by Kim Iverson
No more playing around. Before the beast could recover she clapped her hands together.
The rat exploded and Lana covered her face. Not fast enough. Green goo splattered her in the face. Chunks of fur and matter struck her in the chest, slowly dripping off. She grimaced and scraped the guts off, then turned to face the sobbing woman behind her.
Mason stood there with a huge smirk on his face. The woman’s face was pressed against his chest, hiding her view of the big scary monster, and the witch who wanted to kill her. Lana shook her head and pursed her lips. Any wonder they figured he was the good guy? Lana shook her arms and the green gunk flew off, marking the alley walls and cement with green.
Lana narrowed her eyes and raised a hand toward the woman. Her fingers closed into a fist in midair. Mason’s eyes widened and the woman disappeared. Lana reopened her fist, still empty and lowered her arm. With a smirk of her own, Lana cocked an eyebrow. What now hot shot?
No doubt the victim would recall the entire situation as the Black Witch tried to kill her while the Master of the Night had saved her.
As usual.
“What did you do to her?” Mason asked through clenched teeth.
Lana smiled beneath the green goop that slid down her cheek. “Got rid of her.”
“And that means what?”
She shrugged while rubbing the gunk from her cheek. “Does it matter?”
Lana wanted away from Mason’s obnoxious attitude. She shoved past him the same way she had the first time. He pulled her back. She gave him a dirty look that he ignored.
“Where. is. she?” he demanded.
Lana stared at his hand on her arm. Mason relented and released her. “I sent her home. Don’t worry. She’ll have nothing but praise for you.”
In front of his eyes, Lana drifted back into her normal form. All except for the droplets of gunk on her body. Mason chuckled and she shot him a fierce look.
“You want me to do it to you too?”
Mason shook his head. “You can’t kill me and you know it.” He stepped closer and she backed away. “If you’d like to try, you go right ahead, sweetheart.”
Lana narrowed her eyes. “I’m not your sweetheart. Move.”
“Can’t let you go. Come with me.” Mason wrapped his hand around her arm and in the next breath, she found herself in a large loft.
Lana slid her attention around the space. Large, open, thick metal door with a giant lock. Old symbols of protection and wards were carved into the back. Mason cocked his head to the back corner.
“Go take a shower.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.”
“I just did.”
“I can take one at my place.”
“Scared of being alone with me, oh great one?”
Lana narrowed her eyes. “Scared of you? Don’t make me laugh.”
“Prove it.”
Chapter Three
Lana exited the shower to find Mason had left a pair of dark grey lounge pants, and a white tank top on the sink’s edge. Lana studied the room. He came in here when I showered? Why didn’t I hear him? The man had balls to dare enter the bathroom when she showered. Not that he could see her through the shower door, but still.
Arrogant ass.
She smiled and shook her head. Most men were scared to death of her. This man proved he was anything but. She jerked his shirt down over her head and inhaled Mason’s rich, strong scent. A bit of spice to it as well. The cause of the flush in her cheeks wasn’t from the heat within the room. Lana gritted her teeth and left the room.
Everything in his loft held clean lines and mostly metal. She wondered why he preferred that atmosphere. Metal and glass. Or black. The oddest part of the entire arrangement of the loft, was that it felt warm and inviting.
Squeezing her hair with the towel, she rounded the corner into the kitchen. Her stomach rumbled. The most wonderful scent hit her nose and she inhaled it as deeply as possible, her lids drooped.
“Hungry?” Mason’s deep voice rumbled. The entire loft was one open room. An island made of metal separated the kitchen from the rest. Lana jerked her eyes open. Mason stood behind it, watching her while he stirred the ingredients in his pan.
“What is that?”
Mason smiled. “It’s called food. I’m sure a witch wouldn’t understand that concept.”
Lana tried to glare, but ended up laughing. “Har. Har. Har.” The cute way his eyes crinkled when he smiled struck a nerve. She relaxed more. With an unhidden desire his attention drifted over her.
Lana forced his attention off her body by asking, “And what sort of food is it?”
Mason’s gaze leapt to her face. “You’re used to people referring to you as a witch, aren’t you?”
Lana shrugged one shoulder and cast the towel off to the side. It hit the counter’s edge and slid off. “People think what they wish. I match those qualities. Let them have it. If they can’t make sense of me, they’d trust me even less.”
“Does it ever bother you?” He grabbed two plates and placed them on the island in front of the chairs. Spooning his mixture onto the plates, he watched her while he did.
Lana’s body was growing stiff and sore. Her legs were turning to rubber. Immortal or not, she felt human at times. By this time of night she was usually in bed. She didn’t feel like arguing. Stifling a yawn, she plodded her bare feet over to a stool and plopped down. She still couldn’t figure out what the heck smelled so delicious. The food looked terrible.
She pushed bits around with her fork. Mason placed the pan in the sink behind him. “I don’t know. Never thought about it long. Nobody has ever understood me. I guess I got used to it.” Why am I telling him all this?
Mason smiled at the way she piddled with the food. With a soft chuckle that sounded more like a growl, he shook his head. “A combination of chicken and vegetables. A bit like stir fry. My own mix.”
Lana went off into her own little quiet world for a moment, staring at the food, forgetting that he spoke to her. The weariness weighed heavy on her shoulders. She flinched, then jerked her head up. Mason put two glasses of water next to the plates, then rounded the island to join her. He grabbed the fallen towel and threw it to the couch across the room.
Mason sat down and his thigh pressed against her own. Lana suppressed the urge to move away. Since when did she get uncomfortable?
“Makes sense. Why were you out tonight?” he asked, turning around so his legs caged her own. He pinned her to the seat with his gaze. Under his scrutiny she felt naked and vulnerable. She didn’t like the sensation. She wasn’t used to feeling so exposed.
Clearing her throat, she turned to the food and shoved a forkful into her mouth. Why did he make her nervous? And why did she shove food into her mouth to avoid saying she couldn’t stop thinking about that ridiculous kiss?
The amusement next to her stripped her of her defenses. Lana swallowed the food and mumbled, “Couldn’t sleep.”
“Why not?”
Why the hell did you ask that? Enough with the questions.
She shrugged and refused to look at him. Having his scent around her did bad things to her system. The way the shirt rubbed against her nipples, the way his hot legs pinned her to the chair. His weighted gaze made it hard for her to keep the heat out of her cheeks.
She shoved another forkful into her mouth to give herself a moment to think. She gulped water, then mumbled, “Too many things on my mind.”
“Like what?”
Stop asking me questions!
Lana took a deep breath and faced him head on once she could maintain her normal composure. Mason stared into her soul, which removed her ability to lie to him. Through clenched teeth, she asked, “Why do you keep asking me questions? You’re worse than the police.”
There. That would take care of the scrutiny.
His gaze held her captive. Why did she feel like he could read her mind? Had she heard rumors about him being able to? She didn’t think she had. Lana glanced at h
is plate and he pushed it away. Her gaze slid down to his thighs that still held her hostage. She puffed out her breath and went to move from the stool.
Mason clamped his thighs together. Her heart skipped a beat. Her gaze flicked up. “Why are you avoiding the answer?” he asked.
The air around him thickened. Lana found it hard to swallow. She went to speak, but found no words form. Mason’s gaze moved to her mouth and her breathing increased. The walls were closing in around her and she wasn’t in control. She didn’t like it.
Except . . . she did.
“Why do you think it has something to do with you?”
Mason’s lips curled up. “So it does, hmm?”
Lana’s eyes widened. She pressed her lips together. She shook her head.
Mason chuckled and leaned forward. Lana slid off her seat and under him. She stumbled and almost crawled to escape. She rushed over to the floor-to-ceiling window to get breathing room. Not the most elegant of exits, or her best to date, but she could only think about getting away from him. That’s it.
The moon appeared to take over the entire window. Lana failed to notice that right next to the window, and in the corner, sat a king-sized bed. She escaped out of his kitchen, only to run right into the part of his loft that served as his bedroom. Her heart hammered in her chest. Why did he make her nerves turn into such mush?
He is a playboy, Lana. Get a grip. This man is used to having women throw themselves at his feet. Wake. up.
Mason’s scent grew stronger behind her and Lana straightened. She needed to leave. Now. Not caring that her clothes remained in his loft, she closed her eyes.
A second later she opened them and . . . she was still in Mason’s loft.
“You wouldn’t be trying to run off, would you?” He chuckled behind her.
Lana looked at his reflection in the glass. “You have everyone’s powers blocked but your own, don’t you?”
“Keeps me alive,” he whispered at her ear. Her body warmed. Lana clenched her teeth together. “But to be honest, it’s a custom one I fixed to ensure you remained here.”
That’s why he brought me here. Lana slid her tongue along her lips. “You waited for the perfect moment.” He planned it all, knowing that sooner or later, he would get her into this loft. He must have concealed himself in the alley, waiting for her to show, knowing she wouldn’t allow the woman to get hurt.
Mason pressed himself against her body. “You shouldn’t have kissed me that day.”
Lana snorted. “Because no woman ever throws herself at you.”
Moving the hair away off her neck, Mason pressed a soft kiss to her collar bone and desire slid along her skin, engulfing her in its embrace.
“No woman makes me feel like you did with one kiss. I haven’t stopped thinking about it. I crave another round. Only this time, I have no intention of letting you leave.”
“What makes you think I want to be here? You play a dangerous game, enclosing me here. With you. Alone.” She let the word hang in the air.
He pressed another kiss to her collar bone. If he continued, he would become her kryptonite. He slid his mouth up to her neck where he kissed the skin, inhaling her with no shame.
“Mmm, but you have no power here, Lana. I know what they say about you is a lie. You try so hard to let them believe you are a man eater. That you’re a cold-hearted bitch. You’re far from it. Aren’t you? You worked so hard to pretend that you couldn’t sleep . . . because of me.”
“You wish.”
Mason flipped her around so fast she gasped. She stared into his eyes and the pupils expanded outward. An unconscious shiver passed through her. He grabbed a fistful of hair and secured her as his mouth took over her own. Lana purred beneath his touch and he deepened the kiss. He tightened the grip on her hair, refusing her wish to leave. If she had one.
His hand slowly released pressure and when she was certain her legs would give out, he broke the kiss. Mason lifted his hands, then lowered them to his side. Her body burned for his hands to touch her again, and it took all her strength to keep quiet. Those incredible lips of his curled up at the corner. He looked like a mischievous little boy.
“I’m not into forcing women to stay.” His gaze slid down her body, turning up the heat. “I want you to stay, Lana. I can’t stop thinking about you, but I won’t force you to stay if you wish to leave.”
Lana couldn’t calm her racing heart, or her rapid breathing. Her body screamed for those hands to touch her again. Those hands that proved they could take over and prove anything but gentle . . . if she wanted that. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them, there remained one thing left to do.
Closing what little distance remained, but that had felt like miles, she molded into his body, and wrapped her arms around his neck. He kissed her and wrapped his strong arms around her. Mason tightened his grip on her and deepened the kiss, growling against her lips. He pulled away and raised his shirt over her head. For the first time in many centuries, Lana felt exposed and vulnerable.
Noticing her unease, Mason cupped his hand under her chin and elevated her face. “So this is the real you, is it?” He smiled and she tried to pull free, not appreciating that he felt the need to tease her. Mason tightened his grip. “Don’t. I like it. I like it a lot.” He whispered, “My little secret.”
Lana looked into those brown eyes and became lost. A feeling unlike any she had ever known wrapped her in its embrace, and she allowed it. He wrapped her within his hold and she didn’t fight it.
Mason took her mouth in his. This time he had no plan to rush. His free hand slid down and inched his pants off her body.
Chapter Four
“You’re kidding me, correct?” Lana stared dumbfounded at the doctor. Over the years, she had found a family practice who learned about her. Loyal to her forever, they kept her secrets and passed the information on to each generation. They felt like her own family. She would watch one grow from a toddler, into adult, then pass away. Another generation followed that, then another.
Rarely did she need to come in and see one of them. For the past month she felt off, and couldn’t explain why. It seemed she was more exhausted than normal, and her stomach warred against her with every move.
Elizabeth, the youngest of them all, had grown close to her and became like a little sister to Lana. Currently she held a massive smile plastered on her face that didn’t please Lana in any way shape or form. “I don’t see how any of this is funny.”
Elizabeth waved the aggravation off. “I think it’s more interesting than anything else. So who’s the man? Who could possibly garner your attention? He must be pretty impressive.”
“You’d never believe me.” Lana shook her head in aggravation.
Elizabeth knew her far too well. She inhaled so sharply that she developed the giggles. A few seconds later she hunched over from the giggle fit that attacked her. She righted herself and waved it off, trying to regain control. “I . . . I can’t.” The giggles began all over again.
Lana suppressed the urge to strike Elizabeth in the backside with something. Hard. “Planning to stop? This isn’t funny.”
Elizabeth took a few seconds to compose herself. “I’m sorry. Fshew! That is the funniest thing in the world. I thought you hated him! I was certain you’d kill him if you came across him, but this? This I was not prepared for.”
Lana couldn’t help but chuckle a bit herself. “Well I still kinda do hate him. He’s an aggravating pain in my damn ass.”
“You going to tell him?”
Lana’s eyes widened and she sucked in a breath. “I don’t know,” she squeaked. She cleared her throat. “I still don’t believe you.”
Elizabeth giggled. “I’ve seen a lot of things Lana. Experienced some weird phenomena. Despite the differences in your body, I would recognize a pregnant woman if I saw her. Sorry babe, but you’re one hundred percent preggers.”
Lana sighed as loud as she could. “Who needs a blood sister
when I have you.”
Elizabeth walked over and patted her on the arm. She tried to comfort her. “And since I only just turned twenty-one, you can be more thankful that you’ll have me around for quite a long time.” She snickered and Lana shoved her away, which made her stumble. Liz caught herself in time to throw Lana a dirty look.
“Great.”
Lana ran a hand over her stomach. That didn’t take much effort. Mason ran into her when she took a walk along the beach. After their second encounter, she did everything in her power to try to avoid him. He bumped into her—literally—on the beach, so she cussed him out.
One thing led to another and she ended up back in his loft.
Again.
Defenseless against that perfect rugged attractive— She shook her head. All her defenses drifted off into nonexistence under that gaze. It drove her nuts. If he looked her way, she became putty in his hand.
“You’re thinking about him right now, aren’t ya?” Elizabeth grinned.
“Maybe. I can’t describe the way he looks at me, Liz. I try so hard to fight him and then I find myself giving in. It’s annoying as all hell. I’d love to know why he does it.”
“Think it’s cause he’s immortal like you?”
Lana hopped off the exam table and wandered to the window. Her favorite part of this particular hospital was the forest that surrounded the entire structure. Almost every window faced the massive towering cedars. Glorious. Ancient, like her.
“I would like to think so,” she leaned her back against the window to regard Liz, “but I think it’s just him.”
“You mean you like him. Be human for one second and admit you liiike him.”
Lana shook her head, but the grin slipped out. “I can’t even think about him without smiling. Seriously, who does that? I meet him and then have sex. That isn’t the way things are done.”
“You’re normal.”
“I don’t want to be normal. Humans are too willing to throw away their value. Once, it meant something.”