Darklands Book 2: Something Wild This Way Comes

by Autumn Dawn

  By the time Fred had objected to Sheila O'Connor's German shepherd digging up his lawn on a regular basis, insisted that Nathan lock up World's End's youthful skateboarders who were a menace for the town's elderly citizens, and demanded that the driving licence Nathan had revoked last month for repeated minor collisions be reinstated, Camille had disappeared from sight, and Rowan and Max with her.

  He still hadn't had a chance to speak with Rowan. She'd finally called him yesterday, but he'd been out on fair business and had missed her call. Every time he'd reached for the phone to ring her back, something had interrupted him, and he felt a deep-seated sense of foreboding that something was about to happen before he got to understand what was really going on with Camille Aston.

  At least the fair had gone off without a hitch. Well, apart from a hair-pulling episode between two disappointed seventeen-year-old candidates for the title of World's End Princess, who'd missed out on the title. And Robbie Smith's horse, which had been leading the parade, had decided the pace was way too slow and decided to bolt. Mostly without a hitch.

  He needed to find Mike and Jase and tell them they were in charge of the wrap-up, while he was going to find Rowan and Camille. He followed his instincts and found his constables still interviewing the two cute-looking hair-pullers. One look from him and they immediately made their excuses to the two cuties.

  "Guys, I'm officially off duty. The town is in your hands so keep an eye out,” he told them sternly. “Call me if anything happens."

  He was on his way to the car, thinking he'd cruise around until he found Camille or Rowan, when Noelene headed him off, her ginger hair whipped into a riotous tangle by the breeze. She was carrying a plate holding two brownies. His stomach reminded him that he hadn't eaten all day, the rumble making Noelene smile broadly. “It's not a bribe,” she said. “I just thought you needed some refreshment."

  Nathan smiled and thanked her, gratefully devouring the chocolate confection.

  "Appreciate it, Noelene."

  "Actually I was meaning to touch base with you,” she said. “The cigarettes that guy was smoking. The brand was Crimson Stripe.” She looked at him, eyes keen. “He was complaining that he couldn't get them in town. Had to go to Eden for them. I didn't know if it was important."

  "Might be,” Nathan said.

  "Can you tell me what this is all about?” Noelene said, taking the empty plate from him.

  "Oh, nothing much,” he replied casually, wondering how he could get Noelene to spill everything she knew without letting on that this was more than just a routine enquiry. “Just found a wrapper out near Bluey's Beach after you asked me to check on Ms. Aston, and wondered what someone was doing out there. You said he wasn't into bushwalking so it probably just blew there from town, though."

  "Oh, yeah, he probably was out there. But he wasn't bushwalking. He said something about making a permanent move out of the rat race. Said he might be interested in property and asked about Camille's cottage. I wondered if he might be interested in making an offer but then he disappeared. Anyway, that was before Camille arrived, so there didn't seem any point mentioning it to her. I'm sure she would ask me to act for her if she was thinking of selling it, although she seems to enjoy living all the way out there.” She sniffed. “Anyway, I'm glad it was Camille that Millie left the house to, rather than Verity."

  "Verity?” Nathan prompted.

  "Camille's younger sister. A right little madam."

  "Oh?” Nathan licked chocolate from his fingers.

  "I remember when Camille and Verity would come down for the summer. Verity was a stunner, she was. Long fair hair, big blue eyes. Learned pretty easy how to twist people around her little finger. Manipulative little bitch, if you ask me. And if she didn't get what she wanted there was always a big scene. Millie could never understand how the two girls could be so different."

  Nathan didn't have to do more than raise his eyebrows to encourage Noelene to continue.

  "Camille was always reserved, serious. A dreamer, really, but conscientious at school, from what Millie said. Adored the beach she did. Swam like a fish, but Millie wouldn't let her go down to Bluey's Beach without supervision because of the tide, so Camille was always on at her to take her swimming. Or collecting shells and pebbles. She was very close to Millie and loved her summer holidays down here. That's why Millie left her the cottage, I think. Verity got bored. She preferred the city lights. I remember once when Millie wouldn't take her to the movies, she ran away. Didn't get very far, of course."

  Nathan frowned. “Were Camille and Verity close? I mean, despite their different temperaments?"

  "Not exactly close, but from what Millie told me, Camille was always bailing Verity out whenever she got into trouble, and that happened a fair bit as they got older, especially after their parents died in that shocking car crash."

  She said it as though she assumed Nathan knew about it, and he simply nodded as though he did.

  "Of course, Verity had a lot of men hanging around, usually the wrong sort.” She sniffed with disapproval. “Got married once at eighteen or nineteen but it only lasted a few years. Then she married again and moved to Melbourne. Some bigwig. I gather the girls didn't see as much of each other after that. Camille was working and setting up her business.” Her blue eyes shone with sympathy. “Mind you, whether you're close or not, it would still have been a dreadful shock, your sister dying like that."

  "Do you know the husband's name?"

  Noelene grimaced. “Sorry. I think he was some sort of big corporate type, maybe a lawyer, I'm not sure. Verity didn't come down for Millie's funeral so I've never met him and I don't think Millie did either as she wasn't mobile enough by that stage to go to the wedding. Verity didn't come to visit her once while she was in the nursing home.” She shook her head sadly.

  "And what about Camille's husband?"

  Noelene shrugged. “She just mentioned that he might come down for a few days if he could take away from work. Busy, everyone's too busy these days.” She looked up as an ominous roll of thunder boomed. “Anyway, can't stand here gasbagging all day.” Noelene looked over his shoulder. “Talk of the devil, here's Camille."

  Chapter Ten

  Nathan turned to follow Noelene's gaze, and felt his heart slide into his throat as Camille crossed the square toward them, wearing a white singlet and blue jeans. He gave a vague goodbye to Noelene, barely aware as she got into her car. He didn't acknowledge the wave she gave as she drove off.

  His heartbeat reverberated through his body and a tidal wave of lust ran through him. His erection rose, hard and demanding, obvious to anyone who happened to glance his way. He shifted uncomfortably and opened his car door so he could stand behind it. God, she looked good. Her dark blonde hair was loose around her shoulders and she wore a pink gloss on that full mouth—a mouth that only last night he'd imagined on that part of his body making its presence painfully felt.

  He tried a smile, but his skin felt tight and aching. His mind went blank so he said the first thing that came into his head. “Hi, uh where's your baby?"

  Camille turned her head back toward the square. “She's over there with Rowan and Max, getting a balloon animal. I think it's a dog but it could be a crocodile."

  Nathan followed her gaze and saw that Marianne who worked at the library was in the process of making a sausage dog for Elizabeth who beamed and gurgled, trying to snatch at the yellow figure. Rowan and Max were cooing over the little girl. Nathan assumed they were getting in practice for their own foray into parenthood.

  "I need to talk to you about something,” said Camille. Nathan noticed her hands were gripped together, knuckles white. He could see the strain around her eyes, and in the stiff way she held her neck, as though she was bracing herself.

  "Sure, fire away."

  She looked around. “Not here."

  "Well, we could get a cup of coffee—” He half turned toward Abigail's café. Just at that moment, the “closed” sign went up on the onl
y café in town. The first splatter of rain hit the ground. Nathan looked up at the skies and winced. “Well, the coffee's lousy but we can go down to the station.” He said it with reluctance. The last thing he wanted to see was the inside of his office again.

  Something akin to terror flared in her eyes. “No!” she said, then, “Uh, I was wondering if it could be more of an informal kind of thing."

  Nathan looked at her thoughtfully, wondering why she suddenly wanted to talk. Perhaps Rowan had done as she'd promised and convinced Camille to open up. He tried to catch Rowan's eye but she was absorbed with the baby. Anyway, whatever was behind Camille's change in attitude, he wasn't arguing with the chance to be with her in private.

  "Okay.” He frowned at the sky. “Look, I was just about to head home. It's been a long day at the end of a long week. Why don't you come on back with me and we can talk in private. It's not far."

  "Elizabeth.... “She turned toward the child who was trying to close a chubby fist around her balloon animal, while Rowan and Max laughed.

  Rowan waved, while Max struggled to launch an umbrella in the whipping wind. “Don't worry, we'll take her up to Ravenswood House with us and give her something to eat,” she called out, smiling. “Take your time."

  Camille looked hesitantly at Nathan and missed the sly wink Rowan gave him. Another gust of wind brought a fresh splatter of rain and that seemed to decide her.

  "All right, but my car...."

  "I'll drop you back here later so you can pick up your car,” Nathan said quickly, opening the passenger door for her. For a second she stood there and just as Nathan was convinced she was about to back out of their meeting, she slid into the seat. He was in the driver's seat and headed out of the car park before she could change her mind.

  His house was barely five minutes up the road, but in that short space of time, the heavy storm clouds caught up. Lightning sent jagged streaks piercing through the darkening afternoon, followed by the booming crash of thunder.

  Neither of them spoke and their silence filled the car, thick and heavy. The light show above illuminated Camille's face as she sat, staring dead ahead. Nathan glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. He could see the mark where her teeth had chewed her lip and he wanted to trace it with his tongue. His body reacted instantaneously to the picture that formed in his mind. His male flesh hardened and he shifted, cursing under his breath, trying to keep the purpose of this trip front of mind. His movement caught Camille's attention and she turned toward him, her eyes dark and uncertain.

  The electrical storm outside seemed to feed the energy field within the car. Nathan felt sweat popping out on his forehead and under his arms. Rain started splashing the windscreen with slow fat drops as he gripped the steering wheel in white-knuckled fists, pulling the car into his driveway with uncharacteristically jerky movements. The late afternoon air was humid, ripe and pulsing with something that seemed about to explode. He switched off the lights and the engine, and they sat there in the dark as nature crashed and burned around them.

  When he couldn't stand it a moment longer, he turned to Camille who was staring at her hands in her lap.

  "If I don't kiss you, I think I'll die.” His voice was soft but stark in the quiet interior of the car.

  She jumped as if startled and turned to him. “Don't.” It wasn't much more than a whisper.

  "Only if you tell me you don't want it. Don't want me.” He waited for a heartbeat ... two. It was long enough he decided, and made the decision for her. He curved his hand around her chin, positioning that lush mouth the way he wanted it and simply placed his lips over hers.

  Her mouth was feather-soft. He touched the raw spot with his tongue and she shivered but didn't pull away. He took his time, pressing gentle touches to each corner, tracing the bow shape of her upper lip, taunting her with tiny licks until she swallowed and closed her eyes. She relaxed against the seat back and Nathan went with her, moving over her. His mouth was greedy, feeding on her. She readily parted her lips and Nathan sank into her, feeling the warm panting little breaths she gave as his tongue captured hers.

  He put his hand behind her neck to hold her steady as his mouth devoured hers, learning the shape and taste of her lips. She moaned against him, opening her eyes which were dark and unfocused with desire. Nathan found his other hand at the bottom of her singlet where it had ridden up to reveal a sliver of pale skin. He touched her flesh with his fingers and she shuddered, making his body throb and burn. His hand tunnelled upwards until it reached her bra, sliding under to capture a delicate breast. She gasped and drew back from him, eyes wide.

  "Do you want me to stop?” Nathan's voice was low. Stopping would just about kill him but he had to ask.

  She shook her head. “No,” she whispered.

  "Thank God,” Nathan muttered, sinking down to her again. He found the back clasp of her bra. It gave quickly beneath his urgent hands and he pushed the piece of cotton up and off her breasts. Panting she helped him, tugging her singlet over her head. He drew back and pulled it off her arms, her bra with it, and threw them into the back seat.

  White lightning set the car aglow and Nathan's eyes fed hungrily on her small upthrust breasts. After a second or two, she made a move to cover herself with her arms, but Nathan said, “No,” and lowered his head to her right nipple. She gave a panting moan as his hot mouth touched the hard little point, and pressed herself toward him. Nathan explored the stiff bud with his tongue, his lips, his teeth, before moving on to its twin.

  Camille was shaking beneath him, her breath sobbing from between her lips and she clenched and unclenched her hands in his hair. Her hips jerked rhythmically up toward him, searching for the hardness of him, but in the confines of the front seat, their bodies couldn't quite connect. Nathan pulled one of her hands from the back of his head, pressing it against his fly where he throbbed and burned.

  "Touch me,” she gasped, writhing against his body and the seat. “I want you.... “She didn't finish because Nathan had put his hand firmly in the V of her thighs, pressing his palm down into her and letting his fingers curl up against her. Even through her jeans he could feel her heat, and the air was thick with the wild, woman scent of her. He pressed down again and her hand flew to her mouth, her eyes opening wide. He felt her whole body tense, and then she cried out, a moment of sharply sensual ecstasy.

  Nathan maintained his pressure until her body relaxed against him in the aftermath of bliss. After long moments, she moved, languidly, her hands returning to stroke his hair. He hated to rouse her but things were getting urgent for him and they needed to be indoors for what he wanted.

  "Camille.” He stilled her hand, took it and pressed a kiss to her palm. “Let's get inside before things get totally out of hand.” Easier said than done, as he discovered when his throbbing cock protested as he climbed out of the Landcruiser. With some discomfort, he walked around to her side and opened the door as she pulled her rumpled top over her breasts and stuffed her bra into her bag. When she climbed out, he could feel the trembling of her body.

  He threaded his warm hand through hers and she let him lead her docilely to the front door. His hand shook as he put the key in the lock but finally the door was open and they stood there breathing heavily, looking at each other in the shadowed silence of the hallway.

  He lifted the hand he still held, and her eyes followed him. He realized it was her left hand, and the cheap gold band gleamed dimly in the lightning that was gradually receding into the distance.

  "Don't say it,” he said savagely, staring at the band. He wanted to wrench the thing off and hurl it into the garbage.

  "What?” she looked at him, the flush of passion still riding high in her cheeks.

  "I don't want to talk about that fucking bastard.” He thought of the bruises on her neck and arms he'd seen that first day. “I don't want to think about what he did to you, what he'll do to you again if you go back to him."

  "I.... “She seemed to be about to say something,
but then thought better of it. Nathan felt fury entwine with desire. He wanted her to say she was done with her husband, wanted her to say she had only one man on her mind and that was him. But if she'd been about to say something to the contrary, he would rather she said nothing at all. He would deal with his guilt and hers another time.

  "Never mind.” He gritted his teeth, lifting her against his chest, hearing her gasp as he strode through the darkness into his bedroom. He hadn't had time to make the bed before he'd left the house that morning and the sheet was half off the bed where he'd pushed it last night—a result of the erotic dreams he'd been having too often recently. Well, tonight the dream was going to become reality.

  "Do you know what I dreamt the other night?” he whispered in her ear as he put her on the bed and came down on top of her. Her legs parted automatically to cradle him as he settled. “I was hungry for you and I dreamt you came to me in the night.” He half rolled off her, unbuttoning her jeans and pulling them and her shoes off her feet in one long, sliding movement. The tee-shirt quickly followed. “I was so hot for you, I was tossing and turning. And then suddenly you were there and you just knelt on the bed and.... “He whispered against her ear the darkly erotic things she had done with her mouth. “I want you to do that to me ... later."

  If she did that right now, it would be all over for him. He was throbbing so damn bad, he'd be lucky to get inside her before he came. He slid open the top drawer of the table by the bed, groped inside and pulled out a silver foil package. He noticed Camille's eyes glide away while he slid it onto his erection, and then glance back as though she couldn't take her eyes off him for long. He felt his chest puff out at the evidence that she liked what she saw.

  "Let's get these off,” he murmured, bending down to kiss her as his hands tugged off her panties. She lifted her hips to help him, but didn't say anything. Nathan suddenly realized how silent she'd been since the explosion of passion in the car. He looked at her, trying to work out what she was feeling, what she was thinking. He knew she wanted him. She hadn't held back from him, even in the car, she'd ... Something clicked in his brain. It was since the car that she hadn't said a word. He looked at her closely, saw her pupils dilated with passion, but something else lurked.