Seconds ticked by and Sarah said nothing. Nothing. Pain ripped through his chest. He’d succeeded in doing what he needed to do. He’d scared her, pushed her away. He turned onto his back and stared into the dark room, moonlight illuminating the ceiling above. He willed himself to be pleased with his results, to sleep and be ready to fight this war again tomorrow. That’s what he did. He fought. Alone.
He heard Sarah moving around, perhaps settling beneath the blankets. He didn’t look. He couldn’t look. He inhaled. A mistake. Her scent was everywhere. All around him. Tempting him.
But then the most amazing thing happened. Sarah was there, lying down on the floor with him. “What are you doing?” he asked, objecting, and then turned to face her, on his side as she was, his back to the wall—putting distance between them.
“Relax,” she said. “I’m on top of the blanket, and we have our clothes on.”
She reached over the distance and her fingers brushed his jaw. Max’s breath lodged in his chest at the gentle touch. He’d felt few of those in his lifetime. He’d had women, had plenty of sex. Tenderness he didn’t even remember. He needed this, he realized. He wasn’t strong enough to push her away right now. He hated himself for that, but he wasn’t. “Sarah,” he whispered. “I don’t want to hurt you.”
“You won’t,” she assured him. “I don’t know what happened that day, Max, but I know you were trying to save Jessica’s life. Obviously Jessica is alive, and you rescued that list of bloodlines. The way I see it, you saved a lot of lives that day.”
“I killed him.”
“You must have had no other option.”
“There is always another option.”
“If only that were true,” Sarah said. “But it’s not, Max. We both know that. If it were, neither of us would have let our families die.” With those profound and painful words, she snuggled up as close to him as the blankets would allow, her hand going to his hip. “Go to sleep, Max.”
He didn’t sleep, though. Not for a long time. He was afraid of hurting her, of losing control in his sleep. But his eyes were heavy, as were his thoughts. And soon he drifted into sleep….
Sarah woke to the throbbing in her head—Kate was trying to communicate with her, and once again, the demon spirits were trying to stop her. A shooting pain pierced Sarah’s temple and Max scooped her into his arms, cradling her against his body. In some remote corner of her mind she heard him talking to her, heard his worry.
“Kate,” she whispered, clinging to him. “Kate is—” The barely-there words were cut off as Sarah was hit with flashes of images with moments of blackness as the demon spirits worked to defeat the vision Kate was delivering.
Sarah felt Max near her, felt his strength. She reached through the pain, searched the images. Three men wearing robes—no—they dropped the robes. They were the Shadow Masters and they were naked. So were hundreds of others. Another black spot. Lots of blackness. Then Sarah saw Allen in a corner, watching the people as they pleasured each other. Waiting on something. The Shadow Masters. Yes. He was there for the Shadow Masters. Suddenly loud music came from somewhere. Dance music. Overhead. A club maybe. The music got louder as if Kate wanted her to know it was important. Flash to a man—he wore a robe and spoke to Allen. He was evil—pure evil. Kate fed her a name—Caden. And then everything went blank.
Sarah collapsed against Max, not realizing until that moment that every muscle in her body had been tense and now burned like fire. She swallowed against the dryness in her throat and slid her fingers along her scalp.
“Caden,” she said, sitting up despite the dizziness that came along with the action. “He’s using some sort of sex ritual to activate the stones.”
Max followed her to a sitting position and he ignored her words. His palms framed her face. “Forget Caden for the moment. You scared the hell out of me. Are you okay?”
“Fine,” she said, her hands going to his wrist. “Nothing a bottle of aspirin and caffeine won’t cure.” She made an attempt to smile that didn’t quite work out. “We don’t do mornings very well, do we? Yesterday I saw your fangs. Today this.”
His expression softened and he brushed hair from her brow. “We do mornings fine. These are extraordinary circumstances.”
“At least you didn’t lecture me about sleeping with you and tell me we shouldn’t be doing mornings together at all.”
“We’re supposed to do a lot more than mornings together,” he said, his words laced with regret. “But like I said—extraordinary circumstances.”
The alarm on his cell went off and Max ignored it. He pressed his forehead to hers. “I don’t know how to protect you, Sarah. I’ve spent centuries fighting demons, yet, I can’t destroy the ones attacking you during these visions.”
Her heart clenched at the words and she leaned back to look at him. “We will destroy them with Vars, but you’re right. You can’t use a sword and slay the evil that touches the spirit world. But, Max,” she said, her voice laced with a plea, her fingers tracing his lips, “you can stop trying to push me away.”
His hands slid from her face and he eased his back against the wall. “That’s the one thing I can’t do. Not now. Not until this is over and we know the outcome.”
“Of the test,” she said, exhaling against the throbbing of her head.
“Are you—”
Her lashes lifted. “I’m fine,” she assured him. “Jag talked about you saving Jessica back at the other hotel. About how he’d never forget that. Think about it, Max. I have. He was telling you something. Telling me something.”
His brows furrowed. “Like what?”
“I don’t know but my guess is that everything isn’t as you assume it is. You have to remember.”
Frustration laced his response. “You think I haven’t tried?”
“Try harder,” she countered, knowing he wouldn’t like her words, but knowing, too, that he needed to hear them. “If this test is based on that incident, then your life depends on it. Maybe mine, too. You fight for everyone but yourself. Fine. Fight for me.”
“I am fighting for you,” he said. “That’s why I can’t touch you again. Not now.”
This time she was the one who was frustrated. “Fight, Max. Fight for yourself. Do it for me if you won’t do it for you.”
Sarah pushed to her feet, ignoring the slight dizziness overtaking her and walking to the phone. She ordered aspirin and coffee and then covered the phone to ask if he liked waffles. He did. That didn’t surprise her. They seemed to share a lot of likes. Too bad he seemed determined to make sure he spent eternity in hell and wouldn’t be sharing any of them with her. He was stubborn and making her mad. She wanted to shake sense into his big, burly ass. He could see only one way of dealing with his test—alone.
By the time she hung up the phone, she’d reined in her heated mood. Max did alone so well because it’s all he knew. That wasn’t the case for her. She’d been alone, yes, but for far less time than Max. And she had been close to her family. She could feel the distance Max had with his family. He’d been hungry for the love he’d never received. She’d just have to show him he didn’t have to do this alone. Somehow. Some way. She’d figure it out.
He’d taken a seat behind the desk and she turned to him. “About Caden and this ritual,” she said, shifting back into the current challenge of finding Allen. “Sexual energy can be quite powerful. I’ve read about rituals that last for days.” She thought a moment, her lashes lowering, her mind reaching for the details of her vision. “Six days. This one is six days. Two for each stone and then they are empowered. Somehow that allows the souls to be extracted from the stones. I think…yes. We have some time. If we can find a location where all of this is happening, then maybe we can stop it. So what do you think?” She remembered something. “Music. There was loud music. A club. A club is above the ritual ground. Yes. It’s underground.”
“I’d say it’s a good thing we didn’t find him last night. Now that we know he’s involved, I�
�d say questioning him would only put him on guard.”
“My guess is he isn’t even in his office. Not with this ritual going on.” She grabbed the phone. “Let’s find out.” Sure enough, a quick call later, and she’d confirmed he was out for the rest of the week. “Now we have to figure out which club.”
“Maybe if you see the locations, you’ll remember something?” Max asked.
“I hope so,” she said. “Because the full moon is fast approaching.”
Chapter 19
Seventy-two grueling hours of searching for answers had passed for Sarah and Max.
It was just past ten o’clock, with the full moon closing in on them in a matter of a few days, when Max and Sarah walked up a red-carpeted sidewalk leading to the Red Room, one of the many clubs Caden owned.
Visiting several clubs a night had been a stretch, considering they were spread out from one end of the city to the next. And working the employees and patrons for information took an effort to fit in which couldn’t be made by darting in and out. Nor could searches of private areas be done without some tricky side steps.
The time with Sarah had been both heaven and hell for Max. Heaven because he’d listened to stories about her life, and shared some of his own even—he’d learned about Sarah and he liked what he’d found. It had also been hell—keeping his hands off her was damn near killing him. Sarah wouldn’t sleep without him. She wouldn’t let him run from her, or push her away. Lord only knew, he’d tried.
They neared the entrance to the club, and Max kept Sarah close, her arm linked under his, her body pressed to his side. The closer they got to the entrance, the more his skin warmed, the more aware he became of Sarah’s soft curves against his body. The feeling of sexual need formed rapidly, and Max knew he was in trouble.
Lust carved its way into his limbs, hungry for his complete submission. He was in trouble. Even his weakest moments of temptation with Sarah hadn’t come close to this. The beast was alive, threatening to consume him. If he’d thought he had reclaimed control, he now knew that control to be a facade. He didn’t want this to happen around Sarah. His worst fear was a blackout, like the one he’d had when he killed that human. He had no idea what he was capable of in that state, and he didn’t want to find out.
Before he could even begin to consider warning Sarah, the hostess smiled and motioned them forward. He greeted her, beating down his beast. This was important. They had to find Caden.
The entry into the club was pricey for nonmembers—obviously meant to discourage anyone who wasn’t a high roller.
They’d made a trip to the mall earlier today for clothes to fit the part. Max wore Ralph Lauren slacks and a sleek blue button-down with a matching tie. He didn’t much like dressing up. It reminded him of the social affairs back in England. The fluff meant for nothing but upward movement. He did, however, enjoy seeing Sarah in her knee-length, figure-hugging black dress. Simple yet elegant, it matched her personality to perfection.
Max was about to hand his gold card to the hostess when a red phone buzzed, claiming the hostess’s attention. She picked up the receiver, listened a moment, and cut a look at Max and Sarah that was meant to be discreet, but wasn’t.
“I’ll handle it,” she said into the receiver, and replaced it on the base.
The woman ran Max’s card and then handed it back to him, avoiding eye contact. Bingo. She was nervous. That call had been about them. Someone had caught on to their hunt for Caden.
“Your visit to The Red Room will start in the lounge on the second floor. It’s a private room that overlooks the club as you enjoy beverages. It will allow you to see the various flavors we have to offer here.” She motioned to another woman to cover her post. “Follow me.”
Max glanced at Sarah to confirm she’d picked up on the potential trouble they were in and confirmed she had. He pulled her closer as they exited the entry hall and entered the club, her safety the most important thing. If he got any vibe of real danger, they were leaving.
The instant they entered the heart of the crowd, Max could feel the sexual charge. Music pounded through speakers with a sensual rhythm; dim lighting cast a red glow on the room. The low thrum of arousal he’d felt outside escalated. The dance floor held couples pressed together in highly suggestive undulations. Heat vibrated through his body in an unnatural way.
Sarah’s hand tightened on his arm, and he felt the movement in every nerve ending he owned. What the hell was happening to him? His heart was pounding in his chest, his groin tightening. His desire for Sarah was to the point of complete, utter distraction. This wasn’t just mating instinct. It was something more. If this continued, he might well be the danger to Sarah, rather than this place.
The hostess started up a winding stairwell, and Sarah hesitated at the bottom, pushing to her toes to whisper in Max’s ear. “This is it. Don’t you feel the sexual energy?”
He didn’t look at her, not wanting her to know just how much the atmosphere was affecting him. The need to mate was obviously intensifying his sensitivity. “I feel it,” Max murmured, taking her hand as he started up the stairs.
The hostess stood at the top of the landing and waved them through an open door. Max went in first, leading Sarah, prepared to inspect their destination before Sarah entered harm’s way. Inside he found a room with a long, red love seat and a marble, art deco-looking black table that held two oversized red martini glasses filled to the rim. Candles flickered around the room, and in the corners on tall pedestals. The candlelight almost seeming to dance to the music being funneled through ceiling-mounted speakers.
The walls directly in front of the seating area held television screens, each displaying various locations within the club, including private areas not visible upon entry. Several of the visuals were quite erotic. Max turned toward the hostess to ask a question, finding her still in the doorway. Before he could issue his question, she departed. “Enjoy,” she said, and shut them in the room.
Max immediately turned to Sarah, intending to warn her to be silent, that they were being watched. But the minute he looked at her, the minute he saw those big green eyes and full red lips, he was on fire. He pulled her close, molding her hips to his, his hand splayed on her lower back.
In some far corner of his mind, he recognized his actions—what he felt wasn’t right. “Sarah,” he murmured, his voice low, full of sexual intent. One hand slid into her hair, angling her mouth to his, lips a breath away from hers. “We’re being watched.”
“I know,” she whispered, a soft little sound of pleasure sliding from her lips. “The ritual is close…The magic. It’s close. Acting like a drug.” But still, her arms wrapped around his neck, her actions defying the warning of her words. “We should g—”
Max kissed her, swallowing the last of her words. He hadn’t kissed her in days. He told himself he just wanted a taste of her, one little taste. And, God, it was good. He savored the moment of that first intimate contact—tongue against tongue. She tasted so pure, so sweet.
He deepened the kiss and suddenly it turned passionate, hot, wild. Max couldn’t get enough of her, hungry for more, desperate for all of her. In those moments, life was perfect and nothing else mattered. He wanted her, his mate, and damn it, he would take her. The beast began to flare, his teeth elongating, and he didn’t care. He was done waiting. He’d take her here and now.
“It’s time, Sarah,” he murmured near her ear. “Time to become mine.”
His teeth scraped her neck, and she cried out. “Yes. Now.”
But a moment later she stiffened, her cry of pleasure turning to something different. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, and Max shook his head, trying to clear the fog in his mind. What the hell had he almost done?
Her knees started to give way, and he wrapped his arm around her waist, holding her up. “Sarah!”
“Kate says…” She squeezed her eyes shut. “She says we are…in danger. Get out.” Her lashes lifted. “Your brother is here.”
The
shock of her words shot through him a second before the door was flung open. Max stepped in front of Sarah, protecting her with his body. “Tell Kate a little more warning would be nice!”
Just as Kate said, William walked into the room, looking every bit Max’s brother in human form. Max inhaled, jolted by the sight of the Beast who’d once been family.
He’d hoped to never face this day—the day when he might well have to kill the Beast who was once his brother. “William.”
“Hello, Maxwell,” William said, an evil laugh following the greeting. “All that mating heat is a bitch, isn’t it? None of your other senses work worth a crap when you have that pretty little thing all over you. A shame you didn’t know I was coming. Maybe you should reconsider your priorities. Play for the right side of this war.”
Understanding filled Max. Somehow, they knew Sarah was his mate. They’d funneled the ritual magic through this room somehow, drugging him as Sarah had suggested, dulling his ability to know his enemy was near. His hand inched toward his belt, and he silently cursed as he remembered his only weapons were hidden, beyond reach.
“Looking for something, brother?” William asked. “Tsk. Tsk. Hunting ‘The Dark One’ unarmed. That really wasn’t bright. How did you think you’d protect your woman?” He laughed again and snapped his fingers at the two Beasts behind him. They grabbed Max’s arms, shackling him from behind. William reached to his pant leg, pulling it upward to display an ankle holster. He pulled out a small, sharp blade—a blade useless against a Knight, but not against a human such as Sarah.
In his peripheral vision, Max could see that Sarah had backed against the wall, but he didn’t dare make eye contact with her. He didn’t dare look away from his enemy. He could take the two Beasts holding him, but he wasn’t sure he could do it fast enough to get to Sarah before William did. He had to be cautious, to strategize his move.
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