Shift of Fate

by Elisa Adams

  Wil turned back to her, smiling in open admiration. “Amazing,” he said softly. “What else can you do?”

  Royce cleared his throat and stepped closer to Merida in a clearly protective—and possessive—gesture. “We should get out of here before someone notices. I’m sure you don’t want to answer any questions right now.”

  “Not really.”

  “What about the Aparasei?” Merida asked. “I need to deal with the problem before—”

  “I already told you. You can’t.” Wil said with a finality that had her gaping. “We’ll figure something out.”

  She had a feeling they wouldn’t be able to figure anything out soon enough to stop Calusius’s plans.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Wil slid behind the wheel of his car and watched Royce and Merida drive away into the night. He’d taken his personal vehicle when he’d left work to meet them here because he had no intentions of going back to work. Ever. Things had gotten too complicated, especially with Michelle’s knowledge of what he was hanging over his head.

  He’d go home later and pack anything he cared about—which didn’t amount to much—so he’d be ready. As soon as they found a way to kill the Aparasei, he’d be gone. He never stayed in one place long, anyway, and he was pushing the limit in Caswell. Had been for a while. What better time to get out than now?

  He watched Michelle’s house, looking for signs of life. It was too early, really, for her to be up and getting ready for work, but he couldn’t help his curiosity. He needed to speak to her and do some damage control before she filed charges against him—or wrote up an article of what she believed him to be. Suspicions ran high in small towns, especially one as quirky as Caswell. Someone was bound to believe her, and then his life would turn into a witch-hunt. He’d either have to kill or be killed, and neither option suited his current frame of mind.

  He shook his head and banged his palms on the steering wheel. Something had to be done about Michelle. When he left a town for good, he never left any loose ends behind. As far as loose ends went, Michelle could be a major problem.

  * * * * *

  “What is it Wil’s not telling me?” Merida asked as they stepped through Wil’s front door.

  Royce shrugged. There were probably many things Wil kept from her—and all for good reason. He’d doubt any of them related to the case, though. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

  “How did he know so much about Aparasei? I didn’t even know that much and I get rid of beasts like that for a living.” She slammed the door and kicked her shoes off, leaving them in the foyer. She stomped into the living room and started pulling the shades down on all the windows.

  Royce followed her, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his jeans so he didn’t reach out and strangle her. “Careful, Merida, your OCD is showing.”

  She stopped tugging on the shades long enough to shoot him a scathing glare. “I’m not obsessive compulsive. I just don’t like the thought that, since the lights are on, someone can see inside.”

  “There’s no one around. Wil doesn’t have any close neighbors.”

  She threw her hands up in the air and heaved a sigh. “You know what? It doesn’t matter. I’m not a huge fan of the dark.”

  When she finished jerking all the shades into place, she flopped down on the couch and let out a shuddering breath. “I need to know what Wil is keeping from me. If he’s somehow involved in this mess—”

  “Wil isn’t involved.”

  She raised her eyebrows at him. “Are you sure?”

  “Positive. He wouldn’t have asked me to help him if he’d caused the problem in the first place.”

  She leaned forward and buried her face in her hands. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right,” she told him, her voice muffled from her hands. She looked up at him, uncertainty plain in her eyes. “Then I think he might be in a lot of danger. Maybe he should pack up and leave and let me handle things from here.”

  Oh, yeah. That would go over well. “Wil can take care of himself. He doesn’t need a woman—”

  “Stop right there.” She jumped off the couch and stalked over to him, her hands on her hips. “If you go on with that sentence, I’ll be forced to kill you.”

  He glanced down at her, keeping his expression flat. They were all under so much stress, especially after what they’d found tonight, that he wasn’t in the mood to be polite. “Go for it. Anything would be better than dealing with you the way you are now.”

  She narrowed her eyes and punched him in the arm. “Knock it off. I’m serious. I’ll hurt you.”

  “Again, go ahead and try.”

  She disappointed him when she walked back to the couch and perched on its arm, hugging one knee to her chest while the other leg dangled, her toes barely brushing the beige carpeted floor. Her gaze dropped to the floor and she blew out a breath, blowing her bangs into the air.

  Something hitched inside him as he watched her struggle with all that had happened. Her life was in danger and she didn’t seem worried at all. Royce knew better, though. He knew a lot of her current attitude resulted from being afraid. She’d never admit her fear, especially not to him, but he felt it in her. He felt it in himself as well, but not for his own life.

  For hers.

  She was spunky, cute, bitchy, and sexy all rolled into one irresistible package he didn’t want to let out of his sight. To say he had tender feelings for her, despite his best intentions, would be a gross understatement. He loved her. He’d meant it when he’d accidentally said the words to her. But that didn’t mean he had any plans to say it again anytime soon. Admitting to his feelings would give her power over him, power he couldn’t let her have.

  Had he made a mistake in letting Merida in when he’d shunned so many others? His mind wanted to say yes, but his heart, just thawing from the deep-freeze he’d kept it in for too many years, knew that would be a lie.

  “Uh-oh. You look serious.”

  “I’m worried about you.” The words came out as an automatic reaction—one she didn’t care for, if he could judge by the scowl that spread over her face.

  “You don’t need to be. I’ve told you that many times before.”

  “I don’t always do things because I need to.” He moved over to the couch and sat next to her. She scooted off the arm and paced across the room. “Sometimes, believe it or not, I do things because I want to. I care—”

  “No, you don’t.” She spoke the words softly, but with a force that had him blinking. Did she not want him to care about her?

  “Yes, I do. I care about you.”

  “Well, stop. You’re incapable of caring.” She shuffled her foot on the floor.

  “Maybe you should stop denying everything you feel.”

  “Maybe you should stop making up things that aren’t there.” She walked over to the couch and stopped above him, her arms crossed over her chest and a sly smile on her face. “You want to talk? Fine. We’ll talk. There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you for a while, Mr. Sexual Prowess. How many women have you been with at one time?” Merida asked, her nails drawing little designs on his stomach.

  “What?” That was a switch. He wanted to talk about feelings, and she wanted to talk about sex? “You don’t want to know.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want to know. Come on. Tell me. What are you afraid of?”

  He laughed. Despite the seriousness of the situation, she’d managed to lighten the mood. “I’m afraid I might ruin my reputation.”

  “Honey, you can’t do any more damage to your reputation. It’s already sullied beyond repair. Spill.”

  With her standing over him, her eyes questioning and her lips slightly parted, his cock tightened. It would take no effort to pull her into his lap. He closed his eyes to ward off the sudden onslaught of lust. Now was not the time to think about sex, not when she had an Aparasei trying to take her away. He needed to direct the conversation back to the situation at hand a
nd not the woman too close for his concentration. “A few, okay? Happy now?”

  She kicked his foot and cleared her throat. “No. I’m not. I’d appreciate a little honesty. You’ve been around for a while. I’m sure you’ve done your share of kinky things.”

  She had no idea. No one would ever describe him as an angel. Once he’d realized his relative immortality as a vampire, he’d put it to the test in every way possible. “Six.”

  She didn’t say anything for so long he snapped his eyes open to make sure she still stood above him. She gaped at him, her eyes blinking rapidly. “Did I hear you correctly? Six? At once? In the same bed?”

  “Yeah.” He waited for her to do something—hit him, call him a pig, stomp out of the room, but she just stood in front of him, shaking her head and muttering under her breath. When she finally spoke, her words shocked him. “How was it?”

  “Hell. It’s hard enough to please one of you. Six was… I don’t think I woke up for a week after that one.” He smiled up at her, gauging her reaction. She smiled back.

  “Are you serious?” At his nod, she laughed. “I thought you men dreamed about that kind of stuff all the time.”

  “Yeah. We do. It’s a great dream. Reality, in that situation, leaves something to be desired.” He took her hand and tugged her closer. She stumbled forward but stayed on her feet. “What about you, Merida? Are you into group sex?”

  As he said the words, a fire ignited low in his gut. He blew out a breath as his cock pushed against the zipper of his jeans.

  “Sorry to disappoint you, Big Guy, but I’m a one-man woman. And before you ask—only men. No women.”

  He tugged her another step closer. “Why not?”

  She shrugged. “Never been interested.”

  “Would you ever change your mind?”

  “I’m really not sure.” She stepped closer on her own this time, her grip tightening on his fingers. “Why? Are you offering?”

  He almost choked. Either his imagination conjured up something he wanted to see in her eyes, or the conversation turned her on. “I’m just asking. That’s all. If the opportunity ever arose, would you take it?”

  “It would depend on the men, and on the situation. Would you get to be one of the men?”

  His cock throbbed at her words. She had to notice how hard she’d made him. If she didn’t stop, she’d find herself in big trouble. He wasn’t the typical male when it came to sex. He’d found in his years on earth that there were some unusual things he enjoyed. Would she go along with all of them? He gave her hand a sharp tug and she toppled into his lap. “Yeah, I would. If you want me to be.”

  Her arms came around his neck and she leaned close, her voice a whisper as she spoke. “That would be awesome. Do I get to pick the other guy?”

  Fuck.

  He drew in a shuddering breath. Was she serious about this? “Sure. Why not?” he answered, his reply strangled as all the blood in his body rushed from his brain to the part currently doing the thinking. She had absolutely no idea what she was getting herself into. In about two seconds, if she didn’t stop talking like that, he’d rip her clothes off and take her on the coffee table.

  She ran her tongue along the length of his jaw. “Your friend Wil is kind of cute. Think he’s up for it?”

  Hold on a second. Wil? Jealousy slammed into him, a cold chill washing over his body. He didn’t know if he wanted to share the woman he loved. If she wanted to bring in someone else, he’d be willing to do just about anything to please her. As long as she didn’t decide she wanted Wil.

  “What’s the matter?” she asked, her voice almost a low purr. She dropped her hand to his cock and gave it a gentle squeeze. “I can feel that you’re turned on. Uncomfortable?”

  What man wouldn’t be when his woman confessed to wanting his friend? “A little.”

  “Poor baby.” Her fingers stroked his cock through the thick material of his jeans.

  “About Wil—” he started, but she cut his words off with a quick, hot kiss that didn’t last nearly long enough.

  “You’re hard as a rock. Want me to do something about it?” Just the deep tone of her voice was enough to make him feel ready to lose control.

  Shit. “Yeah,” he said thickly, almost unable to form words.

  She smiled sensually as he heard the rasp of his zipper. When she’d freed his cock from the way-too-tight confines of his jeans, her eyes widened. “My, my. I guess you really did enjoy this conversation.”

  She had no idea. Absolutely none. He was about to answer when she dropped to her knees before him and he lost all ability to think. She wrapped her incredible warm, full lips around the head of his cock and sucked him deep into her mouth. He groaned in agony when she pulled away and scooted back along the floor.

  “You really need to lay down for this, Royce. I have a lot more freedom to move if I’ve got you flat on your back.”

  At that point, he’d give her whatever she wanted as long as she didn’t stop. Not for a long, long time. He started to lie back on the couch, but she shook her head. “No. The rug.”

  He moved to the floor, his whole body shaking, and sprawled on his back on the plush carpet. Merida straddled him, her back to him, her firm, round ass inches from his face. When she took his cock in her mouth again, she took him deep. He felt himself bump up against the back of her throat and groaned. At this rate, she’d kill him in seconds. As her head bobbed up and down on his cock, her ass wiggled in his face. He couldn’t take another second without touching.

  He gripped her hips and pulled her toward him, bringing her fabric-covered mound to his face. He pressed his nose to her and drew a deep breath, inhaling her musky scent. He tugged at the back pockets of her pants. “Get these off.”

  She released him long enough to say one word. “Patience.”

  “I’m not very good with patience.” He nipped her ass through her pants as his fingers pressed against her mound. Her breathing hitched. “I want to make it good for you, too, honey. Just take off your pants and I promise I’ll make you scream.” Do it soon, he added silently, getting closer to coming by the second.

  She slipped his cock out of her mouth and stood up before him, stripping off her pants and panties far too slowly. She turned and bent over to set them on the floor, giving him a glimpse of her glistening pink pussy. He licked his lips. He couldn’t wait to sink his teeth into all that soft skin. “Get back here, Merida. Now.”

  She climbed back on top of him, leaning over and blowing a hot breath across his cock. “Happy now?”

  “I will be when you wrap your pretty lips around my cock again.”

  She smiled at him over her shoulder. “With pleasure.” When she took him back into the hot, wet recesses of her mouth, he pulled her to him and licked his tongue along her slit. She shivered visibly and increased her pace on his cock.

  He circled her clit with his tongue, amazed at how wet she’d become. Every stroke of his tongue dragged another muffled moan from her lips. Did the position turn her on this much, or had it been the conversation? If thinking about two men at once did this to her, they might have to revisit that conversation later, when the whole mess with the Aparasei had cleared up.

  He felt her body bow in orgasm seconds before she shuddered over him. He thrust his tongue inside her just as her cunt gushed her juices. He greedily lapped them up, as his own climax washed over him. He dropped his head back as he came, shouting out her name into the otherwise silent room.

  She was absolutely amazing, and he’d be damned if he was going to let her go.

  She rolled off him and tried to move away, but he wouldn’t let her. He pulled her to him and cuddled her into his side, sliding his hand under her tank top to cup her bare breast. She fought the closeness at first, but soon settled against him, her hand tentatively brushing over his chest.

  “That was amazing,” he told her truthfully, trying to keep his emotions out of his voice. The thought of anything more than sex with him seemed to mak
e her squeamish. He’d have to move into more permanent territory slowly or risk scaring her away.

  “Yeah,” she agreed softly, breathlessly. He liked her breathless. That’s where she belonged—next to him in bed, naked and breathless. He laughed softly at the thought of trying to explain that to her.

  She glanced up at him, her eyes narrowed. “What’s so funny?”

  “This. Us. Who would have thought that we’d end up like this?”

  “Like what? Fucking? Please. I could have told you that would happen the first day we met.”

  “I’m not talking about the sex.” Though it definitely had its benefits. “I mean everything else.”

  She stilled, her breathing ragged. “There is nothing else.”

  He let out a deep sigh, reminding himself yet again not to push it. She needed time. He just hoped he had enough time to convince her before she ran away again. With a shake of his head, he changed the subject. “Can I ask you a question?”

  “You can ask. I can’t guarantee that I’ll answer.”

  He smiled. Typical. “That’s fine. You demons don’t marry, right?”

  “We mate, but don’t marry. Marriage is too religious.”

  That was pretty much what he’d figured after conversations with Ellie about her relationship with Eric. “So why is it, then, that you haven’t mated yet?”

  “How do you know I haven’t?”

  Because he’d asked her brother the last time they’d spoken. Not that he’d ever be stupid to admit that to Merida—especially not with his cock hanging out of his pants. He didn’t relish the idea of losing such an important body part. “A good guess?”

  “I never found the right man.” She paused and drew a deep, shuddering breath. “To be honest with you, I haven’t really been looking. I used to, when I was younger, but searching for a Panthicenos who fit me perfectly quickly got boring.”

  “Who says your mate has to be Panthicenos?”

  She shrugged, her shoulder rising against his side. “It’s just the way things are.”

  “What about Eric? He and Ellie are mated, and she was human when they met.”