He smiled but before he could respond the woman behind the desk hung up the phone and told Rook they were ready for me in the room at the end of the hallway.
With me following Rook, we headed down a long corridor that was lined with some pretty impressive artwork. The paintings weren’t on canvas or in frames, but rather they were large tiles of plaster inset into the wall at eye level. The scenes depicted were very moving and mostly spoke of great joy, loss, or triumph.
Slowing down I admired the paintings as we continued down the hallway. One tile in particular caught my eye and I reached out to stroke my finger over the face of a savage warrior who appeared to be roaring in triumph with the bodies of his enemies at his feet. He looked strangely familiar, but with so much blood and mud covering his face I couldn’t see his features clearly.
“When I caress these frescoes as you are now, I can actually feel the emotions that drove the artist while he painted them.” I turned to the feminine voice and found a tall Asian woman leaning against the doorway at the end of the hall.
“It would be difficult for anyone to look at these paintings and not feel something, but somehow I think what you are describing goes beyond the normal reaction to great artwork.”
Her lips curved into a smile. “Everything here at Myths and Legends goes beyond the normal for humans Angela,” she enlightened me as she came forward extending her hand. “I am Camila, your masseuse for today.”
“It’s very nice to meet you Camila.”
“If you are ready, there is a red sheet on the table inside.” She gestured gracefully towards the room behind her. “You will need to undress and drape it loosely over your body. I will return in a few moments to begin your massage.”
I glanced at Rook and after a nod from him I went past her into the room beyond. The lights were low and there was a sweet scent wafting through the air; incense maybe? Stepping farther into the room I inhaled deeply trying to identify the intoxicating scent permeating the air. After a few moments I realized that the wonderful scent had a mild drugging effect, and I turned to ask Rook about it. He was whispering something in Camila’s ear while she looked at me speculatively. When they noticed I was watching them Camila bowed slightly to Rook then turned and left us alone.
“What was that about?” I asked crossing my arms over my chest.
He shrugged one of his muscular shoulders. “I told her there is nothing I would keep secret from you.”
My brows drew together. “I don’t understand.”
His lips curled with a slow smile. “You will.”
He was so sexy when he smiled like that, soft and sensual with a hint of teasing.
I licked my lips, my mouth suddenly very dry. “What’s going on here? And why do I get the feeling the scent in this room is more than just incense?”
Moving closer to me he said, “The scent comes from an herb that acts as a muscle relaxer. It won’t alter your state of mind and human drug tests will not be able to pick it up, so there is nothing for you to worry about Detective Ruby.”
He stopped in front of me so close that his chest brushed my arms and I dropped them to my sides. When I looked up into his eyes, silver sparks flashed in their black depths and his fingers skimmed lightly down the side of my face. It was such a simple thing to do, but I felt that touch all the way in my soul.
“Have you ever wanted something so badly that you could almost feel it in your hands when you closed your eyes?” His voice was rough with the desire suddenly flaring between us.
I couldn’t respond, I could only stare up into his beautifully mesmerizing eyes.
“Or perhaps you wanted something so badly you could almost taste it.” His thumb brushed over my bottom lip and I tilted my head up wanting his lips to follow.
Instead, he leaned in and whispered in my ear, his warm breath making me shiver as it skated over the shell. “Camila can give that to you Angela. Whatever you can dream of, she can give it to you with her touch.”
I drew in a shaky breath. His body was so close to mine that I could feel his warmth, yet all I wanted was to pull him closer. I wanted to feel the hard muscles of his chest pressed against my naked breasts while his strong arms wrapped around me and held me tight.
“What is she going to do to me?” I asked nervously.
Rook pulled back just enough to see my face. “She’s going to show you what you’ve been missing Angela.”
I started to ask what that meant but he shook his head gently. “Very soon you will understand completely. Camila’s touch is magical, but remember, most of what you see and feel will only be in your mind. In the physical world she will only touch you as a masseuse should touch her clients, nothing more.”
“If it will mostly be in my mind what makes you think she’ll be able to make me see anything when Dragon can’t even get into my head?” I asked quietly, fighting to form coherent thoughts while my pulse pounded so hard it was making me dizzy.
“Because Claire wants you to have a massage, and Claire never does anything without a reason,” he replied just as quietly without looking away from my eyes. The silver sparks were rapidly multiplying, consuming the midnight blackness I was so used to seeing in his gaze.
Our lips were just inches apart and I wanted him to kiss me more than I had ever wanted anything in my entire life. But at the same time I prayed that he wouldn’t. If he kissed me I would want more. I would always want more when it came to Rook.
A few heart pounding seconds later he stepped back and put his hands in his pockets. “You should get ready before Camila returns.”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, thankful that Rook had more restraint than I could currently muster. When I had myself under control I opened my eyes to find the door closed and Rook nowhere in sight. With that potential disaster narrowly avoided I stripped off my clothes and lay down on the table with the red sheet covering my body.
After a while Camila came through the door and closed it quietly behind her. She glided across the floor and when she stopped in front of me she asked, “Are you ready to begin?”
The question seemed to ask much more than the simple words she spoke. A part of me didn’t trust her and wanted to get dressed and leave. But another, larger part of me wanted to know what made Camila so special. Rook’s cryptic explanations were enough to make me curious but it was Claire’s insistence that I get a massage that really drove my decision to stay where I was. Before the bombing at The Gateway I didn’t believe in anything supernatural, but now I pretty much believed anything was possible. If Claire thought I needed to do this, then no matter how much trepidation I felt, I was going to go through with this.
I met Camila’s mysterious gaze and swallowed hard. “I’m ready.”
“Excellent.” A slow smile curved her lips as she reached out and ran her long, slender fingers over my shoulder and down my arm making goose bumps break out across my flesh. “Close your eyes and let me take care of you now Angela,” Camila purred as she began massaging my tired muscles. I hadn’t realized just how tense I really was until she started working her magic. My eyes drifted shut as my body relaxed inch by inch under her expert care.
“That’s it Angela, let all the tension drain away. Think of something pleasant, perhaps a special man in your life. Let yourself dream of him now. Picture where you’d be, what you’d be doing...”
Her hypnotic tone brought forth dreamlike images and the padded table I was lying on morphed into a soft round bed covered with thick satiny bedding in bright blues, greens, pinks, and yellows. Pillows of all shapes and sizes were thrown haphazardly around me with sheer curtains hanging from the ceiling surrounding the bed. Beyond the curtains, colorful mist swirled in the air making me feel like the world outside no longer existed.
My heart sped as I recognized the scene and my eyes flew around the shimmering drapes, searching. On my left the curtains parted and Rook stood before me nude and aroused, ready to please me as only he could. He was always here when I
dreamed of this place, of this sinfully soft bed. I came up on my knees as I turned to face him; the sheet I held between my breasts was now a beautiful turquoise instead of red. I released my hold on it and his eyes skimmed over my bare body, heating my flesh with the hunger burning within them.
Desire coiled through me, tightening my nipples as my gaze traveled over the sculpted muscles of his chest and abs. His darkly tanned skin was smooth and flawless but as I watched, an intricate red design appeared on his chest. I’d never imagined him with a tattoo before but the sight of it had moisture pooling between my legs.
Rook’s chest rose as he inhaled deeply and closed his eyes with a groan. Could he actually smell my desire from there? His eyes snapped open and he climbed on the bed prowling towards me like a hunter stalking its prey. Shivers of anticipation raced up my spine, and my womb clenched with a sharp spike of arousal.
When he reached me he caressed the side of my face gently with his fingertips. I loved it when he did that. It was such a tender gesture that let me know I was more than just a sexual conquest for him, that I wasn’t just a challenge he needed to overcome before moving on.
I took his hand in mine and kissed his palm. His other hand came up under my hair and I titled my head to meet his lips with mine. Our mouths moved together slowly, so gently while his arms pulled me closer, wrapping me in the warmth of his embrace. My hands smoothed over his strong back and arms while his tongue stroked leisurely against mine. I never wanted to leave this place. Whatever Camila was doing to make this feel so real, I never wanted it to end.
The soft comforter met my back when Rook lowered me to the bed and settled himself between my legs. I sighed into our kiss as his rough hand caressed the back of my thigh bringing it up along his side. Ever so slowly he eased his way into my welcoming body, stroking my hip and thigh with a gentle hand while his lips and tongue teased my mouth. My hips rose to meet his as my hands glided over the firm muscles of his back and buttocks, taking pleasure from the sensuality of our joining.
He pulled back from the kiss and brushed my hair away from my face. The look on his face was so full of love that I wanted to believe this was real.
“It could be real Angela, if only you’d let me love you.” He continued sliding himself into me as he spoke. Even with the slow rhythm the sensations he caused were tightening my nerve endings, bringing me closer to the edge of ecstasy. “I’ve dreamed of this too. Maybe not in this same setting, but I’ve dreamed of making love to you.”
The bed we were lying on transformed into a canopy bed made of thick, dark wood with mirrors inlaid above us. All around us there were more mirrors reflecting images of our naked bodies sliding together from almost every angle imaginable. I watched the muscles of his back rippling, his buttocks clenching as he pleasured my body. It was so arousing to see my legs spread wide as he moved between them. My breath left my body with a moan, the erotic sight so provocative, so stimulating that my body trembled with the need for release.
“Do you want to see some of the other things I’ve imagined doing with you?”
He murmured the question in my ear then the scene dissolved and I found myself laid out across his desk. I wasn’t wearing any pants and my blouse clung to my arms but the front had obviously been torn open. My nipples were sensitive from being teased and my lips felt swollen, but what really caught my attention was the sight of Rook between my legs. He was shirtless and his leather pants had been shoved down around his hips just far enough to let him move freely as he thrust himself into my wet center. He was moving with a faster rhythm than before, holding my legs over his arms as his sculpted abs flexed with every push of his hips. It was all too much. The visuals, the sudden onslaught of sensations. My back arched off the desk and I gasped for breath as the waves of pleasure built inside me.
Without warning his mouth claimed mine again but there was nothing gentle about this kiss. It was hot and wet, our tongues tangling, dueling as he held me in his arms with my legs wrapped around his hips and my back pressed against a wall. A tight green dress was bunched around my waist and I could feel that I still wore a thong but it had been pushed to the side. Rook was still fully dressed but he’d opened the front of his pants and he was driving his aroused flesh into me with hard, staccato thrusts that sent jolts of ecstasy shuddering through my body.
We were no longer in his office and it took me a second to recognize where we were. It was a dance club packed with people writhing together in a sexual frenzy. I’d never been this far into Mystique but the desire I felt was unmistakable. Every touch, every sensation was amplified, multiplied until I couldn’t think, all I could do was feel the absolute bliss of having Rook devour me.
The scene shifted again and the sky was streaked with pink and purple as the sun rose over the waves crashing on shore. I was lying on a soft blanket on the beach with Rook moving between my legs. We were naked again, still locked in the kiss and I was burning so hot that I felt like I would combust if I didn’t find release soon. Desperately, I gripped his hips pulling him into me harder, faster, until I was reveling in the ecstatic pleasure rocketing through my nerve endings, tightening my inner muscles around his thick arousal. When the rush of orgasm finally poured over me I broke the kiss screaming his name. With a sound that was half shout and half groan Rook’s body seized, the beautiful silver in his eyes swirling with rapture as he exploded inside me sending another burst of ecstasy straight to my soul.
I was still twitching when the scene faded and was replaced by the dimly lit room in the spa. Camila was standing over me with a knowing expression that had my cheeks flaming bright red when I realized she must have somehow seen or felt everything I’d experienced during the massage. Looking away, I took stock of my body. My muscles felt like Jell-O and the wetness between my thighs told me the orgasm I experienced had been very real.
“Rook is a strong man, a patient man, but I have felt the change in him since the night of the bombing,” Camila said and I turned to face her once again. “He will not be able to wait for you much longer Angela. If you want him to be yours, make that decision soon, or you will lose him forever.”
“You care for him too,” I said seeing the depth of her feelings in her eyes, hearing it in her voice.
“I am an empathy demon Angela, how could I not care deeply for a man as worthy as Rook. I have seen into his heart and he has one of the purest souls I have ever come across. I urge you to end the pain and suffering for both of you before it is too late.”
Camila turned and left me to my thoughts. Was time really running out for me and Rook? I had to admit that since the bombing things had changed between us. Before that night on Dragon’s terrace Rook seemed willing to wait as long as I needed him to. Now he was either telling me to stay away until I decide I want to be with him, or pushing my buttons to help me make that decision.
It was the sex of course. Sex always had a way of changing relationships and no matter how much I avoided him, I couldn’t forget the feeling of completion I’d felt when he was inside of me. Was I ready to give up everything I’d worked for to be with him and know that feeling again and again? Or more importantly, was I willing to give him up for the sake of others who know nothing about his true nature? In my heart I knew the answers to both questions, but my mind still wasn’t ready to admit them.
While I dressed I thought about Claire and her motives for arranging this massage. Eventually, I decided my session with Camila had done exactly what Claire had in mind when she set it up. I’d been reminded of what I’ve been missing, just as Rook said I would be. But beyond that, I was starting to see that even though the people here at Myths and Legends were far from normal by human standards, they were good people, they were a family and they took care of their own. Within that family, Rook was considered a cherished member and all of them wanted to help him find happiness.
I wanted to help him find happiness too, and I wanted him to find it with me. I just couldn’t see how to reconcile those desi
res with the rest of my life.
Chapter Ten
When I returned to the station I told Lieutenant Taggert that Claire hadn’t given me anything useful. She also wanted an explanation for my actions the night before and I gave her the best one I could think of. I told her that Rook detected my backup, as I knew he would, and I had to pretend that I hadn’t known they followed me. I went with him to make him believe the lie in hopes that our chances of gaining information from him wouldn’t be completely ruined by the whole ordeal. She felt I’d taken an unnecessary risk with my life and instructed me to never put myself in that kind of situation again. The meeting only served to strengthen my belief that if I chose Rook, there would be little to no possibility of me remaining on the police force.
I was on my way home for the evening with Chinese takeout for me and my daughter Rachel. I knew she had plans to go out later but I hoped we could talk before she left. Rachel had always been a rebellious teenager but for the most part she managed to avoid getting into any serious trouble. Which was a miracle considering the long hours I put in and the fact that I’m a single parent. It was only since last fall when Rachel turned eighteen that she fell in with a bad crowd and wound up being arrested for drug possession and prostitution. Now she was barely passing her classes and I was worried she might not graduate at the end of this school year if she didn’t straighten up.
Just as I turned onto my street a call came in. There was another body on the beach and I needed to hustle out there to see if any clues had been left behind. Knowing who was behind these murders I didn’t expect to find any evidence but I still turned around and headed back out towards the casino. I left a voicemail for Rachel telling her I’d be late again and she could take some money out of the jar for dinner if she wanted to.
By the time I pulled up to the crime scene I’d managed to eat half my dinner but lo mien wasn’t something I could tackle while driving. I eased my way through the reporters shouting questions I had no intentions of answering and found Tony already interviewing the man who’d discovered the body. It was early spring and the weather was bouncing back and forth between hot and cold. Just my luck another cold front was moving in and I hadn’t brought a warm enough jacket since the high that afternoon had been nearly eighty degrees. Huddling in my lightweight windbreaker I went to look at the latest victim.
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