“What are your hobbies, outside of work?” he asked as the music changed back to thundering drums and electronic noise.
She toyed with the stem of her glass, considering her answer. Then she raised her drink and gulped the remainder down in one long gulp. “I read, mainly. And research. About history and science and old religions. It’s how I knew about you and the Scion. Well, that and my dreams.”
Right.
Never before had a Seal host learned about him, dreamed about him.
Until today.
He’d lived long enough to understand the uniqueness of their situation, the uniqueness of her. Her goodness, selflessness, and kindness. All of it spoke to his heart, making her more gorgeous, if that were possible. He’d walked beside her on this earthly plane for less than a full day and already he could see Mira was concerned with helping others, so different from some of the past Seal hosts who tapped into the power within them and used it to enslave and profit from the other mortals around them. Still other hosts had used the Seal’s power to make them rich, important and popular, lured in by promises of false happiness, addicted to the high of ultimate oppression. Power was a drug, even when mortals had no idea of its true source or cost. He had seen its effects on humanity during his long eons of existence.
But Mira seemed immune to it all, succumbing only to heal the pain in her heart over her ex’s harsh treatment and to seek her rightful vengeance. It was this Argus bastard who’d driven Mira to tap the Seal’s dormant power. Perhaps he’d heard her call because he’d been focused on her at the time and the Seal amplified her summons.
Her other hand settled over their joined ones, her skin cold.
“Dance with me?” She sounded nervous, her gaze lingering past his shoulder.
“Is he still watching?” Kagan could feel the weight of the man’s stare on his back.
Mira nodded.
“Then we should definitely dance.”
She slid off her stool, then hesitated. “Are you sure all of this is okay with you?”
Instead of answering, he led her around the table and toward the dance floor. His smile seemed to give her the reassurance she needed, a lovely blush rising in her cheeks. The deep rhythm of the music slowed once more and the movements of the other mortals surrounding them bordered on clothed sex. Kagan briefly wondered if this was such a good idea. Truthfully, he had no clue where this dance would lead, but the look in Mira’s eyes said wherever he ended up, he would greatly enjoy the trip.
Mimicking the mortals, Kagan pulled Mira close, her hands against his chest, and looked down into her wide eyes. Her pupils were dilated, nearly obscuring her hazel irises, and the thrum of her pulse in time with his filled him with passion and hunger.
Her inhibitions seemed to lift, perhaps because of the alcohol flowing through her system, and she swayed against him, her movements growing more confident and carnal. He matched her movements. It felt so incredibly good, her despicable ex the furthest thing from his mind now.
Kagan slid his hands down her back to her waist, then to her hips. Her curves felt lush and pliable beneath his touch. Her eyes slid half-closed, and her palms heated against his chest, searing through his suit straight to his flesh. His Scion sigil flared in response.
He drew her hips tighter against him, moving with her to the hypnotic beat. Her fingers slid over his shoulders to twine around his neck. He couldn’t suppress a shiver at her caress. Each time they brushed or rubbed together, it drove his control closer toward the edge.
She toyed with the hair at his nape, making him groan low with pleasure. He shifted, easing his hands around to the small of her back. Mira moaned and moved closer still. If she looked this beautiful clothed, she would be exquisite naked. He imagined exploring every inch of her with his mouth and hands, worshipping her body until she cried his name in ecstasy, then collapsed into his arms, sated and sleepy.
Kagan forced himself to ease back. Otherwise this would all be over before it ever started.
Mira gaze up at him, her eyes full of unspoken invitation. He wanted to give in, would do so willingly if he knew for certain this wasn’t all part of her plan for vengeance, if this wasn’t all intended to make Argus jealous.
The way she felt in his arms, however, seemed far too real.
She ran her hands down his arms, tracing his biceps. Her pulse sped, and the Seal’s power blazed between them, reinforcing their connection, allowing him to feel her hunger and need.
His gaze dropped to her cherry-red lips, beckoning him to dip his head and kiss her.
It had been so long since he’d desired a woman, and never a mortal one, but this was different—so strong and so irresistible. He loved how she moved against him, teasing him into submission, sending shiver after shiver over his skin. His temperature soared. He loved the way she looked into his eyes and smiled, so full of honest want and desire.
None of this felt like an act.
All of it felt so real and true and right.
Kagan was nearly sure she’d welcome his kiss, his attraction.
Mira smiled again, her hands resting lightly by his elbows now, burning him with her touch. He needed to feel those hands on his bare chest, needed her to stroke his skin, needed her to know what she did to him and how hard she made him.
He moved his pelvis, allowing her to feel the extent of his arousal. She seemed to relish the action, her head tipping back in silent acceptance. He slid his hands down to cup her backside and groaned low at the way those ripe curves filled his palms. They were close, so close, yet not nearly close enough for what Kagan had in mind.
Her half-lidded gaze met his, her lips parted.
Kissing her seemed inevitable. Not pretend. Not at all.
He wanted to wrap her in his arms and never let her go.
Mira slipped her fingertips beneath the cuff of his shirt to caress his inner wrist. He imagined her doing the same with the buttons of his shirt, the zipper of his trousers…
Words could not express how much he desired her.
Kagan lost track of what they were doing, where they were. All he knew was they were holding each other, gazes locked and hearts racing. His gaze flicked to her mouth and he gave up the fight against temptation. He lowered his head to kiss her and…
She giggled.
Frowning, Kagan pulled back as she wriggled against him. Her leg brushed his aching erection and he bit back another groan, this time of frustration.
This was not the time for humor. Then he glanced down and saw the hole in the front of his dress shirt where his Scion sigil had burned a hole through the material.
So much for keeping his ardor a secret. He quirked a brow at her and grinned.
Mira laughed harder in his arms, genuine and full of happiness.
Her heartache seemed to have vanished, along with their plan to keep this all make believe.
4
Mira stared into Kagan’s eyes, seeing the passion and desire burning deep within their aqua depths. Part of her said she had to be imagining it all. This was all an act. One that was working as far as she could tell, but then she’d lost track of Argus the moment Kagan touched her. The other part of her wanted the past few minutes to be real, even if that was impossible.
The Scion sigil on his abdomen still glowed brightly through the tatters of his shirt, a reminder of his divine duty. A reminder that finally brought her back to her senses. He was an immortal warrior and he was definitely off limits. Regardless of how heavenly his body felt pressed to hers. She couldn’t fall for a Scion, no matter how sexy. There was no hope of this becoming anything more than a mission to him. She’d done enough research to know that truth, at least.
The song ended, and Mira glanced over to where her ex had been at the bar, only to find him gone. She stood on tiptoe to peer through the crowd but couldn’t locate him anywhere. Shoulders slumped, Mira stepped away from Kagan. “He left.”
He looked as disappointed as she felt.
Kagan buttone
d his suit jacket to hide his ruined shirt and led her back toward their table, but she veered toward the exit instead. With Argus gone, there was no point in staying. Besides, the music had given her a headache and she’d had enough pretend romance to last her a lifetime. Her plan had originally been to get revenge on Argus, but she hadn’t considered the effect such actions would have on her.
“We’re leaving?” he asked from behind her, his deep voice making her insides quiver with lust. She wanted to be back in his arms, to nuzzle into his chest while he murmured sweet words in her ear.
Mira nodded and stopped at the check booth to get her coat then took the stairs up to the sidewalk. The night air was brisk, the temperatures close to zero, but the sky was clear and sparkling with stars despite the glow of the city around them.
“Would you like me to summon a vortex?” His words were pure temptation. She ached to nod and throw caution to the wind. Kagan stepped behind her, his heat chasing away the chill. Mira felt overwhelming urge to turn and kiss him until the fiery connection between them burned out. His breath tickled the back of her neck and he lightly placed his hands on her shoulders, making knees go wobbly. “I can transport us home.”
“I’m afraid,” she whispered.
Kagan slid his arms around her waist, pulling her back against him. “I was created to protect you, Mira. I will never let you go and I will never let any harm befall you.”
She gazed up at him over her shoulder, mesmerized by the truth in his vivid blue eyes. She could look into them for eternity and never be bored. Distracted, Mira gathered all her courage and nodded, turning to loop her arms around his neck. It was only a short journey to her apartment in the arms of a gorgeous warrior.
Nothing more.
Kagan grinned. “Now that I think about it, I have a better idea for our destination.”
He closed his eyes and spoke words in Latin. Suddenly they were surrounded by swirling rainbow light, traveling fast, yet standing perfectly still at the same time.
It was disconcerting. It was inconceivable. It was magnificent.
“Won’t people see us?” she asked.
“No.” Kagan focused skyward. “They cannot see you now.”
“You’re cloaking us? Like you did back at The G Spot?” She rested her forehead against his chest, eyes closed, feeling dizzy as the soared higher and higher. She didn’t dare look down for fear of being sick. “Are you sure this is safe?”
His laughter rumbled beneath her ear, warm and rich and deep as dark chocolate.
“Perfectly safe.” He squeezed his arms tighter around her. “Almost there.”
They touched down moments later atop the pinnacle of Willis Tower. It took Mira a moment to realize the motion had stopped. She blinked her eyes open to stare around at the glorious, glittering city of Chicago laid out below them. Twinkling lights stretched as far as the eye could see, like a myriad of jewels in the velvet darkness. This was incredible. Kagan was incredible. His grip on her felt sure, comforting, confident.
She trusted him.
It had been so long since she’d let someone in. Argus had never come close. And though she barely knew Kagan, this felt right, as though they were made for each other. Ridiculous, but true.
Kagan gazed down at her, his eyes nearly black in the twilight, and her heart stumbled. He was so beautiful. So brave and true.
Mine.
A strange power tingled sparked though her bloodstream. The same had happened back at the bar, right before they’d danced. A hot, possessiveness unlike anything she’d ever experienced. It urged her to claim Kagan, to conquer him, to make him bend to her will.
He looked past her, into the distance and the murky depths of Lake Michigan beyond, then closed his eyes, summoning another vortex. Soon, they were hurtling forward again. She curled against him as they gained speed, plummeting toward Grant Park and Lakeshore Drive, Michigan Avenue beautifully illuminated with holiday lights.
The miraculous view sent shivers down her spine.
“Cold?” Kagan gathered her closer and the swirling speed of the vortex slowed, their pace becoming more leisurely.
“No,” she whispered, daring to take in all the sights of her beloved city. “I’m fine.”
“I should get you home.”
“Wait.” She grabbed his shoulders. “The Hancock Building?”
His brilliant smile rivaled the rainbow lightshow around them and her pulse fluttered anew, her body responding to the feel of his hands on her, awareness of how close they stood flooding her bloodstream, the intensity of his gaze scorching every fiber of her being.
“As you wish.” They zoomed lower, over the surface of the Chicago River, then upward toward their destination. The tourists nearby, still snapping pictures at this late hour, didn’t seem to notice a thing. Mira laughed as they blasted by, stirring a breeze which caused the tourists to clutch their coats tighter around them. Seemed they really were invisible. The freedom that knowledge created delighted Mira.
The Hancock Building loomed before them now, it’s distinctive triangular shape and glass surface dazzling in the darkness. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity for her, but Kagan could do this every day if he wanted. All he had to do was close his eyes and summon one of these vortexes. Her analytical mind filed the details away for later research. She suspected it was some kind of time travel not yet discovered by human scientists, a sort of Tardis come to life. Without the phone booth, of course.
Kagan spiraled upward, toward the flashing antennae at the top of the building and she gasped when he landed atop one of those spikes, his feet holding both their weight without any apparent effort at all.
It was more than she’d ever hoped for and nothing she’d ever imagined. She nestled into him, not because she was cold, but because it felt so good to be close to him. “It’s so beautiful.”
His arms tightened around her, warm and infinitely protective. “Yes, beautiful.”
Mira looked up and found him staring down at her instead of out at the spectacular view, his head tilted to one side and his eyes curious. She wondered what he was thinking. He’d looked nearly the same right before he’d tried to kiss her in the club. The thought he might want to kiss her again now heated her blood like a lit match to gasoline. She wanted him to do it, more than anything, because it wouldn’t be an act. Argus wasn’t anywhere around.
It was just the two of them up here at the top of their little world.
His gaze lowered to her lips.
Mira forced herself to look away, still hesitant. She didn’t want to be hurt again. She’d been disappointed so many times before in her search for love she wasn’t sure her battered heart could take another blow.
Kagan sighed, his voice tinged with defeat. “You are getting cold. Time to go.”
Unexpected sadness cut deep inside her. She wanted to tell him she didn’t mean to be distant, tell him she desired him, so badly she ached, but she couldn’t find her voice.
He closed his eyes and whispered the magic words and soon they were surrounded by light again, rocketing toward the ground so fast Mira gasped and clung to his neck, afraid they would plunge to their deaths. Kagan pulled up at the last minute, sending them soaring over the city again, heading toward her shabby little apartment above a liquor store on Chicago’s south side.
He remembered the directions from earlier, steering them confidently toward her home. Her heart felt heavy as concrete and her head pounded with recriminations. She had no idea what she was doing anymore. She’d never been the sort to flirt with men or have quick, meaningless flings. Still, with Kagan, this felt like more than an affair, more than a simple booty call, despite only knowing him such a short time. But how could it be, with them from two separate realms?
He landed on the rooftop of her building and the vortex around them vanished as they touched down so gently she barely felt it. Kagan released his hold on her and she looked up at him, trying desperately to figure out all her conflicting emotions
. She smoothed a hand down the front of her coat, doing her best not to fidget and failing miserably. “Thank you.”
“For bringing you home?”
“No. I mean, yes. And for helping me tonight too. It was very kind of you.” After what had happened at the nightclub, she wasn’t sure how to act around him now. If she’d been a braver woman, she would’ve hurled herself into his arms and begged him to take her, consequences be damned. As it was, she simply stared down at her toes while snowflakes drifted from the sky.
Kagan crossed his arms. “Your vengeance is not complete yet.”
No, she supposed not. Argus had been jealous at the bar, she’d seen it in his eyes, but how much farther was she willing to go to make him suffer? The strange tingling power inside her flared hotter, along with the birthmark on her shoulder blade, urging her to make Argus suffer as he’d made her suffer, to make him feel the same pain he’d caused her. Kagan hadn’t lied when he’d accepted her mission. She was certain he’d do terrible things to Argus if she asked. If she commanded him to do so.
She shuddered, shoving aside the gruesome images filling her head. This was all getting out of hand. If they continued this charade, Mira would only get hurt. She should tell him it was over and send him on his way back to Heaven.
That would be the smart thing, the logical thing, the safe thing.
She couldn’t do it.
“Where will you sleep tonight?” she asked.
His smile widened—handsome, charming, devastating. Her knees buzzed, and her chest squeezed with want. Her heart raced at the thought of continuing what they’d started on the dance floor, only in her bedroom this time. She’d never taken the lead sexually with Argus, he’d considered it unmanning. Thinking about doing so now, with Kagan, was…interesting.
Perhaps they’d skip the bedroom altogether and make love right here on the rooftop.
Or not, considering her nose was already numb and she could barely feel her toes.
Kagan shrugged, drawing her attention back to him. “I will not return to my quarters in the heavenly realms until my mission for you is complete.”
Scion's Destiny (Seven Seals Series Book 1) Page 4