Kiss of Darkness (21 page)

She gasped as he moved deeper, grabbed his shoulders and dug her fingernails into his flesh as he withdrew and plunged back in. Deep. So deep she thought he might touch her heart.

“Maybe.”

Never. It wasn’t possible, was it? Her heart belonged to another, in the past.

No, Winter, it’s mine. You just haven’t figured it out yet.

She couldn’t argue with him when he was moving so deeply, so commandingly inside her, stroking her higher and higher. Winding her tighter and tighter. He quickly had her riding the edge of orgasm and with one squeeze of his fingers on her clit, pushed her over.

She wasn’t sure if she came with her whole body or if it spread through her whole body, and she didn’t care. She just wanted it to never end. He gave her her wish. Still moving inside her, but slowing his strokes, he rolled to his side bringing her along so they faced each other. He kept one hand on her lower back holding her in place for his thrusts as he dipped his head to her breasts.

He dropped soft kisses around the plumpness, avoiding her nipple as he switched to the other breast. She thought she’d go mad with anticipation and exploded with a second orgasm when he took one nipple between his teeth, humming
mmm
as he did. His thrusts grew stronger, roughened.

Look at me.

She looked up, knowing he wanted to hold her gaze as he came, wanted her to see the intensity he felt. What she saw made her catch her breath. The depth of his need, his desire was staggering, but there was also possession and tenderness and something so raw and earthy she couldn’t name it. Didn’t dare try. It was too much and her mind shied away from it, from the sudden fear she couldn’t escape him. Ever.

No. There’s no escape.

She didn’t argue, didn’t worry over his picking up the stray thought because she was coming again and she knew he was right along for the ride when she flew apart.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Marcus lay back against the pillows and tried to ignore the fact that Winter was only a wall away and naked under a stream of water. She needed a little bit of space. Not much because if he allowed her, she’d run with it. He grinned. Life would never be boring again. He could live without the demon fighting, not that he expected to be able to get her to retire from the Order for a long time to come. It was too much a part of her, the identity she’d forged for herself after her husband’s murder.

Crossing his arms under his head, he stared at the ceiling and pondered his next move. What was she ready for? How far could he push her? The dream might be a good sign. It was possible sometimes to speak to the dead in the twilight realm of dreams, but since she wasn’t a dream walker she shouldn’t be able to call them to her. If that was the case, then the dream came from her subconscious nudging her to step into a new future, a future not tied to a dead man’s memory. Which meant she was more ready than she thought to move forward. He just had to convince the conscious part of her brain.

The water turned off and he imagined her in the spacious bathroom drying off, wiping stray drops of water from her body. He’d be happy to do that for her. With his tongue. Standing, his cock rock-hard again, he went to the door and rested his palm against it a moment as he took a steadying breath before pushing it open.

She stood in front of the counter with a large towel wrapped around her torso. With another she patted her hair dry, the heavy mass hanging long and loose to her waist. He stepped up behind her and leaned over, nuzzling her neck and taking in her scent. God, he loved the fresh woman smell of her. That maddening, elusive scent that was just for him. She poked an elbow against his stomach. Not hard enough to hurt but enough to get his attention. He lifted his head and met her gaze in the mirror.

“No time for playing. I have work to do.”

He groaned. Why did he get stuck with such a stubborn mate, one who couldn’t even find a few stolen moments to play? She narrowed her eyes.

“You definitely aren’t stuck with me. Feel free to leave any time you like.”

He snorted as he stepped into the shower, turned the water on and adjusted the spray higher. Like leaving was an option?

You’re my mate. You can’t walk away from that.

So you say. I’m not buying. I’m still half human, remember?

He didn’t respond. He’d convince her eventually. When she moved into the other room and dressed, he hurried to finish the shower afraid she’d try to sneak out again. He was relieved when she only went downstairs to the kitchen. He was right behind her and damned glad she’d insisted on working when he walked in.

One of the new hybrid guests had cooked breakfast. He struggled to remember her name as she handed him a plate of bacon and eggs. He smiled.

“Thanks, Kara.”

They ate in silence and Luke, his expression surly, wandered in as they finished. None of the others were in sight, but Marcus sensed everyone in the house except Dupree.

Problems?
he asked his brother privately.

Nothing I can’t handle.

Which meant it had to do with the woman more than likely. What were the odds they’d both found mates among the hybrids where no one had ever thought to look before? It might explain their dwindling numbers over the past few centuries, the seclusion they’d forced on themselves, and a situation they’d kept as quiet as possible. How many mates had been lost because they hadn’t thought to look outside their own species? The lupines weren’t suffering the same fate; they’d always found some of their mates among the humans and hybrids. Once the current situation was resolved he’d have to look more closely at the problem and possible solutions.

Gia came in as Winter was rinsing her plate in the sink and Luke shifted in his chair, the movement so slight it was hardly noticeable but Marcus felt the shift of watchfulness, alertness in his brother.

The woman had a phone tucked under her ear and was writing on a clipboard. Still listening to whoever was on the other end of the phone, she handed the board to Winter who read it quickly before handing it back. Unclipping her phone from her belt, she stepped out of the room.

He followed her into the hall and watched as she scrolled through the address book, finally finding the number she wanted. After a deep breath that lifted her breasts in a way that made his mouth water, she pressed the connect button and lifted the phone to her ear.

He found an out-of-the-way place to lean against the wall while she paced and wondered what the hell was going on now.

“Hey. It’s Winter.”

She made a face at the long response, but remained quiet. He stood too far away to hear the other side of the conversation. He could have taken it from her mind but wanted her to share the information on her own.

“It’s under control…No, that won’t be necessary…Um, that’s under control too…Yes, sir…Of course…I’ll keep you posted.”

She closed the phone with a loud angry pop at the same time Gia exited the kitchen, Luke right on her heels.

“He’s pissed.”

“You think?” Winter answered sarcastically then shoved a hand through her hair. “Sorry. Not your fault.”

The air shimmered near the door as someone teleported in. He went on alert until he realized who it was, but didn’t entirely relax then either.

Gia shrugged. “It is. I didn’t think to tell Timothy not to forward the report to the council.”

“Why would you?” Dupree asked with an arched eyebrow as he approached. “Since when do we leave them out of the loop?”

“Since things got weird,” Winter muttered. Marcus almost laughed. When had they not been strange?

Dupree stopped, crossing his arms over his chest. “That’s not exactly unusual.” His gaze was sharp as he continued to watch her. “What else happened?”

Winter looked at Gia who removed a page from her clipboard and handed it to the male hybrid. Marcus watched understanding flash over the man’s face, but refused to ask the question. Winter had to learn to trust him, to be forthcoming with him.

“So it is Ben,” Dupree said.

Winter shrugged one shoulder and kept her expression neutral but he felt her confusion and sorrow. And her determination. He fisted his hands. Damn it, it was killing him not asking. Luke saved him the trouble.

“What’s going on?”

Dupree handed the piece of paper to him and his brother perused it quickly while Dupree spoke. “Janet, Ben’s mate, was apparently dead before the attack. For several days.”

Meaning there had been time for Ben to lose control, to give in to the demon who shared his soul. Winter wrapped her arms around her waist and paced around the foyer. He wanted to go to her, to gather her in his arms and comfort her, but knew she would rebuff the move, knew she didn’t want to appear weak in front of the others. He knew she was questioning her own strength even though she’d discovered how to keep her thoughts private. He’d been in her head enough to know how she worked. She finally stopped moving, but when she looked around the room her gaze only included Gia and Dupree.

“We have to find him.”

There was a long deep silence.

“I’ll find him,” Dupree said.

“You aren’t surprised,” Winter answered, tilting her head to one side as if waiting for an answer to a question.

“No.” He shook his head. “All the scenes smelled…off. You would have realized it if you weren’t so distracted.” He jerked a nod toward Marcus but she ignored the implication. He added softly, “I know you don’t want to accept it. To believe it. I don’t either, but it could happen to any of us.”

“It just doesn’t make any sense,” she whispered.

“How did she die?” he asked Dupree, whose face grew harsh, cold and brutal.

“Something ripped her throat out.”

He was shocked not so much at the cause of death but the delivery. “That was the killing blow?”

Dupree ground his back teeth together before answering. “There were other signs of injury on her. Demon claws.”

No chance of it being an out-of-control lupine then and that wasn’t how nightwalkers killed. Mitchell was no doubt grateful for that. He certainly was. The room was quiet, everyone deep in thought. Winter had withdrawn to a place in her mind he couldn’t follow. When she spoke he had the overwhelming urge to grab her up and run, hide her and contain her somewhere in the world she’d never escape and never be in danger.

“We can find him.” She spoke to Dupree. “Gia will stay here.”

Dupree shook his head. “No point in both of us going.”

She huffed. “Bullshit. Both of us or no one. This is
not
a suicide run, Dupree.”

They exchanged a long look Marcus couldn’t even begin to unravel and finally the hybrid nodded. “Okay,” he said.

“Good.” She took a deep breath and turned to him. “I’m hunting with Dupree tonight. We can move fast and efficiently together. You can reach me if I send a location, right? If you stay connected to me?”

There was no way he was letting her go alone. “I could. But I’m going with you.”

“Me too,” Gia said.

“No,” Winter answered her friend. “I need you here. I need to know what’s in those histories, what we’re facing. Even if Ben’s gone rogue, this new incursion started long before that. His turning just escalated something that was already happening.”

Gia opened her mouth to argue but Winter interrupted her. “No. You’re better at this stuff than the rest of us.” She cast an apologetic glance at the hybrid historian. “Sorry, Nadia.”

She shrugged. “It’s true. Gia’s been at it longer.”

“There ya go,” Winter said then turned to Dupree. “How long until nightfall?”

“About twenty minutes.”

“Okay. What’s your plan?”

Dupree studied her as if trying to decide how serious she was, if he could talk her out of it. Marcus was joined to her. He could have advised the man to not waste his breath, but he held his counsel, hoping maybe her friends could convince her to stay in safety when he couldn’t. No such luck.

“They won’t go back to the safe houses.”

“No,” she agreed.

“But maybe they’ll keep a watch on Ben’s place.”

“Maybe.”

“If they do and we show up, if you show up, they’ll come in.”

“Maybe. But how many do they have? And even if we call in everyone we can are we leaving ourselves open somewhere else?”

Dupree shook his head. “I don’t think this is that complicated. Not yet.”

“Maybe.” She stood facing Dupree, hands on her hips, and Marcus sensed him accepting Winter’s lead, backing down. “We need intel more than anything right now.”

“I have the patrol reports from last night, and the quad ran patrols all day today, too,” Gia said, frowning. “Those just include ours and neutral territory. I wonder if Mitchell will give us access to his stuff?”

He straightened. He didn’t want the lupine alpha anywhere near Winter. He’d backed off, but he still wanted her, still felt like he had a prior claim on her friendship if nothing else. He stared down at her, struggling with his own nature. Her pale blond hair hung loose, framing her face and giving it a softer look but it couldn’t disguise the determination in her eyes.

Winter couldn’t say why she shifted closer to Marcus, why she didn’t resist the instinct to assure him Mitchell wasn’t a threat. He should be a threat, damn it. Her hand rested against Marcus’s thigh, rigidly muscled, tense.

“Task force, remember? We’re all supposed to be sharing information.”

She watched his internal struggle flash across his face, watched him fight his dominant instincts, and was pleased when logic seemed to win.

“Call him,” he said.

She smiled then felt a blush spread up her neck at the sudden flash of memory, of him moving in her, loving her slowly and completely. He arched an eyebrow, crowded closer to her, and she groaned mentally.

Later, baby. I promise.

She couldn’t even blame him for putting the image in her mind or the way her body revved up at his proximity. That was all the product of her memory, her imagination. God, she had to get a grip on her libido. With any luck and a lot of skill, she’d be able to indulge it later.