by Karen Lynch
Chris rubbed his jaw. “I know. Can you tell us anything else?”
She thought for a moment. “A Lilin spends a lot of time searching for acceptable females, but he doesn’t start collecting them until he is less than a month from the peak of his fertile cycle. You have four weeks, maybe less, to find them before he begins breeding. And he’ll guard them like they are the crown jewels, so the lair will not be easy to find.”
“We already have our people on that.”
“Good.”
She tucked her hair behind her ear, and I could have sworn her hand shook.
“I appreciate your discretion in this,” she said to Chris. “I like my life here, and I’d hate to have to leave it because I made an enemy of a Lilin.”
Chris stood, and I followed suit.
“You have my word that we’ll tell no one outside our own people about your involvement,” he told her.
We said our goodbyes and left the office. On the main floor, I started for the exit, not wanting to linger here longer than I had to. I was inexperienced, but wasn’t a prude by any means, and I had no problem with the risqué action taking place everywhere I looked. To each his own.
What I didn’t like was the effect Adele’s magic had on me, and it had hit me full force again the second we left her office. The slightest brush of Chris’s hand against my arm as we descended the stairs had sent heat unfurling in my belly. How much of it was the bond and how much was Adele’s magic, I didn’t know, but the intensity of it scared me. Even during my girlish crush on Chris, I’d never experienced anything like this sudden desire for him.
“In a hurry?”
I stopped just past the dance floor and looked back at Chris, who gave me a smile that did funny things to my stomach.
“We’re finished here, aren’t we?” I asked as nonchalantly as I could.
He closed the distance between us. “Business, yes, but it would be a shame to leave without having at least one dance.”
I glanced sideways at the gyrating couples on the floor and found it suddenly hard to swallow. “I don’t feel like dancing.”
The corner of his mouth lifted, making one of his dimples appear. “Afraid you’ll like it?”
“No,” I shot back as a little thrill went through me.
“Liar.”
I scowled at him and turned back to the exit.
“Coward.”
I stopped walking and closed my eyes, gritting my teeth at the amusement lacing that single word. If I left now, he’d think it was because I couldn’t handle being that close to him. It was true, but I didn’t want him knowing that.
“Fine.” I spun to face him again. “One dance, that’s it.”
“One is all I need,” he murmured as he took my hand in his and led me onto the dance floor.
Heat emanated from his touch, and my body felt warm even before he stopped and tugged me toward him. My breath hitched, and I could hear my own heartbeat above the music as his arms came around my waist.
I put my hands on his shoulders, feeling the muscles ripple beneath his shirt as we began to move to the slow, sensual music. Unable to meet his eyes, I looked over his shoulder and tried not to think about the way his hips brushed against mine or the tickle of his breath on the side of my neck. When one of his hands slid lower, almost touching my backside, every nerve ending in my body tingled and I smothered a gasp.
“Breathe, Beth.” Chris’s lips grazed the shell of my ear, sending a delicious shiver through me. “Although, I wouldn’t mind having to do CPR if necessary.”
I huffed and leaned back to look at him. Big mistake. Heat blazed in his eyes, and his full lips were curved into a heart-melting smile that left me breathless. I’d never been immune to his smiles, but the combination of his closeness and the succubus’s magic pulsing around us made it impossible to think of anything else but tasting his lips.
“So, have you known Adele long?” I asked in an attempt to distract myself.
Chris’s mouth twitched as if he’d read my mind. “About twenty years or so. She’s one of our most reliable contacts here.”
“She’s beautiful.”
“All Succubi are.”
Without warning, he dipped me. When we came back up, our faces were mere inches apart.
Moisture flooded my mouth, and I swallowed. Oh, God. If this dance didn’t end soon, I was going to kiss him. Or worse, jump him.
No, no, no. I can’t give in. It’s exactly what he wants.
“You’ve been spending a lot of time with Sara and Jordan since you came to LA,” he said casually, as if he had no clue about the turmoil inside of me.
“Yes, I like them a lot,” I managed to say, hating the breathy way my voice came out.
“I’m happy to hear that. You couldn’t ask for better friends.”
I smiled. “I have Mason, too.”
The muscles of his jaw tightened, and I felt his fingers flex on my waist. His voice was gruffer when he spoke.
“How long have you and he been friends?”
“Since we started training together, about six years. I had other friends at Longstone, but I was always closest to Mason.”
“How close?”
The possessiveness in his tone should have angered me, but it only made my stomach flutter wildly.
I met his gaze squarely. “He’s my best friend. We tried dating once, but we decided we were better off as friends.”
“Good.” He pulled me closer until my chest was pressed against his harder one. His forehead touched mine as we swayed to the hypnotic beat, and I could feel his breath mingling with mine. If I moved my face a little closer, our lips would meet.
The music changed, jolting me from the spell Chris had woven around me. I stepped back, and he hesitated a moment before he released me. My knees wobbled slightly, and I was sure my face bore a telltale flush as I moved to put much needed distance between us.
“Thanks for the dance,” I said, surprised that my voice sounded normal.
He gave me a satisfied smile. “My pleasure. We’ll have to do that again.”
His expression was cocky, but the tenderness in his eyes silenced the little retort on the tip of my tongue.
“Ready to go?” he asked.
I nodded and started for the door again, jerking in surprise when Chris clasped my hand in his. I tried to tug free, but he was having none of it. Expelling a sigh of resignation, I left the club hand in hand with him. I’d let him have this one, but that was it.
Chris
I sighed loudly and laid down the wrench I’d been holding for at least five minutes while I’d stared off into nothing. It had been like this all day, and I’d had to leave the house to get away from Nikolas’s knowing smirk.
I couldn’t stop thinking about that dance with Beth last night, and my thoughts were bordering on obsessive. Even now, my body warmed at the memory of holding her and feeling her resistance to me slowly crumble. She’d held back at first, but I’d felt her relax against me after a few minutes, and I’d caught her looking at my mouth. It had taken all my willpower not to close that tiny gap between us and finally taste her lips.
I let out a sound of frustration and began to gather my tools since it was useless trying to work on my bike now. Was it normal for bonded males to lose the ability to focus on anything but their mate? I had a whole new level of respect for Nikolas, who’d managed it for months. Months. Christ, I would lose my damn mind if I had to wait that long.
My phone rang as I cleaned my hands with a rag. Glad for a reprieve, I picked up the phone and smiled when I saw my mother’s name on the screen. I hadn’t spoken to either of my parents since I’d left Germany weeks ago. I’d wanted to call and tell them about Beth, but I’d held out because I didn’t know where I stood with her.
After last night, I knew without a doubt that Beth was as into me as I was into her. And it wasn’t only because of the bond. We had a history, and we cared for each other. I just had to keep reminding her of that.
“You miss me already?” I teased when I answered the call.
“You know I always miss you,” my mother chided lightly. “How are things in Los Angeles?”
“You heard about the Lilin?”
“Tristan told me last night. It’s not often you see an active Lilin in the US. Everyone is talking about it.”
Between Beth and the situation here, I’d been too busy the last few days to pay attention to anything else. I could understand why the Lilin would interest everyone, and I’d bet there were a lot of warriors who wished they were on this job. I’d gladly give it to them if it meant getting Beth away from here. But she wouldn’t go willingly, and I couldn’t abandon my duty, not unless her life was in immediate danger.
“Your father and I told Tristan we’ll go home if we’re needed there,” my mother said.
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“I’m sure it won’t with you and Nikolas on the job,” she replied with pride in her voice.
I walked outside and sat on one of the chairs by the pool. “I’ve been meaning to call you and Dad about something. Is he there?”
“He’s gone for the day. Is everything well with you?”
“Nothing’s wrong,” I said quickly to reassure her. “It’s great news, actually.”
“Are you planning to move to Germany? That would make me very happy.”
“No, but another visit might be in order.”
She laughed. “Are you being cryptic on purpose? Tell me your news.”
“I bonded.” I grinned, wishing I could see her face.
There was silence on the line for a moment before she cried, “Bonded? Who? When?”
“It happened last week.”
“Last week? Christian Kent, are you telling me you’ve been bonded for a whole week and you’re only telling me now?”
I rubbed my jaw. “A week’s not that long, Mom, and this blindsided me. I’ve been trying to wrap my head around it.”
“Bonding will do that to you,” she said in a softer voice. “Do I know her? More importantly, are you happy?”
“You do know her, and she’s perfect for me. I just have to convince her of that.”
“She doesn’t want it?”
The incredulity in my mother’s voice made me smile again.
“She has doubts, for good reason. We have a history, and I hurt her. She hasn’t forgiven me for that.”
“I don’t remember you being involved with a Mohiri female, not since you were young.”
“I haven’t been, not romantically. But I used to be very close to this one up until a few years ago.” I took a deep breath. “It’s Beth.”
My mother’s gasp was loud in my ear. “Beth? Our little Beth?”
I remembered the feel of Beth in my arms last night and smiled to myself.
“She’s not little anymore. She’s twenty now, and a warrior.”
“Oh, my,” my mother murmured. “Who would have thought that the little girl who followed you everywhere would one day be your mate?”
She paused, but before I could speak, she continued. “What do you mean you used to be close? You love Beth, and you’d never hurt her.”
“Never intentionally.”
I dragged a hand through my hair and told her everything that had happened between Beth and me four years ago. Guilt and shame washed over me again when I related how I’d left Longstone and hadn’t seen or spoken to Beth again until a few weeks ago.
“Do you mean to tell me you left and cut off all contact with her because you were afraid of the feelings you had for her?” my mother asked in an admonishing tone I remembered all too well from my childhood. “Christian, how could you? That girl loved you, and you abandoned her.”
“I meant to go back,” I said in a weak defense of my actions.
“You know what they say about good intentions. And you could have called her to let her know you still cared.”
“I know.”
I stood and paced around the pool. Knowing I’d handled things poorly was one thing. Hearing my mother lay my mistakes out for me drove home how badly I’d screwed up, and it made me wonder if Beth could ever forgive me.
“Now you know why she’s not happy about the bonding,” I said thickly. “I can tell she still cares for me, but she’s angry and hurt about the past.”
“You’ve been bonded a week, and she hasn’t broken it off. That tells me she might be more willing to forgive you than you think. The big question is, what will you do to win back her affection?”
“Be my usual charming self,” I quipped without humor.
My mother snorted delicately. “Charm only carries you so far. You’ll have to do better than that.”
“I’ll do whatever it takes.”
“So, she’s the one?”
I pictured Beth’s face and smiled. “I think she always has been.”
Beth
I sank down on a chair at the outdoor café and watched Jordan arrange shopping bags around her feet. I liked to shop, but she took it to a whole new level.
“Do you really need two new leather jackets?” I asked, shoving my sunglasses to the top of my head.
Jordan rolled her eyes at me. “You sound like Sara. And I didn’t see you saying no to those suede boots you found. How many pairs of boots do you own now?”
“Touché.”
I caught the eye of a waiter and waved him over. We ordered sandwiches and soda, and he hurried away to get our food.
Leaning back in my chair, I watched people walking past on Rodeo Drive until Jordan waved a hand to get my attention.
“You haven’t said how it went at Club Nyx,” she said. “What did you think of the lovely Adele?”
I shrugged. “I can see why Sara doesn’t like her. She’s a bit much.”
Jordan grinned. “Did she try to move in on your man?”
A snort slipped from me. “He’s not my man.”
Even as the words left my lips, my stomach quivered at the memory of dancing in Chris’s arms. I’d lain awake for a long time in bed remembering the feel of his body against mine. As a girl, I’d dreamed so many times of him holding me that way, but the dream had been only a shadow of the real thing.
“True. He’s your mate. That’s even better. Speaking of that, have you told your family?”
I lowered my voice even though there was no one sitting nearby. “Bonding with someone doesn’t mean you’ll mate them. And no, I haven’t told Rachel yet.”
I didn’t know why I hadn’t told Rachel about me bonding with Chris. Maybe because telling her would make it real. Or maybe I was afraid she’d ask what I intended to do about it, and I had no answer for her.
Jordan chuckled. “You don’t continue to live in the same house with someone you don’t plan to stay with. It’s clear Chris isn’t leaving. If you didn’t want him, you would have gone already. Not that I want you to go,” she added quickly.
“It’s not that simple.” I wrung my hands in my lap. “I admit I feel something for him, but I don’t trust him not to hurt me again.”
She nodded thoughtfully. “Trust is important. So, you do plan to break the bond?”
“I tried to, but he wouldn’t let me.”
She quirked an eyebrow. “He wouldn’t let you? I don’t think you need his permission.”
I chewed my bottom lip. “He was so insistent, and he said he’s going to prove we should be together. It was impossible to say no to him. I’d feel like a total jerk if I up and broke the bond right after that.”
“Oh, girl.” She shook her head sorrowfully. “You’re a goner. Of course, I can think of a lot worse ways to go.”
“I didn’t say I wasn’t going to break it. I just need a few days. That’s all. Maybe a week. I mean, how much can a bond grow in a week?”
God, I sounded weak even to me.
The waiter returned with our order before Jordan could answer me. She took a drink of soda and thankfully changed the subject.
“Did you hear the Council is sending two more teams here to help with the hunt for the Lilin?”
I nodded. “Sara told me Nikolas called Lord Tristan last night to request them. They’re taking this demon very seriously.”
“When Nikolas Danshov asks for backup, you know it’s bad,” Jordan said wryly. “And you don’t have to call him Lord Tristan. He hates that.”
“I’ll remember that if I ever meet him.”
She picked up her sandwich. “What I’d like to know is where they are planning to put all these warriors. The safe houses are already full.”
“I guess some of them can bunk at the command center for now.”
We had one free bedroom at the main house, plus the large couches in the living room. And Mason and I had a comfortable couch in the guesthouse someone could use. Warriors were used to less than ideal sleeping conditions. They’d make do until something better could be arranged.
Jordan smirked. “If any of them are super hot, I might volunteer to share my room. You know how much I like to help out.”
“Such a giving person.” I grinned and sipped my soda.
“Beth?”
I looked over my shoulder at the sound of the male voice calling my name, and it took me a few seconds to put a name to the face of the blond man walking toward us on the sidewalk.
“Adam, hi.”
He stopped outside the iron fence that encircled the tables. “I didn’t expect to see you again after you broke my heart the other night.”
I laughed softly. “Jordan this is Adam… I don’t believe I know your last name,” I told him apologetically.
“It’s Woodward.” Adam smiled at Jordan. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“You, too,” she said, shooting me a look that said I had some explaining to do.
“I met Adam at Luna,” I told her.
Jordan unabashedly gave him the once-over, taking in his lean physique, artfully messed hair, and glasses.
“What do you do, Adam?” she asked when she’d finished sizing him up.
“I’m a finance major at UCLA.”
“Smart guy, huh?”
One corner of his mouth lifted. “I like to think so.” He looked at me. “Did you hear Luna got shut down after we were there?”