Then he jerked as if calling himself back to attention. “What about Sydney? Did you notice any changes in her behavior?” His voice rasped over her exposed nerves. The heat still burned in the background, but his lips pressed together in a fine line.
Tanasha didn’t know how to respond. Part of her was relieved he took her seriously and asked an actual question regarding the case. Nobody else had even done that. Hope curled inside her.
Another part of her was disappointed he’d reduced the fire, which had just flared between them, to a low simmer so quickly.
Realizing he still waited for her answer she scrambled to get her hormones under control and not appear moonstruck. She had her pride. “Yes.” She swallowed. “At first she was just happy about her family changing their minds, but then she became more and more withdrawn. The week before the wedding it seemed as if her energy drained right out of her. I would invite her to meet up and she would give flimsy excuses. If we actually got together, she’d be pale and tired and had no interest in talking about anything.” It was as if Sydney no longer cared for their friendship, as if everything that used to be important for both of them suddenly no longer had meaning. That extreme change in behavior had worried Tanasha more than anything else. “I honestly don’t see how she could have brought up the energy to go on a trip. She barely made it out of the house.”
O’Clare nodded. “When did she disappear?”
“Four days ago.”
“And you haven’t heard from her at all?”
Tanasha shook her head.
“Yeah, baby, suck my cock, deep and wet.” A deep male groan echoed through the room.
She flinched but couldn’t control the heat that had begun to build and spread across her body as soon as she laid eyes on O’Clare.
He paused for a second but leaned back in his chair, ignoring the interruption. “It looks like I should have a chat with this Marius and see if I can’t figure out what happened.”
Relief nearly made her slump in the chair. “I want to come with you.”
He snorted. Disbelief sparkled in his eyes. “And I want to be able to fly. Why the hell would I want to have a civilian messing around in my investigation?”
Tanasha sat up straighter. “Without me you won’t get within shouting distance of Marius.”
O’Clare’s smile, so sexy and dark, made a shiver run down her back. The heat inside flared to boiling point. “Really? How do you figure?”
Tanasha swallowed. Maybe he has a way to get into the District. He is a detective. “You’re a Vampire. Even if you keep your fangs hidden the Guards’ species sensors will betray you. There’s no way you’d be allowed to move around unescorted. If I add you to my visitor list, you’ll be able to go anywhere you wish, without hesitation or harassment, as long as I am with you.” She wasn’t going to tell him that she could make him a Preferred Visitor, which would give him the unlimited access he required.
O’Clare smirked. “Or I could just wait until he leaves the District and question him then.”
She shook her head. “He hasn’t stepped outside the District since Sydney left. Remember, he’s playing the wronged husband who’s keeping everything together while his wife is off jetting around.”
Duncan couldn’t believe that he was actually contemplating taking a case for a Naema. And he was in two minds about Tanasha Omeiko.
Her story sounded farfetched and paranoid. Her supposedly missing friend might have just had enough of Tanasha’s clingy self. He really shouldn’t even contemplate taking the gig. But something about this particular Naema distracted his well-honed senses.
His first impression of her being mousy was incorrect. She exuded some sort of energy that kept hitting him in the gonads. Aggravated by his neighbor’s regular nooner behind him. He really should get his walls insulated.
Every time he thought he’d gotten his arousal under control, her spicy scent teased his senses or she would lean forward and her voluptuous breasts would move. Bam, his cock stood at attention.
Throw in the female moaning behind him and he was in deep shit.
He wanted Tanasha and him to take the place of his neighbor and his partner.
Tanasha’s black bob framed a pale-skinned face with black eyes that were gorgeous enough, but it was her body that was the work of art. She was short, probably about a head shorter than him, which would make sex in missionary style interesting. He grinned. He liked to hold his partner under her shoulders while he thrust into her, but with Tanasha that would be more difficult.
Her body would politely be described as voluptuous. Her high-society Naema clothes covered a lot, but they weren’t enough to hide her fantastic rack. Her breasts would overflow in his hands. He bet her hips were well rounded and her stomach had a ripe curve to it. Maybe she even had dimpled knees. He loved nibbling on dimpled knees.
“Harder, baby, I need you harder.”
Blood flushed her cheeks and Tanasha cleared her throat. Even worried about her friend, her sensuality spun a web around him, drawing him toward her.
Duncan realized he’d been staring at her ample chest for a few minutes. Going by her frown she didn’t seem to be too appreciative. But the way her ass wiggled in his chair showed that she wasn’t quite as disinterested as she wanted him to believe.
“Will you take the case?” she asked pointedly.
Duncan kept her waiting for a moment. “Yes, I will. It sounds…interesting.” Jade, he hadn’t meant to make it that easy. He grimaced, imagining interacting with arrogant and self-important Naema jerks while deciding if there was an actual case.
The bumping behind him took on an unmistakable rhythm. Heat flared through him as he imagined pushing Tanasha against the wall and thrusting deep inside her.
“Estimable O’Clare?” Her voice grew husky.
He struggled to drag his thoughts back to their conversation but his little brain continued to take over. Duncan wanted to get closer to her.
An orchestra of bumps, groans, moans and screams announced the finale behind him.
She hadn’t been unaffected by the electricity sparking between the two of them. Since entering the room, her nipples had hardened and her pulse raced. It’d been a very long time since a woman he hadn’t even touched had affected him like this. And a Naema of all things.
Duncan didn’t stop his mind from wandering and undressing her, freeing those beautiful breasts. He bet her nipples were a dark-rose hue, mirroring her full lips. He would twist those nipples lightly, gently, just enough to make them more and more sensitive until she couldn’t stand it anymore and demanded release. Then he would tweak the luscious tips, tweak them with that little extra force that his women so adored. He would wrap his lips and tongue around them and take turns pulling them into the wet heat of his mouth.
When she was ready and wet he would lift her above him. That way he could watch his cock go inside her and her breasts move before his eyes. Her eyes would darken and he would pant, trying to squeeze his fat cock into her tight little pussy. She would be wet enough, but their size difference would give that bite of pleasure-pain.
She would slowly sink down on him, all the way down until her ass touched his balls and he bumped into the end of her. Her juices would spill out through her stretched entrance and would drip along his cock. With each movement from her, he would play with her tits, her nipples.
The closer she got to the end, the tighter she would grip him until she massaged every inch of him with her clenching muscles. She would speed up, dig her nails into his chest and push down harder.
His balls would draw up tight and he would have to hold himself back not to thrust up, not to take over her ride. Her sweet moans would drive him higher, both of them moving closer and closer to—
“Estimable O’Clare, I do not appreciate being the star in this lurid little fantasy of yours.” Tanasha’s voice ripped him back to the present and dropped him into a deep pool of freezing-cold water.
Jade, he’d forg
otten that Naemas could read emotions. His had been running rather hot. He gently readjusted himself in his pants. He’d been sexually active for a very long time, but this was the first time since being a horny teenager that he’d come this close to coming in his pants.
He tilted his head. But how did the Naema without Gift read his emotions? “How would you know it was a lurid fantasy about you? I could have been thinking fondly about last night with my boyfriend.”
She gulped and dropped her gaze but remained silent.
Duncan wanted to push for more details, but the painful embarrassment in her eyes persuaded him otherwise. He didn’t mind Tanasha knowing about his fantasy. In some way or another he would make sure it came true.
And going by her racing pulse and the musky perfume she’d acquired, she definitely hadn’t been as unaffected as she was trying to appear. Duncan heard a slight shiver in her frosty voice.
“You could have interrupted when I started that little trip. Instead you let it go on.” He smirked. “How about you just leave me to my fantasies and wait for my next update. Better yet, let’s make it reality rather than fantasy. Once we have that out of the way, we’ll both feel better and my concentration will improve.”
She swallowed and that delightful blush covered her cheeks. Duncan couldn’t remember the last time he’d sat across from a woman who blushed. He knew she wouldn’t say yes, but he needed to distract her. No way was he going to admit how much her presence threw him off balance.
“I would prefer to keep this relationship professional,” she said.
He rested his elbows on top of his desk. “And I would prefer to combine pleasure and work in one hot package.”
If possible her back became even straighter.
“That would be completely inappropriate. I want to be present when you question Marius.”
He shrugged as if it made no difference to him. “Why are you so intent on coming with me?”
She firmed her lips and pushed her stubborn chin forward but remained silent. Duncan had no intention of moving out of his chair until she’d answered his question. Going by her frown, she got the message but didn’t budge.
Duncan leaned back, steepling his fingers. “Looks like we have what is generally described as a standoff.” He pinned her with his gaze. “Remember you came to me, looking for help for your friend. I can continue to sit here until the end of the day, with no repercussions. Can you?”
Her frown deepened. “I don’t like your tactics.”
He shrugged. Tanasha glared at him. If looks could double as lasers, he’d be a holey cheese by now and licking his wounds.
Duncan bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing. The sparkling anger added a gold sheen to her eyes, gave the top of her pale cheeks more color, and the frown was kind of cute. He made sure to keep that thought and the accompanying emotions in check. No need to drive her over the edge just yet.
“I don’t trust you will not fall victim to his scam as well,” she finally growled.
Duncan’s brows shot up. His amusement vanished. “I’m not that easily duped, especially now that I’ve had warning.”
She shrugged, not meeting his gaze. “Maybe, but I want to be there.”
“How would you explain my presence?”
Tanasha shrugged. “Why would I explain your presence? Everybody knows that I think Sydney is in danger, nobody will even blink when I bring you in.” She grimaced. “Marius will probably pat me on the head and indulge my female whims.”
“How will you explain that you had to go as far as finding a Vampire?”
“Everybody in the District, including the Guard, believes Marius’ version. Going outside the District is the next logical step.”
“And only a Vampire would have the bad manners to use a brainless female who’s in distress for his own money-making purpose.” He gritted his teeth. According to Naemas, Vampires were worthless scum, worse even than humans.
She didn’t even try to defend her species’ prejudice. “No, that would very much fit in with the picture most Naemas have of Vampires.” She swallowed. “And one of the reasons I’ve come to find you.”
Chapter Two
O’Clare nodded and tapped his fingers on his desk, his gray eyes turned silver. He had beautiful hands, long fingered and with well-maintained, clean nails. “We will add another layer to the asshole Vampire.” He captured her gaze. “We’ll pose as lovers.”
Tanasha clung to her composure. “Certainly not.” Part of her wanted to jump and shout with glee, but another part tried to remind her how out of her league he was.
“This is not up for discussion.” He stood and marched to the door.
“Estimable O’Clare, as I’m coming with you, please explain to me why in Jade’s name you think posing as lovers will be helpful.”
He shook his head and leaned against the doorframe. Anger blazed in his eyes, but she couldn’t hear it in his voice. “If this Marius has indeed kidnapped his wife for some nefarious purpose, he’s not going to stand by and let you bring an outsider and an investigator at that into the mix. Even if I’m only a lowly Vampire he’ll run me. I stay off the StarNet if I can, but you found enough to track me down. So will he. He’ll have to counteract and that will endanger you.”
O’Clare smirked. “As I intend to collect all that promised money I can’t have you in danger. By posing as lovers I can pretend that I’m only doing perfunctory investigations while I’m fucking you. It’ll take the focus off us, make us seem less dangerous. Now let’s go.” He opened the door.
Tanasha froze for a second. His colorful language had drawn a picture that now dominated her mind.
When he held the door open for her, she quickly grabbed her bag and stumbled to him. Her legs felt like overcooked spaghetti after catching the backlash of his little fantasy.
She never in her life read another person, never had the most basic Gift even a four-year-old Naema demonstrated.
But with him it went far beyond the vague impressions Naema could decipher from the beings around them. With him she’d been in his head, in his imagination, seeing pictures of his thoughts. Tanasha read what he liked about her and how he intended to lavish pleasure on her. It was as if she had a direct link to his brain.
She couldn’t remember ever feeling so admired and turned-on. His graphic images had been like a touch on her nipples, a stroke across her clit. It had been a long time since she’d been with a man. Her social schedule being on the quiet side, there wasn’t that much opportunity to meet new people.
And definitely not a Vampire who wore his sexuality like a formfitting coat.
Damn him, she felt off balance and unsure. Could she pose as a lover, touch and stroke him without falling deeper under his spell?
O’Clare instructed the recepto-bot to secure the premises and stepped out of the office. He pointed her toward the elevator and waved the door closed behind them. The lock snicked without him touching it.
He put his hand on her lower back to guide her forward. Tanasha took a step away from his touch.
“You better start calling me Duncan.”
Before she could respond the door next to his office opened. A man and a woman, both human, stepped outside. They had their arms around each other, barely letting go for him to order the door closed, kissing and locked together. Their clothes looked as if they’d been through a storm.
O’Clare curled his hand around her waist and stopped her. The heat of his touch spread across her middle.
The couple disentangled enough to stumble to the elevator. The man nodded at O’Clare. “Duncan.”
The Vampire nodded back. “George.”
They stepped into the compartment and went right back to kissing.
Tanasha cleared her throat and couldn’t stop herself from meeting his gaze. The silver tint showed her that anger still bubbled beneath the seemingly uncaring surface.
Guilt flooded her but she tried to shake it off. It wasn’t her fault t
hat Naemas and Vampires didn’t think much of each other. The animosity had been established centuries ago. He shouldn’t be offended when it came out to bite him on his delectable behind. She attempted to step away from his hand, but he followed her into the now empty elevator. She wasn’t going to pet his ego because he was put out. It wasn’t as if Vampires didn’t have the same issues with Naemas.
“I will contact the Guard and let them know we’re coming,” she said.
O’Clare—no, Duncan—only nodded, the fire in his eyes now of a different kind as he followed the line of her back. Tanasha swore she felt his eyes on her rear. To say her body heat rose was an understatement.
She contacted her local Guard with her internal comp and informed them that she was adding a Vampire to her guest list. Even over the distance the surprise and distaste of the officer was obvious. Well, they could go laser themselves. They hadn’t listened to her. The Guard had no reason to deny her request and gave Duncan the necessary access.
She struggled to remain coherent while talking to the Guard. Duncan stood too close to her in the small space of the elevator. His delicious smell of rich chocolate with a hint of pepper surrounded her, sank inside her. The brand of his hand on her hip seemed to melt through her layers of clothing until the fire heated the area between her legs. Her heartbeat felt like a jet-copter on steroids and the butterflies in her stomach were salsa dancing.
As soon as the doors opened she stepped away from him, glad to be in more open space again. But that didn’t stop him from sticking close to her like a tail to a comet. Why the Jade couldn’t he keep a couple of steps between them?
Luckily, one of the many comp-driven taxi transports was just outside the door. It was one of the smaller ones, seating only four, two across each bench. Tanasha slid inside, expecting Duncan to do the civilized thing and take the seat across from her. But what did he do? He came in after her, ending up with his side pressed tightly against her. As she’d taken the outside seat, Tanasha had nowhere to move to.
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