Because more than anything, Des feared the Beast had already claimed too much of him. What if he tried to reclaim control, to bring the man in him forward, and he found out there wasn’t enough of him left? That he would bite Jessica to claim her as his mate, and take too much. Together they would become victims of the Beast. He let Arabella die at the hands of the Beast. He’d lost his mother, never able to find her again—Lord only knew what had happened to her. Des was afraid of failing Jessica. Afraid of realizing his worst fear…loving someone else, and losing them.
Deep in the Mexico Mountains, only a day after stealing the journal, Greg clutched the bag in his hands as the Jeep pulled to a stop, the Mexican sun blasting down on their heads, sweat beading on his upper lip. “Here,” he said as the caravan of vehicles pulled up behind them. “This is it.”
To be certain, Greg retrieved a piece of paper from his pocket, a copy of certain sections of the map from one of many copies he’d made of the journal when he couldn’t find a translator. He wasn’t about to pull the journal out and risk Black Dog’s grubby hands touching it.
After a few seconds of scrutinizing the paper, Greg nodded. “Yes. This is the first location.”
Irritation flared in Black Dog’s face, his words as sharp as a knife. “First location. What the hell does that mean?”
“There are several stars on the map and they are numbered.” Fortunately, he had a book to reference the denominations. “I assume one map leads to another map or some sort of clue.”
Black Dog pounded the steering column. “You didn’t tell me we were freaking going on a scavenger hunt. This treasure box better be worth all you say it is.”
Greg cringed at the volatile response, forcing himself to straighten, to try and come off strong. “You’ll get what you’ve got coming to you,” Greg snapped back, aiming for an unaffected air. The man had a dark side that set Greg on edge. He didn’t want to be killed before he claimed his immortality. That would seriously mess with his plans. “Besides. It’s not like I haven’t paid you well.”
He shoved open the door with those words, irritated, and afraid he might say more than he should to Black Dog and get hurt. Greg had cleaned out the discretionary fund at the museum for this. If anyone had thought he was an innocent victim, that discovery would prove he was not. There was no turning back. He was going to find that list, and he needed Black Dog to do it. When Segundo gave him his power, he’d dish out what Black Dog deserved and then some. He’d put him in a nice big mansion in the graveyard.
Greg stared at the landscape before him. Hills and trees lined Mexico’s Cocula River, and lots of them. He glanced at the drawing in his hand, reading the text next to the X again. He couldn’t be sure what it said. Maybe “two that are alike.” Glancing around, he noticed two huge rocks that appeared the same.
Black Dog stopped next to him as the rest of their group began to impatiently gather. “Well?”
Greg pointed at the rocks. “Dig there.”
“You’re sure?”
“I’m sure,” Greg said.
“You don’t seem sure.”
Greg hesitated. “I’m sure about the rocks.” There was another problem that had begun to weigh on his mind. “We might have another issue. The legend says that the box holding the list protects itself from evil. It self-destructs. Or that’s what the legend says.”
Black Dog laughed. “And you’re no choirboy, now, are you? But don’t worry. You hardly qualify as evil.”
“We can’t take a chance,” Greg said, feeling insulted for some unfathomable reason.
“What do you want me to do?” he asked. “Go snag a nun?”
“I’d settle for the choirboy.”
Hours later, Segundo stood in the trees beyond the dig site, tired of following Greg and the damn Hell Hounds as if he were the dog. Darkness surrounded him, not a star in the sky, the light obscured by the storm clouds overhead.
Abruptly, out of nowhere Black Dog charged through the trees at him, in his animal form. Segundo refused to move, to show any response. The Hound snarled at him, that disgusting breath engulfing Segundo. His hand itched to slice the damn thing’s throat. “Afraid to face me like a man?” he challenged.
Black Dog flashed into human form. “It’s you who are afraid,” he said. “I can smell it all over you. The fear that I will replace you by Adrian’s side.”
“You mean at his feet where a good dog belongs?”
A primal growl slid from Black Dog’s lips.
Segundo crossed his arms in front of his body and stepped to the side, displaying a human female tied to a tree. “She should do nicely as the pure one to open the box holding the list. She’s a schoolteacher, father’s a preacher. You should like her. She bites.”
Black Dog sniffed. “Damn, I hate the scent of ‘nice.’”
“I guess your delicate nostrils will just have to deal.”
In the distance, Greg called out for Black Dog. “We found something!”
Segundo eyed Black Dog. “He’s not needed anymore.”
He copied Segundo’s stance, arms in front of his chest. “Adrian says he is.”
Tension raced up his spine. The Hound was just trying to bite at his nerves and he knew it. Too bad it was working. “Adrian?”
“That’s right. Greg understands the map.”
“At least stop playing house with him. Take control.”
“Adrian doesn’t want him spooked. He’s afraid he’ll hold back information then.”
Greg yelled again and Black Dog eyed the woman. “I’ll be back for her.”
Segundo watched Black Dog depart, his teeth grinding together. Greg wasn’t needed. Adrian was punishing him. Forcing him to endure this charade with Greg and Black Dog, powerless to do anything but play along. And he knew how Adrian worked. He’d dangle Segundo along, and then kill him.
Which meant he had to possess that list and take it to Cain so that he could overtake Adrian’s position. If Greg and Black Dog died in the process, it might just make his day.
Chapter 18
Jessica sat on the Mexico City hotel bed, shoes off, legs crossed, listening as Des talked on the phone to Max as his team traveled to the dig destination her mother’s map indicated. She waited until he hit the end button. “Well? Any sign of Greg?”
“They’re still about an hour out from the location you gave them.”
A knock sounded on the door. Des went to answer it as Jessica started to open up the map again, afraid she’d missed something. Des rolled a room-service cart forward. “Eat, woman. You’ve eaten hardly anything. Some food and some rest might help your mind work better.”
The sweet scent drew a rumble from her stomach, and she pressed her hand to the offending part of her body. Des’s brow inched upward. “See. You need food.”
She ignored the comment. “Shouldn’t we be meeting the guys down at the river?”
Des sat next to her and lifted the steel cover off the Reuben sandwich she’d ordered. “Looks good.” He sniffed. “Smells better. And we’ll meet up with the rest of our team soon after you eat and get some rest. Thanks to our flight, we aren’t that far behind them.”
She grabbed a fry and dipped it in the little ketchup container provided. “I admit I need food.” She bit into the fry. “Hmmm. Yeah. I need food.” She eyed the hamburger he’d ordered. “I gather burgers and peanut butter are major staples of your diet?”
“I never get tired of a good burger,” he commented, checking the bun to ensure he liked what the hotel had put on it. “I could eat them every day and be happy.”
“I like a good burger, but I don’t think I’d go that far. Though when I was nine, I went on a French fry binge. I refused to eat anything but French fries from my favorite restaurant. My parents were not pleased, let me tell you.”
He laughed. “What’d they do?”
“They bought me French fries.” She laughed. “I was spoiled.” She finished off a big bite of her sandwich and held it out to D
es. “Want to try it?”
Surprise flashed in his eyes before they filled with warmth. She held the sandwich to his mouth and he took a bite. She waited for his appraisal. “Well?”
“I like it,” he said.
They talked about favorite foods and favorite movies. When she’d finished off her meal, she scooted up onto the bed and found a pillow, tiredness creeping over her.
“We have to find that list before the demons.”
“We will,” Des said, pushing the tray away from the bed.
“What if we don’t?” she worried. “Maybe I’ll take a fifteen-minute nap, but no longer. We should go.”
He climbed onto the bed and settled beside her, pulling her close, her back to his front, his body curving around hers. One leg trapped hers as if he was afraid she would try to leave. Possessive. Protective. She loved it.
“We’ll find the list,” he said. “I set the alarm so we won’t oversleep. Now rest.”
She smiled to herself, peaceful in a way she couldn’t describe.
The world was going crazy around her, a race against demons underway, and she didn’t care. Not in that moment of time.
She snuggled closer to Des and fell asleep.
Des was having the best dream. Jessica was beneath him, naked and perfect, soft curves melting into him. Soft lips pressed to his. His tongue slid over hers, sweet like honey. He couldn’t get enough of her.
Deepening the kiss, the hunger turned to fire. Her fingers were in his hair, and for some reason, it aroused him beyond belief. Everything about Jessica aroused him. He palmed one of her breasts, pinching the nipple. She moaned and he rewarded her for the sweet sound by lapping at the tip with his tongue. Her back arched as he nipped, kissed, licked.
He continued to pleasure her, but felt the growing fire of need and slid his palm under her backside, lifting her hips tight against his erection. The wet proof of her arousal surrounded him, begged for penetration. A deep groan escaped his lips as she rubbed up and down his length. This was his version of heaven.
“Des,” Jessica whispered, her body arching upward, pressing closer. “Des.” She tugged his mouth to hers, aggressively claiming a kiss.
He let her pull him into the kiss, wanting inside her any way he could get there. For now, he’d settle for his tongue. For now, but not for long.
But when he thought he was lost, sucked into a dream too good to be true, the alarm clock started to beep. The sound penetrated the lust-filled fog and Des’s chest tightened. He raised up on his elbows, pulling away from her. She stared up at him, a question in her eyes. He answered with his own question. “This isn’t a dream, is it?” he asked.
Jessica laughed. “I guess that depends on how you look at it.”
“Holy shit,” Des murmured under his breath, quickly scrambling off her, finding his way to the edge of the bed, his hand running through his hair. What if he had lost control? What if he’d hurt her? Why hadn’t he?
Her hand stroked his back. His cock hardened with the touch, his body burning for more of her. “No,” he said. “Don’t touch me, Jessica.” His gaze swept her naked body and he groaned. “And put some damn clothes on.” She yanked her hand back as if smacked. “Don’t you see?” he asked her. “I’m dangerous, Jessica. I’m dangerous to you.”
He shoved off the bed and took long strides to the bathroom, then slammed the door and turned on the water icy cold. Stepping under the spray, he swallowed hard, emotion in his chest, in his throat. God. What if he had hurt her? He’d been asleep, unable to control what he was doing. It was a damn miracle things hadn’t gotten out of control.
Jessica sat on the bed for a minute, staring at the closed bathroom door, stunned by what had just happened. What was that? She didn’t know. But she did know she was tired of being left in the dark.
She stood up, marched toward the door and turned the knob. The door opened and she didn’t give herself time to reconsider. She stormed to the shower curtain and flung it open. “We have to talk.”
Shock rushed over Des’s features. “Damn it, woman, I told you to put some clothes on.”
“You’re not wearing any.”
“I’m in the shower.”
“Now I am, too,” she said as she stepped into the tub. Frigid water touched her skin and she hugged herself, shivering. “Good grief, it’s freezing.”
He leveled a stare at her. “Get out of the shower, Jessica.”
“I’m in here now. I’m not getting out until you tell me what is going on. What is all of this about?”
“Jessica—”
“I deserve answers. I’ve said that too many times and this time I am not leaving until I get them.”
He hesitated, clearly waging some internal battle.
“Fine. I think we might be mates.”
There it was. That thing in the air between them she’d wondered about but felt odd asking. “Think or we are?” she demanded.
“Yes. Okay. I know we are.”
She absorbed that a minute. “What does that mean?”
He shoved the wet hair back over his head, out of his dark eyes. “It means I freaking love you and can’t stand the idea of hurting you. So please. I’m begging you. Get out of the shower and get dressed. Because I have to tell you, the cold water isn’t working anymore.”
Jessica didn’t know what shocked her more, his words or the fact that he, indeed, was getting erect again. She swallowed hard. “And when we make love. That’s when you think you’re dangerous to me?”
His hand went to the wall, as if he was keeping himself in place, holding himself back. “Exactly.”
She had to understand, had to have answers. “Will you talk to me about this when we’re dressed?”
“Yes! Just get out.” He stared at her. “Now, Jessica.”
Something about the way he said the words put her in action. She stepped out of the tub, grabbed a towel and headed for the door, where she paused. She looked over her shoulder. “And I freaking love you, too.”
She left then, not giving him time to respond, but she was quite certain she heard laughter as she pulled the door shut. A miracle, considering how on edge he’d been.
Warmth filled her. She’d never said those words to anyone before, never felt them until now. But though she’d known Des only a short while, she had no doubt they were a match—mates, as he said. She felt their bond in every part of her being, inside and out.
She pulled a pair of shorts out of her bag and then grabbed a T-shirt, nervous about what came next. About what all this meant. Sitting on the edge of the bed, she waited for the bathroom door to open.
A moment later, Des appeared in jeans and nothing else. His towel-dried hair hung around his face. He was a gorgeous man. Broad shoulders, nice pecs sprinkled with dark hair, rock-hard abs that she’d like to press her lips to right about now.
He leaned against the wall, space a barrier between them, but he didn’t speak, didn’t seem to know how to start.
“You would never hurt me,” Jessica told him, and she believed that.
“You don’t understand,” he said.
“You always say that,” she countered. “Stop telling me what I don’t understand and tell me what I need to know.”
He made a sound and looked at the ceiling. “You are so stubborn.”
“Apparently, you are, too.”
He laughed at that, but it held a bit of sadness. “I guess I am. In fact, that’s probably part of how I got where I am today. Jag has told me for years I walk too close to my dark side. That I’m pushing my luck, and that one day I might not find my way back to the man. And he was right. I can’t control the Beast inside me anymore. When I’m with you, the part of me that is more Beast than man starts clawing at me, trying to get me to take you.”
She wanted to go to him so badly, but she forced herself to stay sitting on that bed. “What does ‘take me’ mean?”
“To mate, the male bites the female on the shoulder. The bite heals in the s
tar formation Jag spoke of.”
“Oh. Well. Hmm. That sounds a little painful.”
“I think it’s more…erotic.”
A distinct ache began to build between her thighs. “That sounds interesting.”
Silence. One second. Two.
“You want to be linked to me, Jessica?”
“I already am, Des. We both know it.” She tilted her head and studied the frown between his eyes, realizing he needed more than that. “And yes. I want that.”
“You have no idea who I am. No idea of my past. And I’m walking on the edge of darkness, Jessica. I don’t know if I can even come back.”
“The past makes us who we are today.”
Torment laced his words, filled his eyes. “Exactly my point. I am not in a good place.”
“Maybe it’s my bloodline, I don’t know, but I was serious when I told you I feel evil when it’s around me. Perhaps that’s why I never liked Greg. And Des, you are not as close to the edge as you think you are.”
He dismissed her words. “I am. Believe me, I am. I’m not sure how much of the man is left. If I bite you—” he looked away and hesitated “—I’m not sure the blood won’t push me over the edge. I might kill you.”
She pushed to her feet then, crossed the distance and hugged him, her head pressed to his chest. He held himself stiff at first, but slowly his hands settled around her. Beneath her ear, his heart beat a steady rhythm. She could almost feel hers falling into the same pattern, finding synchronization. He was part of her and she hurt for him. God, how she wanted to take away this pain eating away at him.
After a good minute of standing there in silence, holding him, she tilted her chin upward. “You won’t kill me, Des. You see, I’ve felt both Beast and man, and I love them both.”
“I won’t risk hurting you. I won’t.”
“Then tell me how we solve this. Because I’m not going anywhere. You can’t get rid of me. I belong here. I know that with every fiber of my being.”
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