by Cat Miller
“Really? Where’d you meet the asshole?”
“At the Enclave. They’re allowing me to shadow a Wrath team that is working on the same thing I’m researching. He is one of the Wrath guards on that team. They’re about to go on a field trip, so to speak, and I’m tagging along. I took some leave from the force to do this. Anyway, he is the low man on the totem pole so he’s been assigned the loathsome duty of helping me prepare and making sure I understand their procedures.”
“I’m sorry, but I thought you wanted to be treated like one of the guys? I thought you hated that they thought a female couldn’t perform the duties of a warrior?” he asked.
She leapt up off his lap and began to pace the hardwood floor. “I do want that, but not with this guy. I don’t want him to see me as a soldier. I want him to look at me like a woman. Damn it!” she shouted. “I’m hot! Men love redheads. Redheads are wild and sexy. I have to bludgeon the human guys to get away from them.” She collapsed onto the couch.
“I flirt and smile and give the jerk every chance to reciprocate but he stays completely professional. I just don’t get it. We are close to the same age. We have a lot in common since we both work in law enforcement. Yet, he ignores me.”
“Aw, Candy. I think you should forget about this dude. He can’t be worth it.”
“But he is. He’s smart and sexy. He used to be a surgeon, a combat surgeon even.” She looked at him wide-eyed as if that should impress him. It didn’t. He knew exactly who she was talking about. Greyson Drake. Derek was so tired of hearing about him. Oh, but this put a new twist on the situation. It was the perfect solution. Candy wanted Captain America and Derek wanted his girlfriend. It was a win-win situation. Now he just had to push the right buttons. He could wait for information he had come for.
“You know it’s too bad you never let a man get close to you, Candy. There is no need for you to be lonely. I’m sure if you didn’t hide yourself away in the human population you would have a mate and a couple of kids by now. Hell, as old as you are you might even have grandkids.” Derek tried to keep it light. Candy just humphed at the crack about her age. He knew if he encouraged her stay away from the warrior, like a rebellious teen, she would only strive to get closer.
“Now that you’re working on the Enclave you will have the chance to meet lots of guys that will appreciate a woman with a need to protect others and serve the way they do. I bet you’ll find Mr. Right by this time next year. Don’t worry about that guy.”
She said nothing for a while but he could see her fuming. She was not a quitter.
“I didn’t understand his reason for ignoring me until today. It was almost lunchtime and the guys were splitting up. A few were going to find blood, the others wanted a burger. One of the guys said to Greyson, that’s his name, “I heard you have a lunch date. Are going for burgers or do you plan on using the time to tap that sweet ass?”
“Greyson lost his mind. He obviously didn’t think it was funny. He tackled his teammate to the ground and they rolled around throwing punches and cursing until Gage happened to pass by and broke it up. Of course he has a girlfriend. Why didn’t I think of that? A man like that cannot be at a loss for female attention. Not only is he beautiful, strong and intelligent but, he’s loyal too.” She just shook her head. “He’s the perfect male.”
Derek was seething inside. After having Brandi reject him for Greyson listening to Candy made him sick. He really couldn’t compete. If he played fair, that is.
“The fight was just breaking up when this kid walks over. She’s a cute little thing with short dark curls, designer heels and a shirt that didn’t cover nearly enough skin. I’m wondering whose daughter came to meet them for lunch. She runs over to Greyson and starts fussing over him. She wiped away the blood on his lip with a hanky from her little beaded purse and kissed his face. I couldn’t believe it. This kid was even younger than you, Derek. And the twit has a man she can’t possibly handle.”
“Well then. If you’re really that into the guy and you’re going to be going on a field trip together, why don’t you use that time to show him what a full grown woman with the heart of a warrior is like?”
****
Brandi was in the Council hall library doing some research on Greyson’s family name, starved for anything that would help her relate to her secretive lover. She had loved to come here and soak up the history and knowledge when she was in school. When her father had meetings or work at the hall, Brandi would always beg to go with him. Sometimes she would hang out in the never-ending, round, Carrera marble corridor to wait for glimpse of her crush, Chase, if he was around playing games with Cayden, but usually she could be found in the library. The warm wood toned panel walls, polished tables and the smell of dust and paper always made Brandi feel at home. When she entered today Brandi felt like a guest in the home of a stranger instead. She hadn’t been here in ages and the rows of books that had been her friends didn’t seem to recognize New Brandi.
She came hoping to find a family tree for the Drake family or maybe even some reference to Greyson himself, considering he was old enough to have been counted in the last several censuses. Vampires kept track of their population the same way humans did. She hadn’t found anything yet, so she decided to head toward the back of the library were the census records were housed.
She had just turned the corner at the far end of the huge quiet room when a pair of hands reached and snatched her right off her feet. She didn’t even have time to scream before large hand covered her mouth and she was forced against the wall the shadow of a stack that blocked the overhead lighting. A hard body pressed into her back.
No. This couldn’t be happening. Had Darren seen her first effort at self-defense when she tossed the fireball at him? Had he told the Rogue? There was no way the Rogue could get her in the Council hall.
“Shhh… Hush, Sparky. I won’t hurt you,” Derek whispered into her ear. Damn it! Was there anywhere he couldn’t sneak into? Obviously the Rogue could get her in the Council hall if his henchman had a backdoor key. He loosened his grip and let her feet touch the floor. As soon as his hand moved from her mouth she growled.
“You scared the shit out of me. What the hell do you think you’re doing? How did you get in?” He slapped his hand back over her mouth.
“You need to lower your voice and calm down or I will take you out of here whether you are willing or not. I would be killed if the Master found out I was here and if I get apprehended he will know. Do you understand?” She nodded.
He moved his hand again and allowed her to turn in his arms, “Please come to the upper level storage with me. It’s private. Neither one of us will have to worry about being seen.”
“I thought I asked you to go away and never come back.” Brandi scowled up into his bottomless sable eyes. Damn, it was hard to stay angry when he looked so crestfallen.
“Yeah, well I asked you to give me a chance and you didn’t do that. And I haven’t been back to your house so, technically speaking, I did as you asked.”
“I’m not doing this with you. I told you I’m with…” He slapped his hand over her mouth again. Brandi wasn’t sure because the natural color of his eyes was very dark but she suspected that his eyes had turned black with rage.
“Don’t. Say. His. Name.” Every word was its own sentence. He spoke slowly so she couldn’t misunderstand. “I never want to hear that name on your lips again. It’s an insult.”
Okay. He had lost his mind. Brandi decided that going along with Derek’s request for privacy was her best chance of not being abducted, because she was sure he had a shot of the Rogue’s poison on him somewhere. If she didn’t comply, in his current mood, he might force her. She wouldn’t address his absurd demand that she not say the name of the man in her life. She just nodded until he moved his hand.
“I will go to the upper level with you.”
Derek silently led the way, checking around every corner before proceeding. He opened a door in a far flung cor
ner of the library Brandi had never visited before. She was pretty sure she could scream her head off and still not be heard once the solid door was closed and locked. Not a very comforting thought.
A dim light shone on a desk in the left corner of the room that looked more like a conference room or a study hall than a storage room. There was a large table consuming the center of the room and various desks spread out sporadically against the walls around the perimeter. The white walls and overhead fluorescent lighting fixtures made the room look much more utilitarian than the rest of library.
“Okay. You have me here. What do you want, Derek?” She couldn’t look at him. It would be too easy to sink into those soulful, dark eyes.
“First off, I was concerned because I was shot at on your property. I worried that you hadn’t made it back to the house safely.”
“I don’t believe that. Not that you were shot at, because I’m sure the warriors on patrol would shoot first and ask questions later after what happened to my dad and brother, but that you didn’t know if I was safe. I have the feeling you keep a close enough eye on me to know I was fine by the following day. So that’s not the reason you’re here.”
He smirked at her and stalked slowly closer as she backed away. Before she knew it he had corralled her into the back right corner where a blanket was spread on the floor.
“If you think I’m going to let you screw me to keep you from taking me away from here, you have lost your mind!” She was angry and insulted. Before she could blink, he was on her pinning her shoulders, glaring down at her with black eyes.
“Do you think I would try to take what you didn’t freely offer me? I may be many things, Brandi, but a rapist isn’t one of them,” he growled.
“Why not? You kidnapped my sister. You broke into my house and the Council hall. You threatened to take me if I didn’t follow you. Why wouldn’t I believe you would demand what you want in exchange for my freedom?” she hissed back at him. Derek’s expression melted from anger to defeat. He backed away and sunk to the blanket on the floor before reaching under the nearest table to pull out a small cooler.
“I had planned to find a public place like a park or something to do this so you would feel more comfortable. You know, so you could scream for help if I scared you. I just wanted to see you. But I couldn’t get you alone long enough to ask you to come on a picnic. It was stupid. I should know better.” He ran his large hands through his dark, wavy hair.
“You will never see me as anything other than the Master’s minion. That is, after all, exactly what I am. And instead of talking to you, I acted like the animal I am and manhandled you. I’m sorry. I just…you make me crazy.” He rose to his feet and walked to the door before turning to look at her with suspiciously wet eyes.
“Don’t let the food go to waste.” He paused, “Damn this is hard. All I want to do is walk over there and wrap my arms around you.” He turned away and cracked the door to be sure the area outside was clear. “I won’t bother you again. I’m really sorry if I scared you, Sparky.”
The reminder of the nickname he had given her was what did it. He was one of only three people that knew about her pyrokinetic power. He knew, but he had never told anyone. She bet the Rogue would reward him handsomely for that information but he hadn’t told.
“Wait. Derek, don’t go. You just scared the shit out of me. You have to admit after the last couple of years I have good reason to be jumpy.” He looked back at her, not convinced she really wanted him to stay. She wouldn’t beg. She sat down on the gingham blanket, yes he had actually found a red and white checked blanket for their picnic, and she began to dig in the cooler.
“Let me do that,”Derek said from just behind her. He moved so silently she hadn’t heard him approach. He made them both paper plates of chicken salad, fruit, cheese, and crackers. He offered her a choice of diet or regular colas before settling in to devour his food. They ate in silence but he kept stealing furtive glances. The food was delicious and she actually cleaned her plate, not something that happened often anymore. After the meal was finished and the cooler tucked away, Derek stretched out on the blanket like a contented cat. Brandi settled herself against the wall to watch him.
“Tell me about your mom,” she said. His body stiffened. “Not the bad parts. I mean the stuff from when you were young, before the Rogue.”
Derek relaxed and began to speak. His mom’s name was Sheena. He loved the unique name and as a kid he imagined one day his own daughter would have the same name. He told her about the smell of tart apples and summer rain that always reminded him of his mother. He spoke of days playing in the park with his mom and picnics with plain peanut butter sandwiches because he didn’t like jelly. He recalled early memories of what life had been like for the son of a single mother.
Having always lived in a family of means Brandi couldn’t imagine what life would be like if you had to do without. He told the story of the great love his mother claimed to have for the father he didn’t know. At some point his hand had come to rest on Brandi’s bare foot that rested on the blanket. He continued to tell her little snippets of memories he could recall from his life before the Rogue. He had been eight years old when they went to live under the Rogue’s influence. Somehow, before he finished speaking, Brandi found herself resting her head on his arm. He didn’t try to touch her, only allowed her to get comfortable using him as a pillow.
They fell asleep like that, relaxing in the quiet support of someone who wanted you around, someone who wanted to hear your stories and tell you their own. She drifted off with the aroma of sun dried laundry surrounding her.
Hours later, the sound of a phone vibrating brought them out of their sleep. She was wrapped in his arms with a leg resting over his hip. The position was so intimate and his body so warm, she forgot he was not the man for her. She forgot to be wary of his intentions, to fear his past and his future. He was looking at her like a gift he knew he couldn’t keep. She felt cherished, wanted.
His scent pulled her in to him. He smelled delicious and warm making her crave him like the purest blood. It was disorienting and thrilling. Her body was hot and hungry after hours spent resting in his arms, surrounded by his essence. Brandi kissed him. His lips were stiff and shocked at first, but he quickly melted into apliant, hot male. She vaguely remembered that this wasn’t their first kiss. They had kissed that night in his friend’s guest bedroom. She had made the first move that night too.
Brandi’s tongue teased the seam of Derek’s lips until he allowed her entrance into the dark sweetness of his mouth. His taste was intoxicating and confusing. She needed to get closer, search deeper for the source of her need. The light from across the room cast a warm glow over their tangled bodies and the beauty of his face. His irises flashed to midnight, his face flushed with heat and need when his gaze roamed over her body wrapped around his. He met her stroke for stroke in a duel for supremacy she suspected he’d let her win. She knew he didn’t want to scare her after his behavior earlier, preferring her to take the lead.
One hand twined through his hair to hold him right where she wanted him, the other roamed over his hard male form, from shoulders to waist band, exploring every inch of his washboard perfection while she reveled in the flavor and strength of him. Derek was as perfectly formed as any runner or swimmer would be. His long, lean muscles and narrow hips called to her. She wanted to taste it all. Feel his skin pressed against hers. He still didn’t touch her and she wanted him to, needed him to caress her body. Her hand lowered again to his waist band, pulling at the fastening. He tasted so good, felt so right.
His phone buzzed again. “Shit. Sparky, I have to get that.”
The fog lifted slightly with his words. Then she remembered. This was wrong. She was wrong to want him. He wasn’t her man. Shame and embarrassment had her running for the door before he could reach for his important call. It was likely a new assignment. Brandi wondered if she were just an assignment for him. When she raced out of the Council hall
and peeled out of the parking lot, she wondered if he would take her in if the Rogue demanded it. She knew he would do it for his mother. Or the memory of whom his mother had once been.
****
Temptation was a bitch. Greyson and his team had just spent over a week in close quarters with a fiery red head that made it very clear she wanted to try him on for size. The entire week he spent preparing Candice Hughes for the rigors of deployment with a Wrath team had been a test in patience for Greyson. She had flirted, smiled and teased, but he had kept everything above board.
Thankfully, once they were deployed Candice was all business, but God almighty she was hot. It wasn’t like Greyson wasn’t in need of sexual release. Brandi was a handful in bed. He had trained her well in the art of lovemaking and what an eager student she had been. She knew how to build him up to towering heights of need. Brandi would pleasure him to near pain before she rocked his foundation to watch him crash at her feet. She had also learned to submit to his need for total domination when that was his inclination. His nymph could be a demanding temptress, a sweet little submissive, or an equal partner in pursuit of ecstasy.
So, no, he had no reason to stray but he was also not a blind man. Candice had a body that had the guys on the team begging for mercy every night when she stripped down to her little boy shorts and tank top at lights out. Because she insisted on receiving no special treatment, Candice bedded down with the men, which had actually become a bit of a problem. The team seemed to be getting a little restless from lack of sleep, or more likely, lack of release.
Candice was a magnificent woman. She could handle a weapon, as well as any man, and hold her own in a fist fight. What she lacked in size and strength she made up for in tactical knowledge and street smarts. She had the whole package. Beauty. Strength. Intelligence. Confidence. And she was old enough to have earned those character traits the hard way. Greyson had to respect Candice. He could also admit to certain chemistry between them but, Candice just didn’t compare to his Pixie.