But he couldn’t accept so much pleasure without giving it in return. He pulled her up and over him, his erection resting between her thighs, and kissed her. Her kiss was almost savage in response, tongue and lips dueling with his, and he rolled over with her, bracing himself on his forearms. She clawed at him again, her nails trailing across the scars on his back, and he kissed her neck, sucking her skin as if he could draw her blood by sheer strength of will.
This was not merely an Opir he held in his arms or even a Bloodmistress. She gave herself to him like a goddess of ecstasy, whimpering as he trailed kisses from her jaw to her breasts. She arched against him, offering him her breasts as she wrapped her thighs around his waist.
He took what she gave, sucking on her nipples with hungry force, urged on by her gasps and moans of excitement. He devoured her, rolling his tongue around the peaks of her nipples, running his hand down the length of her body to stroke the junction of her thighs.
She was moist and warm, and when his fingers slid between her lips, she moved so that they slipped inside her. She pushed against him, but she was so wet that his fingers alone couldn’t fill her.
“Take me,” she whispered hoarsely.
Daniel wanted to give her more pleasure, to lick the wetness and tease her to the edge of orgasm. But she continued to move and slide until his cock was poised at her entrance, its tip skimming her heat until he couldn’t stand another second’s delay.
He plunged into her with one hard thrust, and she cried out. He had never felt so hungry to be one with her, to brand her, to make himself hers. Ferocity overcame him, the need to prove that she could never find anywhere else what she had with him, that she would remember him all her life, long after they had parted.
But the thought of parting was more than he could bear. He thrust again and again, surging deep, and she took sharp little breaths every time he entered her.
Still his hunger wasn’t satisfied. He sat up, lifting her with him, and parted from her just long enough to turn her onto her hands and knees. Her bottom was firm and full, her lips pink and swollen, and she looked over her shoulder with eyes heavy lidded with heated desire.
Taking her hips between his hands, he entered her again. She rocked forward, and he held her still to thrust deeper, his own breath coming short and harsh. He stroked her back and continued without slowing, all animal instinct now, beyond anything but need.
He hesitated only once, when her moans became a cry. But she pushed back against him, taking him in again, her hot juices bathing him with liquid fire. He reached beneath them and stroked her near the junction of their bodies, finding the little nub and rubbing it until her cries grew more insistent.
A moment later she came, trembling violently. He followed, flinging his head back and finishing with a few final, glorious thrusts.
Panting, her body damp with perspiration, Isis went still as if she were savoring the final joining of their bodies. Then she jerked away without warning, scrambling onto her back and drawing her legs close to her chest. Her eyes were wide behind the veil of her hair.
Daniel didn’t understand her reaction, but he let her go as she climbed off the couch, pulled on her mask, snatched up her robes and flung them on, leaving the fastenings half undone as she fled the room. Daniel dressed hastily and followed her, but by the time he entered the corridor, she was gone. He ran out of the building, searching for her, worried about her strange state of mind and what she might do.
But she had vanished among the Festival crowds, and Daniel had no idea where to look for her. He made certain that his own mask was firmly in place and began to search. The revelers spun around him, a blur of masks that seemed more and more like grotesque caricatures.
Forcing himself to act calmly and rationally, he became more methodical and careful in his search. Isis had clearly been under tremendous pressure, forced to accept facts that stood in direct opposition to her beliefs and experience. She’d given herself over to unrestrained passion, and he’d accepted that without question, instinctively understanding that she needed those heady minutes of escape.
But she hadn’t really escaped at all. Had she been so ashamed of the act, when she’d never shown the slightest restraint before? Or was she angry with herself for helping to end the hope that they could maintain any kind of distance from one another?
Daniel had no answers. He gave up scanning the crowds and began looking into the side alleys, hoping she hadn’t actually left the plaza area.
He was on his last side street when he finally found her. She was stumbling out of the deeper shadows, her clothing torn, her mask gone.
Daniel raced toward her and took her in his arms. “Isis,” he said. “Are you hurt?”
She shuddered and wrapped her arms around his waist. “I am all right,” she said.
“What happened to you?”
“They...attacked me,” she said, her voice shaking.
“Who?”
“Humans.” She sucked in a sharp breath and let it out slowly. “Four or five. They came at me...suddenly, and grabbed me.”
Daniel’s worry turned to rage. “Who were they?” he demanded, stroking her loosened hair.
“I don’t know.” She pulled away just enough to study Daniel’s face. “I am all right. Daniel, look at me.”
He met her gaze. She shook her head almost wildly.
“I see what you want to do,” she said. “But there is no one to punish. They all wore masks, and I am sure they have discarded them by now.”
“Why would they attack you?” Daniel said through clenched teeth.
“I do not know.” She shuddered again and relaxed into his arms. “I did not sense them before they came at me, so I was not prepared to fight. They were only able to hold me for a short time.”
“Your clothes—”
“They grabbed at whatever they could reach. I do not think they were attempting to—”
“You would have killed them if they tried.”
“I fought,” she said. “They ran, but I fell.” She scraped at her smudged cheek with the back of her hand. “I am well, Daniel.”
“No, you’re not.” He picked her up and cradled her in his arms. “I’m taking you somewhere quiet, where you can rest. You tell me anything you can remember, and I’ll find your attackers.”
“But I have told you,” she said, gripping him around the shoulders. “Daniel, you will not find them.”
“Then we’ll get help.”
“From whom? We cannot give the Lawkeepers any excuse to turn against humans now. If someone among the Opiri or the Nine is responsible for the disappearances and the attacks on our human citizens, they have made sure that these incidents are ignored. Would they ignore this, as well?”
“This was clearly an act of revenge. If these humans lost family members and believe as Hugh and his companions do, they may feel they have the right—”
“Perhaps they are right, Daniel.”
“You’d let them go because you think they’re justified in attacking you? If you’d been hurt, every human in Tanis would be questioned.”
“And I do not wish that.” She sighed into his shoulder. “Put me down, Daniel. I can walk.”
But they had already drawn attention from the Festival-goers, who gaped at them and began to murmur and chatter over the maskless appearance of one of the Nine, carried in a human’s arms. Daniel set Isis down, keeping her close, and took off his mask. He dropped it onto the ground.
As if they had heard what had happened even before Daniel had found Isis, a group of five Lawkeepers, shock sticks in hand and led by Anu himself, plowed into the throng. Revelers jumped out of their path, and there were cries of astonishment. Anu never appeared among humans.
Instinctively, Daniel put himself between Anu and Isis, but Isis moved around him before
he could stop her.
“What has happened here?” Anu demanded, striding ahead of the Lawkeepers. “Isis?”
She faced him, chin up. “All is well, Anu,” she said. “Why are you here?”
Anu glared at Daniel over her shoulder. “Who did this to you?” he demanded.
Tidying her robes with nervous sweeps of her hand, Isis smiled. “I am fine,” she said. “I merely stumbled and fell. Daniel was taking me to a place where I might rest a little.”
“You fell?” Anu asked. “You, Isis?”
It sounded ridiculous, Daniel thought, given her natural grace. But now that he had the chance to tell the truth and possibly find her attackers, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. As Isis had so wisely pointed out, every human in Tanis could suffer for it.
But he was to have no say in the matter. “You were assaulted by humans,” Anu said to Isis. “The state of your clothing is not the result of a fall, and it is humans who are rampaging on the streets of our city.”
“I do not know who they were,” Isis said, no longer attempting to lie.
“I believe that you would do almost anything to defend humans, even if they were to harm you.”
“What are you suggesting?” Isis said, rising anger in her voice. “That any human could actually hurt me?”
“There are new reports of violence done by humans throughout the wards,” Anu said. “Destruction of property, rioting, even assaulting Opiri who venture too near. Lawkeepers are searching for any citizens exhibiting hostile behavior.”
“Does that include Opiri?” Daniel asked.
Anu ignored him and moved closer to Isis. “You will come with me, Isis.”
She began to protest, but a moment later Athena appeared, her mask hanging from her neck. “Isis!” she said, coming up beside Anu. “What—”
“Take her back to the tower,” Anu said. “She was accosted by humans.”
“Accosted?” Athena said in disbelief.
“You should go back to your apartment,” Daniel said softly to Isis. “I don’t want you in the tower now. Not with Anu.”
She nodded slightly and stared Anu down. “I have the right and duty to see what is happening in this city,” she said. “If humans are behaving out of character—”
“You can say that, after the Games?” Anu said. He glanced around at the Festival-goers, many of whom had quietly slipped away. “Today’s events have provoked activity we could not have anticipated, but considering the nature of hu—” He broke off. “It is not necessary for you to become involved unless you have specific information to give us.”
“What are you planning to do about the Opir who took blood from a human woman by force?” Daniel asked, made reckless by his fear for Isis. “Maybe it wasn’t an isolated incident. Maybe humans are fighting back against the gangs that have been harassing their wards.”
Isis stepped between Daniel and Anu. “Have you heard the reports of Opir attacks?” she asked the Bloodmaster.
“None except for the one involving...” He waved dismissively toward Daniel.
Daniel knew that he was lying, and he was sure Isis knew, as well. “I can tell you they are happening,” she said. “Humans have been provoked.”
“If they have been, we will determine the truth,” Anu said.
“If Lawkeepers sweep the human wards,” Daniel said, “no one will talk to them.”
“I think they will,” Anu said.
“They’ll lie if they feel threatened,” Daniel said. “But they’ll listen to Isis.” He met Anu’s gaze. “Of course, if you’re more interested in punishing humans than keeping the peace...”
“Daniel!” Isis snapped. “Anu,” she said, “he is disturbed. Someone attempted to poison him during the Games.”
“You saw this?”
“I saw the effects,” she said. “But we have not been able to determine why it was done, or by whom.”
“Almost certainly one of his opponents in the Games,” Anu said. “This incident, too, will be examined.” He stared at Daniel. “Since you have also been threatened, Lawkeepers will escort you back to your quarters.”
“That will not be necessary,” Daniel said.
But Anu simply moved away, leaving two of the Lawkeepers behind with Daniel and Isis. Athena lingered, hovering anxiously over Isis.
“It would be better for you to go back,” Isis said, for Daniel’s ears alone. “I will observe these sweeps myself, and try to determine the cause of the disturbances.”
“You’re in danger,” Daniel whispered. “If humans attacked you once, it could happen again. Go back to your apartment, Isis.” He frowned at the rebellion in her expression. “Promise me.”
“And you?” she asked. “If you resist the Lawkeepers...”
“Tell them you need their escort, and that I’ll do as Anu commanded.”
He saw the disbelief in her eyes, but she approached the Lawkeepers and evidently convinced them. Athena left a few minutes later, though not without a long backward glance at Daniel.
Without acknowledging Isis again, Daniel headed in the direction of his quarters. Soon after he’d cleared the plaza and was nearly home, he circled back.
The plaza, bathed in the wan sunlight of breaking dawn, was empty of revelers and littered with discarded masks. Daniel returned to the building where he’d spoken to Hugh, and found it empty, as well.
Choosing a route along minor streets, Daniel jogged toward Bes’s ward. He saw immediately that Anu’s claims had been true. There were groups of humans fighting in the streets, almost mindlessly, and not all wore opposing emblems from the Games. Lawkeepers were rounding up some of the fighters, but they were clearly outnumbered.
Daniel pushed his way between two small groups of brawling humans and kept them apart with a combination of strength and sheer will.
“Why are you fighting?” he demanded as the leaders of the two groups panted and glared at each other.
“Who in hell are you?” one of the men said, curling his fists.
“They’re traitors!” said a woman on the other side. “They’re working for the Nightsiders against their own kind!”
“Lies!” the first man said.
“Stop,” Daniel ordered. “What do you mean, working for the Nightsiders?”
“Stealing people for the bloodsuckers!” the woman yelled.
Nausea built in Daniel’s throat. He had denied that humans were involved in the disappearances, and Isis had agreed with him.
“What proof do you have?” Daniel asked. “How do you know the Opiri are taking humans?”
“Rumors,” the leader of the accused group said. “That’s all they have.”
“Is that what’s behind this violence?” Daniel asked. “Rumors? You turn on each other and give the Lawkeepers good reason for cracking down on the human wards?”
Just as he finished speaking, a boy threw a rock into a window across the street. Everyone turned to stare.
“This isn’t about the disappearances,” Daniel said. “Something else is going on.”
“How do you know?” the first leader said.
“He’s Isis’s favorite,” the woman shouted. “He’s with them, too!”
“Isis is with you,” Daniel said, holding out his hands as several of the humans lunged toward him. “If you have a grudge against the Opiri, you’d be wise not to reject your allies.”
“They still rule,” a man said. “We’ve never been full equals to them.”
“If the Opiri are the problem, giving them reason to judge you as savages doesn’t help your cause.”
“Don’t listen to him,” the first leader said. “He’s been corrupted by—”
He broke off as three Lawkeepers armed with shock sticks appeared and began moving in their direc
tion. The humans scattered, each group ignoring the other.
Turning on his heel, Daniel set out for Hugh’s tavern.
CHAPTER 19
At first it seemed as if the tavern was securely locked up for the night, windows latched, still as a fortress anticipating a deadly attack. The neighborhood was just as quiet, human citizens hiding in their homes or out roaming with the angry mobs in the thin predawn light. Daniel moved cautiously to the door and pressed his ears against the heavy wood.
The place was far from deserted. He could hear murmuring voices...one, two, four. Six in all, urgently discussing the problems outside in tense whispers.
Daniel knew they were closer to the back kitchen door than the front, so he circled the building and paused until he heard the voices drift into silence.
“It’s Daniel,” he said, his mouth close to the door. “Let me in, Hugh.”
He knew they heard him; a chair scuffed against the floor, and two voices argued in soft tones. After a long moment, Daniel heard footsteps moving up to the door. The latch clicked, and Hugh stood framed in the doorway, his shoulders squared and his expression far from welcoming.
“What do you want?” he said.
“I didn’t think we should wait for another meeting,” Daniel said.
“You walked out on us before.”
“Isis promised to work with you,” Daniel said. “Was there something I missed?”
Hugh threw a glance over his shoulder. “Come in,” he said, “before the Lawkeepers see you.”
Slipping through the door, Daniel faced the nervous stares of Hugh’s companions, three he had met before and two he didn’t recognize.
“Do you expect the Lawkeepers to come hunting you?” he asked, standing by the door. “Are you suspected of inciting the protests out there?”
“We had nothing to do with it,” Hugh said, leaning against the counter with his arms folded across his chest.
“Apparently,” Daniel said, “the news of human disappearances is all over the city. Humans are accusing other humans of being behind them.”
Harlequin Nocturne May 2016 Box Set Page 18