This was happening too fast and she wanted too much. Desire made her vulnerable. “This is a bad idea.” He switched to the other side, ignoring her protest.
And then he was touching her. His hands slid over her body without rhyme or reason. Well, he had an obvious reason, driving her insane, but there was no pattern, no predicting where he’d touch her next. His lips trailed after his hands until she stood trembling in front of him.
“Wow,” he murmured as his lips drifted over her shoulder and onto her back. He stood beside her now, one arm wrapped around her waist in front while the other moved freely over her back, hips and butt. “Did the same person do all of these?”
She shook her head, not trusting her voice.
“This is obviously the same artist.” He touched the intricate floral piece that ran down the right side of her back and then spiraled around her right thigh. “It’s amazing.”
His fingers traced the female warrior dominating the left side of her back. She was one of Roxie’s favorites, sexy yet fierce. “Is this how you see yourself?”
She looked back at him then shook her head. “She’s not me. She’s my guardian spirit, someone to watch my back.”
He pressed a kiss to her temple and just held her for a second. “You’ve never had that before, have you? I forget how lucky I am to be part of a team.”
The observation cut deeply. He was right. She’d been alone her entire life, struggling through each crisis, each challenge, with no one to count on, no one to look to for support. “It made me strong.”
He turned her toward him, his gaze searching her. “It made you suspicious.”
“It kept me alive.”
“It makes me sad.” He kissed her slowly, tenderly, stirring emotions she wasn’t ready to feel.
She responded to the gentleness for only a moment before fear forced her to react. Reaching between their bodies, she squeezed his cock, wanting passion to burn away the pain. He felt thick and long beneath her palm, and her groan was as loud as his. “Aren’t you going to get naked?”
“Not unless you change the rules.” He guided her hand to his hip. “And none of that. You can’t touch me below the waist unless you’re ready to renegotiate our deal.”
“But that’s not fair. You get to touch me anywhere you want.”
He swept her up in his arms with a predatory grin. “I never said it would be fair, just mutually agreed upon.” He placed her in the middle of his bed then stretched out on his side. “Tell me about the phoenix. It’s really well done.”
He meant the tattoo on her left shoulder. “I’ve had her for a long time. She’s one of the only early ones I don’t regret.”
“You don’t like all of your tattoos? Then why did you get them?” He slipped his arm beneath her neck and rested his hand on her chest. His fingers nestled between her breasts.
“Tastes change and I learned what a really good tattoo looks like. How long have you had yours?” She reached up and traced the intricate black and gray pattern banding his upper arm. “It’s really different, geometric, yet whimsical. Whoever did it was good.”
“That’s high praise coming from you.”
Her gaze returned to his and they just stared at each other for a moment. Then she whispered, “I’m scared.”
He lifted his hand from between her breasts. “About this?”
“No.” She guided his hand to her breast and held it there. “I need this. I’m scared about tomorrow.”
“Fear isn’t always a bad thing. We just have to work with it rather than letting it control us.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You’ve been at this a lot longer than I have.”
“Which is why I won’t leave your side. Even if I have to handcuff myself to you, I won’t let you face this alone.”
It was a sweet sentiment, but she knew it wasn’t that simple. There was a very real chance one of the Shadow Assassins would teleport her to Sevrin’s new facility and Elias would be left behind. “I know I’m not just bait. Morgan wants them to take me. Does she have a way to track me once they do?”
He looked away, clearly tormented by the possibilities. “Yes, but I don’t want to talk about this now. We have a few precious hours before reality intrudes again. Can’t we just focus on each other?” His hand shifted to the underside of her breast, his thumb stroking her nipple.
More than ready to escape reality, she pulled his face down to hers and let her troubled thoughts just fade away. Elias was here now, warm and commanding, and she needed to be overwhelmed by pleasure rather than uncertainty. She opened to the first touch of his tongue as desire curled through her body.
He worked her nipples into hard little peaks as his tongue explored her mouth. She returned the kiss without hesitation, her tongue stroking just as boldly. She touched his shoulder and chest then squeezed his arm, unable to reach more of his hard body.
Emotion surged to the surface with staggering intensity. She needed more than these teasing touches. She needed him over her, inside her, driving reality away with each forceful thrust. A whimper slipped out between their sliding lips and she murmured. “More. Please.”
He eased one of his legs between her thighs then pulled her up onto her side, pressing their bodies together from neck to knee. His fingers tangle in her hair and his free hand grabbed her ass, sliding her up his thigh then back down. Understanding what he had in mind, she began to rock her hips. Her mound pressed against him and slid over him, creating friction against her clit. She groaned and moved faster, pressing harder.
Their kiss turned desperate as tension gathered low in her belly. He held her head steady as her body arched and churned against his. Despite the need pulsing inside her, she became aware of his stillness, his complete focus on her pleasure.
She tried to reach down between them, but he caught her wrist and moved it away from his crotch. She tore their mouths apart. “I don’t want to do this alone.”
“You’re not alone.” His tone was harsh, his features tense. “Let me do this for you. I need you to trust me with your pleasure.” His hand returned to her butt, squeezing firmly as he urged her back into the rocking motion. She closed her eyes, prepared to concentrate on the friction. “No. Look at me. Share this with me. Trust me.”
The last phrase morphed from a plea into a silken command. She shifted her hips, searching for the angle that created the most sensation. The flecks in his eyes gleamed like polished gold, bright and mesmerizing.
Pleasure intensified with each rotation. His mouth returned to hers, his tongue taking on the rhythm of her hips. She felt suspended above the bed as if her mind were separate from the feelings pulsing through her body. Close. She was so damn close.
His long fingers pushed between her thighs, teasing her folds from behind. He wasn’t even touching her clit, but it didn’t seem to matter. Her core clenched hard, grasping a fullness that wasn’t there. Then everything flew apart, propelled from deep inside her.
She cried out against his mouth, shuddering as spasm after powerful spasm tore through her. His mouth slowed and gentled as she flowed through the pleasure and gradually returned to reality.
She couldn’t remember closing her eyes, but her lids felt heavy as she raised them. He rolled her onto her back and urged her legs apart then knelt between her thighs. She stared up at him in stunned confusion. Why did he look so…hungry?
He found both her wrists and pulled her arms above her head. She just watched him, still tingly and relaxed from her amazing orgasm.
“Don’t move your hands.”
She was so sleepy she could hardly move at all, so she didn’t argue. He caressed his way down the underside of her upraised arms then peppered kisses over her features. His lips teased hers then moved on before she could deepen the kiss.
“What are you doing?” She began to squirm as he nipped his way down the side of her neck. “I’m not sure how you could have missed it, but I just came really hard. Now it’s your turn.”
/> He lifted his head and grinned at her. “I’m not finished with you yet.”
Excitement tingled down her spine at his uncompromising tone. “Is that so?”
He palmed the underside of her breast and sucked hard on her nipple. “You’re going to come for me again.” He switched to the other side. “And again.” His gaze bore into hers with possessive passion as his hand skimmed over her abdomen and pushed between her thighs. “And again.”
* * * * *
Morgan dragged her gaze away from yet another useless report and rubbed her eyes. There hadn’t been any new information from any of her sources for weeks and she’d been building her network of contacts for almost a decade. Roxie really was their only hope and she was innocent of any wrong doing. Collateral damage was almost unavoidable in a situation this complex, but that didn’t make the potential sacrifice any easier.
Someone knocked on her office door, drawing her attention away from her laptop, and her troubled thoughts. “It’s open.” She quickly closed the report. It was a semi-paranoid habit, but so much of what she dealt with was classified. She couldn’t afford to let her guard down for even an instant. Too many lives were counting on her.
Lor eased the door inward but didn’t actually enter her domain. She still wasn’t sure if it was politeness or intimidation that kept his manner so formal. He had no reason to feel threatened by her. He had powers at his command that she could barely understand, much less hope to emulate. “Have you spoken with Elias since I scanned Roxie?”
“No.” She pushed back from her desk and stood. If he wouldn’t come to her, she’d go to him. She was tired of shouting across the room. “What did your scan reveal?”
“I’m not sure why, but Roxie has no latent abilities.”
She froze, shocked by the news. “Really? Are you sure? Her DNA scans confirmed that she’s a hybrid.”
“I’m sure.” He relaxed enough to lean his shoulder against the doorframe as his gaze turned speculative. “I spent the last hour speaking with two of your geneticists. They confirm what Gerrod told you. The combination Pern discovered should consistently produce empowered females.”
Confirmation was always nice, but that didn’t jive with what Lor had just discovered. “Then why didn’t it work with Roxie?”
“Roxie’s father didn’t follow Pern’s formula.”
“In what way?”
“All of the females Gerrod bred with were one hundred percent human. Roxie’s mother already possessed alien DNA, which disrupted the mutation.”
Morgan rubbed her temples, no longer able to ignore the throbbing “I’m so tired, I’m not even sure if this is good news or bad.”
“For our purposes, I think it’s moot. All of the Shadow Assassins on Earth are hunters. It’s unlikely they possess the skill needed to detect this weakness. They’ll probably conclude that her abilities are still latent and proceed as if nothing were wrong.”
“There were a few too many qualifiers in there for my comfort.” Morgan sighed. “I was really hoping we could arm her with some sort of ability before we sent her into the lion’s den. I’m not sure how to ensure her safety, yet I’m even more convinced that we have no other choice.”
“Elias indicated that you have a way to track her.”
“I do. It’s an isotope we came across in our dealings with another group of visitors. As long as they keep her on Earth—and Sevrin wouldn’t have built a new headquarters if she intended to return to Rodymia—I can track Roxie. But knowing where she is doesn’t keep her safe. I need to look her in the eyes and explain how I’m going to do that.”
“That’s not your job. It’s mine. The Shadow Assassins are my responsibility. I’ve sent for reinforcements and requested a larger team. The new personnel should be here by morning. If you can keep track of Roxie, I can ensure her safety.”
Morgan hesitated. She hated having to rely on others for any element of her success, but Lor was right. She didn’t have the tools needed to take on the Shadow Assassins and he did. “I know your right. It’s just not comfortable admitting that there is something I can’t do.”
“I wouldn’t know.” He softened the boast with a smile then pushed off the doorframe. “Go get some sleep. You look exhausted.”
She chuckled, pleased that they had bonded to the point where he would tell her. “Right back at you, buddy. I’ll see you in the morning.”
She returned to her desk and turned her laptop toward her. As if the infernal machine knew she was about to turn it off, it pinged, indicating a new email just hit her inbox. It was well past midnight. Who would email her at this ungodly hour?
Curiosity trumped fatigue and she launched the program.
The new message was from Flynn. Good thing she’d checked. His messages had been erratic since he started sleeping with Sevrin, but he never risked a message unless it was important.
As was his habit, his information was succinct and urgent:
Put Roxie back! Sevrin intends to check on her in the morning. More details to follow as situation allows.
“Shit.” She rushed across the office and ran after Lor.
He turned around as he heard her call his name. “What’s wrong?”
“We’re out of time. We have to move Roxie now.”
Chapter Seven
Elias watched his fingers sink into the heat of Roxie’s snug passage. He was working on her third orgasm and her scent was driving him crazy. If he didn’t taste her soon, he wasn’t sure he could control the other desires pounding through his body. Hoping to distract her with the shuttle of his fingers, he slowly lowered his head between her thighs.
She grabbed his hair with both hands and tugged him away from his target. “You’re violating the terms of our agreement.” She laughed at his startled expression. “If I can’t touch you, you can’t lick me.”
Unable to deprive himself completely, he withdrew his fingers and raised them to his mouth. His gaze stared into hers as he savored her salty-sharp taste. “Then let’s renegotiate. I really want to put my mouth on you.”
A frantic pounding on his door preempted her reply, then Morgan’s voice called from the corridor. “Elias! Open up. It’s important!”
He scrambled off the bed and struggled into his jeans as he rushed across the room. “What’s wrong?” He only opened the door far enough so they could see each other.
“Roxie better be in there with you. I just came from her holding cell.”
“She is. What’s wrong?”
“Sevrin plans to check on Roxie first thing in the morning. We have to get her in place now.”
“How can she possibly know that?” Roxie asked from beside the bed. She’d pulled on her shirt and was tying the drawstring on her uniform pants. Close enough to decent. He let the door swing inward and went to his closet for a clean T-shirt.
“We managed to recruit one of the Shadow Assassins,” Elias told her. “He’s been feeding us information for months, but his value exploded when Sevrin let him into her bed.”
“Sevrin’s lover is working for you?” She looked at Morgan as Elias finished dressing. “Does Lor know about this?”
“He does now.” Morgan stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. “I wasn’t intentionally keeping it from him. The detail just never came up.”
“Yeah right. Did Lor buy that line of bullshit?”
Morgan actually laughed. “Not any better than you did.” The light moment passed as quickly as it had formed and Morgan was all business again. “Lor will be here in a minute. He had to send a message to Ontariese requesting reinforcements ASAP. We were hoping to have everyone briefed before we sent you home, but that’s not possible now. We’ll have to do things in stages.”
“Elias said you’ll be able to track me even if they teleport me to their new lab.”
Like Morgan, Roxie seldom beat around the bush. Elias hoped they’d eventually find other commonalities. The tension between them made it uncomfortable for everyone.
“With your permission, we’ll inject you with an isotope that transmits a harmless form of radiation. The radiation lingers in the air for several hours, so it can be detected over very long distances.”
“Like from another planet?” Roxie crossed her arms over her chest, her emotions already shutting down.
Elias moved up beside her and took her hand. “They’re not going to take you to another planet. Half of Rodymia just came here.”
“And we’re not going to send you into the fight without any sort of weapon.” Morgan pulled a slender metal band out of her pocket. It rolled in on itself, creating concentric rings. “This is a suppression collar. It prevents a Shadow Assassin from accessing their powers. They’re still strong and fast, but it will prevent one from teleporting you long enough for Lor’s men to arrive.”
“Is it still functional?” Elias took it from her and looked it over. “Didn’t they cut if off Gerrod?”
“They did, but that wasn’t the problem. It needed to be reprogramed. These things are ‘tuned’ to an owner’s DNA. Anyone can activate it, but only the owner can activate the release mechanism.”
Elias reluctantly handed it to Roxie. He was thrilled that she’d have some form of weapon at her disposal, but she’d have to be within arm’s reach of the Shadow Assassin to use this one.
“Who owns this one?” Roxie slowly unrolled the band, as she turned it this way and that.
“Lor and I co-own it, thought it would be safer that way.” Morgan held out her arm. “Hold tightly to the end and snap it against my forearm.” Holding the end firmly between her thumb and forefinger, Roxie snapped the device against Morgan. The curved band expanded, rolling smoothly outward until it encircled Morgan’s arm. “And the harder you snap it, the faster it unrolls.” Morgan pressed her thumb against the seam and spoke a word Elias didn’t recognize. The locking mechanism clicked, hissed, and then released. “When you’re ready to use it, don’t hesitate. It’s the only one we have.” She handed the device back to Roxie.
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