by Aubrey Ross
“That sounds like Bianca.” Her nocturnal twin had always been more sexually aggressive, more certain of her desire. “I never denied my attraction to you. The situation is more complicated than what I want.”
Leaning down, he brushed her lips with his. “Only because you complicate it.”
“Bianca doesn’t have to think about the ramifications of—”
He silenced her objections with a kiss. His mouth pressed over hers and his tongue traced the seam of her lips. Heat pooled between her thighs, and an odd heaviness expanded within her chest. Why had he waited so long to confront her? The timing couldn’t be worse.
For just a moment she relaxed into the embrace, tempted to surrender. The kiss was gentle, patient. Her obligations loomed and she grew restless. Grasping his upper arms, she arched away, turning her head sharply to the side.
“Starting tomorrow I’ll have a bodyguard with me night and day.”
His lips grazed the side of her face, his breath warm and moist against her ear. “It might only take them a day or two to track down the vampire. Besides, we still have tonight.”
She didn’t want a hurried tumble and the inevitable awkwardness that would follow once the Sentinel arrived. She wanted endless nights of carnal abandon and a lover assertive enough to control her. Her mind stumbled over the word control. Did she want to be controlled? No, more like guided. She wanted a lover strong enough to guide her.
“I’ll transform. You and Bianca can—”
Another kiss interrupted her suggestion. “I don’t want half of you. I want all of you.”
* * *
Remaining in the shadow realm, Lukas scanned his surroundings. Rebecca McNeil’s home was modest by Malibu standards, yet luxurious on any other scale. He assessed the location in concentric circles, starting at the perimeter and working his way inward.
Three of the four garage bays were occupied, but none of the vehicles showed signs of recent use. He returned to the house and continued his assessment. Opening a door or window would trigger basic security sensors. He shook his head. Human precautions were useless with most vampires. The main floor was empty, no signs of life anywhere. Drifting closer to the wraparound veranda, he scanned the upper level room by room.
Awareness jolted his being. The largest bedroom was occupied. Did Rebecca have guests or had she returned early? Her safety was more important than her need for privacy. Amusement rippled through him as he projected his energy through the bedroom wall. Apparently voyeuristic tendencies ran in his family.
The couple stood locked in a heated embrace. Their passionate kiss prevented Lukas from making a visual identification. He scanned the man. Human, no overt paranormal abilities. The woman’s energy was more complex. Still, she could be Rebecca or a relative with similar physiology. The dossier hadn’t mentioned any siblings.
The man worked the buttons on her blouse with frantic urgency then tugged his T-shirt off over his head. With a dexterous flick of his fingers, the man unfastened the front clasp on her bra. Her clothing hung open from her shoulders, exposing the lush fullness of her breasts.
Damn! With long legs, slim hips, and those amazing breasts, she could easily moonlight as a lingerie model. The man cupped one breast as he bent over the other. His lips drew firmly on her pink nipple.
Grasping her lover’s upper arms, she let her head drop back. Her hair cascaded down her back in a profusion of strawberry-blonde waves. The pose accentuated her slender neck and the bold thrust of her breasts. Lust curled through Lukas, hot and heavy, demanding he solidify and join the fun.
He reluctantly dragged his gaze away from her body and looked at her face. Apparently Rebecca required one last tumble before she accepted his protection. He couldn’t really blame her for the small deception. There was no telling how long she’d be under his direct supervision.
The man sucked each breast in turn, leaving one nipple wet and rosy while he tantalized the other with his mouth. Her cheeks flushed and her tongue peeked out to moisten her lower lip. It would be so easy to solidify beside them, to taste her lips and tease her nipples, leaving no portion of her body neglected.
There is no danger! Lukas’ inner voice objected. He was here to protect her, not enjoy her voluptuous body. Desire flared from smoldering heat to consuming flame as he forced himself back. His mind might acknowledge his mission, but his emotions weren’t ready to cooperate.
“We can’t do this.” Rebecca’s breathless voice halted Lukas’ retreat. She pushed the man away and covered her breasts with the unbuttoned halves of her blouse. “Katsu, please. You’re amazing, sexy as hell, but this has to wait.”
“What are you so afraid of?” Katsu remained by the bed, his eyes flashing like polished ebony. “I know how long it’s been since you’ve let anyone touch you.”
“You’ve had three months to make your move. It’s not going to happen tonight.” Her tone was tight, her fingers clutching in the fabric of her blouse. Katsu reached for her hand, but she snatched it away. “There’s a vampire hunting halflings.”
“This has nothing to do with the vampire. You’ve kept yourself isolated for as long as I’ve known you.”
“That’s not true.” She squared her shoulders and looked past Katsu, her features falling into an expressionless mask.
Lukas lightly scanned her mind. His empathic receptors were only minimally sensitive, but he needed to understand her attitude. Negative emotions attracted Taerok. If this argument continued, Lukas might need to interrupt.
Emotions twisted through her mind, contradicting her calm expression. Frustration coiled around uncertainty, and desire boiled beneath the clutter created by the other emotions. Regardless of her protests, she wanted Katsu.
Katsu stared at her silently. Lukas didn’t need to scan his mind to understand what he was feeling. His dark eyes shimmered and his hands clenched at his sides. He was clearly ready to pounce, so what held him back? She would probably welcome the aggression.
She glanced at Katsu and asked, “What has Bianca told you about our past?”
“She told me someone hurt you badly, and you’d tell me about it when you were ready. She also told me patience was counterproductive to your recovery.”
“Yeah, I got that from the ‘bend her over the bed and fuck her senseless’ suggestion.”
With a frustrated sigh, Katsu slipped his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “You’re driving me crazy. You know that, don’t you?”
Her frustration spiked right along with Katsu’s, so Lukas delved deeper into her mind. She was paralyzed by fear, aching for Katsu, yet unsure how to make him understand what she needed. If he didn’t assert himself soon, she would slip back behind her wall of resignation.
She loosened her grip on the blouse, the movement so subtle it might have been unintentional. The blouse gaped, revealing the inner swell of her breasts. She waited, hoping he would take the bait. In her mind Katsu lunged, ripping her blouse apart as he pushed her up against the wall. In reality, Katsu’s gaze remained fixed on her face.
Lukas drifted around the couple as they stared each other down. Katsu was every bit as intriguing as Rebecca. His dark handsomeness complemented her golden beauty and the heated gleam of his eyes reflected how badly he wanted her. Lukas was generally more attracted to women than men, but there was something special about Katsu.
Expounding on Rebecca’s fantasy, Lukas imagined them together, naked, lost in passion’s thrall. Bracing her against the wall, Katsu wrapped her legs around his waist and frantically found his target. His angular features tightened as her wet heat surrounded his cock. The defined muscles in his back bunched and flexed beneath his smooth skin. She gasped and trembled as he thrust between her thighs. Her full breasts jostled, echoing each firm stroke.
Lukas took the temptation a step further. He pictured Katsu on the bed, Rebecca straddling his hips. Katsu reached between their bodies and guided his shaft to her entrance. He gently rubbed her clit as he pushed into her core.
She moaned softly and her eyes closed against the pleasure.
Lukas insinuated himself into the scene. Kneeling behind her, he caressed her breasts while Katsu began to move. Lukas teased her nipples, then nudged Katsu’s fingers aside so he could tease her clit. They took her to the brink of orgasm over and over until she was wild and restless between them. Finally, Katsu pulled her forward and kissed her mouth.
Caressing his way down her back, Lukas savored the firm curve of her hips and the silky softness of her ass. He ventured between her cheeks and located her other opening. She didn’t seem the type to indulge her darker impulses, so he initiated her slowly. Slippery with lubricant, his fingers gently breached her anus.
She tensed then shivered, a distressed murmur escaping her throat. With infinite care he awakened her senses. She was female perfection, sleek muscles and generous curves. He watched his fingers slide in and out and felt Katsu’s hardness twit in her pussy.
Together they’d propel her to heights of ecstasy. They’d pass her back and forth, extending each sensation with tender care. Then they’d thrust inward together, stretching her so tight she’d—
“Are we going to stare at each other for the rest of the night?”
Rebecca’s softly spoken question shattered the illusion. Reluctantly, Lukas reined in his wayward imagination and focused on his mission, protecting this delectable halfling.
“Are you going to stay celibate for the rest of your life?” Katsu challenged.
She quickly put several steps between them, using his irritation to fuel her resolve. “When and if I decide I want a lover, it will be my decision not yours—or Bianca’s for that matter.”
He crossed his arms over his chest and narrowed his gaze on her face. “And I’m supposed to wait around for this epiphany?”
“I hired you as a personal trainer, not a sexual companion.”
“You responded when I kissed you. Was that some sort of game?”
“That’s not the point.”
“What is the point? Explain this to me, Rebecca. I want to understand.”
Trepidation sparked along Lukas’ consciousness. He pulled back from the couple and quickly scanned the room. Their argument escalated, tension crackling around them like a gathering storm. Lukas focused on their surroundings, meticulously scanning the outer walls.
A surge of awareness confirmed his suspicions. An incorporeal being was burrowing through the exterior wall. Vampire! He reinforced his shields and moved toward the metaphysical fissure, directing energy ahead of him as he approached. The vampire pushed harder and Lukas pushed back.
Rebecca turned abruptly and looked in the general direction of the struggle. “Someone’s here,” she whispered.
Fear rippled through the room followed by a stronger wave of anger. Lukas didn’t take time to sort through the emotions. The vampire lunged, bursting through the wall with explosive speed. The force propelled Lukas backward and allowed the vampire to slip past, siphoning off energy as he went.
Lukas groaned. Weakness overcame him in debilitating waves. His being shrank and vibrated, rocked by the ease with which the vampire had struck.
Katsu moved in front of Rebecca and balanced his weight on the balls of his feet. His gaze searched the shadows, arms bent and ready for an offensive.
“Show yourself,” Rebecca snapped.
Taerok materialized in the blink of an eye and sent Katsu flying with the wave of one pale hand. The human hit the wall like a discarded toy, crumpling to the floor in an untidy heap.
Forced to watch in impotent fury, Lukas absorbed energy as fast as he could. Taerok would not claim another victim while he was trapped in the shadow realm!
Rebecca raised both arms, her gaze fixed squarely on the vampire. “Don’t come near me.” Her palms glowed and sparks jumped between her fingers. Taerok laughed and reached for her throat. She launched a sizzling pulse into his face.
Clearly startled, Taerok stumbled back. “You’re no match for me, halfling! Don’t make this harder than it needs to be.”
Lukas materialized slowly, rationing his limited energy. Rebecca’s eyes widened for an instant, but Taerok didn’t react to Lukas’ arrival.
“I thought vampires had an aversion to fire,” she went on as if nothing had changed. Her right hand ignited, mesmerizing flames curling around her fingers and her wrist. “Get the hell out or I’ll—”
Taerok flew at her, grasping her throat with one hand and smothering the flame with the other. She cried out and looked at Lukas, expectation overlaying her fear. Lukas took a thin metal band out of his back pocket and snapped it against Taerok’s neck. The Titseeny collar coiled around the vampire’s throat and tightened.
“I don’t breathe, you fool. You can’t strangle me.” Taerok sneered. His fingers remained at Rebecca’s throat, nails digging into her skin.
“Estri miko fon.” Lukas activated the band. Taerok snarled and tossed his head, but his hold on Rebecca gradually loosened. “Tallanty norest fontae.” Spinning the vampire around, Lukas grasped his head between his palms. “Fontae miko estri—” Taerok dematerialized before Lukas could complete the binding spell. The Titseeny collar fell to the floor with a useless ping. “Damn it.” He bent and retrieved the thin band. “I almost had him.”
Rebecca stared at Lukas, her hands trembling as she clutched the front of her blouse. “Lukas Mandalay, I presume?”
Chapter Two
“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful, but what are you doing here?” Rebecca’s heart was pounding so hard she could barely hear her own question. Reaching beneath her blouse, she awkwardly refastened her bra. To his credit, her uninvited guest kept his gaze fixed on her face as she righted her clothing.
“I was doing my job.” He offered her a sly smile. “Wasn’t that obvious?”
Too upset to appreciate his sense of humor, she crossed the room and knelt at Katsu’s side. Her mind replayed the image of his lean body flying through the air and colliding with the wall. She pressed her fingertips against the side of Katsu’s neck.
“Is he all right?”
“I think he’s just stunned.” She straightened his arms and slid him away from the wall. “You are Lukas Mandalay, aren’t you?” Tension still cramped her muscles and her heart thudded rapidly in her chest. Taking several deep breaths, she tried to convince her body the danger had passed. “Do you have ID on you? I hate to sound paranoid, but someone did just try to kill me.”
“Not a problem.” He pulled his wallet out of his pocket and tossed it to her. “It’s always wise to err on the side of caution.”
The black leather felt warm and smooth against her fingers. She flipped it open and found his driver’s license. “Thanks.” She tossed the wallet back to him.
“I was told you were returning tomorrow.” His bright blue gaze assessed her openly, but he kept the breadth of the room between them.
“Then why are you here?” Sitting back on her heels, she returned his curious stare.
“I was setting up a perimeter when I sensed someone inside the house.”
Heat suffused her face and her nipples tingled. “How long have you been here?” Had he seen her kissing Katsu? Had he loitered in the shadows and watched the other man undress her?
“Not long.” His casual expression didn’t fool her for a minute. He’d seen Katsu touching her, sucking on her breasts. Had it aroused him? Had he imagined himself in Katsu’s place? Or at Katsu’s side? A violent shiver shook her frame. Bianca embraced her sexuality, indulging in pleasures Rebecca could scarcely imagine. She’d seen images and received flashes of sensation during their transitions that fueled her imagination. What would it be like to pleasure, and be pleasured by, two men? The bold thought made her want to laugh. She couldn’t hold it together long enough to make love with Katsu. What would she do with both of them?
She cleared her throat and forced herself to look into his eyes. “I appreciate your assistance with the vampire.” His starkly masculine presence s
ent tingles branching off in all directions. Arranged with brutal elegance, his features combined harsh angles and sculpted planes with mesmerizing results. The uncompromising slash of his brows drew her attention to his eyes. With electric-blue intensity and an exotic slant, they revealed his otherworldly heritage. “Why weren’t you able to bind him?”
“I’m not sure.” He ran a careless hand through his hair, making the wavy mass shimmer with blue highlights. “Titseeny collars usually do the trick. With a lesser vampire, I wouldn’t even need the binding spell.”
“What language were you speaking? Where did you get the collar?”
Before Lukas could reply, Katsu moaned and clutched the sides of his head. Rebecca brushed the hair back from his face and waited for him to open his eyes.
“What happened?” Katsu sat up and looked around, his expression echoing his confusion. “I feel like I was hit by a truck.”
“You were hit by an organic vampire, which amounts to the same thing,” Lukas said.
Katsu’s dark gaze fixed on Lukas. “You must be the Sentinel.”
Lukas inclined his head, the hint of a smile quirking one corner of his mouth. “Now that we all know who we are, shall we move on to strategy?”
Energized by resentment, Katsu pushed to his feet. “Strategy must not be your strong suit. Isn’t it your responsibility to keep her safe? How did the vampire get in here if you were doing your job?”
“I was told Rebecca would arrive tomorrow. She’s damned lucky I was here tonight.”
“If you’re so fucking good, why is there still a need for strategy?”
With tension hardening his handsome features, Lukas turned to Rebecca. “Why don’t you send your pet home? I’ve been contracted to protect you, not babysit your toy.”
Katsu lunged for Lukas, but Rebecca stepped between the two men. “Enough!” She took Katsu by the shoulders and shoved him back. “If Lukas hadn’t been here tonight, I’d be dead, or worse, at the mercy of that monster.”
“So what’s his brilliant strategy?” Katsu shook off her hold and glared at Lukas.