by Cassi Carver
Kara narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m not talking about your love life, Jaxon.”
“Then what’ve you taken issue with?”
“The picture. What are you not telling me?”
Jaxon sat heavy on the stool and took a long swallow of his bourbon and Coke. “I’ve never seen that exact design.”
“But…” Kara prodded, plopping down in the stool beside him. She knew he was holding back.
He put his drink down and looked Kara in the eye. “But it has the makings of the symbol of Brakken.”
She’d never heard of the symbol of Brakken, but her heart thudded at the serious look on Jaxon’s face. “Oh, wait. You mean like, ‘by Brakken’s bow’,” she mimicked in a low voice, remembering the island’s captain of patrol using the phrase.
Jaxon nodded and leaned close. Pulling her hair away from her ear, he whispered, “It’s best not to say the name, mistress. If he is near, we’ll need to travel as fast and far as my wings can carry us.”
Kara pulled away, still too turned on by Julian to tolerate a handsome man breathing in her ear. She wasn’t sure if the chills along her spine were from fear or need. “Why? Who is he?”
Jaxon laid his army jacket across his thighs. “He’s a powerful Aniliáre—almost a phantom. He rarely travels from the Shadowland, but when he does, it’s never a good thing.” He took another swallow of his drink.
“And if it is him, can you beat him?”
Jaxon choked on his bourbon and set the cup down. “No. I cannot. But perhaps we’re jumping ahead of ourselves. A dagger in the sun is only two of the three markings of Brak—of his symbol.”
“What’s the third?”
“A serpent winding around the blade of the dagger.”
Her jaw dropped. “A snake?”
“Your sculptures…” he said. Then he shook his head. “We mustn’t jump to conclusions.”
“So you can’t be sure it’s him?”
“No. There’s no reason the Aniliáre king should terrorize your city. Though it’s been said…”
Kara squeezed her hands into fists. “What? Say it.”
Jaxon frowned. “It’s been said he does like to mark what belongs to him.”
“Oh shit.” Kara almost melted into her seat.
“Don’t waste your worry. What I saw tonight wasn’t his symbol, only something that resembled a piece of it.”
She glared at Jaxon with raised brows. “Yes, but this guy has drawn two symbols on two victims. What if the he completes the mark on a third?”
Shoulders tense, Jaxon exhaled a loud breath. “Allow me to look into it before we venture out tonight. If there are signs of Aniliáre in your city, we’ll be gone before sunrise.”
“I’m not leaving my home, Jaxon. I have a life here.”
“Stubborn woman,” he muttered at his empty glass before glancing at Kara. “Have you sensed anything different on your walks?”
“Different? I don’t even know what an Aniliáre looks like.”
“They look like nothing at all if they choose not to be seen. But in their true form, we call them black-wings. They might look like Demiáre to you, but they are infinity more powerful. Fallen angels. Spirits given flesh.”
“Black-wings?” Kara thought she was going to be sick. Visions of erotic dreams and a black feather under her bed had her head spinning. “Can they come into your dreams?”
“There isn’t much they can’t do.”
“No.” Kara put her head in her hands, her elbows sticking to the surface of the table. How was it possible?
“Tell me, mistress.”
“I think I have your proof.” She sat up and her cheeks heated. “I’ve been having strange dreams—okay, erotic dreams. I can’t see his face, but he has dark wings. And I found a black feather under my bed.”
Jaxon’s eyes widened. “It’s you, then. He’s come for you.”
“Me? No. This isn’t about me.” She shook her head vehemently as though her denial made it less true. “These attacks can’t be linked to me.”
“What other reason would an Aniliáre king have for leaving the Shadowland but for a prize like you?”
Kara inwardly groaned. “Well, if that’s his way of getting my attention, he has it. How do we kill him?”
“The Aniliáre are less powerful on Earth than in their own realm, but still, you can’t kill spirit clothed in flesh.”
“That can’t be true. Gavin told me my father was dead so it must be possible for Bra—him.”
Jaxon shrugged. “Death might be easier for you to understand, but technically, the best we could hope for would be to send him into the Abyss.”
“Okay. How?”
“Neither you nor I have the ability. If Brakken has you in his sights, we need to flee. Tonight.”
“I’m not hiding.”
“For a time. Not forever. Just until he loses interest in the game he’s playing. Think, mistress. If he’s here for you, your leaving will distance him from those you love.”
“What about Gavin and Julian? I know they would help us. They said my father sent them to look out for me. Would the four of us be enough against him?”
“The Mercury Lords are strong. Their strength is one of the reasons they maintain order on an island of Demiáre. But when all is said and done, we are the lesser species.”
Disturbing images flashed through Kara’s mind. Visions of the men she cared for being carved and torn apart by a phantom, a faceless black-wing. Regardless of how angry she’d been with Julian and Gavin, she would never put them in danger. “Oh crap, Jaxy. You’re the only thing making sense in this screwed-up thing called my life.”
He reached into her lap and squeezed her hand. “You’re a prudent woman. We can go now. I’ll flash you somewhere where no one will ever think to look—except perhaps Lace.”
Kara made a face. “A used love nest, huh?”
“Sadly, not used in a very long time. The important thing is that you will be safe.”
Leave San Diego? Leave Abbey with Mr. Pibb? What kind of kinky sex would he be witness to? And what about the fact Kara’s heart still ached for her sexy neighbors, regardless of how they’d played her?
“I have an appointment with Julian. I can’t even consider going without seeing him first.” Kara glanced at her watch. An hour had come and gone.
Jaxon tensed. “Have your appointment, then. I nursed you through the fever once and I can do it again. But promise me this…don’t mention the name of the symbol. If the lords haven’t suspected him yet, we don’t want to give them a reason to go looking.”
“I don’t know if I can do this. How can I not tell them what we’re planning? How can I not say goodbye?”
“I’m your servant and I have your best interest first in my heart, but I made vows long before we met. Vows to protect my lords.”
“But…”
He put a hand to her cheek and turned her to face him. “Have I ever lied to you? Who told you of truths the others hid from you? Who pledged his loyalty to you above all else?”
Kara sighed. “You.”
Jaxon smiled and kissed her cheek. “Then give me your trust. You are my angel. Have your fun, and I’ll meet you at Abigail’s at midnight. We’ll tell her you’re taking a trip. We’ll warn her and her officer friend to stay off the streets.”
“And don’t forget to take Mr. Pibb with you. We have to drop off Pibby and his stuff.” The thought made her eyes go misty.
“Yes. Just for a time.” Jaxon unfastened the cord around his neck. Its silver moon charm sparkled even in the dim lighting of the bar. “Take this. Wear it. I can find you if I need to, even if I’ve never before traveled to the place. Do you agree to bear my symbol?”
“Sure,” Kara said without much thought, putting the thick necklace on and clasping it. “Will Abbey be okay?”
“She can ward her home. That should help if anything’s taken an interest in her. My priority is to protect you, but I wouldn’t allow h
er to suffer for it.” He dropped his forehead to Kara’s and closed his eyes. She knew it was a platonic gesture, but he smelled damn good. Her warrior liked to comfort with physical touch, and she couldn’t say she minded under the circumstances. “All will be well, mistress.”
“Don’t go all soft on me,” she teased. She could sense the fierce loyalty in him, and it unwound the tension in her gut. She cupped his face and closed her eyes to mirror his reassuring gesture. “Lace is an idiot. You’re the catch of the century, Jaxy, and your friendship means the world to me.” She squeezed his cheeks one last time and sat back.
“Your hour is up,” said a deep voice from the other side of the table.
Chapter Nineteen
Kara’s gaze flashed to Julian. He was so handsome, he took her breath away. Instantly, her nipples hardened and her skin broke out in goose bumps. She glanced at her watch and bit her lip. “So it is.”
“Ah, Jaxon, I see you gave your mistress a trinket.” Julian’s eyes were glued to the pendant on Kara’s neck, and he looked pissed.
“I did,” Jaxon agreed.
“And she accepted it?”
“Yes.”
When Kara stood, Jaxon grabbed her hand and shot her a questioning look. She leaned down and whispered in his ear, “What we talked about…I promise. See you at midnight.”
“Come.” Julian didn’t waste time saying goodbye to Jaxon. He turned and pulled Kara down the hall and through the door to the women’s restroom. Even Kara’s hormone-steeped brain twinged in warning when they walked in on two women applying lipstick in the mirror and another washing her hands in the sink.
“Julian?” Kara didn’t need to say anything else—the what the hell? was in her voice.
Julian looked to the three surprised women and Kara felt a soft power waft from him, like a flower-scented spring breeze. “Ladies, you need to leave now and you’ll not remember you saw us here.” The one washing her hands left the water running and her palms soapy as she slowly walked toward the exit. The others closed their purses and followed her out.
Kara’s face scrunched in indignation as she walked over and turned off the faucet. “Is that how easy it is to mind-fuck us women?” She’d never seen it before, but it reminded her of what she did when she and Abbey went hunting. Maybe the herbs had nothing to do with her powers of persuasion after all.
Julian followed her, his black eyes burning with lust, and pressed her lower back to the marble countertop. “Human women. Not the same with Demiáre. But that’s not really the type of fucking we’re here to talk about, is it?”
Her chin tilted up at his challenge, then she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his lips down to hers. He came willingly, thrusting his tongue into her mouth. She sucked his tongue, imagining it was his cock instead. He moaned and ground himself into her.
Finally, when her pussy was throbbing and her breath was coming in short pants, she pulled back. “I have to be at Abbey’s later tonight. No coupling. And if you try to use your sleepy-time mind games on me, I’ll gut you.” She meant it, but she wasn’t sure her swollen lips and moist skin gave the impression she cared about anything more at the moment than taking off his pants and getting him inside her.
“Understood.” He nipped her neck and grazed his teeth over her collarbone. “I’m not sure I have the will to deny myself a coupling, but I’ve taken care of it. I give you my word.”
Kara must have been crazy, but her body was on fire. She nodded her assent, and Julian smiled triumphantly as he crushed her into his embrace.
She felt the floor drop out from under her and had the feeling of being sucked through thick black sludge for a moment outside time, then her feet touched down on thick white shag carpet an instant later.
She gasped. “Uh…your wings?”
“We don’t need to extend our wings to flash—just to fly. It’s safer to be prepared, but I knew exactly where we were going tonight.”
“And where’s that?” She looked around to see a perfectly decorated room done in modern furnishings, mostly black and white, with hints of red. A high-rise hotel suite or penthouse apartment from the look of it. One entire wall was glass and overlooked the ocean from countless stories above.
“Downtown. I didn’t want to distract you with unnecessary travel.” Even as he said it, he was pulling at her clothes, seeming unsure if he should squeeze her breasts through the fabric of her shirt or take the time to remove it.
He stripped off her purple shirt as the clock on the mantel struck eleven. Her head lolled back when he gave up with his hands and chose to capture her nipple in his mouth through the lacy fabric of her bra instead. She moaned, her pulse frantic. “Hurry.”
He slowed as she licked his chest, his body going rigid. She reached down to fumble with his jeans, unbuttoning the clasp then sliding his zipper down in a rush. He grasped her wrists, halting her progress on his pants before she could push them down his hips.
“No.” His jaw tightened, the dimples on his cheeks morphing into muscle. “I thought this would be enough. But it isn’t.”
“Okay.” She swallowed, desperate to taste him. “Can we talk about this later?”
His nostrils flared. “Let me in, Kara.”
“I plan to. Just as soon as we get these damned pants off.” When she reached for his jeans again, he grabbed her hand and flipped her onto the black sofa. She stared up at him with narrowed eyes, trying to catch her breath. Liquid heat surged through her veins as he straddled her.
“Is that how you want it, love? Rough? Fast? Anything goes so long as your heart stays out of it?”
“That’s all I can give you, Julian. Don’t ask me to risk my heart again.” Knowing she would have to leave him when it was over, she wondered if she would survive even another superficial pairing. “Take it or leave it.”
Hurt flashed in his eyes. “Well, then…I suppose I’ll take it.”
He slid down her body and began unfastening her boots, moving the zipper so slowly down the knee-high leather she thought she’d scream. He placed the first boot on the carpet, then started in on the second.
“Need help?” she offered.
“I’m fine.” He took forever on the second boot before placing it precisely near the first. He began working the hem of Kara’s jeans around her ankle as if it were delicate surgery.
Saliva pooled in her mouth and her fingertips itched. “Julian,” she warned. “What happened to the man who liked to rip my clothes off?”
He looked affronted. “And ruin a perfectly good pair of skinny jeans?”
By the time he’d removed the last stitch of her clothing, Kara’s lips were quivering and a slow, steady growl was peeling from her chest.
“Control yourself, love. I can’t help you this time.” He leaned over her and kissed her eyebrows, then worked his way down to the delicate hollow of her throat.
She’d had enough. She surged up and tackled him to the other side of the sofa. “No more.”
She reached for his jeans and the waist of his boxers and pulled them down his strong thighs. She discarded his socks, figuring she must have it bad when even his toes looked sexy. Next, she took the collar of his black T-shirt in her hands and yanked it apart, rending the material down the front to expose his hard-muscles abs. “Ring a bell?”
“Ah. So that’s how it’s done.” His gaze scorched her. “Let me see if I have this right…” He rose with Kara straddling him and sank to his knees on the carpet. “Like this?”
Without even readying her for his girth, he found her opening with his crown and plunged inside.
She cried out and clutched his back as he loomed above her. “Something like that.”
It felt so good to have him inside her, she had to fight to stay alert and not simply give in to the energy coursing from his body into hers. She closed her eyes, savoring the way he filled her.
When she rocked her hips toward his, he snarled and pinned her to the floor.
“Look at me
.” Bringing his face to hers, he slowly pulled out, then fed his rigid length to her body, inch by painstaking inch. “Watch me make love to you.”
She couldn’t. But he didn’t understand. Did he really think he meant so little to her? Memories of her time with him and Gavin were what she would take with her when she was gone.
She tilted her hips as far as she could. “More.”
“Kara. Please.” He kissed her lips then started to move inside her. She felt every inch of friction as he took her slowly, his gaze never leaving her face.
She turned her cheek into the plush carpet as he rode her. Soon, even he couldn’t deny the frenzied need of their bodies.
“Don’t stop,” she pleaded, whimpering against his chest as the universe merged into a single, blinding light within her.
“You’re my heart,” he panted, grasping her hard by the hair as he spoke the words to her lips. “I’m never letting you go.” And with that, he came, flooding her with his essence, branding her with a piece of his soul.
She cried out against his cheek and felt the first stirrings of her pussy clamping harder around his bulb, the first stirrings of what could only be the coupling. It was exquisite possession on the deepest level.
“Gavin,” he growled. “Where are you?”
The question expanded past her, as though Julian had the ability to cast out his thoughts. She wrapped her legs tighter around him, pressing into his delicious warmth. “What does Gavin have to do with this?” she murmured, wondering if this was what it felt like to be high.
Suddenly, her golden-haired angel appeared near the sprawling window, his chest bare from travel and his wings folding in. His hands were clenched in fists, and he didn’t look happy.
Julian clutched her to him like a lifeline. “I gave you my word. Gavin’s here to help me keep it.”
She settled into Julian’s embrace and closed her eyes, trying to block out everything but how it felt to have him inside her. “Tell him to leave.”