Enigma, Maine, Bundle 4

by Iris Abbott

  One thing was clear. Alexander was a centuries-old immortal who’d faced monsters of all kinds without an ounce of fear. The thought of Kara getting hurt, however, scared the hell out of him. He had feelings for her that he’d never felt for anyone else. She was special, and she was his. Forever.

  “Help me fasten this.” Her voice filtered through his thoughts.

  He secured the piece of jewelry in place, taking a moment to stroke her inner wrist with his thumb. Her answering shudder greatly pleased him. He threaded his fingers with hers once again, and they explored the rest of the stalls.

  By the time they’d walked down both sides of Main Street the sun was minutes from setting. He sensed hesitancy on her part and knew she was getting ready to pull away from him. He wasn't prepared for the evening to end yet. He tightened his fingers around hers and gently pulled her toward the square.

  “Parking lot’s the other way,” she blurted out.

  “Evening’s just getting started, kitten.” He saw her cheeks flush, but she didn’t argue with his pronouncement or the endearment. He let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. “What’s a fall festival without a hayride?”

  They waited in the rapidly moving line. Once they reached the front, Alexander produced the two tickets he purchased earlier and lifted Kara into the wagon. The sturdy wooden structure was lined with hay bales and loose strands of hay littered the floor, adding to the seasonal feel of the atmosphere. He jumped inside and joined Kara. Luckily, the wagon was more than half full, so they weren’t too close to the tractor.

  He sat down next to Kara and lifted her into his lap. She leaned back against him and relaxed into his body. Her heart-shaped bottom pressed into his straining erection, reminding both of them of the desperate need he had for her. She wiggled, and he bit back a groan.

  Alexander wrapped his arms around her waist, stilling her. He lowered his head to her neck and lightly nipped her earlobe. He was just about to suggest they hop off but the tractor lurched forward, and the wagon began to move. A few squeals filled the air.

  Kara’s body tensed. Her hands gripped his thighs, and she squeezed tight. Her fingernails dug into the denim of his jeans.

  “Relax, kitten, I’ve got you,” he promised.

  “You always do,” came her whispered reply. “Saved my butt more than once.” She settled against him, seeming to melt into his body. The heat simmering between them was hot enough to melt almost anything, including his ancient heart.

  “And such a gorgeous butt it is,” he teased. The wagon moved at a steady pace, and he loosened his hold on Kara enough to rub his hands up and down her arms. Her body trembled against his. She responded to his every touch, which only made him want to caress her even more.

  He nuzzled her neck and pulled her as close as possible. Bruises would heal fast on her now that his healing agents circulated in her body, repairing any damage it could find. That is all except for the claiming bite. Whether by design or coincidence, it was always the last injury to heal. Immortals knew to never let the mark completely fade. Leaving a mate vulnerable to lurking danger could prove disastrous.

  Kara was a rainbow that stood out in an otherwise gray sky. She brought color to a life that had been nothing but black and white for so long it was hard to remember anything else. He didn’t think he’d survive if anything happened to her.

  Cold sweat drenched his brow, and the icy hand of fear clenched his racing heart. He had to take out the cult leader, convince Kara to work with the council as his partner, and finish his seduction. Soon.

  The seduction and joining together of their bodies would come first. She’d already surrendered to him. He wasn’t a fool. His mate was a hellcat when she wanted to be. He only held her in his arms now because she allowed it.

  Her body and its responses told him she wanted him as much as he wanted her. She’d finally stopped running, at least from the attraction that sparked between them. It was a mutual attraction that pulsed in their veins and made every inch of him burn with an urgent need to possess his mate. The woman he’d waited for too many lifetimes to count.

  He slid his hand under the hem of her tank top, touching bare flesh. She briefly tensed but relaxed back into him within seconds. He caressed her curves, stopping his fingers just below the edge of her bra. She crossed and uncrossed her legs, and he clenched his thighs.

  He was playing with fire, and he knew it. She wiggled against him, and he froze. His erection was so hard it ached. He bit back a groan and slid his hand out from under her shirt. “Soon,” he promised in a hoarse whisper so thick with lust it was unrecognizable.

  ****

  They almost fell out of the elevator that opened into his penthouse apartment. Her mouth was locked to his, and passion fogged her brain. She was so caught up in the way he made her feel she didn’t even remember the ride to his place. He pulled away, and his heated gaze roved up and down her figure, fanning the flames inside her already overheated body. As soon as the elevator doors shut behind them, he pulled her into his embrace again.

  She willingly went, wanting more. Nothing less than everything would be enough to sate the hunger she harbored for Alexander. He reclaimed her mouth, pushing her backward. They stumbled out of the foyer and down the hall to the master bedroom.

  He broke the kiss, and they moved apart. Kara shimmied out of the jeans she wore, shrugged out of her plaid shirt, and drew the tank top over her head. She watched Alexander rip off his T-shirt and shove his jeans and underwear over his thighs and down his legs. Her eyes widened when she got the first look at his fully erect sex.

  The blood-engorged shaft stood out, pointing straight at her. She licked her lips, and his erection jerked. Her pulse picked up, and every nerve in her body tingled. Her sex heated and wetness coated its folds. She wanted every inch of him inside her.

  Kara took the ten or so steps to the bed and laid herself out on top of the comforter. She leaned back against a stack of fluffy pillows and crooked a finger at him. He grinned and stalked toward her with the look of a man who knew exactly what he wanted, and it was her. She clenched her thighs in a vain attempt to ease the growing ache between her legs. It didn’t help.

  Alexander climbed onto the bed and crawled up her body. Kara opened herself to him, inviting him to take what she offered. He kissed his way up her body. Her hips shot off the bed when his mouth covered her core. He wrapped his arms around her thighs, spreading them to accommodate his body.

  The sound of deep, uneven breaths and satisfied moans filled the room. His tongue rapidly flicked the hardened bundle of nerves above her sex. She tangled her fingers in his hair, keeping him close. Her body tensed, straining to reach the peak of pleasure.

  He lifted his head from between her legs and kissed her inner thigh. Her hands fell away from him. She clenched the silky comforter with white-knuckled fists. “So close,” she whimpered.

  He rose and slid up her body. He braced himself with his elbows, and she looked into his dazed eyes. “Just getting started, kitten.”

  Her core clenched from the promise of his words. She wiggled her hips, squirming beneath him. Her body was so on edge she had to move. Remaining still was not an option.

  The head of his erection nudged her opening. She held his gaze, refusing to break eye contact. He slid inside, perfectly filling her. An awed gasp escaped from her parted lips.

  He cupped her face and kissed her hard enough to take her breath away. She panted for air when he broke away to nuzzle her neck. She wrapped her arms around his lower back, and bowed her body, urging him closer. His shaft moved deeper. She closed her eyes and groaned his name, begging for more.

  Her body tingled everywhere they touched skin to skin, but especially deep inside her core. Alexander pumped his hips, moving harder, faster. Good. She didn’t want gentle. She needed all the power and strength of his passion.

  He slid his hands beneath her, palmed her bottom, and lifted her into his thrusts. His teeth
nipped the delicate skin of her neck before they pierced her skin again at the claiming bite. Her heated sex clenched. He called out her name in a rough shout that was hoarse with need. Her body trembled. She moved her arms to his neck and held on tight as they frantically rocked together.

  Pleasure zinged through her. She writhed against his hard planes, straining to climax. Her already tense muscles coiled tighter. Her back bowed, and her toes curled. Finally, she reached the pinnacle of pleasure, and sweet release flowed through her shuddering body.

  She opened her eyes in time to see Alexander grit his teeth. His graceful thrusts became hurried and desperate. He stilled for an instant before his body jerked. He growled her name and collapsed on the bed beside her.

  SEVEN

  Kara arched her back and stretched like a content cat. She would probably purr if she could. She certainly felt happy, and she’d never been so satisfied in her life. Kara lifted a hand and lazily traced Alexander’s chest.

  “I know cats like high places, so the penthouse is no surprise. I didn’t get to see much, but what I’ve seen is beautiful.”

  “Wait until you see the view from the rooftop terrace. This is the tallest building in Enigma. You can see the whole town from up there. In the dark of night, you can almost reach out and touch the stars.”

  “Sounds like a nice place to daydream.”

  He brushed his lips across hers. “And what would you be daydreaming about, kitten?”

  “You of course.”

  A low rumble erupted from deep in his throat. She leaned into him and nuzzled his neck. He was hers as surely as she was his. She needed to know everything there was to know about him. Kara lifted her head and tilted it to the side.

  His eyes met hers, and Alexander slowly blinked before he winked at her. “Curiosity killed the cat,” he reminded her.

  “I’ll take my chances. Cats have nine lives, or so they say.” She held his gaze and refused to break eye contact. “I only know the bare minimum about your origins.”

  “That’s all you were allowed to know before now.”

  “Why?”

  “Protection,” he said with a deep sigh. “We might be as close to immortal as any being can be but we can still die. Our survival and mankind’s peace of mind depends on our existence remaining undisclosed. Only mates are allowed to know our deepest and darkest secrets.”

  “That explains why Tara and Zoe were tightlipped about the origins of paranormal beings.” Knowing that her sisters kept something so important from her made her feel a little broken inside. Even thinking about it made her sick to her stomach.

  She ran her fingers across his chest. “All I know is what Lucian disclosed to us when my sisters and I came to town last year. I need to know more.” She took a deep breath. “I want to know everything there is to know about you.”

  Alexander lifted her onto his lap and wrapped his arms around her waist. She relaxed into his embrace and laced her fingers with his. He cleared his throat, and she tensed in anticipation. “Now that I’ve had you there’s no going back for either of us. You’re mine,” he tightened his grip.

  “We’ve got some things to work out, but I’m yours,” she strengthened her voice. “And you’re mine.”

  “Won’t get any arguments from me.” He hugged her. “As for you wanting to know everything, I’ve lived centuries,” he reminded her. “It’d take more than one discussion to tell you everything, but I can cover the basics and expand later.”

  She scooted out of his lap and turned to face him. She wanted to see his eyes and expressions when he talked. She straddled his thighs and settled back down.

  “Better?” He gave her a lopsided grin that warmed her heart.

  “Yes.” She brushed her lips across his.

  He nipped her bottom lip and broke the kiss. “I thought you wanted to know all my deep, dark secrets,” he reminded her. “We start making love again, and your curiosity about guardians and other paranormal beings won’t be assuaged any time soon,” he warned her.

  She touched her forehead to his and breathed in his musky scent. “I can’t believe I’m gonna say this as good as we are together, but sex can wait. Start talking,” she demanded with a slight pout.

  He rubbed her arms, and his hands came to rest on her waist. “I’m going to start from the beginning.” He took a deep breath, and she placed her hand over his heart. “A minor Mesopotamian god created vampires, wolf shifters, and falcon shifters in a fit of rage and spite.”

  She narrowed her eyes and grimaced. “But why? Are we talking evil minions for world domination or what?” She couldn’t even begin to guess why.

  He flexed his fingers and kneaded her skin. His voice when he spoke was a little sharp, but Kara knew it wasn’t directed at her. “Nothing as grand as that. What most humans jokingly refer to as the creatures that go bump in the night were born as a twisted form of revenge. It all started with an old man who wanted an heir. In desperation, and against his wife’s wishes, he turned to a god who promised to give him a son in return for several blood sacrifices.”

  He stopped kneading her skin and gently rubbed it. “The god he sought out was generally thought of as evil, but as I mentioned, the old man was desperate. The god was hungry for power and wanted to rise among the gods.”

  Kara’s stomach clenched, and she felt sick. “He wanted the blood sacrifices to make him stronger,” she guessed out loud.

  “Yes, only luckily for the world, it didn’t work out that way.” He squeezed her thighs and began kneading them again.

  Her body trembled. The thought that someone so evil might have been granted greater power and strength made her shudder. “Reminds me of the cult leader,” she said in a hoarse whisper. The ecstasy of making love with Alexander had almost made her forget that the hunter was now the hunted. She needed to concentrate on something other than the malicious man who wanted to spill her blood.

  “Go on,” she encouraged Alexander. Hearing the rest of the legend would take her mind off of the trouble soon to follow her to Enigma. “Exactly what kind of deal did they make, and what happened to foil his quest for power?” She assumed he’d failed because she’d never heard of any such god. Thank goodness for small miracles.

  “The deal was for at least ten blood sacrifices made in the god’s honor. One for each month of pregnancy and then one after the child was born. The old man agreed and made the first sacrifice the next day. He made the second one exactly one month later. As the tale goes, his wife began to show signs of pregnancy, and the old man continued with the sacrifices.”

  She let out a huge breath. “Obviously, something went wrong.” She snuggled closer to him. She wanted to feel his warmth seep into her body.

  “The old man died with two months of pregnancy and three promised sacrifices left.”

  Kara didn’t feel one bit of remorse for the unknown man’s death. “Good,” she grumbled under her breath.

  “As it turns out, yes.” He lifted his arms away from her thighs and wrapped them around her waist. “The wife refused to make any blood sacrifices, so the god’s request went unfulfilled.”

  A strong, independent woman who wasn’t afraid to choose her own path. Kara felt like she and the woman were kindred spirits. She put her hands on top of his shoulders and urged him to keep going. There was obviously a lot more to the story.

  “Two months later the widow gave birth to three small, sickly male children. The god who often took the shape of a winged canine visited her bedside and told her that she had given birth to three males that would always remind her of her folly in refusing to complete his blood sacrifices. Since he was denied the blood he craved, she gave birth to a child who needed the blood of others to survive.”

  “The first vampire,” Kara hissed out.

  Alexander nodded his head up and down. “The god told the widow that the cursed infant would die a slow and painful death unless he drank blood like other babies drank milk.”

  She thought of the shi
fters she knew. “I guess the other two males were made in the evil god's likeness.”

  “Yes, one could shift into a wolf at will, while the other could take the shape of the fiercest bird in that region, a falcon.”

  She touched her abdomen. “That poor mother.” Kara couldn’t fathom such a thing. “She obviously found a way to save her children.” Thank God for that because otherwise Kara would have been deprived of the love of her life, her sisters too.

  She cupped his face with the palms of her hands and kissed him. He rubbed his hands up and down her back, bringing them to rest on top of her shoulders. She buried her face against the side of his neck. Now that she knew him, she couldn’t imagine life without Alexander. The thought made her stomach cramp and her eyes burn.

  She took a deep breath and nuzzled his neck. She needed to be as close to him as possible without actually joining their bodies together. He kissed the top of her head and pulled her closer, and she willingly went. Her sex ached to be filled by him again, but she couldn’t give in to the zinging desire. Her mind needed to be appeased first.

  “So, I know the legend surrounding the origins of my brothers-in-law. Now, I want to know all about you and your ancestors.” She leaned back and looked into his dark eyes.

  “Maybe I like being an enigma,” he said with a crooked grin.

  She shook her head. “We shared our bodies, and I gave you my heart. I want to know the legend of you,” Kara insisted.

  He touched his forehead to hers. “And you are the owner of my heart.” He gave her a resigned look, cleared his throat, and started talking.

  “As you already know, guardians were created by the gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt to protect humans from vampires and shifters. A goddess worshiped by the ancient Egyptians wanted to make sure her loyal followers were protected from the strange new beings that would eventually procreate and increase in number. She was the goddess of justice and execution and was often depicted as having the head of a lion.”