Niko: Love me Harder (5 page)

Every time she stole a fry, he made a comical face, making her laugh. Fun with a man was so unique for her. Possible friendship? No, bedding friends.

Niko polished off the last of his burger and fries and looked at her.

“Feel better?”

She thought about the question for a few minutes. “Yes, I do feel better.”

He smiled at her. “Are you going to take me home now since I’m carless?”

“Something like that.”

“Mr. Dare I need to ask you a question.”

“You steal my fries and then call me Mr. Dare? Kitten, I think we’re way past the formal part of our relationship.”

He smiled. She did too. She’d needed to find out what he was thinking.

“Ok,” she drew the word out like a promise. “Niko, how did you know where I would be tonight?”

“Kitten, are you implying I might have stalked you?”

He let his mouth open and his eyes show shock as he looked at her in mock horror. Damn right he’d stalked her.

“No, I wasn’t implying that. I just wanted to know.”

“There’s been a lot of buzz in the office about this new club and I decided since I had nothing better to do, I would check it out.”

He gave her a nice innocent look. “Your telling Cheryl you might check that club out tonight, didn’t influence me at all.”

He gave her a real smile.

“Glad you managed to overhear my conversations.”

“Me too.”

They flagged the waitress down and got the check. Niko took care of the bill and they walked to the car together.

“Do you need my address?”

“No, sit back and enjoy the ride.”

***

They thought it was over. That the woman was safe, the enemy had been disposed of. He would’ve alerted this planet’s protection system, but the eldest had made sure the human male would never be identified or found.

He watched as they came out, the human female so calm in the presence of an animal. They were cold blooded killers who had already diverted from the fabric of what they were meant to be.

They had been allowed to leave the planet and that was a mistake that he would rectify. He inhaled deeply and had to control a snarl. The scent of the woman was foul, her lust was obvious.

The male could smell it. He enjoyed it. He wanted the female. He wanted something that was weak. He wanted someone who exhibited none of the beauty of his people, not that he would’ve ever let that young male get close to one of their females.

He was still developing which caused him not to perceive the danger around him. If the eldest had been there or the next in line, they would’ve scented him or possibly felt the disturbance his presence caused.

Not this one. He was too consumed with the human female, a female he didn’t deserve, a female who would die.

He’d let her live last time, too focused on the other female. He understood his mistake and it wouldn’t happen again. She would die.

Chapter Eight

“Wake up, Dee. We’re here.”

Here wasn’t her nice neat apartment complex in the heart of Shadyside, surrounded by the up and coming. Here was an estate-like grounds with trees way in the background and manicured lawns.

“Where exactly is here?”

“This is my house.”

“That’s not a house. It’s a frickin mansion, much like the one Aran lives in.”

He smiled. “I know, it’s great. No noise, no visitors, no need to hide. A place where I can be myself, without this world intruding or judging me for being different.”

She stopped and looked over at him. The need to panic was in the back of her mind, but it was swallowed up by the need to understand.

“Sometimes I think that’s the American dream. They say we dream of white picket fences, a dog and two point three children. I don’t know. Maybe we did back in the day. Now I don’t believe that. I think we dream of this, having enough space all our own to be able to be ourselves, without anyone judging us. Paradise.”

He did it again. He came and opened her door for her. Royalty. That’s how royalty was treated. He was telling her in such a small way that she was worth so much more. If she hadn’t been jaded, so mistreated, her eyes would’ve welled with tears.

She blinked fast.

“Are you ok?”

She nodded her head. “A little bit of dust. I’m fine.”

He led her into the house. The steps had been long and wide and the porch was simply an entry way. Now she stood in the foyer. It was huge, the kind of place she could get lost in. It was set up so that when you came in, you had a sense of this being someone’s pride and joy.

Pictures of hillsides and eerie moments of the night hung in there, along with several sculptures. He loved his space.

“You know I can’t stay, right?”

“Stay as in forever or for a night?”

“Stay period. Not even for ten minutes. You have to take me back.”

“Why?”

“Because this isn’t how this night is supposed to end. I can’t get involved with you. I need something you can’t give me.”

“What do you need?’

“Forgetfulness!” She screamed the word. She’d done everything. She’d played his game and watched her back and all she wanted was a chance to forget, to let some guy who looked good on the outside, but was as messed up as her on the inside fuck her silly and make her forget.

Then she would get up like it had never happened, stagger her way home, wash her herself off and cry herself to sleep. That was the game she played when life became more than she could handle.

Then come Monday, she would pick herself up, slip on her beautiful mask and deal with a world who didn’t understand the monster who lived in her.

“Not tonight, kitten. Tonight you climb those stairs or I carry you. Either way works for me. I drop you in my bedroom and you sashay that beautiful ass into the bathroom and clean up. Then we talk about what happens next.”

“You’re crazy. Do you kidnap all your women and bring them here? Do they scream Niko? Do you get off on that? Well not me. I won’t be staying here so you can rape me and who knows what else.”

She reached down calmly and took her shoes off. Holding them in her hand, she flung first one then the other at him. She turned and ran to the front door, trying to get it open. The door never budged.

She turned to see her shoes dangling off his fingers.

“Ready to go upstairs?”

“Don’t do this Niko. You can have any woman. You can get help for this.”

“Maybe I only want you Dee. Ready?”

She turned and hit the door again. She pounded on it. Stupid, stupid Dee, she thought. Always getting yourself in trouble.

She felt him when he got close. She launched herself at him trying to scratch at his eyes. He ducked low and she fell over his shoulder. He picked her up and carried her up the stairs.

She should cry, not that it had ever helped her in the past. She always thought no matter how bad it got, in the end everything would be ok. Who knew she would be killed like this by someone she’d considered a friend.

He dropped her on a large bed. She looked around the room with unseeing eyes. Big room, large bed and plenty of storage. Yep, looked like a master bedroom to her.

“What will Rena say when I disappear.”

He shrugged his shoulders. “She should’ve stayed with me when I asked her?”

“You bastard.” She flew at him. He caught her and dropped her back on the bed.

“As much fun as this is, you need a bath.”

“What, you like your woman clean before you rape and dismember them?”

“You watch a lot of television?”

She would’ve tried to scratch his eyes out again, but after two tries she needed a new tactic.

“How many have there been? Will you pretend to be concerned when Rena cries over my dead body?”

He growled and came to tower over her as she lay on the bed. “You get one chance, Dee. You get that beautiful body in the bathroom and wash that fuck me scent off you, the one that is coming from between those sexy legs and driving me crazy or I plunge into you. Believe me, you don’t want it like that the first time.”

He backed up, giving her room to escape. She jumped off the bed and ran towards the door he’d motioned her to.

She slumped against the door she was so messed up that even when she thought she could trust someone, her nasty paranoia raised its head. Shaking her head she focused on the bathroom.

If someone wanted to get to her, all they needed to do was promise her a bathroom like this one. It was an escape within an escape. On one wall lay a big tub, big enough for two or three to sink deep within it.

She walked over and saw the jets. Had she died and gone to heaven? On the other wall stood a beautiful shower, nice and big. He liked things big, everything except her.

Double sinks and a color scheme of green and blues like she was lost in the sea. She walked over and turned on the spigots over the tub. He wanted her clean? Well, she wanted to sink in that tub and forget this night ever happened.

There was a knock on the door before he entered, his long legged stride eating up the distance between them.

“I could’ve been naked.” She wanted her voice to be indignant, hot with displeasure, but all she could manage was tiredness.

“I was hoping. Here’s a suitcase with some of your things.”

“Where did you get this?”

He just stared at her.

“This is the bag I left at Rena’s.”

“Guess I won’t rape you then dismember your helpless body so I can cry at Rena’s side after all.” He walked out laughing at her.

She jerked her clothes off fuming. He had the nerve to laugh at her. If she was honest, she would be laughing at herself in his position too. She knew all along he wouldn’t hurt her. Call it a sixth sense.

Her paranoia helped to keep her safe. She’d a strong sense of who would hurt her. It was never Niko. She felt safe with him. No, all he ever did was piss her off.

She found a nice thick towel and opened her bag to find her favorite shower gel. She looked at herself in the full length mirror. What are you doing with yourself Dee? Her eyes were gaunt and she saw ribs. This wasn’t who she’d been four months ago.

Niko still thought she was beautiful. Another glance in the mirror confirmed it had nothing to do with looks. She slid into the big tub and sighed. She reached over and turned those jets on. Heaven.

Her body relaxed and she smiled at the pleasure that was making her feel so good. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes. She dreamed.

“What are you most afraid of little human?”

She’d been kidnapped. In the beginning she’d been scared, but not terrified. She’d recognized the person behind the mask. He was one of the people who was in charge where Rena worked. All she needed was a chance. She would drop kick him into the middle of next week.

She hadn’t gotten that chance. She’d been taken to some abandoned house. She hadn’t seen her surroundings, but her nose didn’t lie. She’d walked up the stairs like an obedient little girl, still waiting for her chance.

He’d bound her to a chair, wrist and ankles, taken the blind fold off and left her. She thought she’d been alone at first, until the shadow of that man had fallen on the walls.

“Are you afraid of the ones on your planet that are supposed to protect you, but instead look at you as easy prey?”

His shadow had stretched, grown and her eyes had bulged, not believing what she was seeing.

“Do you fear the animals more? The ones you put behind cages in the zoo and go to stare at? Do you fear them getting loose and coming for you?”

She followed his face as he lowered it to stare at his fingers. One after another they became claws. She shook the chair, trying to get away. Her heart beat faster and sweat poured off her brow. He was crazy. In that moment she knew she was going to die.

“Which do you fear more little human? The man or the animal?”

He reached for her.

Chapter Nine

The sound of her voice screaming woke her up. She floundered in the big tub, looking for something to grab onto, a piece of reality to keep her a float. She looked up to see Niko there grabbing for her with one hand, a thick towel in the other.

She didn’t even blink an eye when he pulled her from the bath and wrapped her tight in the towel. He picked her up and carried her to his bedroom.

His voice was rough when he spoke. “Dry off and get some clothes on. Bad dream?”

She nodded her head, seeing those claws coming for her. Real bad dream. He turned his back to her. It seemed a little too late, but she still appreciated the gesture.

She dried off and dressed quickly. “What now?”

“Now we sleep, unless you had something else in mind.”

She shook her head. “Sleep sounds good. I’m exhausted. Which guest room would you like me to take?”

He smiled at her. “You’ll be sleeping in here with me.”

“Now we have a problem.”

He stood quietly and waited.

“I always sleep alone.”

He raked her from head to foot before meeting her eyes.

She blushed. “When I sleep, I always sleep alone. I go home, I go to a guest room, but I sleep alone.”

“Tonight you sleep in here and you won’t be alone.”

“Where can I go? The doors are locked tight. I’m sure the windows are too. I’m just asking for some privacy to be able to sleep.”

“No. You sleep here or sit up the rest of the night. Either way, it’ll be in this room.”

“You know what?” She glared at him, “You’re mean.”

His lips twitched, then a smile spread and finally laughter rocked his body. She honestly wanted to keep glaring, but all she could see was that playback of herself calling him mean. Before she knew it, she was laughing too.

“So am I going to wake up to find you crammed inside of me?”

“Kitten, when I enter you, you’ll know it.”

Promises, promises she mumbled under her breath. The bed did look cozy and she did have to sleep somewhere.

She skirted around the bed until she came to the other side. “This isn’t your side is it?”