Beyond the Darkness
Page 24
Claws and fangs descended, she slashed at his middle, ripping open his stomach.
“Damn it, Larissa!” He managed to grab her wrists in an impossibly tight grip and hold them above her head, but she didn’t stop.
It vaguely registered that he said her name in a familiar way. As if he had intimate knowledge of her. Kicking and bucking against him, she kneed him hard between the legs as she twisted around to bite his forearm.
The second his blood coated her tongue, a familiar sensation flowed through her with shocking intensity. The taste made her think of raw, earthy sex. She stilled underneath him. He remained on top of her, holding her, and when she met his gaze she could sense his wariness. But he wasn’t trying to hurt her. And he hadn’t been attacking her, just pinning her down and taking her blows.
She tensed when she heard someone nearby, their footfalls soft against the snow, barely indiscernible. The male heard it too and lifted his head, but he never took his dark gaze from hers. “Stay back, I’ve got this.”
“Why do you taste familiar?” she whispered, battling confusion. His blood was still on her tongue and it made her think of dirty, sensual things that shocked her. Even more shocking, she wanted to drink from him.
The male’s eyes bored into hers. Intense. Heated. “Because you’ve tasted every inch of my body, drank from me, defied your coven to be with me.” The longing in his eyes pierced her. He meant every word he was saying. He wasn’t lying. Or he didn’t believe he was lying.
If it was true, she didn’t remember any of it. She fought a shiver. Everything in her brain was muddled and the pain intermixed with desire she saw in that dark gaze was too much. She was so fucking confused right now and sensing his pain hurt her. Even if she didn’t understand why, she felt his agony bone deep and she desperately wanted to comfort him. She swallowed hard and resisted that urge. “Why can I feel your pain?”
He loosened his grip, freeing her wrists. But he didn’t sit back. Just placed his hands in the light layer of snow on either side of her head, that gaze locked on hers. “Because we’re bondmates.”
Excerpt from
Under His Protection
Red Stone Security Series
by Katie Reus
Copyright © Katie Reus 2014
“You are going to love what I got her,” Julieta whispered to Lizzy.
They were sitting next to each other at Mina’s bridal shower. Mina Hollingsworth, soon-to-be Mina Blue. The sweet artist was marrying former pro-football player/former Marine Alexander Blue and she was one of the nicest people Julieta had ever met.
“I take it you went off the registry,” Lizzy whispered back before taking a sip of her mimosa.
“Just a bit.” She held back her grin as Mina picked up her next gift. The black and white damask bag with a bright pink stripe across the top was distinctively from Julieta’s store.
“I know who this is from,” Mina said, already blushing as she delicately pulled the paper stuffing out the top. Her face split into a wide smile as she pulled out the sheer white, delicate lace lingerie babydoll halter. The back had ruffled layers to create a small bustle and above that in bright pink hand-done stitching were the words ‘property of Alex’. Mina’s fiancé might have mentioned something to Julieta about this.
As Mina pulled it out and saw the back she started laughing, her cheeks flushing an even darker shade of pink. “Did Alex ask you to do this?” she asked.
Julieta just shrugged and pursed her lips together as she fought a smile.
Mina turned it around for the twenty other women to see. Everyone started howling and talking about how much their significant others would want them to get one. Julieta ignored the small pang in her chest. For a bridal shower this one was very small and considering how wealthy Mina was, she was surprised it wasn’t bigger. But maybe she shouldn’t be. The woman was incredibly picky about who she was friends with—because she wasn’t sure who she could trust—and she had guards around her most of the time. All the women at the shower were either married or engaged, except two of Mina’s friends from California.
Being single had never bothered Julieta before. The last three years she’d been working like mad to get her business off the ground and now that it had and she was doing well, she had more time on her hands. She had a lot of friends and a huge, loving family but the truth was, she was lonely. When she’d first started her business she’d actually had a serious boyfriend. They’d been together the last two years of college, but once she’d started working long hours he’d decided he couldn’t handle it. He’d said he wanted her to be successful and would support her, but in the end it had all been lip service. She was glad she’d found out before they’d taken the next step, but it still stung when she thought about how badly things had ended between them.
She couldn’t remember the last date she’d gone on and unfortunately the last two months she’d spent fantasizing about a certain sexy Red Stone Security employee she kept seeing because of her friendship with Mina. But she couldn’t get a read on the man. He was always so tight-lipped and gave brooding stares when she was around. She was pretty sure he didn’t even like her. Not to mention Mina had mentioned that he was a total player on more than one occasion.
Which made her fantasies even more ridiculous. She wasn’t into playboys or bad boys. So why did everything about Ivan make her wake up and take notice?
“Is that from your new line?” Lizzy demanded, shifting against the loveseat in the expansive living room that overlooked the Miami bay as Mina told everyone to go grab food and drinks.
Huge windows and a bright October day made for a gorgeous view and natural lighting as the women broke up and started to eat and mingle.
“Minus the personalized stitching, yes. And yes, I’ve already saved one for you. I can’t believe you had a baby five months ago. You look amazing,” she said in mock disgust.
“Porter keeps me busy.” Lizzy’s smile turned mischievous which only made that pang in Julieta’s chest expand.
She shoved down those feelings as best she could. “Seriously, do you need to remind me how long it’s been since I’ve had sex…” She trailed off as Ivan appeared from out of nowhere.
Wearing his standard dark suit he looked imposing and too sexy for his own good. She gritted her teeth at his timing because she was pretty sure he’d heard her. He so did not need to know she had no sex life. He nodded at both of them politely. For a brief moment she thought he’d approached to speak to her and her heart rate increased by about a thousand percent. That lasted for all of two seconds. The thought of him approaching her just to chat was as ridiculous as her fantasies about him.
“Hey Ivan, where’ve you been hiding?” Lizzy asked casually.
Since they both worked for Red Stone, though in different capacities, the two were friends. It shouldn’t make Julieta jealous that Lizzy, one of her oldest, happily married friends, was so comfortable with Ivan. But it kind of did.
Acknowledgments
Once again it’s time to thank some of my favorite people for their help in whipping this story into shape. Kari Walker, thank you (again) for reading the early version of this book. I’m always so grateful for your insight. Joan Turner, thank you for the final read through and your attention to detail. As always, I’m thankful to Jaycee with Sweet ‘N Spicy Designs for her beautiful design work. For my readers, thank you for reading my various series and all your wonderfully supportive messages. Lastly, thank you to God for so many opportunities.
Complete Booklist
Red Stone Security Series
No One to Trust
Danger Next Door
Fatal Deception
Miami, Mistletoe & Murder
His to Protect
Breaking Her Rules
Protecting His Witness
Sinful Seduction
Under His Protection
Deadly Fallout
The Serafina: Sin City Series
First Surrender
Sensual Surre
nder
Sweetest Surrender
Dangerous Surrender
Deadly Ops Series
Targeted
Bound to Danger
Chasing Danger (novella)
Shattered Duty
Non-series Romantic Suspense
Running From the Past
Everything to Lose
Dangerous Deception
Dangerous Secrets
Killer Secrets
Deadly Obsession
Danger in Paradise
His Secret Past
Paranormal Romance
Destined Mate
Protector’s Mate
A Jaguar’s Kiss
Tempting the Jaguar
Enemy Mine
Heart of the Jaguar
Moon Shifter Series (paranormal romance)
Alpha Instinct
Lover’s Instinct (novella)
Primal Possession
Mating Instinct
His Untamed Desire (novella)
Avenger’s Heat
Hunter Reborn
Darkness Series
Darkness Awakened
Taste of Darkness
Beyond the Darkness
About the Author
Katie Reus is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Red Stone Security series, the Moon Shifter series and the Deadly Ops series. She fell in love with romance at a young age thanks to books she pilfered from her mom’s stash. Years later she loves reading romance almost as much as she loves writing it.
However, she didn’t always know she wanted to be a writer. After changing majors many times, she finally graduated summa cum laude with a degree in psychology. Not long after that she discovered a new love. Writing. She now spends her days writing dark paranormal romance and sexy romantic suspense. For more information on Katie please visit her website: www.katiereus.com. Also find her on twitter @katiereus or visit her on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/katiereusauthor.
If you would like to be notified of future releases, please join her newsletter. Direct link: http://eepurl.com/jEABv
Table of Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Epilogue
Excerpt—Hunter Reborn
Excerpt—Under His Protection
Acknowledgments
Complete Booklist
About the Author