The Fire Within

by Marie Harte

  She looked good enough to eat.

  Her eyes sparkled with anger and she crossed her arms over full breasts, her mouth a tight line of pink indulgence. “Don’t you have a job you should be doing? Why are you down here when your bar is overloaded with customers?”

  She sounded high and mighty, her husky voice surprisingly prim. She made him want to throw her down on the cold floor and fuck her until she screamed his name, begging for mercy.

  Something of his desire must have shown in his eyes for she backed away nervously. “Darius?” She cleared her throat and planted her feet, though he could see the tension in her tight frame. “I asked you a question.”

  He smiled, a feline grin not meant to reassure. “I followed you down here, Samantha.” Her name rolled off his lips like molten hunger. Before this night was through, he intended to conquer Samantha, to once and for all purge her from his thoughts. “Now why don’t we finish what you started last night?” he asked silkily and stepped closer.

  “Last night?” She had to tilt her head to look up at him. “What I started? Are you saying I initiated those touches? That embrace?” She glared at him and poked him in the chest, her nerves vanishing in a flash. “Look, Darius, you came on to me.” She scowled at him, making him wonder just what she’d found so disgusting about his behaviour last night. He clearly remembered her body’s response to his nearness, and it had been more than welcoming. “You lost the blonde today at breakfast, so now you want to try me on for size? Forget it.”

  He frowned. “What blonde? And what the hell are you talking about?”

  “What?” she asked innocently. “Can’t remember her name? Or are you finally feeling guilty for dumping her in public?”

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about. The only woman on my mind lately is an irritating consultant with flashing green eyes and honey-spun hair.”

  Before she could say anything, he yanked her to him, pressing her against him to let her know of his intent. Her eyes darkened, a dusky leaf-green colour that made him think of the wild forests of Tanselm. And when her nipples brushed his chest, she created a storm of need that had him pressing harder against her.

  He felt no shame in sharing his want. His cock felt unbearably full. And despite the battle raging within her, he could sense her passion equalled his. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and smelled the feminine desire emanating from her very core.

  She shoved at him once, then again, trying desperately to break his hold. When he looked down at her, he saw the confusion lining her face, her lips parted in silent question. She met his fierce gaze and like a switch that had been thrown, she stopped struggling, her gaze wandering from his eyes to his mouth.

  Taking the opportunity as an invitation, he wasted no more time. With a swiftness that took her breath, he latched onto her luscious lips, groaning at the contact. She tasted sweet, fresh and dangerously addictive. At first her body tightened, then after a moment melted in his arms.

  Fierce satisfaction blazed through him, setting his body aflame. Excitement grew to a fevered pitch as she not only returned his kiss, but met his tongue with her own in an aggressive battle of wills.

  Several lightbulbs popped, leaving the basement in darkness save for a dim light against the wall, throwing them in the shadows. He couldn’t believe this woman had such an effect on him. With just a kiss she made him lose control of his powers, made him want to unleash all his frustrations and hungers in her scorchingly lush body.

  He deepened the kiss, trailing his lips across her cheek to her throat as he brought a hand around to her front. She moaned his name as he sucked her neck and gasped when his hand stole under her shirt to caress her lace-cupped breast.

  Rocking against her, he left no doubt as to what he intended. On the cold floor, against the wall, it didn’t matter as long as he felt her melt around him. And bless the Light she felt the same, for her hands crept around his waist, pulling him closer as a part of her cried out, More.

  Touch me, he answered, mentally linking them closer while he ravaged her body. He deftly unfastened her bra beneath her shirt and quickly stripped her of both garments. Then he removed his shirt, needing to feel her flesh against his.

  She rasped his name and his desire increased threefold. He could feel her need pressing at him, demanding he give her what she wanted. Startled at her response, one he might have expected had she been from Tanselm, he couldn’t help taking a breath to study the passionate creature before him.

  “I want you,” she said breathlessly, eyeing his broad chest with slumberous eyes. “I need you inside me.”

  Her face flushed and her lips swollen, she made him think of everything that was feminine and desirable, everything a man could ever want.

  Not able to understand the powerful urge to take her, he nonetheless stripped out of his clothes in record time and knelt to remove the rest of her garments. On his knees, he jerked her clothes down, his mouth dry as he eyed her golden curls glistening with desire—for him.

  Unable to resist, he parted her thighs enough to push a finger deep inside her, glorying in her erotic response. She felt so tight around him, her passage slick with cream, her nub tight and ripe. He rubbed his thumb against her clit and watched her arch her head back as she begged for release.

  So passionate, so responsive.

  He lost patience, stood, and stripped the remaining clothes from her body before backing her against the nearest concrete wall. Their forms played in the shadows, and despite the dim light around them he saw her clearly, a beautiful spirit of light shining just for him. He dropped to his knees and spread her thighs wide, waiting until she made eye contact again.

  “Mine,” he growled and pressed his mouth to her mound.

  Samantha forgot to breathe, forgot to care about making love in a public place. Everything had ceased to exist the moment she surrendered to overwhelming temptation and accepted his sexual offering.

  Her heart felt as if it would leave her chest as she felt his hot mouth licking and nipping at her clit. His tongue, oh my God. He pressed up into her, lapping at her arousal and she felt her orgasm fast approaching. Like a huge wave, her climax seemed to grow and build, hovering before it would come crashing down over her.

  She stared down at Darius, the coldness at her back forgotten as she saw his eyes closed in ecstasy, his mouth buried against her flesh. He nipped and sucked at her clit and she grasped his head, running her fingers through his soft hair to urge him on. She had never before been so on fire, so totally lost in another.

  Nothing mattered but the inferno Darius stoked, the utter rapture that she knew waited just beyond her reach.

  So close to the edge, on the verge of climax, and he stopped. “Darius, please,” she gasped, desperately needing to come. But the primal look in his eyes froze her. He looked almost inhuman, his eyes glittering with a strange red light reminiscent of her dream.

  In a blur he rose to his feet and caught her in his arms. He lifted her off her feet, positioned himself between her thighs and wrapped her legs around his waist. Moaning softly, she closed her eyes when she felt his lips pulling on her nipple.

  She pushed against him, arching her hips, and was rewarded when she felt the head of his massive penis pressing into her. So slick with need, she accommodated him easily until she realised she had only taken a part of him.

  He moved slowly, as if waiting for her to see him. Glancing into his eyes, she mouthed, “yes” before sealing their lips together. He began thrusting his tongue into her mouth, over and over as he pushed further into her core.

  Stretched and filled more than she could have imagined, she moaned into his mouth as he fully slid inside her. He stilled for a minute, letting her feel all of him. But her body was on fire. Nothing and no one existed save Darius and the way he made her feel.

  Pressing back against the wall to ease his intrusion, she suddenly shoved forward again, rocking her hips against him in hopes of regaining the delicious friction of his
arousal pulsing within her.

  He groaned and began thrusting, mimicking the action with his tongue. A wave of intense heat surrounded them, shimmering around Samantha like part of a dream. It was too intense, too encompassing to be real, but she was too far gone to care.

  His groin rubbed her clit as he pounded into her, his thrusts deeper as he increased the tempo and intensity.

  He broke from her mouth as he thrust, staring into her eyes. “Come around me, my fire, take all of me,” he said thickly.

  Samantha could only hold on as her body suddenly exploded. Staring into his fathomless eyes, she climaxed violently, clutching at him as her body shook.

  “Samantha,” he groaned as he thrust one last time, deep and hard. He stilled and shuddered, and she could actually feel him spurting inside her. Like the ripples of an aftershock, his orgasm enhanced her own, making her squeeze him tighter until they were both utterly spent.

  For timeless moments they stayed that way, his heavy body leaning against her, pinning her to the wall while he pulsed inside her, drenching her womb with warm, wet seed.

  Samantha finally caught her breath, aware now of the coldness against her back, of the trickle of moisture sliding down her legs. His laboured breathing calmed as they stood together, and he slowly withdrew. She closed her eyes, already missing his presence within her. When she opened her eyes, it was to find him staring at her with an indiscernible expression, the same expression he’d had when they’d first met.

  Last night.

  In a flash, reality crashed over her. She had just had sex, no, make that incredible, mind-blowing sex, with Darius Storm, a man who only hours earlier had broken some other woman’s heart.

  The wetness between her thighs startled her further.

  She couldn’t believe she’d been so stupid to have had unprotected sex with a stranger. Even with Josh she’d always insisted he use a condom.

  Confused and more than a little frightened of her intense reaction to the dark-haired sex magnet staring at her, she swallowed loudly, not sure of what to say.

  He frowned at her, studying her like a puzzle. Yet he didn’t speak. The silence soon became awkward and her nudity embarrassing. As the ugliness of reality returned, she wondered how much time had passed, if anyone had ventured down to the basement and seen them having sex.

  Oh Lord.

  “No one saw anything,” Darius said in a low voice. He continued to stare at her. “We are completely alone.”

  She chanced a look at him and saw to her amazement he had grown hard again. Distracted, she finally assuaged her curiosity and saw him fully nude for the first time.

  The image was breathtaking.

  Broad shouldered and heavily muscled, from his chest to his thighs to his calves, Darius looked like male perfection. His penis was huge, thick and long, glistening with her juices, making him all the more enticing.

  He obviously wanted her again, and to her amazement she felt her loins pool with desire, but she shook her head. She’d already made a huge mistake having sex with him while at work. Why compound the error?

  “We need to get back,” she said, wetting her dry lips with her tongue. He followed the action like a snake about to strike. All too easily she envisioned him plastering his mouth to hers, swallowing her cries of passion as he licked and stroked her mouth.

  She blinked to gather her thoughts and realised in her gross ogling that she had yet to put on any clothes.

  “I can’t believe we just did that,” she murmured as she hurried to gather and don what clothes she could find. Talk about sizzling passion. Darius had thrown her clothes everywhere, and the lack of lighting in the basement didn’t help matters.

  A flare of light above her suddenly illuminated her search and she froze, thinking they’d been discovered.

  “It’s just me,” Darius said quietly. “I see some of your clothes over there.”

  She quickly grabbed them and threw them on, then slipped into her shoes. I can’t believe I just had earth-shattering sex with Darius Storm. She risked a glance in his direction and saw him completely dressed, his gaze resting on her questioningly.

  As she straightened, she cringed to feel her underwear clinging to her. He came inside me. Panic set in as fears assaulted her. What the hell was I thinking?

  Darius’ lips turned up at the corners. “I have no sexual dysfunction.”

  “What?” she asked blankly.

  “I am not diseased. And you don’t need to worry about babies.”

  She stared at him slack jawed. Was he reading her mind? His eyes twinkled as if in humour, dark black and perfectly normal, and her confusion melted into renewed desire. Desperate to escape before she repeated her mistake, she stood to her full height and forced herself to give him a tepid glance. Best to end things on her terms before he crushed her dignity. Besides, this way she could walk away, or rather run, to gather what little control she thought she possessed.

  “It’s been fun, Darius. Incredible, really,” she added with a small, bland smile, her emotions a mess. She could only be glad she sounded convincing for he frowned. “But I’ve got work to do upstairs. Thanks for…everything.”

  She turned her back on him and struggled to unlock the wheels of the dolly. When he reached around her she tensed, but he only depressed the locked latch, freeing her to move. Releasing a pent-up breath, she pushed the mound of liquor onto the freight elevator.

  Casually turning to press the elevator release, she couldn’t help looking at him. Unspeaking, they stared at one another until the elevator engaged and she could no longer see him. Once out of his sight she slumped against the wall, her emotions making fireworks inside her heart.

  She didn’t want to return upstairs as if nothing monumental had happened, but she refused to give him the upper hand. He couldn’t know how deeply their intimacy had affected her, especially since she had yet to get a handle on her blazing feelings.

  The rest of the night passed by in a blur since she kept herself busy helping Ellie and the others. She studiously avoided Darius and his side of the club, both relieved and annoyed that he didn’t seek her out to say anything.

  When the hour reached two in the morning she decided she’d had enough. She left the club after checking in with Gerry and caught a cab back to her hotel. But once away from the noise, her thoughts strayed to Darius and refused to leave him.

  Chapter Five

  The next morning Darius stared blankly out the bay window at the faint outline of MountOlympus in the distance. After two hours of restless tossing and turning, he’d given up any hope of sleep and left the confines of his bedroom. Unfortunately, the view of the mountains didn’t sooth him as it usually did. He still couldn’t stop thinking about her.

  Much as he’d wanted to grab Samantha and drag her from the bar last night, he’d needed time to process what exactly had transpired between them. Great sex was one thing, but what they had shared, well, he didn’t know what to make of it.

  One of his brothers passed by the window, breaking his concentration. Shit. He’d hoped for some quiet. His brothers were never up at this hour. He stared at the intruder with a frown, wanting to curse but unsure who to address.

  At times being one of four identical siblings could be more than confusing, like now when one of his brothers wore standard jeans and a white T-shirt. Only when the intruder’s head shifted and bright blue eyes darted towards him did Darius realise it was Marcus who interrupted his solitude.

  “If it isn’t my big brother the fire starter,” Marcus drawled in that superior voice that grated on Darius’ nerves. Cadmus and Aerolus were bad enough in the morning, but Marcus’ superiority complex could be downright enraging. Despite his irritation, a part of Darius silently cheered. It looked as if a fight might break the frustrated confusion plaguing him.

  He glared. “Shouldn’t you be fleecing people for their money, away from here?” Hell, did any of his brothers work anymore?

  Marcus shrugged. “I’m takin
g a day off. After yesterday, I need the break. Darla made a scene.”

  “Darla?”

  “You remember, the stacked blonde who loves wearing dead animals?” He made a face. “I just couldn’t take anymore. Besides, she started to grow clingy.” Marcus gave a mock shudder. “I had to get out.”

  Something Samantha had said stuck in his mind, and Darius narrowed his gaze on his brother. “You didn’t happen to break off with her in public, did you?”

  “She started it, but so what?”

  “So I got blamed for your lack of discretion,” he growled. “Next time shake free of your women in private.”

  “What are you talking about? Who’s blaming you for what?” Marcus went into the kitchen to brew a pot of coffee, then joined him on the couch. After a thorough scrutiny of Darius, he smiled.

  “What?” Darius silently encouraged his brother to be as obnoxious as possible to justify a sound thrashing.

  “Nothing.” Marcus continued to smile. “You look tired.”

  “I only finished work a few hours ago.”

  “So what are you doing awake?”

  “You’re as nosy as Aerolus,” Darius muttered, annoyed. Apparently Marcus sensed his need for a fight for he grinned apologetically and held his hands up in surrender.

  Damn.

  Since a battle wasn’t forthcoming, and to take his mind from Samantha, Darius prodded Marcus’ mind. Like Aerolus and Cadmus, Marcus remained closed. But Darius could sense a well of amusement laced with surprise.

  “I felt that.”

  Darius remained still. “Felt what?”

  “That touch on my mind. You need more practice.” Marcus snorted. “Like everything else you do, you’re too heavy-handed.”

  “Care to explain that?” he asked in a low voice.

  “No way. Not when you’ve got that look in your eyes.” Marcus turned his head and focused on the coffeepot. As if controlled by invisible strings, the coffeepot disengaged from the brewer and poured coffee into a cup on the counter. The cup then floated smoothly, bridging the distance from the kitchen to Marcus’ outstretched fingers.