“Who were the attackers?” he asked, his senses tuned in for any noise or scent that didn’t belong.
“I don’t know. It wasn’t the Guard, obviously. It doesn’t make sense that rogue witches would attack me, so maybe it had something to do with you? Or maybe Moira?”
Nick rubbed his chin. “I didn’t see the beginning of the fight, but it looked like Bear was a target. They hit him right in the head.”
“Perhaps. He did say somebody in Ireland was gunning for him.” Simone turned another corner and walked several yards into a dead end.
Nick paused. “You took a wrong turn?”
She patted the stone wall in a series of taps, and it began to glow. “No.”
Slowly, the wall parted, revealing a studio apartment of sorts. They walked into a cozy living room complete with leather furniture, next to a utilitarian kitchen. Simone pointed to a doorway off to the right. “The loo is through there. Last I checked, ’twas functional.” Now that she was home, apparently her accent was deepening.
He loved that accent. His gaze was caught by a loft beyond the sofas and round table. Five steps led up to the area, and a wide bed took up the entire platform. A plush midnight-blue throw covered the massive bed. His body tightened, and his pulse quickened. “So. What now?” he asked.
Simone gathered her wet skirts, reaching for a basket atop the counter that held several burner cell phones. She grabbed one and dialed, relief bursting from her when Moira answered.
“Are you safe?” Simone asked.
“Aye. We ran west, and the Guard picked us up, having heard the commotion. I believe several of the rogue witches who attacked us are now in custody, but I’ve heard they’re not talking. Are you safe?”
“Yes.” Simone wiped rain off her face. “We’re in the blue room.” Her cousin would know her exact location, but on the unlikely chance anybody had tuned in to the call, they wouldn’t have a clue where she’d taken Nick.
Moira breathed out. “Okay, good. That’s good. Stay low for a few hours, until we make sure the locale is safe.”
Simone nodded, her adrenaline still flowing. “I understand.” Some of the attackers might still be searching the cemetery. “The Guard is on the issue?”
“Aye. We’ll have all of the attackers in custody by morning.” Moira cleared her throat. “Bear is furious his hair was burnt. The man is rather vain.”
Simone winced. “It appeared that the attackers were aiming for Bear and not for me.”
“I’m not sure. It seemed as if they wanted to take all of us out.”
“No. Bear has mentioned other enemies, but he won’t tell me who they are. See if you can get the truth from him.” Were there rogue shifters in the area after Bear? If so, why wouldn’t he ask for help? Even as the thought crossed her mind, Simone mentally shook herself. Bear would never ask for help. “Tell Bear to stop being a dick.”
Moira snorted. “I’ll tell him, but he’s looking rather pissed off right now.”
“How is Brenna?” Simone kicked mud from her heels.
“She’s fine, but Tori is seriously freaked out.”
Simone caught her breath. “Does the Guard know she saw us fight?”
Quiet ticked by for a moment. “I’m not sure they’ve put it together, and we’re being deliberately vague. Hopefully we’ll get her back to the States without mishap.”
Oh God. Simone exhaled slowly. If the Guard knew Tori had seen them use powers, then she’d be in definite danger. No human could know about the immortals. “We have to protect her.”
“Aye. We will. Destroy the burner phone, and call again tomorrow morning. I’ll have a plan then.” Moira clicked off.
Simone swallowed and dropped the phone, stomping it into several pieces. Finally, she turned to face Nicholai. He leaned against the far wall, his arms crossed, his hair damp. Scruff lined his strong jaw, and a purple bruise marred his right cheekbone. His tie was gone, his dark shirt was in tatters, and his pants were covered in mud. Even so, a tension spiraled from the demon. “We, ah, just have to lie low for a few hours until the cemetery is cleared,” she murmured.
He didn’t move.
Her hands fluttered together. “I’m sorry to get you all mixed up in this mess.”
“Come here, Simone.”
She blinked. Heat slid through her like a fine wine. That voice. Sometimes, late at night, she remembered that rough voice. Panic competed with the heat, and she spun around to open a cupboard. “I’m freezing.” That’s why her voice shook. Aye. She was cold. Regaining her composure, she drew out two glasses and a bottle of decades-old whiskey. Splashing plenty into the glasses, she took one and held it out to Nick.
He crossed the room and accepted the glass. “Slainte.”
“Slainte,” she returned, clinking her glass with his. Tipping back her head, she shot the entire glass. Fire exploded down her throat and into her stomach, billowing out to warm her limbs. “Better.”
“Yes.” He refilled their glasses and clanked again.
She tossed back the whiskey. Instead of calming her, as she’d hoped, the alcohol increased her awareness through a heated haze. The demon studied her, his gaze direct and knowing. Her damp clothes suddenly felt restrictive and much too tight.
“You’re wet, Simone.”
She jerked and then realized he was talking about her hair. Her hand trembled when she brushed the mass away from her face. “I’ll dry.”
His lip quirked. “Want help?”
Her system went into overdrive, and she sought any bit of normalcy. A low chuckle escaped her, and she gestured around at the intimate apartment. “This is convenient.”
“There isn’t a damn thing about you that’s convenient.” He reached out and ran his knuckle down her cheek.
The touch was gentle and reverent, but an uncoiled tension filled the air around them. She cleared her throat. “Did you mean what you said? That you never thought we were over?”
“Yes.” His exploration continued down her neck and across her upper chest, that dark gaze following the path of his fingers. “My mission this last century was dangerous, and I figured I didn’t have much chance of surviving, even if I succeeded in changing the demon leadership. Letting you go made sense at the time. Now I find out I killed your father. I am sorry for that, Simone.”
“You killed him to save me,” she whispered, her voice hoarse. “I didn’t know him, and those brief moments with him were enough to realize I didn’t want to.” The first time they met, the bastard had shot her.
“Aye,” Nick said.
Emotions, raw and real, ripped through her. Just standing next to Nicholai Veis softened her thighs, hardened her nipples, and created an ache deep inside her only he could satisfy. “My father, like many shifters, was crazy, and you saved me.”
Nick tucked two fingers in the neckline of her top and drew her forward. “Then you owe me.” He lips met hers, gentle and seeking, all heated power.
She moaned and stepped into him, tilting her head, taking him in. He kissed her, and his rough, unshaven chin rasped against her skin in delicious friction. Finally, he released her. “Is this going to happen?”
Her eyelids slowly opened. One night. Just one night to see whether it was as amazing as she remembered in her dreams. She was facing possible prison time, the loss of her powers, or even death. Why not have one great night of mind-blowing sex? She could keep it casual. “Yes, but it’s just physical. I won’t risk anything else with you ever again.” Sometimes honesty could protect a girl.
Triumph and an intimidating arrogance darkened his eyes. He swung her up and turned toward the bed. Then he paused.
“What?” she breathed.
He turned his head toward the door. “I don’t know. Something—”
The entire world rocked, and an explosion roared down the tunnel outside. He dropped her to her feet. Shards of rock pummeled down.
She ducked to avoid losing an eye. “Oh God. They’ve found the tunnel.”
Nick looked around for weapons and jumped out of the way of a bowling ball–sized boulder dropping from the ceiling. The attackers were using dynamite to blast through the tomb above. They’d be at the tunnel any second. “Tell me you have something here I can use for defense.”
Simone gathered her skirt. “We have something better. Escape route.” She turned and ran for the bathroom.
Of course. Nick bounded behind her into the room.
She jumped into the narrow shower, tapped a series of tiles in an odd order, and the side opened up into a narrow tunnel. “Run,” she whispered.
He followed her, having to duck his head. The door clicked shut behind them. Darkness surrounded him, and the walls closed in. His gut rolled, and the inside of his stomach pricked with a thousand needles. “Tell me this goes somewhere and that it’s been checked out lately.” The breath panted out with his words.
She reached back for his hand. “Trust me.”
He had no choice. Even so, the muscles in his back tensed with the need to punch through the too-close walls.
She tugged. “We have to hurry. It’s okay. I’d forgotten about your fear of small spaces.”
He loped into a jog, hoping she knew the way in the dark. Not that they could turn the wrong way. If they did, they’d hit solid rock. “It’s not the space, it’s the lack of it.” His lame joke fell flat.
She chuckled quietly. “Just think of that nice, big bed back there that you almost got to use.”
Even as he was panicking, his cock perked right back up. “That was a nice bed.” His toe hit a rock, pain shot through his foot, and he winced.
“I was going to let you do all sorts of nasty things to me,” she whispered, increasing her pace.
It was nice of her to try to distract him, but he needed to concentrate. “This tunnel has to end somewhere, right?”
“Just keep moving.” She made her way in total darkness without a hitch in her jog. “I know these tunnels well.”
He had to hunch to keep from hitting his head, and every once in a while the tunnel would narrow until his arms scraped along the sides. The smell of mold and dirt wafted around. They ran for nearly an hour, at his guess. Finally, after an eternity in the darkness, dim light glimmered up ahead along with the sound of pelting rain hitting cobblestones. His heart rate picked up.
They reached an iron gate, and Simone swung it open.
Rain blew in on a sharp gust of wind. Nick jumped outside, taking several deep breaths as the world righted itself. Simone shut the gate and quickly engaged a lock.
Okay. They were all right. Nick straightened. A building, some kind of warehouse, was directly in front of him, and the gate was behind him, set directly into the rock outcropping. As he watched, a door of solid stone moved to cover the gate. A foghorn moaned through the night, and the slap of water against rocks echoed over the storm. “Where in the hell are we?”
“The docks.” She grasped his hand and tugged him around the side of the building. “The edge of the warehouse district. Follow me.”
Like he had a choice. He set off at a run, his strength returning with the oxygen around him. They maneuvered between buildings, across several lots, and into the edge of the city. Simone’s hair streamed in the rain, which had matted her clothing to the intriguing curves of her body. She moved like a nymph, graceful and fast.
The movement of her fit buttocks kept his attention through several alleyways and back roads.
Finally, she came to a halt and held up her hand. “I need a second.”
So did he. His dick was about to punch through his zipper. He discreetly adjusted himself but failed to reduce the pressure.
Brick buildings bracketed them, while the rain slashed down from high above. A series of rickety fire escapes ran up three stories, but they were quiet and empty.
A car drove by the street at the end of the alley, its lights quickly fading into the night.
Simone pressed her butt against the building and leaned over, panting in air. Pressing her hand to her nicely outlined chest, she straightened. “’Tis too bad. I really liked that safe house.” Her hair had started curling down her back, and a light pink brightened the feminine angles of her face. Her dark eyes glowed through the dim light, and her scent of wild roses drifted on the breeze.
She was truly the most amazing creature he’d ever seen.
He moved without thought, right into her, and lifted her against the brick. Her sharply indrawn breath opened her mouth, and he dove in, all primal instinct. Drowning in her, going as deep as he could, he unleashed the loneliness he’d felt the last century without her. After he’d tasted her warmth, being alone had been a constant ache in his chest. For a fucking century.
Forgetting all finesse, he cupped her ass, his palms lifting the twin globes and yanking her into his hardness.
She whimpered deep in her throat, and the sound rolled up and into his mouth, lighting him on fire.
Desperate to get closer, he spread one hand across her ass and threaded the other through her hair and tugged, nearly bending her in two as he kissed her with all the pent-up need he’d banished for so long.
She moved against him, the apex of her legs so damn hot he almost went to his knees.
Only Simone. She was the only woman in the entire world who could drop him to his knees. At the moment, he’d go gladly.
The adrenaline from the fight rushed through him, turning into raw passion. Little noises came from her as she returned his kiss, her body rigid and gyrating against him. The friction between them nearly pushed him over the edge.
Rain dropped, and he ignored it. Yanking down her top, he licked his way down her wet neck and sucked a nipple into his mouth. She moaned and shot both hands into his hair, digging her nails into his scalp. The small bite of pain spurred him on, and he licked and sucked the sharp point before moving to the other one.
Her skin was smooth and so soft he almost came in his pants.
Almost frantic, he reached under her skirt and yanked off her panties.
“Nick,” she murmured, releasing his hair to grapple with his belt buckle. The damn thing finally came loose, and she released his zipper. Her fingers barely had time to run along his shaft before he’d lifted her and impaled her with such force crumbs of brick rained down.
She stiffened around him with a soft moan of pure pleasure.
The sound licked through his body right to where they were joined.
Her eyes were closed, and her hair cascaded against the wet brick.
He grabbed the back of her neck, strengthened his hold on her butt, and stilled. “Simone. Look at me.”
Simone’s eyelids fluttered open. Nick Veis was inside her, balls-deep. Cold and hard, the brick behind her helped her to balance against the demon holding her so fiercely. She couldn’t move, even if she wanted to.
Which she did not.
Intense hunger darkened his face, edged with a demon’s possessiveness. Slowly, trapping her gaze, he slid out of her and then rammed back in.
Electricity shot from her clit to her breasts. She gasped and stiffened, her eyelids closing in pure pleasure.
“Simone.”
She opened her eyes again, her insides quaking in devastating tremors. Even so, she kept her mental shields firmly in place. She could have him, could enjoy him, without giving him access to her mind. Her thighs shook. “Nicholai.”
At her use of his full name, something snapped in him. His hold somehow tightened, and he pulled out to drive back in. The friction was unbelievable, as was his strength. He hammered into her, shoving hard, the slap of his flesh against hers filling the deserted alley. She kept his gaze as long as she could and then had to shut her eyes to just feel.
An orgasm washed over her out of nowhere, and she gasped. He didn’t pause, just kept on fucking her. A second later, she was climbing again, sparks rippling through her, propelling her toward the edge. Heat uncoiled deep inside. She dropped her hands from hi
s hair to his massive shoulders, trying to hold on to any semblance of reality.
He wouldn’t let her.
Somehow he drove harder inside her, hitting a spot that detonated stars behind her eyes. She whimpered, her thighs slamming against his hips with enough force to bruise. So close. She was so damn close.
“Please, Nick,” she gasped, her body stiffening.
He changed the angle of his thrust and brushed across her clit.
She exploded with a soft cry, biting her lip to keep from screaming. Waves crashed through her, full of fire and sparks. The orgasm tore through her, head to toe, centered around his hard-as-steel cock. Finally, she came down with a soft sigh of pure pleasure.
He tucked her closer, nearly bending over her, ramming hard.
Fangs sliced into her neck.
Her eyelids flipped open, and she cried out, her body going into a multitude of convulsions too powerful to be mere orgasms. Nick released her neck to plant his hand on the brick wall, his body shuddering as he came.
He pulled her close, breathing heavily, using the building for balance.
She dropped her face into the crook of his neck, trying to catch her breath. Her arms slid around his shoulders, and she held on even as her body went limp. Muscle rippled beneath her mouth, so she placed a soft kiss on his neck.
Slowly, reality returned. Rain pummeled them, and a car honked in the distance. She blinked and lifted her head away from his warmth.
He pushed off the brick.
Oh. Hmm. She loosened her thighs, and her legs slid toward the wet cobblestones. Small pains became known. He kept hold of her until she’d gained her balance and tried to step back. One knuckle under her chin lifted her burning face.
“Are you all right?” he asked, his voice a low rumble.
She nodded.
“I—” He glanced around the back alley. “Jesus, Simone. I got carried away. In a fucking alley.”
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