“After you finish and verify the problem’s corrected, plan to catch a flight to London so we can bring the two of you home.”
“Yes, Ma’am.” Excited by the prospect of assisting Hawke and spending more time with him, Asia shut down the link with Jasmine without further thought.
“Well?” Hawke squeezed her hand.
“I’m going with you to take care of this problem. We have a vehicle waiting on the way and then we drive to a place where you can use a secure computer.” Embarrassed of her botched mission, she didn’t mention she had no choice in the matter or that his project became her assignment. The most important thing was to make the deadline and reset the switch. She refused to fail again.
Hawke nodded and looked around the cave. “It’s getting late, but I’d like to get as far as we can tonight and pick up the transportation. Maybe grab a change of clothes and alter my appearance a little.” He gazed down at her, taking in her smooth brown complexion. “Is this you? I mean, is this your true form? Not like Jerry or Tate? I’d like to know what my mate looks like.”
Whisky colored eyes stared up at him. “Yes. This is my base form. I can’t discuss my ability to change forms, not yet. But this is who I am.” Asia found a pair of sunglasses and a cap in the cave and gave them to him.
Happy, he wrapped his arm around her small waist and pulled her close. Asia smelled natural, like the earth and all things good. Long, dark brown curly hair fell down her back. He loved her curves and full hips. Bending forward he brushed his lips across hers. “I don’t need to know anything other than this beautiful woman is my mate. Everything else is extra.” Her eyes widened and he read the uncertainty. In time he’d prove himself worthy of her and wipe that look from her gaze.
Together they walked down the hill headed to the forest to find and dispose of Greggor. Hawke wanted to find a computer but Jasmine hadn’t responded with a location yet.
A small group of six men and women met them on their way to the forest.
“Seen anything suspicious round here?” the farmer leading the group asked.
Hawke’s grip tightened on her hand. “Suspicious? Like what? We’ve taken an early stroll and haven’t seen much of anything other than each other.” He gazed down at her upturned face and thanked the Goddess again for a sexy, strong, compassionate mate.
“A couple of gents said there are wolves in the mountains, said the animals chased him down the hillside.” The farmer peered at Asia and then at Hawke. “Sure you haven’t seen or heard anything?”
Hawke removed the sprigs from Asia hair before answering. “No, I didn’t hear anything.”
The farmer smirked, a look of male understanding passed between them. The other men nodded. The faces of the two women reddened. Asia remained stoic and silent.
“Okay, be careful. There’s reports of wolf sightings.”
“There’s always wolf sightings,” Hawke scoffed. It was no secret wolf packs roamed the area.
“True, well good day to you.” The group continued in the direction they’d left.
Hawke waited a second. “Please tell me you were the one who scared the gents.”
“Yes, I scared off two drunks.”
“Good, let’s grab a bite to eat and search for a computer. Greggor has long gone; there is no scent of the creature.”
Hawke nodded. Holding hands, they walked in the opposite direction of the castle at a brisk pace.
The next few hours they moved at a steady pace toward the small hamlet where the vehicle awaited. Hungry and tired after a long day, Hawke and Asia stopped on the outskirts of a town. Asia changed into an unassuming male and left to buy food and lodging.
A half hour later, Hawke pulled his cap down and pushed his glasses up as he walked through the lobby of the hotel where Asia secured a room for the night. She opened the door before he knocked. Once inside they embraced and all the neediness from earlier returned full force.
“I didn’t sense anything, did you?” she asked helping him take off the jacket they’d stolen.
“Just humans.” Hawke looked at the table filled with food. “That looks good; did you order anything for you?”
Laughing, she pushed his shoulder, grabbed a piece of meat and sat on the chair while he ate. During the meal, he kept sneaking peeks at her and the bed. Before the platter cleared, she stood and walked into the small bathroom. A few seconds later he heard the water and his imagination went into over-drive. Hawke tamped down his libido, finished the last of the meal and patted his lips.
Asia. Her name rang a bell the first time she mentioned it. Today as they traveled, more of his memories surfaced from the quagmire of the locked chip in his mind. Over a decade past, he remembered Lord Boris’ excitement over finding a test subject whose body didn’t reject metal implants. According to the reports he’d read, Asia was a walking miracle, a deadly assassin, brilliant spy and almost impossible to defeat. In retrospect, her test results sparked the renovation of his laboratory and the insertion of the metal in his legs and arms. Lord Boris didn’t want to use him as a test subject initially but after tests failed on so many other wolves, Hawke convinced him to use him.
The test worked better than everyone suspected. The computerized chip in his brain took complete control of his arm and leg implants and in turn his actions, relegating his wolf to a single role as breeder. Hawke shook his head in disgust. He’d been their bitch, a willing bitch stepping up for every new test. Some worked, others didn’t. But he’d been insatiable for knowledge, and pushed the envelope until he reached Frankenstein status. After all he put his body through the true miracle was his wolf survived.
Asia walked out the bathroom drying her hair. Hawke stopped thinking. Stopped breathing and stared at her perfection. He couldn’t reconcile the Goddess standing in front of him with the femme fatale in the reports he’d consumed through the years. She still held the record in the Liege organization with the highest kill count, and successful missions accomplished. Her exploits reached legendary status and over the years he’d lived vicariously through her exploits.
Now she was his. His to love, protect and serve. Humbled by the Goddess’ gift, he rose on his knees, pulled her close and brushed his lips across hers, hungry for a small taste.
She pushed against his shoulders. “You need a bath, go wash.”
He laughed, laid his forehead on her breasts and rubbed them back and forth. She laughed, and he didn’t think he’d every tire of the sound, and pushed him away.
“Ugh. Go shower before all the hot water’s gone.”
The thought of a cold shower galvanized him into action. He sprung from the bed and headed into the small room. “Don’t get dressed,” he said stripping off his clothes. “I’ll be right back.”
Arms outstretched, Asia flopped on bed, scanned the area out of habit and settled. They’d made great time and should reach the vehicle by noon tomorrow if they left first thing in the morning.
Asia listened to the shower in anticipation. Yesterday in the cave she’d seen lust, passion and admiration in his gaze. He hadn’t faked it either she seen enough to know the difference. Hard as she tried she couldn’t remember if the first time she mated came close to now, but doubted the possibility. Her blood rushed through her veins at his nearness. Despite what she’d told him, every part of him smelled delicious and right. All day she touched and brushed against him. Inside she burned to get as close as physically possible and then she’d want more. She sensed the same fire burned in him, especially when he didn’t balk at spending the night in a hotel rather than far from everyone.
They weren’t safe, not by a long shot. Not as long as the computer chip remained lodged inside his brain. She’d listened to the sound on and off all day.
Wait. On and off?
Asia sat up to think. Had she stopped listening or had the chip blinked on and off? She wasn’t sure. Excitement coursed up her spine. She had to be sure. The water stopped. Inching back in the bed, she pulled both pillows b
ehind her as props.
Naked, Hawke stepped into the room drying his hair. Need to be one with him gut punched her. Without thought her hand rose beckoning him to her. His gaze widened and then drooped to a sexy, slumberous half-mast. Hawke took her hand, placed a kiss in the middle of her palm and then licked that same spot.
Asia trembled as fire licked the nerve endings in her hand, raced up her arm and settled in her core. “Hawke,” she murmured on a shaky breath.
He looked up at her and crawled forward. “I’ve wanted to do this all day.” He leaned forward, and placed kisses all over her mound. His fingertips pulled her lips apart, his tongue slid up and down and then wiggled inside her opening.
Asia’s head fell back as he worked magic with his tongue. She tangled her fingers in his thick black hair and pulled sharply moving him where she needed him. He pressed his lips to her clit and sucked the tiny bundle of nerves into his mouth, alternating with rough lashing with his tongue.
“Oh God,” she screamed as she humped his face to a beat in her mind, lost in desperation to cum again. He caught her clit with his teeth and bit down on it. She tugged his hair pulling him closer, telling him her enjoyment without words, and begging for more. He scraped her clit over and over again.
“Yessss,” Asia said moaning, and rocking against him. Close… her body lifted higher and higher. Her legs locked around his back and she erupted in orgasmic bliss. Her body shook beneath the force of her release. Floating back to reality, she pulled his head back, bit her bottom lip and winked at him.
“Beautiful,” he whispered sliding up her body, his hot flesh scorching her as he brushed against it. His hardness landed between her thighs, superbly positioned for entrance. He stared down at her. An inner light burned in his gaze as he studied her. Uneasy, she lowered her lids to protect her secrets. She wasn’t ready for him to know the real woman he’d mated; it was nice being accepted for the moment.
Hawke placed a finger beneath her chin and lifted her face. “You are beautiful mate.”
Her heart tugged at the sincerity of his gaze and the ring of truth in his words. His mouth pressed against hers, his tongue swept across her lips and pressed for entrance. She moaned in pleasure as he deepened the kiss.
Caught up in his taste, his masculine wood scent, his sudden thrust into her caused her to buck upright and gasp with pleasure.
“Mmmm, so tight, so wet for me. You have no idea how that makes me feel,” he murmured while thrusting steadily with deep strokes. The sound of slapping flesh filled the air, peppered with their grunts and moans.
Asia slapped his ass and widened her legs, urging him deeper. He quickened his movements, the music of their coupling took on a rock and roll tempo, lifting her higher. She growled in pleasure at his primal taking.
Her body was on fire as he pounded into her relentlessly. Waves of pleasure rippled through her as she splintered in bliss a second time. He thickened inside her. His cock pulsed as he slammed into her again and again. He stiffened, shuddered and released a low growl into the pillow next to her head as he spilled his seed deep inside her body.
Chapter 16
Asia lay in the bed, listening, watching and wondering. Once Hawke stepped into the room, all thought of the chip in his mind died beneath the sizzle of the mating call. She owed Tyrese and Danielle an apology. During their last mission the newly mated pair slowed everybody down because they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. At the time, she didn’t fully understand how overwhelming the mating dance could be.
Her skin tightened and ached for his touch. The heat and deep low throb in her core became unbearable. It’s a miracle they were able to travel as far as they had without throwing each other to the ground and fucking like minks. With a soft smile she glanced at him asleep next to her. She traced one of the many scars on his arm and chest. Whatever surgeries they’d put him through shouldn’t have left this many scars unless they were recent. Asia had noticed scars and bruising on the test wolves as well.
“What did they do to you?” she whispered glad he was asleep and re-scanned the area. Greggor hadn’t regrouped yet, but he would and there’d be hybrids after them, if not already. She frowned. Why the delay? They could find Hawke… she listened for the tick of the computer chip.
Asia’s heart beat so loud she swallowed and listened harder. Nothing. No ticks and she would know that sound the rest of her life. Was it possible the chip no longer worked? What happened? She’d never been able to stop the chip that had been lodged in her brain until she’d been buried alive, died and rebooted with a clean slate. How had Hawke managed to stop the chip?
She closed her eyes and sought their link. A surge of warmth greeted her. Even asleep he welcomed her presence. She was swept away on a tide of colorful ribbons that wrapped around her waist holding her close as moments of his life unfolded. If she could stay in that position always she would. It would be nice to know a little more about him, she thought. The second the idea crystallized snapshots flew before her eyes.
“Whoa, slow down. I can’t see anything,” she said more to herself than the pictures. But they slowed, almost to a crawl, and she remained still as her mate’s life passed before her eyes. The slide show went in reverse from present to his past. There was no sound, and some things, like books, files or reports he read, she couldn’t make out. Asia recognized the cold eyes of Lord Boris Lancaster, the sarcastic twist to his lips, and evil sneer. One snapshot showed him patting Hawke on the shoulder as a comrade, another talking down to Hawke who kneeled in front of him, another he raised and cane and then a whip and beat Hawke without mercy.
Horrified by the brutality a young Hawke suffered, she understood why he was priceless to the Liege. It took years for Lancaster to break Hawke’s wolf, and banish his spirit. The men had burned, starved and beaten a young Hawke to the point he should have died. That he still lived; the answer to how he survived was a secret somewhere that she’d love to know. When it came to the end, the picture shuddered and repeated itself again and again as if bumping against a wall, preventing the slide show from going forward. Had the Liege locked Hawke’s memories as they’d done her?
“I’d like to see what’s hidden.” The picture slowed and the next frame came into view. A younger Hawke in Lancaster’s castle. Hawke being handed to Lancaster. Shock raced up her spine. “What?” Handed to Lord Boris? What the hell? The pictures continued but her mind remained on that one snapshot.
Hawke as a pup running behind a much larger black wolf. Hawke in human form with a dark haired male and other men nearby.
Her breath caught. Gunnolf. The images she’d seen of Gunnolf matched the image of one of the men sitting in a large room with Hawke and possibly his Alpha. The vision struck so hard she tumbled from the link gasping for air. Images continued to swirl in her mind. Someone gave Hawke to Lord Boris, someone in his former pack. No wonder someone wanted those memories blocked.
Did Hawke know? How much of his memory was he able to access? She ran a fingertip across his brow. Both of them were victims of the Liege but for some reason Hawke was sacrificed. Damn, it was inconceivable that someone would give away a pup to humans for experiments.
Hawke stirred. Indecision lodged in her chest. Should she tell him what she saw? What did he know about Gunnolf? Certain what she saw were highlights or important markers in his life, there were hours, days, months and years of living she hadn’t seen. Did he have memories of Gunnolf? Had she met him as a child and not remembered? So many questions.
First they had to deactivate the kill chips in the test wolves, and then they could sort out the rest of this stuff. Asia slid from the bed and went to use the restroom. Her mind refused to release the images she’d seen through the link. What to do? Time refused to slow down so she could filter all the information. They needed to pick up the car and make it to Chacal’s. Lord Boris would never allow Hawke to just leave. And if they knew she was in the country, her life would be in jeopardy as well.
S
he morphed into the male she’d been last night when she rented the room and then woke up Hawke.
He opened his eyes. The familiar tick restarted, and she waited to see what he’d do. And then the ticking stopped. He blinked and stretched.
“You let me sleep.” He stood, brushed a kiss against her lips and headed to the bathroom.
“Yes, you were snoring.” Asia teased while waiting for him to finish.
“I do not snore. I’ve watched too many vids of myself sleeping.” Hawke stepped into the room and pulled his shirt over his chest. She itched to touch him. It took everything within her to walk to the door.
She spoke over her shoulder without looking at him. “I didn’t scent anyone, I’ll go down first, and head out. Give me a ten minute start and then follow.”
“Are you sure you want to go first? The chip’s in my head, and if we’re followed, I can lead them in the opposite direction.”
Asia turned to look at him. “And if they go in the opposite direction from our transportation what am I supposed to do? Go to the car? Go the Chacal without you?”
Hawke didn’t respond.
“Hawke, we do this together, it doesn’t work with you heading in a different direction.”
“Okay. Ten minutes.”
She left the room, headed down the stairs. No one was in the lobby and she was glad. Once outside she walked at a brisk pace in the direction of the vehicle. When she cleared the village, she cut through the trees and ran at a comfortable pace.
Hawke caught up with her. They ran in silence and stopped at the next crossroad. “It should be straight ahead.”
He nodded, and she hoped he wasn’t sulking from this morning. Asia took off, and he came up behind. When the truck came into view, she scanned the area.
“That’s it,” she said as they slowed and approached the Jeep.
He headed for the driver’s side. She exhaled at his presumption but didn’t argue since he was a native. Hawke started the car and pulled onto the road. She scanned him for his chip and it ticked again.
Sword of Inquest (La Patron's Sword Book 1) Page 8