by A and E Kirk
“Jaeger!” Leontes yelled.
Kiara dropped to her knees, still holding a hand over her eyes, and managed an awkward one-handed crawl toward the showerhead end of the stall. She huddled in the corner hidden by the tile wall, heart thudding, her gently trembling body quickly getting drenched. She did not mind any of it as the sense of danger was slowly turning into something else.
Jaeger looked down and then heavenward, his words full of mirth. “Oh, this just gets better and better.”
Leontes banged on the bathroom door. “Jaeger, have you seen Kiara?”
“Don’t tell him I’m here,” Kiara’s pleaded in a panicked whisper.
Jaeger raised his voice. “Yeah, she’s in here with me.”
Kiara choked and blindly swatted at his foot.
Leontes burst through the door. His eyes raked the room. When he saw Jaeger’s amused look, a slow burn built like embers ready to erupt into flames. “Very funny,” Leontes said.
Jaeger tilted his most charming smile. “I thought so. It looked like your head was going to explode.”
“Puppies,” Leontes muttered with disdain. “If you do see her, inform me immediately.” He left, giving the door a solid slam.
Several moments later, Kiara finally asked, “He’s gone, right?”
Jaeger smirked and said, “Oh, were you wanting to get up from there?” His smirk spread wide into a full smile. “Yes, it’s clear.”
The one hand not covering her eyes reached out blindly. She groped a muscular leg and jerked back with an embarrassed cringe. “Sorry.”
Jaeger laughed. “Not a problem. Just slide that hand a little higher, please.”
“Shut up.” But her grin softened the scold. And she was seriously tempted to look.
Again.
He sighed as he shut off the water. “Fine. But for the record this is cruel and unusual punishment, even for a big, bad assassin such as yourself.” He cupped her elbow to lift her up and led her out of the shower. “You can look now.”
She split her fingers to peek. His body still glistened, but he had wrapped a towel low on his hips. He held out another towel, which she took and dabbed at her face, sneaking sidelong glances she hoped she was coy enough to hide.
The heat from her admiration helped alleviate the chill of air seeping through her sopping wet clothes. Yes, that body—all chiseled and hard—was definitely one to admire. From the broad shoulders, narrow waist, whipcord muscles, smooth and taut. Chest hair of burnt gold tapered to a thin line that trailed down from his navel and disappeared under the towel. She tried to swallow, but the desire cramping her throat made it difficult.
Jaeger caught her gaze.
Caught her gawking.
Mortified, Kiara turned on her heel as the blush ravaged her cheeks, and after dripping a path across the tile floor, she pressed her ear against the door. This had been a terrible idea.
“Is he gone?” Jaeger whispered, so near his lips tickled her ear.
Kiara jumped out of her skin. How had he gotten so close without her noticing?
She jerked around and flattened her back against the door. Jaeger rested both hands on the frame, caging her in. He leaned in close. Then closer. Wet heat radiated off his skin. His eyes ran the length of her body. With her clothes plastered to every curve like a second skin, she felt exposed.
Her voice shook slightly as she said, “You realize I could snap you in two if I wanted.”
Undeterred, Jaeger’s head bent to her collarbone. He inhaled her scent. “And somehow that just makes me want you more.”
Kiara fought to control the shiver from his hot breath on her damp skin. “You have a death wish?”
Something rumbled in his throat. He raised his head, eyes dancing like honey on fire. “I’m sure I’m not the first man willing to die to be with you.”
She almost laughed. Men feared or hated her. Or both. They wanted information or to see her entrails hanging from her gut, or first one and then the other. Even Leontes seemed to only want her safe.
But to be with her? Romantically? No man—that she could remember—had ever wanted that.
Except this one. Jaeger. Werewolf prince. Unafraid. Hot. Willing. He wanted her. Very hot. No hesitation. Hotter still.
Unless…
Unless she was wrong about him as well.
Kiara said, “When you say ‘be’ with me, does that mean…” She let the sentence trail off, not quite sure how to finish.
The corner of Jaeger’s mouth lifted. “Are you seriously asking me if I find you attractive? If I want you?”
Kiara swallowed hard. “Yes. I don’t want to make another mistake.”
“Another?”
“Just answer the question,” she said quickly.
“Okay. I’m happy to answer, but it might be more effective if I make it more of a show-and-tell experience.”
He shifted slightly, his body easing that much closer.
She licked her lips and stared at that body. The smooth skin. The muscles rippling as he moved. So many muscles. Along his shoulders, across his chest, and the ones on his abdomen that continued down past the line of the towel.
She chewed on the inside of her cheek. She wanted to touch him. Badly. Even had a crazy Roxy-level thought of ripping off the towel and seeing exactly what was hiding under there. But despite his seemingly positive response, she didn’t dare act. The pain of her recent humiliation stung too fresh to risk another close encounter with rejection.
Jaeger put his fingers lightly under Kiara’s chin and lifted her gaze up to meet his. “Eyes up here, please.”
She blushed. “Sorry.”
“No, no,” he said amiably. “I like the fact— No, actually, I love the fact that you’re looking, and I am more than willing to let you do as much of that as you like, and much more, but you seem to be questioning how I feel. So I want you to make sure you hear what I have to say. Understood?”
She nodded. “But what do you mean about show-and-tell?”
He did not answer right away. Instead, Jaeger’s bold gaze penetrated with a smoldering passion that drizzled a hot delicious wave of desire down through her core. She reminded herself to inhale.
“It means that the short answer is yes,” he said, lightly brushing his knuckles down her cheek. “Yes, I want you. You’re the most fascinating woman I have ever met. Not to mention smart and exciting. And so damn beautiful. As to how I want you, in the particular sense I believe you were asking me about, well, that’s where the showing comes in.”
Jaeger’s head dipped, and he brought his mouth down toward hers. Her breath caught in anticipation of the kiss, but he stopped before he made contact. He looked into her questioning eyes and gave her a slow, provocative smile, then he dipped his head further, past her cheek, and lightly kissed her throat.
At the contact, her breath shuddered, and she closed her eyes. He captured all her attention. His freshly bathed scent, the droplets glimmering in his hair as the water turned it a dark, shimmering gold, curling in waves that tickled her jaw. He meandered a series of tender kisses down the curve of her neck. Tasting her with infinite slowness.
He paused at the base of her throat. His tongue and lips lightly sucked the puddle of water quivering in the hollow. Her eyes fluttered closed. Her chest tightened, collapsed from the air sighing out of her lungs.
His fingers peeled the thin fabric of her dress off of one shoulder, baring an expanse of new skin he didn’t hesitate to explore. He feathered his lips across her collarbone. Then they meandered over the curve of her shoulder. He nipped and sucked. She felt his smile at the treacherous goosebumps that erupted over her skin.
Kiara lifted a hesitant hand to his chest. Instead of pulling away, he pressed closer. She caressed her hand over the contours of solid muscles, then slid her palm up to his neck and tangled her fingers in his damp curls. Her other hand moved up his arm, along the sinew of his bicep. Desire, intoxicating and ripe with danger, cascaded through her.
&n
bsp; He lifted his head to kiss the corner of her mouth. His tongue skimmed along the curve of her lower lip. Shivers of pleasure shocked down and burrowed deep in her belly. His teeth tugged lightly on her lip, and then he moved into the kiss. Moved into her. With his mouth and his body, and even with emotions that penetrated through any lingering doubt.
The feel of his lips, how he moved them on hers, the give and go, the raw hunger behind it, focused only on her, lit up every nerve. It felt delicious. Hot and intense. She felt wanted.
Beautiful.
Desired.
The door groaned—or was it her?—as he pressed the length of his body against her. She felt the pounding of his heart escalate. The heat from his bare skin seemed to steam against the wet dress. His open palm ran down her side. It splayed over her hip, and then smoothed lower to cup the back of her knee and raise it up. Fingers digging harder into her skin, he pressed her leg against his hip and angled their bodies intimately close.
Even with the towel and her flimsy dress between them, she felt his desire. Torrid and pulsing. She had no inclination to pull away.
He broke the kiss and murmured, “Damn, I want you.”
She wanted him too. Her body screamed with need. Every nerve sparked, ready to ignite into flames and engulf her in a fiery mass of pleasure.
Jaeger’s breath was coming in hot, deep bursts. His eyes glimmered in swirls of molten gold. His fingers tangled in her wet hair, pulling her deeper into the kiss, his lips pressing harder, asking for more.
Kiara felt his hand holding her thigh move higher, riding up under the flimsy skirt. His fingers burned every inch of bare skin they touched. Back flat against the wall, she hooked her leg around his waist and pressed into him. The muscles in her lower body torqued with rising passion. When she thrust her hips to meet his and her mouth opened wider to the invitation of his tongue, a primal sound rumbled in Jaeger’s chest, and he wrapped his arms around her like a vice.
As their mouths and lips and tongues explored each other, he shoved the other strap off her shoulder. His hand grazed down, lingering over the swell of her breast, and brushed softly over her nipple. Bolts of electricity shot through her, sending her heart racing and setting her skin on fire. She moaned and writhed against him. Light flashed behind her eyes.
Her blood pounded harder. Her breath raced faster. She knew this feeling. She liked this feeling. She had not even known she had missed this feeling. Like bubbling lava rolling down an erupting volcano, a slow, lazy sensuality washed over her. In its wake, came a hunger building with intensity, demanding and desperate for satisfaction.
She knew Jaeger felt it, too. He couldn’t get enough. He wanted more. His hands cupped her butt and lifted her hips. She wrapped both legs tightly around his waist. She could feel every inch of him. Hard, strong, pulsing with life and burning with desire. His fingers dug in, kneading her thighs, squeezing her bottom. From deep within, muscles contracted and tingling sensations of hot pleasure raged through her body.
His mouth traveled down her throat and chest in a wanton trail of kisses and licks. She felt his warm tongue on the beginning curve of her breast.
Her fingers tangled tighter in his hair. She dropped her shoulders back and guided his mouth lower. He smiled at the invitation, then nuzzled her dress aside and kept going. His lips never left her skin. She reveled in the ravenous excitement of his mouth as it nibbled and sucked her tender flesh. It was all at once too much and not enough.
She kissed and licked him, too, along his neck, across his shoulder. He smelled so good. Tasted divine. She opened her mouth wider and suddenly tasted something new. Something she had not tasted in a very long time. Something sinfully delicious.
Blood.
Overwhelmed with passion and the intensity of emotions, Kiara had not realized her fangs had come out. They had pricked the skin of Jaeger’s shoulder. He gave a slight jerk and looked at her with surprise.
She opened her mouth to apologize.
“Don’t,” he said.
Her heart stuttered to a halt. Not again. Not another “don’t” from a man she wanted.
Before she could react to the refusal, he kissed her deeply, his tongue finding hers as they shared the taste of his blood.
When he finally pulled away, he said breathless and smiling, “Don’t worry. And, for God’s sake, don’t stop. Whatever you want, whatever you need. I’m here.” Then he lowered his head and playfully nipped her neck.
Steeling herself with what seemed a momentous effort, she forced her fangs to retract, but licked up the remaining drops of blood and swirled it on her tongue. She savored the flavor, sweet and warm, and let it trickle down her throat.
Renewed heat burned into her skin. Her breath quickened. With shameless abandon, Kiara ran ravenous hands over Jaeger’s bare skin and drove her hips forward. He met her passion with a blazing desire of his own and ground himself harder against her. As Jaeger’s mouth and hands and fingers hungrily found more intimate places to explore, Kiara dropped her head back and moaned.
Until a fist splintered through the door.
CHAPTER 80
Long fingers wrapped around Jaeger’s throat and yanked with inhuman force. Kiara dove sideways. The door shattered in a deafening crash as Jaeger was wrenched through.
Breath ragged, Kiara ran to the Jaeger-sized hole.
Leontes loomed over the werewolf prince, dark menace glittering in his eyes now gunmetal grey with fury. He grabbed a massive fallen bookcase and flung it aside like it was a toothpick. It crashed into the wall with a thunderous sound. His hands clenched and unclenched, shaking with the need to pummel the werewolf. With predatory malevolence, Leontes watched Jaeger struggle to unbury himself from a mountain of books, sending up a musty smell of ancient pages and old dust.
Leontes towered over the fallen wolf prince. “I warned you.”
Jaeger saw him coming and did not resist as Leontes punched him in the face, once, twice, but as the third blow was on its way, Jaeger put up an arm and blocked the vampire’s assault. “That’s all you get.”
“Not even close,” Leontes seethed, and reeled his fist back for another punch.
Kiara bolted through the hole in the door and grabbed onto his arm, swinging from his bicep, which was flexed to hardened steel.
“Stop!” she yelled. “What are you doing?!”
Leontes shook Kiara off and caught her by the shoulders. His eyes had turned almost completely black as he shouted, “I am saving you!”
Kiara pushed him away and stood in front of Jaeger, still on the floor. “From what?”
“From him!” Leontes’ murderous scowl bounced from the half-naked Jaeger to Kiara. “Did he…” The vampire’s words faded in a quivering rage. Sentences seemed beyond his scope, muscles popping in his jaw unable to unclench. “He did not touch you, did he?”
Kiara crossed her arms over her chest. “You think just because you don’t want to touch me, no one does?”
“Of course not.” Leontes glared at Jaeger. “How dare you take advantage of her.”
Jaeger barked a laugh. “You really think I can make her do anything she doesn’t want to do? Or is that what ticks you off? That she wanted to do things. With me.”
“Stay out of this,” Leontes snarled.
“I would, but you threw me into the middle of it. Literally.” Jaeger pushed to his feet. The towel stayed on the floor.
Leontes slapped a palm over Kiara’s eyes. She tried to extricate herself, but his hand remained molded like concrete. “Jaeger, put the damn towel on!”
“It’s nothing she hasn’t seen before.” Kiara could hear the smirk in Jaeger’s voice.
“What?” Leontes’ hand trembled.
“Truth is, gramps, we spent quality time hiding in the shower together. Did you think I was wearing a towel in there?”
Kiara cringed. Maybe Jaeger really did have a death wish. Leontes released her and lunged at the werewolf. Kiara threw a bear-hug around the vampire and dug in
her heels. She skidded several inches, but held on against his rage.
She had been playing with fire and now they were all going to get burned. She was such a mess. Like someone had put all her emotions in a blender and hit the Self-Destruct button.
“It isn’t true,” she said. “I closed my eyes because I knew you’d be mad since you don’t—”
“Stop saying I do not like naked!”
Jaeger shrugged. “If the sexual repression fits…” He picked up the towel and casually draped it over one shoulder, not at all bothered that it did not cover much.
Leontes grabbed the desk and smashed it into a wall.
Jaeger rolled his eyes. “Calm down. Did you forget she’s fricking Oleander? If anyone was in danger, it was me.” He gestured to the small, fresh puncture marks on his shoulder. At Kiara’s irritated squint, he smiled and winked. “And I loved every minute of it, gorgeous. Can’t wait to do it again. Anytime, anywhere. Like I said, I’m here for you. Whatever you need.”
The fury seemed to drain out of Leontes, leaving him standing still and looking wretched as he turned to Kiara. “You bit him? Tell me you were trying to defend yourself.”
Kiara swallowed, heat rising in her cheeks, but she did not answer.
Jaeger slicked his hair back with one hand and grinned. “Apparently, I’m rather tasty.”
Leontes jerked. Kiara’s face pressed against his chest, and she felt a snarl rumble deep. “You are dead.”
They did not have time for this. Giselle was still missing, and they were focused on all the wrong things. For which she had to take a good part of the blame. That needed to stop. Now.
Nearly losing her hold on Leontes, Kiara blurted out, “I took care of Bane!”
The good news was that Leontes’ resistance abruptly ended. But there was bad news. Both he and Jaeger looked less than pleased.
CHAPTER 81
Leontes stared. They had been in the caves for at least ten minutes and he still did not know what to say. Even Jaeger was speechless. Leontes considered that a good thing. Any word out of the werewolf’s mouth and Leontes may find it necessary to rip him to shreds.