by Tina Folsom
“You don’t know anything about me!”
Leila shook her head, remembering the glimpse of his soul she’d seen the night they’d made love. She understood him better than he thought. “I wish I didn’t. You know why? Because then I could just walk away and not care. But you’ve shown me too much of yourself. I can’t pretend not to feel your pain. I can’t pretend not to want to help you.”
“Help me?” He stared at her with incredulity. “You’re the one who’s in need of help, not I! I’m not the one the demons are after, I’m not the one who’s got a price on her head. And you want to help me? Get real, Dr. Cruickshank!”
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, unable to yell any longer. “I wish I could make it all undone, Julia’s death, your hatred for humans, us meeting . . . ” She closed her eyes. Would she really want to wipe any memories of her time with Aiden from her mind if she could? It took only a second for her heart to find the answer. “No. I take that back. Us meeting, I wouldn’t undo that.”
When she opened her eyes, she collided with his heated gaze.
“God damn it!” he cursed and sank his lips onto hers.
She felt his anger in the way he kissed her, rough, hard, as if he wanted to punish her for what she’d said.
His hands let go of her shoulders, then went down to her jeans. He dug them into the waistband, but instead of simply opening the button and lowering the zipper, he tore at the fabric and shredded it like it was paper, making her aware that he could tear her body just as easily if he wished.
She gasped into his mouth, both shocked and excited at the same time. Cool air wafted against her naked skin before his hot hand was between her legs, sliding over her sex, just as he ripped his mouth from hers.
“I’ll tell you how you can help me. By spreading your legs for me.”
His eyes still held some of the anger in them that she’d seen there earlier, but now they were glazed with lust and desire, and she knew instinctively that he wouldn’t hurt her.
Without giving it a second thought, she unbuttoned his pants, lowered the zipper and pushed his jeans down to his thighs. Before she could do any more, he lifted her, spreading her legs wide.
Without a word, he plunged into her, his cock harder than ever.
***
As he thrust into her wet heat, Aiden knew what he needed now was to show her that he couldn’t be played with. He had to make it clear to her that she would be punished if she ever hurt him again.
When he looked at her face, he saw how she’d leaned her head back against the wall, her lips parted, her eyes half closed.
“More,” Leila panted.
She showed no sign of distress despite his rough handling of her. On the contrary. Her legs wrapped around his waist, urging him on to fuck her harder, to go deeper, to take more of her.
Unable to resist, he took her lips again, this time with more passion and less anger. Gods, she tasted good—so good he couldn’t imagine ever giving this up, ever giving her up. Despite everything, despite the fact that she was human, she’d held her own when confronted with his fury. She hadn’t backed down, just as she didn’t flinch now as he drove even harder into her.
“I need you,” he mumbled against her lips before he delved his tongue back into her, thrusting it in the same rhythm as his cock.
He wasn’t lying this time: he needed her. She gave him the strength not only to face the demons that were after her, but his own personal demons, the ones that had been haunting him since Julia’s death.
Breathing hard, Aiden released her lips and trailed hot kisses along her neck.
“I want you, Aiden, I want you so much,” she let out, and it sounded like a sob.
He looked back at her eyes and saw a multitude of emotions brimming there. “You have me, baby,” he whispered back and gently captured her lips, stroking his tongue over them.
When she sighed contently, his entire body filled with a newfound sense of strength. His balls tightened at the same moment, and he felt his orgasm overwhelm him. Unable to hold it back, he brought his hand between them and rubbed against her clit as he drove into her one last time. As his knees nearly buckled, waves of pleasure crashing over him, he wasn’t sure where his orgasm ended and hers began.
Breathing hard, his heart racing, he leaned his forehead against hers. “No more lies. I need the truth now.”
He felt her nod. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Tell me why you did it. Tell me why you betrayed me after all we shared.”
“I love my parents, I love them so much. Like you loved Julia.” She sought his eyes, and it seemed as though she looked deep into him, where he couldn’t hide anymore.
“Julia was my twin. She was part of me. When I lost her, it felt like losing a part of myself.”
Leila pressed her hand against his heart. “I can’t even begin to imagine what you’ve been through. I never had a sister. I never had anybody but my parents. I feel responsible for them. It’s my duty to save them, to bring them back. When I met you . . . when you told me what was at stake . . . ”
“You didn’t believe me then, did you?”
She shook her head, regret evident in her face. “No. I didn’t. I doubted your words. But the more I saw, the more that happened . . . I started doubting myself, my own convictions. When you said you would destroy my research, I saw my dream slip away.”
Somehow, he understood her. “Not every dream will come true.”
“I know that now. I realized that the night at the farmhouse. I wanted to tell you then, but I was afraid of how you’d react. I wanted that one night with you, even if you would never touch me again after that. Just that one time, I wanted to do something selfish, something that was only for me, without having to think of my duty to my parents.”
She raised her lids and looked at him, open, vulnerable. She wasn’t hiding anything from him anymore.
And he was just as bare in front of her.
“What will you do now?” Leila asked.
He pulled his head back and smiled at her, letting a long look trail down her semi-nude body. “For starters, I’ll have to lend you a bathrobe.”
Then he released her. A minute later he wrapped her into an oversized bathrobe. But he wasn’t ready to sever his contact with her, so he lifted her into his arms and sat down on the couch, keeping her in his lap.
His hand tunneled under the robe, caressing her warm thighs.
“I wanted to tell you about the pendant this morning at the house, but I never got a chance.” Her fingers stroked over his parted lips.
“Even though you knew I wanted to destroy the data?”
“I hoped to convince you not to, but I know now that I was wrong.”
“How so?”
“Zoltan. When he attacked, I felt his thoughts in my head. He was trying to seduce me to his side, to give him what he wanted. He’ll never give up. And sooner or later he’ll find me.”
“I’ll make sure he won’t.”
“I know that.”
He gave her a surprised look. “How come you trust me now?”
“When you made love to me last night, I felt you.”
His heartbeat accelerated. “You felt me?”
“Yes, I saw a glimpse of your soul.”
Had he really opened himself up this much without realizing? “That’s impossible.”
Leila brushed her lips against his in a feather light kiss. “I felt you. I felt something so good and pure inside you, it made me feel so terrible about lying to you.”
Aiden slid his hand into her hair, cupping her nape, his thumb stroking her neck. “And I was taking advantage of you when we first met. But as much as I want to regret it, I can’t. If the fire hadn’t broken out in your apartment, I would have been in your bed, my mouth on your pussy. Believe me when I tell you that I’ve never touched any of my charges, but with you, it was different from the very start. When I saw you the first time, all I could think of was touching you when I
knew I should stay away from you.”
“Because you might one day have to kill me?”
He flinched. How could he ever do that now when losing her would tear his heart out?
“You told me more than once,” she insisted, her gaze steady and without accusation, as if she’d accepted her fate.
“I can’t kill you. I know I said it. I know it’s expected of me should you ever . . . ” He couldn’t even say the words.
“ . . . if the demons get to me,” she finished his sentence.
“I can’t, Leila.”
“But you’ll have to. Promise me that if they get me, you’ll kill me.”
“NO!” He kissed her hard. “How can I hurt you after this? After last night? I’ve never shared virta with anybody.”
“Virta?” she asked.
“My power, my energy. I’ve never felt so complete in my life. I can’t let you go. Don’t you know that?”
She planted soft kisses on his cheek, then his eyes. “But the demons . . . if they get me, I won’t be the same . . . ”
“I won’t let them get you. Never. You hear me? Never.” He felt his heart pound.
A serious expression spread in her eyes. “You can’t always protect me. I have a life I have to return to eventually.”
“Your life is with me.” The words simply burst from him before he knew what he was saying.
“With you? You’re an immortal, Aiden. Have you forgotten that? Our lives are so different.”
An impatient knock at the door stopped him from answering.
“Aiden!” came Pearce’s insistent voice.
His friend has shitty timing. “Give me a moment!” he called out.
Releasing Leila, he gave her a tender kiss on her lips. “We’ll talk about it later.” He caressed her cheek with his knuckles. “Why don’t you take a shower while I talk to Pearce? I’ll arrange new jeans for you later.”
She nodded.
“I promise you, everything will work out for the best.” His decision was made. It had been made for him the moment he’d first seen her. He understood that now. He’d never had a chance against the forces that had brought them together. And he was glad for it. He would fight it no longer.
As Leila walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind her, he called out, “Come in, Pearce!”
A second later, he watched his fellow Stealth Guardian pass through the door and appear in his room. Pearce surveyed the room briefly, his eyes catching on something behind Aiden.
“Is your guest all right?” he asked.
“Why shouldn’t she be?”
Pearce motioned his head to a spot on the floor. Aiden turned and realized what he was looking at: Leila’s shredded jeans.
“She’s perfectly fine,” he insisted and turned his gaze back to his visitor, unable to even feel embarrassed about what he’d done.
“Good, good. Anyway, I wouldn’t have disturbed you, but I have a couple pieces of news.”
Aiden listened intently. “Don’t make me pull it out of your nose.”
“About Zoltan. The news just came through that the body of a Mr. Zoltan has been found. He’s been dead for days. The news station showed his picture, but Hamish said it’s not the demon who attacked you at the farmhouse.”
Aiden rubbed the back of his neck, contemplating the news. “He must have killed the real Zoltan and then taken his identity to infiltrate Inter Pharma.”
“I agree. Wouldn’t be a first that a demon is impersonating a real person to get what he wanted. Anyway, unfortunately that’s not gonna get us any closer to him.”
“You’re right. Anything about my phone?”
“Yep. Somebody uploaded a little program that made it possible to operate your GPS remotely, switching it on and off whenever they wanted.”
“Shit! How?”
“I’ll spare you the technical details, but the only way to have done that would be to physically have had possession of your phone. I’ve deactivated it now.” Pearce scratched his head.
Aiden furrowed his brows. “But who could have gotten hold of my phone?”
“Exactly. The only time you leave it lying around, is here in the compound.”
“You mean someone here could have done that?” He shook off the thought. No, that couldn’t be. If that was the case, he and Leila weren’t safe here.
“I mean, unless you’ve left it somewhere else for somebody to access it, but I can’t see how a council member—”
“That’s it. I know how they did it.” Why hadn’t he thought of that earlier?
“How?”
He ignored the question. There wasn’t the time now, because he’d just figured out how to trap the traitor on the council. “Can you replicate the software and upload it to other cell phones?”
“Sure, but aren’t you gonna tell me whose phones?”
“I’ll tell you when we get there.”
“Get where?”
“My father’s place.”
THIRTY-ONE
After presenting his plan to Hamish and the others, Aiden felt confident that they could ferret out the traitor and in turn find Zoltan and the pendant.
“And when you get the pendant back, what then?” Leila asked, now dressed in clothes Enya had lent her.
He brushed his knuckles over her cheek. “We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.” Then he pressed a quick kiss on her lips, not caring whether his friends were watching or not. They would get used to it. “Trust me, baby.”
She gave a quick nod. “I do.”
“I’ll be back in a few hours.”
Flanked by Pearce, he made his way down to the basement.
“What’s your plan?”
Aiden gave his friend a sideways glance. “I just told you my plan. Weren’t you listening?”
Pearce made a dismissive hand movement. “Not about the traitor, about your charge.”
He couldn’t answer that, not because he didn’t know the answer, but because the person to hear it first should be Leila. When he was back, he would talk to her about it. And he hoped she felt the same way. “There’s nothing to tell.”
“That surprises me, considering you shared virta with her.”
Aiden spun his head toward him and let out a frustrated breath. “Can nobody in this joint keep a secret anymore?”
His friend made a comical face. “Must have surprised the hell out of Hamish, otherwise he wouldn’t have mentioned it. So what’s up with that?”
“As I said, there’s nothing to tell.” Yet.
Next time he and Leila made love, it would be like the first time again. But he hadn’t told her that it would always be like that between them from now on. And at the thought of that, his chest puffed up with pride, knowing what that would do to her, knowing what it would do to both of them. Even now as he stepped into the portal, Pearce by his side, he felt a thrill shoot through his loins and could barely wait to have her back in his arms. He was in for the long haul with Leila, and that knowledge scared the shit out of him.
He was glad to have to concentrate on their destination and pushed all thoughts about Leila out of his mind.
Moments later, they had arrived.
The place looked the same as it had in the nearly two hundred years he’d known it, and from what his father and the elders of their species said, nothing had changed in over a thousand years. The Outer Hebrides were still as untouched by civilization as always. The incessant fog hung eerily over this particular island, the one no human had set foot on in a millennium.
The portal they stepped out of was out in the open and looked like a much smaller version of Stonehenge. Surrounded by dense brush and shrouded in fog, it was nearly undetectable, unless you knew what you were looking for.
Following the small path that led downhill, he soaked in the familiar smells of home. Only his parents and a few other families still lived here. Most of the others of their species had opted to live closer to civilization. He was grateful for the island’
s remoteness now. Talking to his father without being seen by any other council members was paramount.
“I haven’t been here in years,” Pearce murmured next to him, rubbing his arms to ward off the fog. “It’s freezing here.”
“Getting soft in your old age?”
“Easy for you to say. You’ve just risen from between the thighs of a warm woman. No wonder you’re not cold.”
“Zip it, Pearce, or I’m going to have to polish your nose. I’m entitled to some privacy, so stay out of this.”
His friend grumbled, but didn’t say anything else.
In the distance, a mansion came into view. As they approached, he saw light shining from the windows, and smoke rising from the chimney. His feet moved faster as he crossed the remaining distance.
Without opening the massive oak door with its cast iron handles, he passed through it, Pearce on his heels.
“Mother? Father?”
A few moments passed in silence. Then from upstairs, he heard hurried footsteps.
“Aiden?” his mother’s voice called down from the top of the stairs.
“Yes, Mother.”
“Oh dear,” he heard her murmur before she came running down the stairs, dressed only in a long bathrobe, covering her from neck to toe, her long hair open and slightly disheveled. But even the long robe couldn’t cover what she seemed to want to hide from him as she reached the foot of the stairs: she was glowing golden.
“Aiden, it’s so good to see you.” She hugged him enthusiastically, sparing him having to look at her in embarrassment. No son wanted to know that his parents had just had sex.
“You should have let us know you were visiting,” his father said as he walked down the stairs, dressed in jogging pants and nothing else.
Releasing his mother and stepping back, he nodded at his father, acknowledging the slight reprimand. Ever since he’d moved out from home to reside in one of the compounds, his parents had viewed their home as their private little love nest. He should have thought of that. His father was still virile despite his age and would remain so for his entire life. Strangely enough, despite the embarrassing looks now being exchanged between all four of them, the thought that a couple could still keep their sex life exciting and—by the looks of it—very satisfying after such a long time, made him yearn for Leila. Could he have something like this with her?