Captured In Sin

by Devlin Chase

  “I don’t know. But something doesn’t feel right. I mean, we’ve been watching Cat and Frankie for months with essentially no idea why they’re so important and now, when we finally make contact with Cat, they’re sending someone over?”

  “That’s the way they operate, man. The shit we’ve had to do for them over the years,” Conrad’s voice trailed off as he shook his head.

  Darien grimaced, knowing exactly what Conrad meant. The assassinations, kidnappings, arson; all supposedly engineered to maintain the safety and secrecy of their kind. Of all the team members he knew that Conrad bore the most resentment for the things they’d been asked to do in the name of their people.

  He, too, was now beginning to see the way in which the Obscura manipulated everything around them and he was starting to wonder if there wasn’t a larger plan behind this assignment, despite what he’d been told in secret.

  Conrad seemed to sense where Darien’s thoughts were heading. “Makes you wonder what it’s going to mean for all of us if the Ligata are truly back.”

  Darien nodded. “But what I can’t figure out is, if Jacen engineered all this to have the Ligata back, then why is he trying to kill them now?”

  Conrad was quiet for a moment.

  “Maybe we’ve got this wrong and Jacen’s not the one we should be suspicious of.”

  Now it was Darien’s turn to be silent until Conrad slapped him on the shoulder.

  “Either way this is some fucked up shit and we better find out where those other humans are, fast.”

  They headed out of the den but, at the door, Conrad paused and turned to his friend.

  “This thing with you and Catherine,” he began, choosing his words carefully, “it’s serious?”

  Darien stared at him. “Yeah,” he said softly, “I think it is.”

  Conrad nodded. “I’m happy for you.”

  They left the room, both silent. As he headed down the stairs Darien wondered why he’d been so open to admitting that there was something serious between himself and Catherine.

  Perhaps it would have been better to lie; to Conrad and himself.

  But he knew why Conrad had asked, and it had little to do with wanting to know that his friend was getting laid.

  Instead it had more to do with what they both knew of the history of their kind and what it meant to unite with a Ligata.

  ***

  When he returned to his room Darien found the bed empty. In a panic he turned, seeing the door to the bathroom closed. The sound of water rippling reached his ears and he smiled, his heartbeat returning to a normal rhythm.

  Opening the door he found Cat stretched out in the whirlpool tub, almost lost amongst the foaming bubbles that crowded the top of the water.

  She glanced up as he stepped inside and a small smile tugged at her lips.

  “Hey,” she sighed.

  She looked haggard, worn out from crying, and he ran his hand gently against her cheek as he sat on the rim of the tub.

  “Sorry you had to wake up alone.”

  Cat smiled. “I’ve been waking up alone my entire life. I’m pretty used to it.”

  Her words unsettled Darien and he found himself not wanting her to ever have to wake up on her own again. No matter the oddity of his own life, he’d always enjoyed the affections of his family as he was growing up. He might have earned the anger of his mother when he elected to join and lead his team, but his childhood had been good.

  A comfortable silence stretched between them until she looked up at him from under her lashes.

  “Want to join me?” Her smile turned coy.

  He flicked a few bubbles in her direction. “I thought you’d never ask.”

  She watched him as he undressed, pulling the black sweater over his head, revealing his broad smooth chest. Her breath quickened as his hands moved to his belt and she could see his erection against the zipper of his pants.

  Then he was stepping into the tub, muscular and proudly aroused, making her grin.

  Once he was facing her Darien reached for the bar of soap and lathered up a handful of suds. Cat lifted her foot out of the water and waved it in his direction. “Feet first, if you please,” she said in an imperious tone, expecting him to laugh at her.

  But she gasped, stunned when he grabbed her foot, staring into her eyes as he began to work the suds into the arch of her foot, his movements slow and sensuous.

  Cat arched her head back as a moan escaped her lips, almost moaning again when he let her foot go. But he was only reaching under the water for her other foot, repeating the process and making her shudder with excitement.

  “Next?”

  His voice was hoarse and she knew this was turning him on as much as it was her. “Legs,” she murmured, her voice more pleading than commanding now.

  Darien’s hands were under the water, gently teasing the bar of soap along her skin. He paused when he reached her knee.

  “And now?”

  Cat smiled, lost in the sensation of his hands moving slowly across and under her knee. “Higher.”

  A low growl rumbled in Darien’s throat as he drew the bar of soap upward, his hands gliding along her inner thigh. Her legs parted as he moved to kneel between her knees, the bar of soap halting at the crease of her hip.

  “And now?” His voice was just a jagged whisper.

  He didn’t wait for her response and she was glad, because she didn’t think she would have been able to answer coherently anyway.

  But her lips opened on a gasp as the hand holding the soap moved across her mound, lazily circling the soft tangle of curls.

  And then her eyes opened and she cried out as his hand sank lower, dragging the bar of soap over her swollen clit.

  Darien was staring at her beasts, rising out of the water as she arched against his hand, seeing her hard nipples for an instant before they dropped below the level of the water.

  His erection was throbbing, desperate to bury itself inside her warm heat. But he fought to control his own desire, moving the bar of soap back and forth against her in an ever-increasing tempo as Cat moaned, nearing that breaking point that would throw her over the edge.

  He dropped the soap, replacing it with his fingers as she thrashed beneath him, her hands gripping the rim of the tub as she arched higher. He rubbed his thumb against her, sliding his fingers deep into her wet heat as she came, her body rising out of the water as she climaxed.

  He could feel her clenching around his fingers and it drove him into a frenzy of lust. Water sloshed over the edge of the tub as he repositioned himself between her thighs, nudging into her slippery warmth with unerring accuracy as she gripped his shoulders, raking her nails along his skin as he froze, only the tip of his shaft penetrating her.

  Then he surged into her with a single hard stroke, the sounds of their passion echoing off the tiles. He felt her legs wrap around his thighs, pulling him deeper as he thrust harder, his back arching as he drove into her, his rhythm demanding and possessive.

  He felt her tightening around him, driving him to the edge. With a final hard thrust he came, spurting into her with an intensity that felt like it would never end, feeling Cat’s nails dig into his shoulders as she orgasmed beneath him.

  The water level was significantly lower as he cradled her against him until their skin chilled. Then he climbed from the tub and pulled a towel from the shelf, wrapping it around his hips.

  Lifting her from the water, he wrapped another towel around her, drying her with tender gentleness. Then he ducked into the bedroom, returning a moment later with his robe, enfolding her in the velvety softness before tying the cord at her waist.

  Cat stood quietly throughout, amazed at the gentle way with which he handled her; feeling a lump in the back of her throat as this man, all virile masculinity, tended to her as though she were the most important thing in his world.

  Darien carried Cat into the bedroom, not wanting her to slip on the water that had flooded the bathroom floor. As he lowered her and
her feet touched the carpet she saw the heap of clothes still lying at the foot of the bed.

  “I’ve got nothing to wear,” she murmured as a blush rose to stain her cheeks. There was no way she was ever going to wear them again. Her world had changed, thanks to the man who held her against his chest and the last thing she wanted was to remember why she’d been forced to pull them on in a hurry.

  Darien wrapped his arms around her from behind, dropping his chin to rest it on her shoulder as he gazed at the small mound of clothing.

  He turned his head and nibbled at her earlobe. “I think you look perfect in what you’re wearing right now.”

  Cat smiled, a shiver racing up her spine as he caught her earlobe between his teeth and flicked his tongue around it.

  “Yeah, but I can’t go parading around the house dressed in your robe.”

  Darien was licking small circles down her neck, his voice muffled against her skin. “Why not?”

  “Well, it would be pretty obvious, don’t you think?”

  Darien laughed, the sound low and rumbling. “I think the noise we’ve been making for the past twenty four hours has made it obvious enough.”

  He pulled her against him, her head falling back against his shoulder. “Besides, the others are out and won’t be back until dawn. It’s just you, me, Brent and Galena.”

  Cat sighed, relishing the feel of Darien’s strong arms around her. “Okay, I’ll wear the robe.”

  She could feel his smile against her neck and it brought a smile to her own lips.

  Minutes later they entered the kitchen, finding Brent and Galena battling it out over a game of Scrabble.

  “Triple word score,” Galena announced triumphantly as she wrote on a notepad. “Beat that, vampire.”

  Brent laughed. “Not so fast Wakeling.” He peered at his letters, then at the board.

  “Damn it,” he conceded as he placed a single tile on the board.

  They both looked up and smiled as Cat and Darien entered. Cat felt her cheeks go pink at the thought of them hearing what had gone on in the bathroom downstairs.

  But nothing flickered across their faces except an open welcome and she relaxed as she sat at the table, nodding when Darien asked if she wanted coffee.

  “Did you sleep well?”

  There was no innuendo in Galena’s words and Cat nodded.

  “Yes, thank you.”

  Darien placed a mug of coffee in front of her and she wrapped her hands around it, noticing the look that passed between the two men and the slight shaking of Brent’s head.

  They watched as Galena and Brent finished their game, the elderly woman winning by a landslide.

  Then the Wakeling made breakfast, shooing Cat out of the way when she offered to help. She made a mountain of food, most of it going into a warmer drawer for when the others got home.

  Afterward Cat allowed Darien to lead her to the den, where they curled up on a couch and watched the news. He muted the sound and she cuddled in against his chest as he told her about his past; laughing as he explained what it had been like to endure life without indoor plumbing and frowning as he talked of the wars and conflicts he’d participated in.

  “Can you die?” She asked.

  Darien smiled, watching the light flicker on the plasma screen.

  “Yes. We all die eventually. Just as we go through a transition we call Ascension, that keeps us unchanging for hundreds of years, so we undergo another change, one we call Decline.

  His fingers trailed lazily up and down Cat’s arm. “It usually takes place at around six to seven hundred years for males and about a hundred years later for females.”

  Cat thought about that for moment, realizing that Darien would still live for two or three centuries after she was gone. It was a harsh reality, but one she knew she had to face.

  She’d known she was in love with him from the moment she’d woken alone in his bed, aching at the thought of not being with him. But she was also painfully aware that she was just an assignment, an obligation to be fulfilled for the Obscura Council.

  She didn’t know what he meant when he said she would be going through her own transition soon, but she knew that once that was done he would move on. Either that or Jacen got to her first and their time together would be over anyway.

  “How are new vampires made? Do you change humans with your blood?”

  There was another chuckle as he pulled her close.

  “All of that stuff you read in books or see in movies is mostly mumbo jumbo really. We can have children just like humans do, although pregnancy and labour can be dangerous for our females so they usually only have two children.”

  Cat felt the warmth of Darien’s breath as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

  “Females bear tattoos on their collarbones to signify their children. It’s a mark of honor.”

  She wanted to ask him about the symbol she’d seen tattooed on the back of his shoulder earlier in the day but hesitated. He sensed her question anyway.

  “It’s an assassin’s mark,” he said quietly. “All of us here in the house have it. It’s what identifies our team, I guess. We designed it a long time ago and, for better or worse, it’s become part of who we are.”

  A silence developed, Darien clearly unwilling to discuss the things he’d done on behalf of the Council he was now beginning to doubt.

  Cat changed the subject. “What if you want to have more than two children?”

  He turned to face her, his expression grim. “We could have as many children as we want to, except after two children something happens and the young are not the same. They’re vampires, but they’re something else as well. So females elect to only have two children.”

  “Why are they different?”

  Darien’s lips tightened as he hesitated. But then his expression softened. “The third child is born just as the other two are and they grow up exactly the same as the rest of us. But at the time of Ascension they develop another ability, one that the rest of us don’t share.”

  “What?” Cat prompted as he hesitated again.

  “They become shapeshifters.”

  Now it was Cat’s turn to pause as she stared at him, dumbstruck. “Shapeshifters? As in, like, werewolves?”

  Darien nodded. “They can change, at will, into any warm blooded animal. But usually, as time goes by, they become attached to a particular form and stay with it.”

  “Wow.” Cat was shaking her head.

  “The Council thinks it’s an abomination, a curse on our kind,” he said, his tone harsh, “and they banned females from having a third child.”

  Cat frowned. “But they’re still vampires, right?”

  “They are,” Darien affirmed. “And a lot of us think it actually makes for a superior being, especially in combat; that and the fact that they can walk around in the early daylight hours when they’re in their altered form.”

  “They can go out during the day?”

  He nodded, a wry smile on his face. “Makes the rest of us quite jealous at times.”

  “What happens when you go out in sunlight? Do you turn to ash?”

  The laugh that came to her was filled with wry humor. “That part of the myth is true, unfortunately. Although it’s more like an explosion into ash.”

  Cat leaned back against Darien’s shoulder, wondering how much he would enjoy being in the warm sunlight, even if it were in animal form.

  “Are you a….?”

  She couldn’t finish the question but Darien was already shaking his head, his fangs flashing for an instant as he smiled.

  “No. I’m a first born. But two of the team here are third-borns.”

  Her curiosity burned. “Which ones?”

  Darien shook his head, his smile fading.

  “It’s a very personal matter to a third-born. There’s a lot of social stigma attached to being a shape shifter and, while it might not matter to you that you know, it would weigh heavily on the other.”

  He pulled
her tighter. “But they’ll let you know, when they’re ready.”

  Cat yawned and Darien was already standing, pulling her gently to her feet.

  “I’m sorry. This is when I’m usually awake. I didn’t think that you’re supposed to be sleeping at this time.”

  His words were rushed, his eyes concerned.

  Cat waved her hand. “It’s okay. I slept for a while earlier.”

  But the truth was that she did feel tired, exhausted in fact, and her sleep earlier had been fitful.

  She allowed him to lead her back downstairs and, as they entered the bedroom, she saw that the bed had been made, the pile of clothes that had been on the floor now gone.

  “Wow,” she muttered as Darien led her over to the bed, “Galena’s got everything covered around here, hasn’t she?”

  She slipped off the robe and climbed under the duvet, watching as Darien undressed in the light from the bedside lamp.

  Then the light flickered out and he pulled her against him, wrapping his body around hers and warming her instantly. His scent enfolded her like a warm breath of air and she felt a calm that she hadn’t felt since the night she’d first met him. She realized that the feeling felt like returning after a long time away from family and loved ones.

  Her last thought, before sleep claimed her, was that it felt like home, and she never wanted to leave again.

  ***

  Just a few hours later she was reveling in the warmth of the sun as it streamed in through the car window.

  She’d insisted on going back to her apartment, brushing off Darien’s concerns for her safety, rationalizing she just needed to collect some fresh clothes and a few other essential items.

  It’s not like Jacen can grab me in the daylight, she’d muttered to herself, pulling on a pair of Marabella’s jeans and throwing up a silent prayer to whoever had thought to add Spandex to denim. She’d turned and laughed, seeing Darien stewing as he lay in the huge bed, watching her dress. His brows were low and his lips a hard line, his arms crossed over his broad chest.

  “You are stunningly gorgeous this morning,” she’d grinned, planting a kiss on the top of his head, “but sulking doesn’t suit you.”

  Then she’d shrieked as he made a grab for her, pulling her roughly down to the bed, although his frown had been replaced by a grin that sent a lascivious shiver up her spine.