Dark Seduction

by Cheyenne McCray

  Janice turned away. He looked at Tori and gave a nod at the agents by the window and door.

  She gave a nod back and he was sure she understood.

  Logan vanished.

  He transported behind the agents, grabbed the gun from one of them then slamming the grip on the back of the agent’s head. The agent dropped, out cold, and Logan went after Ellis and punched him in his broken nose. Ellis shouted in pain as he fell. Logan quickly disarmed him.

  The moment Janice was distracted, Tori pushed to her good foot and slammed her fist into Janice’s face.

  The woman’s head snapped to the side and Tori hit her again with an uppercut. Janice stumbled and fell over the coffee table and her head hit the floor. She opened her eyes looking dazed.

  Tori grabbed the CVP from off the coffee table and shoved it back into her pocket. Logan appeared for a second and tossed Ellis’s gun to Tori who pointed it at Janice. “I’ll shoot her,” Tori cried as the remaining agent trained his gun on her.

  Ellis was getting to his feet. Still invisible, Logan went to Ellis and punched him again in the face so that he would fall in the direction of the remaining agent. Ellis cried out and stumbled toward the agent.

  The remaining agent was momentarily distracted. Tori got off a shot and nailed the agent in the shoulder of his gun arm. Logan grabbed the gun even as the agent cried out and went down. Logan shot the agent in the back of his head and the man dropped.

  Janice was on her feet. “You’ll never get out of here, Adams,” the woman said in a snarl.

  Tori shot at Janice but the woman put up some kind of magic barrier around her. She was holding a fireball but apparently couldn’t throw it at Tori with her barrier up.

  Logan kept his gun trained on Janice as they started toward the front door, Tori limping. A shot rang out. An agent—part of Janice’s backup no doubt—was shooting at them from the doorway.

  Her thigh screamed in pain as Logan dragged her on the other side of the staircase, using it for cover.

  She felt lightheaded from the pain but managed to keep her hands on the gun and to keep from passing out.

  With his gun in a two handed grip, he peered around the corner of the stairs. A shot rang out and the wood railing of the staircase splintered.

  Logan shimmered and cool air stirred around them as he vanished.

  “By the way,” she said, “what reinforcement do you think is here? McKnight was our only backup.”

  “My brother has the ability to cause some serious damage,” Logan said. “I’d recognize his approach anywhere—he’s the one who caused the earthquake, or what felt like it in the PIA HQ. He obviously wanted to create panic and upset anything he could in order to help us.”

  “Looking forward to meeting him,” Tori said. “When we get out of this damn place.”

  Logan peered around the corner again. “Give me a chance to take care of the agents in the living room. I can do that more easily than you can since they can’t see me.”

  “I’ve got your invisible back,” she said, remaining just out of sight as he slipped around the stairs.

  The room was in chaos. Three agents close to the door were firing out the windows and glass from the windows and other debris littered the floor. The sounds of shots, glass shattering, and cries from the wounded filled the air.

  Logan moved behind one of the agents, disarmed him, hooked his arm around the man’s throat and choked him.

  Tori eased from behind the staircase and he wanted to shout at her to get back into hiding but instead gritted his teeth and went after the next agent and the next until he’d taken care of all of them. One of the agents had called for more backup so Logan knew more were on the way.

  Tori shot two agents, one in the head and one in the heart, dropping both.

  Janice had vanished from sight. Had she taken off and escaped back down the tunnel? Damn. He’d wanted to take down the woman and do away with her.

  Logan kept his gun in hand and neared a window. He called out, “I’m right here, John,” he said to his brother. “The room is clear for the moment.”

  “Where’s Tori?” McKnight asked.

  “She’s been shot.” Logan glanced in the direction that he’d left Tori. “We’ve got to get her to the hospital. More agents are on their way.”

  “We’ll hold them off,” John said. “If it’s safe, get her out here.”

  Logan hurried to get back to Tori. He was afraid she’d passed out but her eyelids fluttered. Then she raised her gun so fast she surprised him and she fired.

  An agent tumbled to the floor behind him. He’d been about to shoot Tori.

  “Right beside you,” Logan said, still invisible. He took her under her arm and half carried her toward the door. “Let’s get out of here.”

  As soon as they were out the door, the four of them bolted for the van, John and McKnight covering Logan and Tori in case there were any more shooters.

  When they were all safely in the van, John slammed the doors shut and shouted to McKnight who was now in the driver’s seat, “Let’s go.”

  And then they were on their way down the street, Tori resting in Logan’s arms.

  Chapter 22

  Tori snuggled beneath a few blankets in front of the crackling fire and rubbed her bare thigh where she’d been shot two months ago. It still ached sometimes when she was in her own form, especially when it was cold.

  And it was darn cold having been out on the slopes of Telluride all day, but the blanket and the fire were warming her up in their cabin at the ski resort.

  “Hurry up.” She looked over her shoulder as she called out to Logan who was in the bedroom on the phone. “I could use some more body heat.”

  Cold air swirled through the cabin and she wondered where it came from since everything was closed up.

  Something pounced on her, knocking her on her back and pinning her on the couch and her heart jumped into her throat.

  “Logan.” She punched his invisible bicep. “Don’t do that. You scare me half to death.”

  A shimmer and then he was crouched over her, grinning. “But it’s so much fun.”

  “Oh, really?” She focused on the image of a woman they’d seen earlier. The woman had looked like a scarecrow with yellow straw for hair. From the way she’d been yelling at the ski lodge staff, she had the personality and screeching voice of a banshee.

  Tori shifted.

  “Ugh.” Logan reeled back.

  Her laugh now almost sounded like a cackle. “Every time you scare me I’m going to turn into banshee-scarecrow woman.”

  Logan leaned back, his hands raised. “Okay, okay. I give up.”

  With a grin, she shifted back into her own form. “Got you back.”

  “That you did.” He laughed and brought her into his arms so that she was sitting up again and he adjusted the blankets over them both. “That was enough to scare anyone straight.”

  “Heh.” She leaned her head against his shoulder. “Who was on the phone?”

  Logan brushed his lips over the top of her head. “McKnight called to give me an update.”

  “You’re on vacation.” She slapped her hand on his knee. “Well, what did he say?”

  “The CVP is ready to be demonstrated to the government as soon as I get back,” Logan said. “Those last tweaks have been taken care of.”

  Tori nodded. “Good.”

  After losing two of his scientists it had taken some time to hire new scientists, use the CVP device on them, and get them up to speed. Plus they’d needed to put new and tougher safeguards into place.

  “No way is the PIA going to get its hands on the device now,” Tori said. “And with Brian in jail and Janice in hiding, I don’t think we have anything to worry about. How is Carla?”

  “She seems to have fully recovered from being in the coma and whatever it was that the PIA did to her,” he said. “She started back to work and she’s back with that guy she was dating, Bruce something.”

  “G
lad I didn’t mess that up beyond repair for her,” Tori said with a smile.

  “So, are you really happy being with the CIA?” He stroked hair from her eyes. “I could always use you in security.”

  “Ha.” She shook her head. “I think two might be a crowd. McKnight is one of the best I’ve seen.”

  “I just want you to be happy.” Logan met her gaze. “In everything.”

  “I am.” She smiled. “In everything. I love my new job, but most of all, I love you.”

  “You can’t ever say that enough.” His lips met hers and she felt a swirl of desire in her belly as he kissed her. When he drew back he said, “And I can never say it enough to you even though you know it already. I love you like crazy, Tori.”

  “I know.” She kissed him back, a long, lingering kiss that made everything inside her turn to mush.

  He twisted her around so that she was on her back again and he was crouched over her, his blue eyes looking into hers, and they were both still under the blankets.

  “I like it when you’re just in your panties,” he said and slowly rubbed his erection against her belly, causing exquisite sensations to spread throughout her. He was wearing only boxer briefs.

  Desire was in his gaze. His image flickered and then he vanished. She moaned as he sucked her nipples. It was erotic feeling his body weight on her, having him suck her and touch her, yet not being able to see him.

  He moved aside her panties and she felt his invisible cock press against her core and then he thrust inside of her. She gasped and cried out as he started moving in and out of her, thrill after thrill going through her belly.

  “I want to see you,” she whispered. “I want to see your eyes.”

  A shimmer in the air and then he was there, between her thighs and riding her. She loved the blueness of his eyes, the careless way his dark hair lay. She loved the cut of his mouth, the way his jaw set when he was taking her, totally focused on her.

  Harder and harder he drove inside of her and she gasped and moaned with every thrust. An orgasm rushed toward her, picking up in speed, faster and faster.

  She came with a cry, feeling an explosion like none other. It whirled through her like a snow flurry that intensified and became a storm of sensation.

  Logan never stopped looking at her as he took her and then his image flickered as he started to climax. He came with a growl, the sound reverberating through her and she wrapped her thighs around his hips, holding him close to her as his cock throbbed inside of her.

  He relaxed against her, his breathing hard, matching hers. He drew his cock out of her and twisted so that they were lying facing each other on the big couch.

  Tori felt she could never get close enough to him and she wanted all that he could give her.

  She kissed him, a lingering kiss filled with a world of meaning. And then she sighed and snuggled against him knowing this was where she belonged.

  # # #

  Also by Cheyenne McCray

  E-Books:

  Altered States series

  Dark Seduction

  Rough and Ready series

  Lipstick and Leather

  Silk and Spurs

  From Ellora’s Cave

  “Wild” Cowboy Series

  Wildfire

  Wildcat

  Wildcard

  Wild Borders

  Wonderland Series

  King of Hearts

  King of Spades

  King of Diamonds

  King of Clubs

  “Taboo” series

  Taking Instruction

  Taking on the Law

  Taking it Personal

  Taking the Job

  “Erotic” series

  Erotic Invitation

  Erotic Weekend

  Erotic Stranger

  Print books by Cheyenne

  Altered States

  Dark Seduction

  From St. Martin’s Press:

  Lexi Steele Novels

  The First Sin

  The Second Betrayal

  Night Tracker Series

  Demons Not Included

  No Werewolves Allowed

  Vampires Not Invited

  Zombies Sold Separately

  Vampires Dead Ahead

  Magic Series

  Forbidden Magic

  Seduced by Magic

  Wicked Magic

  Shadow Magic

  Dark Magic

  Single Title

  Moving Target

  Chosen Prey

  Cheyenne writing as Jaymie Holland

  The Auction Series

  Sold

  Bought

  Claimed

  Taken

  Taboo Series

  Taking it Home

  Losing Control

  Alluring Stranger

  Taboo Desires: 3 Tales of Lust and Passion

  Playing Rough: 3 Stories of Sensual Submission

  Paranormal Novels

  The Touch

  Come to Me

  Excerpt… Rough and Ready: Silk and Spurs

  Cheyenne McCray

  Available Now!

  Wind tugged at Jessie Porter’s dark red hair as she climbed out of her red Mustang and her athletic shoes met Bar C ground. She pushed errant strands out of her face as she slowly looked around her at the Cameron family ranch. From what she knew of the place, it had been in the same family for generations.

  A massive barn, extensive corrals, an old bunkhouse, and a sprawling ranch home edged the huge driveway. The parking area was big enough to accommodate a semi if need be, with enough room for the big rig to turn around. Everything was big on this ranch from what she could see.

  The bawl of cattle in the distance told her that a herd was close. Lacy clouds were scattered across a blue early morning sky as the sun rose.

  She reached into the passenger seat of her car and grabbed her backpack with her camera equipment, then slung it over her shoulder before pulling out her Nikon and looping the strap around her neck. The car door gave a solid thump as she slammed it shut and then she walked to the back of the vehicle. A big white work truck was parked on one side of her Mustang, on the other a sleek new black Ford crew-cab.

  Gravel crunched beneath her shoes as she stepped away from the vehicles and raised her camera, looked through the lens, and started shooting.

  More than likely the ranch’s owner, Zane Cameron, would be out working but she wasn’t sure where. She was bound to run into someone who did know as she began photographing the ranch. Too bad Danica, the youngest Cameron, wasn’t going to be around. Danica had mentioned that she had to spend a week in New Mexico visiting a friend, so she wouldn’t be here while Jessie was.

  For cowboys, the days started before a rooster crowed. Jessie had intended to be at the Bar C when its cowboys climbed out of bed, but she’d overslept, forgetting to set her alarm and she hadn’t started her drive from Tucson on time.

  In this part of Arizona, the elevation was almost five thousand feet and the late October air was chilly in the mornings. The mornings warmed quick under the southern Arizona sun, so quick that at ten-thirty she was ready to remove her sweater, and the sun warmed her bare arms. Thanks to her sister’s visit and subsequent amazing cooking, Jessie’s jean shorts were feeling a little too tight this morning. She’d miss Tanya now that she was heading back to Houston, but her waistline just might recover.

  She focused her lens on the ranch house that was built of dark wood. From the front it looked like it was well over four thousand square feet, but who knew what it actually was—it could be much larger. She’d heard that the Camerons had done well for themselves, and by the looks of it, that was true. Between the four brothers and their respective ranches, they had a virtual empire in the San Rafael Valley.

  It was only recently that she’d become friends with Danica, the youngest sibling in the family. She was the reason Jessie had been hired to photograph the ranch, and soon the impending wedding of Zane, the eldest son.

&
nbsp; Tall, stately old sycamore trees, mesquites and a few native oaks shaded the house. An enclosed porch ran the length of the home and through the screen she saw a variety of plants hanging from the rafters. More potted greenery was arranged around chairs and beside the loveseat-sized white porch swing. A rooster weather vane perched on one end of the rooftop that she captured with its luscious blue-sky background.

  Colorful flowerbeds had been planted in front of the house—pansies, chrysanthemums, and carnations were beneath the Arizona October sun.

  An old wooden wagon wheel leaned up against an oak that had an old fashioned triangular dinner bell hanging from it. It made for an excellent photo. To the left of the home was a well-shaded area with a covered swing, and she heard the sound of a small waterfall as it trickled into a pond.

  Behind the house rose a tree line along with a weathered windmill that made rusted scraping sounds as the blades turned with the wind. She wondered if the windmill actually pumped water for the house or if it was unused and simply remained from decades gone by. She’d head out back and photograph it, too.

  Colorful birds darted in and out of the trees, chirping and shrieking, and she saw a lizard scale a wall of the house.

  She captured everything with a practiced eye and knew the photographs were going to turn into one fabulous collection when she was done. This place was a photographer’s dream. From what little she’d seen, she had the feeling that she could spend hours here and still not catch everything that she wanted to.

  “Can I help you?”

  A deep, masculine drawl from behind her send a shiver down her spine and she lowered her camera and let it hang around her neck. She turned to face one hell of a fine cowboy, easily one of the sexiest she’d seen in all of her twenty-nine years.

  At least six-three with broad shoulders and a cowboy’s build, he had blue flame eyes and black hair that curled slightly beneath his cowboy hat. His skin was well tanned and his arms roped with muscle.

  “Sure.” She smiled. “You can help me anytime.” He raised an eyebrow and she grinned as she held out her hand. “Jessica Porter,” she said. “But please call me Jessie. I’m here to photograph the ranch and the upcoming wedding.”