Embraced by Blood

by Laurie London

  He rubbed a hand over the back of his neck, still itchy from the wig. He felt like shit. He’d been too abrupt with her. She had a soft place in her heart for those who couldn’t defend themselves and she wasn’t afraid to do whatever it took to help them. That was all she’d been doing tonight. As much as he would’ve loved to fool around with her, he just couldn’t risk it.

  “That comment back at the club was brilliant, by the way,” he said, trying to break the tension.

  “The one about performance anxiety?”

  “Yes. It was a clever and creative way to get out of that situation without arousing their suspicion. Bravo.”

  She swore under her breath and took an unnecessarily long time to smooth her hair back into a ponytail again. When she used her teeth to open the hair elastic, he could’ve sworn he saw a flash of fang. “I figured you’d be pissed off,” she said.

  “If I had problems in that area, then maybe. But I found it amusing. You should’ve seen the look on his face as you strode down that hall. No one would ever question something like that.” He glanced over at her slightly pouty expression, surprised to find she didn’t seem impressed by his compliment. “What? Does that disappoint you?”

  “Hell, yeah. I didn’t do it to humor you.”

  For a moment, he imagined what it would’ve been like if he had gone into that room with her. Made love to her again after all this time. He ached to lose himself inside her and forget about the problems in the outside world. To pretend that they were just two ordinary people enjoying the pleasure of each other’s bodies. To feel her inner muscles constricting around him as she pulled him closer, encasing the most intimate, vulnerable part of who he was in her welcoming warmth. To smell the intoxicating scent of her skin.

  His erection strained against the crotch of his jeans. He shifted position, the leather of the seat squeaking as he tried to casually alleviate the discomfort, but it didn’t work.

  He glanced sideways at Lily. She’d turned slightly in his direction, no doubt sensing his restlessness. If only she weren’t so observant, he’d tug on his jeans to loosen them. But he couldn’t. She noticed every damn little thing. Nothing got past her. Better for him to weather the discomfort and have her think this whole thing was just an unemotional assignment to him than for her to know the truth about his feelings for her.

  He could control himself with other women, but rarely with Lily. She seemed to bring out the most primitive, uncontrollable part of him, leaving little doubt that if they had sex, he’d take her blood. And if he did, her scent would be combined with his for who knew how long. He would have no idea when the effect would wear off. Which meant that if his assassin got close and picked up the change in Alfonso’s scent, he’d know there was a woman, and Lily would be vulnerable to him.

  Plus, the thought of being intimate in a strip club was almost nauseating. While a quickie with her was definitely appealing, it wouldn’t have felt right in a place like that. She deserved to be cherished, worshipped, rather than screwed in a dive for other people’s entertainment. Not to mention that he’d want to savor every glorious moment without any distractions.

  LILY KNELT AT THE SIDE of the road trying unsuccessfully to get a lock on Kip’s scent. His captors must’ve transported him in a tightly closed vehicle. Although that normally wouldn’t have made a difference—she’d tracked targets under more difficult circumstances before—it severely hindered her efforts tonight.

  She walked to the edge of the pavement and onto the shoulder, fairly certain Kip was still traveling north on the interstate—otherwise she’d have noticed a stronger scent marker where they’d turned off. Because she and Alfonso had stopped to check virtually every exit, their forward progress slowed to a crawl. But she couldn’t risk missing the scent leaving the freeway. Backtracking took too much time and that, she thought, noting the light gray sky to the east, was one thing they didn’t have.

  Leather squeaked behind her and gravel crunched under a boot. She half expected to hear a heavy, impatient sigh. Alfonso had been leaning against the hood of the Panamera, waiting for her, but he was getting restless. She didn’t blame him. The sun was about to crest the mountains and they’d been at this since they’d left the club hours ago.

  “We can’t stay out here much longer,” he said. “The energy drain will be too great. I feel it already.”

  “Did you bring a Daysuit?” With a hand on the stop sign, she looked down the lonely country road. She was almost positive Kip hadn’t been taken in that direction, but her stomach soured because she didn’t know for sure. Okay, they’d simply get back on the freeway and continue north. “Why don’t you change while we’re stopped?”

  “I didn’t bring one.”

  “Then stay in the car next time. It’s got UV coating on the windows.”

  His caustic laugh made her cringe. What now? “This isn’t a Daytran-equipped vehicle. And you shouldn’t be out here, either.”

  “Unlike you, I came prepared. I’ll change into my Daysuit in a sec.”

  “No. We’re calling it a night. Get in.”

  She snapped her head around and glared at him. He thought they should stop looking for Kip? That her trainee should have to suffer longer in the hands of their enemies? Anger, outrage and a heavy dose of self-doubt twisted the sourness in her gut. Something was definitely wrong, yes, but there was no way she was quitting on Kip. Giving up. All she needed was a little more time. “You don’t think I have the ability to find him, is that it?”

  “The scent is gone.”

  “No, it isn’t. I’ll pick it up. It’s out there.” She knew it was—she could almost taste it.

  “I don’t know what’s going on with you, Lily, but staying out in the daytime isn’t going to help matters. In fact, it’s the last thing you need. Let’s go.”

  “What kind of an executive decision is that? This isn’t your mission—it’s mine. Who knows what they’ll do to Kip if they have him another day? We’ve got to keep going.”

  With a determined set to his jaw, he marched over to the passenger side and opened the door for her. “And with the energy drain from the coming sun, if we found them, we’d be completely worthless in a fight. Darkbloods would have themselves a much better Tracker—you—and they’d have no more use for your Agent-in-training. Your guy would be dead. You’re letting your emotions drive your decisions, rather than logic.”

  Her emotions? She balled her hands into fists and felt her nostrils flaring. “Kip isn’t just some anonymous person, Alfonso. He and his family put their faith and trust in me and no matter what it takes, I don’t intend to let them down. You of all people should know what Darkbloods are capable of doing when you’re vulnerable. I need to find him now, not wait till it’s convenient. By then, it could be too late. When I pinpoint his location, we can assess our energy levels and decide what to do.”

  His expression softened. “I know you’re worried about him, Lil, but you’re clearly having troubles. Being out in the sunlight—Daysuit or not—would be detrimental. It’ll strip you of any ability you have left. Ideally, you need human energy, maybe even blood, but at the very least, you need to nix the UV rays. We’ll continue when the sun dies tonight, after you’ve had a chance to rest.”

  She started to protest again—he had no business ordering her to do anything—but the genuine concern in his eyes caused the words to evaporate in her throat. A Daysuit wasn’t designed to protect against long-term exposure. As much as she’d like to deny it and prove him wrong, she did feel the tug of the sun on her energies, and that damn muddy smell wouldn’t go away.

  “It’s a waste of time to argue with me, Lily. I’ve made my decision.”

  “You know, when you order me around like that, it makes me want to do the opposite just to spite you.”

  His I-told-you-so smile and that dimple made her cheeks heat. Man, she wanted to punch something right now.

  On this little knoll above the freeway, she could see the miles of pavemen
t stretching out in front of them. The sight made her even more exhausted than she already was. Tracking was hard work. Each of her senses had been on high alert for hours.

  Okay. Alfonso was probably right, but she’d never admit that to him and feed his ego. He already thought he knew what was best. No need to encourage him. “And where do you think we’re going?”

  “To a safe house nearby. I’ve called ahead. They’re expecting us.”

  THE WOMAN REACHED across the large oak desk that was scattered with papers and handed Alfonso the room key. “Go back out the main door, take a left, and the unit is straight ahead at the end of the brick path. If you need anything, just dial zero on your phone. I’m Niva.”

  Unit? As in one single room? “What kind of a place is this? When I called, I said I needed two rooms.”

  “You did?” Niva bit her lip and examined a few of the many sticky notes on her desk. “I must’ve misunderstood. I’m so sorry, but it’s the only one I have available.”

  Staying in the same room wasn’t an option. He didn’t want to sleep anywhere near Lily. Well, he did, which was exactly why he couldn’t.

  He was half tempted to walk out and find a more accommodating place, even though the next closest safe house was thirty minutes away. Hell, if he did that, he might as well take Lily to his own house. It wasn’t much farther. But the thought of her sleeping underneath the roof he’d built was way too intimate.

  A confused look crossed Niva’s face as she stared first at Lily then at Alfonso.

  Clearly, she had assumed they were a couple. Or at least friends with benefits.

  If only things could be that simple.

  “We…ah…work together,” Lily said. “Nothing more.”

  “The room does have a pullout couch,” Niva offered hopefully.

  With heavy steps, he paced to the shuttered window and wished he’d brought his guitar. It’d be sheer torture sleeping in the same room, even if they were in separate beds, and it would have given him something to do. Jamming his hand into a pocket, he rubbed his thumb over the rope grip of a kunai until his skin burned.

  Lily turned away and tried to hide a yawn.

  Ah, Christ, she needed to sleep now, not an hour from now. And she needed to get out of the early-morning sun.

  This place would have to do. He’d camp out in her car if he had to, cover himself with the Agency-issued space blanket that resided neatly in her Agency-issued emergency pack. Or play Hollow Grave all day with the headphones on to distract himself.

  “Fine,” he growled through clenched teeth.

  Niva brightened, unaffected by his lingering bad attitude. “The refrigerator is stocked with a few vials of blood if you need any. Also, there’s a frozen pizza in the freezer and extra sheets in the closet. The shutters are on a timer and will open again at sundown, which is—” she consulted a chart on the desk “—at 4:28 p.m. I’ll make the Hide-A-Bed up for you, if you’d like.”

  “No, we can manage,” Alfonso said, eager to just get on with it. No use dragging things out. “The sun’s coming up. You don’t need to go out.”

  She gave him a grateful smile. The weariness in her eyes made him wonder if she worked this place alone.

  “You two Guardians? Reason I ask is that most people who call a safe house for last-minute accommodations are Agents who are too far from the field office to make it back before sunrise.” At Alfonso’s curt nod, she continued, “Chuck Cartwright still the Region Commander?”

  Lily shook her head. “He retired. You know Chuck?”

  “My husband was a Guardian a long time ago, until he was injured and couldn’t work any longer. That’s when we bought this place, although he passed on a few years back. He used to report to Chuck.”

  “I’m sorry, ma’am,” Alfonso said, his hand on the doorknob. So she probably did run things on her own. He felt a little guilty for being such an ass.

  “It’s okay. Dutch was in so much pain at the end that it was for the best. Darkbloods had gotten their hands on that highly potent Mexican-mined silver and made a few weapons before Dutch’s team raided their facility. Skewered him with a blade that barely missed his heart. His body never did regenerate correctly and he was plagued with chronic pain for years because of it.”

  “Wait, this sounds familiar,” Lily said. The two women continued talking while Alfonso brooded in silence. Apparently, Lily knew Niva’s daughter. “Your husband didn’t go to a regen clinic, did he?”

  “No, unfortunately not. He was a brave man but stubborn as an ox.”

  Lily sighed, shaking her head. “My mother is a physician up at Region and treats regen problems all the time.”

  Alfonso reached down and absently rubbed his thigh, suddenly aware of the throbbing in his knee. He knew Lily’s mother practiced up there. After the explosion, he hadn’t been able to risk having anyone find out he’d survived, so he’d sought out treatment far away under an assumed name.

  Niva twisted her wedding band. “So who’s Region Commander now?”

  “Tristan Santiago,” Lily answered.

  “Santiago?” Niva clapped her hands and laughed. “That hothead? For crying out loud, whose decision was that, putting him in charge?”

  Alfonso bit back a smile. Santiago’s temper certainly was legendary.

  Amusement lit up Lily’s eyes as she glanced over at him. She tried to cover a smile by sucking in her lower lip, but she wasn’t very successful. The corner of her mouth turned up anyway, making her look impish and much too desirable.

  “So you know Santiago?” she asked Niva.

  “That’s one way of putting it. My husband was his mentor. He trained him. And it was Santiago who saved his life.”

  “IT’S ALL YOURS.” With her hair wrapped in a towel, Lily stepped out of the bathroom, a cloud of fragrant steam billowing out behind her.

  He almost choked.

  She wore the same kind of pajamas she had when they’d been together—well, when she chose to wear anything to bed, that is. Oftentimes, she’d climb between the sheets with nothing on, sidle in next to him, skin to skin.

  Unable to drag his eyes away from her as she dug into her duffel, he noticed the flimsy tank top barely covered the creamy skin of her cleavage. The neckline would probably stretch far enough, and if it didn’t, it could easily be ripped. Then her breasts would sit heavily in his hands, soft and pliable beneath his fingertips. She’d draw in shallow, ragged breaths, waiting for him to pull a nipple into his mouth. And when he did, she’d arch her back and make tiny moaning sounds as he suckled.

  Stop. This was madness. He needed to—

  With her back to him now, she rubbed lotion over her bare arms, her movements slow and deliberate, like she knew he was watching. Her tank top rose above her waistband, exposing several inches of her skin.

  He drew in a ragged breath.

  Those drawstring shorts. They would easily slip down over her hips to give him access to the dewy sweetness that had always awaited him. He could either dip a finger inside her first or rub her silky nub with his tongue, tasting her excitement. Then, with a hand on her knees, he’d spread her legs wide and—

  What the hell was he thinking? He grabbed the empty pizza box and stuffed it onto the trash so hard that the small garbage can tipped over. He needed to get control of himself if he had any hope of making it through the night without touching her. Seeing her like this brought back all sorts of memories he’d be better off forgetting.

  “Food’s over there,” he said gruffly. In three strides, he marched into the bathroom before she could notice the bulge in his pants or his fully extended fangs.

  Once inside the shower, he turned on the water and wasted no time.

  If only he could rip those flimsy clothes from her body and toss her onto the bed. He’d be on her in an instant, pushing himself into her warmth. Then, at that precise moment when her muscles tightened around him, he’d let himself go, climaxing along with her as he plunged his fangs into her vein. A b
eautiful circle of giving and taking.

  His hand was a poor substitute.

  When it was over, he rested his head on his forearm, closed his eyes and concentrated on the spray of water on his back. Although the pressure had been released, he felt empty and anything but sated.

  LILY LAY ON HER SIDE and kept her breathing steady. Though Alfonso was on the couch near the shuttered window, it could’ve been the River Styx between them. When she’d thanked him for cooking the pizza, he’d said nothing. All she’d heard was the rustle of sheets and the creak of coiled springs when he stretched out onto the Hide-A-Bed.

  When she’d emerged from the shower, she’d been almost certain he was going to come up behind her and slip his hands under her pajamas. Lord knew she had wanted him to. The heat from his stare had practically lit her skin on fire. Although she’d been pissed at him most of the night, it wouldn’t have taken much coaxing on his part for her to allow that. She’d never been much good at resisting him.

  But who could blame her? she reasoned. Not only was he the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen, with those icy-blue eyes hiding countless secrets, well-defined muscles that her hands needed to touch and golden-blond hair that tickled her nose when he kissed her, his skill in bed was unparalleled among her previous partners. It was as if he sensed what she wanted even before it became a conscious thought in her mind. He knew her body better than she did.

  Goose bumps formed on her arms and she rubbed them unconsciously.

  After they’d become lovers, all it had taken was a look from him or a whisper in her ear for heat to begin pooling in her belly at the knowledge of what he was going to do to her. Sometimes he’d make her wait, and other times he’d take her so hard, so fast that she could hardly catch her breath before she climaxed around him.

  But he didn’t come to her tonight, and it felt as if a hole had been punched through her heart. He’d rejected her again.

  And she was foolish enough to want him still.

  CHAPTER EIGHT