On the Hunt

  "I've had over four hundred years of watching unions between our people. They're not all easy, but the luceria picked you to be with me for a reason. I know enough to trust that and let the rest work itself out."

  She looked away, clearly uncomfortable with the conversation. Neal let it drop, refusing to cause her any more upset tonight. There would be time for her to come around. He could be patient.

  "Would you like to try to find the gadget?" he asked.

  "I think I can feel it. It's faint, but if I concentrate, I might be able to get a stronger impression of its location."

  "You do that. The sooner we find it, the sooner I can take you home."

  Neal hadn't come on to her. They were alone together in that cozy house, in front of a roaring fire while the wind blew snow all around them, insulating them from the real world. It was the perfect setup for romance and yet Neal hadn't taken advantage of that.

  Part of her was disappointed. Her body was humming with a frenetic energy—an achy need to run her hands over him and let him do the same to her. The saner part of her was relieved. Too much had happened tonight and she was having trouble digesting it all.

  Neal was a member of an ancient race. So was she. From what he said, they were destined to be partners in a war against evil monsters—ones she didn't even know existed outside of her dusty books.

  And yet, as hard as all that was to believe, what she really had trouble believing was the part where he needed her. He was a big, strong, strapping warrior. He didn't appear to need anyone. If she hadn't felt that need through the luceria, she still wouldn't believe it.

  He wanted her, and not just for the night. The impressions she got through their swiftly growing connection were ones of permanence. Forever. He wasn't afraid of commitment, like most men she knew. He craved it.

  Not that she knew him well enough to agree to that kind of relationship. For now, she was content to stay with him, see how things went. He might not appreciate her caution, but that was too bad. Caution was all he was going to get.

  For now.

  The thought whispered in her head, summoning images of the two of them together, making love. She could almost feel the power of his big body moving over hers, driving them both higher.

  He'd be a demanding lover. She could tell that by his personality. But it was his grace that made her toes curl in longing. A man with that smooth kind of power would drive her crazy. Neal would take her to places she'd never been with a man before, and deep down, she wanted that more than she'd ever wanted any ancient trinket.

  Neal came back out of the kitchen. He stopped dead in his tracks, staring at her. His jaw was tight and she could see tension straining his body. He pulled in a couple of deep breaths before he managed to speak.

  "I heard that," he whispered.

  "What?"

  "Your thoughts. The things you'd like me to do to you."

  She'd been getting brief flashes from his thoughts since putting on the luceria, but had brushed it off as her imagination. The things she'd felt coming from him couldn't be real. No man had ever wanted her like Neal did.

  The proof of that want was straining the front of his worn jeans, making her mouth water.

  He took a measured step forward. Viviana didn't move. She didn't want to encourage him to do something he wasn't ready for, and yet the thought of him backing away left a deep ache in her chest.

  "I'm more than ready," he told her. "You're the one with questions about the two of us. Not me. I already know how I want it to end."

  "How?" she asked before she could stop herself.

  "I want us to love each other. To be happy together. To stand side by side and fight the Synestryn. Forever."

  "Forever is a long time."

  "Only when you're alone and unhappy."

  Like she had been her whole life. Mother had always loved her, but Viviana had never truly fit in elsewhere. She wasn't an outcast, but she often thought that was due to her wealth. People would do a lot to overlook the flaws in others when there was money involved.

  She didn't want to be included for her money or her status. She wanted to be wanted for herself.

  Neal was offering that to her, and doing so as if he had no idea how precious the gift was.

  He held out his hand. The iridescent ring shimmered as it grew closer to her, swirling with the colors of parchment and ancient bronze. "I understand that this is all fast for you, but for me, it's something I've been thinking about for centuries. We can be good together. All you have to do is trust me."

  Viviana swallowed. So much had happened tonight. Too much. And yet there wasn't a place on earth she'd rather be than right here. With him.

  He called to her on some deep level she'd never even known existed. It was as if she were recognizing a long-lost part of herself.

  Whatever this thing was between them, it had a magic all its own, and that alone was too alluring for Viviana to resist.

  She put her hand in his and a slow, hot smile curved his mouth a second before he kissed her.

  Heat bloomed inside her at his touch, swelling until she was consumed by it. His hands slid over her back, pulling her close enough to feel the hard length of his erection. That empty ache inside her clamored to be filled, and Viviana was no longer willing to ignore it.

  "I want you," she told him.

  A rough groan vibrated his chest. "I want you, too, but we can't. I have to be careful. If we get too close . . ." He didn't finish what he was saying, but his body shook with tension.

  Viviana couldn't resist trying to comfort him. She stroked his arms and petted his chest, feeling his muscles tighten beneath her palms.

  He closed his eyes as if seeking self-control and his fingers clenched against her hips. She laid He closed his eyes as if seeking self-control and his fingers clenched against her hips. She laid her head on his shoulder, and she swore she could hear the creak of swaying branches beneath his shirt. The scent of his skin was intoxicating, and despite his hesitance, she couldn't find the strength to back away.

  Heated images flittered through her mind, and the rougher edges told her they were coming from Neal. She was naked, laid out for his visual enjoyment. Her hair was loose, shimmering around her head. Her nipples were tight, and her skin seemed to glow. His dark hand was splayed against her chest, and the matching parts of the luceria throbbed in time with each other.

  The image shifted. A red wash covered them, and Neal's body was gleaming with sweat as he moved over her, his muscles bunching powerfully with each gliding move. It wasn't real. It was only a vision in her head, but the effect it had on her was much more than mere imagination.

  She was hot, aching. Her clothes were suddenly too tight and itchy. She needed to peel them away and rub herself against Neal, feeling his firm, smooth skin against her own. Maybe if she got him naked, he'd give in and make love to her.

  She desperately needed that, needed the release only he could give.

  Neal let out the groan of a man who knew he'd been bested. "I can't deny you anything, sweetheart. I'll make you come, but we're going to do it my way."

  Chapter Seven

  Neal was playing a dangerous game here. Already they were bonding faster than he thought possible. Once the swirling colors in the luceria settled, his life was in her hands. For now, once her promise to him was fulfilled, they could go their separate ways, but if the colors solidified and their connection was complete, then if she left him, he'd die.

  He had to be careful, slow down the bonding process as much as possible. As much as he loved the idea of the two of them together, he didn't want to tie her to him with guilt. He refused to allow her to stay with him because he was dead without her. That wasn't fair to either of them.

  So he'd find the strength to resist taking her and thereby speeding up the process. He'd give her what she so clearly needed—he refused to let her suffer—but he'd do it with his jeans firmly in place.

  She kissed her way up his throat and over his
jaw. Her strong grip on his head forced him to bend down so she could kiss him properly. Her soft mouth opened over his, and her hot tongue slid inside, claiming the space for her own.

  Neal stifled a groan and went to work like a man on a mission. The sooner he got her off, the better. He didn't know how long he could resist taking what she so clearly wanted to give.

  He wasted no time undoing all the fussy little buttons down the front of her blouse. White lace cupped her breasts, but did nothing to hide her stiff nipples. He bent his head and suckled her through the delicate fabric while he made quick work of the hooks on her bra.

  Her soft sound of pleasure filled the air, and her fingers speared through his hair, holding him in place.

  Her skirt took only seconds to undo and it slithered down her thighs. Her soft lace panties followed in her skirt's wake, leaving her wearing only her stockings. Those were definitely staying on.

  He pulled the bra from her arms and fought her grip long enough to pull back and get a good look.

  Viviana was breathtaking. Sweet, slender curves. Gentle shadows cast by the firelight. Delicate bones, womanly hollows. Every inch of her was perfect.

  He'd never wanted anything in his life as much as he wanted her right now.

  His blood was pounding through his body, demanding that he stake a claim. He could smellher arousal, see the flush of lust darkening her skin. She wanted it as much as he did.

  He stared for so long, he began to feel her pull away, her heat evaporating into an awkward kind of shyness.

  She covered her breasts with one arm, her mound with her hand. Hiding herself from him.

  A primal anger rose up in him so strong and fast he couldn't control it. He took an aggressive step forward, pushing her back against the couch. She stumbled, flailing her arms to catch her balance.

  Neal grabbed her arms, easing her down. He held them away from her body, letting the satisfaction of seeing her again quiet that primal beast. "Don't hide from me," he managed to grate out. "Not ever."

  He stripped off his shirt, and then pressed her back against the seat, feeling the velvet rub of her sweet little nipples on his skin.

  Viviana let out a soft gasp and dug her nails into his back.

  Heat and need flared inside him, blinding him for a moment. But he was touching her skin, and that was enough for now. He'd look at her again when he had her spread out so he could feast on her and make her come with his mouth. He'd take his time looking, enjoying the way perspiration beaded on her skin, and the way she writhed as he held her hips in place.

  His lifemark swayed, reveling in the contact of flesh on flesh. His ring hummed happily, urging him to finish what he'd started.

  Neal reached between them, parting her damp curls. She was slick and hot, and just the slightest brush of his fingertip over her clit made her lurch beneath him and let out a sharp cry.

  He pressed a finger inside her slick body. The tight clench of her muscles around him made him grit his teeth for control. She quivered, pivoting her hips to give him a better angle. She was small, but he could handle that. He'd stretch her gently so when he took her she'd feel only pleasure.

  Except that he wasn't going to take her. He was just here to get her off. That was the deal he'd made with himself.

  Even as he cursed his decision, he manned up and stood by it, turning his force of will on her body and on how to make it sing.

  Viviana wasn't a shy lover. She told him with sounds and small, quivering movements what kinds of touches she liked, and which ones drove her wild. His prim, proper scholar was spread out before him, panting and shaking while he sucked on her clit and pressed two thick fingers inside her. He toyed with her nipples, pinching gently and not so gently in time with his penetrating fingers.

  Her breathing caught. Her abdomen quivered. Neal added a third finger and used his teeth to send her over the edge.

  She let out a sweet moan and bucked beneath him as her orgasm overcame her.

  Neal had never witnessed anything so beautiful in his long, long life.

  As her tremors subsided, she pulled him up her body with weak arms and kissed him. She was still shaking, or maybe that was him. He couldn't tell anymore. All he knew was that he was teetering on the edge of driving his cock into her slick, relaxed body deeper than his fingers had a chance of going.

  Her hands fumbled at his belt, working it free faster than his blood-starved brain had time to figure out what she was doing. Her slender fingers worked inside his jeans, wrapping around his cock.

  Even that was nearly enough to make him come. Only the worry that she'd feel used kept him from letting go and spurting his seed all over her fingers.

  He tried to pull away, but he couldn't go far without fear of breaking her arm. "Stop."

  She nibbled at his neck, right where the luceria used to lie. His skin was sensitive there, having been starved of touch since his birth. The erotic scrape of her teeth sent zings of sensation down his spine, straight into his balls.

  He gasped and gulped for air, trying to gain some thread of control.

  By the time he realized what she'd done, his pants were already open and she was pulling his cock toward her core. Her legs were spread wide in welcome, and her wet heat slid against the head of his cock, mixing with his own fluids.

  A rough groan shook him. He couldn't pull away. The best he could do was hold still and pray for control.

  Viviana grabbed his ass and pulled him forward while she lifted her hips, taking just the tip of his erection within her body.

  Glorious tight heat surrounded him, driving away all thoughts but one. He was going to finish what she'd started. And then some.

  He drove forward in one smooth stroke, forcing her to take all of him. She pulled in a startled breath and her fingernails bit deep. It only made him want more.

  He knew he wouldn't last long. He could feel her trying to reassure him through their link that it was okay, but he ignored it. He didn't want the shallow fulfillment of shooting his load without her.

  When he came, she was going to be screaming his name in climax while he filled her. That was the only thing that would satisfy this primal need.

  Neal took advantage of their connection, opening himself up for her to feel everything he did. He knew what he did was dangerous—that he could be speeding his own demise—but he couldn't help it. He craved that connection, needed it like he needed to breathe.

  He let her see herself as he did: beautiful and sexy as hell. He let her feel his consuming need to make her come. He forced her to feel the lust clawing inside him, demanding that he stake a claim on her in every way possible.

  Her eyes grew wide and her pupils expanded as she looked at him. Her lips were parted, sucking in great gasps of air as he worked them both toward a fast, hard climax.

  It swept over Neal, surprising him in its intensity. In the vague recesses of his mind, he realized he was feeling her come as well, the two orgasms mingling together into one. Sensation sizzled through their connection as his balls drew up close and his seed pumped deep within her trembling body.

  She shook beneath him, her slender frame so delicate and fragile under his weight. He didn't want to crush her, but he felt her need for him to stay connected to her.

  He was still hard. He could stay inside her as long as she wanted. Whatever she needed, he'd find a way to make it hers. For as long as he lived.

  Their connection had definitely deepened because of his lack of control. Not that he could bring himself to regret it. He could never regret being with her like this.

  He rolled so she was lying atop him, straddling his hips. She nestled her head against his chest while their breathing slowed and the air cooled their bodies. Her fingers traced the branches of his lifemark.

  "The leaves are growing back," she said. "There are little buds now."

  Bittersweet happiness filled him. She'd saved him, but for how long?

  She pushed up, frowning down at him. "Something's wrong. Wh
at is it?"

  Her hair was a wreck, her bun askew, and fuzzy strands were sticking out at random angles. It was so cute it made his chest ache when he thought that he wouldn't get to see her look like this again—that this thing they had might be temporary.

  Neal forced himself to smile as he felt for the pins holding up her bun. "It's nothing serious. We can worry about it after you find the gadget."

  Her hair fell loose over her shoulders, shining and beautiful. His cock pulsed inside her, making her eyes flutter shut.

  She gave a soft, sexy moan. "I'm not sure if I can go another round."

  "I'm more than happy to find out," he said.

  "Don't we need to get moving?"

  Neal nodded, hating the truth. "Yeah. We do."

  "I can feel it now," she said, grinning with pride. "The artifact. My ability seems to be stronger somehow."

  "We're more tightly linked now." Thanks to his lack of control. "You have greater access to my power."

  "Does that mean that if we don't find it, we can do that again?"

  If they didn't find the gadget, she'd remain linked to him, which would almost certainly result in more fabulous sex. "It does."

  "And if I do find it?"

  She'd be free of the luceria, free of him, able to do as she chose. Whether or not she slept with him again would depend heavily on whether or not he lived to see it happen. "Guess we'll have to play that one by ear."

  Chapter Eight

  "There," said Viviana, pointing at a truck-size entrance in the limestone rock face. "The disk is in there."

  They were outside an industrial complex built inside a system of caves at the edge of Kansas City.

  "Are you sure?" asked Neal as he drove into the main entrance.

  Inside, truck-size, man-made tunnels looped around a series of businesses—everything from a granite counter-top manufacturer to a wholesale craft-supply company. The rock walls had been painted white, but were dingy from dust and car exhaust.

  "I'm sure," she said. "A few yards that way." She pointed to the right. The new leather of the jacket he'd found for her at the Gerai house gleamed in the dim light. Like his own jacket, the one she wore had been imbued with protective magic. Even so, it still wasn't enough protection to make him feel good about her walking into danger.