Dark Operative_A Shadow of Death

by I. T. Lucas

  Once again they sat on the swinging loveseat, but this time Robert didn't try to squeeze as far away from her as he could. It seemed he was getting used to the idea that he was hers.

  Should she just go ahead and kiss him?

  Because it seemed he would never take the first step.

  Sharon wasn't shy, but that didn't mean she wanted to push Robert into something he wasn't interested in. Most of the guys she'd chosen for hookups hadn't needed so much prodding. Usually, it was enough that she showed interest and they were all over her right away.

  "Do you like me, Robert?"

  He looked surprised at her question. "I like you very much."

  "I know I've been pushing you a little, but I'm going to stop if you are not interested."

  "Why would you think that I'm not interested?"

  She eyed him carefully to see if he was humoring her, but his expression seemed sincere. "Because most guys would be trying to get into my panties by now if I showed them as much interest as I showed you.

  He glanced down at her crotch, making her uncomfortable. "I don't think your panties would fit me."

  Was this guy for real? She lifted a brow.

  "It was a joke. I know what you meant."

  Sharon let out a breath. "Thank God. I thought I mistakenly picked up Rain Man."

  Robert frowned. "Who is Rain Man?"

  "You didn't see that movie? I thought everyone did. Rain Man was an autistic character played by Dustin Hoffman."

  "Oh." He looked crestfallen.

  Oh boy, she'd offended him. "But you're not. It was a joke. You are handsome and smart and hard-working, and I like you."

  There, she said it.

  He could hurt her now, say that she wasn't his type or something to that effect.

  Robert took her hand, the first physical contact he’d initiated, lifted it to his lips and kissed the back of it. It was such a small gesture, and yet she found it oddly erotic. His soft lips sent a shiver of desire that traveled from her hand to her center while igniting nerve endings everywhere in between.

  Damn. She was getting aroused by the smallest of touches like some innocent damsel of yesteryear. Was it because she found Robert so hot? Or was it because he was playing hard to get? Or was it because it had been a few weeks since she had been touched?

  "I like you too. A lot. You are beautiful and smart and interesting and fun to be around, but I don't know if I can be the kind of man you need."

  "I don't know either. But that's why we are here. To find out." Sharon sounded breathless but could do nothing about it. She needed him to touch her, to kiss her, to throw her down on the ground and do all kinds of naughty things to her.

  Unwittingly, she found herself leaning closer and tilting her head up as if waiting for a kiss.

  "We have an audience." He glanced through the sliding doors at the bunch playing poker at the dining table.

  Sharon cupped Robert's cheek, turning his head to look at her. "They are busy with the game, and it's dark out here. They can't see us."

  Chapter 13: Robert

  Sharon's strong scent of desire was like a siren call to an immortal male. Robert could not refuse her, and not just because it made his shaft swell and his fangs itch and his glands fill with venom. He needed to answer that call because he was responsible for it. Satisfying her and easing her cravings were as necessary as protecting her.

  Sharon had somehow activated all those immortal male instincts in him.

  The only other female to ever do so had been Carol, but the circumstances had been a lot different. Carol had been tortured, her suffering so unbearable that he'd been compelled to forsake everything he'd known and everything he'd worked for to save her.

  But Sharon wasn't suffering, and she wasn't even an immortal female.

  Tonight, though, all he could offer her was a kiss. The immortals inside could see and hear everything that went on out there on the swing, and he wasn't going to give them a show.

  Hooking his finger under her chin, he tilted her head and sealed his lips over hers, kissing her softly, teasing her with a soft flick of his tongue and coaxing her to open for him.

  Not that Sharon needed coaxing.

  A shudder went through her as his tongue penetrated her mouth and she moaned. With the tension leaving her body, she would have collapsed if he hadn't been quick to respond, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her tightly against his chest.

  She felt good nestled there, the soft curves of her body molding into his. Everything about the kiss felt good.

  Her taste, her scent, the sounds of her little moans and whimpers.

  He could've kissed her for hours, gladly suffering through the exquisite pain of prolonged anticipation, the forced restraint bringing on an agonizing pleasure he would've cherished rather than endured.

  But they had an audience. Besides, his fangs were descending at an alarming rate, and he was damn sure his eyes were glowing. If they were alone, he could've thralled her, but not with the others watching.

  Also, a thrall required concentration, and at the moment Robert's brain was too scattered to focus.

  With an effort, he left the heaven of her mouth but kept holding her to him and rubbing small circles on her lower back to ease her down from the erotic high.

  "Why did you stop?" Sharon mumbled into his shirt.

  He held her pressed tightly against his chest, giving himself time to retract his fangs. "I don't want you to look, but the assholes inside are having a field day watching us."

  She made a move to push away from him, but he held on. "Don't give them the satisfaction of acknowledging their smirks. I'm pretending that I can't see them."

  She relaxed against him. "You don't need an excuse to keep holding me. I like it."

  "Me too." He kissed the top of her head. "I need to calm down a bit before I can go back inside."

  As he'd intended, Sharon assumed he was talking about his hard-on, and she uttered a happy little giggle. "I'm glad I'm not the only one left wanting."

  "Right."

  It was strange how much this little kiss had turned him on. It wasn't as if he was starved for sex, Mortdh knew he'd had more than he wanted or needed lately, but this was different.

  There was a sense of freshness, of innocence to it, even though it was quite evident that Sharon had plenty of experience.

  As had he.

  Was it hope?

  Hope that she might be the one?

  He wasn't that lucky, or deserving, but once that spark ignited inside of him, Robert was loath to extinguish it with a dose of cynicism.

  "Are you ready to go inside?" Sharon asked.

  His fangs had fully retracted, so it was safe despite the semi-hard-on he was still sporting. Jeans were great at making it less obvious.

  "Here you are," Amanda said as they entered. "We are just about to start another round. Come join us."

  Holding hands and ignoring the six pairs of eyes watching them, they walked over to the table and took their seats.

  "Who won the last round?" Sharon asked.

  Nick grimaced. "Can't you see the mountain of pennies in front of Eva?"

  "As usual." Sharon cast Eva a fond glance.

  Bhathian's mate was the best player among them. She was too good of an actress, so her facial expressions were not good as clues, and with the incense interfering with the immortals’ sense of smell, that was off the table too.

  As the next round drew to an end, Sharon started fidgeting with the tablecloth, and a moment later looked up at him with a determined expression on her face. "When are you going to ask me on a date, Robert?"

  He swallowed hard. A date?

  He couldn't invite her on a date because he was a prisoner at the keep, and inviting Sharon to come over to his place was not an option either.

  Robert looked at Amanda for help.

  "Go for it. I'll handle the details," she mouthed so quietly only the immortals heard her.

  "Where would you li
ke to go?" he asked.

  "I don't know. Maybe just for a cup of coffee, and then watch a movie at your place?"

  Eva choked on her drink, spitting out a mouthful.

  Sharon cast her a hard look. "If you have something to say, just say it. Don't spit all over the table."

  Eva shook her head. "I'm sorry. I was just surprised. You know how old-fashioned I am about things like that."

  "I have really annoying roommates," Robert said. "They are messy, like in a pigsty messy, and constantly play horrendously loud music." It was the honest truth, but not the real reason he couldn't invite her over.

  She looked disappointed. "That sucks. I guess you can come over here and we can watch a movie in my room. I have a large screen television, and we can stream whatever we want."

  From the corner of his eye, he saw Amanda nod her approval.

  "Sounds good to me."

  Sharon's eyes brightened. "I can make us a nice dinner."

  Bhathian snickered. "I suggest takeout. That girl can burn a frozen pizza."

  "Shut it," Sharon hissed at him. "I'm trying to impress the guy, and you are acting worse than a real parent."

  "Ouch." Bhathian touched his hand to his heart. "My apologies."

  For a moment, Sharon seemed satisfied with his apology. But then Bhathian went ahead and added, "I suggest you clean your room before you let anyone inside it. Especially the panties hanging from your bed scrollwork."

  Sharon picked up a bunch of pretzels and threw them at Bhathian, who, naturally, ducked in time to avoid impact.

  Flicking away a piece of pretzel from his shirt, Bhathian smirked. "May I remind you that you're in charge of cleaning the floors?"

  Sharon threw her hands in the air and turned to Robert. "And you say your roommates are annoying? I'm sure they are not as bad as mine."

  "I think it's a tie."

  "Ugh. I need my own place."

  Eva wagged a finger at her. "You're not moving out until you're married, young lady."

  "Do you see what I have to contend with?"

  "Yeah. It's terrible to have people care so much about you."

  "You too, Brutus?"

  Chapter 14: Bhathian

  "I'm starting to lose hope for that boy," Bhathian said.

  Eva put down the book she'd been reading on the nightstand. "I know he needs some coaching, but that's not the problem. When it clicks, it clicks despite the imperfections. He just didn't meet the right woman yet."

  Bhathian rubbed the back of his neck. "You might be right. I can't believe that Sharon and Robert clicked. The guy has gone through most of the keep's female population, and none wanted him for more than a shag or two. Not that I blame them. Compared to him, I'm Prince Charming. But Sharon seems to really like him. She wants more than to just get in his pants."

  "Sharon never had a boyfriend, even though she goes out with a lot of guys. I guess they are both a little odd. Maybe that's what makes them perfect for each other."

  "Either that, or they are truelove mates."

  "Get in bed, my love." Eva patted the spot next to her.

  Bhathian dropped the towel he had wrapped around his hips and ducked under the covers. "Don't get any ideas, woman. You wrung the last drop of juice out of me."

  She leaned and kissed his cheek. "Poor baby. You have such a hard life."

  He cupped her chin and kissed her lips. "I love every moment of it."

  Eva had been a lustful female before the pregnancy, but now she was insatiable. Even an immortal male who was in the best shape possible had his limits.

  She smiled and picked up the book, then put it face down on top of the comforter. "Amanda has good instincts. I would have never thought of Robert as a good match for Sharon. The thing is, though, how are they going to date? Kian is not going to allow Sharon to visit Robert in his apartment, and he is not allowed to leave the keep without an escort."

  Bhathian grimaced. "I can bring him over and act as his keeper. Not that I'm looking forward to a babysitting job, but I'll do it for Sharon. If he is the one for her, then it's worth the hassle."

  "Is he going to stay the night?" Eva didn't look too happy at the prospect.

  "Are you worried?"

  "He is an ex-Doomer, and Kian doesn't trust him yet. I'm too cynical to overlook this just because there is romance in the air."

  "I can take him back to the keep after he and Sharon are done with their date."

  Eva shook her head. "They are not schoolchildren on a playdate. Talk about awkward."

  "So what do you suggest?"

  She sighed. "One of us will need to stay awake and make sure Robert is not up to something other than shagging Sharon. We will have to take turns sleeping."

  "As if I'm going to let my pregnant mate watch over a trained, lethal soldier."

  Eva pinned him with a hard stare. "You forget I'm a trained agent and quite lethal myself."

  "Not against an ex-Doomer. Kian doesn't allow Kri on any missions that might put her in front of Doomers, and the girl is an incredible fighter."

  Eva waved a hand. "Kri is big and strong and well-trained, but she is young and has a soft heart. I don't."

  And how sexy was that?

  Bhathian loved that his mate was a dangerous woman. An assassin. But he loved even more that she had retired from that side-line of hers.

  "I'll allow it only if you keep a gun ready."

  Eva pulled the nightstand drawer open and motioned for him to take a look. "I always do, my love."

  Impossibly, Bhathian got hard again. "Fates, woman, you're so damn sexy."

  She chuckled. "If I knew guns turned you on, I would have shown you mine a long time ago."

  "It's not the guns. It's the woman who knows how to use them."

  With a contented sigh, Eva put her head on his shoulder. "When do we tell Sharon? Before or after?"

  That was a good question. There were pros and cons for both. "I think after. After having more experience with what induces an adult female's transition, Bridget says that venom alone doesn't do the trick. It needs to come with insemination. Which means that as long as condoms are used nothing is going to happen."

  "That's interesting. Are you going to have a talk with Robert?"

  Bhathian's lips twisted into a grimace. "Great. It's just getting better and better."

  Eva shrugged. "If you are uncomfortable doing so, I can have a talk with him."

  "Over my dead body. I'll do it."

  She smiled. "I knew you were going to say that."

  "But before I do, I'm getting the remote to Robert's cuff from William. One inappropriate remark and I press the button."

  Eva gasped. "You're even meaner than I am. You would blow the guy's arm off for that?"

  "Not really, but it will make me feel better about having to have the talk with him. Besides, I'm going to keep it here in case he stays the night. The cuff is more effective than a gun, and the remote has a longer range. Even if he manages to get away, I can blow his arm off from several miles away."

  "Ouch. That's harsh."

  Bhathian patted her thigh. "He can grow it back but it hurts like hell, and knowing I have the remote is a great deterrent. He will think twice before trying anything."

  Eva lifted her book but then put it down again. "I don't feel right about this whole situation, and I don't know why. Robert seems like a decent fellow, and he is doing a good job for the clan. Not to mention his sacrifice for Carol. But I don't think he and Sharon should be hanging around here. Perhaps she is right, and it's time for her to get her own place."

  "And then what? I'll go on babysitting duty over there? That's even weirder."

  "You're right. I'll talk with Amanda and see what we can come up with. She cooked this up, so she needs to find an appropriate solution."

  "I agree. Hopefully, one that doesn't require me to chaperone."

  Chapter 15: Turner

  The afternoon Turner spent with Brian had been illuminating as well as costly. He had n
ever known men's apparel could be so pricy. His new wardrobe was not extensive. The minimum required, according to Brian. Two pairs of slacks, four dress shirts, two jackets and two pairs of shoes, cost more than all of Turner's lifelong clothing purchases put together. After that, he hadn't blinked when paying a few hundred bucks for the cologne and other miscellaneous items that Brian had insisted on, like socks and underwear.

  As the two of them argued vehemently over every additional item, the stuck-up salesclerks at the store had smiled indulgently, probably assuming that they were witnessing a lovers' quarrel.

  Brian had thought it was hilarious, and played the part, making Turner even more uncomfortable.

  Was it worth it?

  Turner wasn't sure.

  The clothes he was wearing fit him well and looked better than any he had ever worn, and yet they did nothing to make him feel more up to the task of making Bridget fall for him.

  In fact, the opposite was true.

  He was a confident man who didn't need to boost his own ego with superfluous things like insanely expensive clothing, or fancy cars, or any other external symbols of wealth.

  His wealth and his value were in his brain, and Bridget was a smart enough woman to realize that.

  Still, it would've been unwise to dismiss the advice of someone who knew how to play the game of seduction better than the vast majority of men. Especially since everything else he'd taught Turner during that afternoon was invaluable.

  Like how to appear interested but not overzealous. How to look a woman in the eyes while listening intently to everything she had to say. How to initiate little touches to let her know he found her attractive but nothing that could be interpreted as inappropriate or presumptuous. Nothing but a kiss on the cheek at the end of the first date, not even if it was obvious that she would not have minded ending it in bed.

  The advice seemed old-fashioned and outdated, but Brian had insisted that this approach, while combined with a show of super-confidence and wealth, was guaranteed to ensnare the most slippery of fish. It seemed that nowadays playing hard to get worked for men as well as it had for women in the past.