by Dunbar, Natalie; Glass, Seressia; Jeffries, J. M. ; Banks, L. A.
Jarred slid his hand up inside her T-shirt. Both shirt and skirt gave him easy access to her body. His warm hand teased her flesh, and her belly quivered under his touch.
Taut skin stretched over his cheekbones, and his eyes radiated passion. Her heart demanded she give herself to him without reservation. She would deal with the wreckage in the harsh light of tomorrow. Right now, they belonged to desire.
He knew the truth about what she was, and still his eyes burned with desire for her. He liked her for herself. Not because she agreed to help him in his plan. Not because he thought she was pretty. Or nice. Or kind. He knew what very few people even suspected. Solange was much more than the good little wolf, trying to win everyone’s approval. The time had arrived for her to let her wolf out and feed her beast.
“Damn, I want you.” Turning her gaze to Jarred, she realized he was still trying to assess him. He wanted her but was respectful and just a tad manipulative. His game was good. “Is that the best you can do?”
“I don’t understand.”
“Sure you do. You want me. In your bed. Go ahead a make your move.” Solange stopped herself from smiling. Good. Let him see her in action.
“Lady, I’m trying to treat you with some respect. I’m still not sure what to make of you being a wolf.”
“It is what it is.”
Grabbing Jarred’s hand, she led him through the maze of hallways in the casinos. She wanted to hurry and get to her quarters before the real sensible Solange reemerged and took back control. They stopped and waited for the elevator to take them to the lower level where the family kept their on sight rooms.
Jarrod slid his lips across the back of her neck, and Solange’s knees almost buckled under his seductive assault. He pressed his entire body against her back. She could feel his erection pressed against her rear end. My God he was a whole lot of man.
The doors opened and Laurel was standing there. She nearly dropped her handful of papers. “Solange.”
Solange giggled. “Hi, Laural.” She felt Jarrod smile against her neck. His warm breath kicked up her body temperature about six hundred degrees.
Laurel stepped out of the elevator. “Special Agent Maitland.”
Jarrod didn’t say anything; he just pushed Solange into the elevator and followed behind her. When the doors closed, he pushed her against the wall just as she hit the button to take them to her floor. He started kissing her again, running his hands over her body. His fingers explored her with skill and ease. He curved his hand around and palmed one of the cheeks of her butt and gave a squeeze. Her body arched toward him, and he groaned.
“You are so beautiful.”
He made her feel beautiful. She knew her hormones were working on him, but she didn’t care. Chemistry can only take a girl so far. If he generally wasn’t attracted to her, she would have never gotten this strong of a reaction from him. “Thank you.”
Before he could say anything else, the elevator door opened, and she pulled him outside. Luckily, her room was two doors from the elevator. Her hands shook as she dug the card key out of her jacket pocket. And it took her three tries to get it to work and unlock the door. He pushed her through the entry with a gentle shove. The door slammed behind them, and he grabbed her around the waist. Solange stopped thinking as he hauled her against the door. Her feet left the ground, and she locked them around his waist. She heard the sound of ripping fabric and felt a cool sensation of her thighs. Their lips crashed together, and she felt his tongue slip past her lips. Her head was full of heat, desire and the sheer masculine smell of him. He was like running free in the desert on a hot summer night.
The sharp rasp of a zipper caught her attention. She felt herself get wetter just waiting for him to get inside her. He made quick work of stripping and putting on a condom. She wanted him naked, but this first time had to be quick, rough, and mindless. She didn’t want hearts and flower. Not now. Not with him.
The tip of his penis breached her. He was so wonderfully big.
He thrust up again. “Jesus, you are tight.”
Solange tightened her legs around his waist and tilted her pelvis. “Yes,” she whispered against his lips.
His breath was ragged as he thrust up inside her again.
She felt her muscles clutch on to him. Her head lulled back until it touched the smooth wood of the door. Her body took over. She grabbed his long braids in her fist to steady herself.
She tried in vain to catch her breath. Her whole body was ready to incinerate, but she wanted more. More of this. More of him. The silk of her blouse clung to damp skin. She could feel him working her hard nipple through the silk and lace of cloths. She didn’t want it to stop.
His strokes continued to bombard her. He increased his tempo and depth. Harder and harder he moved inside her. Deep inside her a tremor started to build. Wave upon wave of pleasure grew, and Solange revealed in it. Her internal muscle clinched around his cock. His lips burned on her body. With one final stroke, he pushed her over the edge, and she came with a fury not even another wolf had been able to provide.
Chapter Six
The next night after his shift at the bar, Jarred knocked on Solange’s apartment door. He was going to miss the French Quarter. He actually enjoyed working at the club, even though it wasn’t what he wanted to do the rest of his life. But since meeting Solange, he’d been questioning a lot of his life decisions.
The door opened, and she stood there looking calm and collected. How could she be what she was? But then, the image of her changing from wolf to human form came back to him, and he tried not to shiver.
“Missed you,” he said as he stepped inside and drew her into his arms.
“Me, too,” she said, “but the farewell party is consuming all my time at the moment.” She rested her head against his shoulder and sighed. “Do you know what Paris Hilton demands just to come to a party?”
“You mean money?”
“No, I mean in just…stuff. If you invite Hollywood people to a party, you have to give them gift baskets. And she wants a wallet costing five thousand dollars. Luckily, a lot of the casinos are donating things, but for heaven’s sake. A five thousand dollar wallet she’ll only carry for a week, and then probably toss in the trash.”
Desire flamed in him. He didn’t want to be understanding, he wanted to push her toward the bedroom. “What’s wrong with a wallet costing $29.95?” He’d caught glimpses of her during the evening as she’d rushed back and forth always with someone in tow who worked hard to keep up with her. She was a dynamo, and watching her had made him tired.
“Well, I guess because it wasn’t massaged by the tender young hands of Japanese virgins.”
“I don’t get it.”
“Neither do I. I’ve had the same wallet since 1964.”
She had a wallet older than he was. Damn, he thought, I’m in love with a senior citizen. This is a light bulb moment. Screw the light bulb, this was a lighthouse moment. She stepped back and pointed at the dining room. “I ordered dinner.”
“Good, because I’m hungry.” He grinned as the aroma of fresh food filled his nostrils. Okay, sex could wait for fifteen minutes. He did appreciate a good meal, too.
He sat at the table and filled his plate with food.
“And then,” she continued on her rant as she filled her plate, “you have to be certain about who’s dating who so the exes don’t cross paths. If you invite Brad, you can’t invite Jennifer because he might bring whoever he’s dating at the moment, and then there’d be fireworks.”
“There’s something to be said about birthday parties at Chuck
E. Cheese. A slice of pizza with a Star Wars toy and I was good to go.” Hell, he would have been happy with a party at McDonalds. Chicken Nuggets were his favorite comfort food.
“You like Star Wars?” Amazement spread across her face.
He remembered they’d only known each other a few days, and didn’t really know each other yet. “Yes, one of my guilty pleasures.” “Wh
at do you have?” “This great Darth Vader head that talks to you. An electronic Yoda. Posters, X-wings and a great model of the Death Star.”
She leaned forward. “I have the original Pez dispensers still in the wrappers.” His eyebrows shot up. “You! A Star Wars nut!” “Luke,” she said in a gravelly voice, “I am your father.” She sounded just like Darth Vader. “How?” He stared at her, his
fork halfway to his mouth, his food forgotten.
“Howling at the moon all night.” She ran a hand through her hair and tilted her chin up her mouth forming an O.
“I am not worthy.”
She laughed. “Wayne’s World.”
“No!” This sophisticated woman was too much for him. How could she look like a goddess and have the heart of a stand-up comedian?
She held her fingers to her lips. “Don’t tell anybody.”
“Party on, Wayne.”
“Party on, Garth,” she replied.
They both dissolved into laughter. Jarred could hardly stay in his chair. Who would have thought the elegant and almost aloof Solange to be a closet Star Wars and Wayne’s World fan. How could he be so lucky? “Have you found out anything about the demon yet?” He hated to bring up business, but the heist was only a day away.
“Nothing,” she said. “Laurel’s contact at UNLV couldn’t come up with anything from the drawing I made of the runes on the box.”
He hated the idea of not having all the information he needed. All he could hope for was a demon easily killed with bullets.
His cell phone rang. For a second he contemplated not answering, but a glance at the display told him it was Kenny. He answered.
“Maitland,” Kenny said in a curt tone. “Plans have changed. Tonight’s the night.”
“What?”
“We’re hitting the vault tonight. You have one hour to meet me at the employee entrance behind the mall. And tell your pretty little piece of ass, too.” Kenny disconnected.
Jarred dropped the cell phone. “Shit. Shit. Shit.”
“What’s the matter?”
“Kenny has upped the timetable twenty-four hours. We’re hitting the vault tonight.”
Chapter Seven
The tournament was coming to a close. Only one more day and the event was down to a dozen tables from the hundred that started. Solange stood at the service entrance, waiting for Kenny. She had expected more people, but only Kenny, his demon lover and one other person had shown up. They were changing into wait staff uniforms in the storage room.
She tried not to shiver. The demon had looked at her as though she’d been food and the knowledge that Kenny had some sort of trick up his sleeve worried her no end.
She slapped at a dining cart, wondering if Jarred’s people were going to get into their places in time. Jarred had only had a half-hour to get things rolling. He’d alerted his boss, and Solange had called Esther and alerted her.
A few employees passed her, going out the service door. Everyone nodded. No one was surprised to see her. The genius of being Esther’s assistant was the ability to have all her fingers into everything. As she leaned against the wall, she could hear the murmur of Kenny’s voice in the storage room as he gave last minute instructions. Solange’s only function was to get everyone into the vault and explain their presence should anyone question them. As long as she was with them, she doubted anyone would ask her what she was doing. The Temples’ party was an excellent cover for her being everywhere.
The door opened and Kenny stalked out. She could smell his excitement. Behind him stood the demon, its face closed and secretive. The demon had been a surprise. He looked male and very human except for his eyes, a deep bronze glinting with a liquid gold. Most people would consider the color a trick of the light, but Solange knew better. She could smell the faint sulphur aroma surrounding him. The demon knew she knew what he was and appeared amused by the knowledge. He had a supercilious manner about his thin aristocratic face and a calm expression belying the excitement in him. He was tense and kept clenching and unclenching his hands while Solange wondered what he was.
Besides Jarred and the demon, the only other person was Mitchell Edmonds, a four-year employee who had been much praised for his dedication to his job in the security office. Solange had been so surprised at Mitch she kept staring at him and wondering how he had passed his background check. Laurel was very thorough and would be truly pissed when she discovered a trusted employee had betrayed them. Mitch stared right back at Solange, not the least bit concerned. But then again he didn’t know Solange wasn’t on his side. What really surprised Solange was that Kenny had been planning this job for several years, getting his people into positions of responsibility. His was a devious one.
“Ready?” Kenny asked her.
She nodded and started down the hallway too aware of the demon behind her. She kept wondering how Kenny controlled the demon and how the power would allow Kenny to challenge a were pack. Fear churned in her stomach as they stood in front of the bank of elevators, waiting. The doors slid open soundlessly and Marcus exited.
“Solange,” Marcus said with a hearty, almost too friendly grin, “we’re still on for our eight a.m. meeting tomorrow, aren’t we?”
This was her signal that everyone was in their place just in case Jarred’s people didn’t get where they needed to be soon enough. She almost took a deep breath in relief until she felt the unsettling gaze of the demon on her. “Right,” Solange answered. “This time remember, fat free cream cheese for the bagels. Some of us have to watch their girlish figures.”
Marcus laughed and walked down the hall to the service entry. He let himself out to the parking lot. As the door automatically closed, Solange saw him skirt the big delivery van Kenny had brought for his getaway. Jarred gave Solange a curious look, and she just gave him a slight smile.
Even though everyone was in place, she still felt tense. She sniffed at Kenny and was relieved to know he hadn’t brought the gun. At least as far as she could tell. They stopped briefly in one of the other storage rooms, grabbed dining carts and wheeled them into the elevator taking them down to the second basement.
Solange led the way to the vault down deserted hallways. Few people came down to this floor after hours. The laundry occupied a large part of the basement, and most of the staff was gone for the night. The rest of the floor was storage.
She approached the vault. Kenny crowded her as she dialed in the code to open the door. When it swung open, the lights came on automatically. She disengaged the alarm, and then stood with her back to the wall while Kenny entered and gazed around in awe.
The tournament money was stacked on a pallet inside metal cases smack dab in the center of the vault. Kenny grinned as he touched the metal storage cases.
The surrounding walls were lined with shelves containing the pack’s treasures. One wall contained Esther’s collection of art deco jewelry, which included her Faberge eggs and Cartier jewelry. Julius’s collection of antique swords occupied several shelves below Solange’s antique amber, including a dollhouse made of amber given to her by the Princess Anastasia as a Christmas gift in 1916 just months before the revolution. Solange treasured the dollhouse. Princess Anastasia had been a huge practical joker, and the house had been as much an apology for one of her jokes as a Christmas gift.
Kenny gave the dollhouse n speculative glance, but passed it by for Esther’s jewelry. He opened the storage box containing the Faberge egg and smiled greedily at it. “Nice.”
Solange swallowed her rage. The egg had been a gift from the Empress to Esther.
Kenny opened the egg and a wolf snarled back at him. “A wolf! This has never been documented. It’s priceless and going on my shelf.” He cast a half grin at the demon, who grinned back.
Solange wanted to object, but if she did, he’d wonder at her commitment. “Look in this box.” She opened a long walnut box. An emerald-eyed panther to symbolize for the house of Cartier was nose to nose with the yellow diamond eyes of a wolf stand
ing for the house of Temple. The dazzling display rested on the velvet and Kenny’s face went blank.
“The necklace is over a hundred years old,” she said, leaning over his shoulder. She whispered in his ear, “None of the diamonds have ID numbers.”
“Ka-ching.” He slipped the necklace into his pocket with a wide grin. “Cartier and Faberge. I’ve hit the jackpot. Who knew wolves would have such good taste in bling.”
Solange shuddered as he patted his pocket, uneasy that he’d touched Esther’s pride and joy. Kenny opened yet another box to reveal a beautiful wolf carved in white jade with sapphire eyes. He pocketed the jade wolf, as well.
Jarred, Mitch and the demon-loaded carts with the metal suitcases. Kenny was still rifling through the jewelry, his greed was so strong and disturbing, Solange found herself withdrawing from him. She leaned against the amber dollhouse, caressing it, locking out his emotions, trying to ignore the demon who seemed to watch her out of the sides of its eyes.
Just as Jarred started toward the door, Kenny turned to the demon and nodded.
The demon stepped into the center of the vault and started to chant. Solange felt a ripple of something pour over her skin and she tried not to gasp. Sparks flew from the demon’s fingers, whirled about his head, and then shot out toward Solange, Jarred and Mitch. Solange flinched when the spark struck her. She felt a tingling in her chest that slowly radiated outward toward her hands and feet. When the chant ended, she somehow felt different, but didn’t know how and Kenny looked oddly pleased. “Okay, everybody, you have ten minutes to unload this vault before the time distortion wears off, and then we’re out of here.” He headed for the door. The demon reached into his pocket and pulled out a gun.
Kenny took the gun with a smile and pointed it at Solange. She’d expected this, but was still surprised. She stood straight up, tension vibrating through her like a drum.
Then she understood. “You’re a time demon.” “Correct,” the demon rumbled in an otherworldly voice, his eyes now liquid gold.