by Stone, Wendy
“There’s only one,” she whispered, putting her hand on Brady’s arm.
He jumped, cracking his head on the wall with a dull thud. Turning, he caught her arm, whispering furiously. “Don’t ever do that again.”
“I’m sorry. I thought I could help.”
“You can, now shush,” he whispered, willing his heart to slow back to its normal beat. He touched his head, feeling the scrape where he’d hit the wall. It was wet with blood. “Great,” he mumbled.
Footsteps approached their hiding place, and Brady reached behind him, grabbing Molly’s hand and giving it a squeeze. She squeezed back, knowing he wanted her quiet. They stood like that in the dark, waiting for the door to be pushed open and their hiding place revealed.
* * * *
“I heard something,” Francis Derrick said into the small walkie-talkie.
There was a squawk of static before a man’s voice responded. “Where?”
“I’m in the basement,” Derrick said, glancing around the large room. “But there’s nothing here. I know I heard something though.”
“Maybe you’ve got ghosts.”
“Ha ha, very funny.” Derrick stuck the walkie-talkie back into his belt and made his way to where he’d heard the noise. He prodded at the stack of bins against the wall, searching through them as if the girl they were looking for could possibly be inside. Pushing them aside, he got out his flashlight and moved it over the wall.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Derrick jumped, turning to see another of his group. “Checking on the wall. I swear I heard a noise.”
“Maybe we should bring that thing down to sniff around. She led us here.” The order was relayed and the two men stepped back as another came down, this one with a small red wolf on a leash at his heels.
The animal lifted her head, her intelligent green eyes incredibly sad. Derrick couldn’t help but feel a pang of sympathy for the strange beast.
“Is your sister down here?” the man holding the lead asked, tapping his leg with the small cattle prod used to keep the bitch in line.
Tallie lifted her head, her sister’s scent fresh in her nostrils. A long lonely howl emerged from her mouth. Its eerie tones freaked Derrick out and he found himself backing away from the wolf.
A sadistic expression came over the face of the man that held Tallie’s lead. He brought around the prod, hitting the button that sent lightning sparking between the two electrodes. “Do you want more of this, bitch?” Tallie scuttled away, her tail between her legs, as far as the lead in the man’s hands would allow. “I didn’t think so. Now do what we brought you here for and find your bitch of a sister. I owe her.”
Tallie raised her finely-shaped head once more, her nose moving as she scented the air. She walked slowly, hampered by the lead that was so tight around her throat. Going to the wall, she sniffed carefully, finding the line of the door easily. Whining just a little, she moved away, going to the next space and then the next until she came to the wall under one of the small windows that lent scant light to the basement.
She lifted her head and howled again, a lonely mournful sound.
“That window ain’t big enough for a man to go through,” Derrick said as his boss reeled in Tallie. “That wolf must be on drugs.”
“No, we took her off the drugs for this,” the man said. “She knows better than to cross me. Molly must have been here and gone.” He jerked the lead, the collar biting into Tallie’s throat. She yelped, cowering before him.
* * * *
“Tallie,” Molly gasped, hearing her sister yelp. “They’re hurting her.” She shoved at Brady, trying to get by him, desperate to get to her sister.
“No, Molly, stop.” He grabbed her waist, pulling her back down the tunnel even as she fought him. “Stop, Mollie!” he whispered furiously. He slapped his hand over her mouth, holding her against him until she quit struggling. Leaning against the tunnel, he listened for noise that would suggest they’d been found. When he heard nothing, he slumped, loosing her mouth.
“They hurt her,” Molly whispered, tears streaming down her face. “They hurt my sister and I couldn’t do anything to help her.”
She turned in his arms, burying her face in his neck. “It should have been me.”
“No, Molly, don’t say things like that. We’ll get her back.” He stroked her shoulders, rubbing gently. “I promise, we’ll figure out a way to save her and the rest of them.” He pushed one hand into her hair, her head falling back to look up at him.
“Kiss me,” she whispered. “Make me forget what’s going on.”
“Molly,” he whispered, his other hand coming up to cup her cheek, drawing her up to her toes, his mouth finding hers. Sweet heat slammed through her as her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him closer. A moan of need erupted from her throat, a sound that was almost begging.
He lifted her, letting her legs wrap around his waist, his jeans still unbuttoned. He moved in the direction he thought the bed was, stumbling over a rock and almost falling. Molly groaned, feeling him rub against her.
He tore his mouth from hers, looking around wildly in the dark.
“That way,” Molly whispered, tugging on his arm. She found his neck with her mouth, running her lips down over the thick muscles to his shoulder, nipping at his flesh. Her tongue lapped at his skin, tasting him. She ran her hands over his chest and across his back, her nails lightly scratching.
“God, Molly,” he moaned, dropping onto the bed with her over him. “You’re going to drive me nuts.”
Her hair draped over his chest, a silken caress that was unbelievably sensual. Her lips followed, finding his nipple and suckling it. His hands were on her waist, sliding up and under his shirt, cupping her breasts. She moaned.
She moved out of his reach, sliding down his body, rubbing against the bulge of his cock. Her tongue tickled his stomach causing him to suck in a breath and making her laugh. It was a wicked chuckle, both sensual and erotic.
Her hand slid inside the opening of his jeans, slipping under the waistband of his boxers. She curled her hand around him, stroking gently with almost too little pressure, making him growl.
“You tease,” he said, reaching down and grabbing her hair, yanking her up to him. His mouth engulfed hers, his tongue playing with hers. Her hand was still in his pants, fondling the soft head of his cock before stroking downward, going as far as she could before the denim fouled her way.
“Take these off,” she ordered, lifting her head.
He struggled with his jeans, finally pushing them over his bare feet. His boxers followed, leaving him naked in the cold of the basement room. He shivered, drawing her over him, his hand in her hair to bring her closer. “Warm me up.”
“Gladly,” she murmured before finding his lips. She laid on top of him, still clothed, his hands tunneling under her shirt and into her sweat pants. She kissed, pouring every drop of passion that he made her feel into it, feeling the beast in her wake and howl its pleasure. Her teeth grew, her eyes shone and still she couldn’t stop. She wanted him more than she’d ever wanted any man before.
With an inhuman growl, she rose, stripping off his shirt. Her fingers tangled in the strings holding up the sweats, tearing at them until the sweats loosened around her waist. She stripped them off, naked as she laid over him once more.
Brady groaned, passion eating at him with an almost painful force. He wanted to touch her, to lose himself in her sweetness and in the desire he felt running through her. He spoke a few words, words unlike anything she’d heard before and a small glow of light rose in the corner, illuminating them in its softness.
“You’re beautiful,” he groaned, staring at her as she sat above him. Even the fangs that he could barely see the tips of didn’t detract from the picture; her body gleaming palely, her breasts high and firm, the nipples like hard little berries waiting for his mouth. Her waist was slender, her hips lush with that pelt of red fur which drew him like a moth. Her legs were long, firmly muscled
, sensually soft.
“You make me feel that way,” she whispered, flipping her hair from her face.
She rose above him, her hand on his cock, guiding it into her sheath. Slowly she lowered her body, letting him feel her heat and the wetness he’d provoked. His groan made her growl; his fingers digging into her thighs made her moan. The beast inside of her wanted to howl, to lose herself in the sensations of their bodies joined together.
A strange feeling came over her, an awareness that this time wasn’t like any other time she’d been with a man. It started as a prickling heat deep inside, rising like a tide until her body was suffused with the sensation. She could feel his pleasure, feel his desire, feel how she felt around him. Staring down at him as she began to move, she knew.
Her hands rested against his chest, her body rising and falling quickly. His hands were on her hips, guiding her, helping her. They dug in, that bit of wildness pushing her ever onward, desperate.
“Come here,” he growled, his hands going round her waist, pulling her down to where he could reach her. She found his mouth, his tongue plunging between her lips, dueling with hers. Then he pulled her up further, finding the reddened tip of her breast and suckling it into his mouth.
“Brady!” she cried, feeling his hips moving under her, his cock sawing in and out of her wetness, slapping their bodies together. She dug her fingers into his shaggy hair, holding him.
He sat up, his mouth moving from one taut tip to the other, his hands pushing her breasts together, mauling them in his eagerness to please.
It was too much. She closed her eyes, her head back as she plunged against him. She could feel his need, the pleasure boiling inside of him. Growling low in her throat, she moved against him harder, crying out as she felt him begin to come inside of her, filling her.
Sensation burst inside and she bit down on his shoulder to keep from screaming her pleasure. He grunted at the pain then cried out her name, dragging her down hard, holding her to him.
Falling back on the bed, Brady pulled her with him. His chest heaved as he fought to catch his breath. He could hear her struggling as well and smiled even as his hands stroked over her back.
“Are you okay?” he panted, pushing wet strands of her hair away from her face.
“I’m not dead?” Molly asked, panting as her body shivered with left-over spasms of pleasure.
“No. Well, not unless I am too,” Brady joked.
A voice came from just beyond the light Brady had made, startling both of them. “I’d say you both look pretty healthy.”
Chapter Five
Molly gasped as Brady rolled off of her, grabbing for the blanket to cover her naked body. “Who?”
Father Joseph stepped out of the shadows, his hands full of supplies for them. “I have to admit, I’m shocked at you, Brady. I never thought to see the day where you’d cheat on Renee.” He set the food on the table, turning his head to watch as Brady pulled on his jeans. “You are planning on telling her, aren’t you?”
“I think we have more serious matters than my relationship with Renee, Joe. Who were those men?” He buttoned up his fly and grabbed his shirt, shrugging it on.
“They were government men. They tried to tell me that I had a gas leak, but I knew they weren’t from the gas company. They didn’t give me much choice though. I had to let them down here. I have no doubt that there are at least two of them outside my house now, watching for you. They had a dog--” Joe paused, turning to look at Molly, “—or maybe a wolf with them. I didn’t get much of a look at it.”
“At her,” Molly said. “You didn’t get much of a look at her. My sister, Tallie. The government men are using her to find me. She led them on a false trail.” Molly dropped her eyes, staring at the hands that were clutching the blanket to her chest. “They hurt her.”
Brady sat on the bed next to her, letting his hand rest on hers. “We’ll find her and free her, Molly. I promise.”
“How?” she said, looking up at him, tears glistening in her beautiful green eyes. “We can’t even get out of here.”
“Yes, you can,” Father Joseph said. “Come here Brady, help me.” He walked to the far corner of the room. “I know it’s here, I’ve just never been able to find it.”
“Find what?” Brady asked, coming up behind Joe.
“There’s another tunnel here. I’ve never been able to find the door but I know it’s here. The tunnel goes to the church. I never found the entrance over there either, but I was told about it.” Joseph began pushing different stones. “The father before me said that they used to run slaves through here. It’s part of the Underground Railroad from Civil War days.”
“Move out of the way,” Brady said. “Let me try.”
Closing his eyes, he took two deep breaths. When he opened his eyes, they flickered with the same red fire Molly had seen when they’d made love. She gasped, feeling his magic as it flowed out of him, touching the stones, touching her.
It flowed over her and she gasped, her eyes closing, her head tipped back. A low moan was the only sound she could make.
Brady heard that sound. It drew him, making him want to forget about doors, forget about Father Joseph, forget about anything and everything but being inside of her again. His concentration wavered before he gave himself a mental shake. They had to find the tunnel to the church.
Molly rose from the bed, dragging the blanket with her. She tucked it around her toga style, walking on the rough concrete floor with her bare feet. Her hair fell in long curls, fiery in the dim light.
She heard Joe gasp in shock, but the witch inside of her, the woman inside of her was too intent to pay attention to him. Her eyes were on Brady, and she felt her magic rise, filling her as it had never done before. Taking Brady’s hand, she combined her powers with his.
The door opened, grating loudly in the silence, pushing through layers of cobwebs left by the eight legged residents of the tunnel. Inside was a dark passage, gloomy and unwelcoming.
Molly felt depleted. It was like nothing she’d felt before; her witchly energy had pulsed wildly, focused by Brady to perform the task. She took one step, her knees shaking, and fell.
Brady caught her, lifting her easily into his arms. “Are you okay?” he asked, carrying her to the bed that they’d just shared.
“That was... awe inspiring,” she finished. “I’ve never felt anything like it. It was almost sensual, the way your magic felt.” Her hand came up, fingers tracing over his face as if trying to memorize it. “It was amazing.”
Brady smiled, sitting down next to her. “Glad you enjoyed it,” he said with a leer, making her laugh.
“If you two are through, we should go make sure that tunnel is clear.” Joseph stood, his arms crossed over his chest, trying to give them a disapproving air. It didn’t work.
“You stay here, Molly.” Brady slipped on his shoes and picked up one of the flashlights. He also lit the lamp. “We’ll be right back.”
Molly watched them walk away, snuggling into the blanket.
* * * *
“You know we need to talk about this,” Joe said, as he pushed through a large cobweb. “You have to figure out how you feel about what just happened.”
“The magic? I’m cool with the magic, Joe. You know that.”
“No, Brady, don’t piss me off. You know perfectly well what I’m talking about.” Joe turned his flashlight so the beam caught Brady in the face. “I’m talking about what I just walked in on.”
“Yeah, I know.” Brady rubbed a hand across his face, the whiskers gritty against his skin. “I don’t know how it happened, Joe. One minute we were listening as those men hurt her sister and the next, we were in bed.”
“How was it?” Joe asked, chuckling when Brady looked at him in shock. “You know what I mean, how did she compare to Renee?”
Brady stopped dead in his tracks. “Is this why I’m not getting the usual lecture you throw at me whenever you think I’ve crossed the line? You think Molly is th
e one for me and that I should dump Renee, don’t you?”
It wasn’t really a question, it was a statement, but Joe answered it anyway. “Yes, I do. I’ve seen you around Renee. You always have this look of long-suffering exasperation on your face. Your eyes don’t follow her when she moves away from you. You don’t glow around her. But with Molly, it’s not a glow, it’s a shine. You can’t keep yourself from looking at her and you touch her every chance you get.”
Brady was quiet, his mind whirling as he tried to grasp what Joe was saying. “Are you insinuating that I’m in love with Molly? Come on, Joe, I’ve only known her a little over fourteen hours.”
“Sometimes it takes less than five minutes to recognize your soul mate.” Joe pushed through another cobweb, using his flashlight to rip it in two. “Some people never find theirs. You should be grateful for the chance to be with yours.”
“I never thought I’d see the day you condoned me sleeping with a woman not my wife, much less telling me she’s my soul mate.” Brady shook his head, rolling his eyes. “You don’t believe in that hokey nonsense, do you?”
“Did you ever wonder why I dropped out of college and joined the seminary?” Joe asked, glancing back at Brady.
“I always figured it was because you got the ‘calling’,” Brady said. “It wasn’t?”
“Partly,” Joe said, grimacing as he forced himself to remember that time in his life. “Do you remember Angelique Saxton?”
“Long blonde hair, eyes the color of the sky, tanned and sexy as hell,” Brady answered. His eyes narrowed. “Didn’t she die, some kind of automobile accident?”
“Yes,” Joseph said quietly. “A drunk driver came out of nowhere and t-boned the car into a telephone pole. Angie was alive for four hours while they tried to cut her out of her car. She screamed. God, her screams were horrible. I still dream about them.”
“Joe, you mean to tell me that…”
“Angie was on her way to meet me when she died, Brady. We were going to tell her family that we were engaged. She was supposed to pick me up. When she didn’t show up, I tried calling her than I started walking, figuring I’d find her with a flat tire or something. I didn’t even recognize her car when I saw it.”