Crimson

by Jordan Summers

  “Don’t let outward appearances fool you,” Jonah said. He walked over to the nearest door and opened it, revealing a botanical wonderland.

  Red gasped. “Is that real?” she asked.

  Jonah grinned. “Every last leaf. Go ahead. Check it out.”

  Red couldn’t believe her eyes. She’d seen the greenhouses inside the biodomes. They were organized in neat rows to optimize growth. This place looked like the jungles she’d read about in school. Plants exploded from every direction, cutting off walkways and towering overhead. Bright lights dotted the ceilings. “But how?” she asked, gaping at the multitude of green. So many shades, so many different textures. The beauty was so overwhelming that it nearly hurt her eyes.

  “Those are sunlamps,” Morgan said from behind her. “They provide the light needed to grow these things. What I don’t understand is how you managed all this without any water.”

  Morgan and Red turned back to Jonah, who looked like a proud father showing off his first child.

  “It’s spring fed,” he said.

  “That’s not possible.” Red sobered. “All the springs in the world were poisoned during the last war.”

  His brow quirked. “Not all of them,” Jonah said. “I test the water daily. So far, it’s clean. We even have enough to shower.”

  Morgan’s body practically quivered. “You have showers here. With real water.”

  Jonah nodded and grinned. “Yep, we sure do. We use solar panels to heat the water.”

  “Do you have any idea the kind of gold mine you’re sitting on?” Morgan asked.

  Jonah’s smile withered. “This is my Eden. I share it with whom I wish and no one else. A few people have tried to take advantage of my good nature and hospitality. They are buried out back in unmarked graves.” The warning in his voice was clear. “Now let me show you where you’ll be staying.”

  He stood at the door. Red didn’t want to leave. There was something about this room that felt so peaceful, so relaxing. It reminded her of the photos in her grandfather’s books. The green world he’d spoken about on so many occasions.

  She reached out and touched the petals of a yellow flower. They were soft and dewy. The fragrance coming from the blooms perfumed the air. “Amazing,” she murmured. This place truly was Eden. Red had the overwhelming urge to stay. Chuck her old life, leaving Nuria and Roark behind for good. The thought scared her. She released the plant and followed Morgan and Jonah through the door.

  They were led farther down the hall to another set of steel doors.

  “You’ll find showers and extra clothes in there. Let me know if you need anything else. When you’re done bathing, just come out and I’ll show you to your room. The halls are monitored, so don’t get any funny ideas. One blast of the alarms and the guards have orders to eliminate all outside intruders.”

  Morgan stopped him before he left. “We need to use your communication equipment, if you have any.”

  “Later,” Jonah said, opening the door to a tiled room.

  Red stepped through the doorway and looked around. The room was plain with white walls and metal benches bolted to the floor. Several showerheads protruded from the far wall. Metal cases of some kind flanked the row of showerheads. She ran her hands over the metal, examining the dials attached to the outsides.

  “Those are called lockers,” Morgan said after Jonah shut the door. “You put your clothes inside while you shower.”

  Red frowned, spinning the dial. “Why doesn’t it open?” she asked. She spun the dial the other direction just like the door knob, but nothing happened.

  “You have to pull up,” Morgan said, showing her.

  The door to the locker swung open, revealing towels. Red picked one up and placed it on the bench. “Do you think we’re safe?” she asked, her gaze moving to the closed door. “He’s been so accommodating—too accommodating if you ask me.”

  “His behavior is definitely unusual, but I think we’re okay for the time being. I scented no deception. If Jonah wanted us dead, he wouldn’t have bothered to give us the grand tour. He could’ve just ordered the guards to shoot.” Morgan walked to the door and pressed a button.

  “What did you do?” Red asked.

  “Locked it,” he said on his way back. He reached out and turned a knob. Water shot out of the showerhead. Morgan held his hand under the stream and adjusted the temperature. He played with the water, cupping it in his palm. “I can’t believe this,” he said, turning to grin at her. “I haven’t had a real shower in years.”

  He started stripping his clothes off. Red watched the layers peel away, revealing bronzed skin. Within seconds he was gloriously naked. Her mouth went dry. She sat on the bench and gazed at Morgan as he dipped his head under the water, sloshing it down his back.

  Sand and grit turned the water brown at his feet, but he didn’t seem to mind. He was like a child experiencing his first chemical pool. He splashed and laughed, flicking water over his shoulder at her. Red giggled as moisture hit her. It felt incredible. She began to undress, watching the man she loved enjoy himself for the first time in weeks. It was good to see him smile. He hadn’t done that in a while because there hadn’t been a lot to smile about.

  “Is the water still warm?” she asked, expecting him to say no.

  “Yes,” he said. “It’s perfect.” He splayed his hands, allowing the water to wash over his fingers.

  “Save some for me,” she said.

  He was whistling now as he rubbed cleanser on his body. By the time she stepped near the spray, he was covered in foamy suds. Red ran her hands over his smooth skin, then dipped her head under the water.

  “This feels so weird,” she said. She’d spent her whole life taking chemical showers. Never once had she experienced water. It felt strange. It didn’t immediately cleanse her parched skin. Instead, it slowly eroded the dirt, before washing it away.

  Morgan cupped the water and let it rain over her head. Red laughed and closed her eyes as water splashed on her face. He grabbed the cleanser. “This is soap,” he said. “It’s what we used to use before they developed cleanser.”

  Red had heard soap used to come in bars, but she’d never seen one. Morgan started rubbing the bar over her skin and she watched as bubbles began to form.

  “This seems like an antiquated way of doing things,” she said.

  The words had barely left her mouth when Morgan ran the soap over her nipple, causing it to pucker.

  “Antiquated, eh? I don’t know about that. From here, it looks like we might’ve been missing out on the good stuff by using technology.”

  chapter twenty-one

  G

  ina’s breath caught as he swirled the bar of soap over her other nipple. Gooseflesh rose on her skin as he began a slow glide along her length, washing away the sand and grit, leaving clean skin and awareness behind.

  Morgan couldn’t take his eyes off her. She looked so beautiful with her long black hair hanging down her back. Her small breasts jutted proudly from her chest and her stomach quivered when he brushed a hand over it.

  The soap left streaks of suds that were immediately washed away by the water sloshing over their bodies. He brought the soap to her head and began to lather his hands. When the suds were thick enough, he plunged his fingers into her hair and massaged her scalp.

  Gina groaned. Her head fell back and her eyes closed as he scrubbed.

  “That feels so good,” she said, peeking out between wet lashes. Her body was flushed from the warm water. Morgan longed to taste her skin. She looked like a sprite playing in a fountain. Positively delicious. She shifted her legs, giving him tantalizing glimpses of her firm thighs and the black curls that hid something far more appetizing.

  Morgan’s mouth watered at the thought of dropping to his knees and tasting her. She’d be sweet. She always was when her juices flowed. Gina was everything he could ever ask for in a woman—a mate. He wouldn’t lose her, couldn’t lose her again. Not without losing himself in the p
rocess.

  “Lower,” she growled, shifting her head around so he could reach her fragile neck. His fingers slid down, guided by a force outside of himself. He could feel his body respond with every knead, every stroke. Round and round he rubbed, making sure he hadn’t missed a spot.

  “Relax, and let me lead,” he murmured, trailing kisses over her collar bone, which were followed by gentle nibbles. “I’m just getting started.”

  Morgan guided Gina under the spray and rinsed the soap from her hair. It felt like silk in his hands. He ran his fingers through the length, carefully detangling it as he went. He continued his downward slide, even after he ran out of hair, until he was cupping the globes of her bottom. His strong hands began to mold her flesh, taking care not to rub too hard.

  She groaned, resting her forehead on his shoulder as his lips once again found the curve of her neck. Her spicy scent rose above the fragrance of the soap, enticing his senses. Morgan reached lower, stroking her supple thighs. He loved her legs. They were so long and luscious. The feel of them wrapped around his body was as close to heaven as he’d ever get.

  “Do you know how hot you made me when you shifted earlier?”

  She shook her head, but didn’t raise it from where it rested.

  “I was so hard I nearly busted out of my pants. I was also incredibly proud of you. Still am. I always knew you could do it. You’ve given me a gift that I can’t begin to repay.” He clasped her thighs and slowly lifted. “I love you.” The declaration branded her flesh. He wanted those words to sink so far inside her that she never forgot.

  Gina instinctively encircled his neck, her taut breasts crushing into his chest. Morgan’s knees locked and he leaned forward until her back made contact with the wet tiles.

  She gasped.

  “Cold?” he asked.

  “Yes,” she said, her voice a mere whisper.

  “Won’t be for long.” Morgan nuzzled her neck, finding the spot where he’d claimed her.

  Her hips rocked, brushing the top of his erection.

  Morgan’s jaw clenched as he fought for control. After a few swift breaths, he went back to the mark. His teeth grazed her tender flesh, followed by sensual laps of his rough tongue. He knew when he played with the spot it drove her crazy.

  “You taste incredible. You’ve always tasted incredible. Is it any wonder I fell at your feet?”

  “Mmm . . .” She rotated her hips again. The movement slotted his cock at her entrance. This time Gina wiggled, trying to lower herself. “I don’t recall things going so smoothly.”

  “Honey, you had me the moment you sashayed into the dissecting lab.” Morgan growled and bit down on her shoulder. Gina’s head fell back and she mewed, her body shuddering in his hands. He couldn’t seem to get enough of her blood. Like the finest liquor, she burned going down his throat and made him crave more. Morgan forced his mouth to release her.

  He’d always liked the taste of blood during sex, a nibble here, a scratch there, but it had been more primal screwing than anything else. And he’d never marked anyone. Now he could hardly orgasm without blood being brought into the equation.

  Red couldn’t get enough of Morgan. His body was so rough and hot it nearly singed her. She still couldn’t believe that she’d climaxed when he bit her. Even now her body rode a wave of sheer exhilaration, waiting to tumble once more. It helped that Morgan admitted to being proud of her. Hell, she was proud of herself. She’d finally shifted on command and it felt good. More than good. It felt natural.

  She rocked her hips and Morgan slid an inch deeper. He was so hard and thick, she could barely catch her breath. Her eyes met his and froze. His amber gaze was shadowed and tinged with a ring of red.

  “What’s wrong? You’re not thinking about the blood thing again, are you?” she asked, brushing his forehead with her thumb to smooth the lines.

  He didn’t say anything as he licked the wound on her neck, then guided her under the warm cascading water.

  “Morgan, talk to me.”

  He stared at her, his gaze seeking reassurance.

  She held him close, comforting him the only way she knew how. Red knew he thought he was losing himself to the thirst for blood, but she knew better. Once an alpha wolf, always an alpha wolf. The vampire blood only enhanced his abilities.

  He shook his head and the wariness faded. “It’s nothing. I’m sure it’s just the stress of being on the run.”

  She tilted his chin and kissed him, allowing her lips to linger. “Talk to me,” Red said.

  “You still feel connected to me, right?” he asked. “I mean your feelings haven’t diminished since Raphael shared his blood.” Morgan subconsciously brushed his thumb over the spot on her neck.

  Red’s eyes widened. How could he think such a thing after all they’d been through? She had to reassure him. “Of course not. If anything, the bond I feel for you has grown.” Even now she yearned to feel his teeth in her flesh, the brush of his tongue, the gentle pull of his lips as he sucked her blood.

  His smile came out lopsided and wolfish. “Glad to hear it’s not one-sided.”

  “I know it seems silly, but I was concerned because my tastes have changed. I have cravings for things that I wouldn’t normally—shouldn’t crave. I know vampires can’t turn people into vampires. It’s not like in the entertainment vids. They aren’t magical creatures. They’re genetically engineered like I am. But that doesn’t explain the changes I’ve experienced. It’s like he somehow infected me.”

  Red listened, paying attention to what he wasn’t saying. Raphael was a vampire, so naturally he needed blood. He could go outside, but most vamps couldn’t. No wonder Morgan was afraid. But despite his fears, Red knew in her heart he hadn’t changed. Now all she had to do was convince him. “You bit me and took my blood long before Raphael saved you,” she said. “So the wolf part of you must be inclined to do that.”

  His eyes met hers and pain turned them molten. “That was different.”

  “How so?”

  “Unmarked females aren’t allowed to stay in Nuria. They disrupt the pack. I was marking you,” he said softly.

  Red tried to squirm out of his arms, but he wouldn’t let her. “You only did it to keep me safe?” For some reason that thought hurt. She’d always assumed he’d done it for more personal reasons.

  “No,” he said, shaking his head.

  “Then why?” Red asked.

  “For me.” The words were so faint that she barely heard them. “I wanted you so badly I never considered your feelings. I’m sorry.” He brushed a hand over her arm soothingly.

  “So you didn’t mark me because of the rules?” Red asked, relieved to hear him say so.

  “That’s the reason I gave myself when I decided to do it.” Morgan snorted. “But I was only trying to justify my actions. I hope someday you can forgive me.”

  There was a time when Red would’ve been angry after hearing his confession, but that was before she almost lost him to Roark Montgomery.

  She sighed and gently stroked his hair. “There’s nothing to forgive,” she said. “We’ve both done things we aren’t proud of. There’s no changing the past.”

  Morgan tilted his chin. “You aren’t mad?”

  She shook her head. “No, but I am curious.”

  “About what?” he asked.

  “You said you bit me in order to mark me as yours.”

  He nodded.

  Red nibbled on her lower lip. “Does it matter that I never bit you back?”

  A genuine smile played at his sensual lips. “Yes and no. To Nuria, you’re still considered my mate. But I need more than their acceptance. I need yours.”

  The vulnerability she saw in his eyes was something Red had never witnessed from Morgan. He’d always been fearless and aggressive. Every inch an alpha werewolf. This moment was different. He was laying his heart in her hands to do with as she pleased. If she chose to, she could crush him and walk away. But if she did that, Red would be hurting hersel
f, too. In the end, the choice was easy.

  “Do you want me to claim you?” she asked.

  “It must be your decision. I’ve disrupted your life enough. I will not take this choice away, too.”

  She started to lower her mouth to the spot where his neck met his shoulder.

  “Wait!” Morgan cried out, halting her midmotion. “There is one more thing you should know before you bite.”

  Red nodded for him to continue.

  “If you bite me, it’s irreversible. You won’t be able to take anyone else to your rest pad without suffering extreme discomfort. So think about it. You need to make an informed decision,” he said. His eyes closed and the muscles in his body tensed as he waited for her to decide.

  “I thought you said that vamps and wolves can’t change regular people,” she said.

  “That’s true, but you aren’t a pureblood. You’re a wolf. A biological human-wolf hybrid. You weren’t created like me and the others. You were born this way. A medical impossibility, according to the scientists who created us. To me and to the creatures like me, you are rarer than the freshwater spring beneath this missile silo. That’s why I want you to be sure. Really sure. Because once you do this there will be no escape for either of us.” Morgan cupped her face.

  She kissed his firm lips tenderly. “I’ve already made my decision,” Red said. And she had. She’d made it the moment she’d broken the law and crossed into no-man’s-land.

  Morgan’s eyes opened. “Are you positive?” he asked. She could see the hope blossoming in his rich amber depths, but he kept it tightly leashed.

  “I am,” she said and continued her descent. Red’s lips brushed Morgan’s throat. Despite the soap he’d used earlier, his skin still held a hint of salt and a rich earthy aroma.

  She licked the spot she intended to bite, then concentrated on producing fangs. Pain shot through her jaw and blood filled her mouth as her teeth were ejected by sharper incisors. She spit them out, rinsing quickly with water to cleanse her palate. She wanted to taste him and only him.