The Shikari Box Set

by Dora Blume

  “Jessie, say something,” her mother pleaded.

  “I’m not sure what to say.” Her gaze met Erik’s.

  “The reason we’re a bit worried is because Shaundra was helping the demons. You may have gotten the potion before you left, long before we knew she was working with them, but it is a coincidence you ended up with demons after she helped you.” Erik rested his hand on Jessie’s thigh under the table.

  “What Erik is trying to say is that she may have helped you, but she did it to hurt you in the end. I’d be leery of anything she gave you.” Jessie blinked as she watched the disappointment spread over her mother’s face.

  “Honey, she may have helped the demons, but she helped me, too. I don’t know if she’s the reason I was targeted, but I’m grateful for what she’s given me.” Her hand rested over her heart.

  “Okay, Mom, let’s talk about what you’ve learned. Were you able to get into the memories of those who may have been helping the demons?” Jessie asked.

  “Some, I also think it’s why I wasn’t possessed. My ability is connected to my mental skills. They would have needed me to be weak to possess me. With the potion Shaundra gave me, they couldn’t. I was able to push them out and redirect their thoughts to something else. It’s how I was able to stay with Scott without ever being possessed. I just kept changing his memories to think I was already possessed, so he wouldn’t try again.” She shrugged as if it were the easiest thing to change people’s memories. Jessie had to remember that for her mother, it was.

  “Okay, so I’m happy you weren’t possessed but what did you actually learn?” Jessie’s tone was firm. Erik sputtered, nearly choking on the drink he just took.

  “Jess, give her a chance to tell us.” Erik set down his glass and looked at Tamslyn. “Please, go on.”

  “I learned that if your friends don’t find that device, we’re all in big trouble.” She blinked before she took a slow sip of her water.

  “What are you trying to say? Quit stalling and tell us what we need to know.” Jessie crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her mother.

  “Fine, they have what they need to eliminate our powers. From what I’ve gathered, they are going after the elders. They were trying to find something in the archive that will boost the power to span over a larger area. Right now, the device will only affect a section of the city. They were trying to see if there was anything in the archives to affect us on a larger scale. They were searching for the origins of the Shikari. They think if they can discover where our powers originate, they can figure out how to relieve us of them.” She flipped her hair off her shoulder. “What a joke that is. They won’t find anything there. Those dinosaurs haven’t had a place in the Shikari for a long time.”

  Jessie rolled her eyes. “Except that every Shikari member calls the order for direction. It wouldn’t be hard to steer the battle in favor of the demons. They would know everything we are planning against the demons. They could send Shikari to their slaughter or mass possession and no one would be the wiser.”

  “Well, then even more reason to find the device. Once there’s no threat to all our lives, we can go after those who’ve taken over the archives.” She glanced around. “I think I’m going to take a walk out to the lake.” She stood.

  “What? Aren’t you going to help us? You have to know more than they are planning to go after the archive. We already knew that.” Jessie’s voice was tense as she clenched and unclenched her hands.

  “I need to have a clear head to be able to help you dear. You know that.” She said over her shoulder as she continued to walk out of the door.

  As soon as the door closed, Jessie pounded her fists onto the table. “Ugh, she’s back to her old bullshit. I thought she said that stupid potion was helping her. She’s just as much of a selfish bitch as she ever was. What’s changed?” She clenched her teeth as the pain of reality wretched through her. Tamslyn had never been one to help others. It hadn’t just been the traveling that Jessie ran from. Her mother’s selfish behavior was the real reason she left. All the men, all the new lives her mother thought she was chasing without any thought to how she was affecting others, it killed Jessie a little more each time. Her mother would plead with her and tell her it was going to be different. She’d say they were going on an adventure and it was going to just be them two. But as soon as she found a new boyfriend who was going to change her life, Jessie was forgotten. She’d gotten tired of being an afterthought to her mother’s new life. Really, it was always the same story. Jessie was so tired of it, all of it. Yet, here she was again. Wasting time and endangering them all, just to save her mother from her latest life-changing adventure. She hated herself for dragging Erik into this. Why had she thought she needed to save her? Maybe it would be better to just let her mother drown in her selfishness. She certainly hadn’t cared about Jessie’s life. She never went after Jessie or offered to help anytime she was sent out on a dangerous mission. She’d never once offered to help her.

  “Jessie, I know you’ve just met me, but your mother means well, she really does.” He glanced outside to where Tammy had gone.

  Jessie turned on him. “Don’t act like you know my mother. You know nothing about her.”

  “I’ve been with her for months. I didn’t know it at the time, but I think she was helping the best way she knew how. You can’t fault her for that.” He was attempting to be reassuring, but Jessie thought he was just naive.

  “Why don’t you go check on her?” Erik suggested. They’d all finished eating before Tamslyn had gotten up to leave.

  “I think that’s a good idea.” He said standing from the table and walking out into the setting sun.

  Erik turned to Jessie. He stepped around her and began massaging her shoulders. It felt so good. “I know you’re tense. We all are. It’s been a rough couple of weeks and you’ve been through so much. I think it’s time we take a little break. Maybe I run you a hot bath so you can relax.” His mouth spoke softly against her ear. What he suggested sounded like heaven, but right now she was too wired to relax.

  “Erik, I don’t think I could relax right now if I tried.” She slouched against the press of his fingers.

  “I think I may be able to wear out some of that tension if you’d like. Then I can run you that hot bath.” His voice was soft but there was still a magnificent promise behind his words. It sent a shiver of desire down her body and right to her core. She wanted him to help her relax. She wanted to spend some time alone with him. Erik dipped his head to scrape his teeth along the crook of her neck. It sent another shiver of pleasure through her. He stopped to bite her earlobe.

  “Come on, Jess. You know you need this.” His voice held a devilish glint. His tongue stroked down her neck as his hands reached around to cup both her breasts. She was putty in his expert hands. His thumbs flicked over her nipples through the thin fabric of her shirt. A new wave of pleasure overtook her. She spun around to capture his lips in a fiery kiss. The frustration she held for her mother poured into her kiss. She nipped and sucked at him with renewed force. She gripped her hands in his hair and pulled him even closer to her. Her savage ravaging of his mouth made him growl against her lips.

  “Take me to the bedroom,” she mouthed breaking away from his mouth for a second before clamping back down to suck his bottom lip into her mouth. Another growl escaped as his hand skimmed down her sides to grip her thighs. He lifted her and she wrapped her legs around him. He walked them down the hall as she continued to hungrily kiss his mouth, his neck, the stubble on his chin. She liked the roughness of the two-day stubble against her skin.

  He managed to open the door and close it before bracing Jessie against it as he made his own way down her neck. He lowered her slightly, and she could feel the bulge in his pants against her jeans. He made his way to the crook of her neck before he nipped her again.

  Her answering moan had him moving against her. The friction he was creating was causing her clit to ache with need. Her body was lit
with anticipation.

  “Oh God, Erik, please,” she breathed out as he continued to rub himself against her.

  He spun and dropped them both onto the bed. She tugged at his shit and dipped her head to lick and suck at his bare skin. She needed the contact. Erik pulled his shirt over her head and Jessie paused, so he could pull her shirt off, too. A look of admiration and hunger passed over Erik’s eyes as he glanced down at her full breasts. She splayed her hands over his taut chest feeling the same admiration and desire for him.

  How had she gotten so lucky to have this man in her life? His eyes sparkled with the reflected love they felt for each other. He smirked as he hit the clasp on her bra. She pulled it off her arms, and he captured one nipple in his mouth as his thumb stroked the other. The warmth of his tongue and the callous on his thumb were sending jolts down to her core.

  Damn, she was so ready for him.

  Not wanting to leave him hanging. She lowered her hands to undo his pants. She slid her hand beneath the fabric and rubbed her hand up the length of his hard cock. He gasped against her. A chill hit her nipple as his warm mouth left her wanting. He captured her mouth in another hot kiss. One hand roamed over his chest as the other slipped over the velvety soft skin of his cock. His breathing turned ragged as their kiss became frenzied. He pulled himself away from her mouth, breathless.

  “Damn, Jess, I need to feel you.” He dropped down to pull her pants down her legs. He kissed his way back up and pulled her panties down. He slipped his hand between her folds and palmed her clit. “Oh God, you’re so fucking wet.” He circled her clit with his thumb and kissed her again.

  Jessie dropped her hand to stroke up his length. He let out a ragged breath.

  “Erik,” she cried.

  His thumb was circling as he dipped two fingers inside her. The pleasure built, and she didn’t think she could hold off any longer. His finger found the spot inside her and at one single rub she let go.

  “Fuck, Erik,” she cried as her orgasm barreled through her body. She spasmed around his finger for a second before he drove his cock inside her.

  “Oh Fuck, yes,” she called as he filled her completely.

  “Jess,” Erik said like a prayer as she adjusted to him. He began slow thrusts, building her back up. Her muscles tensed and his strokes quickened. He dropped his hand between them to find her clit. He circled it in time to his thrusts. Jess pulled his mouth to hers for a sloppy kiss. Their breaths mingled as he broke away, his thrusts became more erratic. Jessie wasn’t sure how much longer she could hold back. Her muscles tensed as each thrust hit just the right spot inside her.

  “Come for me Jess,” Erik breathed.

  And she did. The second his words hit her ears she let go.

  “Fuck,” she cried as the most intense orgasm barreled through her. She felt Erik tense a moment before he found his own release. He rode out the last of the tremors and rested down over her body. She liked the weight of him on her, their bodies slick with sweat.

  “Jess, I fucking love you. You know that.” He propped himself on his elbows, and he swept a piece of her hair to the side.

  “Erik, I fucking love you, too,” she smiled.

  He kissed her softly. Basking in the afterglow of their love. He slipped out of her and to her side. He pulled her against him and rested his chin in the crook of her neck. “Can we just stay like this for a little while before we have to go deal with our never-ending life crisis?” Jessie asked.

  “I believe I promised you a relaxing bath after I wore you out.” He kissed the back of her shoulder.

  “Oh yes, how about we stay here just a little while longer before we take that bath together?” She rested her arms over his on her abdomen.

  “I have no problem with that.” He nestled even closer to her, every part of her cradled in his embrace. For a moment, she could forget the world and all of the troubles they had before them. A loud ring sounded from the floor. “Shit, that’s my phone.”

  “Don’t answer it. Can’t we just enjoy this peace for a little while longer?” Jessie gripped her arms over his.

  “Jess, you know I can’t. What if Sloane is in trouble?” He slipped from her arms. The draft hit her skin as she felt the loneliness of his departure. She sighed. This was their life. She wanted more than anything to have a normal life with Erik.

  “Hello,” Erik held the phone to his ear. “Okay, well, I have to wait for the others to get back. We’ll be there as soon as we can,” Erik said his eyes darting back to Jessie. She shook her head and sat up on the bed. So much for that relaxing bath. Were they ever going to get a chance to be together without constant interruptions? She slumped and slid off the bed and padded to the shower. She would leave Erik alone to his call. There was always going to be some pressing doom looming over their heads. She just wished for one day, there wasn’t.

  CHAPTER 17

  Sloane

  “Hey, is that Mike?” Sloane asked, pointing to the black car ahead of them.

  “Yeah, he said he was tailing the demons who took the device. I guess we weren’t that far behind them.” Ely darted around another car to pull in the lane next to Mike. His eyes were lit with the excitement of the chase.

  “Hey, can you astral project into his car?” Sloane asked.

  “While driving? Are you out of your mind?” His eyes were wide as he looked over at Sloane. She shifted forward in her seat, thinking.

  “What if we switched spots?” she asked.

  He gaped at her. “Again, you want to do this while we’re in a speeding vehicle?” His voice was low, but she just nodded.

  “Yeah, why not?” She glanced over. She didn’t see the problem. He could set the cruise, and she could maneuver into his lap. As soon as she had a grasp on the wheel, he could slide over to the passenger seat. It seemed simple enough.

  “Why not? Really? Um, I don’t know, how about because we could die.” He shook his head and focused his attention back on the road. She glanced over at Ely, and she caught the tension in his jaw.

  “Come on, it’s not even that hard. I will slide into your lap. As soon as I have a firm handle on the wheel, you slide over to the other seat. As long as you keep the cruise on we shouldn’t have a problem.” She slid her hand over his thigh. “Come on, don’t you do anything even remotely dangerous?” A spark lit in his eyes before he could mask it. She knew that the sense of danger excited him, just a little. Even if he didn’t want to admit it.

  “Sloane, I really don’t think it’s a good idea. We can just call him. I don’t need to project myself into a moving car. How do you think he’s going to react if I do that?” His grip tightened on the wheel as he twisted his hands over it.

  “I think he’ll be enthralled by your awesome power.” Her mocking tone had set his jaw, and she knew maybe she shouldn’t have been quite so crass in her approach. She thought maybe some part of him liked to live dangerously.

  Mike’s car followed the other onto the off-ramp. “Looks like it’s a moot point anyway.” Ely jerked the car to the right, just making it onto the ramp before they lost their chance. A car honked at him, but that was typical driving in a city. They had out-of-state plates which may have worked in their favor. No one would fault an out-of-towner for rushing not to miss an exit.

  He followed the car as it made a right at the light. “Maybe we should back-off a little. Don’t you think it will look a little suspicious if two cars are following instead of one?” He slowed down, so he wasn’t so close behind Mike.

  “This is why switching would have been a good idea. You could have just projected and then came back to tell me where to go.” Sloane gave him a self-satisfied smile. She really did love being right.

  “Okay, that’s still not going to happen.” He shook his head and continued to follow even further behind. This time he made sure to stay in the same lane in case there were any last-minute turns he would need to make. Sloane stared out the window as they passed the blocks of city houses. “Sloane, can I
ask you something?”

  “Sure, shoot,” she continued to watch the suburban landscape.

  “Why did you kiss me while we were in the parking lot?” his voice was low, and she could hear a subtle quiver to his words.

  “I don’t know. I guess I just wanted to at the time. Why?” She looked over at him then, curious as to why he was asking.

  “Well, you knew we were supposed to keep our eyes on the car and get the device, yet you chose that moment to kiss me.” His eyes stayed fixed on the road.

  A tick worked in her jaw. “Are you trying to say I kissed you on purpose, so we’d miss our chance to get the device? Really? I am not a traitor.” She crossed her arms over her chest and let out a, “hmph.”

  “No, that’s not what I’m saying. I just think you picked a pretty inopportune time to decide you wanted to make out with me.” His hands gripped the wheel. Was he mad at her for kissing him? She narrowed her eyes at him.

  “Oh, like you weren’t enjoying yourself. Sheesh, what is this, the damn inquisition? What are you getting at, Ely?” His name came out like venom on her tongue.

  “I think you’re a little impulsive. We had a job to do and you made it so we were both distracted. We missed the device and now the entire plan and everyone’s lives are in jeopardy because of it. It just seems a little reckless, that’s all.” Ely said the words so fast he inhaled deeply at the end of his rant.

  “Oh, so you only like my recklessness when it suits you? Okay, so I guess I’ll keep my overly reckless behavior to myself from now on. I promise I won’t be that way with you ever again.” She shifted her weight toward the window avoiding his heavy gaze.