Dawn of a Dark Knight (20 page)

She pulled her hand from his. “Unpredictable shit happens. I’m sure you vowed the same for each of them.”

“No, I don’t do eternal soul vows. That was a first. But it is our duty to protect the
akhrian
. The previous guys were each offed when they did something out of character that took them out of our protection.”

“Not everyone wants to be a part of this freaky, secret world you’ve got going on here. I’m not really keen on a repeat of that daemon exorcism anytime soon. Nor do I relish another confrontation with those men who tried to kill Eric at the hospital. Nor do I ever want to experience—” Her body chilled as her mind swamped her with the memory of Terek laughing as his evil energy boiled down her back seconds before he murdered her mother.

“No one else could have dealt with the daemon possessing me short of immediate execution. I’m sorry the experience frightened you, but your success only proves you’re meant for this. Only the
akhrian
could’ve done what you did.”

“Thanks for the offer, but I’m not interested.”

“Believe me when I say I’d love nothing better than to say you’re not it and that you have a choice, but this isn’t up for negotiation. You’ve got the mark and the ability. The gods have chosen you.”

“I don’t believe in your gods. They’ll have to find someone else.”

“They’re real. I can’t force you into anything, but we need your help.”

“I’ve already got a job, even if I may need to relocate after the Eric incident.”

“They’ll find you again, especially now that they know about you.”

Her plan was simple: leave this estate and hide. Planting roots—not a part of that plan, especially not right smack in the middle of the magi’s world. First she had to get out of this room. “How about if I sleep on it and we chat more later?”

He frowned. A rhythmic tick started in his right cheek as if he were grinding his molars. “If that’s what you need, then okay. But we’re not done with this.”

As he rose, bold sensuality momentarily transformed the strong features of his face when his eyes drifted over her chest.

The perfection of his nose struck her—straight, symmetrical, and simply flawless from any angle.
Stop it,
she ordered herself.

The residual predatory glow in his gaze when it trapped hers made her catch her breath. Moments later, dark spots appeared in her peripheral vision
. She f
orced herself to slowly release the air trapped in her lungs.
You’re leaving, remember?

Ashor unlocked the door. “Follow me.” He led down the hall.

Her eyes drifted down his tall form. His black jeans highlighted powerful thighs and artfully draped his butt in a way that tempted her to touch. She cursed herself for noticing.

He halted in the doorway of a Victorian bedroom. For a few brief seconds, a wary expression transformed his features and then his face smoothed into the epitome of calm.

A peek into the room showed an over-the-top crystal chandelier. Her mind jumped to a fantasy replay when she’d gazed at a similar crystal piece while stretched out on a long dining table. Ashor had torn off his ascot and a puffy shirt that would make any movie pirate proud. Her body, already simmering, boiled when her mind conjured the memory of his naked torso.

That was a dream. Fantasy!

Blood raced lust through her body. She tried to suppress the little voice in her head urging she tear off his shirt just to prove his seeming stoicism was a farce. The need to ensure he wouldn’t entertain any thoughts of the blonde woman became a priority.

Chapter Eighteen

That look meant trouble.

Ashor went on instant alert when Kira glided close. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could deny the arousal burning him alive. The beat of his heart pulsated between his legs.

“Stay with me,” she suggested while placing her small alabaster hand over his stomach. Her fingers curled around the shirt’s buttons to touch his bare skin just above the waist of his jeans.

Every nerve ending in his body went electric. He slammed his lids closed to block out the raw invitation shining in those wide, multi-colored eyes.

“Bad idea, Kira.”

“Why?”

A need far beyond sanity consumed his mind. The
kem-seki
surged. It was all about self-indulgence and taking.
She’s the
akhrian
. Off limits.
Duty first.

If he gave in to the desire, the gods would punish her as well as him. He couldn’t live with himself if the gods did anything to her because of his lack of self-control.

He was strong, or at least he tried to make himself believe he was. He could resist her.

His eyes popped open when she leaned close.

She huskily intoned, “I’m tired of dreaming about touching you.”

Fuck.

The
kem-seki
screamed in reply,
Yeah, throw her on the bed.
He mentally yelled back,
No, I meant she’s trouble
. Great. Now he was conversing with the crazy darkness in his brain.

His gaze dropped to the nipples puckered against her clingy sweater. His mind conjured an image of those perfect little pink tips begging for attention. He measured the arch of her back as it thrust her chest toward him. He imagined pistoning deep until she screamed her release.

You’re going to lose this battle if you don’t hightail it,
he told himself
.

“Please,” she whispered, tucking a stray ebony strand behind her ear. She stood on her tiptoes and pulled his willing head to hers with her free hand.

Don’t do this,
he ordered himself, but didn’t pull away.

As her soft lips lightly touched his, energy arced between them. His need escalated to a painful level. Then she pulled back.

That kiss had been little more than a juvenile peck. Not at all satisfying.

The dangerous
kem-seki
demanded. It pushed.

She backpedaled a few feet. Her eyes went wide.

He lifted, turned, and then slammed her against the wall just inside the bedroom door. He kicked the door closed. The heat of her core burned his thigh where he pinned her.

“You want to know fire, sweetheart?” He slid his hand down her pants over the flare of her hip and flicked a thumb across the area of her clit. He laughed, delighting at her moan when she arched toward his touch.

His opposite hand spanned her throat. “Let me show you what a kiss between us is supposed to be like.”

He angled her head to take his kiss. It wasn’t gentle. It was hunger and elemental lust. As his tongue swept into her mouth, electricity exploded between them. She pulled his hair hard and nipped at his lower lip.

She ground herself against his thigh and moaned a guttural, desperate sound. His hand unbuttoned her pants and slid down the zipper. He nipped a path down her neck, while his fingers stroked against the moist folds of her core. Blazing hot moisture coated his fingers.

“Come for me.”

He stroked once. Twice. On the third pass, her eyes widened and her body tightened. She detonated with a scream. A flash of golden light blasted into Ashor’s mind when she connected. Something dark and possessive flared within him. He groaned and allowed her to ride his erection as he thrust against her. No more than thin cloth layers separated them. Each of her spasms sent pure lust surging through him. He ground against her and struggled against the mindless need to slide into her welcoming heat.

Hanging his head, he panted. “We’re not doing this. We shouldn’t have. I mean, this is against the rules.”

“Whose rules?”

“The gods.”

“I don’t believe in your gods. So, no rules. Forget rules.” She caught his mouth again with hers.

Visions of rutting like a bull swam in his mind as he carried her to the bed. The naked, confused need in her eyes was almost too much to bear. He knew what she wanted. His balls were turning blue with desperation to fulfill that need.

In a gravelly voice he forced out, “The gods are very much real. I vowed to serve them for eternity.” He practically ran from the room.

His hands shook. They never trembled. He clenched his hands into fists and leaned against the hallway wall. Primal need demanded he return to her. To give her what she needed. To touch that silken skin, wrap his hands in that black hair and then slide into her. To piston deep and hard until they both found oblivion. The darkness in his mind pushed hard to just do it.

No. Don’t do it.
He should be granted sainthood for this.

His every nerve ending screamed for action. He’d thought to just have a small taste and prove to her this wasn’t a good idea. Big mistake. Never had he met a woman who stole his mind like this one. She was madness and heaven wrapped in one compact, completely forbidden package.

He wouldn’t do this. Not to her. Not to the magi. They needed their healer. He would walk away. The question was, could he?

Intuitively, he knew Kira was the key to eliminate the
kem-seki
or at least tame it. He was shadowy and unstable—on the edge. Having balanced at this precipice of Turning for so long, he knew the reason he hadn’t. She lay panting in need on that bed. A need only he could assuage. But she was forbidden.

Desire and duty fought within him. Duty won. He pushed away from the wall and away from her.

****

That was not how she’d imagined things going. Her ending included him in this bed for a long night. Actually, day, given the sunlight from the window. Kira stared at the cracks snaking along the plaster ceiling while each breath echoed loudly in her ears.

Barely a touch and she’d exploded. Then he just walked away.
What the hell?

He deserved a slap. No, that was too girly. Far better to plant a fist-to-nose punch and throat jab.

What was up with his signals? On again, off again. Explosive touch one minute and then back to the off-limits game the next. Screw his gods, if they forbid them this.

Her best option was to get as far away from him as possible. First, she needed to check in with Kane. She fingered her earrings. He’d be tracking her by now. And no doubt confused by her southern deviation.

Locating a phone in this house might prove a challenge. No phone in the bedroom, and she couldn’t recall seeing any landlines in her brief foray through the house. Not a surprise. Landlines were easy to tap.

A careful aura assessment confirmed she’d been left alone. Everyone was on the lower floors. She tiptoed downstairs, cringing when a middle step emitted a noisy squeak. At the bottom, a non-magi fifties-ish man strolled down the hallway, carrying a bottle of vodka and two shot glasses. She dove for the floor-length curtains of the window next to the front door.

Calm. Calm. Calm. Yoga breaths.
In one nostril and out the other. In and out.

The guy continued onward, unaware of her presence. Good.

She glanced at the front door. Exit or phone? Phone. Kane could be nearby.

She pushed into a room, which turned out to be the kitchen. And into a face-to-face with Marla.
Shit.
How could she forget to aura scan? Of all people, this bitch she would’ve liked to avoid.

“Is there a phone I might use?”

“Sure, I’ve got a cell you can borrow.” Marla’s cat-got-the-cream smile gave her chills. She handed over a cell.

“Thanks.” She stepped to the opposite end of the kitchen and dialed Kane’s number. She watched Marla from her peripheral. Something about the woman was off. A dark shadow hovered over her aura. Was it just jealousy over Ashor?

A masculine voice answered in a clipped voice, “Who’s this?”

“Kira.”

“Where the hell are you? You okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

“I’m about thirty minutes from your location. Thank God you put on that transponder. Explain to me how you got from New York to Florida that fast.”

“Airplane. Where’s Markus?”

“He’s not with you?”

“No. The guy who abducted us indicated he might have killed Markus.”

“He got you abducted? I’m going to beat the crap out of him when I get my hands on him. The little turd is too wily to get himself killed. Did they hurt you?”

“I’m okay.” She smiled at Kane’s protective tone, but the twang in his voice indicated he was a hair trigger away from losing it. Not good for a trained Ranger.

She rushed to say, “I got some help. I’ll explain later. They’re good guys here. So, don’t come in with guns blazing. I’ll meet you outside the wall.” She paused to evaluate the stone wall surrounding the estate through the window. “Meet me at the west wall.”

“See you in thirty-five.” The line clicked off.

As she turned, Marla aimed a travel-sized spray bottle in her direction like it was pepper spray. With eyes closed, Marla depressed the pump. Aerosolized solution burned her eyes and dribbled into her mouth.

Poison.

But not just any poison. She recognized the nasty stuff’s distinctive taste.
Walmwilde.
She’d been about five or six when her father thought to instruct her on the stuff during one of his rare weekend visits. She had seconds to make some choices.

****

“I’m going to teach you a special lesson today, Kira,” her father said with his nasal French accent. He smiled while she skipped around their picnic cloth.

“What are we going to learn, Daddy?”

“I’m going to teach you about
walmwilde
.”

“What’s that? Sounds like a fancy toad. Like the one the princess kissed and turned into a prince.” She giggled.

“Come, let me show you.” He pulled a clear vial filled with cloudy liquid from the basket that held their food. She ran over and plunked down on the cloth next to him. He opened the vial and thrust it under her nose. “Smell.”

“Eww. Stinky.”

“This is a popular potion used by Hashishins. Stop fidgeting and pay attention. It will make you fall asleep. When you wake up, you will have visions of scary things until it wears off. You can beat the visions and use the evil power. First, you must recognize the poison before it overwhelms you. When you realize you’ve been poisoned, concentrate on something positive. Something good. When you wake up focus on the good thing. Then, you can control the scary visions and use the power to show you about your attacker. I’ll teach you.”