To Fight A Fate

by Jane Cousins

  “Shit. The Dream Vamp and now these guys?” Flynn ran fingers through his tawny hair. “Sounds like there really is a contract out on your ass, Brains. Sek and Mot want those chaos rubies bad.”

  “Yes. My hackers have been trawling the dark web and given this new information, they think they’ve found something. They couldn’t get details on the actual parameters of the hit. But it looks like there is ten million dollars at stake. All they can confirm so far is that there have been four takers. I can only assume there will be a side order of torture before they kill me to claim the prize money.”

  “The Dream Vamp is still gunning for your ass. The Demon duo are dead. That leaves two more mystery players.” Drum’s gravelly voice rumbled as he finished the last piece of steak on his plate.

  “No way the dynamic dickhead demi-gods have ten million dollars.” Scoffed Dash.

  “Yeah, knowing Sek and Mot, once they have the information they’ll just kill the assassin.”

  “And they don’t seem to care who else gets hurt along the way.” Marcus’s whole body tensed in memory. “Riya would have ended up collateral damage tonight if things had gone differently.”

  “Instead we triumphed.” Riya reminded, sticking up for herself. She had more than held her own against the Fire Demon… until the Ice Demon had stepped in.

  “And let’s not forget the Imps. Used to lure us here.”

  “Daniel says the Imps are fine, a little homesick. But he should have them back where they belong in the next few hours.” Nate chuckled under his breath. “Daniel’s trying to convince them to let him stay on a few days so he can study them.”

  “He’s never happier than when he’s updating the family Cryptology Index.” Riya smiled. “You guys have opened up a whole new avenue for his research. The Sanctuary Enforcers tend to be a bit more on the kill and destroy side of things, so usually there’s not much left for Daniel to study. He’s having a ball here.”

  “We lucked out when he stepped up.” Rafe acknowledged. “The fans love him because he’s so intense and hi-tech savvy. And we love him because he provides us with helpful tips on how to approach new supernatural threats. We’d prefer to re-locate rather than kill. It helps going in knowing what to expect.”

  “Says you.” Dash complained. “You didn’t have to face off against a den of Polidacers stark naked.”

  “Naked?” Riya queried.

  “Polidacer’s are these large fox like creatures, but without the fur. They’re insanely dangerous, both their teeth and nails exude poison. They’d set up a den rather too close to a camping site in Oregon. Thanks to Daniel we knew they had incredibly bad eyesight, recognising each other through touch.”

  “And you had to go in there naked?” Riya had to know.

  “Yes, it was the only way to get close enough.” Dash sighed. “I lost the toss that day.”

  “But you did meet that really nice park ranger.” Flynn reminded.

  “Yeah.” Dash smiled. “I had to convince her I was a harmless naturalist.”

  “You were lucky she didn’t throw your ass in jail.” Mused Nate.

  “You mean my sunburnt ass? Nah, I took her to dinner and she brought a bottle of aloe vera, we had fun.”

  “I bet you did.” Riya yawned, covering her mouth quickly. “Sorry, it’s been a long day.” She fought not to wince, noticing that the back of her hand smelt like Marcus’s aftershave, her hormones spiking suddenly and places low in her body melting.

  Whoa, none of that now. All she needed was a shower before bed. Once she’d washed away all physical evidence of what she and Marcus had done together then she could put their little mistake in the past and move on with her life.

  Drum grabbed the empty dishes as Flynn began to fill the dishwasher. Fighting another yawn, Riya got to her feet, bidding them all a goodnight before escaping to her assigned guestroom. She would not think about Marcus. Those lips. Those hands. All that lean hard muscle. Damn, she’d better make that a cold shower.

  * * *

  Marcus roamed back and forth across the dark hardwood floors. Shit, it was funny, he’d never been a big one for sleeping, preferring to be working. But now that he couldn’t. Now that a Dream Vamp was stalking his non-waking hours hoping to trick or torture him into divulging where the chaos rubies were being kept – he missed it. Because at least if he could dive into sweet oblivion, then he wouldn’t be pacing his room, obsessing about Riya and what they had done earlier in the evening.

  Their official mistake.

  Damn, he stared down at his black silk pyjama bottoms as his cock stirred. He was not taking another twenty-minute cold shower so he needed to think about something else. Anything else. He moved to sit down at the desk, maybe get some work done… but at the last moment, Marcus detoured and began pacing once more.

  Shit. Stop thinking about Riya Tong. That velvety slightly golden skin. Those long dark eyelashes hiding stunning green shot hazel eyes. That silky waterfall of black hair. The way those wide cupid bow lips tilted up at the edges when she stared at him, gloriously naked in his arms. The delightful hollow at the small of her back. The way she laughed, low and husky. The way she said his name when she came.

  By The Sands. Stop thinking about her. He had a contract out on his ass. Sure, the assassins taking up the contract wouldn’t be able to kill him outright, not without getting the information they needed from him first regarding the whereabouts of the rubies. But how they went about getting that information could potentially be fatal for him. He was semi-immortal and not immune to death. Worse, the assassins obviously didn’t care about collateral damage, look at what had almost happened to Riya tonight.

  Okay, yes, she proved surprisingly capable of looking after herself. But it had been a metaphorical knife to the gut to see her so close to death’s door. So pale. So still. So frozen.

  He should be trying to back trace all the traffic that had pinged the site offering the contract out on him. But his team were already elbow deep investigating that problem. They wouldn’t appreciate Marcus butting in and disturbing their rhythm.

  Shit, he couldn’t seem to work. Which was unheard of. He couldn’t sleep, even if he wanted to. All he could do was pace this bloody room and try not to think. Marcus ran his hands through his slightly still damp hair, surprised again to find it so short… which got him to thinking about Riya again. Grrr, and once more his cock was stirring.

  Crap, he suddenly seemed to have less control over his body than an adolescent boy mooning over his first crush. Which was ridiculous. Yes, he thought Riya was hot. Gorgeous. Funny. Smart. But he didn’t have feelings for her. Sure, the sex had been great, better than great, pretty fucking spectacular. Or should that be spectacular fucking?

  Either way. Wanting to have sex with someone was a basic, primitive reaction. Especially after you’ve just survived a life and death encounter with a couple of Demons. Rejoicing in being alive by indulging in an ultra-hot bout between the sheets was, if anything, only natural. A celebration of life.

  Marcus’s gut clenched at the idea that if any of his fellow Warriors had been there instead of him that Riya would have happily made the same offer to them. A red haze descended over Marcus and for some reason he wanted to find Flynn and Dash and start pounding on them.

  Not an unusual thought, but generally the twins had to open their mouths and say something stupid first before he wanted to hurt them. Yet all he had to do was imagine one of them snuggling up to Riya, thawing her out, naked, combining body heat and he wanted to… shit, he heard the bones in his hands creak as he fisted them together too tightly. Get control of yourself.

  Just stop thinking about Riya, easy, think instead about the record number of hits the Para-X site had received tonight. The sharp spike in online traffic due to that fifteen seconds of teaser footage for the show that would be airing next week and Dimity Forrest’s hour and a half Q&A session. It had been smart of Riya to suggest… shit, there he went again.

  The soft knoc
k at the door saved him from himself, thank Maat, a distraction. Maybe one of his fellow Warriors couldn’t sleep and was looking for a drinking companion. Marcus pulled open the door and all the air in his lungs fled as his stomach clenched and his cock grew instantaneously rock hard. Riya stood in the doorway. Hair falling in a glossy silken sheet down over her shoulders. She was wearing some long, filmy, green concoction that left her arms bare and a rather large amount of cleavage on display.

  The colour brought out the green threads in those hazel eyes as they peered up at him from beneath the heavy fringe that teased the ends of her dark, long eyelashes. Her cupid bow mouth was curved up at the edges as she contemplated him. “So…” Riya’s voice was soft, low and teasing. If possible his cock hardened. “… how do you feel about repeating mistakes?”

  “Some mistakes bear repeating.” Marcus stepped back so Riya could enter, shutting the door behind her. “Nice outfit.”

  “Thanks, I made it myself.” Riya reached out, placing a hand on Marcus’s bare chest, liking the way his ocean blue eyes had darkened with desire. “You know the best thing about it?”

  Marcus shook his head. Distracted by Riya’s touch and the scent of her that wrapped around him; blood orange, tiare flower and geranium.

  Riya’s smile widened. “There’s only one little tie keeping the whole thing together.”

  Marcus bit back a groan, the tease. He eyed the green bow just below her full breasts. Grabbing the end of one ribbon he began to deliberately pull on it excruciatingly slowly. All presents should be savoured. Just like he intended to savour Riya tonight.

  Riya grit her teeth as Marcus oh-so-slowly tugged on the ribbon holding her peignoir together. The anticipation was killing her. When she’d returned to her room she’d indulged in a long tepid shower. Dried her hair, dressed in a comfy old singlet and blue sleep shorts and turned out the light. Only to be hit by a myriad of memories from her naked encounter with Marcus.

  She’d tossed, she’d turned. Tried counting invisible sheep. Attempted to design new outfits in her head. All of it was futile.

  All she kept seeing every time she closed her eyes was Marcus, looking at her with heavy lidded intensity as he took her, claimed her. She’d thought about indulging in a little self-relief but after the orgasm she’d experienced earlier with Marcus, she didn’t think a tepid round of masturbation would satisfy her.

  Groaning, kicking off the sheets, she’d been about to stomp to the bathroom for an icy shower when her gaze had fallen on her open suitcase, and the ridiculous frothy green peignoir she’d packed. The one she’d finished only a week or so ago and hadn’t been able to stand the idea of hanging in her shop. Instead she’d tucked it away in one of the three large suitcases that Fate had compelled her to pack. She couldn’t even recall packing it for the overnight trip to New York.

  That green peignoir was as sexy as hell. It made no bones about its existence. It had sex on its mind, just like she did tonight. It was daring. It fit perfectly. Made her feel strong, reckless and sexy.

  Grrr, a low impatient growl escaped from the back of Riya’s throat as Marcus continued to pull glacier slow on the ribbon. “Faster.”

  Marcus smiled. “Hasn’t anyone told you about the joys of unwrapping your presents slowly? The build up? The anticipation? Savour the moment?”

  Riya reached up, smacked Marcus’s hand away and yanked on the ribbon, shrugging out of the peignoir, letting it fall to the ground, pooling around her bare feet. “Mistakes are not meant to be savoured.” She braced both hands against his chest and pushed Marcus back until he had no choice but to sit on the edge of the oversized bed. Riya settled herself on his lap, facing him. The silk of his pyjama bottoms cool for a moment against her bare skin. The delightful feel of his cock straining against the material, wedged between her legs, pressing against her clit. “Mistakes are meant to be brief…” She placed a kiss on the side of his throat. “…hot.” Another kiss, this time at the base of his throat. “…messy.” The next kiss over his heart.

  Marcus tilted Riya’s head up, kissing her. Revelling in the feel of those warm, soft lips beneath his own. He raised his head a minute later. “A mistake can mean whatever we want it to mean.” He trailed a hand up over her naked spine, liking the way Riya tensed and arched into him. Rubbing the hardened tips of her breasts against his chest. “We could take it slow this time.”

  Riya gasped as Marcus trailed a series of hot teasing kisses down the side of her neck to her breasts. She’d walked in to the room raring to go. And the sight of Marcus bare chested, wearing those black silk pyjama bottoms had sent her libido into over-drive. She caressed his heated skin, running her hands over defined ribs, and then his abs. “What if I want to go fast?”

  “And what if I want to go slow?”

  “You really….” She moaned, distracted as two of his fingers dipped into her hot, wet core, stretching and teasing her. Um, what had she been going to say?

  Marcus grabbed a swathe of Riya’s hair, tugging slightly, slamming his lips down on hers as she looked up at him, green shimmering fire threaded through those hazel depths. He pushed a third finger into her hot, tight core.

  Riya arched her back. Her hands gripping at Marcus’s shoulders for support. Smiling dazedly up at him as she rode his fingers with abandon. “You’re… right… fast is… completely over-rated.”

  Marcus chuffed a soft laugh, flicking her clit with his thumb, loving the sight of Riya naked in his arms.

  “Marcus.” Riya could barely breathe, and there was no thinking involved as she threw her head back, moaning his name, all but drowning in the waves of escalating desire swamping her.

  Marcus planted a series of hot kisses down Riya’s exposed throat. Flicking her clit again, smiling as Riya’s legs tightened on either side of him and her entire body went rigid as an orgasm slammed through her.

  Slowly he removed his fingers, pushing a still dazed Riya back on to the bed. Shucking his pyjama bottoms in a split second before covering her body with his.

  “We have all night to get this right.”

  Riya smiled, languidly bringing her arms up to draw Marcus closer still. “Some learning curves are steeper than others.” Then she grabbed a hank of his hair and pulled him down so she could kiss him. “Bring on the next mistake.”

  * * *

  Marcus stirred later, much later, as sharp fingernails teasingly dug into his thigh, dragging higher… and higher still. Again? Funnily enough he was mentally up for another round but his cock was still soft and disinterested.

  “Hey, Lover. That was fun.” The words were all but purred into his ear. For some strange reason he had to fight the urge to move away. “Are you ready for another go round?”

  “Don’t you mean mistake?” He opened his eyes, hmmm… where was he again? New York?

  “Don’t be silly, Baby.” Those sharp nails were getting closer and closer to Marcus’s favourite piece of equipment and it made no sense but he had to continue to fight the urge to move away. “You and me, we’re perfect together.”

  Lover? Baby? Perfect? Marcus grabbed for her hand, holding the slender wrist tightly in his, his eyes lifting to his bed companion. He frowned, studying amber eyes and the tousled wave of strawberry hair floating down around bare shoulders. That wasn’t right… was it? “Who the hell are you?”

  The mystery woman threw back her head and laughed with abandon. “You’re proving quite the challenge, you are. Most men just go along for the ride and then spill their guts in gratitude after the dream sex, but no, not you.” Her beautiful lips twisted up at the edges. “Don’t get me wrong, this is refreshing, but I have expensive tastes and the bills are piling up.”

  “You’re the Dream Vampire.” Marcus grabbed for her other wrist, but like mist she disappeared, the next second he found himself chained to the bedhead, what the…? He strained, but the chains had no give.

  The Dream Vamp chuffed a laugh. “Not a fan of the strawberry blonde? How about we go a li
ttle darker.” Her hair morphed into rich red waves. “And maybe a touch of the Irish.” Her voice softened and picked up a lilt, eyes now a vivid green. Naked, she straddled Marcus. “You’re not gay, are you?”

  “No, just not interested.” Marcus strained harder against the chains.

  “Oh, you’re all interested in the end. I just have to find the right trigger and you won’t want to fight me.” She trailed her hands slowly down his chest, letting those sharp nails dig in. “You’ll be so caught up in the fantasy, wanting it to be real that you won’t even question whether it is a dream or not. Well… well… speak of the devil.” Those green eyes sparkled. “Looks like someone isn’t as disinterested as they say.”

  Marcus shook his head, his cock should not be stirring, he was facing off a Dream Vampire, chained to a bed, but the evidence couldn’t be denied.

  “Maybe you’ve had a secret Lucille Ball fetish all these years and didn’t know it, Lover.”

  Marcus opened his mouth to deny it, but things low in his body snapped to attention, a wave of sensual heat slamming through him.

  The Dream Vampire frowned. “What the…. No, no.” She leaned forward to grab hold of Marcus, digging her nails in deeply.

  Marcus had no idea what was going on, as yet another wave of burning heat slammed through him, his eyes snapping open in an instant. He was no longer chained to the bedhead. Hell… his spine bowed, his eyes rolling back in their sockets. By The Sands. The wet, hot suction surrounding his cock felt unbelievably good. He looked down. Riya was settled between his legs, her swathe of black hair pushed to one side. The sight of her mouth on his cock almost swept him over the edge then and there.

  But then he recalled what the Dream Vamp had stated so smugly. How when she got the fantasy right, he wouldn’t question whether it was real or not. Was he still dreaming? Damn, and if he was, his back arching again, his fingers digging into the sheets, did he ever want to wake up?