Shadow Revealed (The Enlightened Species Book Two) (26 page)

“What?” Irsu snapped, annoyed with the lot of them. No one told her to be designated driver. She’d volunteered. An offer she no doubt regretted now. Umbrae hiccupped.

“Those men are in the slave market.” Umbrae hoped she spoke in a whisper. It sounded like a whisper.

Irsu met her eyes, her image going in and out of focus. “Are you sure?”

Hell yes! She’d recognize those bastards anywhere. Rage flooded her inebriated system. Those guys would sell all four of them in a hot second, after they raped them. She knew them, all right. Too well. Umbrae nodded.

“Well, ladies, I see you’ve had a good time today.” One held his hand out to Aymee, who gave the man a grateful smile and reached for the help up. Jerika was already up thanking the other guy. Umbrae shadowed, ready to fight.

“Guys,” Irsu said, holding out the mountain of bags in her arms, “would you help me put these in the car?” Her smile was a sexual invitation, a ruse to set the men at ease. Umbrae silently maneuvered next to the man still leaning against the car and waited for the best opportunity.

The men were all for helping beautiful girls in distress … imagine that. The terrified face of one of their Aquatie captives popped into Umbrae’s mind. Animals. Once the men were loaded down with bags, Irsu made a show of lifting the back hatch to Aymee’s SUV. Her jean-clad ass was all the men seemed to be able to focus on. Irsu stepped clear and the men stood side-by-side, arranging the packages. Using her Elven speed, Irsu grasped the sides of the men’s heads and banged them together with enough force to cause brain damage. Both guys crumpled to the ground.

“What the fuck—” the third started to say. Umbrae lashed the chain from her pocket around the man’s neck; and cut off his oxygen until he lost consciousness. Everything in her filled with the deadly purpose of her bloodline. Umbrae released her grip on the chain and the human garbage slid to the ground.

Aymee and Jerika leaned together on the side of the SUV. Irsu glared at them. “Make yourselves useful and tie these bastards up.” Umbrae hiccupped and dropped to the ground next to her victim. “Why am I so dizzy?” The world spun under her.

“Because you’re shit-faced drunk.” Irsu helped her into the front passenger seat.

****

The information at the compound didn’t make any sense. It was as if each item were one small piece of a larger puzzle—only the rest of the pieces were missing. Enlil tried to stay on task. His mind kept wandering to Brae’s passion-filled expression in the fogged mirror this morning. Though she’d said she liked him naked and agreed to kiss him later, her face had not reflected any desire. Certainly not the raw hunger he saw when she didn’t think he could see her. Her arousal sent a peppermint-scented plume through the steam that lingered long after she left the room.

Eros popped his head into the room where Enlil was going through papers, a chain similar to Braes in his fingers. “How do you feel about trying your hand at shadow porting?”

The amused look on Eros face kept Enlil from being concerned. “Where are we porting to?” Enlil rose from the floor and followed Eros out to the yard, where his sons waited.

Eros handed off the chain. Enlil hooked it around his neck, offering the remaining length back to Eros. “Back to the commandant’s house. Seems the females are headed there with a tower of shopping bags and three unconscious human men.” Brae’s brothers snickered; aw, hell, please let this not be some prank Jerika and Aymee had masterminded.

Enlil placed his hand on Eros’s shoulder to facilitate the connection through porting. His hand vanished with the rest of his body. “Now,” the deep-blue energy of Eros whispered. They exited at the front lawn of Jess’s house just in time to see Aymee’s SUV burning rubber into the drive way. Brock and Othos in shadow flew above the car till it screeched to a halt in the driveway. The males landed next to Eros. How did the Sicarius keep from bashing into each other?

All four doors opened. Irsu, in the driver’s seat, was talking to Brae “You think your family is here. Those males could carry in the garbage we picked up.” Eros tugged at the collar Enlil had on, and Enlil reached up to remove it. Jerika startled as Eros and his sons released their shadows and appeared beside him.

Daniel piped up. “What garbage? You mean the ginormous bags of shoes?”

Jerika slurred, “Don’t be dissin’ on the hooker pumps, Danny boy.” Aymee came around from the back passenger-side seat, stumbling, and Jerika caught her, nearly falling down herself. Both females giggled. Brae rounded the hood, her hand braced against the vehicle, which didn’t keep her from swaying on her feet. Enlil grinned at the sight of her drunk; she must have had fun after all. He could smell the tequila.

Only Irsu was sober. She walked to the back of the SUV and lifted the hatch. A human man fell at her feet. His face was covered with a shirt tied around his head for a blindfold. His hands were bound with pantyhose. There were two more still inside, none of them moving. “This garbage. It would be nice if you brought in the bags too.” Irsu stepped over the man to help Jerika and Aymee into the house. Was this a normal way to end a girls day out?

Brae tried to walk the remaining distance to him. He rushed over, lifting her into his arms before she could fall. “Enny, those are bad men. I recognized them from a slave auction Zakel took me to when he was trying to buy a fix.” She giggled. “Irsu bashed their heads together. It was so bombdigety.” Her head rolled to Enlil shoulder. “I think I’m drunk.” Ya think? Chuck full of new phrases, too.

Eros brushed Brae’s cheek with his knuckles. Enlil met his gaze and he smirked. “Take care of her. We’ll handle this.” Enlil nodded.

Doing his best to take the stairs carefully and not jostle his inebriated mate-to-be, he wasn’t prepared when she snapped her head up to look at him wide-eyed. “Enny, I learned to make out today. Want me to show you?” Was that a trick question? Enlil took the remaining stairs two at a time. “The Aquatie guy was just a demo prop.” His pace slowed as he stared into her innocent face. She’d made out with an Aquatie? Before his heart completely ceased in his chest she went on to tell him the whole story. “So can we try it?” She asked him again.
Soon as your sober,
he silently answered her.

Setting her in the chair of the master suite, he knelt in front of her. Enlil unlaced her military boots and removed her socks before lifting her again to remove the button-down shirt she wore over her standard-issue halter. He gently laid her in the bed without removing anything else. Her eyes fluttered closed as a small smile continued to grace her sweet lips.

Enlil was on fire. Brae was tempting enough without adding alcohol. This was cruel and unusual punishment for his libido. He was holding a washrag for her head under the water when she threw the bathroom door the rest of the way open … completely naked … a trail of clothes between her and the bed. She ran the tips of her fingers across his back as she passed behind him.

Sweet Fates. His eyes traveled the firm, lean muscle of her long legs to the apex of her thighs, glistening with the moisture of her arousal. Her hips flared delicately at her tiny waist, and her stomach was flat and firm. Peaked nipples on her small, perfect breasts beckoned him to lavish them with attention. Enlil’s dentes erupted fully as he quickly pivoted to watch her. He was rewarded by the view, and the shape of her ass. The crisscross of healed burns and scars that covered every inche of her flesh was a tribute to her strength. She was spectacular.

Brae waved her hand over the energy sensor to start the bathwater in the oversized jetted tub. The movement threw her off balance, and Enlil dashed to stabilize her. She sighed and turned into his chest, her arms wrapped around his neck, her breasts pressed against him. She pulled his lips to hers. He knew he should step away. Brae didn’t know what she was doing. His mind yelled the entirely right thing, but his body and heart refused to listen. He gave in to the indulgence with a tender kiss that pushed his control closer to the edge.

Brae was having none of that. She nipped his bottom lip with her tiny dentes and then licked the sting away with her tongue. Arcs of desire coursed through Enlil’s blood stream.
Please let her not regret this in an hour when the alcohol wears off
was his final thought. Surrendering, he captured the back of her head with his palm and plundered into the haven of her kiss. The taste of her took him instantly to the brink of his control. He groaned as Brae’s hands tracked frantically over his body. He broke the kiss with a hiss of agony. Her hand fully covered the rise in his leathers; she opened her beautiful eyes with a sexy glint.

When Brae released his manhood, he wanted to cheer and weep at the same time. “You are holding back ‘cause of the alcohol.” She began releasing the buttons of his shirt. “Will you work on the art of kissing with me in the tub till it leaves my system?” Her expression was hopeful. Her breathing was ragged, or was that his?

He should say no to her proposition, but he wasn’t that strong. Shrugging out of the shirt, he nodded. No bonding, no sex, just kissing; he could do that. It would only take an hour for her system to rid itself of the tequila, maybe two since she was Hulven. He could handle that. Hell yeah, piece of cake.

Freed of his clothing, he lifted Brae giggling against his chest and stepped into the tub with her. She rolled between his legs, her wet, slick skin sliding to rest snugly against the hardest part of him. Her smile destroyed his best intentions.
She’s intoxicated
he repeated in his mind. Intoxicating—no question. Dropping her head, she placed kisses from his chest up his neck. He realized his mistake immediately; no way could he resist her for a moment, let alone hours. “Brae.” He needed to step back.

She laid a finger over his lips, silencing him. Her eyes met his, clear, bright impassioned. “Shhh. I’m fully aware of what is going on. Let me enjoy you; let me love you. This is the first time I haven’t been ashamed of my body, my scars. Don’t spoil it. Be with me the way you would if I had never been mistreated. Give me that, Enny.” Her eyes dropped to his lips.

Taking Brae’s kiss, Enlil surrendered to her request. His hands held her ass firmly as he ground his manhood against her mound. She moaned erotically against his lips. He kissed her harder, his fingers following the crease of her ass and drawing a circle around her anus; someday he would take her there. He traveled to her folds. Brae arched her back, granting him better access. He circled her entrance on his path to the nerve bundle he sought. She cried out, releasing his kiss. “It’s too much.” She pushed against his hand in contradiction to her words. Her body’s response was immediate, a powder keg of untapped passion needing only a match. She was close, so close, soft, mewling sounds escaping her lips with each rapid breath she exhaled. Enlil kept his constant circling around her nerve bundle with his fingers as his thumb found the sensitive flesh within her inner walls, applying gentle pressure. Brae bucked hard. “Oh Fates, oh Fates, stop, I can’t take it,” she cried out.

“Let yourself go, my Brae. Don’t fight your body’s response. Go with it. Give in to your release, let me catch you.” Brae threw her head back and screamed. Her inner walls squeezed tightly to his thumb as the pulse of her release rippled along her sheath, her expression one of pure pleasure.

Her release abated slowly. Her lips came down on his with a sated sigh. He took his time, kissed her thoroughly while her heart rate slowed. “Turn over. I’ve been dreaming of fondling your breasts since they were pressed against your shirt last night.” Enlil’s lust-filled voice was deep and commanding with the need to take her.
Mine
. The feral part of his nature demanded Brae on a primal level.

Her eyes wide and full of excitement, she turned, her back pressed to his chest arms above her head, and then wrapped them around his neck, giving him a visual feast, perfect presentation. Enlil ran his hands down her ribcage, his thumbs outlining the curves of her breasts. Ruby gumdrop nipples peaked with yearning. Splaying his hands fully over them, he captured the peaks between his fingers. Brae shivered, goose bumps rising along her skin. “Do you mind me calling you Enny?” Her voice came on a sigh.

Enlil chuckled, “You’re the only one I would let call me that. I’ve come to think of you as Brae, but would you prefer Ummy?” He liked that she’d found an intimate name for him.

She giggled. “Probably shouldn’t give my brothers any ideas on nicknames.” The easy reference to her newly discovered family made Enlil happy. “Tell me a story about Etana.”

It should make him uncomfortable speaking of one love while holding another, yet it didn’t. It should hurt; he hadn’t spoken a single specific memory of Etana to anyone, yet there was no pain. The quiet peace he felt was welcome; he flipped through his memory bank to find a story that Brae would enjoy. “One afternoon a field hand came running in a panic. He’d discovered a boar destroying a section of the tomato crop. Word had traveled fast. Etana marched to the field with a large group of farmers following her, all armed with hoes and other tools. She had her determined chin high. I gathered a few hunters and raced to protect her. As I crested the ridge, my heart nearly stopped—Etana was covered in red. I thought she’d been gored till the destroyed remains of a tomato hit me square in the face. The merriment of those who were knee deep in mud, partaking in Etana’s folly, became very hushed when the tomato struck me, I was after all Lord. The hunters with me gasped in outrage, and then Etana’s laugh broke through the din. The she-devil splattered a second tomato on my chest, then another in my face. I had no choice but to defend myself. Before it was over, every man, woman, and child in the kingdom were saturated in puree. The tale of my lady’s tomato war is still told to this very day.”

A teardrop on his arm was the only reason he knew Brae wept, and he shifted to see her streaked face. “Your tears are not what I was hoping for,” he said, wiping her cheek with his thumb.

She gave him a shaky smile. “She told me tears were the universe’s gift of soul purification. I miss her. The stories she gave me were my lifeline. I’m in love with you. I would have fallen in love with you whether I loved Etana or not. Having her in common testifies that the Fates endorse our bloodmating, don’t you think? I will never be able to fully trust anyone the way I do you and Etana. You told me you wanted me to know you, but I already do. I want you to know me, really know me. Will you take my blood and my bond?” She raised her wrist in offering.