New Species 12 Darkness (5 page)

“How do you know that?”

“You have scars on you. Your upper arm, one near your calf. They are noticeable. It is telling. Pregnancy would have marred you as well and left signs. Your lower belly and upper thighs are flawless. No signs of stretch marks.”

“Not all women get them.” She admired his skills of observation. It was kind of hot.

“Not all but most have at least a few.”

“I don’t have kids,” she confirmed.

His focus returned to her face. “You don’t wear makeup. It also explains your plain undergarments. No lace on them and your bra isn’t a padded one to give your breasts a larger appearance. You don’t want to draw attention to yourself from men. Why is that?”

“Maybe I just didn’t have time to do my face this morning. As for my bra, pushups are uncomfortable as hell.”

He regarded her, expressionless, and she would have loved to know what he was thinking.

Darkness hoped fear provided the last push he needed to get the female to break. Everything he’d told her was true. He did admire her. An image flashed of what would happen if he struck her or broke bones. She’d scream. He’d feel like the monster the humans had tried to create. He couldn’t hit her.

She had beautiful, expressive eyes. He hoped he could read her correctly and that the males who’d attacked the gates weren’t with her. It would anger him if she were evil. He’d already fallen for one female who had betrayed him. He could use that anger on Kat but one glance at her frail build stopped him cold. There was no honor in harming Kat. She was helpless and, damn it, he really liked her.

Frustration came next. It was his job to get answers and find out who she really was. He just couldn’t do it effectively. He considered his options. Someone else would have to take his place. He didn’t even want to be in the building, knowing what would go down in that interrogation room. A wave of compassion and protectiveness washed over him. Queasiness pitted in his stomach, thinking about another male inflicting pain on her to make her talk.

He stared into her eyes again, torn between duty and the unexpected desire to just escort her to the gate. That would put an end to it all but that wasn’t possible. He decided to try one more shot at intimidation and fear.

“Look at me.” He removed his tank top.

“I am.” Kat studied Darkness.

“All of me.” He backed away from the table a few feet. “Tell me what you see.”

“You’re tall.” She took in his naked chest. “Very fit.” The tight, well-defined muscles displayed across his abs were perfection all the way down to the waistband of his sweats. She jerked her attention to his face.

“Never entice a predator into playing a game you can’t win,” he rasped. “The NSO isn’t to be fooled with. I don’t want to hurt you because I have an issue with hitting females but others won’t have that same problem. Tell me everything, the whole truth, or this is going to get extreme.”

“I don’t know what you mean.” She really didn’t.

He stepped closer and her heart pounded when he braced his hands on the table on each side of her breasts and leaned over. He pressed his nose against her throat, inhaling. She turned her head to give him access and to keep her face away from his scary teeth.

“I can smell your fear, yet you won’t break. Fine. I’m going to get someone else in here.” He reached up and untied the cord then straightened and gripped her arm, hauling her into a sitting position. “I strongly suggest you talk to whoever replaces me. I would hate for you to see the inside of Medical.” He let her go and glanced down her body. “Something so beautiful should never be bloodied and battered.”

He spun around and stalked toward the door. It sank in what was happening and Kat panicked. “Wait!”

He halted and slowly turned to face her. “You’re willing to tell me the truth?”

“I’ve already told you what I can. That’s about as honest as I can be.”

“That’s not good enough. Just sit there. Someone will be in shortly.”

“There’s got to be another option.”

“It’s beat it out of you or…” His dark gaze lowered to her breasts.

“Or what?”

“I could seduce it out of you.”

Kat was stunned for a few seconds, letting his words sink in. “Oh.”

“That’s against the rules.” He actually smiled.

It transformed his features and Kat just gawked at how handsome an amused Darkness was. She did her own once-over of his body. He had the best one she’d ever seen and the idea of getting up close and personal with him was oddly appealing. “You don’t look like someone who plays by the rules.”
That came out of my mouth.
She cleared her throat, slightly embarrassed at her slip. “I mean, that sounds better than taking a beating.”

His grin faded. “I’ll go get someone else.”

Kat bit her lower lip as he gripped the door handle, turned it and swung it open a few inches.

“You could try.”

He froze.

“I mean, it might work. The seduction thing.”

The door slammed and he spun, anger on his features. “Are you trying to bait me?”

“Maybe.” Her gaze traveled down his length again. “You know you’re seriously hot.”

He advanced a step, paused. His hands fisted at his sides. “This is a dangerous game, Kat.
If
that is your name.”

“I told you it is. Everyone really calls me that.” She licked her lips. Darkness was the type of man she’d always fantasized about. Big, sexy, and he probably didn’t follow the rules. She slid off the edge of the table, ignoring his command for her to stay in place. She might never get another chance to be with someone like him. “I’d rather have a battle of wills than be on the receiving end of a beat-down.”

He drew closer and growled softly. She advanced, meeting him halfway. Only inches separated them. It made her aware of how much taller he was, how much bigger. She wasn’t afraid though. He’d been willing to walk out of the room rather than hit her. It made him even more appealing. A lot of muscular men she’d met were bullies. Darkness had a sense of chivalry. That was a rare trait.

“This is a mistake.” He reached out, though, and gently encircled her hips with his warm hands. His head lowered and she tilted hers to give him access to her neck.

“Maybe.” She hoped he’d go for her throat again. She’d liked it before when he’d sniffed at her.

She smothered a moan when he brushed a teasing kiss under her ear. His lips were soft and his tongue hot as it swiped at her skin. A shiver ran down her spine when his fangs pressed against her throat. He didn’t bite but instead lightly used them to trail a path lower to the curve of her neck.

He used his tongue and teeth to explore her throat and shoulder. It was amazing and her body responded when his chest touched hers. He was feverishly hot but it felt incredibly good. She’d been cold but he warmed her. She resisted the urge to lift her cuffed hands up and loop them around his neck.

He nipped her with his fangs. Her entire body jerked at the sudden jolt of sensation. It didn’t hurt but it had been hard enough to shock her system. He growled. Her nipples ached where they touched him, the thin material of her bra doing nothing to lessen the vibrations that originated from his chest. His lips trailed upward to her earlobe and he stopped kissing her.

“Tell me who you really work for.”

She tried to clear her mind. He was good. She had almost forgotten she was still being interrogated via seduction. She was turned-on and he had the sexiest voice ever when he spoke in that gruff whisper.

“Bakersfield Police Department, crime lab.” She tensed, hoping it wouldn’t piss him off.

He chuckled, to her surprise. “I’m going to break you, sweetheart. It’s going to be a pleasure for both of us.”

She tried to turn to look at him but he dipped his head and started kissing her neck again. He caressed the curve of her hip and his thumb hooked beneath the band of her underwear. He pulled it down on one side and she was very aware of the material lowering, dangerously close to exposing her mound.

“No real foreplay first?” She longed to have him actually touch her there.

“I’m motivating you to tell the truth.”

His hand moved and the back of his fingers played with the skin he’d exposed. He nipped her again on the curve of her shoulder. She jerked against him and gasped. It seemed to encourage him to trail hot kisses up her neck while rubbing slow circles with his fingertips precariously close to her sex.

She clenched her teeth as a slow throbbing began in her clit and heat spread to her belly, causing it to ache too.
Ignore it. You’re making this too easy.
Her mind knew it but her body didn’t listen. In desperation, she decided to spread her palms on his chest. The handcuffs restricted her movement. He reached between them and gripped the chain, jerking them to the side so she couldn’t touch him.

“I should be able to touch you back.”

That made him lift his head and arch an eyebrow in question. “You’re the one who said I shouldn’t play by the rules. There is no ‘fair’ in this room, sweetheart.”

“That’s your plan? Only you can do the touching?”

His nostrils flared and his sexy smile curved into a smug grin. “Yes. I can smell how you respond to me.”

He’s full of shit.
It made her angry and she latched on to that feeling, hoping it would help her resist him. “Bullshit.”

“You’re getting wet.”

“It takes more than a few kisses to get me that hot.”

He chuckled. “That’s a bold lie.” His fingers stilled their stroking. “Should I prove it?”

He turned his hand and inched lower, keeping it between her underwear and skin until it was the only thing that covered her pussy. The feel of his palm was shocking but he wasn’t done. He traced the line of her slit and slid one fingertip between her pussy lips.

She tried to buck her hips away from him but he released the chain and hooked his arm around her waist, jerking her body against his. He slowly moved his fingertip enough to press against her clit. She moaned at the pleasure.

“Wet,” he confirmed. “Very wet.” His fingertip applied a little pressure to her clit and stroked.

Kat rested her forehead against his chest and closed her eyes. She battled her body, trying to block the pleasure that radiated through her system. She had never been trained to resist an attack on the most sensitive spot on her body.

“That’s so not fair.”

He leaned in and started to kiss her throat again. Her knees threatened to buckle but he kept her upright. She wanted to do a little tormenting too.

The finger rubbing her clit stilled and he ceased kissing her throat. “Who do you work for? Don’t lie, sweetheart.”

“Do you stop if I tell you?”

“Yes.”

“The crime lab.”

His hot breath fanned her skin. “At this pace, you’re going to beg me to make you come in about five minutes or less.” His voice deepened. “I’ll stop long enough for your passion to cool and we’ll start again. I can do this for hours until you’re drenched in sweat and hurting so bad to come that you’ll tell me anything I want to know just to make the agony stop. It will turn into that.”

“That’s mean.”

He lifted his face and their gazes held. His eyes were beautiful in a fierce way. His voice came out raspy. “Just tell me what I want to know. I’ll reward you.”

“By getting me off?”

“Yes.”

Kat was tempted to blurt out the truth. She couldn’t remember a time when she’d wanted a man more. Her day had been insane and it seemed fitting to be in that room with him, doing things they both would get in serious trouble for if their bosses found out. It was completely unprofessional to want to have sex with Darkness. It didn’t feel wrong though. It was one thing to break some moral codes but another altogether to completely screw over her agency.

“I wish I could. I guess you’re going to have to try harder.”

“This will be worse for me than you.”

“What does that mean?”

His gaze lowered to where their chests were smashed together. She glanced down and saw the way it created a lot of cleavage. She looked back into his dark eyes.

“It’s going to be a battle of wills that I don’t look forward to, sweetheart.”

She didn’t understand. He must have read the confusion in her eyes or expression.

“You’re going to beg me to fuck you and I’m going to want to, regardless of whether you keep your silence. I’ve avoided females for some time but you tempt me like no other. I’m depending on my resolve to never be led by my sexual desires ever again to keep my will strong. Otherwise…”

His voice trailed off and she wanted to know what he would have said. “Otherwise what?”

“You don’t want to see me snap. You’d end up with more than you could handle. You’d have two hundred forty-five pounds of raw male unleashed on your ass.” The color of his eyes seemed to darken before they narrowed. “I mean that. I’d carry you to that table, bend you over it and fuck you like you’ve never been fucked before. I’m not sure you could survive it. I’ve got years of pent-up sexual frustration and all of it would be pounding into you.”

He twisted his pelvis and pressed his erection against her hip. Even through the material he felt really hard and big. His words, the meaning behind them and the feel of his dick amped up the sexual tension. It also turned her on even more. No man had ever spoken to her that way. She bet he was one guy who wasn’t all talk and he could back it up.

“Little pretend-cats shouldn’t ever play with actual feral, bigger ones. Do you understand? I’m not as domesticated as you might think.”

Her heart rate raced and she sealed her lips, otherwise she might have asked him to do just that.

“So do us both a favor and just start telling me the truth because once this plays out further, it might end really bad. See how honesty works? It’s giving someone the absolute truth. I will get you off but I won’t fuck you. I might hurt you.”

He was a big guy but she wasn’t afraid. She hated to see the conflict in his eyes though. To put him in that situation was the last thing she’d meant to do. Inexplicably, she really liked Darkness. Maybe asking him to seduce her hadn’t been her best idea. He had a job to do and had someone to answer to as well.

“My name is really Kat and I came here to teach. I’d never hurt your people. That is the absolute truth.”

“Who do you work for?”

She hesitated, knowing he wouldn’t accept the lie because he was smart. It was tempting to just say FBI but she couldn’t give that up. Her boss might have sent her to do his personal bidding but she had no plans to really snoop on the NSO or try to find dirt on them. “I’m not an assassin or someone who’d ever want anyone at Homeland hurt.”

“Who. Do. You. Work. For?” He rasped out each word.

“A jerk.” She was skating around lying to him by giving honest answers, just not the ones he wanted.

“Does he want to harm us?”

She didn’t mean to look away from his direct stare but she was off her game and the reflexive movement couldn’t be taken back. She held his gaze again. “I’m not a big fan of my boss. He really is a jerk. I don’t follow his orders to the letter. I came here to meet New Species and teach them forensics. I would never hurt your people. I don’t wish them harm. I swear.”

“What is your boss’s name?”

“Dickhead. I also call him prick.” She closed her eyes. She wouldn’t lie to Darkness anymore but she couldn’t give up her boss even if she didn’t agree with why she had been sent. It put her in a hell of a moral dilemma.

She’d admired New Species since they’d been freed, reading and watching everything in the news about their struggles. She was a fan, even. Robert Mason’s connection to them or the reasons for his hatred wasn’t clear but she knew it must be personal for him. She was just a pawn but that didn’t mean she had to make any moves against anyone at Homeland.

“Look at me, sweetheart.”

She did as Darkness ordered and held his gaze. His were really beautiful eyes. She believed everything he’d told her about his past. To have survived that hellish experience made her admire the hell out of him. Lesser men would have broken, died during the ordeal or taken their lives just to make it end. He deserved her respect, especially since she was pretty certain she could guess what he’d been taught. He wasn’t beating the hell out of her, snapping bones just to hear her screams or flaying her alive. He had to have seen it done plenty of times.