Steam Heat (3 page)

Our bodies are slick with sweat and our breath has been reduced to pants of desperation. Ian may claim he hasn’t had much practice, but goddamn, does he have stamina. It takes a rare man to wear a succubus out, and he has damn near achieved it. “This one has to be enough, I can feel the energy sparkling through my veins and Christ almighty, does it feel good.” My legs are wrapped around Ian’s waist, he has me pressed up against a wall and is working his hips frantically against mine.

“It isn’t enough,” Ian pants out between thrusts. Lowering my feet to the floor, Ian withdraws and turns me so I face the wall. He pushes me forward roughly, so I have to catch myself on the wall to keep from falling. He wraps the long strands of my hair around his fist and pulls hard enough to jerk my head back. His hand flies through the air and lands with a loud slap against my bare ass. In one hard thrust he is back inside me, his other hand digging bruises into my hips as he holds me steady to achieve maximum penetration.

Sweat is freely flowing down my body as tiny bursts of pleasure skitter over me, igniting a frantic need to move faster, to draw Ian in further. No man has ever pulled this amount of energy from me. My skin feels as if it is on fire and the ache in my chest has been replaced with a lovely desire to fuck Ian as often as possible, in as many ways as I can devise. “Harder, Ian, deeper,” I plead.

Ian responds with a growl that sounds more animal than human as he yanks my head back a notch harder and bites down upon my shoulder, teeth sinking into tender flesh.

His new level of desire and urgency causes my pussy to clamp down hard upon his cock, urging it to stay inside me. “I am so close,” I confess as I push my hips back against him, trying to take him deeper. Ian releases his grip on my hair and I can hear him fumbling around with something on the nightstand. “Are you seriously looking at the meter right now?” Ian is indeed a wonderful lover, and though he claimed not to have much experience, he sure could have fooled me, but he approaches sex from such an analytical angle it is almost comical.

“Remember, this is for science’s sake.” Ian digs his fingers harder into my hip. “It seems you like it rough, my dear. The needle jumps every time I dominate you a little.”

“Sorry not to be a fragile little flower,” I snatch the meter out of his hand and throw it to the floor. “Enough with the meter, pay attention.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Ian drawls as he grabs my hips and thrusts deep.

Heat floods my body and my heart is pounding against my ribs. A million sparks of energy flicker through my veins and the electric lights illuminating the room beam obscenely brightly as my body shudders a final time in of satisfaction. In the haze of lazy afterglow brought on by phenomenal sex, I realize Ian must also have found his happy ending since he gathers me in his arms and we both collapse into bed.

“So was that good enough for your meter?” I ask after my breathing evens out and I can form words again.

“Close enough. Given the volatile nature of the crystal, I don’t think we should waste any more time testing. Even though it is such a delightful pursuit in the name of science,” Ian says with a twinkle in his hazel eyes.

“Good, because, believe it or not, I think I am all tested out.”

“I didn’t think even a half-succubus would ever utter those words. Isn’t the energy you gather from sex like an addiction?” Ian looks genuinely interested and has the furrow in his brow that he gets when he is turning all man-of-science on me again.

“It is an odd need. Most of the time I enjoy it whether I want to or not, but sometimes it is a chore. I mean, these days you don’t always have the best of choices. When I start feeling drained, I need a boost and I can’t be choosey.” Feeling oddly sentimental I tuck my head into the crook of Ian’s shoulder and throw an arm over his nicely muscled chest.

“Well, didn’t you ever meet someone you wanted to settle down with? Someone who could sustain your need in a more intimate way?” Ian gently moves a piece of hair from in front of my eyes and tucks it behind my ear.

“No. It is probably because my soul mate was snatched from me at such a tender age. That and I have always had issues with authority.”

“I have a hard time believing that,” Ian says dryly. “I wonder why nobody tells us that we share a soul when supposedly we are betrothed at birth?”

“If you had been stuck with me for life since birth—despite the fact that you aren’t going to find anyone more beautiful than me—do you honestly think you would have been satisfied with me? Wouldn’t you have hated having the choice taken away from you?”

“Probably, but this relationship is something that could kill us, and now, once again, I don’t have a choice.”

“Nice to know you are so enthused about having to have to have sex with me on a daily basis to survive.” I smack Ian on the arm and raise myself a bit so my head is propped up on my shoulder. “At this point in our lives, we have had a chance to live and we can make the choice either to live with each other or to die.

“I hope you don’t think this means you can boss me around or that I am sleeping exclusively with you.”

“You’d better get used to the idea that you
are
sleeping exclusively with me. You’re the one who sought me out. I didn’t ask you to come here, but now that you are here, you’re going to stay. You were right. My chest doesn’t hurt as much any more. If you can make the pain go away, then you’re staying.” Ian’s hand wraps around my throat as he crushes his mouth to mine. His lips are urgent, bruising the tender skin. His intense eyes are snapping with a fire and possession I haven’t seen. He releases my throat suddenly and stalks from the room, not even bothering to pause for clothes.

“Men,” I roll my eyes at the absurdity of the male gender. Unfortunately, I need Ian too, so I slide from the comfort of the bed and pad off down the hallway in pursuit of the naked, pissed-off scientist.

“I am not going to argue about this any more, Angel.” Ian glares at me as he jams the toe of his boot through a puddle of rainwater on the weathered boards of the steamer platform.

“Fine, then just admit you have no control over me and get over yourself. I assure you there is enough of me to go around.” The warm spring sunshine caresses my skin as I lean back on the hard wooden bench, propping my booted feet up on Ian’s trunk. “Unless you intend to keep me chained in your basement, you are just going to have to deal with the fact that I am not a one-man woman. I don’t even know why we are having this conversation. It isn’t as if I know anything about you that would prevent me from making this decision.”

“You know you will die if you are away from me. That should be reason enough. Would it be so bad to belong to one man?” A hint of confusion and maybe a sliver of hurt mixes into his angry glare, “Aren’t you tired of fucking everything that moves, even if you don’t want to?”

“Trust me, I don’t need saving, but maybe you do. Being saddled with a half-succubus sex fiend isn’t as much fun as it sounds, I promise.” I slide on a pair of glasses--tinted lenses wrapped in a wire frame. Ian doesn’t need to see that a part of me wants to belong to one person. I did try it once. It didn’t end well. He and I may share a soul, but that will only carry us so far.

“I don’t want to die, and despite your cranky attitude, I think you are a good person. Also, it didn’t seem like I had such a hard time keeping up earlier, did it? In fact, I think I almost wore you out.” The heat simmering in Ian’s eyes is intense as he dares me to contradict him.

“That was one session. And you only think I am a good person because you haven’t gotten laid in a while. Once you get out and away from your laboratory, you will find more desirable women. I guarantee it. I can also promise you that I am not a good person. I have survived by killing, stealing and fucking whomever and whatever. Don’t ever underestimate me.”

Ian’s hand grabs my wrist as he pulls me up and close to him. Our hearts are beating in time, echoing through our chests until they become one. “I don’t give a damn about your past.”

His mouth crushes into mine, his lips hot and hungry. Unable to stop myself, my tongue tangles with his in a duel of passion. Ian’s large hand palms the back of my head, holding it still so he can explore the deepest recesses of my mouth. Each time we touch or kiss, I feel a little more alive. It is intoxicating.

The metallic clatter of a coin hitting the wooden planks of the steamer platform pulls me away from Ian’s lips.

“I figured I should pay for the privilege of watching you grope each other in public. I am pretty sure you gave that old man over there smoking his pipe a heart attack.”

A rare smile springs to my lips as I see the petite form of the closest thing to a constant lover I have. Clad in tight leather, with a pair of goggles shoved up on her forehead, she looks every inch the sassy steam engineer she is. “Jez! Aren’t you sight for sore eyes.” I leave the warmth of Ian’s embrace and wrap my arms around her slender figure before planting a kiss on her soft, sweet lips. “Thanks for coming.”

“Anytime, darling. You know I can’t resist you and the wicked things you do,” Jez moves a strand of hair away from my face in a familiar gesture.

Ian is looking slightly dismayed and a little turned-on by the familiarity between Jez and I. “Ian, this is the enigmatic steam engineer, Jez. She will get us to the crystal as fast as her steamer can get us there. And trust me, it will be fast.”

Ian holds out a hand. “Nice to meet you Jez.”

Jez ignores his hand and moves in, planting a kiss on his lips. “You are a handsome one! You have permission to board my steamer.” With a wink, Jez turns on her booted heels and, with a sassy sway of her hips, heads back to her vehicle. “Get a move on, you two, or I’m leaving without you,” she says over her shoulder as she steps aboard.

“So what is between you and Jezebel? You seemed like slightly more than mere friends.” Ian pauses to down some of the sickeningly strong coffee Jez has provided us with. “When you saw her, I saw the first real smile I’ve seen on you.”

“Jez and I go way back. We look out for each other. I suppose she is the closest thing to an actual lover I have. She is also my only real friend. It’s complicated.” I am not sure how Ian feels about my having a female lover. With a muffled giggle that turns into more of a snort, I pull a flask out of my jacket pocket and pour a healthy dose into Ian’s coffee.

“I don’t count as your lover?” Ian snatches the flask from my hand and takes a long pull.

“I am pretty sure you are even more complicated than Jez. I mean, until yesterday, we were lovers only in dreams. You are a decent lay, though. If you knock off all your chest-pounding, male-chauvinist ways, I might consider you.”

“I never pound my chest, I’m far too dignified for such behavior.”

My eyebrows arch practically into my hairline. “I have yet to see anything dignified about your behavior, Mr. Hawkins.”

“I assure you, I was quite a dignified gentleman until you started invading my dreams.” Ian wraps a hand around my wrist and pulls me onto the seat with him.

“See, there you go dragging me around again. You are a veritable caveman, you can’t deny it.” My heart does a funny little flip when Ian’s fingers close around mine.

“Only around you, my dear. You bring out the worst in me.” Ian brushes a soft kiss across my knuckles.

“Some might argue I bring out the best. A girl can’t resist a nice guy who’s a deviant in the bedroom.” I let my head rest against the rough wool of Ian’s thick black jacket. It is nice to be sitting next to a guy and still be relaxed. Not to worry about what he wants from me or what I want from him. As pleasant as it is, however, I have no intention of letting my free will be taken from me. I don’t mind keeping Ian as a regular lover, but I will still do anything and anybody I please.

“What are you thinking about so seriously, Angel?” Ian brushes a finger lightly over the wrinkle of concentration marring my brow.

“Why did you leave the commune again?”

“My mother left with me when I was just a little child. She didn’t want my fate determined for me. I am pretty sure she wouldn’t have done that if she had known I would die without you. She would probably have a heart attack if she knew a little minx like you held half of my soul.”

“Fantastic, when do I get to meet Mom?”

“Probably never, she isn’t speaking to me right now. My decision to devote my life to the pursuit of science didn’t fit with her plan for my life.” Ian’s eyes take on a mischievous gleam as the corner of his mouth tugs into a lopsided grin, “So, you are saying you want to meet my mother? That would imply a certain amount of seriousness on your part.”

“That isn’t what I meant at all,” I protest.

“Look, your mom wanted you to have free will and that is all I want too. Surely you have to understand that. I hardly know you, though, I mean, you seem like a decent guy and all.”

“Thanks,” Ian replies dryly.

“That isn’t what I meant. Jesus, you’re sensitive.”

“What you are saying is that you would be happy to stay with me so long as I don’t mind you going out and fornicating with others?” Ian’s face is devoid of emotion, not even a hint as to how he feels about such an arrangement.

“Yes, that is what I am saying. Speaking of which, I need to be getting to Jez’s sleeping compartment. It is time to pay up. Are you going to join us? Or sit here and sulk?

“Join you? Are you implying what I think you are implying?”

“You mean am I going to fuck her? Yes I am. I would be most pleased if you joined us, but that is totally up to you.” I begin peeling off the layers of Ian’s clothing that I have tied around me, my own clothes having been pretty much a lost cause, and once I am down to my natural state, I throw the jacket around me and cinch the waist in with a belt. With a wink at Ian, I saunter off to find Jez.