“Before you get distracted and hung up in work, what are the women supposed to do?” She waited as he started the car and backed out onto the street.
“Get out of there if they can, but at the first sign, they push a button. It dials a preprogrammed number and activates the GPS on the phone if it’s off. You’ll have that same preprogrammed number whenever you accept that your place is with us.” He focused on his driving.
She sat there thinking. Well, they didn’t watch all females every moment of their life, but she didn’t want to wait until they decided she accepted them. The pull to them grew stronger every day. If she stayed long, she would accept them. Something bubbled between them, but she didn’t think it was a good thing. She didn’t intend to be here long enough to find out if it was.
* * * *
Naomi stumbled from the bathroom desperate for a cup of coffee. She always arranged her classes after ten in the morning for a reason. She hated mornings, especially the early morning, but these two men drug her out of bed early every day. She tugged at the cabinet door and fumbled for a mug. The cups clanked together as her hand bumped one before she managed to grab it. She stuck it under the dispenser and waited as the dark brew poured into the carafe.
Once she’d filled the cup, she stirred in some sweetener and took a sip. The rich liquid sent a jolt of awareness through her. After that first sip, she felt a little more alive.
“Be glad that you’re Branal and not human. Humans can’t have coffee for a year after they’re turned. During the transition, it’s off limits.” Neil stood in the door with a smile on his face.
“Have there been any murders of Gargoyle men by the women changing?” She raised a brow at him. If he tried to take her coffee away from her, she’d be tempted to hurt him.
“No, but I understand from a couple of people that it was close a couple of times.” He strode forward. “Give me a kiss before I go to work. You’ll be with Isaac today. I won’t see you until I get home.”
She put her coffee down on the counter. Good thing, too. He wrapped his arms around her and hauled her against him. His mouth slashed over hers. She opened for his kiss.
One of his big palms slipped down her back. He cupped her butt, lifting her against his thigh. She hooked her leg around his, which angled her pussy so that it pressed against his muscled leg. She gasped as the pressure sent a flare through her. His scent swirled around her, inciting her arousal. She rocked against that hard column.
“I love the way you smell when you want me. Turn around.” He gathered her nightgown and stripped it over her head.
She had put that gown on minutes ago. Clothes in bed didn’t last long with them. Fuck. She barely had time to think before he turned her.
His lips moved over her neck. One arm curled around her. He pulled her back until his cock nestled against her ass. She drew in a shivering breath as his palm skimmed over her stomach. He cupped her pussy. Two fingers drew along her panties.
“These are in the way. Why did you put them on?” He nibbled along the column of her throat.
“Because I have to go to work with Isaac. I need panties.” She licked her lips.
“Cup your breasts. I know you’re excited. Show me how you touch them.” He trailed up and nibbled on her ear.
She should resist, because she and Isaac would have to leave not long after Neil did. She couldn’t find the words to stop him though. The fire coursing through her left her shaking and unable to summon the will to resist. She did want him badly.
She lifted her hands to her breasts, first rubbing her fingers over her nipples before pinching the stiff buds. When she followed his orders, he pushed his fingers between the lips, rubbing the fabric against the sensitive nub. He stroked. The touch sent a streak of hunger through her.
She rolled her hips into his touch. He growled. His teeth scraped along her shoulder. His fingers circled and pressed, stirring her desire to a fever pitch. When her body began to tighten, he withdrew his hand.
She cried out, trying to push his hand back to where she needed it most. He guided her over to the table. A hand pressed against her back, bending her over the table. He pulled her panties down as he stepped closer.
She hadn’t realized he’d unbuttoned his pants until his cock brushed against her buttocks. He gripped her hips. She pressed back into him, anticipating the surge of his cock. Her inner muscles clenched.
His cock, nudged once, before he plunged deep. He thrust into her. She braced her hands on the table and pushed back into him. Her heart raced. She groaned desperate for the release she could feel hanging out of reach. He reached around and cupped her pussy. Each thrust pushed her hips forward.
His fingers pressed between the lips, nudging her clit. His fingers circled. Her muscles tightened as the pressure within did. Release swept over her, rushing through her and leaving her shaking and panting, barely able to hold herself off the tabletop.
He pulled her back against him as his hips pistoned, driving into her hard. Hot air puffed over her shoulder. The sharp points of his teeth scraped and then sank into her flesh. He came with a hard groan. His cock slipped free as he pulled back.
Neil zipped his pants and straightened his clothes. “Tell Isaac I’ll call if I have to work late.”
Then he walked out. A shiver ran through Naomi. Suddenly, she felt cold, alone, and a little dirty. She inhaled, trying to control her emotions. With a desperate grab, she reclaimed her nightshirt, pulling it over her head before she ran for the shower. She needed to wash. He’d barely acknowledged her. Was she anything but a body to him?
Chapter Thirteen
Isaac frowned at Naomi. Something was wrong with her. She’d been quiet to the point that she’d given him one word answers for most of the day. She wouldn’t meet his eyes. She’d been fine when she rolled out of bed and stumbled for the kitchen. After her shower though, she’d become subdued.
She remained the same even after hours had passed. She said she was fine. Which meant that something had gone wrong. He should discover what happened as soon as possible. Time to call Neil and find out what he’d done or said.
“Naomi, I need step outside for a few minutes. If I’m not in sight, someone will be watching the door.” He didn’t think she’d try to run from the office, but he would take precautions anyway.
She glanced up from her computer and nodded before she looked back at it. Something had to be wrong here. He didn’t know this subdued, quiet woman. He couldn’t start asking Neil about it in front of her.
First, they had to be a pair with her and be united in their decision. If Neil had done something stupid, he couldn’t berate Neil about it with her present. Second, she’d interfere in the call if she did have something to hide. Third, he didn’t want her to make up an excuse and lie to him.
Outside of his office, he spotted one of his coworkers in the hallway. “Tad, could you watch this door. If Naomi steps out, tell her to go back in. I need to step in the conference room and make a private call.”
“Will do. Go ahead. I’ll keep an eye on your door.” Tad nodded and leaned against the wall opposite Isaac’s office.
Sure that she would be watched over for the duration of the call, he dialed Neil’s number as he walked into the conference room. The tone rang twice before Neil picked it up.
“Is everything all right?” Neil asked without preamble.
“For the most part, although I’m calling about how Naomi’s acting. She’s subdued and silent. What happened between you this morning? Did you get in a fight?” Isaac leaned a hip against the conference table and stared out the window. They had a nice view of the city streets and everything happening there.
“No fight. I went in the kitchen for a kiss good-bye and once I touched her things happened from there.” Neil’s voice lowered.
He knew Neil must be at his desk with people close to him. Isaac frowned. It didn’t sound like anything went wrong, but Naomi’s mood made him question it. Something had happened bet
ween when she left the bedroom and when they came here.
“Neil, she isn’t behaving normally. Something’s wrong. Are you sure you didn’t say anything?” Isaac glanced back at the door wondering if he should check on her. He shook his head. Tad stood there. He wouldn’t let her walk out.
“No, we didn’t say much once we started. Maybe an ‘I want you’ or ‘harder.’ You know things like that.” Neil’s voice remained low, but humor lightened it.
Isaac frowned. Neil did not seem to be taking this seriously. “Tell me what happened. In detail.”
Although he didn’t want a blow by blow at the moment, he needed to know what caused her to close off. He had work to get through after he discovered what had caused Naomi’s problems. Naomi was the most important thing though.
“All right, if you feel it’s necessary, but nothing happened that would cause her to be in any kind of mood.” Neil sounded exasperated. “If it will get me back to my work, I’ll tell.”
“Get started. We both have work to do today.” Isaac shook his head at Neil’s tone. He knew for a fact that Neil planned to stay late today. A few minutes out of his schedule wouldn’t hurt.
“I went in the kitchen to say good-bye and get a kiss. Once our lips touched, I couldn’t resist running my hands over her.” Neil’s tone became whisper quiet.
“And?” Isaac gathered his patience. He did not want to have to draw every detail out of Neil. Hell, Neil should be a little more concerned over what had Naomi acting strangely.
“And we fucked. Hard and fast. When I finished, I straightened up and went to work.” Neil said.
“That’s it? No words that might have hurt her feelings?” Isaac asked.
“No words at all, man. She lie on the table, catching her breath as I walked out. I doubt she could have formulated a coherent response, even good-bye. I left before I gave into the temptation to start all over again.” Neil heaved a heavy sigh. “How do you know it’s not something you did or said?”
“Because since you left, she hasn’t talked to me.” Isaac paused as his mind latched on to the part of Neil’s words. He hadn’t said anything to her. “You didn’t tell her good-bye?”
“I went there for a kiss good-bye. We kissed and I had to get to work.” Neil’s tone became sharper. “Are we done?”
“No, we aren’t done. Did you tell her anything after sex? Touch her, give her a kiss, or something.” He hoped Neil had done that and his suspicions were wrong. Right now, it looked like he’d left Naomi after sex as if she was another piece of ass.
“No, as I told you, I was in a rush to get to work.” Neil ended his words with a low growl. “Better get to your point or I’m hanging up.”
“Is Naomi a piece of ass to you?” Isaac asked. He knew it would infuriate Neil, but the man needed to start thinking when it came to Naomi. She wouldn’t be with them for a few days. She was theirs for life.
“What? No, why would you fucking ask that?” Neil demanded.
“Because you walked away from Naomi as if you wouldn’t be seeing her again. You didn’t give her a ‘see you later, baby’ or a ‘that was great. I wish I wasn’t in a rush.’ Or hell, another kiss.” Isaac exhaled heavily. “I’ve got to go see if I can confirm my suspicions. You need to start remembering that she’s part of us. If she’s not happy, we’re not happy.”
“Fuck. I never intended her to feel that way. Tell her I’m sorry if you’re right. I’ll make it up to her.” Neil said. “I didn’t think about it.”
“We have to make her happy. She wants to be with us, but she won’t stay if we make her miserable.” Isaac straightened away from the table and ended the call. Time to go try to fix this.
He walked out into the hall and spotted his door partially open and no sign of Tad. What the fuck? Where had the man gone? He said he’d watch over her.
Isaac tried to remain calm. Maybe he’d gone inside because she needed something. Although he didn’t like the thought of any other male near her, he’d rather it be that than the suspicion growing in his mind.
He strode down the hallway and pulled it fully open. She wasn’t there. Her computer set on the floor near her chair. He whirled away and glanced wildly down the hall. He saw Tad running down the hall with Dante following.
“Is she there?” Dante asked.
“No.” Isaac clenched his fists to stop himself from grabbing the man and smacking him. “Where were you?”
“I called him away, because I had something for him to do. I didn’t let him explain until after I finished. This is on me.” Dante held up his hands. He pulled out his phone and entered a number before sending a short text. “I’m locking down the building. With luck, she hasn’t managed to get out of the building.”
She was gone. Isaac knew it. She wouldn’t have hung around unless she had no choice. Now, though he didn’t have the sureness that he’d had when she’d escaped from his home at the compound. There he’d known someone would spot her. Someone always did an aerial patrol at night.
Here in the city, she had to make it out to the street to escape. She’d be able to vanish into the crowd. They couldn’t fly when numerous humans walked around and could spot them. They didn’t need to send the citizens on a witch hunt for the beast that snatches women into the air.
“Calm down. Isaac. You can’t go after her like that.” Dante took a slow step forward.
He focused on Dante, not sure what he meant. Dante glanced down significantly. Isaac looked down and saw his hands. They’d changed color, becoming more gray looking.
The color hadn’t darkened to the near black of his Gargoyle skin. Claws tipped his fingers. Fuck. Dante was right. He couldn’t go after her looking as if he walked off the set of a horror movie.
“Isaac, Tad and I will go down to the security room. I’ll start people searching. We’ll begin looking for her. Once we find her on the video, it should be easy to track her. You go in your office and see if she took anything or did anything while you gone.” Dante reached out and put his hand on his arm.
Isaac didn’t want to go search his office, but he knew he needed the time to calm down. If she got out of the building, he needed to look completely human. He nodded and headed inside. He didn’t know what she would have taken. He had his wallet on him. Not because he’d thought she’d ever get this kind of chance, but because he never went anywhere without it. He strode over to his desk.
She’d gone through his drawers. One of the drawers hung partially open. He frowned as he wondered what she could have found. Since she ran, she might have been looking for money. She had her purse.
He’d never seen a need to stop her from carrying it with her. She had her ID and any money and credit cards in her name. He knew she’d lived in the dorm, but doubted she’d go back there. If she could. He didn’t know if she’d been withdrawn from it.
The image on his screensaver caught his attention. That should be off by now. Hell, he’d thought he’d closed it. He pushed the spacebar. A wrong password notification appeared on the screen. She’d tried to use his computer.
He didn’t need a crystal ball to know that she’d hoped to send a message to someone. She’d probably tried to find a password in his desk. He smiled. What kind of security specialist would he be if he left his password in his desk?
He left the room. Time to go down to see if they’d found anything on the monitors. She’d gotten out of the building. With everyone looking, they’d have found her by now.
When he arrived in the hallway outside of the monitor room, he could hear raised voices, specifically from Dante and Cael. Yeah, she’d gotten out. They wouldn’t be that loud if something hadn’t gone wrong.
Isaac opened the door and walked into the room. Five sets of eyes turned to him. Two of them belonged to the men on duty to monitor the screens. Dante blew out a long breath before he turned to face him.
“She managed to slip out of one of the side doors,” Dante said. “I’ve got two men out trying to track her, but it won�
��t be easy in the city. Do you have any idea where she would go?”
“I don’t know where she would go. Not to her parents. They had different plans than her finding her mate. With her beginning to change, they wouldn’t be able to fulfill that part of their agenda.” Isaac shrugged.
If her parents behaved as she’d described them, Isaac didn’t know if they’d take her back. From what she said, he thought they’d turn their back
“Well, we did manage to salvage the contact information from the phone you crushed. We can start there.” Dante grimaced. “She has to run to someone, at least for a little while.”
Yes, but how long would it take them to find her. Danger lurked in this city and he didn’t want it to touch her.
“Why did she run?” Dante asked. “Do you know?”
“I think it was a misunderstanding between her and Neil. Everything seemed good and I thought she’d begun to want to stay with us. But I think she believed that it was just physical with us.” Isaac didn’t like admitting that, but knew that Dante would want some type of explanation.
Truly, it made no sense. She might not have had chances like this before, but she could have sent for help or used the phone in an office to call police. She hadn’t.
Chapter Fourteen
Naomi sighed. She had a plan, sort of. She couldn’t go back to her life. A few days and everything had been ripped apart. She no longer had a dorm room. Someone had withdrawn her from college.
Damn. Her mother and father wouldn’t talk to her. She’d called and they’d hung up on her. Her brother wouldn’t do anything against her father and mother.
She couldn’t go back to the other Branal. Although she couldn’t see any physical changes, the bites began the change to something more than Branal. On top of that, by her people’s standards, she’d started mating with those men. After giving up on her family, she’d called one of her friends and begged a couple of nights on the sofa.
Capturing Their Flame [Stone Passions 1] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Page 10