by Lauren Dane
“I don’t ask you to apologize for worrying about me. I want you to see that you stepped over the line. I want you to see that if we mean to make this work and have a relationship you can’t take over. I don’t want that, even from you.”
He sighed, clearly annoyed. “Drink the tea. She’s sent a new batch next-day air. Should be here today as it happens. She said if you get out of hand and you won’t rest to call her and she’d take care of that for me. She also told me that if I ever harmed you she’d hunt me down and neuter me. I should have told her you’d do it yourself it if needed doing. I’m not trying to control you. That’s abusive and shitty. I just want to protect you. I’m sorry I overstepped.”
He was truly adorable. And he made her happy and anxious all at once and maybe that’s what love was. “Rain said that? About neutering you?”
“She did. I like her name. She said she named you Lark because when she was pregnant with you birds would come and sit on the fence. That birds have loved you since then. I can’t believe I never noticed that. But once she mentioned it I totally realized it. Even in Lycia the birds loved you.”
She shrugged, suddenly shy. “It’s really her. We joke that she’s a hippie and she is. But she’s special. She is every inch an earth-mother witchy type. Birds, bees, butterflies, dogs, kittens, whatever. I’ve never seen an animal, or anyone else for that matter, who didn’t love my mother.”
His grin made her blush. “She and I pretty much said the same about you.” He fed her another piece of bacon. “Eat.”
He leaned in and kissed her gently. “I love your world because I’m in it. I don’t love you bruised up and exhausted. So finish eating and then you will sleep for at least six hours. Period. I get why you’re upset about the call, but I won’t cede worrying about you and your health.”
Why should she argue? Lark understood her body, knew what she needed to stay strong. She was strung out and on edge. She’d used her magick and tapped into the font as well. Sleep worked wonders, as would this breakfast of his.
He moved the dishes when she was finished and she snuggled down into the blankets. Blankets he’d added to his bed to entice her. He didn’t need it; the man was a blast furnace. But he knew she did so he took care of it. He took care of a lot of things, she realized not for the first time.
“You take care of me,” she murmured as she let herself relax and feel safe.
“It’s my job.” His voice rumbled through his chest as he got in with her, pulling her close.
“No, it isn’t. You have a big job and a big club. But you make me part of your life. Thank you. No one’s ever really done that for me before.”
“You’re mine to protect, pixie.” He kissed the top of her head and she let herself go and sleep.
SHE woke while the sun was still high in the sky. Behind some clouds of course, but it was there.
His warmth left her lazy so she let herself wake up slowly. A glance at the clock told her it was two. She needed to get up and check in. But not just yet.
She snuggled into him and noted the smile on his face, though his eyes remained closed. “What have we here?” His arms encircled her and held her tight. She sighed happily and listened to the steady beat of his heart against the cheek she rested on his chest.
“Afternoon.” Waking up next to someone was something she hadn’t done in a while and it took getting used to. She’d broken up with someone a few months back and he’d slept over a few times but he had a day job and her job was really about the nighttime so their schedules often just didn’t mesh. That and he was probably out with other women and thus too busy to spend any with her. Not that she knew it until far later. Or maybe she did but she didn’t really care or want to face it.
Meh.
What she had now was far better. And more challenging. If this male cheated on her, she’d kick some ass.
“You’re smiling. It makes me nervous,” he murmured as he shifted her to her back and kissed her soundly.
Once she got her breath back she found her voice. “I was just thinking that if I ever caught you cheating, I’d have to harm people.”
There was this little thing he did when she said stuff. He’d pause and cock his head as he struggled to connect whatever she’d said with some matter of context. It was rather adorable and she couldn’t lie to herself that it amused her that she flustered him right back.
“I think that’s a compliment.”
“It totally is. I’ve never actually wanted to burn something down when anyone else I’ve been with has done something unforgivable.”
He nipped her bottom lip. “Yeah? So what did you do to them instead?”
“I walked away.”
His gaze narrowed as he burrowed a hand under the shirt she wore and found a breast. “There’ll be none of that.”
She started to laugh but he found her nipple and pinched it between two fingers. So she gasped instead. “Okay.”
“I’m afraid I’ll hurt you.” He leaned over her, so large and male. Yet he touched her with utter gentleness.
“I bruise easily. Really, I’m fine.” More like dying to have sex with him.
“You on top.”
“Be right back.” She ran to the bathroom and cleaned up, brushing her teeth on the fly. He of course was gorgeous and smelled good. But she was not in that league and needed to wrangle her hair and stuff before she could really get into the sex part. Her face was a riot of blue and green bruises on the left side. She tossed the shirt and ignored the rest, returning to him in her panties and a smile.
He pulled the blankets back and she knew he wasn’t all that bothered by the bruises. Or one part of him wasn’t anyway.
And man was he gorgeous. Lying in bed just waiting for her. Long and massive, all tawny skin and muscles. She had to swallow back a gulp at how hot he was. “You’re like dessert for breakfast.”
“Come eat me up then.”
Laughing she scrambled atop him and kissed that mouth until the need for him wasn’t as razor-sharp. Then she kissed over the stubble on his jaw. Over that spot just at the back of his jaw, under his ear that made his whole body tighten as a ragged groan seemed to tear from him. Down his throat and over his collarbone.
“You’re a masterpiece,” she murmured before scraping her teeth over his right nipple. When he shivered and arched, she did it again and moved to the other side, repeating and getting the same response. Down that chest and over his belly. She rubbed her cheeks over his belly button and then kissed a trail down that line of hair leading to his cock.
She kept her eyes on his as she gave it a kiss. His mouth quirked into a smile. A confident sort of cant to his lips that sent a sensory punch to her gut. And other parts.
Grasping him at the root, she angled him just how she wanted and kissed and licked to her heart’s content.
Or, rather, until he grabbed her upper arms and moved her back. “I want to be in you. Now.”
“You were.”
He trailed fingers down her belly and cupped her pussy. “Here.” One of those fingers traced the seam of her body and dipped inside, tickling her clit until she had to gulp back a moan. “You’re ready for me.”
As if there was a doubt?
Thank all the heavens she knew her cycle and he didn’t have to use a condom. Lycians didn’t carry STDs he’d told her, and she’d had a little dance party in her head knowing they could be skin to skin.
She shimmied up and reached back to guide him true as his fingers did magical things to her clit. When she slid down, taking him into her fully, they both groaned long and low and she had to pause to catch her breath as he filled her.
She moved on him as his hands roved over every part of her he could reach. Nearly reverent. The way he touched her made her feel like a goddess.
And skilled, no doubt about that part either.
He teased pleasure from her in ways she’d never experienced before. A caress at the base of her back, just at the bottom of her spine made her wa
nt to purr like a cat. He drew circles around her breasts, slowly. Starting wide and slowly tightening, until finally, as she was nearly breathless from anticipation, finding her nipples.
She couldn’t tear her gaze from those hands on her skin. The size of him, the contrast of his skin against hers. Caramel to cream. He rolled and tugged just right. Just right until she nearly whimpered from how close he’d taken her to climax.
And then one of those hands wandered away, tickling over her belly button, sliding back and forth down her belly, over that very sensitive skin just above her pelvic bone. And then he spread her open and caressed the heart of her. Before she even had time to register it, she found herself sucked under by a bone-shattering orgasm as he took over, thrusting up as she moved down.
She managed to keep her eyes open long enough to see the pleasure take him too, to watch the changes play over his face as he thrust up one last time and stayed deep; the snarl on his lips was her name.
Chapter 22
HE smiled to himself as she padded around his house, her fingers caressing the spine of a book, or the smooth edge of a table. She was curious about him. He liked that. He really, really liked the way they were in bed. Especially after the argument they’d had earlier.
He’d figured originally that they’d have good chemistry. But it was so much more. Much like the way she lived the rest of her life, she was uninhibited. Took what she needed, gave without hesitation. She had an unrestrained joy about her when it came to sex and her body. It was unbelievably hot and sexy.
His body still tingled from the last time and he wanted more. But she was already on the phone, talking a mile an hour with her father as she moved through his space. She had no idea but each touch she gave was her way of marking the house. She was everywhere and he heartily approved.
“Hell yes, I shot him. What the heck else would I have done? This is a mass murderer of our people.” The outrage in her voice made him smile. “Yes, we did. But we can’t take them all prisoner. And even if we could, why should we? They’ve declared war on us all.”
He’d enjoyed speaking with her mother, though he understood Lark’s reaction now with some sleep, sex and time between himself and the fight. He’d enjoyed Rain Jaansen and the way her voice softened when she spoke of her daughter.
The father was another thing entirely. Simon wasn’t sure about the way the man had set his daughters against each other. Making them both hunters would have naturally made their competitive streak worse. And that sister was down in Los Angeles and Lark was up in Seattle. Alone.
Not alone. Not anymore. He knew Meriel had offered her a place in the Hunter Corps permanently. And he’d be here, of course. Simon didn’t want her to return to Los Angeles. Even if he thought it was a good place for her, he’d be bugged. But he didn’t think that. In fact, he was more convinced by the day that he and Owen could give her the home she deserved. He got the need to be away from what you’d known as home to actually find your way.
The trip back to Lycia had proven that to him. He’d missed it. Could even think about coming back more often with her at his side, to be part of his pack the way he should. But he knew he’d never return permanently. This was his home now. And she was his safe place. His key.
“Yes. All right.” She continued speaking with her father. Setting up a conference call of all the hunters in U.S. clans. “Simon. Yes, I’m here. Yes, I met his family.”
Simon knew he shouldn’t be eavesdropping but he couldn’t help it. His hearing was good enough and he wanted to know.
“Don’t you think this is sudden? Less than two months ago you were down here and now you’re in Seattle thinking about relocating and you’ve got a boyfriend? You’re a little old for this sort of acting out, aren’t you?”
“Yes, as I’m known for my rash and sudden behavior, I can see why you can’t trust my choices.”
He laughed then. “Touché. You’re a smart woman. I don’t argue with that. It’s just that you’re far away and I can’t help.”
“I don’t need help with him. Well, he is sort of big and bossy, but not unreasonably so. Usually.” She laughed. “That’s the one thing I’m totally all right with. I can’t really put it into words yet. I’m still processing, but of all people you should understand that, Dad.”
Her father sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “No one is ever going to be good enough for you. I’m your father; it’s my job to be disapproving of your boyfriends. The last one…”
She snorted. “I dumped him, didn’t I? I can take care of myself. Thank you for worrying. But really, like I said, that’s the one thing I believe totally. I can follow my gut. He’s the furthest thing from a boyfriend I could imagine. He’s a man, Dad. A full-grown man who doesn’t play games. He respects my job. He’s good. We’re good. But this other stuff…”
“You’re smart. You have experience. You can do this, Lark.”
“I hope so.”
“We all know so. We’re helping from down here and after our call today we can work some more out. All of us need to pull together. Helena has Research down here on it. They’re in contact with the Kellys up there.”
“Thanks. I’ll talk to you later. I need to go into work now.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” She hung up and he pretended he was looking at the screen of work in front of him.
“I’ve got a meet with the Vampires later tonight.” She said this to him as if she were relating the weather.
“I’ll be accompanying you.”
She turned. “I relayed that information to be courteous and to share some news. I don’t need an escort to do my job.”
She wore a little white dress with red hearts on it. And thick leggings in red. And red cowboy boots. He must be going crazy because he sort of liked it. “They’re going to take one look at you and want a bite. You do resemble a cupcake today.”
She rolled her eyes. “I find it sort of amusing and also sort of offensive that you seem to think I just started this job yesterday or something. I’ve done my share of dealing with vampires. I know how to speak to them. And as it happens they’re quite respectful of me.”
“Oh, and how’s that then? Since they disdain just about everything on the planet.”
“I broke Toril Carson’s arm five years ago. I broke his arm and his nose in a fight.”
He paused, impressed himself. “You did?”
She shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal to have broken the arm and nose of a vampire older than Simon was. A resilient, super-strong, old vampire who was powerful enough to hold an entire nest in southern California, the most contentious and largest population of vampires in the U.S. While she’d been twenty years old.
He should have been outraged, but he found it sexy.
“He’s fast, but he’s not a superhero. I just watched him until I figured out his tells and then when he taunted me into a fight I just straightaway did it. Stepped in, gave him two shots that broke the arm, followed up with the heel of my hand to the nose and when he dropped I turned my back and walked away.”
“You turned your back on an injured master vampire?” He stood up and began to pace. The sexy thoughts had burst apart in a shower of worry about how crazy his woman was. “I’m definitely coming with you tonight. Six hundred years isn’t nearly enough practice to be with you. You’re going to kill me.”
“I turned my back to let him know I wasn’t afraid of him. If I’d backed away and acted scared what would the point of the fight have been? I don’t want to go on a play date with them. I want them to give me support in this fight against the Magister. They keep records like no one else. They’re nosy. Which means if anyone has the info we need it’s likely to be them.”
“You didn’t know that when you broke his arm originally.”
“Well, of course not! But I still needed to earn their respect and very few Others respect blood like the Vampires do. Anyway, it’s saved me from many other fights over the y
ears. He likes me, which goes a long way.”
Simon just bet Toril liked her. An old vamp like that would very likely find the same things attractive about Lark that Simon did.
“You don’t have any experience with the vampires here in Seattle.”
“You do?”
“In a matter of speaking. They’re in my club all the time too.”
“Oh, so because you banged some chick with fangs you think you know them?”
Busted.
“Why do you automatically assume that’s what I meant?”
“Because I’m not dumb. Also, Simon, hello. Look at you. Don’t you think females have come to me to let me know they shared some bodily fluids with you?” Annoying, that was.
“They have? Who? Who would disrespect you like that?”
“I really find it hard to reconcile how big and strong and business clever you are with your apparent utter lack of understanding of women. I mean, don’t get me wrong, you know parts of us.” She blushed and he barked a laugh. “But that’s not everything. You don’t seem to understand what makes us tick. Of course your former bedmates would get pissed that some new chick in town would not only be in their place but living in your house too.”
He moved to her and she allowed him to pull her to his body and kiss her soundly. “You’re not like any of them.”
“I know.” She quirked a grin and he stepped back.
“I still think you should let me come along. This is about more than just witches now. My people are threatened too. This is my town, my land in a way much like it’s yours. Plus”—he paused, licking his lips—“plus I can be with you if something bad happens.”
She smiled, all soft and sweet. “That’s so lovely. Really. But you have a club to run. I’ll check in if you like.”
“You should make me your partner. Or a consultant. Yes, a consultant. If not, I’ll worry and be nosy and bug you. It’s really the lesser of two evils.”
“You’re a pain. I have to go to work. I’ve got several conference calls and meetings. I hate that part of the job. In fact if I could agree to this partner thing and let you handle all that, I’d be really happy. But alas, I’m the boss. Remember that little fact?”