Conquer the Highland Beast: The Vampire Dylan Macgregor (Hearts of Darkness) (17 page)

H
e meant to honor his vow. After being inside the vampire’s mind, Dylan found he had discovered a kindred soul in Niccolai. Yet, a twinge of regret wrapped itself around his heart like a vine of thorns for the friends he could never be with again. This was a better way. The darkness he harbored for so long was more suited to what he’d become. Perhaps with Niccolai’s help he could bring it under control. The man saw something in him he’d feared was long gone—if it ever existed.

Highland
Bar and Grill, New Orleans

Max glanced at Dylan’s hand. The ring with the family crest was missing, but he’d seen the Macgregor broadsword at the estate and during the attack on Amyra. “You have them?”

“Aye, the broadsword and the dagger—not the ring. Niccolai gave the ring to the boy I saved. After my change, when I awoke, my grandfather’s ring was gone. It didn’t matter, I could no longer be chieftain of the clan anyway, and Niccolai said the boy was my son. I couldn’t even return to say my good-byes.”

“So w
as the girl Leif’s daughter?”

“Aye.”

“Did you ever go back to see what happened to them?” Max watched Dylan gather control as his hands fisted on the table. “Never mind—”

“No-no, you should know all of it.” He poured the last of the Scotch into his glass then continued. “By the time I returned to check on my clan, a portal from the Underworld had been opened
nearby, and a wild group of demons attacked the lands surrounding Gareth’s keep. Evie had left the keep to tend a woman in labor. I arrived too late to save any of them. Evie and the farmer’s whole family, including the bairn had been sucked dry and torn apart. Leif eventually remarried and raised my son as he’d promised, but I never returned, again.”

Max listened to the steady thick brogue from the man who had lost so much and tried to hold his own emotions in check. “How
did you survive such loss, Dylan?” Max’s throat was raw from holding back the anguish he felt in sympathy for his friend.

“In honor of Evie, I
eventually vowed I would not allow my fae light to burn out. No one will take that gift from me. I’ll fight the darkness to the end of my days and do right by my family’s sacrifice. They gave their all so I would survive. It’s the least I can do in their memory. Besides, what could wound me more than what has already been taken from me?”

“Don’t look now, but you are about to lose what good sense you may have ret
ained,” Max whispered. He released a quiet whistle, tilting his head in the direction of the bar entrance.

Dylan turned his attention to join Max’s, and what he saw forced the air from his lungs.
He cleared his throat twice. “Aye, this one—she could wound me more.”

Time stopped.
He lost the ability to think beyond his senses.

No sounds, no movemen
ts, no rational thoughts.

Click.
Click. Click.

Frame by frame, images snap
ped in slow motion imbedding this instant into Dylan’s mind. His gut twisted into knots, and his gaze traveled slowly, tortuously up the woman’s body. He stopped and paused at the pale white skin above the soft black, thigh high boots, then moved up to the red swatch of cloth, scarcely a skirt covering her…Was he sweating?

Aye, he was sweating. The last time he remembered breaking a sweat he’d been human.

He tried to stand to greet the woman heading straight for them, but his thighs bumped the table hard enough to jostle it.

“Oh, please don’t get up.” She waved aside his effort.

Dylan dropped back onto the bench and with a sweep of his hand offered her a seat without uttering a word.

“Special Agent.” Max extended his hand and she took it.

“Call me Caitlin…please.”

Other than her sedate response, Dylan didn’t notice any sparks flying between the two when they touched. Not the way they had when he’d touched her. He sighed and tried to relax, but it wasn’t easy after she took the seat beside him. What if he touched her and it happened again?
What if it didn’t?

“So what brings you to this fine establishment?” Max asked.

“Someone highly recommended it.”

Dylan squirmed as his erection pressed against his jeans.
Oh, damn.
Now his damn cock was flying at full staff without any provocation other than her appearance, and he hadn’t even said hello.

“Mr. Macgregor, I hope it’s not too late to take you up on that offer…for a drink.” Caitlin arched one brow, and he couldn’t ignore the way her eyes twinkled at him. Her unspoken insinuation was in the pause.

Touché.
He deserved to be teased for the way he’d baited her at the crime scene. “
Never too late, for what I have in mind,”
he thought.

“Call me Dylan.” He was so arouse
d his voice had turned to tires on gravel.

“Dylan loves this place.” Max jumped in to do the talking, thank the gods, because Dylan couldn’t stop staring long enough to sort through his vocabulary.

Apparently, she’d gone home, finished that workout, showered, and changed. Wow, had she changed. As attractive as he found her before, who knew she’d been concealing all this equipment beneath the FBI t-shirt. Caitlin might be a conservative agent on duty, but she masked the sizzling siren beneath the surface well.

Dylan blinked and forced his eyes higher—past the pebbled nipples poking at the thin material of her black lace shirt, up over the
pulse point beating like a hummingbird’s wings, and over her plump pink lips. Every nerve ending in his body was in tune with hers.

Dylan couldn’t help thinking Max was looking at her too, and it bothered him. He clenched his jaw to keep his mouth closed. He didn’t want to appear to be obviously sizing her up like a wildcat stalking his prey. Well, even if he was, it wasn’t as if he’d attack her or anything. He just didn’t want to be obvious. His mind rambled. Hell, he was so damned attracted to this woman he could hardly keep his thoughts straight or his lust at bay.

Before he could stop them, his fangs began to descend. It was the scent of the woman beside him. Something was happening between them, and he was terrified over what it was. His reaction, including the unfounded jealousy, confirmed his greatest fear.

Caitlin Donovan was his life mate, the other half of his soul, and damn…she was mortal. What more could fate heap on him?

“I’m glad you decided to join us.” Max sounded sincere.

“And so am I,” Dylan managed to say, after forcing his fangs back, and meant it. “What can I get you?” He raised a hand and the bartender sent a runner to the table.

Caitlin glanced at the bottle and the label before she said, “I’ll have whatever you’re drinking.”

Good lass.
“A glass and some ice for the lady, please.” He signaled the bartender.

When the glass arrived, Max poured with a steady hand, but Dylan felt the restless nature growing within the other man. Max wanted to get back to
Sang Froid
to check on the demoness and her sister. Probably not a great idea—not yet—not after his initial reaction to the little demoness.

“I’ll leave you two to talk business.” Max stood to leave and left a stack of bills for his part of the
check. “It was nice seeing you again, Caitlin.”

Dylan took Max’s hand before he could touch her, picked up the money, and handed it back to him. “Tonight was on me. I forgot to tell you Dr. Salazar called. He’s sending some research samples overnight and needs your input as quickly as possible. I know you planned to go back to the estate, but I think it might be wise for you to stay
here in town tonight.”

Max frowned, the idea that Victor Salazar, the man who
researched the Jaguar virus with him, would call Dylan about anything was preposterous.

Max’s confusion showed,
and cleared the exact moment when he realized why Dylan wanted him to stay away from the estate.

“
Ah, yeah, right. Victor mentioned he might have something for me soon. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, tomorrow.”

Caitlin brought the drink to her lips sipping, and Dylan wished he could move the glass and taste her. “What made you change your mind?” He sent the images he’d sent before, testing her resolve.

“There’s something about you, about us. I don’t know what it is, but I don’t want to grow old and look back on this night and regret being too cautious to take a leap of faith.” She took another sip then met his eyes. “You should know I don’t do one night stands, Dylan.”

“Caitlin, lass, a one night stand with the likes of you would be impossible. I want to peel away your layers and explore every bit of you, experience every nuance of pleasure with you, and drown in your essence. Then begin all over again.”

“So Macgregor, the bar, the Scotch, the lingering burr, the ‘lass’ and the charm—should I assume you are originally from Scotland?”

He sat back and let out an unexpected belly laugh. “Have you not done your homework, Agent Donovan?” he teased. “You discovered where I would be tonight, no?”

“No on both counts, Macgregor. The kind Cajun detective suggested I get my drink here when I asked about a safe place for a woman alone.”

Dylan chuckled. “He is a good friend, then. But you are not entirely safe with me, and you knew that before you walked in here with your lovely hips swaying, begging for my attention. I want you and I will have you. If not this night, then soon.”

“I’m counting on it.”

Oh, the lass was a saucy wench beneath her intellect and conservative façade. Only a lucky bastard found a lusty life mate, and a beautiful one, at that. By the gods, Dylan thought he was already falling in love with her. How much more could his heart endure?

“Where are you staying? I’ll walk you back and see you safely to your door.” He stood and took her arm, reached in his pocket
, and threw some very large bills on the table. They would cover the check and then some.

“And, will there be more?” She tapped her finger to her temple, as she leaned against him.

“Ah, the images. A bit, perhaps. I want to savor the anticipation of the moments leading up to our ultimate pleasure. I won’t be able to take this slow, darlin’, but I will not be rushed, either.”

Caitlin blushed. “S-some of those images…I’ve never…” She stared up into his eyes no doubt for reassurance.

“Do no’ worry.” He lifted her chin between his thumb and forefinger, and kissed her lightly. “As you can see, I’m a patient man.” He kissed her again with much more fervor, and his heart swelled as he felt her lips lift into a smile against his.

“Liar,” she whispered into his mouth and pressed her breasts against his chest.

He pulled her hips to his and let her feel just how big a liar he was.

“Mmm. Impressive liar, too.”

“Lassie, do no’ tempt me further. We are in a public eating establishment.”

Caitlin dropped from her toes and turned. Pulling him by the hand, she dragged him to the door
and outside with laughter in her eyes. “Not for long, Macgregor.”

~~~~

Caitlin let herself into her room after he’d kissed her breathless. Not any amount of seduction on the way to the B & B could convince him to step across the threshold, as if he wanted a formal invitation.

“I do.”
There he was again inside her thoughts.

“Coward! Why didn’t you say so when you were here?”

Ignoring her question he asked,
“Are you taking off your boots?”

“Ah, yes. How did you know?”

“Good guess. Leave them on. Now what?”

“I just unzipped my skirt.”
She heard him groan in her head. This was kind of fun.

“Yes. Let it fall to your ankles and step out of it. What color panties are you wearing?”

She did as he suggested.
“I’m not wearing any—”

“Liar. I would have known if you were bare beneath that skirt.”

“Oh, do tell….you have x-ray vision, right? What are you doing?”

“You know.”

“Are you holding yourself—rubbing—”

“
Ach. I’m still not home. Take off the top. You aren’t wearing a bra. I enjoyed the way your nipples peaked through the material teasing Max and me. Now, pinch your nipples.”

“Oh, my God. Why didn’t you warn me?”

He laughed.
“And ruin the view?”

“Does this qualify as telephone sex even if we don’t use a phone? I thought both parties participated. I’m not getting to have any fun with you.”

“Hey, I’m driving. You want to kill me?”

“Hmm? Why is it I think of you as invincible?”

“Sorry, I have a call. Have to go.”

“Hump
h, did he just hang up on me?” Caitlin picked up her clothes and walked to the bathroom, turned around a couple of times in the mirror, and thought,
Damn, I do look hot wearing nothing but the boots.

Dylan’s moan came through loud and clear.
“You’re killing me here!”