The Death Skull: Relic Defender, Book 2 (14 page)

He held up his hands. “Now, now, darlin’. Let’s not fight in front of the children,” he said, and waved his fingers at the other humans standing between her and the helicopter.

Mari gritted her teeth, her fingers curling into tight fists. She had hated flying in the large plane and he now expected her to fly in a tiny helicopter,
then
jump out of it?

“We need to find another way in.”

He shook his head. “There isn’t one. This is it.”

She stared at the helicopter, looked back at him, then at the helicopter again. Indecision crawled up her spine. No, she couldn’t do it.

“Marisol, you’ll be fine, I promise.”

Her gaze flew back to his. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

Truth was, it did. The solid confidence in his tone mixed with the feeling she would be safe under his supervision convinced her more than she wanted to admit. He didn’t respond. With an ease she envied, he leaned against the fuel truck while obviously waiting for her to decide whether she could trust him.

After pushing out a sigh, she nodded. “Very well. We will do this.”

Jackson rubbed his hands together. “Well now, that is just fine. It’ll be fun. I promise.”

A realization occurred to her. “Wait. If we have to jump to get in, how do we get out with the skull?”

The wide grin that split his face, combined with the gleam of laughter in his eyes, was the charming, fun-loving human she’d seen over the past six months. Any lingering darkness from the death of the human female had faded.

“That’s the fun part. My buddies will take care of that, don’t you worry.” He turned and gestured at the three silent men standing in a semicircle off to the side.

All three wore dark clothing and mirrored glasses covered their eyes. None were supernatural but she caught some otherworld sense. Something she had noted about Jackson at times. A uniqueness.

The man standing in the middle jerked his head in a brief nod and all three pivoted and left the tarmac. Jackson went over to the pilot and the other human, who sat at the big gun mounted inside the compartment.

Mari stared at the helicopter. What, by the Black Waters of the Styx, was she doing getting into that contraption and then jumping out of it? Damn Michael and his insistence that she travel as a human. Damn the human who surrounded his place with wards she couldn’t cross.

If she survived this, she better get a chance to burn something.

Lillian sipped from her glass of wine and smiled at the dark-haired man standing near the marble fireplace. “Thank you for letting me visit your home. It is truly lovely,” she purred and lifted the glass to him in salute.

“No, my dear. It is my pleasure to play host to such a talented lady. I am honored to have you in my humble home.”

She leaned back, resting her left arm over the rear of the pristine, white-leather couch. The careful arch of her spine, casual drape of her scarlet gown and cascade of curls flowing over her shoulders were all designed to showcase her assets in the best possible way. She could tell by his shining eyes and moist lips, he approved.

She stretched out a hand. “Come, my lord, sit beside me.”

The warlord, Katungi, came toward her, moving with a sinuous walk that reminded her of a panther she’d seen in the zoo. Using her feminine wiles to get her master’s prize would not be an unpleasant task.

Lillian patted the couch. Katungi sat and she shifted forward. “I’ve heard you possess a wonderful treasure. One that gives you power over your enemies.”

His nostrils flared. “How do you know this?”

She trailed a finger along his upper thigh. “People talk, Katungi, and I’ve made it my business to learn about you. I know you are powerful.” Her caress reached the top of his thigh. Muscles tensed under her touch. “I like powerful men.”

She took a deep breath, making sure her breasts rose with the action, and when his gaze dropped to the deep cleavage revealed by her latest, especially designed for her Vera Wang gown, she knew she’d succeeded in capturing his complete attention.

Men were so easy to sway with a woman’s body. They were like little boys with their faces pressed against the glass, drooling at all the candy displayed before them. She’d learned just how much candy to give until she got what she wanted. And while most men just needed a few pieces here and there, she had a suspicion born of experience this man would need more.

One of his hands came up and cupped her breast, his thumb rubbing the nipple. A jolt of pleasure tingled and she let a tiny moan escape her lips. A triumphant smile stretched across his face. Like a striking cobra, his head shot forward and he buried his face between her breasts, then licked and bit. She stroked the back of his head and pressed his neck closer with encouragement.

He slipped his hand inside her bodice. Cool air brushed across her damp skin, the chill causing her nipples to peak. His mouth closed over one nub and he sucked hard, hard enough to be painful.
Hmm.
So he liked things rough. A thrill shot through her. She’d not had many men who liked pain with their pleasure.

After a few seconds of his wet ministrations, she cupped his hot cheeks and pulled his face up. He growled and tried to force her away.

“Now, now, my lord,” she murmured. “I’d really like to hear about your treasure. Then we can discuss your other treasure.” She patted his crotch.

“There is nothing to discuss,” he said. His voice was thick, filled with lust and hunger.

She laughed. “Of course there is. I’ve heard it’s a crystal in the shape of a human skull and with it you have power over life and death. May I see it?”

Passion fled. In its place, guilt and embarrassment turned his dark skin into the color of toffee. She pushed away from him. “You still have it, don’t you?”

He would not meet her eyes. “It recently disappeared. I have been unable to locate it.”

With exaggerated slow motion, she tucked her breast back inside her bodice and put more distance between them. His eyes narrowed. Scarlet moved from his chest into his cheeks as he saw his candy shop being closed.

“Who took it, Katungi?”

He surged to his feet. “I do not know.”

Uncertainty flooded her system, even though she was careful to keep her face expressionless. What was she to do now? Bill hadn’t told her what to do if Katungi did not have the skull.

The small hairs on her arms rose, goose bumps prickling her skin. Cold shivered through her, the sudden dip in the temperature in the room shocking after the heat of the last few days. Obviously, Katungi felt it as well because all lust fled his face, and he stiffened in alert.

Movement from the corner of her eye drew her gaze to the far wall. The air shimmered—an undulating wave, like looking through a clear pool of water. She got to her feet and backed away until she stood near him. Not that she expected him to protect her. More like she anticipated that whatever was happening would happen to him first.

A figure formed, first transparent, then filled in until a beautiful woman with long blonde hair and brilliant-blue eyes stood before them. The woman was naked, her porcelain skin polished with something that glistened under the lights. She wore a smile, perfect white teeth gleaming.

Envy washed over Lillian, made worse when Katungi sucked in a deep breath. The pungent aroma of sex filled the room, an overwhelming wash of scent turning the air thick with lust.

“Good evening. I hope I’m not disturbing anything.” The woman sauntered toward them, her hips swaying. “My name is Jahi and I’m here for the skull.”

Lillian lifted her chin. “The skull is not here. If it were, it would be mine.”

The woman, Jahi, looked at her. When the force of her blue gaze met Lillian’s, she almost staggered from the shock of lust that filled her body. She’d never been interested in being with a woman. One look from this woman, and suddenly Lillian wanted to know what it would be like to press her lips to the woman’s full, pink mouth, caress her smooth skin and kiss her body from toes to neck. Lillian panted, her breath taking form in the cool air.

“I know who you are, human, and you are incorrect. The skull would be mine. I will be the one to give it to my master.” Her gaze swung back to Katungi. “Where is it?”

Lillian’s knees almost gave out after Jahi turned the force of her stare on Katungi. She put more space between herself and him as Jahi moved until she was less than a foot from the warlord.

Katungi panted as well, his chest heaving with effort. His cock was pushed against his pants, straining to bust free. Sweat sheened his skin, the odor heavy in the air mixing with sex and hunger.

“I…” he began, then stopped and swallowed, his throat working convulsively, “…I do not have it, and I do not know where it is.”

Jahi stared at him intently. After a few seconds, she shook her head. “That’s too bad. My master will not be pleased. I’m afraid this is very terrible news for you.” She took her gaze from him and looked back at Lillian.

This time, Lillian did not swoon. Jahi grinned, an almost conspiratorial expression as if she were trying to tell Lillian they were bound as sisters to what was going to happen.

Jahi turned back to Katungi. “Take off your shirt.”

For a moment, Lillian thought he was going to ignore her. To Lillian’s surprise, he unfastened his shirt, trembling fingers slipping on the buttons. When he was finally done, he slipped the top from his shoulders, letting the silk fall to the carpet into a smooth puddle.

“Very good,” Jahi crooned as she approached him. She laid a palm on his chest, then curled her fingers inward. Cotton-candy-pink nails dug into his skin. He grimaced and hissed with pain.

She walked around him, her fingers trailing across his arms to his shoulders and across his back. His body quivered with need. Even Lillian was unable to remain unaffected. Wetness soaked her underwear, her breathing shallow and rapid.

If she was this affected without being close to or being touched by Jahi, just how much did Katungi feel? And why did it not matter that she had no idea where Jahi came from?

The man’s skin had paled, turning into the color of dark butterscotch. His mouth was slack, the pulse in his throat visible under his skin. Jahi continued her explorations. Moving from front to back and front again. Every once in a while, she would dig her nails into his skin, creating little half-moons of red as she cut into his flesh.

As Lillian had suspected, instead of being upset at the pain, Katungi seemed to relish it, moaning with each cut of her nails.

“Let me see if I understand. You had the skull but now have lost it.”

He shuddered. “The skull was stolen from me. I have not been able to find the one who took it.”

“Do you suspect anyone?”

His breathing was loud, whistling through his lips. He shook his head. “No. A servant.” He gasped. “One of my men. I do not know.”

Jahi sighed. “I guess I will have to ask them all then.” Her gaze narrowed on the quivering puddle of man flesh standing before her.

Lillian recognized that look—predatory interest. Suddenly she felt very sorry for Katungi. Whatever Jahi had planned for him would not be pleasant. Lillian took a step backward. She did not need to see what the woman would do.

“No, stay,” Jahi snapped without taking her gaze from Katungi. “I will have need of you after this.”

Fear tightened her skin and she wanted to flee, but her feet remained rooted in place.

“I can get it back for you,” Katungi begged.

Lillian could see him struggling to move. Muscles flexed, straining to shift an unwilling body. Despite the lust that still flooded the room, another current lay just under—terror.

“How can you? You do not even know who has taken it.” Jahi shook her head. “No, I’m sorry. It seems you must pay for losing the skull.” She came around to his front. “Take off your pants.”

He moaned—a sound of fear, not pleasure. Trembling fingers tugged on the zipper and started to pull the pants down from his waist, then he unclenched his fingers and let go, dropping his hands to his sides.

A smile curled the corners of Jahi lips. “So you have some strength after all. No matter.” The smile disappeared. “Take off your pants. Now.”

“Please.”

“Do it.”

This time, no matter how much Lillian could tell he struggled, he could not stop his body’s betrayal. The pants slid down his hips and fell to his ankles. He wore no underwear so his sex, free of any encumbrance, jutted forth. Despite his fear, the potency of the woman’s appeal kept him hard.

Jahi stared at his cock, the slight smile curling her lips. “Very nice,” she purred. “If only I had the time to really indulge myself.”

She took his twitching member in her hand, her fingers curling around the fat width. He threw his head back, a long wail screaming from his throat. The twist of his face and rolled-back eyes was something she was familiar with—pleasure mixed with pain.

The veins in his neck corded as Jahi stroked him, pulling back and forth. The screams increased in volume, becoming one long shriek. Lillian covered her ears but still felt the man’s cries to the marrow of her bones.