Did she sense that this was more than a simple break-in attempt? Maybe her psychic abilities were more developed than he had thought. Or maybe he was just reading too much into her words and her reactions. Still, he needed to ask. “What do you sense?”
“Sense?” She stared at him as if surprised by the question. After a moment, she shook her head. “Nothing.” Her voice lowered. “It’s nothing.”
Oh yes. She was keeping something from him. Ashe wondered if he should tell her the truth. She already knew he dealt with the paranormal. Although this was more than some strange sounds in a house or getting a fortune read. But if she sensed something evil, it could answer her questions and she might even open up to him. She was an expert in ancient cultures and the paranormal, so maybe… “Dalila?”
She looked into his concerned eyes, feeling so much safer with him here. She didn’t even care why he’d stopped by tonight. She just hoped he’d stay a while. She didn’t think she could stand to be alone. She even wondered if she might be able to entice him into spending the whole night. On the couch, of course. Just in case the shadowed stranger did decide to return.
When he just sat there silently, as if hesitant to say what was on his mind, she prodded him to continue. “What is it, Ashe?”
He stared at her intently and she felt a flush creep into her cheeks. A picture of them locked together, fucking like crazy, suddenly popped into her head. A night with Ashe in her bed would certainly be much more exciting than him sleeping on the couch—devilishly erotic and a memory she’d never forget. Just the touch of his hand on hers had warmed her all over. She struggled to maintain her composure. Did he know her thoughts? Did he feel the attraction too?
He rubbed his chin and a cautious look entered his eyes. “I know who was outside your door.”
Surprise filled her and she stiffened. “You know?” He’d said earlier that he hadn’t seen anybody. The look in his eyes concerned her and her heart began to race anew. “Should I be worried?” she asked slowly.
“Well…”
“Tell me.” Maybe his appearance hadn’t simply been good timing after all. Maybe he had been the one outside her door all along and now wanted to come clean about it. But if so, why would he have tried to get in? It didn’t make sense because instinctively she felt she could trust him and any worries about him were misplaced.
Since her youth, she’d had the uncanny ability to scan a person’s psyche, as her mother had. A special gift, an oftentimes exhausting gift, that she’d thought of as a curse for most of her life because she couldn’t control it. As such, she hadn’t developed the ability as much as she probably should have, and more often than not ignored the signals she received from it. This time her heart, as well as her ability, told her that Ashe was one of the good guys.
“This might sound outrageous. But an incubus was outside your door.” He rushed the words then looked at her in silence.
For a moment, she just sat there. Stunned. “An incubus? You mean like a demon? The kind that lore says causes nightmares?” Was he making up some sort of paranormal metaphor for the person who had been in the hall because he knew she was rattled and probably wouldn’t sleep restfully tonight?
“Actually, the kind that engages in sexual perversions.”
She purposely hadn’t mentioned that aspect of the incubi, though she was aware of it. Demon culture was way on the fringe of what she studied and she wasn’t that knowledgeable about the subject overall. No real proof had been found by the scientific community that a demon culture truly did exist, or ever had existed, so it wasn’t regarded as much more than folklore by the academic community.
In her mind, a sexual demon trying to get at her was pretty farfetched though she tried to be open-minded about such things. She’d learned over the years that even the impossible sometimes turned out to be reality. But not this.
“Yes, Ashe, an incubus does sound outrageous.” She stood from the couch and pushed aside her earlier insecurities about being alone. “Maybe you should leave now.”
She respected what Ashe did for a living and how he helped people in trouble. But when he used the paranormal to explain away a simple burglary attempt—or maybe an incubus was his way of introducing sex into their relationship—well, that was just weird. Good guy or not. She’d shove a chest of drawers or something in front of the door to feel safe.
Slowly, he got to his feet. “Sorry, Dalila.” He looked her directly in the eye. “I am not leaving.”
“What?” The feeling of trepidation she’d already been experiencing grew and hung heavily in the air. Had he really just refused to get out of her apartment?
“I cannot leave. Not until I fuck you in the ass.”
Chapter Two
For a moment, Dalila couldn’t move. Nor could she think clearly. Fuck you in the ass. Had he actually said those words? Her heart pounded so hard that her chest hurt.
This wasn’t like Ashe at all. Maybe he was trying to seduce her. If so, she’d never heard such a bad come-on in her life. “Are you joking?” she asked, hoping that his words weren’t as they seemed. Unfortunately his eyes looked completely serious.
“No.”
That’s all he said. That one word.
Tense moments between them passed. Her uneasiness built and crept along her spine, picking up speed until the feeling raced like wildfire throughout her body. Her head was spinning and she began to doubt all her inner feelings—everything she’d previously believed to be true about him.
Self-preservation kicked in and she decided this wasn’t the time to waver. “Get out, Ashe. Now.” How she spoke the command in a steady tone, she’d never know. Every nerve ending in her body was on high alert.
He took a step toward her. She took a step back.
The look in his eyes turned to pure, primitive passion. She couldn’t remember any man ever looking at her quite that way. It scared her to death.
She spun around and sprinted for the door. Just as she opened it a crack, he was on top of her, slapping it closed and pinning her against the wood.
“No!” The protest squeaked out of her, not nearly as loud as she’d intended. Certainly not loud enough to alert any of the neighbors.
“Relax.” He spoke gently into her ear. “I am not going to hurt you.”
His nearness sent waves of tremors through her body. “You’re just going to fuck me.” She couldn’t get enough air into her lungs to do much more than whisper, “In the ass.” She felt the hardness of his cock pressing against her from behind.
“Yes.” His hands moved up her sides and over her upper arms in a soft caress. “You want me to, Dalila. I felt it from the first time we met.” He nuzzled her neck. “Even now. I feel your excitement. You are intrigued, despite your unnecessary fear and your doubts. Once I mark you, you will be safe. I will see to it that you are saved.”
Mark me? Saved? His words of assurance swirled in her brain. He sounded crazy. She glanced over her shoulder and their gazes met. As she stared at him, she automatically scanned him and saw the truth. His words and actions weren’t a threat at all. Not in his mind.
He believed this to be his right, his job. To save her. But from what?
Too many possibilities swirled in her brain, making it hard for her to think clearly. His earlier words about an incubus came to mind. Demons?
“I see your worry. I also see your struggle, Dalila. There is no need.”
No need? Right. His voice had come out as smooth as silk, like a consummate con man. But she also saw the sincerity in his eyes. The truth in his thoughts.
“Once I fuck you, you will be safe.”
The spicy aroma that always surrounded him filled her nostrils. Even given the situation, her body responded to his scent, to his touch, to his words. Her nipples pebbled and her pussy grew moist. Her ass even tingled. Damn her body. She had no intention of allowing this, of melting at the feet of a psychotic man. Just because he believed what he said, that didn’t make it true.
/> She needed to regain control of this situation. Fast. “Is this story of salvation meant to scare me into bed?” As a psychologist, she wanted to understand him and his perception of reality. As a woman who was physically weaker than he was, she wanted to keep him calm until she could figure a safe way out of this situation.
“What answer will get you into bed faster?” He chuckled.
“Don’t laugh about this. I’m not amused. Fear doesn’t work on me, Ashe.”
“Some women say it turns them on,” he whispered against her ear.
“I’m not one of them.”
“You can trust me, Dalila.”
His soft, massaging touch and easy tone affected her, much to her chagrin. But she couldn’t just trust him and do whatever he wanted. Not as things stood and not especially while he had her trapped against the door.
Her ability and instincts continued to tell her that Ashe would never hurt her. Her mother had always urged her to believe in her ability and not ignore what she saw in others. But that had always been hard for her to do and nearly impossible right now, given the situation.
Regardless of what her scan of Ashe’s psyche indicated, she suspected more was going on here than she had seen. There had to be. She was determined to get to the bottom of it. “Terror is not a suitable seduction technique. Your words sounded like a threat.”
“Never.” He stepped back. “I apologize. I suppose I did come off a little heavy-handed.”
“More than a little.” She turned to face him. “I feel trapped. Not a feeling I like.”
He raised his hands in supplication. “You are not trapped. It just would not have been safe for you to run out by yourself in the middle of the night. That is the only reason I stopped you.”
Her hand covered the doorknob behind her as a precaution, but she didn’t make any move to leave. Yet. The tenseness in the air had eased and she felt a bit more relaxed and in control. “Not safe. Because of an incubus?” Until he marked her. Saved her. Fucked her.
For just a moment, a small grin crossed his face and he shrugged.
“Ashe…”
“I should not have said what I did. It was a, um, miscalculation on my part. I should have brought roses and champagne instead.” Another small, self-deprecating grin graced his face.
So he actually had been trying to seduce her then. But he had read her wrong, thinking she’d find all this exciting. Was that really possible? Had he really just been playing some sort of sex game? Her thoughts raced as she continued to try to make sense of everything. Somehow it wasn’t quite adding up.
He stepped closer once again but stopped when she tensed. “Can we start over?”
“After what you said and did? I don’t know, Ashe.” She felt more than a little confused.
“Yes, you do. Trust your feelings.”
“And how do you know what those are?”
“I can see your feelings in your eyes.” After a brief pause, he slowly moved forward again and gently touched her face. He caressed her cheek then slid his hand behind her neck. “I would never hurt you.”
She released the doorknob and pressed her palms against his chest, not certain if she was going to push him away or curl her fingers into his sweater and pull him closer. Strange as that seemed, even to her.
She didn’t normally feel so drawn to a man that she couldn’t think straight. Especially a man as uncontrollable and unpredictable as Ashe. A man whom she felt she could trust. But not. Which made no sense. Whenever their gazes locked though, she felt completely under his spell.
“I need to make love to you,” he said, his voice rough in his throat. “Say yes.”
Spoken in his deep, sexy tone, his words almost did make her want to melt at his feet. Did that make her too stupid to live? Desperate? She didn’t know. She just knew that, as insane as it sounded, something about Ashe drew her. Something she seemed to have very little control over. “None of this has anything to do with love. I’m not that naïve. You want to fuck.”
“Is that so bad?” His mouth hovered right above hers. “Tell me what you want. I will fuck you any way, every way, you need. You will not be disappointed.” Just barely, he touched her lips with his. “What do you need, Dalila?”
The sound of her name spoken in his deeply sexual voice, along with his nearness and erotic promises, made her nerves tingle. Did she dare? Yes, the devil on her shoulder whispered. You know you want to.
As she felt heat radiate off him in waves, heartbeat after heartbeat passed. Ashe was wild. Dangerous. Intensely erotic. Being with him would fulfill a sexual fantasy she’d yearned to experience for a long time. Feral sex with a darkly passionate man.
He lightly brushed one of her breasts with his fingertips and she nearly swooned. She couldn’t resist what he offered. For once in her life she was going to take a chance. Foolhardy as it might be. “I need… I do need… Fuck me, Ashe. Fuck me.” She barely got the words out, barely heard them herself. Something in her head screamed that she say, in the ass. But those were words she could not say to him. Not aloud.
“Mea domina pulchra.” His lips found hers in a hot and thorough kiss.
Her mouth opened at his urgency and their tongues touched. Warm, moist, delicious. She felt the contact all the way to her toes, like an electrical shock of pure sex to her system. Wow!
What had he said to her? Something in Latin, she thought.
After a heady moment, they separated. Her heart beat hard and fast. As she looked into his dark eyes, something passed between them. A deeper understanding of sorts.
She knew without a doubt that she wanted him not only on a physical level, but on an emotional one as well. How crazy was that? It should have been easy to throw him out. She’d done so before with more than one man who’d overstepped her personal boundaries. With Ashe, she couldn’t do it. Not when it had come right down to it and he’d pushed.
Her desire wasn’t logical. But it was there, nevertheless. Almost otherworldly in its power. As if this were fated, which sounded as crazy as Ashe’s words had sounded. And like some sappy love story. Maybe she was just trying to justify her actions. Regardless, it was her decision to be with him and she had no second thoughts.
His arms went around her and he again kissed her with so much passion that she whimpered. He tasted like heat and cinnamon. She ran her fingers through his thick hair and pushed her body against his, unable to get close enough.
He growled and pulled away, breathing heavily. With his fingers, he loosened her bun and let her long strands cascade over her shoulders. He looked at her with such hunger, just as before.
What once scared her, now caused enough moisture in her panties to make her want to fling them across the room and impale herself on what had felt to her, when he’d been pressed up against her, to be a very sizeable cock.
“Are you blonde everywhere?” he whispered against her lips.
“Find out.”
He looked down and his hand slipped inside her sweats. When his fingers slid beneath the band of her underwear, she took in a sharp breath. He pulled his hand away from her body, just enough to sneak a peek.
Dark blonde hair did indeed cover her cunt. “Beautiful.” When he felt her exhale, his hand eased up and her clothes snapped back into place.
Telling Dalila about the incubus had not gone well. In fact, given her reaction, he was surprised he had been able to convince her not to throw him out. He had hoped she would understand, but then demons were a hard concept for humans, even with their supposed beliefs in good and evil.
Well, all was back on track now. He had salvaged what could have been a wasted opportunity, as well as a necessity. He needed to mark her with his essence and get her protected. Because of the way their hormones worked, it had to be done in the ass, so he hoped she would not be opposed to the action when the time came.
Now that he was so close to actually fucking her, he knew one thing for certain. This meant more to him than simply saving her from the incubi.
He wanted her for himself.
His hands slid under her sweat top. He lifted the garment over her head and dropped it to the floor. Her rounded breasts filled her bra, spilling slightly over the top of the silky white material. Gorgeous. His thumbs caressed her covered nipples and he felt them grow rock hard.
“Mmm.” The low sound, almost a purr, passed her lips.
The look of pleasure on her face sent his own pleasure soaring. He lifted her up and set her in one of the stuffed chairs. When she looked up at him in question, he kneeled in front of her and stripped the sweatpants off her legs in one tug.
Her eyes widened. Such a beautiful blue. The things he wanted to do to her…
With a gentle but determined touch, he lifted and spread her legs, draping one over each arm of the chair, opening her up to him. He pulled her hips forward, then lowered his head between her legs to give her a sample of what to expect.
Slowly and with deliberation he licked the strip of white silk covering the center of her cunt, applying just enough pressure to feel the contours beneath the material.
“Ah!” Her hips jerked up against his tongue.
He licked along the edges of her panties, working the tip of his tongue underneath the bands. Her skin tasted fresh and slightly sweet. Delicious.
“You’re driving me crazy.” She panted and reached for him.
He lifted his head. With a small smile, he pushed her hands behind her back and held them there. Pressed close to her body, her breasts called to him. He licked at one nipple through the silky bra then nibbled at the tender bud as he continued to hold her hands captive behind her.
She squirmed and mewled.
He managed to trap the nipple firmly between his teeth and bit down.
“Ah…oh!” Her whole body arched.
While keeping hold of the nipple, he looked up at her. Her pupils dilated and her skin flushed a nice pink. Her breathing had become labored. But she didn’t protest. Good. He lowered his gaze and bit down again, a little harder this time.
“Ashe!” she cried out, her whole body stiffening. “Oh! Oh! Ah…”
Brazen Moon Page 2