Nature of the Beasts (17 page)

Sarah’s eyes narrowed adorably. “Maybe I’ll feel like slapping your ass the next time you’re asleep.”

Dmitry’s grin widened. “Promises, promises.”

Dmitry began to lower himself to kiss Sarah, but Dastan stopped him. “Hey, as much as this whole scene turns me on, we need to get to work, and to do that, we need Sarah to lift the spell.”

Sarah covered her face with her hands and groaned. “I forgot about the spell.”

“It’s okay, baby,” Dmitry said as he kissed the tip of her nose. “Just lift it.”

“You have to let me up.”

With a sigh, Dmitry pushed off her and stood. Sarah stood as well and walked to the foot of the bed. Dastan admired her toned body, her smooth, tanned skin, and her long blonde hair. It curled this morning, and Dastan could feel himself getting hard as he thought about wrapping those curls around his hand and tugging her head back as he fucked her.

She lifted a hand to each corner, whispered a few commands, then turned to them with sleepy eyes. “It’s down.”

“I’ll be with the hands. The contractor as well as the insurance company is due here today with his crew, so it’s doubtful Razeen would try anything with this many people around,” Dmitry said as he walked to the door. “But keep an eye on things just in case.”

Dastan nodded and waved him off. The whole time, his gaze never left Sarah. She looked so tired and at the same time so damn sexy he could hardly keep himself still.

“Be careful, Dmitry,” Sarah said.

“I will.”

Dmitry leaned over and kissed her cheek. Sarah turned her head and caught his lips with hers. Dastan watched as Dmitry deepened the kiss, slipping his tongue into her mouth and his arms around her waist. Sarah lifted her arms to surround his neck as her body molded against Dmitry’s.

They looked good together, and Dastan’s cock hardened even more as he continued to watch them. Voyeurism was hot, especially when it was Sarah.

Dmitry broke the kiss, then brushed his lips over her forehead. “I need to get out of here before I can’t.”

Sarah nodded as he placed another quick kiss on her lips, then quickly turned to leave. Sarah wobbled slightly but righted herself without too much trouble.

“Why don’t you come back to bed?” Dastan whispered.

She brushed her hair back from her face and pursed her lips briefly. “It’s tempting, especially after that kiss and you lying there like that.”

His lips twitched as he rolled to his back and put his hands behind his head. “Like what?”

“Like that,” she said with a wave of her hand. “The sheet just barely covering that monstrosity you call a penis. Those abs… I swear you flex them on purpose just to make me look at them.”

Dastan snorted but couldn’t stop the grin that tugged at his lips. “I’m not flexing them. I promise. They just look that way.”

Sarah rolled her eyes.

“Keep it up, crabby, and I’ll punish you,” he murmured.

That got her attention. She turned to stare at him in surprise; then her eyes narrowed. “Punish me how?”

“The idea intrigues you, doesn’t it?” he purred.

Her gaze raked down his chest, his stomach, then lower over the bulge he rested one hand on. He was tempted to shove the sheet down and let her see what she did to him and how much he wanted her.

“Punishment does not intrigue me.”

“But spanking does,” he countered.

Her cheeks flushed red as she turned away and walked to the window. She opened the curtains and blinds, allowing the morning sun to flood the room with light. “Sarah?” Dastan asked. “Are you okay?”

She noticeably swallowed but didn’t turn to look at him. “Yes.” After a brief pause, she added, “No.” She glanced at him over her shoulder. “Spanking does intrigue me. It turns me on, actually.”

One side of Dastan’s lips lifted. “I know.”

“Seeing you lying there like that… That turns me on too.”

He rubbed his palm over the hard ridge of his cock. “Looking at you naked doesn’t exactly leave me unaffected either.”

“When either of you kisses me, I become this sex-crazed…” She bit her lower lip as though in indecision. “Someone’s coming over this morning.”

“At some point,” Dastan said in agreement. “But not right now.”

Dastan threw the sheet off and then climbed from the bed. He couldn’t stand it anymore. He had to touch her. She started to turn and face him, but he twirled his finger, indicating she should face the window. She turned, then glanced at him in curiosity over her shoulder.

Dastan wrapped his arms around her waist. As slowly as his hunger would allow, he slid his hands up her stomach to the underside of her breasts. Her head fell back against his shoulder, and Dastan placed a kiss along the column of her throat. Using his palms, he pushed her breasts upward and pinched her nipples between his thumbs and forefingers.

Sarah moaned and arched her back. Her breasts filled his hands. Her heart beat against his chest. He loved how she responded to him, how she moaned at his touch. He shifted his hips and pressed his cock into the warm space between the cheeks of her ass. She rotated her hips slightly, rubbing herself against him. It felt so good. Tingles of pleasure raced from his balls to his groin.

He slid his hands lower over her stomach till he reached the apex of her thighs. He could feel her heat and smell her arousal as he very slowly moved his hands to cup her mound. With the tips of his fingers, he spread her labia. Juices coated her sex, and he used the ball of his middle finger to spread those juices around her clit.

Sarah sighed at his touch, her body wiggling wildly against his. She made him crazy. She made him want her so badly he could hardly breathe.

“Dastan” she whispered as she lifted her head from his shoulder. Suddenly her body stiffened, and she raised her hands to the windowpane in alarm. “Dastan!”

His sexual fog didn’t last long as his gaze focused on the figure standing on the rise that overlooked the house.

“What the hell is he doing?” Sarah whispered as she remained frozen.

Dastan studied the figure closely before finally realizing it wasn’t Razeen. It was the sheriff.

“Son of a bitch,” Dastan growled as he stepped away from Sarah and quickly covered both of them with clothes. “Step away from the window, Sarah.”

Sarah moved aside, but then peeked out the window one more time. “That’s the sheriff, isn’t it?”

“Yeah,” he said and headed for the door.

“Where are you going?” Sarah asked.

“I’m going to go see if I can find out what the hell he’s doing. You stay here.”

SARAH WATCHED HIM go with a frown. Her sexual euphoria was forgotten and in its place was a feeling of dread. Seeing that figure on the rise had startled the hell out of her. She backed away from the window and wrapped her arms around her chest. It did nothing to ward off the chill of unease that enveloped her like a fog.

From a few feet’s distance, she watched the figure out the window. Something didn’t seem right. The sheriff’s image appeared to waver as though it was engulfed in heat. It faded, then disappeared. Sarah gasped. She knew that humans under attack by a succubus could project their image to someone they thought might be able to help them, whether consciously or unconsciously.

During the attack, his mind must’ve shifted to Dastan, therefore projecting his image to the last place he’d seen him.

But who would be attacking him?

Razeen.

Sarah rushed to the window and opened it. She leaned out, hoping to see Dastan and get his attention. She spotted him on the rise, staring at the spot where they’d seen the sheriff. He must’ve used magic to get there so fast. He was too far for her to yell, so she concentrated and used magic to put herself just behind Dastan.

* * * *

Mike struggled against the man holding him down. He’d been out all night, exploring the ranch, looking for any more signs of the wolves or anything else that might answer the questions running through his mind.

He’d come across a man lying on the ground next to the river. He’d jumped from his horse to check on him, and the next thing he knew, he was on the ground, fighting for what felt like his soul.

As he stared up at his attacker, Mike noticed the eyes. Eyes just like that damn wolf that had tried to attack him. Or was it the one who’d protected him? Hell, he didn’t know. Even to his own mind, none of it made sense.

The man lowered his mouth as though to kiss him, and Mike struggled even harder to shove the man off. He couldn’t. It was as though he weighed a ton.

“Get off me,” Mike snarled.

The man’s lips parted, and Mike felt a tugging deep in his chest. What was going on? What was happening? His mind for some reason shifted to Dastan, and he’d swear for a split second he could see the ranch house below him from the rise. His heart raced wildly as he fought the tug that snaked its way through his veins. Fatigue weakened him, and his arms shook as he tried to hold the man back.

Mike turned his head, but his attacker cupped his face and turned him back. Looking into the man’s eyes, Mike swore he saw evil. Death stared down at him, and Mike’s heart sank. Was this it? Was this how he would die?

He refused to let this happen. Using all the strength he had left, he shoved. It did nothing. Letting go of the man’s arm, he reached for the gun that had fallen just a few feet away. His attacker was preoccupied and didn’t notice his movement. He was able to get the barrel of the gun pointed at the man’s midsection.

Gray eyes widened as realization dawned. “I said get off me.”

He pulled the trigger, cringing as the gun kicked hard due to his awkward and weak hold. Blood splattered over his face and torso as his attacker’s body flew backward, a gaping hole in his stomach. The man groaned and rolled to his side.

Mike struggled to catch his breath as he kept his gaze locked on the man lying just a few feet away. He felt shattered, as though a piece of him was gone, never to return.

* * * *

Sarah projected herself to the hillside just behind Dustan. He must’ve heard her for he spun around quickly, an angry look in his gray eyes. Sarah jumped slightly and took a step back.

“What the hell are you doing?” Dastan asked. “I told you to stay at the house!”

Sarah bristled and lifted her chin. “I think I know what’s going on.”

Some of Dastan’s anger faded as he crossed his arms over his chest. “Go on.”

“Have you ever heard of a succubus?”

Dastan’s brow creased. “Yeah. But they’re rare. Something like only five or so per one hundred years.”

Sarah nodded and moved closer to Dastan. “I was watching the sheriff, and his image wavered like something behind a wall of heat.”

“What does one have to do with the other?”

“What we saw wasn’t real, and we know he’s not a witch.”

Dastan drew in a deep breath and lowered his hands to his waist. “Where are you going with this?”

“We know Razeen likes to kill. If you kill a succubus, you take their power. I’ve also heard of humans being able to project their image to someone who they think might be able to help them, even unconsciously. It has something to do with the transfer of their life force to the succubus. It’s a residual image.”

“Okay,” Dastan said, clearly not convinced.

Sarah sighed and glanced toward the sky. “I think at some point Razeen killed a succubus, which means he would have that ability to steal a life force, and he’s right now attacking the sheriff. If Razeen was hurt badly enough, he would need a life force in order to heal quickly. If the sheriff is still out there, he may have run across Razeen, and Razeen attacked him.”

Dastan was silent for a few seconds before speaking again. “That’s a stretch, Sarah.”

“Not if you think about it. Why else would we have seen him like that? What other reason would cause his image show up here?”

“What the hell made you think of that?”

“When Keegan’s teachers taught her about the succubus race, I studied with her. At the time, I found them fascinating. I still do. This kind of thing can and has happened. When I saw him disappear, it was the only thing that made sense.”

“If you’re right, how do I find him?” Dastan asked.

Sarah shook her head as disappointment tightened her chest. “I don’t know.”

Dastan began to pace. “Okay, let’s think about this. We have nothing of the sheriff’s, so we can’t tap into him magically and see where he is.”

“Are we sure we don’t?” Sarah asked. “I haven’t washed the cup he used yesterday when he drank the coffee. Would that work?”

She and Dastan stared at each other as her excitement mounted, then faded as quickly as it had begun.

“That wouldn’t work,” she murmured sadly. “What are the odds that you think he can fight him off?”

“The sheriff?” Dastan asked, then sighed. “Mike’s a tough guy from what I’ve seen, but mortals don’t usually stand a chance against magic. If Razeen’s a succubus like you think, that’s a problem. As long as there’s human life he can get his hands on, he can regenerate.”

A gunshot sounded in the distance, and they both looked in surprise to the horizon.

“Was that a gunshot?” Sarah asked.

“There’s how we find him,” Dastan said. He turned back to Sarah. “Go get Dmitry and tell him what’s going on. He’ll stay with you while I go look for where that shot came from.”

Mike sat up slowly, keeping his gaze on the man a few feet away. The injured man rolled to his back and yelled loudly toward the morning sky as though in anger. He had to also be in pain. A shot in the gut at that close of a range… Hell, he should be dead by now.

Mike searched blindly for his walkie he usually kept hooked to his belt. When he didn’t find it, he growled under his breath and began to search the ground. He finally spotted it by a bush. With one more glance toward the wounded man, he crawled to grab it. He didn’t have any choice. He didn’t seem to have the strength to stand.

“This is Mike. Anybody there?” he called into the walkie.

“Yeah, here,” Lucy said in her usual cheery voice. “What’s up?”

“I need a medical evacuation out on the old Keller ranch. Tell the doc we’ll need the helicopter. I’ll light a smoke flare so that he can find me.”