Temptation Unleashed

by Kari Thomas

  At least for her.

  She had fallen in love with him. Deeply, irrevocably, inescapably in love. Her pain nearly overwhelmed her when she thought of him; his devastating good looks, that rumbling voice, his quiet gliding walk, warm lips that —

  She slammed her thoughts shut.

  Her heart ached and she thought she would lose it, become a wraith, pining for her love. But scorching anger eventually pulled her out of her blue funk, back into the world with a rush. All she had to do was think about them, picture Aiden and Sonia in some secret rendezvous, and she wanted to lash out, hurt someone the way she had been hurt.

  She was a fool.

  Aiden had always been honest with her about what they had. He had been open about claiming his feelings went no deeper than lust. She couldn’t help wondering if he had been the same way with Sonia.

  Had he seduced her younger sister, even after she was married to his brother? Had Sonia, realizing what she had done, how she’d betrayed her husband and their vows, been tormented? Had Kyle found out the truth and Sonia been unable to face his disillusionment, his outrage, his hurt? Was that the reason for their deaths, that final, vile and cataclysmic act? Had being forced into admitting the truth shoved Sonia’s unstable mind over the edge of reason?

  And what about her sister’s warnings? Had Aiden played a part in the tragedy? Her sister’s spirit had appeared twice to warn her, claiming he was dangerous. Had she been warning Kira about Aiden? Was there something…more…to Sonia and Kyle’s deaths, something that directly involved Aiden?

  Her mind whirled as she left her room, too agitated by her chaotic thoughts to remain shut inside. Her spirit felt restless, her mind assailed with thoughts of a man who, from the very first moment she’d set eyes on him, had changed her life in more ways than even she could have dreamed.

  The backyard was a secluded and private garden. Having been blessed with loving magic, the garden’s essence was healing. She had been taking advantage of its tranquility, and desperately needed the peace it brought, especially after her nightmares.

  The nights had been unusually warm for that time of year so she left her wrap in her room. The silk of her nightgown sensuously clung to her curves, the wide hem brushing the tops of her bare feet as she crossed the dewy lawn. A profusion of perfumes rose from the cooling flowerbeds, scenting the warm night, and Kira inhaled deeply, pulling in the rich fragrance, her dream-shaken body centering, calming, comforted by the lush sanctuary.

  But she was confused, conflicted, and sat down on a stone bench with a sigh. She rubbed at her aching temples, her thoughts bouncing from one thing to another.

  She couldn’t get past the notion that her nightmare, one that would have normally left her mourning lost loved ones and little else, had led her thoughts straight to Aiden. She still had a hard time dealing with the fact that Aiden and Sonia had been intimate — that Marissa was his daughter. The startling realization had changed everything.

  For her. And for her niece.

  After spending time watching Marissa interact with the Calhoun household, she had come to realize her niece was deeply loved, well taken care of, protected. She’d reconsidered the custody battle, seeing no purpose to removing her niece from the only home she had ever known. She only wanted what was best for Marissa. Nothing else was more important than her happiness. But now? What was she supposed to do? What were her options? She bit her bottom lip. Should she tell Marissa the truth? And how would the young child ever understand the complexities of the situation?

  And no matter what she might like to think about him, Aiden had proven himself an honorable man more times than she really cared to count. She had a hard time believing that he would ever intentionally harm anyone he cared for.

  Protect them, die for them…yes, she could see that. But hurt them…

  No!

  A sudden shiver danced across her skin, alerting her to a presence in the garden. She turned her head to see who it might be and surged to her feet, her hands flying to cover her mouth, to stifle her screams. Her gaze locked with glowing eyes.

  Oh Goddess, no.

  This was her worst nightmare become reality. Not five feet away, between her and the safety of the house, stood an enormous feline.

  Poised, still as death. Waiting. Watching.

  It was dark as the night surrounding them.

  The once safe sanctuary grew smaller with each moment that passed. Moments that seemed to last hours. Memories pounded her mind, remnants of ravaging creatures that had destroyed her life, her family.

  Huge. Dangerous. Deadly.

  No escape. Nowhere to run.

  The big cat’s low rumbling growl stilled her heart.

  Chapter Twelve

  Paralyzing fear kept her standing, and threatened to stop her breathing altogether. Kira gasped, pulling much needed air into her resisting lungs. As hard as she tried, she couldn’t stop the small whimper that escaped. She froze when the terrified squeak brought another menacing sound from the big cat.

  She closed her eyes and prayed. Prayed that she was still asleep, dreaming. Simply remembering the nightmarish incident that had haunted her for years, not reliving it.

  No. When she opened her eyes it was still there.

  Still. Dark. Watching.

  It wasn’t a dream.

  The numbing fear, freezing her body inside and out, was all too real. The deadly glare of leonine eyes locked with hers, searing her soul. She could save herself. She had the power.

  No. My terror is too consuming!

  With that realization came the horrific memory of her parents’ and sisters’ screams. The screams echoed in her head. Louder and louder, they drowned out her surroundings, vibrating through her mind. Obstructing all attempts for calm rational thinking.

  She struggled to recall words of protection, a spell that would halt the attack. She attempted, in vain, to use her powerful magic, her inborn legacy, but her terror overwhelmed her. She watched – powerless – as her parents and Shey were slaughtered right before her eyes, one after another. Numb, she stared down at her left arm and hand. Deep gashes, claw marks, left ragged trails of torn skin and rivulets of blood...

  In the back of her mind a tiny voice reminded her it was only a memory. The irony wasn’t lost on her…she knew she was going to faint…just like she had that day...

  The last thing she saw, as the gentle blackness pulled her down, was the cat’s glowing eyes...

  Odd, she thought as she succumbed to the comforting dark, this cat’s eyes are silver-gray.

  Just like Aiden’s.

  *****

  Aiden’s angry growl rumbled past feline lips and he snarled out a sound that had the same nasty connotations of words that he’d have cussed aloud if he had been in human form. His subconscious made an instant decision, and he found himself changing into human form, willing clothes to cover his nakedness as he covered the distance between them in quick strides.

  Damn it! Her fainting was the last thing he’d expected.

  Or intended.

  Some perverse inner demon had brought him here, to her, this night. He’d known it was crazy but his emotions had bombarded him, pushing him to confront her. He had every reason to hate her. Every reason not to trust her.

  He’d justified the need to scare her, threaten her, as payback for the simmering ire that ate at his soul. All the facts implied she was involved in this mess, with the disappearances of his people. He had every right to intimidate her, by whatever means necessary, to get to the truth. She’d made him care about her.

  Want her.

  Need her.

  And he’d be damned if he would let some little slip of a witch control him in that fashion.

  Despite resolutely hardening his heart against feeling any softness toward her, Aiden’s hands were gentle, his arms comforting, when he lifted her into his arms and cuddled her close against his chest. His preternatural senses told him no one else was in the house when he’d checked earlier,
in search of his ‘prey’. He briefly wondered when Warren, or Lena, would return as he carried Kira into the house, following her scent to her room. He carefully laid her on the bed and slowly pulled his arms away, his hands momentarily curving her hips before sliding to his sides. He took a step back and stared down at her pale face.

  She looked so incredibly fragile.

  He growled softly, his gaze captured by her delicate beauty. Her fragileness paled in comparison to the alluring, sexuality she radiated. Her nightgown molded to every feminine curve and was tantalizingly semi-transparent. His breathing roughened, his pulses accelerated, as he watched her chest fall and rise with every slight breath, pushing her breasts against the silk and highlighting the small beads of her nipples.

  He groaned. Damn it, he wasn’t supposed to be here, desperately wanting her with every fiber of his being. Until she proved otherwise, she was the enemy.

  His head listened to the logic but his body refused to care.

  He eased onto the bed, his thigh brushing her hip. Against his better judgment, he reached out and palmed the softness of her cheek. He slid his thumb over the silky plumpness of her slightly parted lips and bit back a needy groan. The craving to taste her mouth hit him hard and he didn’t bother fighting it.

  Leaning down, he touched his lips to hers. The moment he touched her softness, tasted the sweetness, he gave in to the clamoring need and claimed her mouth with a voracious hunger, one that went deeper than he cared to admit. He knew the exact moment she came to full consciousness.

  Her body jerked with a slight start and she gasped out a soft moan. He took advantage of her parting lips and pushed his tongue inside her hot, waiting mouth. Their tongues mated, their breaths mingled, their hearts beat in rhythm. Aiden leaned into her and slowly moved his hands down her face, across her throat, and to her breasts, caressing every silky, soft inch with a possessive touch. Kira sighed into his mouth, as if luxuriating in his touch. He deepened the kiss at the same moment he palmed both of her breasts in his hands, swallowing her shaky gasp with a moan of his own.

  She fit perfectly in his hands.

  He felt her nipples harden and, as desperate as he was to devour her sweet mouth, the need to taste her plump breasts was just as overwhelming. He dragged his lips from hers and buried his face against her breasts, his breathing harshly ragged.

  He heard her whisper his name, breathing it like a prayer, and he growled low. An insistent fire burned deep in his belly and he hardened impossibly, painfully, more.

  “Not yet,” he muttered low, desperate, knowing what she would demand of him when he felt her hands clenching his shoulders. He wasn’t willing to stop...not quite yet.

  Wasn’t ready for her to push him away.

  Again.

  “Don’t do it,” she pleaded on a whispery breath. “We can’t do this, let it go that far.”

  Damn, damn, damn. To hell with logic. He wanted her with a desire that went beyond caution or logic. He tried to think clearly but his body warred with his mind. He knew his tenuous control was slipping, precariously near to overriding his good sense.

  And Kira knew it, too.

  She slowly ran her hands through his long hair, caressing him gently, calming him even as he kept his face buried between the valley of her breasts, breathing in her intoxicating scent.

  She could feel his body clenching and relaxing against hers, fighting against what he wanted, and what he knew was right. “Breathe,” she whispered softly in his ear. She took several calming breaths as well, exhaling slowly. She continued to caress his scalp as she centered her mind, seeking the calm she desperately needed but was far from feeling. She knew if she didn’t get control of the situation there would be no going back, for either of them.

  Confusion suddenly swamped her. Was this another dream? What was Aiden doing here? In her bed? The last thing she remembered was being in the garden and…

  The cat! The moment right before it attacked!

  She grasped a handful of Aiden’s hair and pulled his head up until he looked at her. She almost forgot why, when she saw the look of raw hunger shining in the dark depths of his burning gaze. Her body responded, craved his touch, his lips, his heat.

  Oh, Goddess. The cat’s eyes!

  “Silver-gray.” She blinked, uncertain of what her mind was trying to tell her.

  “Little witch,” Aiden murmured with an unsteady growl, “You keep me constantly confused. Is it deliberate? Silver-gray what? What are you talking about?”

  Kira mentally berated herself. Associating the cat with Aiden was beyond ridiculous. It was bordering on the insane. “Your eyes,” she said, reaching up to smooth his dark slanted brows with one shaky finger, “are the most amazing shade of gray.”

  He frowned at her murmured comment. “You were thinking about my eyes at a time like this?” He shifted, moving to lie over her body. He smiled a wolfish grin when she emitted a small gasp at the feel of his hard, aggressive body.

  “I’m surprised I’m thinking clearly at all,” she admitted wryly. When he grinned again, looking devilishly boyish and all male at the same time, it took her breath away. She couldn’t resist laying her fingers against his lips, tracing the curve of his smile. When his hungry gaze turned molten, she spoke quickly, seeking to defuse the tense moment. “What are you doing here?”

  His dark lashes lowered to conceal his expression. He shifted, this time moving off her to lean against her side. “Damned if I know,” he muttered, then, “I thought we needed to talk …”

  He left the sentenced unfinished, and Kira was glad. The last thing she needed to hear were more hurtful words. But he was right, they did need to talk.

  She couldn’t stop herself from asking dryly, “Is that what you were doing? Just now? Talking to me?”

  Aiden’s countenance turned stormy. “If I thought for one minute that you’ve cast a spell on me, I’d make you regret it, Kira. I came here tonight, against my better judgment, and never intended to…” He took a deep breath, exhaling slowly, his teeth grinding in frustration. “Damn it. You didn’t have to respond so willingly.”

  She was not going to take blame for his actions. “You caught me off guard!” She clenched a small fist and thumped him. She pushed against his broad chest but it was like trying to move a stone wall. “I wasn’t even aware you were here. So don’t blame this on me, you arrogant jerk. When did you get here? The last thing I remember is…”

  He frowned darkly as she paled with the memory of what had happened in the garden. He still felt bad that he had frightened her so badly that she’d fainted. He knew he’d made a costly mistake tonight, arriving in cougar form to purposely scare her just to appease his desire for retribution. If she ever put the pieces together…

  Kira raised her left arm and stared at it. His gaze followed the path of ridged scars, from wrist to elbow. An unfamiliar emotion clutched at his heartstrings, settling deep. He captured her wrist and tugged on it slightly to make her look at his face. He made sure his tone was low, soft, gentle.

  “How did this happen?” She tried to pull free but he held on. He snared her gaze with his. “Tell me, baby.” She made a little choking sound, and closed her eyes tightly. His gut wrenched when he noticed the moisture at the corner of her lids. He leaned over and softly touched his lips to her closed eyes, kissing away her tears. He sat up, just far enough to get his arms around her, then settle her close to his body, leaning them back against the pillows and headboard.

  “Whatever it is, Kira,” he murmured against the top of her head, as it rest upon his chest, “it’s just a memory. You’re safe…here in my arms…and it can’t hurt you. I won’t let it.”

  For a moment he thought she didn’t hear him but, then, she choked out a light laugh, laced with tears, and her voice was deceptively joking, “Where were you when I needed you then?”

  He waited, using patience he didn’t really feel. Soothingly, yet with a caress he couldn’t prevent, he ran his hands up and down her b
ack, comforting her shaking body. She sighed, the sound so heartrending he almost groaned. He’d suspected from the beginning that the scar was associated with her fear of wild animals and wasn’t sure that hearing the full truth was something he was prepared for.

  But he had to know.

  “Our mother was a healer,” Kira started, her voice soft and low, her southern accent growing more pronounced. He’d noticed it always sounded that way whenever she was distracted, or got emotional. The tantalizing cadence never failed to touch his nerves like a caress and he had to force himself to focus on her words.

  “We lived in Louisiana, outside of Baton Rouge. The community accepted our magical heritage so our parents were able to use their skills to help others. Our mother dealt in herbology, making remedies, potions and salves. Our father was also a powerful witch but his skills were inclined to be more of spells and incantations. We lived near a swamp, a ways from town, but we didn’t mind. Mother used local floras and fauna, and there was an abundance of local plants and herbs to be found in the swamp – greenery that didn’t flourish anywhere else. She took her coven there on a weekly basis to gather what was needed.”

  Listening to her explain about their witchcraft, as though it was a necessary and readily available practice, wasn’t easy for him to accept. His past experience with anything concerned with the practicing of witchcraft and spells hadn’t exactly been pleasant. He forced himself to remain quiet and let her talk.

  “One day my sisters and I went with our parents on the foray into the swamp. It had started out to be a dismal, dark day, with the threat of a storm hovering. At first I thought it was the approaching storm that made the swamp so eerily quiet. Usually, it was alive with the sounds of insects and wildlife, sometimes to a deafening crescendo. Shey would laugh and say the swamp was just saying ‘hello’.”

  Her light laugh at the remembrance rumbled against his chest and he closed his eyes for a moment. She had the most amazing affect on him, in ways she didn’t even realize. It was more than a little disconcerting.