by Bianca D'Arc
“Thanks, Mark,” Nick said quietly.
“Why is this so important to you, Nick?” Mark asked, his tone both resigned and curious.
Nick sighed before replying, taking his time to gather his thoughts and find the right words. This was going to be hard. Nick had to admit why he had screwed up so badly and take ownership of his mistakes.
“My instincts are screaming that she’s my mate, Mark. But the situation is so fucked up right now,” he admitted, self-recrimination in his voice. “I think I’ve been blinded to all these problems because of my attraction to her, and I know that’s not good enough. Not for the Clan. Not for you, Mark. If you want me to step down and put someone else in as your head of security, I’ll understand. I’ve failed you and the Clan on this mission, and I couldn’t be sorrier if I tried.”
Mark was silent a long moment, but his next words surprised Nick.
“You found your mate?” Mark’s tone was filled with the mix of satisfaction and joy. How could the Alpha be happy for him when Nick had failed so miserably?
“Yeah, I think so,” Nick replied, ignoring the rest for the moment. “If she’ll even speak to me after all this.”
“If she’s truly your mate, she will. I have no doubt,” Mark told him. “I didn’t think a human—even one with mage power—could feel the same depth of emotion, the same profound bond as we shifters, but I was wrong. I’ve felt it now, and I sincerely hope that you discover the truth of my words as soon as possible. Your life is about to change, my friend, for the better.”
“Maybe.” Nick wasn’t willing to believe just yet. There were too many hurdles to cross first.
“As for replacing you with someone else… That ain’t gonna happen. There’s nobody I trust more to watch my back and see to the Clan’s safety than you, Nick.”
“Even after I screwed up so bad?” Nick was surprised by Mark’s lenient attitude. The Alpha wasn’t known for cutting anybody who had messed up any slack.
“She’s your mate, Nick. Allowances have to be made in a case like this. Plus, being that she is your mate, she couldn’t possibly be doing anything to actively hurt the Clan. It’s just not possible, and I won’t believe it. Not after mating myself. Take it from the wise old married man. The Goddess doesn’t bring people together arbitrarily. Matings are made in heaven and designed with a purpose. I firmly believe that.”
Mark was talking nonsense. He’d gone all mystical like this a few times since his mating, but Nick had always been able to ignore it before now. Then again… Maybe Mark did know more about how mating worked than Nick did. The Alpha often knew more about arcane subject matter than the mere head of his security detail.
“All right,” Nick allowed. “I’m not saying I believe everything you’ve been spewing, but I’m willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. And thanks for not firing me. I’ll do better from now on. Promise.”
“I know,” Mark replied, a certain smugness in his tone that Nick studiously ignored. “As for your lady, Howell was favorably impressed by her. He said she was the fastest study he’d ever seen, but he was certain she had known nothing about magic—except maybe the bad stuff she’d seen happen with her mother—before he started teaching her the basics. He’s already volunteered to give her more training, if she’s agreeable.”
“Do you think it’s wise to give her more control over something potentially destructive?” Nick asked, doing his job to protect the Clan, even though it meant possibly hurting Sal. The conflict made his inner cat want to yowl, but he ignored it, waiting for the answer to his question.
“We really have no choice. We can’t let her go back to her life as if nothing’s happened. Howell tells me that, now that her magic has been awakened, it won’t be easy to subdue it again. That cat’s well and truly out of the bag.” Regret sounded in Mark’s voice. “However, I think it would be beneficial to all of us to let her learn some control. Howell is a top-level mage. He’s been showing Shelly all sorts of cool stuff about her heritage and her powers. I think he can be trusted to give your Sal the tools she needs to control the monster that might’ve just been unleashed. We don’t want what happened to her mother happening to her, too.”
“Yeah.” Nick shook his head. That would be a terrible outcome to this difficult situation.
“I won’t invite her up to the mansion just yet. I’m still a bit too protective of my new mate, and my jaguar would go nuts at the possible threat. But I’m willing—and more importantly, Howell is willing—to let her learn from him up there at the cabin. He’s agreed to trek over there each day to give her lessons, if she wants to learn more.”
“That’s great,” Nick said quietly. “I’ll ask her, but I believe she’ll say yes. She’s very afraid that the magic will ruin her life the way it ruined her mother’s. She looked a lot better after the little bit Howell taught her today. I think she’ll want to learn more.”
At that point, Nick became aware of Sal. She had come into the main part of the cabin from the bedroom she’d chosen. Scented, steamy air wafted from the bathroom, too, as if she’d taken a bath with some sort of scented oil.
His imagination kicked into overdrive just thinking about it. Warm, sudsy water. Slick, soft skin. Nick had to clear his throat before he could speak again.
He was probably taking the coward’s way out, but Nick ended the phone call quickly. Mark would understand. He had a mate of his own. Besides, they’d said all that needed saying tonight. They wouldn’t be able to make any more decisions until they had more data, and that would have to wait until tomorrow.
Nick laid his phone down on the table. He was done for the night, unless something urgent came up. As a shifter, he handled fatigue better than most humans, but he’d also been on the road—or, at least, in the sky—most of the day. It was time to rest.
Or maybe it was time to see just where he stood with Sal.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Sal wasn’t sure why she’d gone back into the main area of the cabin after her bath, but there she was, staring at the back of Nick’s head as he sat at the table. He tensed, so she figured he must’ve heard her come into the room.
She’d wanted to go to sleep. She was weary enough. But something was bothering her. It was calling her. Making her want to spend more time with Nick, even if he didn’t like her that much right now. She was still drawn to him. Impossible as it was.
“You’re right,” she said without preamble. “What Mr. Howell showed me was important. I feel it in my bones, and I do want to know more.” She walked farther into the room. Nick’s head turned to follow her progress as she walked around the table to face him.
“Would you say your instincts are pointing you toward learning more about magic?” he asked, a crafty look in his eye that she didn’t quite understand.
“My instincts say it’s important to learn from him. Mr. Howell is one of the good guys,” she allowed, sitting down opposite him.
Nick grinned faintly. “I told you. We allow only white-hatted cowboys on this island.”
“Then, why did you let me come? When you didn’t know, and probably still can’t say for sure, if I’m good or bad?”
“You’ve got your instincts, and I’ve got mine,” he told her. “My instincts say you’re on the right side, even if there’s evidence to the contrary.” He grimaced. “You’ve got me in knots, Sal. My cat side can’t believe anything bad of you, yet my human side knows you were keeping things from me and isn’t sure exactly why. Was it merely to protect your mother and your secret? Or was there something more sinister behind your lies?”
Now, that hurt. Sal got up from the table, humiliated. “For the record, I never lied to you. I just didn’t tell you everything. There’s a difference. And, though I doubt you’ll take my word for anything at this point, my only motivation, all this time, has been protecting my mom. Merely doesn’t even come close to describing the importance I place on her. She’s my mother.”
Sal would have stormed out gracefully, bu
t somehow, Nick was out of his chair and standing directly in front of her, blocking her path. He moved like the cat that shared his soul. Fast and soundless, even in human form. It was more than a little scary. Sal caught her breath in surprise.
“There’s also this…”
He lifted one hand toward her, gently stroking her cheek with the backs of his fingers. The touch was gossamer light, tender in a way no man had ever been with her, and utterly enchanting. The look in his gaze as it met and held hers was molten. Intense, swirling magic shone from within, letting her know the cat was there, present in the man. She was speechless—anything she might’ve said caught in a suddenly dry throat.
“You confuse me on every level, Sal,” he whispered. “I want you. Have wanted you since the moment we met and I first caught your unique scent. That’s how we know when someone is special. Our cats recognize something in their scent. I can’t explain it any better than that, but it’s part of our unique magic.”
She didn’t like the sound of that. Years of cringing away from anything even remotely related to magic had preconditioned her response. He must have seen something in her eyes because he soothed her, placing both hands on her shoulders and rubbing in small, comforting circles.
“Come on, now,” he coaxed. “After everything you’ve learned about the world—my world—in the past day, you have to realize that not all magic is bad. Shifters have a unique sort of power. It’s part of us. It’s what allows us to change form at will, but for the vast majority of us, it’s not something we consciously control, like mages do. We’re not spell-casters or potion-makers. We don’t put hexes on people. And we definitely don’t use magic—or let it use us—in the way it’s affected your family. It’s just something that’s part of us. That makes us who we are.”
She swallowed hard. “I see that intellectually, but it’s hard to put aside the beliefs of a lifetime,” she told him.
“I won’t hurt you, Sal. Not ever,” he told her. “Although, I might have to keep you away from my Clan.” He looked a bit sheepish as he glanced around the cabin. “But I want you to know… If we can’t resolve this situation, and you have to leave the island, I’ll go with you. I’d give up my Clan in a heartbeat, if you asked me to.”
Sal’s breath caught. What was he saying? Was he truly willing to give up his family, his people, his duty…for her?
Sweet heaven! Was he feeling this, too? The almost uncontrollable attraction that made her want to drop everything and just run into his arms. Damn the consequences. Damn everything except the two of them…together…for all time.
A fairytale. That’s what it was. She had to be delusional to think he was feeling the same ridiculous urges she was. It just made no sense.
Nick drew closer…and closer. And then, his lips touched hers.
Fireworks. And tingles. Little zaps of magic sparkled where his lips tentatively met hers. He went slow, as if waiting for permission before he proceeded. Not wanting to wait, she threw her arms around his shoulders and drew him closer. She couldn’t make it any plainer than that, and he seemed to read her message loud and clear as he tugged her even closer and melded their lips more firmly together.
Then, their mouths opened as if in perfect accord. The magic flared, but she knew how to control it now. Even that short practice with Mr. Howell had awoken her instincts, and the older mage had convinced her to trust them. So, when the magic rose, she let instinct lead the way, and it went from potentially problematic to harmless little energizing zaps kept between them.
She pressed as close to him as she possibly could, wanting to climb all over him, but there was too much fabric between their bodies. He deepened the kiss, and her head spun as he picked her up. She had no real sense of where he was taking her, but she hoped it was to one of the side rooms. Preferably one with a bed in it, and soft sheets.
When he lay her down on a bed a few moments later, it was as if her wish had been granted by a hunky genie. The sheets were as luxurious as she could’ve hoped for, but she had no idea about the rest of the room. Frankly, she didn’t care. As long as they could share this king-sized bed and get naked together, all would be right with her world.
Nick continued to kiss her as he took her down to the mattress, his hands powerful yet gentle as he guided them both to the downy surface. She pushed at his clothing, wanting it gone, but he wasn’t cooperating. This called for more drastic measures.
Unbuckling his belt, she slid her hand downward, into his pants, and wrapped around the hard length she found straining toward her. He groaned. Or maybe it was a growl. She couldn’t be absolutely sure, but the sound made her nipples peak and her insides squirm with heat.
Nick was sexier than she’d imagined—and she’d imagined quite a bit. She’d been having fantasies about the man almost non-stop from the night they’d shared that fateful cup of tea.
He’d intrigued her, made her flush with the thoughts running through her mind when she watched him move, the powerful lean muscles moving under the fabric of his clothing. Nick was hot with a capital H, and she’d noticed. Oh, boy, had she noticed!
She squeezed his length, hoping to get his attention. With any luck, he’d figure out that, while she was really enjoying his kisses and the way his body loomed over her, making her feel delicate and protected, what she really wanted was access to more skin. For both of them.
“Are you rushing me, doll?” Nick whispered against her lips. She could feel the curve of his smile against her mouth.
“Want to touch you.” She gasped as one of his hands moved downward to cup the area between her thighs, right through the fabric of her pants.
“I believe you are touching me, sweetness.” His voice sounded almost like it was underpinned by a feline purr. Was that even possible?
“Not enough. Want more.”
She could barely string together complete sentences. He’d reduced her to a simpleton, and she hadn’t even taken her clothes off yet. Would she even survive this? She had no idea, but she definitely needed to find out.
She squirmed against him, and he chuckled. “All right, princess. I’ll give you what you want. What we both want.” He nibbled on her lips then moved away. “I’d just thought I’d try to go slow this first time, for your sake. You are only human, after all,” he said, the teasing look in his eyes daring her to object.
“Come back here and see what this mere human can do, big boy.”
Now, where had that come from?
That line was like something out of a movie script, but she couldn’t remember ever saying anything even remotely like that to any of the few lovers she’d had over the years. She might act bold in her movies, but Sal was a bit…um…conservative when it came to the men she’d slept with and how she’d acted around them.
Seemed like Nick brought out all sorts of new facets she hadn’t known existed in her. First, the lust, when she’d been watching him the past couple of weeks. Then, the magic, when they arrived on this crazy island. And now, the femme fatale with the quick quips. She hadn’t known she had it in her.
Nick eased her hand out of his pants then stood, rising gracefully to his feet at the side of the bed. When his fingers went to the buttons on his shirt and began to slowly undo them one by one, her mouth went dry. His molten gaze held hers as he pulled the tails of the shirt out of his pants and opened it completely.
His chest was a work of art. His abs were the kind that Hollywood hunks spend hours in the gym trying to get—and failing. When he shrugged the shirt off his shoulders, the saliva returned to her mouth in a wave. He definitely had drool-worthy shoulders and biceps. She just wanted to lick him all over and find out if his muscles were as hard as they looked.
She’d never seen such a specimen of a man—including the overly-ripped actors she’d worked with. They were skinny string beans compared to Nick. All man. All muscle. Lean, mean, fighting machine.
And he was all hers. At least for tonight. Sal promised herself she’d make the most of this o
nce-in-a-lifetime opportunity while she could.
She had no illusions that the passions of the moment would lift when the sun rose. He might be willing to say he’d give up everything for her if he had to in the heat of the moment tonight, but tomorrow, when they’d sated their lust for each other and real life returned with a bang, things would likely be very different.
She didn’t blame him for that. That’s just the way it would probably go down, and she had to prepare herself to be fine with it. No matter how much it might hurt.
But for right now, she would enjoy the man candy in front of her eyes. He smiled a lazy, secretive smile as he threw the shirt behind him then started slowly on the zipper of his pants. She’d already unbuckled his belt and undid the clasp at the top, but she hadn’t had the patience to deal with the zipper.
Nick took it down, one tooth at a time, the little snicks of sound overly loud in the quiet of the night. She found herself holding her breath as he lowered that zipper, hanging on every motion as if her life depended on it. What would be revealed when it came all the way down?
She’d felt what had to be the biggest, hardest cock she’d ever had the good fortune to handle. Would he look as good as he’d felt? She’d bet good money that answer was an emphatic yes. Everything about Nick was almost too good to be true. Why should this be any different?
The white of his underwear blocked her view as the last tooth of the zipper snicked free. But not for long. Nick hooked his thumbs beneath the waistbands of the tighty whities and the pants and shoved them both down together, stepping his long legs out of the fabric and leaving it on the floor.
When he straightened, he seemed to pause, letting her get a good long look at him. It was immediately clear that, with a body like that, Nick had absolutely nothing to hide. He was magnificent.