From Jennifer Ashley, With Love

by Jennifer Ashley

  Amber decided to stop being coy. “Everything. Absolutely everything.”

  Kelly laughed. “I thought you might.” She crossed her legs and held her glass daintily. “Well, it’s funny. He lives pretty high on the hog—hosts fabulous parties with the top guns of Hollywood and the wealthiest men in town—even some vampires—but still, he keeps himself to himself. He’ll disappear for weeks at a time, never saying where he’s going, and when he comes back he’s very depressed. He never says that, but I can tell. He hires staff to look after the house, but they’re a service that comes in, does the job, and leaves again. This place is almost like a hotel, not his home.”

  “I noticed that.”

  Someone had decorated the house to be light and bring in the sea air, but it held no objects of a personal nature—no photographs or mementoes, no books or magazines, nothing about him. Amber felt his protective aura surround the house like a cocoon, but other than that, anyone could have lived here. You’d think a man who’d been alive as long as he had would have collected a few souvenirs.

  But Adrian was a warrior. He had gone up to Seattle with nothing but his sword. Maybe he traveled light, used what he needed, and discarded the rest. An efficient way to live, yes, but lonely. No ties to the past.

  “So how did you meet him?” Kelly asked.

  Amber told Kelly about Susan’s death and Adrian finding her while she investigated at the warehouse. She omitted the part about the demon and Adrian’s being an Immortal, not knowing how far Adrian had taken Kelly into his confidence, and aware that Manny was listening hard. Kelly seemed genuinely sorry for Amber over Susan’s passing, and indignant about whoever had killed her, her sympathy making her seem more human and less mannequin-like.

  After Amber finished her breakfast, she decided to discover how far Adrian’s protection extended. She walked out on the back deck, barefoot and in her robe, breathing in the cool air and listening to the rush of the waves. Kelly remained inside, saying that the salt air was bad for her skin, but Amber guessed she realized that Amber needed a few minutes to herself.

  Adrian’s aura of protection extended all the way to the beach, Amber found. She could amble to either side of the house, around the curve of trees to Kelly’s house on one side, and on the other to a block wall that enclosed another house before she sensed the edges of his spell. Adrian had carved out a little haven where those within it could be free of the undead.

  The ocean rippled dark blue to the sky, the ball of sun behind her to the east. It had been early morning when Valerian picked them up in southern Washington, and the drive should have taken another sixteen or so hours after that, depending on the route.

  It was midmorning now, which meant she’d slept the whole day’s drive and the entire night after that. But then, she’d been attacked by a demon, astral-traveled with Adrian, been in a vampire brawl, and stabbed through the shoulder. All that could make a person need a good, long sleep. She remembered Adrian whispering a spell into her ear, and her body’s compulsion to rest. He’d healed her, his magic slumber leaving her refreshed.

  Amber’s senses began to tingle, then a pair of strong arms came around her from behind, followed by Adrian’s warmth. “Hello,” he rumbled. She felt his lips in her hair.

  Amber shivered as she leaned against him. Adrian’s body was hard behind her, his arms holding strength as he gathered her into him. “Hello,” she said in return. “What have you been up to?”

  “Buying you a car,” Adrian said.

  Chapter Eight

  Amber turned in his embrace, looking into his fathomless black eyes. “I didn’t think you were serious about that.”

  He shrugged. “You said you liked the car Valerian rented, so I got you one of those.”

  “But you can’t just give me a car. I’ll get my old one fixed.”

  “I broke it,” he said. “Though it would have given up the ghost soon, anyway. If you don’t like black, I can have the car painted. But it looks good black.”

  “Holy Mother Goddess, Adrian.” He wasn’t joking, but Amber wasn’t quite sure what to say. It wasn’t every day a hot Immortal warrior walked up and handed you a new car.

  Adrian took a set of keys from his pocket and pressed them into her hand then leaned down and kissed her. It was the kiss of a man not yet ready to push her out and say, “It’s been fun.” It was the kiss of a man thinking, “Time for bed.”

  His hair was warm, the back of his neck damp with sweat. He’d dressed in another T-shirt that stretched tight over his shoulders and chest, outlining the hollows and planes of his body. Amber’s fingers found the ridges of old scars beneath the thin cloth, the body of a fighting man who’d healed but would never be completely whole again.

  A demigod, kissing her and touching her as much as she touched him. He licked the corner of her mouth, his hands sliding to cradle her breasts.

  Amber curled her toes in the warm sand, her female places heating as Adrian continued to caress her. She couldn’t help imagining the two of them lying on the warm sand, maybe on the loose bathrobe, him making love to her. The thought of all his power, barely contained as he moved against her made Amber’s blood heat.

  “Your protection doesn’t keep the neighbors from this stretch of beach, does it?” she asked.

  He smiled, his mouth touching hers. “Afraid not.”

  “Damn.”

  He slid one hand around her to her backside. “Amber, if I had the power to slow time, I would—to be with you longer.”

  His voice was so full of longing that she touched his cheek. “That’s a great line.”

  “Doesn’t stop it from being true.”

  “You really are a sweet-talker, you know that?”

  He nuzzled her. “Is it working?”

  Yes. Amber turned around to look out to sea again, liking him holding her from behind. The ocean in front of her was tranquil and beautiful, peaceful. Behind her stood the rock-solid body of Adrian. So easy here to let her mind move away from demons and vampires, violence and fear, death magic and sorrow.

  Adrian’s strong hands moved to her abdomen, right over the tie that held the robe. This was the perfect romantic moment, the sun bright on the sea, the cool breeze ruffling Amber’s hair, Adrian’s arms around her, his lips on her neck.

  He was a powerful being, holding more strength than Amber understood, with motives beyond her comprehension. He bought her cars and nibbled her skin like a lover. He’d fought battles since the dawn of civilization, crumpling vampires and demons like paper dolls. He befriended movie stars and asked them to come over and look after Amber.

  The fact that Adrian was a demigod didn’t necessarily put him on the side of good, she knew. Gods could be capricious, and sometimes, downright cruel. The power inside him was terrifying, and if Amber proved to be his enemy, he would have no compunction about turning that power against her.

  The sensible part of her said, Slow down.

  The wild part of her that had almost died with Susan’s murder said, Enjoy the danger. A chance like this will never come again.

  She laid her head against his chest as his fingers slid inside the robe. His warm hand moved down her abdomen, tracing the indentation of her navel, fingers feathering to the curls at the join of her thighs.

  The touch made her feel wild. This was a public beach, if a secluded part of it, shielded by Kelly’s house and that of his walled-in neighbor. But they were outdoors, and Adrian was touching her bare skin beneath the robe with no hesitation or shame.

  “You smell good, sweet witch,” he said in her ear.

  She smiled. “I used your shampoo.”

  “It’s yours now. I’m giving it all to you—this house and everything in it, if you want it.”

  Amber tried to shake her head. “Giving it to me? You’re crazy, you know that?”

  “I have to move on soon. I’ve stayed here too long. I’d like to think that there’d be someone living in this house who would like it and remember me a little.
” He kissed her neck.

  “Remember you a little? How could anyone forget you?”

  Adrian’s voice remained steady, but Amber heard the note of sadness in it. “I can make you forget if you want. I can make you forget your sorrow and your fear—and me.”

  She looked back and up at him, but she couldn’t read what was behind his eyes. Black and enigmatic, the windows to his soul were shut and closely guarded. “I don’t want to forget you.”

  “You might later, when you no longer like what you see.” Adrian dropped a kiss to her hair. “When you want to forget, you tell me.”

  Amber started to answer, but he leaned down and teased her earlobe with his tongue. “Hush now. Enjoy my gifts.”

  Did he mean the car, the house, or his fingers on the sensitive places of her body? And does it matter?

  Adrian’s skilled touch moved on her, his fingertip rocking back and forth against her opening until her body tingled with fire. Amber leaned back into him, finding the obvious hardness rising beneath his jeans. She liked that what he did aroused him as much as it aroused her, and she rubbed her backside playfully against him.

  He growled low in his throat and punished her by redoubling his efforts. His fingers splayed on her thighs, palms spreading her legs so he could dip his forefinger into her. Amber moved her hips against him as she curled her toes into the sun-toasted sand.

  The breeze made a nice a contrast to the heat burning her from the inside out. Adrian nibbled her neck, sexier than any vampire bite because he gentled himself for her. He wanted her pleasure, not her life. Vampires took; Adrian gave.

  Some of the magic she’d performed in her life had been heady, but Adrian’s skilled touch wound her higher faster than any magic, and certainly no sex she’d ever had could compare. She’d once thought Julio the ultimate in sexual partners, but his memory faded as Adrian swirled his fingers and spiraled her toward climax.

  Adrian pressed his hand against her, two fingers dipping inside her, the breadth of them pressing her open. He stroked her faster, harder, his fingers working magic.

  Amber rose on her tiptoes, the wind tangling her hair. Dark fire rocked through her, and she moved back and forth on his hand.

  “Goddess, Adrian,” she breathed. She rocked her hips faster and faster, wanting the sensation to go on and on.

  She cried out, her head thrown back on his shoulder, his hand between her legs. It felt wonderful, as though she could fly, and at the same time stand on the hot sand with the sun beating down on her.

  Amber held on to her climax as long as she could, thrilling to the intense sensation she’d never achieved before. Memories of Julio splintered and disappeared. The vampire couldn’t even compare, and Adrian had only touched her.

  “That’s the way,” Adrian murmured, his teeth on her lobe.

  Amber sighed and stretched against his body, her climax winding down. His hard-on rested firmly between her buttocks, pressing through his jeans and her robe.

  She tried to reach for it, to pleasure him back, but he turned her around and kissed her instead. She felt his heart pounding behind his hard chest, his skin hot.

  His breath warm on her lips, he began to peel the robe from her shoulders. “Adrian . . .”

  He half turned and swept his hand behind him. “Now, none will see.”

  A tingling filled the air, a transparent wave that glittered as the wind touched it. A magical canopy, Amber understood, like a well-cast witch’s circle that obscured those within it.

  The thought that no one could see them out here, that his magic kept them shielded, made her feel wicked and daring. Amber untied the robe completely and let him push it all the way off her.

  The sun touched her bare skin with fingers of warmth, wind tickling her. Adrian looked her over from head to toe, his eyes warming. He was barefoot himself, his feet sinking into smooth sand.

  “You are beautiful, my witch.”

  Amber touched his face, feeling the rough of his jaw, the smoothness of his lips. Adrian put his hand on her waist and pulled her close, her bare body against his clothed one. He slid his hand down to cup her buttocks, and drew her up to kiss him.

  The kiss lingered, he tasting her mouth with slow thoroughness. She couldn’t help but press her body against his, the hardness in his jeans a pleasing ridge. He made a sound low in his throat, his large and warm hands splaying over the small of her back.

  Amber worked her hand between them and rubbed his hardness, smiling when his eyes went darker than ever. Swirling lights appeared in the very depths of them.

  “You said you want me to forget you,” she said as his lips brushed her mouth. “Do you want to forget me?”

  “Never.” The word ground out of him. “I never will.”

  “That’s good to know.”

  “It is the truth.”

  Adrian leaned to her, his thigh sliding between her legs, and opened her mouth with hungry, practiced kisses.

  She popped the button of his jeans and dipped her fingers inside. His cock was thick and firm, hotter than the sunshine on her back. Adrian made a sound of pleasure as Amber traced her fingertips around him, and his kiss turned fierce.

  He dragged her against him. Making love to him would be the ultimate in sensual experience, Amber knew, his warm body on hers, his hardness inside her.

  Adrian moved his hips against her, liking what she was doing. He caressed her backside, fingers playing in the crease until dark shivers blanketed her.

  “Adrian,” she whispered. “I never want to forget this.”

  In silence Adrian kissed her, a man and a woman pleasuring each other on an empty beach.

  Adrian groaned suddenly and jerked down the zipper of his jeans, seizing himself in his fist. Amber eased his fingers away from himself and took up the task, stroking his cock between her two hands as his head rocked back and his hips moved.

  She felt his seed building at the base of him, shuddering pulses beginning. “Amber, Goddess help me.”

  “Payback” she said softly.

  “Witch.”

  “Always.”

  He groaned. Adrian pushed her hard away from him, sending Amber stumbling back in the sand. Her surprise turned to a grin as Adrian kicked his jeans all the way off and ran toward the waves. His body was beautiful to watch, the white shirt covering his back until just above his ass, his tight-muscled legs working as he dashed across the sand.

  Adrian splashed into the water, and Amber distinctly heard another heavy groan before he dove into the waves. Amber ran after him, cold water striking her and making her shriek. Adrian surfaced, water slicking his hair back and plastering his T-shirt to his body.

  When Amber caught up, he crushed her against him and kissed her hard, the salt water letting them float without much effort.

  When they drew apart, she laughed at him. Adrian’s brows drew together as he brushed her hair from her face, his fingers points of warmth in the cold water.

  “Don’t make me forget this,” she said. “I’d rather keep memories and learn how to live with them then let you wipe my mind.”

  Adrian kissed her forehead, but didn’t answer. Whether he’d do as she wanted or not, she couldn’t know.

  Amber rested her head on his chest and watched the sea, sunlight on the water lighting a sparkling path to the cloud-lined edge of the world. It felt so good to be here with him like this, alone amid serenity.

  She knew it couldn’t last. They could stay in this bubble of protection for now, but the demon was still out there and dangerous.

  They floated there for a while, trading kisses. After a time, as though by mutual agreement, they moved back to shore, Adrian leading her by the hand up onto the beach.

  Amber tried not to stare too hard at the tattoo moving on his buttocks as he leaned over to pull on his jeans. He zipped up and buttoned the pants and watched with obvious interest as Amber slipped back into the robe.

  “By the way,” he said, resting casually, hands on hips. “I h
ave to meet with a vampire lord tonight, at his club. I want you to come with me.”

  Her eyes widened. “To a vampire club? Are you kidding me?” She thought about the clubs in Seattle, where humans went to get high on being bitten by vampires. A dangerous addiction, like the similar demon clubs, except the demons fed on life essences, often while their victims had sex with them. Vampires and demons had no need to force, because their partners came to them eagerly. “With vampires eyeing me like fresh meat?”

  “You’ll not be touched. I want Septimus to meet you and talk to you about a few things. His vampires will obey him to the point of fighting other vamps to keep them away from you. They’ll understand that you’re mine.”

  Amber raised her brows. “What do you mean, that I’m yours?”

  Adrian’s hair glistened from their swim, a bronzed and beautiful god under the sun. “That you have my protection.” His dark eyes held no worry, as though he saw nothing wrong with the statement.

  “Why can’t this Septimus come here? Once it’s dark, he can go anywhere he wants.”

  Adrian took off his damp T-shirt and wrung it out, which let sunlight shine on his honed torso. “I’d have to take down the life magic barrier to let him in. Otherwise it could kill him, and I don’t want my house un-warded for a minute. Not right now. A demon won’t be able to get into his club, because Septimus is damned powerful himself, and his wards are good. Plus, I’ll be there to help him if it comes to it.”

  “And you’re friends with this vampire?” Amber asked as they moved toward the house, crumbling sand sticking to her feet.

  “Not friends. Allies, maybe. I’ve told him that as long as he keeps his vamps in line and intimidates the others in town, I won’t wipe him out.”

  “How nice of you.” Amber stuck her hands in the pockets of her robe, the breeze suddenly cool.

  “Another reason I want to talk to Septimus is that he might know what the demon script says. He’s an Old One himself.”

  “Making me want to meet him more and more.”

  “You will be fine as long as I am with you.” Adrian leaned down and kissed the corner of her lips, his eyes sparkling. “Besides, I definitely want a kick-ass witch beside me if I’m going into a vampire’s lair.”