Dark Caress (The Fallen) (4 page)

It was then that Amber knew she
could fall in love with him. That thought brought her up short. She didn’t want to fall in love with anyone. Not even one of the Fallen. His body was extraordinary
.
Beneath his black silk shirt, his muscles flexed wide shoulders. Her palms tingled when she remembered the feel of them beneath her palms. Amber tracked his gaze to the frightened angels across the room, chained by their wrists, and held by other angels. Blood dripped down their faces. The angel in charge stood between the shackled angels and Kane.

His pale ivory wings were folded back like
the most delicate and complicated form of origami she’d ever seen. Each angel’s wings had their own signature fold that made them unique. She’d never seen an angel before. There were rumors of sightings over the years but nothing more than whispers among the Fallen. Could it all be true? Were the warrior vampires Fallen angels? All the evidence was before her eyes. Was this their Shunning?

“What did they do?” Kane asked.

Kane’s voice sent a flutter over Amber’s skin. A forbidden taste of something she wasn’t allowed to consume. She shouldn’t be there. It was so wrong, but she couldn’t turn away. Not now.

“You always inquire
, Kane. You have this desire to know the why. I ask you this. Does it matter?” The angel’s voice echoed across the room.

“To me it does.”

“Then ask them. They will tell you their failings if they so choose.”

The angel
s’ chests were stripped of the tunics they wore. Shadows covered half of their backs, but the other side exposed taut, flexed muscles. Their breathing shot in and out of their lungs in rapid gulping breaths. They were terrified. Pain shot through Amber’s heart. It was clear they were being punished for a wrong they had committed. Their fear worked hard on her emotional pathway. Amber knew she had to go. Playing eye tag with Kane’s body was enough to have her blinded permanently. She tried to force her feet to walk away, but she couldn’t.

The angel methodically circled the angels on the floor. When he stood behind, he silently pulled a golden dagger. They pleaded in a language Amber didn’t understand, their words a wash of distorted anguish.
Tears rushed to Amber’s eyes as she imagined Kane as an angel being stripped of his wings.

Poised to strike, the golden dagger began to glow with white light. Kane’s face was hard. He crossed his arms but didn’t move to help them. His hands were tied on the matter.
The angel on the right cried out. His turquoise blue wings were pulled wide, yanking apart the beautiful origami fold. The dagger shot forward, the blade piercing the skin where the wings connected.

“No!” Amber screamed.

The wings were taken off in one slice, flung to the ground where they burst into flames. The angels whipped around. The wings on the angel with the knife flared out. Kane’s head shot up. Cold fear chilled his unnatural eyes. She started to count the seconds that ticked by as their eyes warred, one … two … three …
four
.  He slid his gaze away first but only to communicate something telepathically to the angel.

A trickle of blood seeped from the wound on the angel’s shoulder. The angel retracted his blade. Blood dripped down the silver edge of the blade, and then it dropped to the floor.

Leave, Elemental. Now.

Kane’s words were gentle within her mind. Amber wouldn’t look away from the angel with the blade. White light poured from the bleeding wound. Amber wanted to go to the angel
to protect him from the brutality of the situation. That was her problem, wanting things she couldn’t have.

Leave! This is not your concern!

Blood dripped down the angel’s back. He fell forward to the ground. The angel tipped the blade to the other angel.

Her body began to shake. Kane was willing her away. She fought the control he had over her limbs to stay. She heard his words roar through her head. He pleaded with her rational side
, the one he knew she was guided by.

Go
, Amber, before I remove you myself! You are in danger here. I will not have your death before my eyes.

She fought the urge to run. She had no choice. She had to run
, but she couldn’t look away. Knowing the truth was more important that the ramifications of finding out.

The angel moved the blade over the second angel’s back. The wings came off faster the second time. Buttercup yellow wings, dusted with bronze, were flung to the stone. Flames erupted, turning them into ash.

The angel finished by wiping the blade on a cloth handed to him. A small bowl was presented to him. He lifted a handful of powder and stood over the angels. He blew the dust over their backs, and they cried out in pain.

Pins and needles shot through her tingling muscles. She couldn’t fight
Kane’s command to leave any longer. She turned and ran. Not looking back.

She
sprinted up the stairs. Amber slipped and fell hard on her knees. She stifled the groan that threatened to rush out. She whipped around the railing, slamming open the door to the hallway. She went straight to the ladies’ lounge and locked herself inside. The restroom was empty.

The noise from the arena was comforting, safe.

Amber went to the sink and started the water. She rinsed the blood from her fingers. She couldn’t remember cutting her fingers but was sure she had when she landed on the stairs.

Amber pulled paper from the towel dispenser, ignoring
the way conscience played a guilty tune in her head. She had wanted to protect those angels, but knew she couldn’t.

They wouldn’t follow. She’d known that the moment she burst through to the upper level. Safety was
living within the human world. Humans were the only thing that she knew of that stood between the last few Elementals and the Fallen race.

Blood dripped down from the cuts on her knees. Amber sponged off her legs.

She closed her eyes. Saw blood oozing from the backs of those Fallen angels. Saw them crumple forward in pain when that dust was blown like shards of glass into their skin. Bone-deep pain seared their skin. She’d felt every inch of that pain. Their screams would haunt her sleep tonight.

Amber swayed forward
and caught herself on the sink. She’d never heard of Elementals seeing angel business and living to tell about it. Amber was tempted to go back downstairs, but she knew that angels didn’t play games. There was a reason why she was meant to see an angel bestow punishment. Fate was playing her a wild card, one that she’d rather throw back to the dealer. She would not become a slave to Fate or a Fallen.

Amber looked at her reflection in the mirror. Bright golden Elemental eyes stared back. She was an Elemental by blood, born of fire and water. Right now, she felt flawed and very close to human.
She wondered what it would be like to have complete immortality, too. As an Elemental she knew she could live a really long time. Her grandmother had lived until she was almost a hundred and thirty.

The bright lights of the restroom winked out. Amber whirled around. Security lights didn’t flick on. This was purposeful. Cold chills licked
their way up her body. Someone materialized. She struck out. A hand locked around her wrist, just hard enough to keep her from making contact. Strong legs locked her legs; a long-thick torso came in close, and a mouth touched the top of her ear. She was pinned by the edge of the sink.

“We have a problem.”

Kane
. Her heart fluttered in relief. Her breathing stilled, but her heart raced. The darkness kept her from seeing him clearly. “What are we going to do?”

“I don’t know. You made a few enemies tonight.”

There was gentle concern in his voice. Amber was taken aback by the softness of the emotion. He truly feared for her safety. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

She could feel him pull back to stand face to face. The back of his fingers caressed her cheek. “I know you didn’t. Don’t worry. I’ll protect you from them.”

“How?”

“I told them that we are lovers. That you are mine.”

“Why would you do that?”

“It’s the only way to protect you.”

A shiver of lust rocketed down to her pussy. She wanted to be his. She needed to be his. His lips danced across her, comforting, searching, tasting. Their kisses were tentative and uncertain. Her body melted against his.

“Kane.”

“I’ve got you. You’re safe.”

She did feel safe within this vampire’s arms. Kane’s fingers threaded through her hair as he tilted her head. His lips kissed over the pulse in her neck. She shivered at the possibility of him tasting her Elemental blood. She lifted her arms, pressing closer to his body. Kane groaned and lifted her off her feet. He crossed the tile to the couch in the adjoining lounge. He eased her down onto the leather, kissing her as he did.

She didn’t want to think about the consequences of getting down and dirty with Kane.

Kane’s hands were wild on her body, touching and stroking. It was as though they were both desperate for the feel of skin on skin. He lifted the hem of her dress up over her pussy. His big hands slid up the back of her thighs, spreading her wide. Amber’s pussy simmered with heat as Kane kissed over the thin piece of silk that separated them.

“Kane.”

“I need to taste you.”

Her heart beat wildly. He kissed his way up the left side of her hip, breaking the strip of fabric with his fang. He did the same with the other side. He rolled down the silk and muttered his approval as her wet pussy was exposed to him. She knew what he was seeing. She was religious about grooming her hair short. Kane licked his way over her pussy lips, tasting her wetness.

Amber moaned his name as her hands reached for his head. He flicked his tongue up over her clitoris. A spasm shot through her clit. He licked her pussy, fucking her with his hot tongue. The long, thick edges of his fangs pressed against her pussy lips
, and it turned her on. His hands moved over her ass, holding her in place with a tight squeeze as he sexed her with his tongue. Her pussy came hard against his mouth and tongue. He lapped up her wetness, drinking every drop of her down.

She was coming down fro
m the ride as he eased her dress down over her hips.
“My scent is on you. It is safe to leave now. I will take you to the car.”

Amber’s legs were shaky as he helped her to stand and adjust her dress. Her panties were a casualty of their encounter. Kane picked them up and slipped them into his pocket.
They went through the hallway and outside into the sultry air. Kane opened the car door for her, and she slid into the backseat. Kane followed her inside, pulling her in close with his arm protectively around her shoulders.

They
were driven across town, passing the old historic buildings of Charleston. Many of the homes had elaborate private gardens that Amber loved. She didn’t want to question what had just happened between them, but she knew he had only sexed her pussy to keep her safe. The truth was he probably didn’t want her at all. Amber felt her face flame with embarrassment. How could she be so stupid and foolish as to think the leader of the Fallen would want her?

Kane tilted up her chin, brushing her lips softly with the pad of his thumb. “I do want and need you, Amber.”

He kissed her passionately, drawing the kiss out as long as he possibly could. Amber felt the car come to a quiet stop as they pulled up in front of her apartment building. She loved the white pillars and the curved balconies of the historic building. Kane opened the car door and offered his hand. He kissed the back of her hand.

“I will see you soon.”

Amber felt dazed as she walked inside her apartment. She went to the window, slipping her fingers between the curtains. She saw Kane’s black Audi pull away. It was then that she accepted that her life would never ever be the same.

Amber let her hand fall away from the curtain. Her loft overlooked downtown Charleston. She was surrounded by quiet human neighbors who kept to themselves. Everyone had a day job and didn’t want to be bothered in the evening. All they knew was that they had a cop, who worked long, odd hours, for a neighbor. She felt safe here. She was happy being so close to the water.

Amber slipped off her
sandals, unzipped her dress, and stepped over it as it billowed to the floor. Her bra went next. She smiled when she thought about her panties being in Kane’s pocket. In the bathroom, Amber studied her bruises. They really weren’t too bad. She took the bandage off her arm to see that it had completely healed. She showered, not wanting to think about Kane, but her mind didn’t get the message.

The leader of the Fallen had branded himself like a drug on her body. She saw his sharp, chiseled profile backlit by the candles in the arena. She saw him between her legs. Kane could be dangerous to a woman caught unaware. She knew very well how dangerous the Fallen were to an Elemental.
The Fallen had always fascinated Amber. Probably because her grandmother had talked of them so often when she was growing up. Their ability to dematerialize at will intrigued her.