Magical Holiday Love (The Anthology Novella Series Book 4)

by Darlene Kuncytes

  Mara watched as his enormous shadow moved around her and the thought of running instantly hit her. But…where would she go? She had no idea where she even was and there was an absolute typhoon raging outside. She wrapped her arms around herself as a shudder ran across her. She had no choice but to believe and trust this man.

  The cave lit up a moment later and she glanced at her rescuer from the corner of her eye. The man was gorgeous! Strong, firm jaw…intense eyes and a body that was defined and muscled. Good God!

  She watched quietly as he set down the small light and strode over to the entrance of the cave. Without as much as a glance in her direction he disappeared through the opening.

  Mara stood there shivering, not knowing what she should do. Vampires! Her mind screamed at her. She had been taken by Vampires. How many where there? Would they find them? She felt the adrenaline leaving her body in a whoosh as she began to tremble in earnest now. So much so, that her teeth were rattling.

  She jumped; a scream forming in her throat as her rescuer came back, covering the entrance to the cave with what looked to be palm fronds. He worked silently and Mara couldn’t help but notice how his muscles rippled under the wet shirt that he wore as it clung to his massive back.

  When the entryway had been completely covered up, he turned and gave her a small grin of apology.

  “I don’t want to start a fire until I know exactly what we’re dealing with,” he explained, and Mara felt a rush of relief. He had to know. She took a step closer to him and looked up into his eyes.

  “They…they’re Vampires,” she choked out, not really wanting to believe that she was actually saying the words. She watched as he shifted uncomfortably a moment and wondered if he thought she was insane. “I…I can’t believe that I’m saying this…but they are! I saw him…” she broke off, trying to shake the image from her mind.

  “Listen, we just need to bunker down until this storm blows over,” he said quietly, and Mara couldn’t help but notice that he wouldn’t meet her eyes. “I have a boat ready that’s just waiting for my call.” His gaze finally clashed with hers and Mara felt the heat hit her cheeks. His eyes were incredible. They were warm and intense… and sexy as hell.

  Mara brushed the thought aside and nodded, trying hard to stop the shivers attacking her. “Are you sure they can’t find us?” She asked softly, as her body quaked uncontrollably.

  Rayne watched as this lovely creature fought so valiantly to hold on to her emotions. He could see her fighting with the realization that something she thought was merely make-believe was indeed real, and he wanted nothing more than to ease her fear…but, how could he? Not when he was one of the very things that she feared. Christ! How in the hell was he going to tell her? He cleared his throat, his eyes holding hers.

  “Not in this downpour,” he replied, trying hard to keep his need to comfort her at bay. He was going to kick Alex’s ass for sending him on this one! “Are you hungry?” He asked softly, thanking the Heavens that he had had the forethought to throw a couple of protein bars into his pack. He could go days without feeding…but a human?

  She shook her head and gave him a small smile that nearly knocked him to his knees.

  “Not really. I sort of lose my appetite when I’ve been drugged and kidnapped by beings that have walked straight out of a stinking Stephen King novel.” She seemed to study him silently a moment. “May I ask you your name? I mean, is it ok for you to tell me? You aren’t like some sort of super spy or anything, are you? Do you only go by a number or some kind of nickname? Like Ace or Deuce or something?” She knew that she was rambling, but was unable to stop herself.

  Rayne burst out laughing. “Rayne Masters,” he chuckled finally, wanting so much to reach out and touch her face. He didn’t know why…he just did.

  “Well, thank you, Mr. Masters, for coming to my rescue.”

  “It really didn’t seem as if you needed much rescuing,” he observed quietly, “And, it’s Rayne.” He gave her a quick grin. “Just how in the hell did you manage to get out of there?”

  She gave him another quick smile and shrugged. “I used the handle from a bucket to pick the lock,” she replied matter-of-factly. “I’m just thankful that I didn’t run into any…one.” She fidgeted slightly as her face heated. “And…um…speaking of buckets, I really need to…um…” She broke off, her face now a lovely shade of crimson, and Rayne fought hard to bite back the smile that was threatening to curve his mouth once again. He gave her a quick nod and motioned toward the entrance of the cave.

  Slipping through the fronds, he held out his hand to help her. As their fingers touched, it was as if the ground had suddenly been hit with a lightning strike. He felt a sort of current run up his arm when she slipped her tiny hand in his, and it took him completely off guard.

  Mara tried to ignore the tingle that crept across her body when their hands touched, explaining it away as just the adrenaline coursing through her veins. She didn’t want to admit that the man who had come to rescue her had to be the most compelling man that she had ever seen. He was large, muscular with the most intense green eyes that she had ever seen. They seemed to glow from within, and even in the semi-darkness…they drew her in with the power of a punch to the chest.

  She pushed her thoughts aside and willed herself to concentrate on finding a place where she might get a bit of privacy. The driving rain was chilling her already soaked body and she fought back the shivers that were assaulting her with a vengeance.

  She dashed behind a bush and hastily relieved her aching bladder, her eyes darting around. A flash of lightening lit up the sky and she felt her insides turn to jelly when she spotted what looked to be a figure coming towards her.

  Mara fell backwards as she fought to gain her footing and ran towards where Rayne was waiting, arms crossed over his massive expanse of chest as he carefully surveyed the area.

  Not thinking, she threw herself at him, colliding with said chest as she threw her arms around his neck, forcing the scream that came to her lips back for fear of being heard by whoever was lurking about. Oh, God!! The Vampire’s had found them!

  Rayne wrapped his arms around the tiny wisp who had just propelled herself at him, and held fast. What in the bloody Hell?

  “Jesus, Mara. What’s wrong,” he husked, not liking the way her body felt against his. It felt too good. Too right!

  “I…I saw someone,” she sputtered against his neck and Rayne instantly sprang into action. Lifting her into his arms, he dashed back to the cave and carried her through the entrance. Setting her down, he grabbed his bag and pulled a stake from it…and heard her gasp.

  He stepped back in front of her and met her gaze, his eyes intense. He slipped the stake into her trembling hand and closed her fingers around it.

  “Listen to me closely, Sweetheart,” he said, his voice low and steady. “If anyone walks through that entrance that is not me, you are to end them. Got it?” He lifted her hand and braced the point of the stake that she held against his chest, right over his heart. “You shove this through their chest…right here,” he instructed sternly, not wavering from her gaze for a moment. “Do you understand me?” He waited until she nodded unsteadily and gave her a small smile. “In my pack is a radio. If I’m not back in half an hour, you call for emergency evac.”

  “You’ll be back,” She insisted stubbornly, and Rayne felt as if his heart would explode in his chest when her lower lip began to tremble even as her eyes burned with determination. God, he could really like this woman.

  “Damn straight, I will,” he chuckled softly.

  His hand as if with a will of its own, left hers and lifted; brushing the back of his fingers across her cheek… and by God if her skin didn’t feel like satin. Christ! Finally, he cleared his throat and took a step back from her. “Stay here. And remember what I said.”

  He watched as she gave him another nod and squared her shoulders, her grip tightening on the piece of oak that she held in her hand as if in a death grip. Y
es, he thought with a strange tingle running along his spine. He could really like her.

  Mara braced herself against the wall of the cave near the entrance as she desperately tried to concentrate on counting the seconds as they passed by at a snail’s pace…silently praying that Rayne would be all right. She had no idea how many of the…Vampires had been at the compound, but she knew there were more than just that monster who had visited her. He had said his men.

  She closed her eyes and again wondered if she wasn’t just trapped in some kind of surreal sleep deprived nightmare. She had been working such long hours…maybe she had just fallen asleep at her desk and one too many horror movies were taking its toll. That had to be it! How could any of this actually be happening? These things just could not exist! It was impossible.

  She bit back the scream that sprung to her lips as the palm fronds blocking the entrance moved with a healthy shake. She lifted the stake above her head and held her breath, only to let it go a moment later when Rayne slipped through. Relief coursed through her at the sight of him and she had to fight the desire to throw herself at him once again with every ounce of restraint that she possessed.

  “We’re all clear,” he said walking over to her and cautiously taking the stake from her still raised hand. “It must have been an animal, or…” he broke off and she knew instantly that he was about to say her imagination.

  “I’m not imagining things, Mr. Masters,” she lashed out angrily, for some reason unable to keep her temper in check. She didn’t jump at shadows! She didn’t imagine things. She had a cool head on her shoulders, and she’d be damned if she was going to let him suggest anything to the contrary. She had escaped from Vampires for God’s sake! “I know what I saw. Yes, it could have been a trick of the light; with the wind and the rain it’s very possible. But, don’t imply that I am some helpless little female that is just seeing things, because I swear by all the is holy, I will knock you on your ass in a heartbeat!”

  Rayne studied her silently for a very long, earthshattering moment, his eyes sweeping over her face as if he was taking in every line…every feature, and she felt her cheeks growing warm and wondered why that was. She wasn’t the type of person to blush, yet this man had made her face heat more in the short time that she had been with him than it ever had before.

  Finally, after what seemed to be an eternity to her, he broke out laughing, deep and rich…and she scowled in return. Ass!

  Rayne fought the urge to pull her into his arms with everything that he had, and instead walked back over to his ready-bag, shaking his head with amusement. He pulled out a t-shirt and turned back toward her, his eyes glinting devilishly.

  “Get out of those clothes,” he commanded quietly, yet with conviction, and watched as her mouth dropped open and her eyes positively spit fire at him.

  “Excuse me?” She growled; but he couldn’t help but notice how her heartbeat quickened just a bit.

  His lips twitched in a grin. “You’re going to catch pneumonia,” he replied, trying hard to keep the need from his voice. The thought of her standing there in front of him naked flashed across his mind and he clenched his fist. He held out the shirt to her. “This is dry. Put it on.”

  She watched him silently a moment before snatching the shirt from his hand. “Could you turn around please?” Rayne did as she asked. “You’re as wet as I am,” she said, and he heard her moving about. He bit back the lecherous response that came to his lips.

  “I can handle the cold better than you,” he responded, and heard her huff of indignation. Damn, but she was a feisty little thing!

  “Okay, you can turn back around.”

  Rayne did, and stopped short. Dear God! If he thought that she had looked stunning before…now wearing only a t-shirt that was much too large for her, nearly knocked him to his knees. She had pulled the ponytail from her hair and had let the thick, golden waves cascade down her back to reveal her perfect face in full detail. And…it was spectacular. Her long, shapely legs were bare and she held out her dripping clothes as if they were a snake about to strike.

  He reined himself in and took the clothing from her. Walking across the cave, he draped them over some rocks and slipped his own shirt from his body.

  Mara’s mouth dropped open when he slid the shirt from his muscular shoulders and she caught sight of his impressive frame. The man was pure, unadulterated man-muscle! Sleek, toned and ripped! Geez, she thought with a hard swallow, she didn’t think men like that actually existed! Not in her world, anyway.

  A thunderous boom echoed throughout the cave, causing Mara to scream in surprise and hurl herself toward Rayne, slamming up against his cool, firm chest. She was suddenly aware of his strong arms wrapping around her and felt a rush of desire course through her veins and warming her body in an instant. Crap!

  She took a quick step back and gave him an embarrassed cough. “Sorry,” she mumbled, feeling like a complete ass. She felt a shiver run up her spine and wrapped her arms around herself, trying to ward off the chill that was creeping back up on her, but she wasn’t quite sure if it was because of the fact that she was soaking wet or because of the man standing there so confidently in front of her, studying her with an intensity that had her heart fluttering around in her chest like a hummingbird.

  He seemed to shake himself and grabbed his pack once again. Reaching in, he dug around until finally turning and handing her a protein bar.

  “You have to eat something,” he said softly, and Mara couldn’t deny the rumbling in her belly. She couldn’t remember the last time it was that she had eaten anything. That creature had said that she had been out for two days, and it had been a good twenty-four hours before that, that she had eaten anything. She took his offering and gave him grateful smile. “I need to see if I can get through and check in with my team,” he explained as he pulled a radio out of his bag, and Mara couldn’t help but think his pack was some kind of magical contraption. What in the hell else did he have in there?

  She moved to one of the corners of the cave, near the opening and sat down, bringing her knees to her chest and pulling his t-shirt down over them. She didn’t know if it was the adrenaline rush leaving her body or the looming force of nature standing so confidently across the expanse of space, but she couldn’t get her body to stop trembling. She knew that it was insane to feel this way, but she couldn’t deny the fact that she trusted this man for some reason. She trusted him with her life.

  She tore open the package and took a bite, fighting back the urge to groan in delight. She tried not to listen as Rayne talked into his radio. There was a lot of static and he was using codes that she couldn’t even begin to comprehend. All she could gather was that he was speaking to someone called Max and that the extraction was successful. Mara snorted softly. An extraction. Is that what she was? Geez, she sounded like a bad tooth!

  She stilled when she realized that Rayne and this Max were arguing. Something about him blowing the bastards to smithereens and that he could handle it. Oh, God! What in the hell was he planning to do?

  She tried to look busy as he ended the transmission and slammed his radio back into the mystical, magical, anything you could ever want or desire bag, and turned towards her, running his fingers through his thick hair.

  “Is everything alright?” she asked, stupidly. Of course, everything wasn’t alright! They were stuck on an island in the middle of a monsoon inhabited by Vampires! Things couldn’t be less alright!

  He walked over and squatted down in front of her, his gaze locking with hers and she felt the air leave her lungs. Oh, Lord the man was perfection!

  “Listen, I’m going to have to leave for a bit,” he said quietly, and she felt her heart jump to her throat. No! He couldn’t!

  Rayne watched as her eyes grew large and her mouth opened to protest, but he wasn’t about to allow it. He needed to end this. He couldn’t give Dufrane and his men the chance to re-group and track them down. He didn’t need for her to be caught in the cross-fire. And he�
�d be damned if he was going to let the bastard slip from his grasp again. Not when he was this close to him!

  “I won’t be gone more than an hour at most,” he said gently, stopping her protests before she could even begin to voice them. “I can’t take the chance of them leaving. I’m fairly certain that they’ve discovered that you’ve escaped by now, but they may not have realized that I’m here yet. I need the element of surprise here. I’ve been after this son of a bitch for much too long to let him go now.”

  “I’ll help!” She cried, starting to push herself up, but his hand on her shoulder stopped her. Jesus, but he admired this woman’s spunk.

  “I need you to stay here.”

  “But, I can help!” She insisted, and Rayne found himself suddenly leaning forward and pressing his lips against hers. He didn’t know how it happened…it just did. His tongue pushed against her lips for entry and he felt a shiver run across him when she obliged. Her hands slid up over his shoulders and he felt her pull him a little closer as a groan formed deep in his chest. She tasted like Heaven. Warm, sweet and absolutely amazing.

  He pulled her closer, needing to feel her heat more than anything at that moment as his tongue slid against hers…toying, teasing.

  Much too soon, Rayne forced himself to pull away from her. He couldn’t do this. Not now. As much as he wanted to lay her back and kiss every inch of her body, he knew that he needed to end this once and for all. Dufrane was within his reach and he wasn’t about to lose the Bastard now. He braced his forehead against hers a moment and took an unsteady breath, hating himself with every ounce of his being.

  When he leaned back, he was surprised at the grin that was playing at the corners of her incredible mouth.

  “Were you just trying to kiss me into submission, Mr. Masters?” She questioned with a lifting of her brow. “Did you actually think that I’d forget about going with you if you made me swoon?”