Viper (12 page)

It was that simple.

Women couldn’t be trusted.

He’d do well to remember that as he stood before his latest interest, dressed in nothing more than a silky robe and lord only knew what lay beneath. Kane hated to admit as much, but Cara Brahnam had woven her way beneath his skin all those years ago. Then she was nothing more than a stunning teen … today, she stood before him as one hell of a gorgeous woman. One who tripped his libido, left him hot and wanting. His semi-erection was proof of that. She really needed to get dressed.

“Pack your shit, Cara.”

She crossed her arms over her chest, shoving a great deal of her cleavage above the neckline of her robe. Kane swallowed. Maybe he could throw her ass on the bed, fuck her first, then get her the hell out of there.

Nope, bad idea.

“What makes you think you can protect me any more than the S.O.?”

Kane did chuckle this time. “Are you fucking serious? I’m one of them. The Sheriff’s Office doesn’t stand a chance against me, let alone a primordial.”

“You’ve said this vampire is older than you, more powerful. So basically, you’re saying I’m screwed. He wants me dead and he’s stronger than you. How the hell are you going to protect me?”

Shit
, she had just voiced his own fears. “I don’t know, Cara. But I promise you I will protect you with my own life.”

“Why risk your life for me? I’ve done nothing but try to pin these murders on you.”

Kane wasn’t ready to face his feelings. Hell, beyond wanting her horizontal, he didn’t even know what they were. “Because you’re a pawn in his game. The primordial likely killed Tab. And the other women? They all looked very similar to you, Cara. That’s not by accident.”

“I don’t understand. Why target my looks?”

The last thing he wanted to do was freak Cara out, but she had a right to know. And even though she was his preferred type, she was far different from the rest. Truth be told, it was because of her that he preferred his women blonde and blue-eyed. “Because it’s my preferred type.”

“Preferred type?”

“Women I like.” He glanced back at the floor, not wanting to see the reaction in her beautiful gaze. Christ, she was likely to think he stalked her. “Women I like to fuck.”

Kane heard her slight intake of air. He brought his gaze up, and before he could offer her any sort of explanation, she stayed his words with a raise of her hand.

“What you’re saying is that I’ve been targeted by this psycho vampire because you want to fuck me?”

He nodded, feeling like a heel. “If he’s after you, then his real target is me.”

“Oh, that’s just rich!”

“I can’t help how I feel. You have to know I would never willingly get you involved in anything that would see you harmed.”

Her throat bobbed as she swallowed, her eyes glassed over with unshed tears. “How do you know he’s been here?”

“Because I can smell him, Cara. His scent is all over your room. He didn’t merely stand over your bed. He paced the fucking room. And you know what I think?”

“What?” she asked, her voice catching.

“He did it on purpose. The mother fucker wanted me to smell him all over this room. He was sending a message to me, Cara. Otherwise, he would have just killed you when he had the chance.”

The scent of her fear seeped from her pores. Good, he needed to frighten her. And the fact she now probably hated him would work in his favor as well. She wouldn’t let him come within ten feet of her, let alone toss her onto the bed like he so desired. Kane needed to keep his head on his shoulders and stop breaking MC rules. He needed to get back to business and catch this mother fucker. Getting involved with the detective would only complicate matters and turn his brothers against him. And right now he needed their help.

“He wants me to know that he’s targeted you.”

She wet her lips, the tip of her pink tongue nearly having him forgetting his latest resolve.

“I don’t understand any of this.”

“I know what he’s capable of, Mia Bella.”

“But why would they use me to get to you?”

“Damn it!” Kane shoved his hand through his hair and pushed it from his face. “Just pack your bags, Cara. I’m moving you to the MC clubhouse where I can better keep an eye on you.”

“I’m not moving, Kane, not until you tell me how I got involved in the middle of a pissing match between you and some ancient vampire.”

He ground his teeth. Damned stubborn woman. “Why can’t you just do as I say? I can’t protect you here, Cara.”

“Well, apparently”—she stepped so close he could smell her blood rushing through her veins— “had I not ever met you, I wouldn’t need protecting. So I think you owe me the truth, Kane.”

“I don’t know the answer, Cara … other than he wants you dead. Why? Because it would hurt me.”

She spread her arms out, the gesture causing her robe to slip, revealing more of her cleavage … answering the question of what lay beneath her robe. Nothing. His breath left his chest in a hiss. How much could one vampire take? They were sexual beings, for crying out loud, not used to practicing restraint. His cock hardened. He wanted to bury himself to the hilt, feel her walls surround him like a silk glove and forget this primordial even existed.

“How could my death possibly hurt you?”

“Because I want you, Cara, I have for ten years.” When she didn’t comment, only gaped at him, he continued, “Is that what you wanted to hear, Mia Bella? You have one vampire who wants to fuck you senseless, who can barely contain himself in your presence, and one who wants to take your life because of it.”

Kane’s eyes blackened as his fangs elongated in his rising desire. He could see his crazed reflection in her gaze.
Damn,
but he wanted to throw her on the messed bed she had just crawled out of, push aside her robe and run his hands along her silken flesh, take what he’d fantasized about as he watched her sleep. He didn’t think his actions through, just knew the need sluicing through him was more powerful than anything he had experienced before. Grasping her biceps, he pulled her flush and slanted his mouth over hers, his tongue sliding between her parted lips. God help him, but he was a hair’s breadth away from losing all control.

Chapter 11

Kane felt her hesitation but a moment before her arms slipped about his neck. He took her compliance as an invitation and deepened the kiss. Her answering moan drove him forward as he backed her toward the bed. Her kiss wasn’t tentative by any means. It was begging for what he was more than willing to give.

Hot, sweaty sex.

That’s the thought that crossed his mind. Not his need to feed. Not his need to protect. Not the primordial. And certainly not Rosalee. No, his only thought was burying himself to the hilt in a woman who didn’t think she needed protection. Hell, she needed protection all right. Cara not only needed it from the ancient vampire, but she needed it from him as well for his intentions were of the X-rated sort.

Kane had passed the point of trusting himself.

He grabbed a cheek of her ass in each of his palms and lifted her. Cara wrapped her slender thighs about his waist, bringing her center flush with his cock. Her robe parted, leaving nothing between them but the rough material of his jeans. Her breath drew short and her wide-eyed gaze told him Cara was a scant inch from bolting, and damn him if he shouldn’t be the gentleman and give her the opportunity.

The Sons would doubtlessly strip his P patch if they caught an inkling of how frequently his thoughts turned to the woman who meant to incarcerate him for crimes he hadn’t committed. He had lived and breathed the MC for as long as he could remember. Not that they would strip him of the presidency for his idiotic choice of whom he chose to fuck, but for the likelihood that he would feed from her in the process. If he followed through with his intentions, he prayed for the willpower to keep his fangs to himself. His one taste of her had his mouth watering for another. His brothers had looked the other way when he hadn’t hypnotized Cara into forgetting. No way could they allow him to break another rule without repercussions.

Needing far less clothes between them, Kane laid her upon the rumpled sheets. Taking his off was near to impossible the way she had wrapped herself about him. He desired her that way, but with nothing on. He wanted to feel her flesh sliding across his in a sweat-slicked dance that went back to Adam and Eve. Cara had scooted up the sheets to the pillows, hugging her knees, staring at him with a heavy-lidded gaze of desire mixed with that of fright. Her complexion had paled. He knew she waged her own battles. On one hand, Kane had been her every nightmare. On the other, a huge temptation, evident in her desire now scenting the room.

Stripping off his shirt and tossing it to the side, Kane closed the gap between them. He needed to make sure the right side of the equation won and planned to make himself hard to resist. Cara’s decision to walk away wouldn’t be an easy one. Grasping an ankle, Kane pulled her slender foot toward him. He brought the gentle arch of her foot to his nose, sniffing the rich blood that flowed through it, then licked a path along the soft slope. Cara gently tugged at her foot in his grip, her tiny gasp filling the quiet air.

His fangs ached at the warm scent of her blood. Biting her and slaking his urge to feed would be so damn easy. But he also knew she’d flee from him faster than she had the first time he tasted her. He’d be left with a whole lot of regret and a raging hard-on. Kane fought back his animalistic nature, hoping to hold it at bay. This close to Cara’s flesh made it damn near impossible.

His blackened gaze reflected in her eyes and yet she hadn’t run screaming from the room. He took that as a small victory in his favor. He spread her smooth thighs, running his palms up the satiny flesh. His cock throbbed. Kane slid up the bed, his tongue following her hip bone to her stomach, circling her navel, hearing the catch in her breath and smelling the heat of her desire. Cara couldn’t deny she longed for the same release.

Kane challenged her, needing to hear her say she wanted the same thing. “What is it you want, Mia Bella? You need to tell me. Do you want me here?” he asked as he ran a finger along her swollen flesh, feeling how damn wet she already was.

Her breath hitched and her legs quivered.

“Or do you want to stop now and forget what we started? This is your last chance to turn back. Because if I go any further, I’m going to fuck you … let that be understood. And if that’s what you want as well, you best take the opportunity. Because once we hit the clubhouse, you will not only be protected from the primordial but from me as well.”

She rose up on her elbows and locked gazes with him. “Why would I be protected from you if I were to move into the clubhouse?”

“Because my brothers won’t allow me within a mile of you.”

* * *

Cara didn’t understand. Why would the OMC care who Kane chose to sleep with? She was under the impression that every one of them slept with multiple women. Not like Kane hadn’t had numerous lovers, so why was she so different? An unsteady breath left her as she wondered just why they were having this conversation in the first place. Shouldn’t they be getting to the part where Kane … ah, hell. She needed her head examined.

Kane’s obsidian gaze studied her. The change in his eye color should have been her first sign to run, but for some reason it was a huge turn-on, right along with those ridiculous fangs and his more prominent brow and hollowed out cheeks. She might have regrets, should she decide to take Kane as a lover, but one look at that chest and abs and she was a goner. It certainly wasn’t the body of a … how old was he anyway? Did she even care?

“I may want you in every position possible, Mia Bella, but you and I are against club rules.”

“Why would we be any of the club’s business?” she asked as she slid back up the bed to a sitting position, putting distance between her and his hand.

She couldn’t think straight, let alone talk, with his hand so close to stroking her. She detected his dislike of her pulling away. Her body screamed at the distance. She didn’t want to be having this conversation. No, she wanted the promise of the best sex ever.

“Please don’t tell me they have a list of fuckable women and I didn’t make the cut.”

A genuine chuckle bubbled up from his gut. “My brothers couldn’t care less who my flavor of the—”

“Don’t say it!”

His smile widened. “What I should have said is my brothers don’t dictate who I sleep with. Nor do I care who they have sex with, providing it’s not breaking any club rules.”

“So what are we doing that breaks the rules? Is a cop off limits?”

He shook his head. “Not exactly. Though keeping us high on the suspect list doesn’t exactly put you in their good graces.”

“Then why would we be breaking your stupid rules?”

His face sobered. “The rules are not stupid, Cara. They’re put into place to protect us.”

“From whom?”

“From outsiders knowing about us … vampires. No one can know that we exist.”

“And yet I do. The MC knows that I know what you are?”

He nodded.

“So what are you supposed to do about it? Kill me?”

“I could hypnotize you.”

Whatever she expected him to say, it wasn’t that. “Have you ever—”

“No. If I would have, it would’ve been ten years ago when you fled the Rave. My job was to follow you and make sure you remembered nothing.”

“But you didn’t.”

“I followed you.”

She sucked in a breath.

“But I couldn’t bring myself to take away your memory.”

“Why?”

“Because I wanted you to remember.”

His admission hung heavy between them. Neither said a word as their gazes locked. Slowly, Kane’s eyes returned to their normal deep brown. She supposed that meant he’d reined in his desire, thanks to their conversation. Looks like she’d be left speculating how good Kane was in the sack. Lord, she couldn’t help being jealous of Tab … a dead woman. Cara pulled her robe back over her shoulders and tied the sash, hiding her body from his view.

“I’m sorry, Mia Bella. I desired you then, just as I want you now.”

“And what does that have to do with your brothers?”

“I told them that you knew about us and had for some time. They were willing to look the other way because you kept our secret.”

“So sleeping with me would anger them how?”

“I broke one club rule by allowing you to remember. Should I feed from you—”

“Whoa, fang boy. Back up! You’re insane if you think I would allow you to sink your teeth into me!” she nearly shrieked. How the hell had they come to this? Five minutes ago she was ready to have sex with the man … scratch that … a vampire who wanted to bite her? Okay, well maybe at the time she might have even allowed it. But yep, she would have definitely regretted her actions later. “Can’t you have sex without biting?”

Kane laughed again. “Had I been normal and I bit you, you might have thought it part of the foreplay. Or maybe you’d even have been into the idea.”

Cara couldn’t help but share in his humor. “Nipping is normal sexual play, Kane, drinking one’s blood isn’t.”

Though she’d be lying to herself if she denied she’d been a little turned on by the idea of Kane’s teeth sinking into her arteries. Cara rubbed the side of her neck, as Kane stood and left the bed. He gave her his back and retrieved his tee, pulling it over his head. His muscles moved with the exertion, making her wish she had just kept her damn mouth shut. His departure was like a cold bucket of water, dousing any remnants of desire. Cara covered her eyes, leaned back against the headboard and groaned. Certifiably insane. What the hell had she been thinking?

Kane turned back around just as she scooted to the edge of the bed. “Get some clothes on, Cara. You aren’t safe here. Pack a bag. I’m taking you to the clubhouse where you’ll be safe.”

“Wow,” Cara said as she stood, yanking the lapels of her robe tightly about her, not that he hadn’t already seen it all.

His gaze told Cara her reaction confounded him. Stupid boy. And here she’d been ready to throw caution to the wind. Moment over. Time for reality to sink back in. Kane had been correct. She definitely needed the club’s protection.
From him
.

“I’ll see you at the clubhouse, Viper. I need to get a shower,” she snapped, leaving out the word cold. “If you want me to stay at the MC clubhouse, fine, but only at night. I don’t need a babysitter during the day.”

Kane didn’t say a word. Probably confused by her quick turn-about in moods. How was she supposed to act? One moment they were on the bed, headed for the best orgasm of her life, and the next he was standing over her, demanding she pack her bags and follow him like one of his groupies. Cara wasn’t anyone’s flavor of the month and she certainly wasn’t anyone’s puppet. She’d allow him to keep an eye out for her while she slept, but she’d be damned if she’d allow him to dictate her days. And no way in hell would she ever allow her guard to be down around him again. Kane Tepes was off limits and she would do well to remember that.

“Why are you still here?” she asked as she grabbed a shirt and a pair of slacks from her closet. “I expect to find you gone when I get out of the shower.”

Without waiting for a response, she slammed the bathroom door behind her and locked it. Not that the bolt would stop him should he want to get in, but she had a feeling Kane wouldn’t go anywhere near that door knob.