by Cynthia Eden
“I know you’re after the Born,” he told her, deciding to cut through the shit.
Dee’s gaze darted around the deserted lot. “Not here. We can’t talk about this now—”
His back teeth clenched. “Then let’s hurry and get to safety, because we damn well have to talk.”
And maybe, just maybe, confess.
Can’t. Lose. Her.
Safety was her grandfather’s cabin. A place he’d built by hand long, long ago.
Her parents had sold the place when she’d been a kid, but she’d gotten lucky and been able to buy it back two years ago. The only tie to my family.
Winding dirt roads took them back to the two-bedroom shelter. The old wood gleamed in the bright sunlight.
“Not much,” she murmured. “But I installed a generator up here a few months ago. So, we’ll have power, a roof over us, and time to figure out our next move.”
He eyed the cabin. “Can the vamps trace this place back to you?”
Dee slammed her door and ignored the throb in her shoulder. “No, Night Watch made sure this place was buried for me.” Because she’d wanted a retreat, no, a haven.
Pak had made certain she was protected.
She found the key she’d hidden so carefully on her last visit. The scent of pine teased her nose. Birds chirped from their nests high in the trees.
“Come on,” she said. “We’re both about to crash.” And after the night 71
they’d had, the crash would be hard.
A flick of her hand and the key slid into the lock. The door opened soundlessly and the place was just as she’d left it. Rocking chair, faded rug, the quilt she’d—
“Uh, are those stakes?”
A smile lifted her lips as she stared at the glass gun cabinet.
“Stakes…” She crossed the room and spun the lock, turning the code automatically. “Knives, guns. Everything we need to be ready for those bastards.”
Her hand lifted and opened the door. Then her fingers smoothed over the wood and tested the sharp points of the stakes. If she’d been better armed before, they wouldn’t have been on the run now. No way would she be caught unaware again. Out here, every sound was magnified. Human ears or not, she’d hear the assholes coming long before they stepped onto her small porch.
“You hate them, don’t you?”
At his soft question, Dee glanced back and found Simon watching her with hooded eyes.
No need to ask about the “them” in question. “Don’t you?” She fired back. “I know what happened, Simon. I know they killed your family.
Slaughtered them, just like they did mine.”
His jaw tightened and he slammed the cabin door closed with his heel.
“I want those bastards. I want them to pay.” He wrenched the lock into place and stalked toward her. “I took some of them out already. Hunted them down…” He reached behind her, grabbed one of the deadly stakes, “and made them beg for death.”
Her breath caught. Vengeance. How long had she wanted it?
“How long have you been hunting the ones who killed your family, Dee?”
“Since that night.” A stark whisper. But she’d been little more than a kid. She hadn’t known where to hunt. Hadn’t known how to track. By the time she’d learned, they’d been long gone from the city. “I won’t stop,” she told him and her gaze darted to his hand. The stake was so sharp. So deadly.
“Not until I find the bastards.” Because she’d never forget their faces. Never.
He pulled back a bit and lifted the stake between them. “How many vampires have you killed? How many did you stake because you were trying to punish the ones who hurt you?”
Her eyes narrowed. What was this? She wasn’t in the mood for some kind of therapy session. Not her thing. “The vamps I staked were killers.
They got off on fear, on torture—”
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“So vampires are all evil? They all have to be put out of their misery and given a one-way ticket to hell?”
“Aren’t they?” He’d hunted, too. Just like me. She caught his hand and wrapped her fingers around the stake. “I’ve never met one who wasn’t addicted to the power.” That was the problem with vamps. As humans, maybe they’d been okay, normal even, but when they woke as vampires, the power rush got to them. Human life lost its meaning.
Humans became nothing more than prey. No, food. And so many vamps enjoyed playing with their food.
He grunted. “I have.”
“What?”
His lips thinned and pulled away from her, dropping the stake onto the floor. “The vamps who went after my family. Hell, yeah, they were freaks.
Sick, twisted bastards who deserve hell, but I-I’ve met vamps who aren’t pure evil.”
She stared at him, waited.
Simon exhaled. “You need to open your mind, babe. You got a raw deal. We both did, but hating every vampire isn’t gonna bring your folks back.” A pause. “Killing ’em all won’t either. Trust me, I know.”
Dammit, she knew that, too. But when she’d first started hunting, the rage of revenge had been all she’d had.
She hadn’t wanted to live. When the remains of her parents, and, God, Sara, were hauled out the next day, she hadn’t wanted to take another breath.
She’d fallen to her knees, wished for death.
Even thought about—
Dee shook her head, hard. Her mother had died for her, no way would she have taken the easy way out. “Sometimes vengeance is the only thing that keeps you going.” Especially once you found out the world wasn’t the happy, picture perfect postcard all the TV ads promised you.
His hands fisted at his sides. “There’s more to life than death, Dee.”
Her lips trembled at that. Not a smile. Not yet. “Tell that to the vamps.”
“I’m telling it to you.”
She swallowed. “Why are you here? Why did you track me to that vampire hell? What do you—”
“Would you rather I’d just left you in the pool of blood? Left you with the body and with the cops on the way?” His shoulders stiffened. “Well, fuck, next time I’ll know to just leave you the hell alone.”
He spun away. She reached for him. Her fingers brushed over his shoulder.
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Simon stilled.
“I’m not good at this emotional stuff,” she told him, and felt rough, awkward. “I know how to fight. I know how to kill. I don’t know how to—”
Love. No, no, they weren’t talking about love.
Don’t go there.
But he wanted more from her than she was used to giving. That need was there in his eyes, in his voice, in the rough demand of his questions.
Simon wasn’t going to settle for small offerings from her. He wasn’t that kind of guy. She’d have to open up to him if she wanted to keep him.
And she wanted to keep him with her. Maybe the best way to do that was to start by being civil. She could do that. She could drop her guard and try being normal.
So she let the armor fall and jerked up her big girl panties. “Thank you for pulling my butt out of that place.”
He glanced at her. “Hard, wasn’t it?”
Uh, yeah.
“You’re not used to needing anyone else.”
No, even at Night Watch, she usually worked on her own. She liked it that way. If you had a partner, you’d start to care too much.
Then it would hurt like a bitch when the partner left…or died. Hunters at Night Watch didn’t always have the longest life expectancy.
Slowly, he turned fully toward to her. His hand lifted, skimmed her cheek. “I told you I knew about the Born coming to the city.” His fingers were light, but strong. His thumb brushed over her lips. “Every vamp in the city is lit up because of him. Some are scared shitless. Some are thrilled.”
Because some loved to see death and chaos.
“He’ll bring hell, Dee. Born Masters have too much power. He’ll bring the vamps he’s turned, all those…” A gritted jaw, t
hen, “puppets that he controls, and he’ll burn down the city if he can.”
Borns didn’t come out and play much in the States. Not much at all.
Because when they played, life ended.
“I’m going to stop him,” she breathed the words against his fingertip.
She would stop him. Dee was certain of that. Maybe not too sure of the how part of the equation, but she’d find a way to stop him. There wasn’t any other choice.
“No.”
She blinked.
“We’ll stop him.” A vow. Then he kissed her.
Just what she’d been wanting.
Dee rose onto her toes, locked her arms around him, and held on tight.
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So she sucked with emotions and nice words, but getting physical was definitely her strong suit.
His tongue thrust into her mouth and she moaned, loving that strong glide. His lips were firm, hard, just what she wanted, and her nipples tightened as need burned through her.
The aches, the pains, the fears—all faded away.
Lust. Hunger. Need—all that remained.
His hands slid down her back, curled over her ass, and jerked her up high against him.
No mistaking the swollen ridge of his cock.
Good, I’m not alone in this.
His mouth tore from hers. “Not stopping this time.”
“You’d better not.”
His lips pressed against her throat. Oh, Christ. Her sex creamed. Yeah, her panties were about to get really wet. Good thing she wouldn’t be wearing them much longer. “Bed,” she gasped. Not real big, but it would do.
“Next…room.”
He’d had her naked, but she hadn’t seen him. Not yet.
Soon.
Flesh on flesh. Pleasure fighting the darkness. That was what she wanted.
Because the darkness always followed her, even in the daylight.
They fumbled their way to the bed. Kissing. Stroking. Hands sliding over flesh and making the lust spike.
Not stopping. Not!
He hit the button for the lights. No windows in this room. You had to have the lights to see.
She definitely wanted to see everything.
Dee shoved him onto the mattress and laughed when his eyes widened.
Then she stripped. Nothing fancy, because she wasn’t the strip tease type. Her borrowed shirt hit the floor. No bra. Not like she really needed one.
She kicked off her shoes. Pushed down her jeans—
“Damn, Dee.” He licked his lips. “I could eat you.”
No, this was her turn. Her panties fell to the floor.
His nostrils widened, just a bit.
“You’ve got too many clothes on,” she told him.
He jerked off his shirt.
“Nice start.” Her gaze darted to his jeans. “But I’d like to see more.”
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He held out his hand. She so didn’t need a second invitation. Dee climbed onto the bed. Onto him. Straddled him. Her fingers trailed down his chest. Tight, strong muscles. A few scars, faint white lines of raised flesh.
Dee hesitated at the sight, all too aware of the marks on her own body.
She wasn’t perfect, not by a long shot. Especially not after that last tangle with the wolf.
But to her, Simon was perfect. The marks just meant he was a fighter.
A survivor.
Like me.
As she stared at that expanse of muscled flesh, Dee realized she’d never seen a man look so good or feel so right. She bent and licked one taut brown nipple.
His breath hissed out.
He liked that. Good. She used her teeth on him. A little nip. Nothing too hard, she didn’t want to—
Bite.
The whisper, almost a command, slipped through her mind and Dee jerked back.
Simon stared at her, eyes so intense. She shook her head.
His fingers rose, cradled her breasts. “You’re so beautiful.”
Lust could make men so blind.
Dee managed to unsnap his jeans. Being careful, though, because she didn’t want to jar the bandage she’d placed on his—
“Don’t go easy with me, babe.” He pushed up. “Trust me, I can take anything you’ve got.”
They’d see about that. His zipper came down with a hiss. No underwear. Her kind of man.
His cock was long and thick, bulging up toward her. The tip was dark, round, and smooth to the touch. She eased back, sliding her bare legs down his jean-clad thighs.
“Dee—”
Her turn.
Her mouth closed over his cock. Her tongue licked the broad head, tasted the saltiness of his flesh.
“Fuck me.”
She would. Eventually.
Dee took his length into her mouth. Looked up at him and saw his narrowed eyes, his clenched jaw, and the naked need on his face.
Just the way she wanted him.
Her tongue and lips teased. Took. Her cheeks hollowed as she worked 76
his length.
She liked his taste. Liked the feel of his flesh and the jerks of his breath and—
His hand curled under her chin. “Can’t…not much longer…”
One more lick, to prove that she’d do what she wanted. Then, one more because what she wanted was him.
“Dee!”
A caress with her lips, then she freed his flesh. But she still tasted him on her tongue. “Why should you get all the fun?”
In a flash, he flew forward, and Dee found herself flat on her back, near the edge of the bed. His mouth was on her breast. Sucking, licking, tasting, and taking.
Okay, so this was…damn…fun.
His fingers pushed between her thighs. Stroked her sex, thumbed her clit.
“So wet,” he muttered, sending that lust-filled stare her way. “You’re gonna feel fantastic.”
So would he. Her teeth clenched and her heels dug into the bed. A few more strokes and she’d be coming. Just a few more.
A strong finger drove into her.
Dee bit her bottom lip.
“No!” He glared down at her. “Not this time. I want to hear every sound you make. Every sound.”
Her mouth dried. No holding back. She always held back. Pushed her partner, but kept her own control as she—
“I want everything.” Two fingers. “And I’m gonna have everything.”
Her head fell back. So she’d come this way first, fine with her. The second time, he could be inside, he could—
“No, babe.”
Her gaze snapped to him.
“Not without me.”
He shoved a hand into the back pocket of his jeans. Pulled out a small foil packet.
She loved a man who was prepared.
Of course, she’d also picked up some condoms at that rundown gas station. Just in case.
Because she liked to be prepared, too.
He ripped the foil with his teeth. Rolled the protection down his thick length.
Then he pushed her thighs apart. Wider. He stared at her flesh.
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“Beautiful.”
Simon drove into her, thrusting his cock balls deep into her sex.
She let her moan out, full and loud, because he felt great. And because she wouldn’t hold back, not with him. Her nails dug into his arms.
He withdrew. Thrust deep. Again. Again.
“Harder.” The coil within her tightened. Release—so close. So close.
Sweat slickened their bodies. Her hips rose to meet the plunge of his body. Faster. Stronger.
He stretched her, drove deep and had her shuddering for more.
Pleasure, that sweet release, was temptingly near.
Her legs curled around him. He pressed a hard kiss against her lips.
His tongue thrust into her mouth.
Her sex quivered around him—that full, hard cock, driving so deep.
His head lifted. His teeth were clenched. Eyes glittering.
His neck was close
to her. The strong curve of his shoulder. Close enough to—
Bite.
Her teeth snapped together. What the hell? Not during sex, she’d never wanted to—
His cock eased back, almost to the entrance of her straining sex.
She flattened her hands against his chest. Push away. Fight the—
His hot flesh slammed into her.
She came, screaming, “Simon!” Her muscles clenched as the white-hot wave crested. Her sex rippled around him, contracting as the pleasure blasted her.
“Better,” he growled and his fingers dug into her hips. He lifted her up, arching her toward him and thrusting fast and deep. “So much better.”
He bent toward her, pressing his lips against her neck. Tasting and licking her flesh. The muscles in his arms bunched. So much power there, so much strength.
He came on a long shudder, pumping out his release.
Her sex throbbed around him, the aftershocks of pleasure reverberating through her core.
Dee sucked in a breath. Then another one. She licked desert-dry lips.
His tongue skated over her neck.
She shivered. Nice.
His hold tightened around her as the sound of her drumming heartbeat filled her ears.
Oh, yeah, she’d known it would be that good. When a guy oozed sex like Simon, a good time was pretty much guaranteed.
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Her hands skimmed down his back, and Dee realized that his muscles were locked tight. “Simon?” He’d come, she knew he had.
His lips pressed against her neck once more. A bit harder this time, then his head rose. His eyes were such a turbulent gray. Stormy.
“I don’t ever want to hurt you,” he told her, voice gruff.
Her brow pulled low. “Then don’t.” Simple enough.
A finger rose and traced her cheek. “You cried when you came.”
Dee blinked. “I—” Okay, now she didn’t know what to say.
“One tear drop. Just one.”
“I don’t usually—” Hell, she never cried. Not in years, anyway.
His lips pressed against hers. A soft, gentle touch after the wildness of the lust. His cock was still lodged in her, and swelling.
His mouth lifted, just an inch. “You can trust me,” he breathed the words.
She’d already trusted him with her body. What more did he want?