by Cynthia Eden
“You just want me.” He shrugged. “Most women do, so don’t beat yourself up over that.”
Jerk.
“Only I don’t want them…” Luke continued in the next moment. “Not the way I want you. You’re…something different. Something special.”
She’d spent most of her life thinking she was a freak, and any “special” talk had always been an insult. But this was different. His voice, the way he looked at her…
“I think you’re something extraordinary.”
She swallowed twice. “I’m a siren. My voice makes humans lose their control. I’m…evil.”
“Then that just makes you mine, if the stories are true.”
Ah, right. The stories. They were back to that. And she found that she had the courage to push him a bit. “I know one of those stories. According to it, two twin boys were born, a very, very long time ago. One was predicted to rule the dark and all of the creatures that found solace in the shadows.”
He didn’t even blink. “And one was supposed to reign in the light. To have an army at his call, to defend the weak, to protect the innocent…and blah fucking blah.” He exhaled. “An old tale. Good twin, bad twin. Only we went to some pretty big extremes in my family.”
Yes, they had.
“Leo,” Luke said. “That’s my brother, older than me by all of two minutes and the biggest pain in the ass you can imagine.”
“I doubt that.” Her gaze was on his mouth. She needed to stop staring at his lips. “I’ve got my own pain that I’m dealing with right now.”
As soon as the words left her, Mina knew she’d said the wrong thing. The very air around her seemed to thicken. Tension rolled through her—tension that came from him.
“Someone scares you, sweetheart?”
“You scare me,” Mina said quickly. “That whole ‘I’m keeping you’ thing isn’t normal, you know. People don’t just—”
“I’m not people.”
No, she supposed he wasn’t.
“Who scares you?”
“I scare myself.” Another truth she had always kept hidden from others. But for some reason, out there, with him, she was finding that her secrets wouldn’t stay silent. “I don’t like being this way. I don’t like having the ability to control others. I don’t like having to watch every single thing I say for fear of hurting someone, killing someone.”
He nodded, seeming to understand. “Words can be powerful weapons. Especially, I imagine, your words.”
He had no idea. But that was exactly what she’d become. A weapon. One that some very deadly people were determined to use, whether she was willing or not. “I really wish you’d just give me the Eye,” she muttered. “It would make everything so much easier.”
His hand slid away from her throat and she immediately missed the warmth of his touch. “The Eye…the precious token you came to steal from me.”
She didn’t deny it.
His gaze swept over her. “You can’t get the Eye by theft.”
Now he was staring at her legs.
Her chin kicked up. “Do I get it if I fuck you? Is that the price?”
And his eyes—they flashed pure, bright gold again. An angry flash. “Do you fuck to get the things that you want?” Anger, no, rage burned in his voice.
“No,” her immediate denial. She wasn’t holding down her robe any longer. Her hands had clenched into fists at her sides. “I thought you were saying the only way I’d get it was to fu—”
His fingers curled around her shoulders and he brought his face in close to hers. “You will fuck me because you want me. Because you want the wild, rough pleasure we’re going to give each other. I don’t trade sex for favors. And I sure wouldn’t trade it for the Eye.”
You will fuck me because you want me. Her breath rushed out. “And I don’t trade sex for anything,” she threw at him. “Just to be clear. I have sex when I want someone. I don’t care what anyone else says…I don’t care—”
He pulled her even closer. “Tell me the name of the bastard who dared to say anything like that about you, and I’ll have him in the ground by dusk.”
Her mouth dropped open. He wasn’t serious. He…wasn’t?
Luke stared back at her.
He is dead serious.
“Y-you can’t kill people like that.”
“Who said anything about killing? I was just going to make the bastard’s worst nightmares come true. In this world, death is the easy way out. Pain is the gift that lasts much longer.”
Okay, he was everything the stories had said and more. “You…you are the Lord of the Dark, aren’t you?” And she’d been kissing him. She still wanted to kiss him.
She still wanted him.
That was wrong.
But then again, she was wrong. Or so everyone had always said. Mina cleared her throat. “You control all the monsters.” That was why he had a panther and a werewolf on his island. Why he had prison cells in his home.
“Someone has to keep them in check. Can’t just have vampires draining every human in sight. Can’t have shifters ripping apart their prey and leaving the bodies in the streets. I’m the one they all fear because I’m the one who can hurt them all. I’m the one they must answer to when their reckonings come.”
Her mouth had gone desert dry. “I really need that boat.” Because she had the terrible feeling that she’d jumped from one fire…
Straight into hell.
“Too bad, sweetheart. You’re not getting it because I’m not done with you.”
That sounded so bad. And his eyes—they weren’t dark any longer. She could definitely see the glow of gold. “Why do your eyes do that?” Mina whispered. “What does it mean when the color changes that way?”
His smile was wicked. “Means a few things…mostly a power surge.”
Oh, damn.
“Happens when I’m angry. It’s not exactly safe to be around me when I’m enraged.”
Right. She already had a mental note going for that one.
“And it happens when I’m aroused.” If possible, his gaze heated even more. “Just so you know, dear Mina, turns out…you arouse me one hell of a lot.”
Before she could speak, there was a fierce pounding from inside—a pounding at her door. Or rather, at Luke’s bedroom door. He whirled away from her and ran back inside.
She followed on his heels, wondering what was happening—and also feeling real grateful for her reprieve.
“Luke!” A man’s voice called. “Get decent and open the door! We have a situation!” A slightly clipped, accented voice. British?
Luke yanked open the door.
A tall, dark-haired man stood there, faint stubble covering his square jaw. “Sorry to interrupt…” His golden stare cut to her.
Gold. Like the panther. It wasn’t the same shade of gold that glowed in Luke’s eyes. Luke’s stare was nearly a yellow-gold, very bright when his power surged. But that British guy’s stare—it was softer, deeper. Not nearly as intense. Or scary.
“But I thought you’d want to know something is happening at Eli’s place,” he added.
“Fuck me, not my whiskey.” Luke said immediately. “He just got in the new shipment!”
She padded to his side. “The whiskey?”
“Eli orders it special for me. You have no idea how hard that shit is to find.” He exhaled. “Whatever. What’s going on? Drunk tourists? Or did one of his exes find him again and—”
“The bar is on fire. Smoke is billowing up. You can see the dark clouds for miles.”
Luke’s whole body tensed. “And Eli?”
“I don’t know…” The man’s gaze jerked back to Luke. “He could…still be in the flames.”
Luke snarled then, a deep, inhuman sound that made chill bumps rise on her arms. She wanted to step back. Wanted to run and hide but…
She reached out to him. “Eli was the bartender, wasn’t he?” Because he’d given Luke whiskey. “He’s your friend?”
Luke turned to l
ook at her—not her eyes, but at the hand she’d curled around his upper arm. “Not a friend, not exactly.” His gaze lifted and she saw the flare of gold once more. Power. “But he’s one of mine.”
A dark paranormal?
“Keep her here,” Luke bit off.
It took a moment too long for those words to sink in for Mina. By the time they did, Luke was already out the door, and the dark-haired, British guy was in her path. “Luke! Wait!”
He did wait, for a moment, long enough to warn, “Her voice is magic, so you’ll probably need to gag her.”
“Luke!” Her voice was a scream then, definitely nothing magical about it. She lunged after him, but the other man grabbed her around the waist, holding her tightly.
Then…the air itself seemed to still. Luke turned toward them and his face had gone hard. Cold. “You will not hurt her, is that clear, Julian? You will not so much as bruise her skin.”
Immediately, the hold on her eased.
“She isn’t to leave the island,” Luke said. “So don’t let her compel you. If she tries her tricks, you can always put her in a cell.”
Oh, the hell, no. Her glare should have burned him. “Luke, you and I are going to have issues over this.”
He smiled at her, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “You wanted payback, sweetheart. This can be step one.”
“I didn’t want—”
He’d walked away. The jerk had just walked down the hallway and left her. “I want to help you!” Mina yelled the words without thinking. “You’re hurting! I see it! I just want to help—”
The man who’d been holding her turned Mina carefully in his arms, making an obvious effort to ‘not so much as bruise’ her. “Trust me, lady,” he said, the British definitely creeping through in his upper crust accent. “Luke isn’t the type to need help.”
“Everyone needs help.” She understood that fact all too well. “Everyone.”
Even the man that the monsters feared.
Chapter Six
The bar was gone. A total loss. The fire truck was still at the scene when Luke arrived and the dark, heavy clouds of smoke hung in the air. When he took a breath, he could taste the fire. The ash burned his mouth.
Cops were at the scene. The local guys who thought they ran the show but didn’t really do jack. A crowd of tourists were staring at the scene with shock evident on their faces.
And there was no sign of Eli.
Had he died in the wreckage? Luke marched toward one of the cops, a guy he’d crossed paths with more than a few times. A guy who had the sense to tense when Luke approached and for fear to flash in his eyes.
“M-Mr. Thorne,” the cop gasped. A decent enough sort, for a human. Wesley Strauss. Once upon a time, Wesley had worked as a homicide detective in Atlanta. But when the bodies had just kept piling up, the guy had fled down to the Keys, probably thinking he’d be doing nothing more strenuous than throwing drunk college kids in jail for some hard sobering up. He’d been wrong.
“Where is the bar owner? Where is Eli Nabb?”
Wesley’s brown stare jerked toward the charred remains of the bar. “Because of all the alcohol, it looks like the place went up fast. The bar ignited, almost like a bomb went—”
“Where. Is. Eli?”
Wesley’s eyes widened. “I-I don’t know.”
“I can help you with that information.”
At that voice—low, drawling, and coming from a few feet behind him—Luke tensed. His nostrils flared as he pulled in all of the scents around him. His shoulders straightened and he turned to see just who was being so very helpful.
A man with blond hair—sun streaked and clipped short—stood a few feet away. The guy was wearing a suit, the boring type favored by government agents. The fellow moved his arm back a bit, and Luke saw the holster just beneath the suit coat.
Interesting.
This guy wasn’t local. He was human.
Luke’s gaze assessed the man. The guy was an inch or so shorter than Luke, but muscled in that I-Work-Out way. His skin was tanned, and his hazel gaze glinted with both intelligence and cunning. Luke knew he’d have to tread carefully with this one.
“I know what happened to Eli.” The man offered his hand to Luke. “I’m Agent Garrick McAdams.”
Luke shook the hand. The guy had a good grip—again, for a human. Strong enough. “Luke Thorne.”
Garrick nodded, as if he’d already suspected Luke’s identity. “Right. I’ve heard that name. You’re pretty famous in this area, aren’t you?” He smiled, a friendly grin. “I think one of the cops even mentioned you’ve got your own private island—he told me it was quite the place to see.”
“It is.” Luke didn’t smile back at him. He didn’t like that this agent already knew so much about him. “Where’s Eli?”
“Oh, your friend was taken to the hospital.” The smile slipped. “I’m afraid he suffered second degree burns on a substantial portion of his body. With all the alcohol in there, the fire spread quickly, too quickly. The building couldn’t be saved but…I happened to be close by. I was able to pull your friend to safety.”
“Well, aren’t you the hero.”
Garrick blinked.
“What hospital?” Luke demanded.
Garrick’s lips parted.
Luke waited.
“I’m afraid I can’t disclose that,” Garrick finally said regretfully. “Your friend is in…protective custody right now.”
“Trust me,” Luke said, voice low, “if Eli needs protecting, I’ve got him covered.”
Garrick looked over at the crowd, then he put his hand on Luke’s shoulder. “Can we talk a moment? Alone?”
“Aren’t we already talking?” He didn’t like this guy. There was something about him…
Garrick steered Luke to the side, moving them a few feet away from the crowd. His voice lowered as he revealed, “The fire wasn’t an accident. It was arson.”
Someone would pay.
“I believe that your friend Eli made contact with a very, very dangerous woman last night.”
Luke didn’t let his expression so much as flicker.
Garrick reached into his coat, flashing that holster again, and then he pulled out a small photo. Even before the guy handed it to Luke, he knew who he was going to see.
Mina.
She stared back at him in that picture, her hair longer as it slid over her shoulders, curling a bit. Her eyes were the same sharp, startling blue, but her skin was a bit darker. A faint smile curved her lips, as if she were on the verge of being happy.
Or as if she’d been smiling for the man who’d taken her picture. An intimate smile.
“She’s beautiful, I know,” Garrick said. “But a gorgeous face can hide a very dark soul.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.” Luke kept staring at the photograph.
“Her name is Mina James, or at least, that’s the last alias she used. She has a talent for charming men.”
Yes, she does.
“You might not believe this,” Garrick continued, his voice earnest, “but we believe it’s almost a form of hypnotism. Mina can get anyone to do what she wants…and she wants some very dangerous things.”
Oh, Mina, you are tricky.
“Her MO is that she picks her prey, usually a male because her hypnosis works better on men…and, of course, because they see a woman like her…and they immediately think of sex.”
His grip was too tight on the photo. He was about to rip it.
“She manipulates the men. Gets them to do whatever she wants. They’ll lie for her. Steal for her. Even kill for her.”
Luke finally glanced up at the agent. “They sound like dumb asses.”
Anger flashed on Garrick’s face, just for an instant. “As I said, she’s very talented at manipulation. Those men are her victims. Just as I believe Eli was her victim.”
He inhaled, pulling in the ash and the smoke that lingered so heavily in the air. “She set the fire?”
Were you now…
“When he refused, she commanded him…she gave him the order to set himself on fire. To destroy his own bar.”
The agent was watching him far too closely. Luke made himself laugh. “Seriously? I’m supposed to believe some woman told Eli to burn himself…and he did?”
“She isn’t some woman.” Garrick’s voice was still low, carrying only to Luke. “She’s very, very dangerous.” He glanced swiftly at the crowd and then back at Luke. The guy started to unbutton the top of his dress shirt.
Luke let his brows climb. “Agent, if you want to go strip, there’s a club for that just down the road.”
A muscle jerked in Garrick’s jaw and he kept unbuttoning the shirt until…
A long, thick scar was on his chest.
A fresh scar, one that was still angry, still red.
“She told me to cut out my own heart,” Garrick told him, voice and face both stark. “And I nearly did.”
***
He’d put her in a cell. Gently, not so much as bruising her per Luke’s orders, but Mina was in a cell. And she was gagged.
As far as days went, this one was pretty shitty.
Mina glared at the guy—Julian. He’d told her his name was Julian. Right after he gagged me.
“I am so sorry,” Julian told her, actually looking contrite as he paced right outside of her cell. “I just can’t run the risk of pissing off Luke. Trust me on this, you don’t want to see the bugger when he’s pissed. Not a pretty sight. I mean that with one hundred percent honesty.”
She muttered behind her gag.
“And I know what you are, too.” He inclined his head toward her. “Siren. Sirens speak, and men do really dumb ass things. Sorry, love, but I can’t have you getting in my head. I already have enough damage up there as it is.”
She jerked at her handcuffs because—lucky her—he’d handcuffed her, too. He’d locked her hands behind her back and put the cuffs in place.
He thought they’d stop her from getting the gag out of her mouth.
He was wrong.
After shooting him one more glare, Mina sat down on the floor.