Vampire Most Wanted: An Argeneau Novel (Argeneau Vampire)

by Lynsay Sands

  “What do you think she was showing her in the trailer?” Marcus asked, eyes narrowed on the women as they turned to walk back toward them.

  “A motorcycle,” Jackie announced. “Divine’s motorcycle. She apparently abandoned it here when she took you away in the SUV the night of the fire and Madge had Bob put it in the trailer to keep for her until she returned.”

  “Hmm.” Marcus nodded. He had fond memories of that motorcycle and riding behind Divine on it. He was actually surprised he’d forgotten about it until now. “We could store it in the RV to keep it safe yet handy. Why isn’t she bringing it with her?”

  “Because she doesn’t want us to know she has it,” Jackie announced, and then pointed out, “It would be easier for her to slip away and escape on it if we don’t know it exists.”

  “Escape?” Marcus asked with surprise. “Why would she want to escape? I’m her life mate.”

  “I don’t think she knows that yet,” Vincent said thoughtfully.

  “Well then maybe it’s time I helped her with that,” Marcus muttered.

  “You’ll have to help her with more than that,” he said solemnly, and when Marcus glanced to him in question, added, “She has no idea what nanos are or how they work. She really didn’t know they were man-made by scientists back in Atlantis.”

  “What?” Marcus peered at him with surprise. “How could she not know something like that?”

  Vincent shook his head. “I’m not sure. I guess you’ll have to ask her to find out.”

  Marcus frowned and turned to peer at Divine. She was confident, caring, beautiful to him, and seemed so savvy on so many subjects that it was hard to believe she didn’t know what were basically the immortal facts of life. He hoped that she at least knew what the symptoms of immortals finding their life mates were. That thought made him ask, “Do you think she knows about life mates?”

  The question obviously surprised Vincent and he blinked twice before saying, “For your sake, I hope so.”

  Divine saw Marcus give her the thumbs-up in the rearview mirror, brought the RV to a full halt, and then slipped it into park and turned off the engine. Much to her surprise he’d suggested that perhaps she should be the one who parked the RV in the tight space left over once Vincent had parked the other RV. She’d been surprised because most men seemed to prefer to take the wheel when it came to driving. Apparently, Marcus wasn’t most men. He’d merely shrugged at her surprise and pointed out that he’d never driven an RV before while she had years of experience at it. She seemed the better choice for the job. Divine found she had a great deal of respect for him for that and was a bit ashamed that she hadn’t admitted her own lack of knowledge when it came to the origins of nanos.

  Marcus didn’t mind admitting she knew or had more experience and skill than he did at something. Yet she’d been too embarrassed to do the same.

  Ah well, Divine thought as she opened her door to get out. No one was perfect.

  “Nice job,” Marcus complimented, meeting her halfway up the side of the RV.

  “Thanks,” Divine murmured and went to move past him, but he caught her arm to stop her. Pausing, she raised her eyebrows. “What?”

  “I wanted to ask you a couple of questions,” Marcus said quietly.

  Divine hesitated, but then forced herself to at least appear relaxed and nodded slowly. “Okay.”

  Marcus took a breath, considered her briefly and then asked, “Do you know about life mates?”

  Divine tilted her head a little surprised by the question. “Of course.” She smiled faintly and admitted, “A visiting cousin and I used to play at being life mates when I was eleven. She was always the girl,” she added dryly and shrugged. “Don’t all immortal children chatter and dream about finding their life mate one day?”

  “What do you know about them?” he pressed.

  Divine shrugged. “They are an immortal’s one true mate, the one who can’t read or control them and whom they can’t read or control. They bond for life.”

  “Do you know the symptoms of finding a life mate?”

  She frowned now. “Why are you asking me this?”

  “Because I’m 2,548 years old,” Marcus announced. “And I can’t read you.”

  Divine blinked. He was old . . . but she was older. His not being able to read her, therefore, was no great surprise. However, as the older one, she should have been able to read him . . . and couldn’t. She hadn’t enjoyed any of the other symptoms of meeting a life mate though, at least not that she’d noticed. She wasn’t hungering for food, but then she hadn’t really been around any unless you counted the canned and boxed goods in Vincent and Jackie’s pantry.

  “And neither Jackie nor Vincent should be able to read me, but they can for the first time since I’ve known them,” Marcus added solemnly, and then pointed out, “The inability to block younger immortals from reading your thoughts is another symptom of finding a life mate.”

  Divine swallowed, her mind beginning to whirl.

  “And,” he added, “while I can’t read you, Jackie and Vincent can.”

  Divine actually felt the blood leave her face as this news struck her. This was . . . Cripes, Vincent and Jackie could read her? Two babies like them? Impossible. But if they could . . . Was Marcus her . . . ?

  What had they read? She worried, suddenly. What did they know? Was all of this true? Was Marcus her life mate? She remembered the sensations that she got whenever their bodies touched, brushed, or accidentally rubbed together and had to shake her head. She couldn’t handle that just then. She couldn’t handle Marcus being her life mate either. This was some cosmic joke. One of Lucian’s spies her life mate?

  Dear God, Divine thought with dismay and then her mind circled back around to wondering what Vincent and Jackie had read in her thoughts. What did they know? What had she given away?

  Marcus was her life mate, her mind screamed, and Divine raised her hands to rub her temples. Her thoughts were too chaotic. She couldn’t deal with all of this right now. Couldn’t even consider him being her life mate. He was Lucian’s spy, for God’s sake, and her son might be in jeopardy from whatever Vincent and Jackie had read in her thoughts.

  “Divine?” he asked with concern.

  “I have to—” Divine shook her head and tried to move past him, but was so shaken up she stumbled over her own feet and would have fallen if he hadn’t caught her arm. Marcus saved her from falling, but her momentum swung her around and she slammed up against his chest with a surprised gasp. Swallowing, she stared at his chest briefly, but then closed her eyes as his scent wafted up to her nose. His scent was definitely male, something woodsy but with a hint of citrus. It was incredibly . . . tempting. She wanted to press her nose into the crook of his neck and just inhale deeply. Instead, she stopped breathing altogether and tried to gather herself to step away.

  “Divine?” His voice had dropped, becoming this sexy, husky murmur of sound. That combined with his warm breath brushing her ear made a small groan slip from her lips.

  “Did you hurt yourself?” Marcus asked with concern, urging her back slightly to try to see her face. The action pressed their lower bodies tighter together, nestling her groin against his, and Divine bit her lip at the sensation that sent rushing through her. Dear God.

  “Divine? What’s wrong? Look at me,” he insisted.

  Tipping her head back, Divine reluctantly opened her eyes and then simply stared. His eyes were a black glowing with silver streaks through it. They were fascinating, hypnotic. In fact, they so had her attention she didn’t notice that they were moving closer until a heartbeat before his lips covered hers. Divine had that heartbeat to pull away, and should have, but instead she hesitated and that was her undoing. Once his mouth brushed over hers she was lost.

  Fourteen

  It started with a tingling that erupted where their lips met, like a sparkler spitting out little flames of heat. Then Marcus’s arms slid around her back, pulling her closer, and his mouth opened over he
rs and the night exploded inside Divine’s head. That was the only way to describe it; heat and light and color all seemed to explode behind her eyes, and fire licked up her body as his tongue slid out to spread her lips and plunge between them.

  At first they clung to each other as if each were the other’s lifeline in a stormy sea, but then Divine was left to cling to him alone as his hands began to move. Anywhere Marcus’s fingers roamed, her body burst into flame . . . and his hands were everywhere, moving with a swiftness that was almost dizzying, as if he wanted to ensure she had all the necessary parts, or he wanted to touch all of her at once.

  Divine gasped and moaned by turn, unconsciously thrusting her hips closer when his hands covered and squeezed her breasts, then tugging desperately at his shoulders and rising up on her toes when he dropped one hand to cup her between the legs and pressed upward, the thin material of her skirt and panties the only thing between them. That caress made her a little crazy and Divine began to suck almost viciously at his tongue, one of her own hands finally giving up its hold on his shoulder to scrape its way down his chest, clawing at the thin cloth of the tight T-shirt he wore. Already strained, the cloth gave way like film, the material spreading where it tore open and leaving a large opening over one side of his chest. Feeling the coarse hair under her palm, and the nub of a nipple, Divine tore her mouth from Marcus’s and lowered her head to his chest instead, eager to taste his skin.

  Her mind was filled with an insatiable hunger that had her licking his skin and then closing her lips around his nipple and drawing on it eagerly. She barely heard the startled curse Marcus uttered, but she felt his surprised pleasure wing its way from his body to hers.

  Shared pleasure, another symptom of life mates, she recalled, and the thought was an electrifying one that gave her a boldness Divine hadn’t known she possessed in this area. Even she was startled when she suddenly reached down and clasped the hardness pressing against his tight black jeans. The sensations that sent through both of them had her tearing her mouth from his chest and seeking out his mouth again for an almost violently demanding kiss.

  Divine felt the material of her skirt moving against the backs of her legs, and then his hands were there, sliding upward and pushing the material ahead of them. Still, her eyes blinked open with surprise when he suddenly caught her by the backs of the thighs and pulled them up around his hips. Instinct kicked in and she crossed her ankles behind his back to keep from falling. She also withdrew her caressing hand from his trapped erection to clutch at his shoulders again. The moment she did, he suddenly turned with her.

  Divine gasped into his mouth with surprise as her back slammed into the side of the RV.

  Marcus immediately tore his mouth away then to mutter an apology against her cheek. He took several deep breaths as well, then pulled his head back to ask breathlessly, “Are you all right?”

  His words were mumbled and slurred as if he’d been drinking when she knew he hadn’t. Marcus was obviously as overcome by the passion as she was. Divine grunted in the affirmative for answer and then clasped his face and pulled it back so that she could cover his mouth with hers again.

  Damn the man could kiss. At least she thought he could. She wasn’t positive though. Maybe it was just the chemical reaction of life mate sex. It was supposed to be mind-blowing and that seemed a good description. Divine had never experienced anything like this. Even bloodlust had never been this all-consuming for her. She wanted him on her and in her and around her. She wanted it all and she wanted it right then, right there.

  Much to her relief, Marcus’s moment of concern passed quickly under the influence of her kiss and he began kissing and touching her again. He pressed her against the RV, holding her there with his lower body, and pulled back his upper body so that he could tug at her peasant blouse. It was a damned handy blouse for a situation like this and Divine grunted with relief when he tugged it down, revealing her breasts to the hot night air. She then groaned deeply with pleasure when he both raised her a little higher against the RV and lowered his head to claim one already erect nipple.

  It was as if his lips were tugging on a fuse that ran from breast to groin and that contact with his mouth had set it alight. Gasping, she threw her head back, nearly knocking herself out when it crashed into the RV wall. Marcus’s hand was immediately there, rubbing the spot on her head where she’d hit the wall, and then cupping her head to prevent her doing it again, but his mouth never left her breast, never stopped drawing and suckling, his tongue flicking the nipple the whole while.

  It was enough to drive her crazy. Divine moaned and groaned, her hands caught in his hair and tugging, her hips moving and thrusting against his stomach now. And then she reached for her free breast with her own hand and began to squeeze and knead the excited flesh that was being neglected.

  Everything he was doing was incredible, mind-numbingly exciting. Her entire body was humming with excitement and need. She was actually aching between her legs with it . . . and it wasn’t enough. She wanted him inside her, wanted to feel his hot, hard body pressing into her. The thought made her reach down now, trying to find that hardness again. But he was holding her too high. She unhooked her ankles and kicked her feet in frustration, grunting with satisfaction when he lifted his mouth from her breast and let her slide down along the RV wall until her hand could find the top of his jeans. As he began to kiss her again, Divine pressed her palm to his stomach and then slid her hand down between the material and his skin until she could cup him without the material of his jeans or underwear in the way. Not that he appeared to be wearing any underwear. The man was commando, and she was grateful for it. She doubted her hand would have fit with the added material in the tight space.

  Divine couldn’t have got more reaction out of Marcus if she’d lit a match where her fingers clasped him. Excitement shot through him in a tsunami of sensation that damned near knocked Divine out when it vibrated across their connection and blew through her. When he then slid one hand under her skirt in response, and slid it along her thigh to slip beneath the edge of her panties to touch her, Divine was already wet for him, soaking in fact, her body weeping for him to fill it.

  She moaned in protest when he broke their kiss, and really didn’t understand what he was trying to say when he gasped, “We shouldn’t—not here—but I can’t—I need . . .”

  Divine gasped and jerked in his arms as his touch became more intimate, his fingers sliding between her warm wet skin to find the center of her excitement. He strummed her once, twice, and then slid a finger inside her and Divine bit his shoulder to muffle the scream that tore from her as her body shuddered and shook with release. In the next moment, her teeth released him and a sigh was slipping from her lips as darkness rolled over her.

  A shout followed by a drunken laugh stirred Marcus. He blinked his eyes open, confused at first as to where he was. It was the head resting on his chest and the warm body on his legs that brought his memory back to him. Damn . . . he’d just experienced his first bout with life mate sex . . . and it had been . . .

  Damn, he thought. There was no way to describe it. He’d heard it called mind-blowing and incredible and it had certainly been both those things, but that was like calling a tornado a light breeze, or saying a tsunami was the tide coming in. What he’d experienced had been mind-bending and life altering and he definitely never wanted to let it go.

  Another laugh, this one closer, claimed his attention again and Marcus glanced around, quickly taking in their situation. They’d passed out and were outside, lying on the ground next to her RV . . . and someone was coming, stumbling drunkenly toward them . . . more than one someone.

  Marcus swept the area in both directions, but didn’t yet see whoever was approaching. Marcus then briefly debated just waiting there and trying to control the person or people when they got close enough for him to see them. He could take control, ensure they didn’t see him and Divine, and send them in another direction . . . if there weren’t more than t
wo. Two would be tricky, but more than that would be pretty much impossible.

  He’d just had the thought when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye and glanced to the side and down. He was lying on his back between the two RVs with his feet toward the back of the RVs and the midway, and his head toward the front of the RVs and the back lot where the bunkhouses were. The movement he’d glimpsed was several pairs of feet, maybe a half a dozen, walking along the back of the RV. Within half a dozen steps the owners of those feet would be at the opening of the space between the two RVs and able to see them.

  Marcus moved quickly then, shifting to the side to slide under the RV that Divine was supposed to use, and dragging her with him through the dirt. He tried not to think about what the action must be doing to her new clothes, more concerned with getting them both under the cover of the vehicle before they could be spotted. And they would have been spotted for certain, he thought grimly as the six pairs of feet turned down the row between the RVs to make their way to the back lot.

  “These are new,” someone said, the words slightly slurred.

  A group of the young carnies returning from celebrating the end of a long workday, Marcus thought and didn’t doubt that was the case. He didn’t know where they got the energy though. They worked like dogs all day in the heat and should have been sacked out, exhausted in their beds when midnight came and the carnival closed.

  “Maybe Divine got a new trailer and is back,” another voice suggested. The first had been female. This one was male.

  “That’d be awesome,” another male voice said. “Divine’s hot.”

  “Hot?” another female demanded in sulky tones. “She’s old. She has to be at least twenty-five.”

  “Yeah? Well, I’m twenty-four, so I guess I’m old too. Too old for you at least. What are you anyway? Twelve?” he taunted as they passed the spot where Marcus and Divine lay.

  “Eighteen,” the girl snapped with irritation. “Bob and Madge would hardly hire a twelve-year-old.”