“Don’t you dare open your eyes.”
I cried out as his cock left my body. The sudden aching emptiness was too much like what I’d been through all those months. My eyes flew open and I looked over my shoulder at Kristair, breathing a sigh of relief when I saw him kneeling behind me. “What the hell are you doing?” My body ached, demanding to be filled again, to be used until I couldn’t take any more. “Don’t stop now.”
“You don’t listen worth a damn, do you?”
I laughed and rolled onto my back, sensing that’s where he wanted me. It was so odd to hear him curse. “Language, my love, and you’re always saying something about me.” I closed my eyes, a come-hither smile crossing my lips as I crooked my finger. “Now get your sexy ass over here, before I get violent.”
“Who do you think I learned it from?”
Then Kristair was over me again. I groaned, wrapping my legs around his lean waist and arching up against him. He slid one hand under my back, lifting me higher, and then he was inside me again, driving into me over and over, until it seemed all I could do was hang on for the ride.
As he buried his face in the crook of my neck, I slid my hands down to his ass, feeling the play of hard muscle beneath my fingertips as I urged him on, harder and faster. My cock throbbed between our slick stomachs, the friction making me crazy for more.
“Jeezus fucking a….”
Kristair kissed me, silencing my demands. I kissed him back, plundering the slick heat of his mouth. “If you say ‘more’ one more time….”
If I could have, I would’ve laughed because I knew his threat was idle. I knew Kristair loved how demanding I could be. It didn’t matter if I was topping or not. But I couldn’t because the tension had built to such a fevered pitch inside of me I thought I was going to explode.
I dug my fingers into his skin, clenching hard around him. I don’t know who climaxed first. Fuck, it didn’t matter, because one sparked the other, dragging out the pleasure in long rippling waves.
Chapter 15
I’M NOT sure how long we lay there, wrapped up in each other. It couldn’t have been that long because my body still held that heavy drained sensation it always did after intense sex. Then when some stupid fucker began pounding on my door, my eyes flew open and as soon as I did the sense of Kristair in my arms faded.
Cursing viciously, I sat up and dragged a hand through my hair. “Go the fuck away,” I snarled.
“Open the damn door, Jake, or I’m kicking it in. You’ve got thirty seconds,” Tony snapped right back.
Oh fuck. I glanced at the clock and heaved a sigh of relief. It wasn’t that late; bad enough Tony was freaking on me without adding Steve and Kayla to it as well. “Can’t it wait? I’m busy.”
I ground my teeth together as I heard the bastard start counting through the door. I’d had Kristair back with me for less than an hour and already we were being interrupted. “All right. Hold on a damn minute and I’ll be right there.” Muttering more curses under my breath, I fisted a hand through my hair and rose. Kristair lounged back on his elbows, watching me as I dragged on a pair of sweats. “Aren’t you going to imagine some clothes on or something?”
“Even testy is sexy on you.” His grin was wicked as he stretched out his long, lean legs. “Nobody can see me but you.”
“Oh for crying out loud, doesn’t matter if he can’t see you,” I hissed in his mind. “I can, and it’s damned distracting.”
Kristair’s low laughter almost had me smiling, until he disappeared. My heart lurched. Then his presence manifested itself again in my mind, occupying a corner of it just as I had with him in the past. I caressed him with my thoughts and sensed the reassurance of his answering touch. Drawing a breath to calm myself down, I opened the door.
“You’re a dickhead and your timing sucks,” I said with a heartfelt glare.
Tony scowled right back and pushed his way into my room. He’d certainly gotten more self-assured and forceful since he left Pittsburgh. That would’ve been a good sign on any other night than this one. “Come on in. Why don’t you go ahead and make yourself comfortable.”
He ignored my sarcasm and glanced around the room, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. “You here alone?”
“Nope.” I hooked my chair with my foot and sat down. “Now you’re here too.”
“Smart-ass. Then what was so damned important you couldn’t open the door?”
“I was jacking off.” Disgust flickered over Tony’s face. His reaction was almost worth the interruption. “Actually, I suppose it’s a good thing you came. Your timing’s still awful, but I’d needed to talk with you anyway.”
“No, I need to talk with you,” Tony broke in. “You had no damn business running off like that last night. It’s not just your life you’re risking by going around all half-cocked like you do. It’s mine too, asshole.”
“I wasn’t in any danger last night.” Tony’s savage glare had me dropping that argument, so I moved on to the next one. “You could’ve followed me, you know. Or couldn’t you keep up?”
“You could’ve answered your phone and let me know you were okay.”
I had been pretty fucking far from okay, but I decided to keep my mouth shut on that point too. Kristair flooded my mind with a rush of tender warmth, but thankfully remained silent. I didn’t want to think about last night.
“I wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone last night, but you already knew that. And you knew I was home too. This is the first place you would’ve checked. So don’t give me any bullshit about wondering if I’d been taken or not. You would’ve been able to smell if I was home through the door just like you did tonight.”
Maybe it meant he’d been worried about my state of mind, maybe not, and right now I didn’t care to explore it any further. Our constant bitching back and forth wore me down.
“That doesn’t change the fact that you risked both our lives by running off,” Tony replied, his voice more subdued than before. Then he dragged over another chair and sat down. “Look, I’m sorry. I knew you were pretty close to cracking and kept feeding into it, but I swear you piss me off every time I see you. You get under my skin then dig in even deeper.”
Maybe things between us weren’t as irreparable as I thought. One could always hope, and it seemed I was doing nothing but that lately. Maybe it was finally beginning to pay off.
“I’m sorry if it seems that way. I’m not trying to set you off. Well, mostly I’m not. Last night was a very bad night and, before you say it, I know it sucked for you too.”
“I had a taste of your state of mind last night, Jacob. If anyone had tried screwing with you, you would’ve ripped them apart.”
“Like I said, it would’ve been a bad idea to run into anyone.” I didn’t want to rip anybody apart, even vamps. Well, for the most part, I didn’t. If they kept fucking with me, I’m sure my feelings would change.
“Let me tell you what the Syndicate has planned for you and maybe then you’ll take it more seriously.”
“I do take it seriously.”
“Shut the fuck up and listen. There are some on the Council who want to turn you.” My blood turned to ice and Kristair went deadly still in my mind. “They want to make you a vampire so they can torture you for the next thousand years. Take a moment and imagine how that would be. As pissed off as you make me, I still don’t want to see that, okay? So please, no more luring vampires into alleyways and no more running off by yourself. Think before you do something moronic. Okay?”
As I soothed Kristair’s fury, my mind raced. It was weird. I wasn’t scared; not really. Wasn’t even that angry. Probably because I’d spent all those months before now pissed and upset. Besides, becoming a vampire was never going to happen. I would never let it happen. I wasn’t sure I even could be turned with the way Kristair was influencing my physiology.
“Kristair, you really have been in my head too much if I’m thinking words like that.”
“It’s good to know I can infl
uence you as much as you do me.” Kristair paused. “You may have a point. They may not be able to turn you, but that’s not a theory I want to test. But you do heal quickly. They can use that to prolong your torture and it wouldn’t be the first time.”
I shook my head, trying to block out the images of what I’d gone through at Montrose’s hands, and turned my attention to Tony. “Okay, I’ve heard you out. Now it’s your turn to shut up and listen. I’ve got some things you would like to hear, things that might set your mind at ease some.”
“Don’t tell him I’m back. You’re the only one who is to know,” Kristair said. That brought me up short. He seriously couldn’t mean for me to not say anything to Kayla.
“Yes, I do certainly mean Kayla. We can talk about it later.”
I frowned and pushed it aside for another time as Tony spoke up again. “Are you going to get around to it or sit and stare off into space?”
Trying to run two conversations was going to end up giving me a headache. I turned my attention to Tony and promised myself I’d find out what Kristair was talking about later on.
“I’m telling you this because I trust you and you’ll realize just how much in a minute. I’m also telling you because keeping secrets is what fucked us up in the first place. I should’ve told you what Kristair was and what he meant to me. Maybe if I hadn’t been so hell bent on protecting you, and been honest with you from the start, you wouldn’t have thought I needed saving and we wouldn’t be in this situation.”
I think that was the first time it really hit me. Maybe because I’d never said it out loud before. Tony had thought I was in danger and he’d risked his hide to help me and gotten turned into a vampire. I’d never even asked him what happened that night with the woman who’d picked him up. But, I don’t think he’d tell me even if I did ask.
“Forget it. It’s in the past. We both did shit that we’ve come to regret and, honestly, being a vampire is pretty fucking cool. Well, most of the time.”
I used to be able to tell when he was lying, or at least I’d thought I could. Now, I had no damn clue. “You know how the Syndicate was so concerned with Kristair’s secrets?”
“Yeah, but I think it’s a bunch of bull, since it didn’t help him too much in the end.” Tony’s brows furrowed. “Though I’m not sure what exactly happened to him. So much shit happened so fast.”
“Do not go into what happened to me.”
“Don’t worry, Kristair. I won’t.” There were some secrets I’d never give away and that was one of them. Kristair started to speak again, but I hushed him or else I’d never get through this conversation.
“Tony, listen to me. I swear everything I’m going to say is the absolute truth. I have in my head everything Kristair knew and I mean everything. Those damn secrets the Syndicate wanted so bad I know. On top of that, Kristair did something to me, changed me somehow. Most of what he could do, I can do, or at least I think I can. If I ever bothered to put the effort into it, that is.”
Now that Kristair was back and we were connected, I bet it would come even easier. “You’ve given this some thought,” he said.
“From time to time, and reluctantly, I might add. More lately though, since vamps have started to come out of nowhere and harass me again.”
Tony didn’t say one word. I wasn’t sure if it was because he didn’t believe me or because he just couldn’t believe the fucking crazy situation. There were times when I still had trouble believing it myself.
“Today while you and Ussier and every other vamp in the city were sleeping, some humans with crazy mental mojo nabbed me off the streets. I haven’t really delved into these abilities he left me. I didn’t want them.” “I’m sorry, love, but it’s true,” I said to Kristair before continuing on with Tony. “But I had to, to get free of them.” I studied my hands. “It was the first time I’d used it on purpose and, you know, it felt good. Not like in the alley when I just let myself go. I hate to say it, but it’s true, it was damn good. And now that I’ve unlocked them I don’t think I can put them away again.”
Wasn’t sure I wanted to, which was kinda scary, because I’d been against the idea from the beginning. Even if the abilities disappeared, I’d changed. Guess it was just a fact of life I’d have to accept.
“About time.”
I stuck out a mental tongue at Kristair. Mouthy bastard. Damn, it was good to have him back.
“Okay, let me get this straight. You were kidnapped today? What the fuck?” Tony jumped up. “I thought somebody was watching you during the day.”
“Really? I have a babysitter then too?” I didn’t know that. “Well, I didn’t see anyone else and it happened so quick. Even if someone had been there they probably wouldn’t have had time to react.” I hadn’t been paying as much attention as I should have. I thought I’d be safe while the sun was up.
“What do you mean mojo? What did they do?”
“Some kind of psychic bullshit. It was like my brain had been seized or something. I fought it, and I’m pretty sure I was close to winning by the time they dragged me into the car and then unloaded some drugs into me.”
“You just can’t stay out of trouble, can you? You’re like a freaking magnet for bad shit.” Tony touched the spot on his forehead and glanced up at the ceiling. “I’m so fucked. Jesus, I never should’ve come back. I must’ve been crazy.”
“Calm down. I have a couple ideas.”
“I just bet you do. Thanks, but no thanks.”
“Stop being such an ass and shut up and listen, okay?”
Tony plopped back down in the chair and glared. “What? Is there something in that thick head of yours that he left behind that could actually reverse the spell so I don’t get destroyed when your idiocy finally gets the best of you?”
“Well, I asked Kayla to look into it because Kristair did know some magic.”
“What do you think, Kristair? Is it possible?” Fuck, I hoped so. I hated knowing Tony had what amounted to an invisible bull’s-eye between his brows.
“What happened? I need to know that first. I could sense your emotions after I left, but very rarely have I gotten to see you since then to know what you’ve been going through.”
I ran down our meeting with Ussier and what Lisabeth did to Tony to keep him in line. Even before I’d finished, I already knew Kristair’s answer. Regret weighed down his thoughts. “You can’t do anything, can you?”
“Her magic isn’t mine. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”
My disappointment must’ve shown on my face, because Tony grabbed my arm. “What is it? Why do you keep zoning out?”
“Doesn’t mean Lisabeth and Ussier can’t be reasoned with,” Kristair went on. “If you can prove to them your friend is trustworthy, they may take you’re assurances. All you have to do is delve into his mind. He won’t be able to hide his true intentions from you. He’s not strong enough.”
“I’m not doing that!” The very thought of mind-raping Tony in that manner made me sick to my stomach. “Okay, so Kristair’s magic can’t reverse it like I’d hoped.” Tony stared at me like I’d lost my mind. “What?”
He shook his head. “I dunno. Sometimes you don’t look like yourself and you act different from the Jake I remember. It makes me jumpy. Just like right now it was like your mind wasn’t here.”
“Try having two thousand years of memories and shit stuffed into your head and you’d act differently too.” I immediately repented my bitter tone as I felt the shaft of remorse run through my lover. “I’m not saying I wish you didn’t do it; just sometimes it’s hard to deal with.”
“I can just imagine.” Tony stood up. “Talking’s not going to solve anything. I thought the trouble with the Syndicate was over with when I came by. I’d tried calling you last night to let you know Ussier destroyed that cell in Oakmont. Figured it was a done deal then, but I guess not if they tried taking you today. We need to let him know.”
“Truth is they’re going to keep coming and c
oming until either I’m dead or Ussier manages to put enough fear into them. You know this as well as I. Anyway, Steve wanted to meet with us tonight to discuss some things.”
“Dammit, I don’t want him to get involved.”
“Neither do I, but I didn’t want any of you getting involved last time either. And look what happened. Keeping you out of the loop proved to be a huge mistake. Steve and Kayla both are less likely to do something crazy if we tell them what the fuck is going on.”
“What can they do other than get themselves killed?”
“It’s not a question of what they can do; it’s how much they’ll kick our asses if they find out that we’ve kept them in the dark. Not to mention all the trouble they’ll get into on their own. Neither one of them will accept us trying to keep them out of it.” They wanted to support us. They’d made that more than clear on several occasions. The dawning resignation on Tony’s face told me he realized it was pointless too.
I sighed. As much as I wanted to stay inside and wallow in Kristair’s presence, I couldn’t. Damn, that pissed me off.
“We have some time. This is important too and I’ll be right here with you the entire time,” Kristair murmured in my thoughts.
“You’d damn well better be.” I rose and grabbed a T-shirt, tugging it on. “Come on; let’s go talk to them. I’ve got an idea simmering in the back of my head.”
“Fine. Doesn’t seem like I have much of a choice.”
I paused and addressed my lover, holding up a hand for Tony to wait. “Is there any way I can share with him some of your abilities?”
“He hasn’t earned them.”
“Don’t give me that bullshit. He’s trying to keep me alive and I’m trying to keep him safe too. There has to be something we can do to augment him. And when you get right down to it, I haven’t earned them either.” Jeezus, I’d used “augment.” I wasn’t even sure what it meant, only that it sounded right. “Will that mind thingy work on him?”
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