Damned and Desired (6 page)

Coyote staggered away and for a moment the leopard thought he’d won the fight.

But then a moment later, Coyote came limping back, lunged for him, jumped onto his back and clamped his jaws around the leopard’s neck.

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The snarling predators rolled on the ground, kicking up dirt, grass and small stones. Claws and teeth tore at each other. Branches snapped as they rolled over bushes and dropped down an embankment. The leopard landed on his back with Coyote on top of him. Air rushed out of his lungs from the terrific impact. Coyote now had him pinned. Gasping for air, the leopard struggled to maneuver out from under the claws and teeth. For such a small creature, he never believed the skinwalker would have enough mass to knock down a leopard.

As the leopard tried to get back up, Coyote hovered over him, staring down at him.

Adrenaline pumping, bloody and beaten, he stared defiantly back into malevolent, triumphant eyes uncertain of what would befall him in the next moment. Never underestimate your enemy. That was his first mistake—overconfidence. The leopard was tempted to shift back into his human form just so he could shout, “Fuck you, asshole!” But defeat was unthinkable especially when he was in leopard form, especially while he was still breathing. He took in a breath, tensed his muscles with all his might to get the goddamn creature off him. But in that breath he forgot everything and a veil of darkness engulfed him.

* * * * *

Sakari ignored Haley’s disapproving look. The other bartender narrowed her eyes at Austin, then at Sakari and pressed her lips tight. The sooner she got this over with, the better. Sakari led Austin down the basement stairs. Her stomach fluttered more from worry than anticipation of what was going to happen. If she kept Zorian’s warning in mind, she’d be safe. He said to draw only from the inner lifeforce level one and not to go deeper or she would penetrate the core or soul level. This was the dangerous area of harvesting, the part she feared most. A person’s vital essences or soul energy resided here and if she tapped into the deep inner level, she could destroy that person. And Dante wondered why she preferred being a slave. Who wants the responsibility of holding a mortal’s fragile soul in her hands?

If she screwed up like with the hiker, she could end up with a dead cowboy in the wine cellar. The basement was cool and had an earthy, musty smell. Dust covered most of the wine bottles resting in the rows of floor-to-ceiling racks filling most of the room.

At the bottom, Austin studied the room and ran his hands over the gray stone foundation. “The temperature must be about ten degrees cooler down here. How old is this place?”

“About eighty years, I think.” She put the empty crate on the floor, and selected a couple of bottles from one of the wine racks, then stacked them in the crate.

He walked over to a double refrigerator with see-through doors and picked up a few chilled wines. “Wow, some collection.”

“You know wines?”

Austin picked up another bottle and examined the label. “A little. My parents’

obsession.”

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She nodded. “The restaurant is known for their eighty varieties of beer but we have quite a selection of wines. My boss’s obsession.”

“Next time I come, I’ll order wine.” Austin put the wine back then stuffed his hands in his pockets.

Sakari walked over to the large rectangular table in the center of the room that held two more wooden crates, and moved them to the floor.

Mixed with the smell of alcohol and musty basement was the scent of Austin. Her heightened senses detected leather, horses, hay and his arousal. She could hear his breath quicken.

She selected several more bottles and filled those crates. “You want me to carry these upstairs?” he asked with a hushed tone.

“Not yet.” She closed the door at the bottom of the stairs.

Turning back around, she pushed Austin up against the stainless steel table. His eyes widened, then his mouth quirked in an approving grin.

Spreading her legs, she planted them on either side of his thighs, then reached up and took off his hat, placing it on the table. Without a word, she uncrossed his arms, slid her hands up under his shirt, exploring the taut muscle beneath for a moment.

He licked his lips and she smiled as if she was getting turned on. Of course, she wasn’t. Her insides were jumpy because she feared a repeat mistake. And she was in need of an offering but she wasn’t turned on. He was averagely handsome, too young for her taste, but not unappealing.

He fondled her breasts, vigorously working his palms and fingers. “Hmmm, that feels good,” she said, making sounds to urge him on as if her body was responding to his touch. He was a bit rough like someone inexperienced or overexcited would be.

“Nice,” he said.

Her mind filled with images of the man in the desert touching her. Her nipples tightened. Eyes closed, she smoothed her hands over Austin’s chest. Beneath her touch, she felt his heated skin, his pulse pounding and the surge of chi.
Don’t draw beyond the
first level.

“I guess we’ll take care of the wine later,” he teased, moving his hands up to brush back her hair, his fingers lingering at the nape of her neck.

“Yes,” she breathed. She hadn’t realized how much she liked a man to play with her hair, especially at just that spot. “I want you.” But her thoughts were for the mysterious man in the desert.

“Good.” He smiled.

The fingers of both hands combed through her hair and her knees were losing the strength to hold her up. Her eyes closed slightly, accepting the attention.

“You take guys down here a lot?”

She opened her eyes and the cowboy was in her arms, not the man in the desert.

She needed to finish her task and get this over with. “No. First time.”

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“Really?” He tilted his head as if he wasn’t quite sure he believed her, then ran a finger down her cheek, along her jawline and touched her mouth. “Why me?”

Sakari leaned into him. There was nothing in her training that would help her with questions like this.
Because men like you make the best prey?
Then how quickly would he escape?

Instead she said, “I have a thing for young, handsome cowboys.”

He smiled at that. Torn between dragging out the seduction for a better offering or finishing it so she could leave, she made a decision and felt for his cock over his jeans, teasing the hardened length. She was determined to do this right. “But we don’t have much time. I have to get back to work.”

“No need to apologize,” he breathed against her neck. “I like spontaneous women.”

She nearly laughed out loud. Spontaneous? This planned, manipulated and calculated seduction? “Good.”

He nuzzled and licked her neck. Her mind drifted to the sensations building in her pussy.

The offering had begun.
She tilted her head to give his mouth access.

His mouth came down on hers and she felt the flow of lifeforce entering her. The kiss deepened and the rush of chi filled her, fearing it was too much too soon. She broke the kiss, sucked in a small breath and waited. But the flow of chi stopped, in fact, a small surge returned to her Kithra.

Her pussy ground against the hardened bulge of his cock.

“Yes,” he said as he cupped her ass and pulled her closer.

She drifted into his thoughts where the details of his sexual cravings became known to her. “You like it a little rough?”

He gave a short laugh. “What makes you say that?” His chi flowed freely again.

“A hunch.” She needed to understand the rituals better, especially his desires.

Images of some of his past encounters flooded her mind—sex out in the wilderness with tall pine trees all around, his lover bracing her hands around the rough tree trunk while he gripped onto her shirt and pulled. Fabric tore. He reached around and grabbed her breasts. Yanking down the woman’s jeans, he thrust into her from behind. He then turned her around and slammed her against the tree and drove into her again. The vision looked like an assault but the woman spread her legs willingly and threaded her fingers in his hair. By the sensual look in Austin’s eyes and the twitch his cock just made against Sakari’s mound, it appeared she read his thoughts correctly.

He shrugged. “Could be.” He smiled in a teasing way.

“When it comes to rough sex, either you like it or you don’t,” she said.

Austin leaned forward and pressed his mouth to hers. The kiss was so sudden, hard and unexpected. Sakari flinched, then stifled a groan as intense sensations of flowing chi rippled through her. She took a breath and broke the kiss and he gave her a smoldering look.

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“What do you want?” He grabbed her breasts harder than she expected and she pulled away from him. Instantly, the lifeforce she’d gained slipped away. She had to maintain a pace.

Keeping her eyes on him, she played it cool. The more time she took, the more chi she could acquire. Not too much time though, or Haley would come looking for her.

“Isn’t it obvious?” she said.

His mouth twitched in a slight smile. Her gaze was now riveted on his hands that were tugging on her tee shirt.

“Tell me anyway.”

He slid his hands under her shirt and without hesitation reached around her back to undo her bra. Finally, this Kithra would not get away. Sakari would have an acceptable offering for Gwyllain and Tarik. “I want a lot of things.”

“Tell me.” His voice was deep and husky and she knew he wanted to be fucked and badly. She could smell his arousal, hear his thoughts of desire.

“I want to feel your mouth on me,” she said in a whisper.

“Where?”

“Everywhere. A deep kiss, my neck, my breasts, along my back, my pussy…”

“Yes.” He yanked her shirt off, tossing both the shirt and bra to the far end of the table. Cool air hit her heated skin and her nipples hardened. He took in her exposed breasts. “God, you’re beautiful.” His hands moved up from her stomach and grasped them, squeezing and then pinching the nipples into erect points.

She unbuttoned his shirt and sent an image of his cock thrusting inside her channel.

The more she worked him up… “I want to suck you but I want you to beg for it.”

He groaned low in his throat. “Cool. Do you want me to fuck you too? I have protection with me.”

“Yes, I want that.” Protection didn’t matter for Sakari but she knew it was a practice of Earth mortals. “And protection is good.”

Easing his legs between hers caused her skirt to hike up her thighs and he slid the skirt even higher. She realized this collection of lifeforce was easier if she thought about the mysterious man in the desert. What was it about him that turned her on? A rush of wetness pooled between her legs. His hand went under her skirt and pressed at the juncture. “Damn, you’re wet.” In a swift movement, his hand dug inside her panties and worked a finger inside her wet channel, pressing upward as far as he could.

She allowed the sensations roll through her body without getting carried away.

Remain in control.
With shaking hands, she undid his pants and slipped her hand inside, grasping his hard cock. He responded immediately, growing harder in her hand and sucking in a breath. She could get used to this. If she played it right and didn’t kill him.

Is this how it will always be with Kithra? Am I doomed to always have dispassionate
loveless sex?

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Damned and Desired

Her body felt the surge from this prey but she felt empty and cold inside. Sakari attempted to remember Zorian’s lessons and suggestions. This wasn’t right. The flow of chi was transferring too fast.

Her body stiffened. Had she reached his core essence?

Her hands moved over his body as she found herself losing control of the collection, her body pulled more and more from him. It wasn’t physical pleasure but more like the floodgates had opened and she couldn’t close them.

“Yes, I’m going to fuck you hard.” His hand rubbed against her moistened slit and he finger-fucked her deep. Her hips moved to his rhythm and sensations coiled within her groin, dangerous sensations, ones she couldn’t allow. She had to get the desert man out of her mind. Thoughts of him were turning her on. She was in control and could stop in time. She wouldn’t make a mistake like last time.

“Yes,” she breathed. “More.”

“You want that?”

“Yes.”

He moved his hand in the most amazing way. While she demanding more of him, she tugged on his pants and pulled them down over his hips, exposing his cock for her attentions. By the fierceness in her movements, he would understand her need.

Although he would mistake it only for sexual desire, not the duty of a demon harvesting chi.

“Ah, yeah,” he said into her neck. “You want it bad. Don’t you?” She felt his tongue licking her, teeth biting her and her knees quivering.

“Yes,” she breathed.
Except not what you think
. His coil of pleasure began to intensify and rise. This was where Valdon had said to be careful. The rush of chi from her prey was entering her. At the time of his orgasm she needed to stop immediately or she would reach his inner core level. She knew his desire was mounting. Prolong the pleasure and the collection of chi would be greater, Valdon had said. Sweet torture.

“And I’m going to make you come,” Austin said.

No!
She moaned too close to the verge of an orgasm. Her body stiffened and she pushed him away. That would surely kill him.

“Something wrong?” He looked at her, worried.

“Don’t want to come yet.” She smiled. “Fuck me now.”

He didn’t take the time to remove his pants, just dug into his pocket for a condom and slipped it on, then lifted her ass up on the table, hooking her legs over his shoulders. Her cowboy boots were still on and her skirt was up around her waist. He rammed hard into her cunt. His groans matched hers, along with their breathing.

Bracing her hands on his shoulders, she let him plunge his cock inside her and, at the same time, pump his lifeforce energy in her.