by Storm Savage
“This is about Raef, isn’t it?”
“No. This is not about Raef.” She jutted her hip out sideways and placed a firm hand on it. “This is about you trying to control me, and your subtle digs anytime you get a shot. But don’t expect me to put Raef on ice just because you can’t handle the fallout.”
“You really are a badass chick, aren’t ya?”
“I don’t see myself that way. I am who I am.” She tucked a few strands of hair behind one ear while staring back at him. “I am a warrior, you know this. I didn’t plan for you to know this, but it happened, and now Ian knows it, too. I’ve been called upon for a dangerous mission and now I have to deal with their scruffy, cocky, belligerent leader.”
“Yeah, Coop isn’t much fun.” His tone of voice softened. “I think you’re under too much pressure and that’s what’s going on here. I’m not giving up on us yet. Once all this Satellite nonsense is out of everyone’s system, your thoughts will clear and we’ll go back to New York to resume living normal lives.”
She blinked in surprise. “Have you not heard me? We are no longer engaged.” She reached into her bag and pulled out the ring then shoved it into his hand. “Here.”
“I’ll hold onto it if you want. I know you’re stressed right now, babe. I’ll sit back and let you do what it takes to help the guys. Then we can sort our relationship. I can understand why you need to put on a tough front around Coop. He’s a hardass character.”
His refusal to let go troubled her. She failed to grasp his sudden switch in demeanor. Regardless, she had a battle to win.
“Doesn’t matter. We aren’t going on a joy ride. Probably better that he’s a scoundrel for what we have to do. I can’t have men on my team who’ll go weak when the blood starts to fly.”
“I’m going with you.” His tone of voice indicated he wouldn’t change his mind.
“Whatever.” She pushed past him. “Don’t get in my way.”
“Damn, baby, you’re mean,” he muttered while following her down the stairs. “Are we still engaged?”
She wagged her naked left ring finger at him without looking back. “What does this tell you?”
He sighed and muttered something inaudible under his breath. She ignored him and kept walking.
* * * *
Raef followed her every fluid movement with his eyes when Flame returned to their small group. She looked sexier than ever in the short shorts and cropped top. Her wild blonde hair hung in soft waves past her bare shoulders. Their eyes met for a fleeting glance and he caught the smoldering look in the depths of that sultry gaze. Her naturally pouty lips were coated in pale pink lip color, which accented the creaminess of her naturally sun-kissed skin. A warm glow emanated from her, drawing him into her seductive aura. He wanted her more than any woman he’d known and he’d known quite a few.
Her hips swayed sweetly as she sauntered toward the table. Every man there seemed captivated by her radiant appearance. She’d gone from beautiful to stunning with just a change of clothes. Or maybe something more, he mused by the look in her eyes. Their hot night of passion lingered in his mind. He’d tasted her in every way a man could taste a woman and still hungered for more—she was just that sweet.
She moved behind him and slid two dainty hands over his shoulders then down the front of his bare chest. Her warm breath wisped his neck as she whispered, “I want you riding at my side tonight. Do you ride hard?”
“Yeah, babe, I ride hard,” he replied firm and low.
“I thought you might, if last night was any indication.” Her soft whisper sent chills up his spine.
“Guess you don’t recall that I was with his pack when we snatched you from Von on the road.”
She practically slithered around his body into the chair next to him. “My memory of that morning is vague. I’m sorry.”
“No worries, glad I could help. I don’t need recognition.”
“Modest…I like that in a man.” She’d become seductively kittenish, as if two women lurked inside her enchanting soul.
An uncomfortable tightening formed in his groin. Her voice, the sway of her walk and her delicate floral scent had him burning for more of her wild love. He glanced at Hatch, who sat across from them. He seemed overly calm for a man who’d just been dumped. Ian and Coop observed her with open curiosity.
“I hope you have riding clothes,” Coop finally broke the silent spell she’d cast. “You can’t ride in that outfit.”
“Don’t worry about me. These are my day clothes. My leathers are upstairs.”
Raef cleared his throat to compose himself. “Did you find everything okay? I placed your bags in the foyer before you woke.”
“Yes, thank you.”
Hatch pushed away from the table with a growl. “I’m going to check on the bikes. We’ll need them to be ready for tonight.”
“You’re going with us?” Coop sounded surprised.
“Yeah…” His eyes darted toward Flame. “I’m not letting my woman fight some evil fiend without me by her side.”
Raef couldn’t miss the deliberate undertone and he doubted anyone else missed it either. Hatch clearly was in denial, or simply refused to let her go. Either way, the ring was not on her finger. Too late, old friend, she will never be yours again. He smiled to himself.
“Hold up, Hatch, I better help ya out there and make sure your bike is ready for some hard miles.” Coop stood up.
“I made it from New York to LA without any help. I think I can handle it.”
“Ah, stop your whining and let me have a look at what you’re riding. Those touring bikes are nice but not built for what we might encounter. We may need to set you up with something a bit more rugged.”
“I have a Custom Softail in the garage,” Ian added. “It’s Cassie’s, but really a fast ride. Let’s see how it fits ya.”
“I think I can handle myself just fine on the road.” Hatch stalked off toward the garage.
“We’ll be the judge of that.” Coop followed him.
Raef heard Hatch growl again before disappearing around the corner with the other two hot on his tail. He knew as they did that one slow rider could make a mess of things when going into an intense situation. Each rider had to be prepared for anything when out there on the open roads at night—especially now.
“I do remember everything else,” Flame said when the guys were out of sight. “But the highway fight is murky. What I am sure of is that you believe Ian about the Satellite and you embrace my culture. How can that be, when you know very little about me?”
He took her hands in his. “When I found your daggers on the road after you’d been stolen from us, I felt as if I’d picked up your heart in my hands when I held them.”
She sighed, gazing dreamily at him. Unable to resist, he leaned forward and kissed her lips.
“You are part of my destiny, Raef Jackson, do you know that?”
“Yeah. I think I’ve known it for a while. I refused to let anyone touch your precious Sai. The power in those blades is mind-blowing.”
“You felt me in them?”
He nodded. “The connection was unreal. I never left them unguarded. Something in me just knew that they are sacred to you.”
“Yes, they are.”
“Any regrets about last night?” he asked while rubbing his thumb over the finger that no longer carried an engagement ring.
“None…you?”
“No way.” He brushed his lips over her fingertips. “I was a bit worried you might back down to Hatch. He seems unwilling to let go.”
“He doesn’t intimidate me. He can pout or throw all his manipulation tactics at me. I am immune to men like him. Just took me a few months to catch on this time.”
“This time?”
“My first husband had me fooled a lot longer. Years longer. I had no idea he belonged to a biker group until he and that Von character came after me. Then again, he didn’t know of my involvement with the sisterhood until after the divorce. I still
can’t figure how Aiden found out that I’m a warrior.”
“Maybe Von told him.”
“How would he know? He told me that he heard it from Aiden. Do you think one of the guys from Ian’s pack told Aiden? Maybe someone from the Soldiers told a member of the Pythons.”
“Not likely, they are arch enemies. And I’ve been hanging with Ian since he found out. He never told anyone. Hell, nobody knew until last night that the Satellite even had a weakness. Ian kept that information to himself. We all heard his ramblings about creepers and their leader. Nobody gave it much merit.” Raef let his fingers float up the silky skin of her bare arms. “But as soon as he mentioned Sai daggers I knew you were the one.”
They gazed at each other in a deeply affectionate exchange of emotion. He saw softness in her eyes that she’d kept hidden since her arrival.
“I’m touched by your faith.”
“I only know what I felt when I picked up those blades and what I feel every time you’re near me…undeniable attraction and amazing energy.”
“Thank you.” Her voice was soft and gentle. “So if Von didn’t tell my ex and Ian’s pack didn’t say anything, who else could have tipped him off?”
“Maybe the same person who called Hatch the morning Von took off with you. We were searching blindly all night for clues as to where you’d gone. Then Hatch stepped aside to take a call. He never told us how he knew where you were and nobody took time out to interrogate him. We just hopped the bikes and made double-time to PA. Sure enough, Hatch’s tip paid off and we found you.”
A pensive look shadowed her face. “I never thought to ask him. I figured someone in the biker world contacted Ian.”
“Well, the important thing is that you’re here and safe. Ian was able to keep his secret until you arrived and now we’ll get rid of the monster.”
“Yeah…not sure why Hatch insisted on coming along,” she said with worried eyes.
“Ah, he just can’t stand the thought of being left out. Plus he hasn’t accepted his loss yet.” Raef enjoyed getting to know this softer side of her that he’d never seen. She seemed less guarded and more at ease chatting with him. He longed for more times such as this and wondered what she’d be like on the road. Will she put distance between us once the others are around again? He hoped for stolen moments during their trek to hunt down the Satellite—moments where she could relax, hopefully in his arms. He didn’t care what Hatch thought. The man didn’t deserve a rare find like Flame.
“You don’t ask a lot of questions.”
“Should I?” He slid an arm around her waist.
“No…I’m just impressed. Most guys want to know everything, especially since I am divorced.”
“I figure if I wait, the questions will answer themselves. I’ve never been one to pry, maybe because I don’t like people prying into my life. You don’t ask questions either. For all you know I could be married with ten kids.”
She let out a delightfully sweet laugh. “I think I’d know if you had ten kids.” Then she paused and tilted her head. “You’re not married, are you?”
“No, angel,” he said with a light laugh. “I’m a one woman man.”
“But all is fair, right?”
“How so?”
“You have no guilt over sweeping me off my feet when I was engaged to your friend?”
Her comment went straight to his heart. “Is that what I did?”
She didn’t reply but smiled again. Her eyes shone with intrigue. He loved this side of her as much as her many other facets. She was indeed a rare jewel. With one arm still around her waist, he gently placed his free hand alongside her face. She stared up at him with sultry eyes and softly parted lips. He kept eye contact with half-closed eyes as they kissed, letting himself get lost in her passionate gaze. She lowered her long lashes as a relaxed haze of pleasure swept over her face.
As the kiss deepened they sighed at the same time. She closed her eyes first. He explored her warm moist mouth with his tongue. She tasted sweet and fresh. Her hands slid into his hair and took a tight hold. They sighed again, hungrily pulling at each other’s lips.
“You two might want to get your bikes ready.” Hatch’s voice shattered the blissful moment.
Raef eased back slowly, placing several tender lingering kisses on her lips before sitting up straight. He wasn’t about to let anyone make him feel guilty for pursuing the woman of his dreams.
“Yeah…” he muttered softly, never taking his eyes off Flame. “We’ll have them ready in time.”
“You do realize that when this nightmare is over, Flame will be coming back to New York with me, don’t you?”
Raef turned toward him, keeping one arm around her. “When’s the last time you checked with her about that?”
“She’s my woman, but I’m allowing her free reign in order to reduce her stress. Didn’t she tell you?”
“Well in that case…” Raef stood up, then pulled Flame to her feet. “I can think of better ways to spend an afternoon than playing head games with you.” He swept her into his arms.
A stunned expression crossed her face yet she offered him a grateful smile all the same while curling her arms around his neck.
“We’ll be ready to ride at dusk. Catch ya later.”
Flame never looked back as he carried her away, then into the house. Hatch could sit and stew all afternoon, but he was going to make more wild love to the stunning and fiery woman clinging to his embrace.
Chapter Seven
Flame felt completely energized for their first ride out in search of the elusive Satellite. While an intense and lengthy afternoon of wild lovemaking might have nudged most people toward a long nap, her passionate day with Raef had the opposite effect on her. He thrilled her in ways beyond her imagination.
They’d tasted and enjoyed each other in every manner she could fathom and maybe then some. He lacked nothing as a lover and his quiet non-intrusive style drew her deeper and deeper into his aura. She longed to feel him on a more profound level. Their physical attraction was off the charts. She hoped that as their relationship grew, that their spiritual and mental chemistry would jive as well.
This might just be the man I take to Celestial Village someday. The thought thrilled her. To finally find a man worthy of such an experience, she’d been waiting a lifetime for the right man. Only time would tell if she’d found her soul mate in Raef.
She forced her dreamy thoughts aside. Tonight required fight mode. Now that the creepers had seen her, they might be more aggressive, especially if their incubus leader was fueling their evil souls.
After rooting through her bags, she pulled out her leathers. I wonder what the guys will think. They probably expect me to wear studded black leather and a corset.
First she wriggled into the skintight leather pants, then donned her matching gold-tone zip-front jacket. The leather felt soft and supple against her skin. She admired her reflection in the mirror that hung opposite the foot of Raef’s bed. Her fingers affectionately traced the braided brocade accents along the modest v-neckline. The complimenting braided trim emphasized almost every seam of her well-worn jacket, including the vertical front zipper and the side pocket zippers. The sexy edging also accented each breast panel, bordered the zippers running the length of both forearms and hemmed in the cropped waist.
Resting one hand on her bare midriff, she turned to one side then the other to inspect her appearance then playfully pouted at herself in the mirror. Each warrior’s leathers were tailor fitted and designed for ease of movement. She loved the feeling of empowerment when dressed for battle.
Flame considered the wisdom behind her sect and wondered how many women had died in order to perfect their methods. She longed to visit with her sisters again, attend meetings to catch up on politics of interest and linger in the village a while. Celestial Village was like no other place on earth. The colony had recruited women from all walks of life to enhance their skills. Biochemists, botanists, doctors, lawyers, and the
list went on.
She sensed this group of men severely underestimated the depth of her race, yet it didn’t bother her. Ian had been wise to wait for the right woman.
While staring into the floor length mirror, she brushed out her hair, then finger fluffed it around her shoulders. Lastly, she pulled on her knee-high ladies’ biker boots. Again, she inwardly mused over how the guys would expect something sexier. Men tended to have preconceived images of biker women. She doubted her leather boots with the rugged sole and low heel would set them to drooling.
Once satisfied with her appearance, she secured the daggers into the holsters at her thighs and tucked her backpack into a corner of Raef’s room. The only thing I’ll need with me tonight is my attitude and my blades. She left the master suite with confidence in her heart and determination in her soul.
Raef, Ian, and Hatch looked up when she entered the main living area.
“Not what I expected…but wow…” Raef’s eyes widened. “I was right when I called you angel. You look tough…and angelic.” He met her halfway across the room. “I’m impressed. Only you could pull off kickass and virtuous in one outfit.” He brushed a light, modest kiss over her lips.
“Thank you.” She fought back the blush trying to break through. She did not want anyone to see her soft side except for Raef—she felt at ease with him. Hatch’s jealous glare did not go unnoticed. She shrugged it off. He would have to accept her decision eventually.
“Raef is right,” Ian added. “I thought you’d have some hot black riding leathers to offset that wild blonde hair.”
She let out a soft laugh. “Expected the typical biker chick look, huh?”
“Something like that. Cassie wore the usual black leathers.”
“Our attire is designed to be practical yet versatile. Never know when we might need to use more than just our weapons to accomplish our goals.” She gave him a playful wink.
Ian raised a brow. “Sounds interesting. Do all your members ride bikes?”
“We each choose our method of travel. I love motorcycles. As I told Coop, I’ve been riding since very young, so it’s natural for me to hop on a bike and take off. I prefer the freedom as opposed to maneuvering an awkward car.”