PS03 - Tall, Dark & Heartless (42 page)

"The right one is a little swollen," Izzy said as she shook her right foot on Kale's lap to get his attention.

"Fine," Kale said on a heavy sigh as he gently placed her left foot back on his lap and picked up her right foot and set to

work.

Logan sent the bastard sitting next to him on the cot a glare, but of course the shifter just ignored him and continued to

pamper the Sentinel female on Logan's lap who refused to get off so that her mate could stake him. Logan couldn't help but give

his head a shake, wondering how the hell he got to the point in his life where a Sentinel not only protected him, but seemed to

actually care about him.

It was a mistake that she would soon regret, but for now Logan couldn't help but find comfort in having her in his arms.

There was just something about the little Sentinel that calmed him. She seemed to have the same effect on the bastard he should

have killed a long time ago. He couldn't remember ever seeing Kale this relaxed, even when Logan foolishly thought his

onetime friend was human.

"I swear to God, Izzy, if you don't get your ass away from him I'm going to-"

"I'm not getting up while you're acting like this, Chris,
so stop bothering me while I'm getting my feet rubbed
!" she

shouted, startling the hell out of him, but Kale simply ignored it while Chris continued to pace the opening of Logan's cell as he

glared in his direction.

He had to fight back a smile as the little Sentinel in his arms settled against him and laid her head on his sore shoulder.

She really was an entertaining woman and he truly did enjoy her company, which made what he was going to have to do that

much harder for him. He'd still do it, but he wasn't happy about it. Not that he was really happy about anything, but this was his

duty and he would do it.

For Elizabeth.

She deserved her revenge and he'd be damned if he let anyone stop him again and he would destroy anyone that stood in

his way, including his Angel. As much as it pained him to use her, and surprisingly it did, there was no other choice in the

matter. Jill was human, a gullible human that he wanted in his bed, but a human nonetheless.

Thanks to her family's neglect she'd been ripe for the taking and he took. Being trapped in a compound for months without

anyone to talk to and nothing to do had left the normally vibrant, strong willed woman vulnerable. She needed him almost

desperately and he was more than happy to be there for her.

It still amazed him that she allowed him to drink from her, especially considering who her family was. Then again he did

offer her something that none of them did, companionship and his undivided attention. The woman was a natural helper and

being stuck in this compound and made to feel useless was destroying her. So, he made damn sure that she knew that he needed

her and what better way to help him then to give him some of her blood?

Convincing her to give him her blood had taken very little effort. He played his cards well by mentioning that his jailers

weren't feeding him often enough and that he may have been in pain. It was bullshit, but she didn't need to know that. All she

needed to know was that he needed her blood and she gave it, willingly. The bagged blood they gave him kept blood lust at

bay, but her blood gave him strength and of course, ownership over her.

Every demon, vampire and shifter that came in contact with her would know by her scent that she belonged to him and

they'd keep their hands off of her or they would have to face his wrath for touching his property. It really was too bad he

couldn't keep her, he thought as Izzy snuggled up in his arms. He actually liked the idea of having Jill in his bed for a few years,

but then again she wouldn't last very long in his bed as a human and he had no plans to change her.

It was a pity that he'd have to settle for using her, fucking her and draining her.

"Izzy?"

He looked over to find Chris blocking his brother from entering his cell. The boy looked between him and Kale nervously

before his eyes settled back on Izzy. He held two large plates that with some kind of strawberry and cream dessert.

"Go upstairs, Marc," Chris said as he took the plates from his brother. He was pretty sure the child was more than human,

but that was the one thing his Angel refused to explain to him.

That was more than fine with him since he knew that it was only a matter of time before he had everything he wanted or

needed and his Angel was the key to it all. Then again, he mused as he looked down at the woman who apparently fell asleep

in his arms, she could easily fill the position as well.

The soft warning growl that came from his right was more than enough for him to know that Kale knew where his thoughts

had ventured. That was one of the reasons that he wouldn't use this woman for his main plan. No, his Angel would more than

satisfy his plans, but for his revenge plans on the bastard sitting next to him, Izzy would do just fine.

********

moving the three inches that separated them and pressed a quick kiss to his lips before settling back on her pillow.

Not that she could have gone very far anyway, not with his arm thrown over her, keeping her on her side facing him. She

woke up a couple of hours ago to find him lying on his side, watching her as he tenderly ran his fingers through her hair.

Without a word she'd turned on her side and for a long time neither spoke. It was actually........nice.

In the past she usually couldn't get away from the guy fast enough after sex. She usually had a hundred other things she'd

rather be doing than hang around and do the whole cuddle thing, but with Caine she found herself too relaxed and enjoying this

time with him.

They had to leave in a few hours and for the first time in a long time she had absolutely no idea about what to do. Her old

life was over now. There was no going back to the Sentinel Compound, knowing that it wouldn't take long before someone

figured out that she was no longer human and even less time to figure out who was responsible for the change. She couldn't do

that to Caine. She cared too much for the cranky Pyte to hand him over.

"Can I ask you something?" Danni asked as she moved closer to him.

He gave her a pleased smile as he nodded.

"How do you know Jax?" she asked, wondering why she never heard about the man before.

Caine released an annoyed groan even as his smile turned fond. "I met him when he was a young pup back during the

war."

Danni frowned as she asked, "Which war?"

"Independence," he said, leaning in and giving her a quick, yet sweet, kiss.

"Which country?" she asked, smiling when he scowled at her.

"This one."

"What happened?" she asked, reaching over and gently tracing her finger over the tattoo that decorated his jaw.

With a soft sigh, Caine turned his head and pressed a kiss against her hand before answering. "He had the unfortunate luck

of being the third Alpha born to his pack. The first two were father and son and they didn't want to take the chance of Jax taking

the pack away from them. So, when he was about twelve, he was forced out of the pack."

"That's when you found him?" she asked, wondering more than ever now why he hadn't mentioned Jax before.

"No, I met him just before he froze into his immortality," he pursed his lips in thought, "I think he was twenty-four at the

time. Anyway, I normally minded my own business during public executions, but-"

"Wait," she said, stopping him. "Public executions?"

Caine shrugged. "They were in the process of hanging him."

"How could they hang him? He's an Alpha. He should have been able to get away from them," she pointed out.

"He probably would have if he wasn't unconscious at the time."

"Oh," she mumbled, shoving aside her confusion. "So, why did you save him?"

He looked away from her. For a moment she didn't think he was going to say anything, but then he floored her by saying,

"Because they were stoning him and calling him a monster."

She wanted to take him into her arms, kiss him and help erase that haunted expression on his face, but she didn't. She knew

enough about Caine's history and about the man himself to know that he wouldn't appreciate her sympathy.

"We have to leave soon, Danni," he said as his thumb gently caressed her hip.

"I know," she sighed, not knowing what the future held for them now and having absolutely no idea on how to go about

asking him.

She wasn't good at relationships, never had been. All of her old boyfriends and probably even her friends would agree.

Kicking someone's ass for a friend? No problem. Late night sparring? Drinking? Shooting the breeze while they waited to

ambush a nest? No problem, but anything deep like talking about feelings or any degree of clinginess and she couldn't run fast

enough for the door. With Caine she didn't want to run.

In fact, she wanted to stay with him, but he'd pushed her away once and she wasn't foolish enough to think that great sex

was going to be enough to keep him in the picture. She sure as hell wasn't about to ask him about his feelings, she'd gag before

the words left her mouth. When they left in a couple of hours it would be pretty clear where she stood with him.

If he asked her to tag along then she'd figure out this whole relationship business. Maybe they had a future and maybe not,

but she wanted to at least try and see where they stood. Wanting this was a little odd for her. Only yesterday morning she fully

planned on ditching him and starting this new life of hers by herself, but now......

Now the thought of parting from him made her chest ache and her breath quicken. She cared for him so much and maybe

even loved him, but she wasn't sure yet. She'd never been in love before and really wasn't sure what it should feel like. This

whole experience was strange to her so she planned on treading carefully.

There was no way in hell that Caine would respond positively if she showed any signs that she wanted a future with him.

If he decided that they would part ways in a few hours then that was fine with her. It would hurt like hell, but she'd get through

it. She'd go to Pennsylvania like she planned, get control over her abilities, learn to tolerate bagged blood and move on.

Thanks to Caine they were both going to live forever so there was no point in rushing anything, especially if she was just

confused about how she felt about him. If they ran into each other in a century or two and wanted to try for something more,

then that was more than fine with her. If on the other hand neither one of them wanted anything more, then that was more than

fine with her, too.

"What's wrong?" he asked softly as he reached up and pushed her hair back.

She forced a smile as she said, "Nothing."

"Nothing, huh?" he asked, sighing heavily as he moved his hand back to her bare hip. "You used to be able to tell me

anything."

"That was a long time ago, Caine," she said, shoving back the old pain that threatened to take over at the memory of what

she used to have with this man. None of that mattered anymore. At least she wouldn't let it matter.

It was time to move on.

She opened her mouth to tell him what was wrong, but quickly shut it and shrugged it off. She might want to be with him,

but that didn't mean she was an idiot. The second she told him that she wanted him he'd be levitating his ass out the nearest

window and making a run for it.

"You can tell me anything, Danni," he said, repeating the same words he used to use when she was little and she was upset

or feeling alone.

For a moment she almost believed him, almost believed that he truly cared. Maybe he did care about her, but she'd be

foolish to let him get her hopes up. In a few hours she could be mending her first broken heart as he once again walked away

from her and she wouldn't make this worse by allowing herself to hope for anything.

"Everything's fine, Caine," she whispered as she leaned forward and kissed him as he opened his mouth, probably to

argue with her, but once her lips touched his he became a little distracted. Not that she could blame him, she mused as she

pushed him onto his back and moved to straddle him.

"We should get some more sleep," he mumbled against her mouth, but made no move to stop her, she noted with

satisfaction as she ground herself against the large erection that was demanding her attention.

When his piercing slipped between her lips and teased her clit she froze as pleasure rocked through her. She'd never been

one for body piercings, but she had to admit that she loved this particular piercing.

"You like that?" Caine asked in a seductive whisper, but all she could do was nod as she felt him reach between them.

Seconds later she was groaning and moaning incoherently as he teased her with his piercing.

For several minutes he teased her while she leaned over him, licking her lips as she struggled against the need to push

back until finally it became too much for her. With a groan of satisfaction, she pushed back as she sat up, impaling herself

slowly on him until she took every inch of him. She began to move, but one look at Caine had her pausing mid-grind and her