tiny bit, showing a thin strip of flesh between her breasts all the way to her belly button.
I might not be human, but I’m just a man. I push out a breath. “You’re right, maybe we should.” I lift my hand to reach for her, but she slaps it away.
“See what I mean?” She pulls the shirt closed.
“What the hell was that?”
“You will fall for her. I just proved how easy it is to manipulate you, and I have zero experience seducing men, unlike the harpy.”
That’s not how it looked from where I’m standing. “That’s utter bullshit.”
“You were about to let me get close enough to knock you out again. You realize that, don’t you?”
I make a noise of frustration. “You, not her. You, Morgan. I let you get close to me.”
“It doesn’t make any difference. You don’t trust me. I don’t trust you. I’ve dropped you on your ass before, and yet, you let me get close enough to do it again. You need to start thinking with your head…the one on your shoulders.”
“I wouldn’t accept the harpy’s advances. I’m not the kind of guy who fucks around!” I yell. It’s a stupid thing to say after what just happened now. After what happened with Gabby. Thing is, I’m not normally that kind of a guy. It’s been at least six months since I dated. I can’t really argue with her because my actions speak volumes. I feel like an asshole. I am an asshole.
“Whether you do or don’t is irrelevant to me. I’m telling you that you need me. I wish it wasn’t true, but we need each other. I have experience with non-humans of all shapes and sizes. I know her. I know what I’m doing.”
I still disagree with her assumption that I will fall for Gabby’s advances, should she try that route again. I also think Morgan will be a useful ally to have against someone like Gabby. A harpy. I finally nod. “Fine, but you can’t kill her. You have to let me question her first.”
“I agree, but if you can’t get the answers you need, you need to let me kill her anyway.”
“You need to give me enough time with her then, because five minutes won’t cut it.”
“Time for what?” She bobs her brows.
“Not for that.” I sound like I’m about to lose my shit because I am. This woman drives me crazy.
She lifts her brows, her eyes lowering to my crotch, which is still painfully hard. My boxers are tented to the point of the fabric ripping. I put a hand over my junk. “Stop! I haven’t had sex in a fucking long time, and you’re standing there in my shirt. You’re not wearing a stitch of underwear.” I didn’t feel any underwear when I grabbed her ass. I immediately divert my thoughts.
She folds her arms. “Poor you.”
“What about you?” I narrow my eyes on her.
“What about me?” She frowns.
“Those nipples are about to poke holes in my shirt.” I glance down.
“It’s cold,” she snaps back.
I grin. “Those have nothing to do with it being cold. All of this…” I point at my erection before covering it with my hand again as best I can, “is because I can scent your arousal. The whole reason I bought everything you just said is because I can smell how much you want my dented pencil dick.”
She snorts. “A pencil….hah! More like a baseball bat. It would take a crowbar to put a dent in that thing.” Then her cheeks go red. Like blood-red, and her gaze is everywhere but on me.
Holy shit! I hit the nail on the head. Morgan was aroused, I just couldn’t smell it because of her heavy perfume. I don’t know why, but the thought makes me feel good. It’s better that we don’t sleep together, though. It would have messed things up. My focus needs to be on getting my powers back. Fucking around got me into this mess in the first place. I want to tease her about it because she’s messed around with me plenty, but I don’t. In the end, I hold out my other hand. “Fine,’ I say. “Let’s do this together. I think we’ll have a better chance of catching that thing.”
I see her relax. She finally locks eyes with me and nods. Then she takes my hand, and we shake.
10
Two days later…
Morgan
I knock on his back door and let myself in. Then I climb the stairs that lead to the living room and kitchen. It’s more of an entertainment area, complete with a wraparound balcony with a magnificent sea view. “Hi,” Lyre says as I appear at the top of the stairs. He waves his hand even though there’s a fork in it.
“Hi.” I bounce on the balls of my feet. It smells amazing inside this house. It looks like some kind of pasta dish on Lyre’s plate. “Oh good, glad to see you’re staying away from the salad. Good call.”
“I’m not staying away from the salad.” He points to a bowl half full of the stuff. “I try not to eat like this every day, that’s all. I need to work to stay in shape.”
“I’m sure,” I mumble, not believing a word. I watch as he breaks off a piece of garlic bread and puts it on his plate. My mouth waters. I remind myself that I have a chocolate bar waiting for me outside at my lookout spot. I’ll be fine. I realize I’ve been standing there for too long. “If you don’t
mind…” I point at the bathroom door.
He nods. “Of course.”
I head in and empty my bladder. Then I wash my hands and go back out. “Thanks,” I say, noticing a second plate. It’s piled high with pasta – the creamy, ‘naughty’ kind, the yummy kind. There’s also some salad and a huge chunk of garlic bread. I notice a second glass of wine. “Oh shit! Are you expecting company? I’m sorry, you should have said something. I would have…” I could have used the bathroom in the spare bedroom down the hall. Lyre prefers it if I check in with him when I come in the house. Otherwise, we’re back and forth texting each other. He worries about me – cue eye roll. Truth be told, I do it to check on him. I won’t tell him, he’s a little sensitive.
“It’s yours, Morgan.” He points at the plate.
“What?” That’s so sweet. “I can’t!” I shake my head. “I have to—”
“You can,” he insists, leaning back in his chair. He’s wearing a t-shirt and jeans. His feet are bare. I always think non-humans are gorgeous, but I never find them attractive. I know it’s weird, but it’s true. Lyre is an exception to that norm. I don’t like it. “You should eat. You’re outside watching me. You can do that from in here as well.”
“I’m not watching you.” Maybe I have watched him a little. Maybe that’s why I’m touchy about his comment. “I’m watching out for her. There’s a difference.”
“If you say so,” he says, scooping up a mouthful of delicious-looking pasta and putting it into his mouth. He makes a sound that… I don’t like how it makes me feel. It’s been too long since I dated. I haven’t had a boyfriend…ever. The job doesn’t allow for it. The same sound also makes me feel even hungrier. “Sit and eat. Then you can go back out there to watch me.”
I make a noise of exasperation. “For the last time, I’m not watching you, Mr. Arrogant.”
“Still stubborn, I see.” He winks at me, managing to look even sexier. The bastard. “Would you like me to leave the curtains open a little later so that you can watch me sleep?” He winks again.
“I’m sure the harpy would love that.” I wink back. “Your girlfriend must be missing you by now.”
Lord of Life (The Dragon Demigods Book 4) Page 9
