Night's Cold Kiss

by Tracey O'Hara

  “Very!” Oberon’s gaze dropped to Christian’s hand at her waist, then lifted to meet her eyes before continuing, “It was me.”

  She stepped away from Christian’s embrace. She needed to face this on her own, and for some reason she got the impression the ursian didn’t approve. Why she should care didn’t matter. What did was that she could only rely on herself—no one else. No matter how good the sex.

  Oberon stared at her a minute longer then turned to Christian. “But it looks like we should work together.”

  “Maybe,” Christian’s tone held an edge of suppressed anger. At Oberon or at her? She couldn’t be sure.

  “Look, Laroque. I know we’ve bumped heads before, and we’ll do it again. Dante killed Sir Roger so he’s involved in this conspiracy thing you and Dushic were looking into. And right now, the best chance we have of finding who’s behind this is to work together. Find that out and we find who killed Dushic, Williams, the ambassador and anyone else.”

  Christian looked away. Antoinette could almost hear him thinking. Oberon was right and Christian knew it.

  He turned back to the ursian. “You and I both know that Dante doesn’t have the brains, cunning, or self-control to pull off something like this.”

  Oberon nodded. “He’s masochistic, dangerous, and downright insane if you want my opinion, but someone else is pulling his strings, and we just have to find out who it is.”

  Christian smiled. “Oberon—you’re not just the pigheaded son-of-a-bitch I took you for.”

  “Yes, I am,” Oberon folded his massive arms across his chest. “But that doesn’t mean I’m stupid. I’m not even supposed to be on this case, but I can’t let it go. So are you in?”

  “I have a lead that I have to follow up tomorrow night.”

  “Okay, I’ll be back at sunset.” Oberon pulled out a tiny skull key ring and twirled his keys on his index finger. “And keep her close—Dante wants her bad.”

  Antoinette shuddered and didn’t pull away from Christian’s arm this time. “I will.”

  Oberon nodded and left. She listened to the sound of his Harley fading into the distance before turning to Christian.

  “So what’s this lead?” she asked.

  He turned his back to her. “It’s nothing concrete. I’d rather not say until we’ve checked it out.”

  “I thought we were working together.”

  He remained silent for a minute longer. “It’s something I found out about the cult.”

  “The AR cult?” she asked.

  He hung his head before raising it again to look at her. “Valerica may be involved.”

  Antoinette’s eyes prickled at the memory of Viktor lying on the car-park blacktop as Christian made his promise. “I’m sorry,” she whispered into his ear.

  He turned, wrapping his arms around her. “You’ve nothing to be sorry about. I promised Viktor I would protect Valerica, but if she really is part of this I can’t keep that promise.”

  “You’re doing the right thing.” She pulled back to look at him. “But protect her if you can.”

  There was no love lost between her and Valerica, but Viktor had been a good man and her friend. He kissed her, softly at first, then more fiercely as his need grew.

  “Shouldn’t we at least go to your room before the staff see us?” she whispered to the ceiling as he spread tiny kisses across her neck. Without a word he swept her up and carried her upstairs.

  Christian woke to find the bed empty—as usual. The sun was close to setting—the ever present haze of the daylight hours still buzzed in his mind.

  Hunger growled in his veins—he’d have to feed before he went out. He’d been careful not to feed during lovemaking with Antoinette. It was still too early. Sitting on the side of the bed, he ran a hand over his face then got up to dress.

  He found her where he expected—sprawled on her stomach in her own bed, the covers kicked off and only a pair of panties covering her firm rear end. She never stayed with him through the day, always leaving to shower and sleep the day away on her own. It bothered him that she wouldn’t stay.

  Cerberus raised his head from his usual position on the end of her bed and wagged his tail. Christian pulled back a blond lock and kissed her ear. She purred. He traced kisses down her backbone, hovering over her tattoo and then moving down her side, caressing the swell of her breasts pressed against the sheets. She turned, giving him better access but he straightened and lightly smacked her ass.

  “Good evening, sleepyhead,” he said, enjoying the sight of her nakedness.

  “Hmm…now that’s some wakeup call.” She smiled and stretched. “But you’re not going to stop there, are you?”

  “Oberon will be here in less than an hour. Remember?”

  “Ah yes—and you’re off to visit your old girlfriend.”

  There wasn’t any trace of irritation or jealousy, just the plain and simple statement, yet somehow the lack of emotion burned him. It’s only sex…right?

  Who are you trying to kid?

  She sat up, rolled onto her knees, pressing her naked breasts against his chest. “You can spare a few minutes before you go now that you’ve woken me like that.” She pulled his hand down the front of her panties.

  His fingers slid into her hot opening, slick with her excitement. He groaned and his trousers felt a whole lot smaller than they had been a moment ago.

  Her hand crept down his torso to the bulge in front. “Ah, now that’s what I want.” She unzipped him and dropped to take him in her mouth.

  Oh my. He thrust his hips forward so she could take more and her tongue flicked over the head on the backward stroke. His fangs descended instantly. He could sense her blood pumping through her veins and his gut clenched.

  “No,” he said, pulling away with great difficulty. “I have to feed first.”

  She sat back on her heels. “It’s been a week since you last took blood from me and Kavindish has been feeding me plenty of red meat.”

  Christian shook his head; he was getting far too much of a taste for her blood. “It’s not a good idea.”

  “Why not? You’re hungry, I’m here.”

  “You’re not my fang-mistress.”

  She rocked back and placed her hands on her thighs.

  “Christian, we agreed. It’s just sex, nothing more. Don’t read anything else into this deal.”

  “I’m sorry.” He reached out and pulled her down against him. “I just don’t want to take advantage. A few weeks ago you’d have taken my head off for even suggesting it.”

  “But I’ve learned a few things since then.” She looked into his eyes, into his soul. “I wouldn’t have offered if I didn’t want to. Besides, I’m not exactly on the losing end of the bargain.”

  “You’re not?” he teased. “And what would you be getting from this?”

  She hit him with the pillow, then grew serious. “I’ll hunt dreniacs and I’ll kill them. But I think I’ve learned the difference between an Aeternus and a dreniac. I realize now that I saw you all as one and the same before. Until Viktor opened my eyes. Besides it’s not a forever deal.”

  He couldn’t face the thought of her leaving him just yet and silenced her with his mouth. Her face turned up to him and he cupped it between his hands, deepening the kiss until he could no longer stand it. Leaning forward, he pushed her gently with his body so she lay back across the bed. Her legs wrapped around his hips, pressing her mound against him.

  “First I feed,” he murmured against her lips and moved down to her body, kissing, tasting, wanting. He tore her panties away.

  “I wish you would stop doing that, I’m starting to run out,” she said, coming up on her elbows and looking down at the torn remnants of her underwear.

  He grinned. “I’ll buy you new ones.”

  She threw up her hands and lay back again. He probed between her nether lips, savoring her private taste. She moaned and pushed herself against his questing tongue. He slipped deeper into her hot, wet opening—he
r flesh pulsed. He drove his tongue in and out as she moaned and wrapped her fingers in his hair.

  He pulled away and watched her face as he replaced his tongue with his middle fingers, rubbing her hard nub with the pad of his thumb. She watched what he was doing through hooded eyes, her hips moving in time with his strokes as he quickened the pace. Steady, thrusting, rising to meet his palm, driving his fingers deeper and deeper.

  He bent his head to the spot between her thigh and her mound and buried his fangs into the hot vein pulsing just below her soft, sweet skin. She screamed his name and bucked against him as she came hard and fast. As her orgasm subsided, he drank her sweet nectar. How he craved the taste.

  When he’d had his fill, he sealed the puncture marks and raised himself up on his hands, moving over her.

  Christian hovered above Antoinette, his fullness pressing against her hip and his face shining with fresh blood. Her blood.

  Moving deftly, she flipped him beneath her. The smile slipped from his mouth briefly with surprise, but was soon replaced with desire as she straddled him. His gaze roamed her body like invisible fingers rippling across her skin, causing her nipples to pucker and her skin to burn. When he reached for her breasts, she caught him by the wrists, pushing them above his head.

  “First I feed,” she murmured, just as he’d done to her. Then she mimicked the path he had taken down her body—kissing, tasting, wanting.

  When she reached his trousers, she pushed them down his hips and pulled them over his feet, holding them up. “See, that wasn’t so hard to do—and you can still wear them again.”

  He chuckled. “Point taken.”

  She bent over him again and took his silky length into her mouth, stretching her jaws and fitting in as much as she could. Her hair fell around her face, brushing her cheeks and pooling over his groin.

  Christian gathered it in his hands, pulling it aside. “I want to see you.” His voice heavy with his need.

  She smiled around him, meeting his eyes as she moved up and down. She could feel the tension building in him and stopped. He groaned and almost came off the bed as she nipped the soft flesh inside his thigh.

  She felt heavy and empty between her thighs. She needed to be filled and straddled his hips, gliding him into her slick opening. He didn’t move—just lay buried in her secret fold. She slowly tilted her hips back, and then thrust forward. The air hissed through his teeth and he quivered beneath her. She repeated the move. Christian closed his eyes, lips parted, and fangs elongated. Instead of being repulsed, the sight of his fangs now excited her.

  She repeated the movement and this time he met her halfway. Again they stopped, eyes locked, totally motionless except for the trembling of their flesh, the pulsing of their blood and the beating of their hearts. Hers fast and heavy pounding in her ears, and his the much slower beat of an Aeternus, but no less powerful beneath her palms resting on his chest.

  She began to rock her hips back and forth, at first slow then steadily building rhythm, thrust, and speed. Soon he was raising his hips to meet her, faster and faster.

  He reached up and grabbed a breast with each hand, cupping them, squeezing her full nipples. She tilted back her head, her hair swaying against her lower back and bottom as well as his inner thighs.

  His hips bucked, rising higher, he moved his hands to her hips to bring her down on him as hard as he could thrust up. Suddenly his shoulders came off the bed and his head fell back to let out a roar as he drove home the last few hard, shuddering strokes.

  She lay across his chest—spent. “Now, don’t you feel better?” she asked. “I know I do.”

  Christian stroked her cheek. “Yes.”

  But his voice sounded distant, almost sad.

  25

  Lovers Lost

  Christian didn’t have time for a shower. Oberon had arrived with another of member of his team. Dylan Jordan stood in the foyer, feet apart, hands behind his back and the air of military proficiency.

  “It might not be a good idea to overwhelm this contact with too many agents.”

  “Dyl’s here to watch over Antoinette while we’re gone,” Oberon said.

  “Do you really think that’s necessary?” Christian asked. “My staff are here.”

  Oberon was serious—dead serious. “Antoinette put six silver slugs in Dante Rubins, yet he’s still walking around. He’s been seen watching this house and she’s just his type, if you know what I mean. So what do you think?”

  “You’re right, better safe than sorry.”

  Oberon pulled the motorcycle over to the curb outside the apartment building address Lilijana had given Christian. The ursian had talked him into riding pillion on the back of the Harley, and they made it across town in no time.

  Christian climbed off and ran his hand through his hair. “Valerica is fragile and I promised Viktor before he died that I’d protect her. So go easy.”

  “Would you be so quick to protect her if it turns out she had a part in his murder?” Oberon asked.

  “Twins and multiple births may not be rare with you Animalians, but they are among the Aeternus.”

  “I wasn’t aware they were twins.” Oberon threw his leg over the seat and stood on the pavement.

  Christian looked up at the tall building. “Viktor and Valerica shared a bond that went beyond normal even for our kind. She’s always been able to sense his existence and well being and would’ve suffered physically through his death. She’ll be very fragile.”

  “Still—she may know something to open up new avenues of investigation. At least I hope so, because, frankly, I’m starting to clutch at straws. If we can’t find Dante Rubins then…” He shrugged his shoulders.

  Christian reached out and grabbed Oberon’s forearm. “I want to talk to her first. Alone.”

  “Not a chance, Laroque.” Oberon jutted his jaw forward. “I don’t want to miss anything that may be important.”

  Christian dropped his hand. “At least let me do the talking—as I said, she’s fragile.”

  Oberon’s heavy booted footsteps followed him across the marble floor to the doorman’s desk. Christian flashed his Intel identification to the old man behind counter and Oberon flashed his own.

  “We’re here to see Valerica Dushic,” Christian said.

  The doorman squinted at their ID then tilted his head toward the elevator. “The penthouse.”

  “All right, Laroque, I’ll follow your lead,” Oberon said as they rode the elevator. “For now at least.”

  “Thank you.”

  Valerica opened the door wearing a short silk robe and smiled widely, throwing her arms around Christian’s neck and kissing his cheek. Behind her music played loudly, accompanied by conversations filled with laughter. She was entertaining, which wasn’t what he’d expected to find.

  “Come in, join the fun, bring your friend,” Valerica said. “Ooohhh—you’re a big boy aren’t you.” She ran her hand up Oberon’s arm and across his chest.

  “Yes—very fragile.” He arched an eyebrow at Christian as they followed Valerica into the room.

  Christian ignored him. “We’re not here to party, Valerica. We’re here to talk.”

  Her almost too-cheerful expression slipped a little, then she recovered it. “You can ask questions later.”

  She grabbed his hand and pulled him into the room where more than a dozen couples were dancing, making out, or having sex.

  Oberon walked to the stereo and turned it off. “All you people—out now,” he boomed, pulling out his identification and holding it up high.

  Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at him. When he reinforced his demand with a deep growl they moved, gathering up clothes and dressing quickly. Within minutes the apartment had emptied.

  “Spoilsport.” Valerica pouted and stamped her foot. “Who do you think you are?”

  “Valerica, what are you doing?” Christian asked, gently taking her by the upper arms. He felt like shaking her, but it wouldn’t have helped.r />
  “Having fun…” She stuck out a petulant lower lip and stepped closer, running her hand across his chest. “Come on, how ’bout it? Your friend can join in too. What’s his name?” She tossed Oberon a seductive smile. He cocked his head and raised an eyebrow at Christian.

  “It’s Oberon DuPrie, a fellow agent with the Department.” Christian captured her wrists and held them. “Valerica, it’s not going to make the pain go away,” he whispered.

  Tears spilled from her eyes and she stopped fighting him. “No, but it helps me to forget the hollowness eating up my heart.”

  Christian pulled her into his arms but she shoved him away.

  “I can smell that human whore all over you,” she sneered. “She’s a Venator, Christian, she kills our kind.”

  “No, she kills dreniacs. Just like Viktor and I did when we came across them.” He kept his tone calm and soothing, knowing Valerica was close to the breaking point.

  Oberon turned away. Thank God he had some sense of decency.

  “All humans should grovel at our feet. Once we were their masters. In ancient times, they worshiped us as gods. Now we have to pay them to feed. The AR…” Her eyes went wide as she realized where her ranting was taking her.

  Oberon turned and moved to stand over her. “What about the AR?”

  She squared her shoulders. “We believe in our right to not be subjugated by those who are our food.”

  “Is that so?” Oberon asked, towering over her. “How about you enlighten us a little more?”

  She tilted her head as she looked up at Oberon, as if unable to comprehend what he’s just said. Christian took her arm and gently pulled her away from Oberon before leading her to the lounge.

  “Tell us what you know.” Christian kept his voice low, even, and hopefully nonthreatening while he pushed her gently down to sit on the plush seat.

  “No—you’re with the Department, both of you, you’ll only try and stop it.” She crossed her arms and leaned back into the sofa.

  “It’s my job to protect people,” he said. “These murders are wrong.”