Temptation Rising

by A. C. Arthur

  “The dream,” she panted. “Just … like … the … dream.”

  “I dreamed of this, too, baby. Of you, of me. Fuck, you’re so tight. So deliciously tight.”

  “Please.” Her breath came in quick pants now as she tried to speak. “Please, Roman. I can’t take anymore. Please.”

  “You can take it. You can, vixen.” He pumped into her with both his dick and his fingers, pushing her, pushing both of them to that precipice they’d both imagined. He’d wanted her hot for him, crazy with lust for his dick, but he hadn’t counted on this.

  Hadn’t imagined what it would really feel like to be inside her, to feel her gripping him, accepting him, needing him.

  It was as intense as it was frightening. But he couldn’t pull out, he couldn’t have stopped this pleasure if their lives depended on it.

  When her release came her entire body trembled, her walls clenching his dick, pulling his own release right behind hers. He opened his mouth but no sound came. Inside the cat roared, hissed, pushed him farther. Coming down over her, he sank his teeth into her shoulder until he tasted the salty tang of her blood.

  Chapter 16

  In the morning Kalina was alone.

  Rolling over in the large bed, she knew instinctively that he was gone.

  Last night … her thoughts trailed off, assembling slowly like pieces to a puzzle. Last night she’d been attacked or something. There were eyes and roars and … there was Rome.

  She was in his bed, her traitorous body telling the rest of the story. Aching thighs gave way to a center still pulsating with need and Kalina wanted to smack herself.

  She’d slept with Rome. Her suspect.

  Pulling one of the many pillows over with her arm, she dropped it on her head, screaming into it. “Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!”

  How could she have been so stupid? She’d compromised her case by sleeping with the enemy.

  More important, how had she been so naive as to think he’d be here in the morning?

  It was his spot, yes, so a part of her figured he’d stay for that reason alone. But, not.

  He was gone and she was here, alone. Just as she always seemed to end up.

  It was ridiculous really, to have allowed herself to believe, to feel for even a fraction of a second … actually she’d believed from the moment she’d opened her eyes to see him watching her, the moment she realized he was enjoying the sight of her touching herself. She’d believed that he wanted her, that on some level he needed her. That want and that need had felt so good that she’d dropped all the pretenses, let the barriers she’d placed around herself all her life fall to the side. She’d welcomed him, giving him every part of her body he asked for.

  And he still hadn’t stayed.

  The thought stung, burned like a fireball in the center of her chest. Tears stung her eyes. Then she shook her head, a defiance rising in her she’d never quite experienced before. Sitting up on the bed, she pressed her palms to her eyes and took a steadying breath.

  To hell with him.

  So they’d had sex. It didn’t change a thing. He was still a suspect and she was still the cop who was going to bring his lying drug-dealing ass down!

  Climbing down off the platform bed, she grabbed her clothes, which had been neatly laid on a leather recliner. Purposely she avoided checking out the room, experiencing his personal space. She didn’t give a damn about the personal life of Roman Reynolds. How he lived, who he fucked, none of that was her concern. She had one agenda and some strange-ass events had veered her off that path momentarily, but now, as she stalked into the bathroom, slamming her hand on the wall pad to switch on the light, now she was about her business.

  So Roman Reynolds had better watch his back!

  * * *

  “Finally, you grace us with your presence, Faction Leader Reynolds.” Elder Alamar sat at the head of Rome’s conference room table with all the regality of a king. His double-breasted brown-striped suit fit him well but was no match for the cool dominance of the head of the Topètenia Tribe.

  Elder Alamar ruled the jaguars and served on the Assembly as their liaison. He was a man just reaching his midfifties, a powerful cat with cunning and killer instincts as fine and astute as the day he was born.

  “Good morning, Elder,” Rome said, nodding toward his two seconds-in-command, who’d called him on his cell phone only half an hour before to tell him about this meeting.

  Later he’d ask why he hadn’t known that Alamar was here—in his house, at that. Baxter had arrived just seconds after the call with Rome’s suit and a dim expression on his face. There was no doubt the old man knew Kalina was in Rome’s bed, just as there was no doubt he knew what had happened between them the night before. What Baxter thought about that situation Rome wasn’t sure, and he wasn’t going to find out right at this moment.

  “There is movement in the forest,” Alamar began without preamble. His dark hands flattened on the smooth surface of the table as his gaze pierced the three men. “Whispers of a revolt have reached the Assembly. Fear is mounting.”

  X nodded, sat back in his chair, and folded his hands. “There’s something brewing here as well.”

  By the look on Alamar’s face, he already knew that. “Supply shipments are being raided, most of the items not reaching the village. And there have been many killings.”

  Nick sat up, instantly alert. “Cats?”

  Alamar shook his head. “No. Other forest residents, but their deaths are not normal. The brutality is obvious, like they are trying to send a message.”

  “Like the murders here,” Rome added. “We’ve had a few brutal killings here. And just the other night we were approached by Rogues.”

  “You have seen them? Who are they? From what tribes?” Alamar asked.

  “Jaguars,” Rome said.

  “And a cheetah.”

  “They do not fight together normally” was Alamar’s reply.

  “With all due respect, sir,” Nick added, “this isn’t a normal situation.”

  Rome interjected. “They’re after something.”

  “No doubt about that,” X added. “But what?”

  They all looked to Alamar. “Power. It is what drives them. What they could not have in the forest is what they seek here. They will begin from the bottom and build their way up. Creating an army is what they are doing.”

  “And it’s easier for them here because they perceive the humans to be the weaker species. They don’t expect a fight—and even if there is one, the humans would never win,” Rome stated.

  “And once they have control?” X asked. “We’re all shit out of luck.”

  “Well, if they want some,” Nick said, his face drawing into a frown, “they can come and get it! I’m not going down without a fight.”

  Rome held up a hand to silence him. “None of us is going down without a fight, Nick. But we’re not going to fight like animals in the street. We have to be the smarter or our secret is out to everyone.”

  X nodded in agreement with Rome’s words. But his face was grim; he was clearly thinking along warrior lines just like Nick. “We found the Rogue that was there last night,” he offered.

  That immediately had Rome’s attention, almost shifting his calm and precise leadership into the beast within that craved a fight. “Who was it?”

  X continued. “His name’s Chavez. He’s the cheetah we faced in the alley the other night.”

  “Who sent him?” Instinct told him the group had been sent by another Rogue. If the Rogues were building an army they’d need someone in charge, someone with the vision to create this legion of evil. The Croesteriia cheetahs were fast runners who hunted by vision instead of scent like the Topètenia. They were not from the Gungi; that there was a Croesteriia in the mix with the Rogues gave them all an idea of how volatile this situation was fast becoming.

  “He’s not real talkative right now. But that’ll change,” Nick said.

  “He was at the party looking for the woman. And he wa
s at that house last night trying to take her again. They want her bad,” X said.

  Nick looked at Rome. “You have to ask yourself why?”

  “He is looking for a companheiro,” Alamar stated slowly, his gaze narrowing on Rome.

  “Who’s looking for a mate? The Rogue?” Nick asked.

  Alamar kept his eyes on Rome as he stood, moving closer to him. “I believe they both are. The joining is very strong, it links shifters for life, making the couple much stronger than either on its own. Joined shifters are almost undefeatable.”

  “This battle is not about a woman,” Rome stated, even though thoughts of a woman occupied most of his time lately. Still, what Alamar was suggesting was more than Rome wanted to consider.

  “No,” Alamar said, stopping behind Rome. “Not just a female. A companheiro. The lifetime partner of a shifter, the one who will complete the joining.” He put a hand on Rome’s shoulder, closed his eyes, and nodded. “You have found your companheiro.”

  Hell no!

  Rome stood to make the protest but watched as Alamar’s nostrils flared, his head bending so that his face almost touched Rome’s chest.

  “Elder,” Rome said as calmly and respectfully as he could. “You don’t understand.”

  Alamar only shook his head as he rose, his body rigid as he stared at Rome. “You are the one who does not understand, Faction Leader.”

  “She’s Rome’s mate?” X asked, obviously not sure if this was what the Elder was getting at.

  “As a leader of our people you know the legend,” Alamar stated, stepping back only slightly from Rome.

  It was Rome who cleared his throat, moving just a little farther from the Elder. “A companheiro is the lifetime partner of a shifter. The two are born to be together, to continue the species, and to build solidarity among the people. Once they complete the joining they cannot be separated unless by death. The scent of a companheiro is unique to each couple, a shared aroma that pulls them together in an urge to mate, to consummate the union. It is called the companheiro calor,” Rome recited as if he were a schoolboy in front of the classroom.

  “Holy shit,” Nick sighed, sitting back in his chair to stare at Rome. “Kalina Harper is your mate.”

  “No!” Rome said, then clapped his lips shut. The denial was too strong, too loud, the sound rubbing raggedly against his skin. “I don’t believe in this mating-for-life thing. It’s just an old legend. Besides, Kalina would know if she were a shifter.”

  Alamar made an indistinguishable sound. “Do not blaspheme our traditions. It is those who came before us who made it possible for you to be where you are. They have seen much, know much. The legend is true. And she may not have had the acordado yet.”

  “The awakening,” X whispered, still staring incredulously at Rome.

  “In females it takes a little longer for the shift to take place. But if you are scenting her, if you have taken her into you, then her acordado is coming.”

  Rome attempted to deny that he’d been inhaling Kalina’s scent like an addict would cocaine in the last week or so. But he kept that to himself. The thought of Kalina shifting into a cat was something he’d never considered and didn’t want to entertain at this moment. This whole idea of companheiros and calor, joinings and awakenings—it was all ridiculous. He didn’t believe a word of it, would not believe it. He could not.

  “With all due respect, Elder, I decide if there’s one person for me,” Rome stated adamantly. “We are not in the forest.”

  “No, Faction Leader, the forest is in you.”

  Nick and X remained silent as Rome’s temples began to throb.

  “You cannot take out that which is a part of your soul, your blood, your heritage. You are a Shadow Shifter, one of the legendary men who are also beasts. Your entire existence is a legend to some, a truth to others.” He nodded toward X and Nick. “You are also a leader of many. To deny what is your destiny is not an option.”

  “I have given my life to the Assembly, dedicated my time and my money to the care of the tribes. This,” he said insistently, “I cannot give them. I am not looking for a mate, nor will I accept one on legend alone.”

  The fact that he was blatantly going against the word of an Elder was not lost on Rome. It was a serious offense, one that could cost him his role as Faction Leader. But he didn’t care. He would not be linked to a woman just because their legend said so. It was yet another responsibility to him, one he was not willing to take on. Another life he would be responsible for protecting.

  Besides, a companheiro had to also be a shifter. Which Kalina was not.

  He left the room before anyone could speak another word, before the legend could begin to make any more sense given what was going on around them.

  * * *

  “Is she a shifter?” Nick asked X when they were leaving Rome’s place later that morning.

  “She has to be,” X answered.

  “But why wouldn’t she just tell Rome what she was?”

  “Maybe she doesn’t know. Maybe she’s a half-breed like us and was raised to believe she was human.”

  Nick sighed, approaching the driver’s side of his Porsche. “So what does Chavez want with her? You can only be a lifetime mate to one cat. If Kalina is Rome’s mate, why does Chavez want her?”

  X shrugged. “You know some always want what others have.”

  “But nobody knows Rome has her. He just met her a few days ago.”

  “Are you sure about that?” X asked.

  Nick looked contemplative. “No, I guess I’m not. So we need to find out who Kalina’s parents were. Because if she’s about to make her first shift and the Rogues have picked up her scent, we’re looking at a much bigger problem than we first thought.”

  X nodded. “I’m on it. I’ll check in with you later. What about Rome?”

  Nick thought for a moment about the pensive look on his friend’s face, about the fact that he knew Rome’s hesitancy. A mate would be someone close to him—someone he could lose, the way he’d lost his parents. That type of loss would devastate Rome, most likely driving him to a deadly rage. It wasn’t something Rome ever wanted in his life. He would fight it like a vicious attack were it to be true.

  “Let’s keep this quiet for now. We’ll tell him what he needs to know when he needs to know it.”

  “You don’t think he needs to know it now?” X asked.

  “You want him killing every Rogue in this city without giving a damn who sees him or finds out about us? Because that’s exactly what he’ll do once he realizes they’re out to take his mate.” Nick took a deep breath, let it out slowly, and looked around to the clear summer’s day. “I want to exterminate those bastards as much as anybody else, but I don’t want all that blood on Rome’s hands. He’s dealt with enough. Let’s find out what the threat is before we pull him in.”

  “He’s not going to like us keeping shit from him,” X said, opening the car door and sliding inside.

  Nick followed, putting the key in the ignition. “True, but we’re his friends. He’s not going to snap our throats. He’ll thank us later.”

  “Don’t bet on it,” X said as they pulled out of Rome’s driveway. “And get yourself a full-size car or a truck, man. This tight-ass toy car makes my legs hurt.”

  “That’s because your thick-ass body wasn’t built for a sleek, smooth vehicle such as this. Me, on the other hand—” Nick slipped on dark Ray-Ban shades. “—I look damn good behind the wheel of this puppy.”

  Chapter 17

  Kalina had just finished dressing and was on her way out the door headed for work. She was already going to be late, but at least she’d called.

  She really needed to close this case and get on with her life. This attraction to Rome had been a source of conflict for far too long. And she wasn’t about to let sex—even terrific mind-blowing sex—mess up her career aspirations. Roman Reynolds was a job and nothing else.

  He’d sealed that deal the moment he climbed out of that bed
, leaving her there to wake alone.

  It was petty and probably a small thing to a more experienced woman. But to Kalina, who had taken only two lovers in her adult life, all before the incident two years ago, it was a big deal. Sleeping with a suspect was something she’d never imagine she’d do. But she had, because she’d felt something deep inside when Rome looked at her. She’d felt … like she belonged. To him, in his life, somewhere, finally.

  But it was an illusion. No, it was a hit-and-run, a booty call that she’d answered like a wanton hussy. He’d probably kidnapped her—she was still fuzzy on exactly how she came to be in his house, in his bed. She remembered Mel and the cookout—which meant she’d have to face the cheerful woman this morning and explain why she’d gone AWOL on her last night. She remembered something else, too—eyes that glowed in the night. The thought sent a chill right down her spine.

  Surely she was seeing things—again. No, that wasn’t possible; crazy didn’t go on hiatus for two years then resurface. On the short drive to work she thought about that over and over again. What had she seen, and was it real? Kalina also thought about Rome, about how she would react facing him again. That was an easy fix: She wouldn’t go near him. She would stay in her department and find a link between Rome’s money and that cartel in South America. In the several texts that she’d received from Ferrell yesterday after she’d ignored his first one, he’d mentioned the Cortez Cartel. Kalina would pore through financial records looking for the name Raul Cortez; once she found it Rome’s ass would be toast.

  * * *

  “The minute she comes in I want to see her in my office,” Rome said into the phone to Dan Mathison, his chief financial officer.

  Rome had been furious when he’d left this morning’s impromptu meeting. Kalina was not a shifter! She was a woman and she was soft and passionate and … something he’d never dared dream of in his life.