Eternal Sacrifice (Mortal Enchantment Book 4) (25 page)

Annabelle bit her bottom lip, stomach filled with anxiety. Somehow she had sensed Kaden standing outside her window, watching her. She liked to pretend it was their connection, but really, it was because he always came by to greet her during his morning workout. There was nothing between them other than friendship. That wasn’t her choice. She had been sending him smoke signals for almost a year, but he never showed any interest. Half of her hoped he might change his mind. The other rational half was screaming for her to snap out of it.

What did the book say again? Right! Look happy to see him, but don’t appear too eager. Okay, okay, it’s no big deal. Just look up and wave.

Her eyebrows furrowed.

His baby-blues had stared in her direction, but his mind appeared to be somewhere else. If only he was thinking of her. She’d knocked on the glass. He startled, and then smirked.

Don’t get nervous, just play it cool!
A wide grin stretched across her face as she waved at him with her oven-mitted hand.

A few strands of black hair had fallen over his eyes. He quickly tucked them back into place while inadvertently displaying one of his perfectly cut biceps. Her heart pounded in her chest like a drum. The man owned so many of those tight sleeveless muscle shirts. He must have had stock in Under Armour. Today’s color was hunter green.

Moisture dotted her palms. She glanced down to wipe them on her apron and cringed—stained with flour, naturally. Here she had an Adonis in front of her and she had her brown hair pony-tailed and zero make-up on. No wonder he’d never shown any interest. She should’ve woken up earlier and made an effort. It’s not like she didn’t know he was coming.

But what she saw in him was much deeper than his good looks. He was beyond generous, taking time out of his schedule to help her around the bakery, and on several occasions, even making her dinner when she was too exhausted to cook. It seemed like whenever she needed someone, he was there. And when he wasn’t helping her in some way, he was making her laugh with the silly texts he sent her or stories he would tell her about his brothers. Many times, they would talk for hours. They were so close, she considered him one of her best friends.

He had tapped on his watch and she rolled her eyes. He enjoyed pointing out when she was behind schedule. She made her way toward the back counter where she left her cell phone—one hour before opening. When she returned to the front of the store, Kaden was gone. Her stomach sunk in disappointment.

If Hilary could see her now, she’d probably offer to smack her on the back of her head. For the last two months, her friend had been pushing her to let go of her Kaden fantasy and get out into the dating world. She even offered up some accountant at her firm who she swore was really cute and fun. Maybe it was finally time to take her up on the offer.

The phone rang and she picked up the kitchen cordless. “Thank you for calling Yummy Bakery. How can I help you?”

No response, only heavy breathing.

“Hello?” she repeated, aggravation in her tone.

The breathing got louder.

It was the third prank call in a week. Seriously, the teenagers around this small town must be bored to tears if they’ve resorted to these antics. “Really? Am I supposed to be frightened by your breathing? Get a life, kid.”

Rolling her eyes, she hung the phone back on the receiver.

The oven timer buzzed, letting her know the fruit-mince cupcakes were ready to come out. Her eyes widened. The buttercream frosting wasn’t prepared. She pulled the cupcakes from the oven and placed them on the cooling rack. She quickly grabbed the milk carton that she had left by the sink and the butter by the cutting board. Perfect, both had reached room temperature. She found the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and vegetable shortening in the top cabinet above her head. With all the different measurements for the recipe locked in her mind, she began to pour the ingredients into a large bowl and stirred.

Once the icing was thick enough, she transferred the mix into a pastry bag and attached a decorating tip. She squeezed the bag, circling the buttercream frosting on top of each cupcake, all the while trying to think about anything other than Kaden Chance.

Winded, Kaden strolled up the concrete driveway and stood on the front porch of the two-story colonial he shared with his brothers. Located in a gated community less than five miles outside of town, the home provided the level of seclusion he preferred. It was important to blend in with the humans, but at a safe distance.

He wiped the perspiration from his brow with the edge of his shirt hem. His leg muscles had tightened after the eighth mile, but he never slowed. The exercise nourished his human body, reducing his longing for Annabelle to a manageable level. But lately, the workouts weren’t helping his growing desire. Even his nightly dreams were littered with visions of their entangled bodies; naked, writhing, moaning. He closed his eyes as he reimagined her cries of pleasure.

“Oh God, yes!” he heard, but it wasn’t Annabelle’s voice.

And, it wasn’t happening inside his head.

The mystery woman screamed again and he opened his eyes. The noise was coming from inside the house. Kaden cursed as he fiddled with his keys.

“Right there, don’t stop!” the female cried.

He barreled down the hallway, following the sounds of heavy panting into the kitchen. His fists clenched. On the counter, a woman sat naked with her back arched and her legs splayed. He leaned to the side and saw his brother, Cam, nestled in her core. Was this really happening? He couldn’t believe his brother had a naked human writhing around on their kitchen counter. Had he forgotten all the rules, which clearly stated their entertainment had to take place outside of this home? And if he was willing to do this in here, where else had they been? Sickened, he tried not to think about the bodily fluids that were likely all over the surfaces. He had planned to make a sandwich after his long run, but he no longer had an appetite. As soon as this female was gone, he would order his brother to bleach every inch of these countertops.

“Camden,” he said, covering his eyes. “We need to talk.”

“There’s no need for talking.” The human female responded. “Why don’t you join us instead?”

Totally disgusted by her suggestion, Kaden had no words as he continued to look in any direction other than theirs. He put his fist over his mouth and cleared his throat.

“Kaden,” Cam acknowledged bitterly. “What an unwelcome surprise.”

He knows the dangers. How can he behave so recklessly?
He turned to face his brother. “I assure you, this doesn’t register on the highlight reel for me either.”

Cam pulled his lover into a sitting position. “Why don’t you go take a shower upstairs? I’ll join you in a minute.”

Running her finger over Cam’s bottom lip, she said, “Don’t make me wait too long.” He held out his hand, helping her off the counter. Even though he had no interest in her, she tried to get his attention. Her body was impressive, but she was nothing compared to Annabelle.

Kaden turned his attention back to his brother. He had planned to wait until he heard the shower water start before he spoke, but Cam beat him to it. “She’s quite eccentric, that one,” he said casually. “During foreplay, she asks me to scold her and spank her over my knee. Hayden will be most intrigued.”

“You know the rules, Camden. We do not bring guests into our home.”

“Never mind your endless list of rules. I uncovered something amazing just now.” He rubbed his hands together and the tips of his fingers glowed white. “I surged her nucleus accumbens and successfully elevated her orgasm.” He wiggled his eyebrows as if he expected Kaden to be impressed by his discovery.

“Are you out of your mind?” Camden's ability to manipulate electronic pulses was meant to be used as a defense mechanism. “You don’t know what damage you could’ve done to her brain!”

Their powers were one of the few things they didn't share with their FBI handlers. If they found out, he feared they would see them as a threat. Or, they would try to use their abilities for their own purposes.

“Oh relax. Hayden taught me how to do it.” Cam said.

Well, of course he did.
Hayden, their middle brother, saw everything as a potential science experiment. Who knew what types of daily trials he was conducting at the secret government lab in Washington D.C.

“I’ll deal with Hayden later. But you, Cam, how can you be so stupid? What if she discovers us, then what?” Kaden put his hand up before Cam could respond. “No, I’ll answer. They’ll lock us up and experiment on us like lab rats. Is that what you want?”

“I want to live my life!” Cam slammed his fist into the counter, cracking a portion of the granite. He stared at the broken piece of slab and then relaxed his tone. “We’ve followed their rules, we’ve taken on these identities, and we’re blending in.”

Cam couldn’t understand the severity of the situation. He was young and never thought of the consequences of his actions. Since his first taste of female humans, he preferred to spend his waking moments in as many of them as were willing. And from what Kaden had witnessed, there were many eager participants.

“Don’t you see that this can all be taken away?” In exchange for their knowledge of science, medicine, technology, and the universe, the brothers were allowed to remain on Earth. To keep them hidden, the FBI put them in the witness protection program with new identities, a home, and a monthly allowance. “We have to follow their rules. If anyone discovered the truth, there would be mass panic and we don't know how the government would react.” He came to stand next to Cam, putting his hand on his shoulder. “Protecting this family is my number one priority.”

“You
are
protecting us, but at the same time, you need to let your guard down every once in a while and have some fun.” He peered over his shoulder at the empty staircase and grinned. “These human females are amazing. Their bodies are so sensitive to even the slightest touch. And when you enter them,” Cam visibly shivered. “It’s unlike any other sensation.”

Kaden had often wondered what sex would feel like in his human form. His fantasies starred Annabelle in all kinds of scenarios. “No thanks.”

“If you want Annabelle, tell her. It’s obvious that she’s into you. Her lust radiates off of her each time I see the two of you together.”

Kaden’s chest ached. One of the conditions of their intergalactic immunity forbade marital unions with humans, and since he would never be satisfied with a sex-only relationship with her, he had no choice in the matter. He must maintain only a friendship with Annabelle.

“Go on.” He motioned for Cam to go upstairs. “Enjoy yourself, but keep a close eye on her while she’s in this house.”

Cam shook his head and quickly started up the steps. “You don’t know what you’re missing, Bro.”

That was the problem for Kaden. He knew exactly what he was missing and his lust for it grew more dangerous with each passing day.

Under His Skin
is available now wherever books are sold.

There have been so many people who have helped me throughout my journey. The first in a long line are my parents, Russell and Brenda Howell. I really cannot say enough about them. They’ve always supported and encouraged me to follow my dreams. None of this is possible without them. I want to send out a special thank you to my husband, Christopher. Every book I’ve written has come with some kind of drama. You have kept my life going during the process. Thank you for dealing with me and all my crazy. You’re full of awesome! Big hugs and kisses to my daughter, Madison. You’ll never know how much I love you. Having you has been the greatest joy of my life. A big thank you to Melissa Hollingsworth for all your editing magic. You worked on a very tight schedule and still managed to deliver. Thank you so much! Jen Halligan, my publicist and rock star, has to be mentioned. You take so much pressure off my shoulders. I can’t say thank you enough. Najla Qamber certainly deserves a big hug for the beautiful book covers she’s created. You blow my mind every time. Amy Eye is another person who deserves a nod. She does all the formatting work on my ebooks and prints. My novels would look a mess without you! I can’t go without mentioning my family and friends who have been pimping this series. You know who you are. I want you to know I really appreciate your support. Thank you to all the bloggers who have read and reviewed my books. Whether you liked them or not, you picked my books out of thousands and I thank you! You’ve been a huge part of my success and I cannot tell you how much that means to me. I heart you so much! Last, but not least, I want to thank you—the reader. Your reviews, tweets, and emails continue to touch my heart and sometimes even bring me to tears. Thank you for choosing my series. These books have been a labor of love and I truly appreciate your support. Big, awkward virtual hug coming your way. ;-)