Slayer's Kiss

When the past flies in your face, clip its wings. The Shadow Slayers, Book 1 Kara Reed is a supernatural failure. But w...

Author: Carver Cassi

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When the past flies in your face, clip its wings. The Shadow Slayers, Book 1 Kara Reed is a supernatural failure. But where her magic falls short, her fists get the job done. The criminal element doesn’t stand a chance once she hits San Diego’s dark streets. When two smoking-hot tenants move in next door, she thinks her love life might finally be heating up. Just being near Gavin and Julian is enough to make her want to offer her body on a platter. Gavin and Julian know it’s only a matter of time before the truth comes out. They’re fallen angels sent to watch over the king’s daughter, one of the last females of her kind. Trouble is, she doesn’t seem to think she needs watching— unless they’re watching her shimmy out of her clothes. No matter how tempting her guardians, Kara’s not about to let anything stop her from tracking down a sadistic killer who carves into his victims and leaves them for dead. Even when she realizes her target may be the very scourge of heaven from which her angels swore to protect her… Warning: Contains a kick-ass heroine with a foul mouth, a kind heart and a raging libido, and two fallen angel warriors who wouldn’t have her any other way. Watch out for sex in the clouds, a magical island of hedonism and a love triangle that gives new meaning to the term “hot-wings”.

eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work. This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental. Samhain Publishing, Ltd. 11821 Mason Montgomery Road Suite 4B Cincinnati OH 45249 Slayer’s Kiss Copyright © 2012 by Cassi Carver ISBN: 978-1-60928-679-8 Edited by Jennifer Miller Cover by Angela Waters All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: February 2012 www.samhainpublishing.com

Slayer’s Kiss Cassi Carver

Dedication

For my husband—the hero who gives me wings.

Acknowledgments

I want to thank my parents for their unwavering love and support. Bob, for reading to me at night. Diane, for kick-starting my love of reading. And Kathy, for helping me believe I can do anything I set my mind to. Thank you to the world’s best critique partner, Melissa. Your insight and encouragement are invaluable. I’m blessed to have found you and our friends at RWASD. Thank you, Leasha, for being my very first reader and cheerleader. How you didn’t thump me over the head with that five-hundred-fifty-page behemoth, I’ll never know. Jennifer, thank you for pulling me out of the pile and letting my story soar. You are the best editor a girl could ask for. Angela, you may be younger, but you are my oldest friend. Without you holding the rope, I never would have made the climb. And thank you to my loving, patient husband. Yes, I already mentioned you, but you’re always in my heart.

Chapter One

“Just lie back and relax, asshole. I swear you won’t feel a thing.” Kara adjusted the bindings around the man’s wrists and plunged the syringe deep into his thigh. When the concoction started making its way through his veins, he bucked under Kara’s weight. She stood and put one boot heel against his throat to quiet him as the relaxant started taking effect. “How is she, Abbey?” Abbey frowned and brushed her red hair out of her eyes. “She’s going to be all right, but I put a call in to 911. We need to hurry.” Kara glanced at the man lying on the dirty pavement of the alley. His expensive slacks were around his ankles, and after all these years, it still struck Kara as odd that the assailants never fit a certain mold. She and Abbey had taken down everything from homeless men to men who drove hundred-thousanddollar sports cars. Money didn’t matter, and it wasn’t for the sex. These men wanted power over others. They got off on the degradation and the pain they inflicted. “He’s ready for you. Let’s help this gentleman get in touch with his manners.” Abbey tucked a coat around the unconscious victim, shielding her lower half from view of the police officers who would shortly be arriving on the scene. She rose to her feet and walked to Kara. “Don’t bruise his throat, Kare-bear. The knot you gave him with your elbow is bad enough. His temple looks like he got hit with a baseball bat, and we don’t want the police thinking he was the victim here.”

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Kara snorted and rubbed her aching elbow. “Yeah, poor little guy. He may need stitches on that pretty face of his. At least he can afford it.” Abbey knelt and poised her hand above the man, then glanced at Kara. “Are the herbs working yet?” Kara removed her boot from his throat and gave him a small kick in the head. He didn’t stir. “Yep.” “Okay.” Abbey brought her hands together above his groin and began to chant. Kara never tired of watching her best friend work. Abbey’s hair didn’t twirl around her head and fire didn’t shoot from her fingertips, but Kara could feel the energy in the air coalescing around the man. Abbey’s voice was low and smooth, almost otherworldly in the quiet of the tucked-away street. “From the rod of man, pleasure ordained, but from this soul it gives only pain. Hear me tonight and take back desire. Punish this man and snuff out his fire.” With the feeling of air being sucked from the space around them, the lust siphoned from the man’s body and lifted high above the alley, rising into the night like a cyclone of misty white light. “It’s done,” Abbey said. “You can wake him now.” Kara twisted the cap off Abbey’s water bottle and emptied the contents in the man’s face. He sputtered awake, then groaned and put his hand to his temple. Kara dropped into a crouch beside him. “Listen to me.” He looked over at her and his gaze locked on her face like a possessed man awaiting a demon’s command. “You never saw us tonight, did you?” He shook his head slowly. “I never saw you.”

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“Good.” Kara reached down to untie his hands and placed the bindings in her pocket. “You’re going to wait here until the police arrive and then you’re going to admit to them you assaulted this woman. She fought back and hit you in the head, didn’t she?” “Yes.” He nodded. “She fought back.” “And when you get out of jail, you’re going to make a huge donation to the local women’s shelter.” “I am,” he agreed. The sound of sirens filtered into the alley from a distance. “Kara,” Abbey said. “That’s good enough. We have to get out of here.” “One last thing.” Kara grinned and turned to the man. “When you get to jail, you may have the urge to wink at the really big guys and say, ‘I’m your bitch, baby.’ Got it?” He held her gaze from behind glassy eyes. “I’m your bitch, baby.” Kara snickered and stood, hearing the sirens drawing closer. She glanced at her watch. A quarter past midnight. Why couldn’t these perverts wriggle out from under their rocks earlier in the evening? “All finished, Abbs. Now let’s get the hell out of here. I have to work in the morning.”

Kara hadn’t lied to her best friend. She did have to work, but that wasn’t exactly why she’d been eager to get to bed that night. It had been after one in the morning when she finally shut her eyes. When she awoke with a throb between her legs and her naked body spread across a tangled mass of sheets and blankets, she turned her face into the pillow and smiled. What a dream. And judging from the dark sky, the night wasn’t over yet.


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Her core pulsed as memories of the dream burned in her vision, the way the man had teased her nipples with a black feather before running it over her belly and then lower, to her aching pussy. Images of molten lava singed her mind, crackling red at the seams as black crust hardened around it. She took another breath, clearing her lungs of the salty tang of the ocean and the humid moisture of some exotic place. As dreams went, this one had been amazing. Dangerous and tangled and hot as hell. Her only complaint was waking up alone, realizing none of it had been real. She dragged the tip of one finger through her slick folds, drawing an involuntary shudder from her body. It felt so good, but at the same time, she wished it could be her dream lover touching her like this, doing the things she only allowed in fantasies. She wasn’t ready for the fantasy to be over yet. Kara dipped a finger inside her moist heat. First one, then two, as she rocked against her palm. “Ohhh…” she groaned, using her free hand to cup her heavy breast. The need between her legs was so strong, choosing to satisfy it was almost like deciding whether or not to jump in a lake when you were on fire. She didn’t have a choice. She flipped onto her stomach, her long brown hair catching in her mouth as she ground against her hand. Almost there, she thought, moaning into her pillow as though it were her winged vision’s chest, imagining it was him inside her, ramming against her sensitive nub. “Oh yes!” A loud, menacing hiss rent the air from somewhere behind her. Her pussy spasmed around her fingers with the beginning of a powerful contraction, but she gasped and rolled to her back, casting her hands out beside her as the walls of her channel fluttered helplessly.

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She glanced back and forth in the dark room until her eyes came to rest on the white fluffball perched on the foot of the bed. “Aw, shit, Pibby! Bad boy!” she hollered at the cat. “Very. Bad. Boy.” Kara was about to sweep her foot out and shoo the little voyeur off the bed, but something in Mr. Pibb’s stance and the way his white canines reflected the moonlight changed her mind. “What’s the matter, Pibb?” She’d be pissed later, right now she was too busy getting goose bumps from the way the cat was doubled up like a bobby pin, long hair standing on end, his mouth emitting a low, threatening yowl. “Come here, baby. What’s the matter?” When she sat up and leaned across the bed, his hiss grew more insistent. As she reached out to soothe his ears, he reacted in a loud swirl of motion. She shrieked when Mr. Pibb launched himself at her hand and dug deep with his claws fully extended. He held on long enough to bite her thumb with his razorsharp teeth before jumping from the bed and taking off down the hall like he was being pursued by a pack of hungry dogs. She clutched her bleeding hand to her chest and gaped at Pibb’s retreating form. “What the—?” The words caught in her throat when a large shadow passed over her balcony window. Acting on pure instinct, she rolled to the floor and landed in a crouch, hunkering down on the far side of the bed as she peered over the mounds of purple bedding at the window beyond. A long, dark shape hung at the edge of her curtains. She couldn’t make out what it was even with the moonlight filtering in around it. Blood pounded through her veins as she tried to think it through. She lived on the tenth floor. What in the hell was big enough to make that kind of shadow


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on her window? Nothing. Not a bird on the railing. Not a bat. A kite, or a balloon maybe, but those didn’t send off dark vibes like she was picking up now. She slipped a hand under the mattress and felt around for the dagger she had hidden there. She’d never needed it in the safety of her own home, but when she reached out with her mind and felt a strange, foreign presence near, she tightened her grip on the hilt. Kara had never been accused of being a coward. She took a deep breath, rose and walked slowly to the balcony doors. Every step closer she could feel the oppression increase, the twisted glee flooding in from the other side of the glass. She steeled herself and adjusted her grip on the dagger in her right hand while she grasped the edge of the curtains with her left. One, two, three… She yanked the fabric aside and blinked hard, shocked to see nothing but her withering houseplant and two patio chairs on an otherwise empty balcony. The shadow had dissolved with the rustle of the cloth, as though it were merely a trick of the full moon and the pleats of the curtains, and the ominous presence she’d felt sputtered out quicker than a flame doused in water. Kara stumbled back and sat hard on the edge of her bed, bringing one hand to her chest to calm her raging heart. “Damn it.” Her cat threw a fit and all of a sudden she was imagining things that went bump in the night. She knew better. When bad things happened, someone was the cause, not something. And in keeping with her current obsession with winged men, what better to imagine at her window than the dark version of her dream lover. She looked down and stared at the flat side of the knife resting on her bare thigh. “Nice, Kara. Really nice.” She’d been about to battle a shadow naked.

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After the ridiculous window incident, nothing could help Kara doze off again, but she did better than most people on four hours of sleep. Once she was up and about, the day passed in a blur. She never had time to get bored with so much to be done around the damned apartment building. At some point, the owners were going to have to get real plumbers and electricians to take care of the aging pipes and wiring, but until that day came, Kara would continue to spend her days with a tool belt around her hips. She thought about how much she loved her home as she zipped up her tall black boots and pulled her leather skirt a little lower. Even though the apartments kept her busy, a two-bedroom/two-bath in the heart of the Gaslamp Quarter was worth whatever grief the old lady on the fourth floor put her through. Growing up as a foster kid and moving from house to house her whole life, Kara didn’t like the idea of being displaced again. So what if the nasty old man on the second floor kept thinking up reasons to get her to check his pipes? He was harmless compared to the men she and Abbey pursued at night. And besides, managing the apartments left her nights open to pick up hours at The Hoolecha Inn. Covered rent was great, but the small stipend they gave her didn’t put much food in the cupboards or pay for those new suede boots she’d found online. She slipped on her black lace shirt and checked herself in the mirror, catching the reflection of the full moon through the sheer curtains covering the windows. Her hair cascaded down her back in brown waves, and she’d done smoky eyes for tonight. The whole ensemble was a biker-chick cliché, but she’d discovered if she looked like a tramp, she got better tips. She grabbed the syringe


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Abbey had prepped for her and a small knife from the top of her dresser and slipped them into her purse as her cell phone rang. Kara glanced at the unfamiliar area code and frowned. “Hello?” “Hello…Miss Reed?” a deep, masculine voice answered. “This is Gavin. I wanted to let you know I’m in the lobby, waiting.” Kara scrunched her face, glancing at the phone as if the man had spoken a foreign language. “Waiting for…?” “Our eight o’clock appointment. It’s eight thirty.” “Oh, crap.” She grabbed her purse and ran to the kitchen, glancing at the level of food in Mr. Pibb’s half-full dish on the way to the door. “I’m late.” She was planning to get to work early tonight to talk to her boss about more regular hours. She still had time if she walked fast. “That’s all right. No problem.” For whatever reason, the man sounded appeased by her panic. She glanced at the phone again as she went out the front door and made her way to the elevator. “Who are you?” “Gavin. Gavin Cross.” He sighed into the phone. “Your new tenant. We had an appointment at eight for me to pick up the keys to my apartment.” Kara blew out an incredulous breath, realizing this was the man who’d been on a waiting list for a tenth-floor apartment with a view. Three days ago, newspapers had starting arriving on the doorstep of the vacant unit next to hers—and she was enjoying reading them. “Yes, Mr. Cross—eight this morning. And you never showed. Who does business at eight o’clock at night?” Kara lived on the top floor of her building, and the stairs didn’t bother her, but even witches didn’t enjoy hiking ten flights in high-heeled boots. She jammed her finger impatiently against the elevator’s button and jumped in before the doors fully opened.

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“I thought it was scheduled for tonight,” he protested. “I told you I work during the day.” The floors wouldn’t count down fast enough. She was already late, and now some bonehead thought he could convince her she had the time wrong. She tried to keep firm boundaries with the tenants or they walked all over her. And even so, she still got the occasional call in the middle of the night because someone’s window was sticking or a strange smell was coming from a drain. “Yes you did, but I didn’t agree to meet in the evening.” Even apartment managers have lives, buddy. “I’m sorry, but I’m busy tonight. I thought you’d decided to take an hour off work this morning.” When the doors opened, she shot off the elevator and ran smack into a man’s brawny chest. Her phone slid from her grip and clattered to her feet. “Sorry!” With a phone in one hand, the man reached out to steady her with the other. “Are you okay?” Kara sucked in a breath, staring straight into the heart-stopping eyes of the towering man before her. He was stunning. Dark blond hair, hazel-green eyes framed by thick, dark lashes and an incredibly large, muscular frame wrapped in a slick charcoal suit and tie. “Gavin Cross?” she confirmed, her palms pressing against his chest as a tremor ran through her body. She’d never met a man who could make her salivate at first glance, but he looked like he’d taste better than a slice of cherry cheesecake after a month of tofu. “Miss Reed?” His eyebrows shot up and his eyes widened as he took in her attire. “You really were in a hurry, weren’t you? Going clubbing, I see.” “Not exactly. I mean, yes. The Hoolecha Inn. It’s a club, but I work there.” “And I’m making you late for work?”


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“Late for being early.” She scanned him up and down and bit her lip. “It’s fine. Really. It’s just down the block on the corner of 6th and F.” Gavin shook his head. “I’m such an ass. Sorry about the misunderstanding. You must think I’m an idiot.” He glanced at her hands on his jacket but made no move to back away. She might have been imagining it, but it felt as if he actually leaned closer. “Gavin…” she began. “Can I call you Gavin?” Kara trailed her hand from his chest and placed it on his arm. He smelled like musk and soap. She wanted to slather herself in him. “It’s completely my fault. I’ll grab the keys and show you to your apartment. It’s the one next to mine.” When Gavin placed his own phone in his jacket pocket, then knelt to pick up hers, Kara’s breath hitched. His head was only inches away from the juncture of her thighs. What was wrong with her damn libido lately? His scent made her want to bend over and offer her backside to him like a bitch in heat. Balanced on the balls of his feet with her phone in hand, he stopped and looked into Kara’s eyes. His head angled slightly toward Kara’s short skirt, and his nostrils flared. She could have sworn she heard a low rumble rise in his chest. Her body responded with a flood of moisture and a pounding throb between her legs. She knew logically she couldn’t screw him right here in the lobby. She wasn’t even that type of girl, regardless of what it looked like when she and Abbey went hunting. “Your phone.” He placed it in Kara’s palm, grazing his hand along hers. “Thanks.” She was so breathless she could barely get the word out. When Gavin stood, Kara didn’t have the sense to stifle her surprised gasp. His slacks were stretched to bursting with an impossibly huge erection straining

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against his zipper. He followed her eyes to his groin. “I guess I owe you another apology.” “Don’t worry, I get that a lot,” she joked, trying to hide her fierce reaction to him behind a smile. His gaze swept slowly from her head to the tips of her boots, lingering on her large breasts and rounded hips. “I’m sure you do.” “Come on, I’ll show you up.” Kara turned and gestured for him to follow her into the elevator. Just being in the enclosed space with him made every nerve ending in her body tingle. The night air under her skirt had never felt so sensuous…teasing her, tickling her thighs, suggesting she hike her skirt up even farther and bare herself to this man. Damn it, this wasn’t like her. Even so, as she stopped at her apartment and unlocked the door, she heard herself asking, “Do you want to come in?” The breathy sigh in her voice offered more than her simple words. “Come in?” he echoed. “Would your roommate mind?” She could barely pull her eyes away from his groin. “It’s only me. I live alone.” But I don’t want to be alone tonight. “Will you come inside, Gavin?” It seemed for a moment as if he stopped breathing, but then his lungs finally expanded again. “Thank you, but no.” She wasn’t sure how those four little words of rejection could cut so deep coming from a man she’d met only minutes before, but something about him felt so right. His essence was like golden sunsets and French kisses on the beach. She swallowed hard as her cheeks warmed. “Sure. Just let me grab the keys.” She opened the door and reached a hand to the key organizer by the entryway. Only one set was ready and waiting, so it wasn’t hard to find. She would have willed the earth to open up and swallow her whole if not for a quick,


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final glance at Gavin’s burgeoning interest. His mouth might say no, but his body disagreed. Kara swallowed her pride and took one last chance. Curving her mortified lips into a small smile, she dropped the keys in his hand. “If you change your mind, you know where to find me.”

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Chapter Two

There were three things Kara liked best about The Hoolecha Inn. Number one, it was always busy and a bartender could make good tips on a Saturday— even in the measly two-hour shift she was working tonight. Number two, it was a block away from her place in the Gaslamp Quarter, which helped when one didn’t have a car. And number three, she could wear her sexy boots to work—the ones she didn’t dare wear when she and Abbey went hunting. She didn’t even want to think about what a sharp kick to the head in these pointy-toed high-rises would do to her glittery toenails. She put her purse under the bar and glanced over at Dave. At twenty-eight, just two years older than Kara, he still had his football physique and quarterback good looks from college. With his spiky brown hair and exotic eyes, some nights, he got as many phone numbers slipped to him as twenty-dollar bills. “Hey, Kara.” He finished wiping down a small spill on the bar and flashed her his sexiest grin. “Thanks for doing this, sugar. I wish you were coming with me to the concert.” Kara smiled back. Dave was nice, but she’d never felt more for him than gratitude. “I need the hours. Thanks for calling me to cover for you.” “I always think of you first, you know that.” A pretty blond server named Celeste approached the bar. “Two pints of Guinness, please.”

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Kara took the towel from Dave and filled two mugs with beer, then pushed them across the bar to Celeste. She glanced briefly at Kara, seemingly disappointed to be losing Dave for the night, and stalked away to deliver the beer. Kara was probably the only one who didn’t have a crush on their best bartender. “Hey, Dave…” He grabbed his keys from under the bar and turned to her expectantly. “Yeah?” “Do me a favor?” “Sure.” His expression went from eager to surprised when Kara stepped up to him and leaned in to his neck, drawing in his masculine essence and sifting through the bar’s bitter odors of spilled whiskey and sweaty bodies. “What’s this, sugar?” His hands came to her hips. “Changing your mind?” She backed away, too lost in her own thoughts to care if he considered her a tease or just plain crazy. “Just checking on something. Thanks.” Sure, Dave wasn’t built like Gavin, but he was technically every bit as handsome as her new neighbor, and yet his scent did nothing for her. Since when did a man’s smell matter anyway? “Should I be concerned with my choice of deodorant—or did I pass the Kara Reed sniff test?” She twirled her damp towel in a spiral, eyeing him like a predator. “You passed, QB. Now go and have fun.” He laughed and dodged but wasn’t quick enough to avoid the snap of the towel against the back of his jeans. “I have an extra ticket…” “I already told you, I need the hours here.” “I could give you my full shift tomorrow.” He met her eyes and turned on his high-beam charm. “Come on, Kara. Aaron wouldn’t mind taking your hours tonight. You know you want to.” He waggled his brows.

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“Stop tempting me.” Kara laughed. “Get the hell out of here before I grab that extra ticket and hand it to Celeste. She looks like she wants to gouge my eyes out for stalking her prey.” Celeste was a buxom blond who knew exactly how to move her hips for maximum effect. She’d had a crush on Dave since she’d started working there three months before. “Celeste? Really?” Kara nodded solemnly. “Oh, yeah.” Ha. That would divert his attention from Kara for a while. It wasn’t that Dave lacked prospects, but Kara was feeling sisterly solidarity for Celeste. Maybe the good deed would circle back as good karma and a higher percentage of the servers’ tips. Besides, somebody should get lucky tonight, and judging from her humiliating strike-out with her new tenant, it certainly wasn’t going to be Kara. Dave shrugged. “Well, if you’re sure you don’t want it, I’d hate to let it go to waste.” Kara watched as he approached Celeste, and she couldn’t help but smile when Celeste grinned ear to ear and put her hand on his arm. Kara couldn’t hear what they said in the loud clash of voices, music and mugs, but it looked promising. Dave and Celeste weren’t five steps out the door on their way to Petco Park before the skin on Kara’s arms prickled. At first, she wondered if something bad was going to happen to them, like a premonition of things to come, but premonitions had never been her gift. In fact, she was a pathetic witch who had to use her fists when her magic fell short. But still, she kept her gaze trained on the door, even while mixing two martinis and a rum and Coke, otherwise she never would have glimpsed Gavin Cross appear on the other side of the glass, head bowed, talking through


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something serious with a striking man with shiny black hair and a body almost as massive as Gavin’s. After a quick handshake, just a fleeting grasp of one wrist to another, Gavin broke away from the other man and came through the door. His gaze arrowed through the crush of bodies and landed squarely on Kara. Her mouth went dry. Tha-thump. Tha-thump. Her heart throttled from zero to sixty in one glance, hammering as if she’d run a hundred miles through the desert. But he was the oasis she’d been waiting for. Gavin reached the bar, pulled out a stool and settled himself on the brown vinyl perch. “Miss Reed.” He tipped his chin in greeting. His suit jacket was draped across one knee, leaving him in slacks and a white-collared shirt with the first button undone. With the way the fabric stretched around his biceps, he didn’t look like any businessman she’d ever met. Her mind raced. Maybe he’d thought through her unspoken offer. Maybe she wasn’t the only one who’d felt the connection. Her body flushed, but not in embarrassment this time—this was simply blood rushing to all her important parts. She nodded back and smiled, trying not to look as smug as she felt. “You found me.” “I did. It must be nice working so close to home.” “Yeah. It’s not a bad gig.” She wanted to laugh. It was clear he had something to say, and she already knew what it was going to be. Mutual attraction this strong couldn’t be denied. She wasn’t going to play hard to get just to get even with him. He might deserve it, but that wasn’t her style. She rarely

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wanted a man, but when she did, she let him know flat-out. “I’m glad you rethought my offer.” He clasped his hands on the bar before him. “It’s the key.” She put down the bottle in her hand and cocked her head. “What’s the key?” “The reason I’m here.” “Huh? I’m confused.” Confused and sinking like that rock in the pit of her stomach. Gavin looked like he’d swallowed a bug. “The key doesn’t work.” The blood drained from Kara’s face. “Oh…you’re not here to see…me.” She was the world’s biggest jackass. Such an ass, in fact, she was surprised she hadn’t brayed the soft, mortified words from between big blocky teeth. “Technically, I am here to see you. The key doesn’t fit. I can’t move in my things until you open the door.” She turned her back on him under the pretense of getting another bottle of tequila from the low storage cupboard, but she needed a minute to get herself under control. She rummaged around, shifting bottles, until she thought she could speak without her lips quivering. “Take this for your trouble.” She handed him a shot of their best tequila. “I’m so sorry. I don’t know what could have happened—they’re all numbered. But don’t worry. I have a set of master keys. As soon as I get off, I can let you in.” She swabbed the counter near him with shaking hands. “Kara.” He reached out and covered her hand with his. “It’s all right. I waited weeks for that apartment. A couple more hours aren’t going to kill me.” She froze, glancing at his hand as a small current ran between them. She desperately wanted to say something cool, flippant even, but she’d never met anyone like Gavin. Having him touch her like this… She couldn’t form words.


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When the silence stretched too long, she pulled away. The other bartender at the far end of the bar was filling twice as many orders as Kara, and if she didn’t step it up, he’d be taking home twice the money. “Don’t you drink?” She pointed to Gavin’s untouched tequila. “Sometimes.” He smiled and leaned forward on his stool. “Why, are you trying to get me drunk?” Kara snickered, flushing from her cheeks to the roots of her hair. “Is that what it takes to loosen you up?” Just to taunt him, she put another shot next to the first. “I can’t afford to be too loose. I’m on call tonight.” He met her eyes and threw back one shot followed by the other. Kara took a written order from a server and got to work mixing the drinks. She raised her voice over the sound of ice sloshing against the side of the cocktail shaker. “You’re on call tonight? What do you do?” He picked up his shot glass and rolled it in his fingers, watching as one drop trailed around the bottom of the glass. “I have a private security company.” “Why do you have to go in tonight?” “I can’t discuss my clients,” he said, then he grinned. “You’ll have to give me a lot more tequila if you want to know my secrets.” A couple sat in the two remaining stools at Kara’s end of the bar. She took their orders, but her eyes never left Gavin as he rested his chin in his hand. “Hmm. This stuff isn’t cheap.” She slapped a third drink down and cleared away his empty glasses. “Are your secrets worth it?” He gulped the third shot and chuckled. “I bet I have stories you’d like to hear, princess. I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.” She smiled, leaning her elbows on the dark wood surface across from him. “Princess, huh? Are you sure you aren’t feeling those drinks yet, big guy?”

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He reached out and cupped her elbows in his thick hands. “I’m feeling something, but I think it has less to do with the alcohol and more to do with you.” He wasn’t slurring, but the tension had melted from his shoulders and he looked quite content just to stare into her eyes. Her pulse beat in all the wrong places. “Is that right?” “I didn’t expect you to be so disarming.” The sounds of the bar swallowed up her burst of laughter. “You don’t have high expectations of apartment managers in general, or are you talking about me, specifically?” “You, specifically, are a beautiful woman, Kara Reed.” She rolled her eyes at the irony and shook her head. “Thanks. I’ve been told I get prettier with every shot.” “That’s not what I meant.” He released her elbows to rub his fingers over his eyes. “I don’t seem to be holding my liquor as well as I used to. Your turn to talk now, princess. How long have you worked here?” She snorted at his change in subject and lowered her voice conspiratorially. “Not long enough to get regular hours, but I’m working on it. And that’s all you’re getting out of me.” “You owe me a secret.” He narrowed his eyes, but they still sparkled in the dim light. “What does it take to make you talk? Name your poison.” She bent over to put the grenadine in the fridge, giving him a nice shot of her ass, then turned back to him. “Nothing you can find in a bottle. But I have my weaknesses.” Like tall blonds whose bodies deserve small countries named after them. With a groan, Gavin tugged at his collar and unfastened another button. His cheeks were flushed from the tequila. “I need some fresh air.” She frowned. “Are you okay, Gavin? If you’re really not used to drinking, I shouldn’t have given you that third shot.” She didn’t figure he’d feel it so fast.


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Burying his face in his hands, he laughed, deep in his belly, then scrubbed his palms across his cheeks. “You’re right. It must be the tequila.” But the way his gaze raked over her body said otherwise. He threw a fifty-dollar bill on the counter then rose from the stool, the jacket in the crook of his elbow covering his middle. “I’ll see you when you get off, princess. I may still wring some secrets from you yet.”

It was hard to get through even a short shift knowing she would see Gavin again soon. She’d simply never felt so instantly attracted to a man as she did to Gavin Cross. It wasn’t just his height or the thick muscles flexing under his suit, it was more than that. She’d even say it was his essence itself, if that didn’t sound so cheesy. She walked out of Hoolecha Inn and onto the street, scanning the sidewalks, her gaze flitting past the couples out for a night on the town. She couldn’t miss Gavin leaning against the wall of the boutique across the street with his jacket draped across his shoulder. He lifted a hand in greeting. Kara waved back, then made a quick check for cars and crazy pedi-cabs before crossing the street. The boutique was closed, but Gavin was so handsome standing there with his blond hair making a soft halo around his head and his easy smile, he looked as if he belonged in the window with the elegantly dressed mannequins. Kara’s heart squirmed like a worm in a raven’s beak. “Did you wait here the whole time?” He nodded. “Yes.” “I’m sorry, Gavin. It’s not much of a first night in the Gaslamp for you.” He cocked a brow. “Beautiful weather. Beautiful woman. How can I complain?”

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“Oh great. I see you’re still under the effects of the tequila I shoved down your throat.” He laughed softly. “That is the assessment of a completely sober man.” “Huh,” she grunted. He melted her. His essence, like morning on the shore when the sun burst over the horizon, filled Kara’s body with an ache she’d never known. Her bones felt disjointed, like maybe she should just lie down and rest on the sidewalk—and pull Gavin down with her. What the hell was wrong with her? “We’d better get going.” They walked in silence the short way to the apartment. Kara would never admit how good it felt when he opened the lobby door for her like a gentleman. “Thanks,” she muttered. They passed the offices on the bottom floor that were closed for the night and headed for the elevator. She punched the button and the doors opened. Gavin waited for her to go in first. She’d thought riding up with him earlier tonight had been interesting, but when the doors closed this time, they weren’t two seconds in the enclosed space before his masculine energy swamped her senses with an almost tangible weight. Her nipples tightened painfully, and her skin flushed. Gavin’s breathing was shallow, but he didn’t say a word as the elevator door opened onto the tenth floor. He followed her to her door, and she knew she had to risk it again. She didn’t want to seem desperate, but that was how he made her feel—desperate to touch him and explore what made him so different. “I’m sure I have a drink in the fridge that won’t make your head spin. It’s the least I can do.” He shrugged, as though her entire world didn’t hang on his answer. “You must be exhausted after working all day. Maybe I’ll take a rain check.”


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“Gavin, I won’t be able to sleep tonight if you don’t let me make this up to you.” He peered at her from behind his green-flecked irises. “I wouldn’t want to be the cause of your sleepless night.” “It’s settled then.” She pushed open the door. He ducked his head as he stepped through her doorway. “How tall are you?” she asked, amused and aroused. There wasn’t a small thing about him. He cringed. “Six-seven. I probably don’t have to duck, it’s just a habit in these old buildings.” Kara closed the door behind him and flipped on a light. “I would too if I were your height.” Her tallest boots only brought her eye-level with Gavin’s lips. She’d always had a sturdy build with full hips, softly rounded thighs and heavy breasts, but she’d discovered once she started showing her body off instead of hiding it under loose-fitting clothing, men didn’t seem to mind that she was no waif. It seemed to foster their inner fantasies of healthy, fertile women, whether they realized they were yielding to their inner caveman or not. As soon as they stepped into the room, Mr. Pibb bounded out of the shadows and came straight for Gavin, winding his fluffy white self around the big man’s legs as he meowed in greeting. Gavin reached down and scratched Pibb behind the ears. “You have a cat. Good.” Kara set her purse on the table, giving it a quick glance to ensure its contents were still hidden. “Good? You like cats?” She grabbed her battered tool belt from the kitchen counter and quickly stashed it under the sink. He rubbed the tip of one white ear until Pibby purred. “Good, because cats keep an eye on things better than watchdogs. These apartments are unique with

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balconies off two rooms, but you have to admit that the building isn’t in the safest neighborhood. It’s a good thing you have a tough little cat like this.” He cooed the last part, smoothing a finger over Pibb’s whiskery face. Lucky cat. “Yeah, he is pretty tough.” Too bad the only person he’d ever beaten up was her, earlier that morning. She glanced at her hand to see every scratch and gouge completely healed, as she’d known they would be. She popped open a can of cola, then walked to where Gavin stood and handed it to him. He took a long drink and set it on the kitchen counter. “Thank you.” When Kara reached down to pet Mr. Pibb, the little traitor lifted his rump and stalked away. “Fine. Be a brat. See if you get canned food with that attitude.” Maybe Pibb was one of those morally superior felines that didn’t believe in a little self-pleasuring like she’d indulged in earlier that morning after her scorching dream. If her cat could read her mind and see what fantasies that dream had inspired—all the things she wanted Gavin to do to her with a black feather duster—Pibb’s snowy kitty fur would turn scarlet. Kara’s phone lit up, belting out Abbey’s personal ringtone. She pulled the phone from the tight pocket of her leather skirt and touched her finger to the screen. “Hello?” “Where are you?” Abbey’s voice was as worried as it was irritated. “I thought you were coming straight from work and you’d be to Pyro’s by now.” Kara glanced apologetically at Gavin. “I’m giving a new tenant his keys. I’ll be a little late.” “How late? They’re already starting to charge for cover.” Kara frowned, trying not to get caught drooling over Gavin’s ass as he inspected the view from the living-room balcony. “Yeah, it’s only like, what…fifteen dollars?”


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Abbey gasped. “Okay, who is he? If he’s worth fifteen dollars to you, I’m coming over. Does he have a friend? Can we share him?” “Stop!” Kara laughed. “I’ll call you later.” She hung up and turned the ringer to vibrate before Abbey could call her back. “Sorry about that.” Gavin turned around and to her surprise, the jacket he held in the crook of his arm was tenting away from his groin. If he’d been using it to mask his reaction to her, then maybe this night was looking up after all. She had to work hard to hold back her toothy grin. “Was your boyfriend upset? I can grab the keys and let you get on your way,” he said. She shook her head. “I don’t have a boyfriend. That was Abbey, my best friend. Seeing as we’re going to be next-door neighbors, I’m sure you’ll meet her soon enough.” “Good.” Gavin’s hazel eyes caught the light from across the room. “That I’ll get to meet your friend, I mean. Not good you don’t have a boyfriend.” “How about you? Anyone waiting around for you tonight after you finish with your super-secret security job?” “No.” Gavin walked to the shelf off the dining room where a long, black cloth was draped over small, bulgy shapes. He lifted just the edge of the cloth, then looked to Kara and smiled. “May I?” “Go for it.” Gavin pulled back the fabric to reveal Kara’s clay sculpture collection. “Figurines? These are really good.” He paused, considering. “This one…” He picked up a white blob with blue patches that didn’t look dissimilar to a large hunk of blue cheese. “I’m not so sure.” Kara laughed. “A girl’s gotta have a hobby.”

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He slid his finger along the sculpted wings of a raven. She’d painted the entire thing black but was planning to go back through and do more intricate details on the feathers. “Amazing,” he said. “This one looks real. You’re a true artist.” “An artist? Not quite.” She regarded the raven. “But I guess I’m getting a little better.” On a slow day around the apartments, she was grateful for time to work on her clay sculptures. It sucked to be an artist with no talent. In fact, most people had trouble seeing Kara as the “artsy” type at all. She thought of it more as a compulsion, a need to shape and mold the images that came to her in visions. “You could sell these.” He squinted at the blue cheese and put it back on the shelf. “Well, maybe not that one.” “Yeah, if I could learn to do dolphins frolicking in the waves and put San Diego in glitter at the bottom, I’d be in business.” But her dolphins looked like mutant mermaids…so, yeah, money was tight. If it weren’t for having her rent covered in exchange for managing the old apartment building, Kara would have long since resorted to the worst possible fate—a desk job. The Hoolecha Inn helped. But not much. Gavin tucked the shroud over the sculptures and reached for his drink. With rapt attention, Kara watched his throat work as he swallowed. When he was finished, he set the can on the counter. “Thank you, Kara. I’d better be going.” “Oh! I almost forgot. I’ve been saving your Union Tribune for you.” She walked quickly to the coffee table and assembled the piles of crinkled newsprint, trying to fold them neatly on her way back to Gavin. She hoped he didn’t notice that some of the sections were currently lining her shelves under the drying clay. “Here you go.” He eyed the disheveled stack. “How kind of you.”


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Kara was an expert at pretending to be interested in a man to get what she wanted, but she didn’t have the slightest clue how to seduce someone for real. “Gavin…do you want to stay?” She tried to make her voice alluring, but it came out as a strained croak. He stilled. “Stay?” “With me. Here.” Kara looked down, twining her fingers together. “I thought, you know…maybe we could get to know each other a little better. Share some secrets.” God, how was it possible she could simultaneously want to die of embarrassment and rip his fucking clothes off? Gavin swallowed, and his jacket fell limp in his grip to dangle by the tips of his fingers. “I can’t. I mean, I shouldn’t.” He paused and cleared his throat, but the look in his eyes and the tiny dark spot soaking through the front of his charcoal slacks made her feel like she was going to spontaneously combust. She shifted restlessly, unable to quell the heat building between her thighs. “Please?” Her voice cracked from the humiliation of it, but when he didn’t say a word, she pressed on. “I don’t want you to think I do this a lot. Actually, I never do this. But I want to. With you.” Gavin’s hands fisted at his sides and he took a ragged breath. “I won’t try to tell you I’m not interested.” He looked down at himself with a pained grin. “But I think I’ll just ask you to unlock the door, then call it a night.” The air left Kara’s lungs in a loud whoosh. It felt as if she’d literally been deflated by his rejection. “Sure. Of course.” She smiled at him. She could break down later. “Let me grab the other keys.” “Kara,” he said when she turned on her heel and fled to the master bedroom.

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She didn’t answer. There was nothing more to say. All she had to do was open his door, then she could find Abbey and take her frustration out on some deserving asshole who couldn’t keep his hands to himself. But when she rounded the corner of the bed and reached down to the bottom drawer of her desk, what she saw hit her like a kick to the gut. “Holy shit!” There, on the floor, sticking out from under her lavender dust ruffle, was a glossy black feather.


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Gavin burst through the door like he was ready to slaughter an army. “Kara!” Kara crouched by the desk, black feather in hand, pondering what it all meant and how she was supposed to explain it to Gavin. Uh, been dreaming about screwing a guy with wings, and I think he might have left this behind. Don’t worry. My exploits are confined to dirty nighttime fantasies and luring men out of bars to kick their asses. I’m not a crazy slut. Really. “Sorry. I, uh…overreacted. I thought maybe Mr. Pibb killed a bird or something, but… Ha.” She laughed weakly. “It’s only one feather.” Gavin’s eyes narrowed on the feather in her hand and his nostrils flared. The expression on his face made the handsome businessman look dangerous. He strode forward, took Kara’s hand and pulled her to her feet. “May I see that?” “Sure.” She handed it over easily, wanting to play along and get him out of there fast so she could take a cold, Gavin-less shower and process what in the hell was going on. Mr. Pibb had never stepped a paw outside the apartment in all his ever-lovin’ life, and she always left the balcony doors closed. How could he have found a feather? “Aha!” Kara exclaimed. As she realized what was happening, her shoulders slumped in relief. “I’m going to kick that witch’s ass.” Gavin blinked. “Pardon?” “I mean, that bitch’s ass,” she amended. “See, Abbey put this here to mess with me. She knows how I love…birds.”

Slayer’s Kiss

Yeah, she’d flip Abbey the bird, all right. Her best friend must have put a lust spell on the feather and shoved it under Kara’s bed. No wonder her neighbors were looking hotter and her dreams were spicier than a habanero pepper. Leave it to Abbey to take Kara’s love life into her own hands. When it came to sex, that witch had a wicked sense of humor. Kara got the spare key from the drawer and held it out to Gavin. “Here you go. Just bring it back tomorrow after you get copies made. Sorry about the confusion tonight.” And she wasn’t talking about the time mix-up. But to her surprise, Gavin slipped the feather into his pocket and took the key from her fingers, just to let it drop to the floor. “I’ve decided to take you up on your invitation.” He stepped forward and took her in his arms, pressing his never-ending erection firmly against her belly. “I’ll stay.” Her heart almost sputtered to a stop. Would it be wrong to let this go further now that she knew their feelings were based on nothing more than a charmed feather? She should have known magic was involved when a man as attractive as Gavin couldn’t look at her without his pants bulging at the seams. “Uh…Gavin. Maybe we should—” was all she got out before he bent to her mouth and crushed his lips against hers. The moment she tasted the exotic flavor of his tongue darting into her mouth, her doubts washed away like leaves in a storm, until only one thing remained—she would die if she couldn’t have him inside her. Now. Gavin’s fingers sank into Kara’s hip as he lashed her with his tongue. He tasted of dark, addictive things Kara had never sampled before. The force of his kiss would have rocked her back, but he cradled her head in his left hand, sucking the breath from her lungs as he consumed her. Kara ground her pelvis against him with a whimper. “I need this.”


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She reached a hand down to feel the steel of his penis beneath his trousers. For a moment, she couldn’t wrap her mind around what she was feeling, until finally, she let out a gasp. He couldn’t really be that large, could he? There was no way he’d fit. Gavin plucked her hand away from his groin and brought it to his chest. “Not that, princess. Not tonight.” Kara pulled away and looked at him as if he were insane. “Not tonight? What are you, some sort of pussy tease? Is that how you get your kicks?” He stared at her from behind his dark blond lashes—and laughed! “Yes, princess, I’m a ‘pussy tease’. Here, let me show you.” He closed the space between them and lifted Kara into his arms as though she weighed less than the feather in his pocket. “What are you doing?” She was suddenly unsure about the wicked gleam in his eyes. Gavin didn’t say a word as he laid Kara on the center of the bed. When he stood and began unbuttoning his dress shirt, she swore if her heart beat any faster it would explode. After the dress shirt lay in a heap on the floor, Gavin peeled off his white T-shirt to reveal the most perfect torso Kara had ever seen, with wide shoulders and a broad chest almost too heavily muscled for her comfort. Around his neck he wore four leather cords and from each one hung a different pendant. “I hate all these layers you people wear. I want to feel you against my skin.” His voice was so deep and gravelly with his desire for her, Kara could feel the rumble down to her core. “‘You people’?” He paused for a moment, as if she’d asked a tough question, then he shook it off. “Lie back,” he commanded as he crawled onto the end of the bed and began

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slowly unzipping her boots. He pulled off her socks and massaged his thumbs along the arches of her feet, squeezing them hard. “Oooh,” she groaned, stretching out on the bed and splaying her toes. She couldn’t even complain about his opinion on women’s clothing. If he wanted her in less, she’d wear less. “You like that?” He kissed the top of her foot. “Yes, I can tell you do. I can smell you, Kara. You’re wet for me. You want me, don’t you, princess?” Kara glanced down to see him run his tongue along the tips of her toes. “Please, Gavin.” A bead of sweat trailed down her temple. He smiled. “I wish I could. I want to be inside you more than I’ve ever wanted anything.” What was he saying? Was he saying no? Kara couldn’t understand him. Her heartbeat pounded in her ears until she thought she’d go deaf from the rush of blood, and her pussy pulsed in time with the beat. She pulled her foot back and reached her hand out for his belt, trying to sit. Gavin took her by the shoulders and pushed her back onto the bed. “So eager.” He kissed one knee. “So rushed.” Then trailed his tongue along the other. “Why won’t you let me take my time? Do you know how long I’ve waited for this?” But even as the words left his mouth, Gavin grasped Kara’s leather skirt around the hem and yanked it up around her belly. “Too long…” he murmured into her thigh. With his mouth pressed to her thigh, he missed her slightly delirious gaze. “That’s hard to believe. With your looks, I doubt you wait in line at the DMV.” A warm snicker fanned her skin. “I’ve learned the value of delayed gratification. I’m nothing if not a patient man.” When he kissed a path to her old cotton underwear, she tensed. Pretty underwear wasn’t a requirement when she and Abbey went hunting. No one


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ever got far enough to see under her skirt anyhow. “I, uh, have nicer underwear. They’re in the wash.” “Kara,” he growled. “What?” “Stop talking nonsense.” Gavin grasped the edge of her panties in his teeth and worked them down her thighs. “And spread your legs for me.” The air in her room felt electric, crackling with sensual energy, and the night was cool against her heated flesh. When the tip of his tongue flicked at her mound, parting her carefully groomed thatch of hair, she squeaked. Holy shit. He couldn’t really be going there, could he? She reached down and grasped his hair. “No. No one’s ever done that to me before.” “Want to play games, virgin princess?” He retreated an inch and slowly licked her thigh. “I’ll play.” Kara yanked his hair again. “No. Really.” It seemed so intimate. Too intimate. Sex was sex, but a man burying his head in her crotch was something else altogether. Finally, frustration won out. “I don’t want to be rude, Gavin, but can you just fuck me already?” His sexy smirk faded. “You’d rather let a man ride you like a brood mare and bury his seed in your womb than allow him to pleasure you with his tongue?” Kara frowned. He sounded like some guy from an old movie. “Why are you talking like that? You sound…different.” Kinky role-playing shit. “Sorry,” he said with a smile. Any accent she thought she’d imagined was gone. “Where were we?” “I think you were talking about riding me like a brood mare, but you can keep the ‘seed’, thanks. I have a condom around here somewhere.” Probably old

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and expired. And with her almost nonexistent periods, she wondered why she even bothered with the Pill. “You are unbelievable. I think you may be purposefully ignoring my wishes and trying to take advantage of my—” he glanced at his pants and the huge tent there, “—condition.” He smiled and continued. “So let me put it this way… The only way you are going to come tonight is on my face. If you aren’t comfortable with that, tell me now so I can take the key and go.” She narrowed her eyes at his challenge. She wasn’t about to let him walk out before putting out this fire he’d ignited in her. “Fine,” she told him, spreading her legs wide. Gavin chuckled. “Are you sure?” Her eyes flashed. “Do it, you son of a bitch, or so help me, you’ll never see another newspaper again.” Kara could feel the deep rumble of his laughter against her skin as he ducked between her thighs. Her knees tensed around his head, but as the first lap of his tongue washed over her, she dissolved into a mindless puddle and let out a low groan. “Oh, Gavin,” she murmured, reveling in the rhythmic rasp of his tongue against her clit. “Oh, right there.” Nothing she’d ever done to herself could compare to what he was doing to her now. She thought she might die from the pleasure. Kara reached down and took his head in her hands once again, but this time she pulled him to her, not taking a chance he might escape. His tongue beat against her again and again, and she could feel her juices flowing, wetting her channel, inviting him in. His fingers sank into the flesh of her ass, angling her against his lips. And when his tongue darted inside, licking her opening and probing her folds, she thrust against his mouth.


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Her hips rose to meet him as he buried his face in her wet core. Gavin groaned, and the bed rocked beneath her as he rubbed his cock against the mattress. “Sweet Mother of Eve, I never thought you’d taste this good, Kara,” he growled between swipes of his tongue. “I want to eat you up, lick every drop of your juice until I’m never thirsty again.” He panted against her, grazing her flesh with his teeth. Kara reveled in the new sensation, loving the feel of his thick tongue as it thrust into her before circling back to her clit. When she was finally whimpering against the pillow, Gavin found a rhythm, lapping at her in time with the flex of her driving hips. Kara didn’t want to come. She wanted to stay there with Gavin forever, suspended in time, his silky hair between her fingers, his mouth suckling and pressing into her slick folds, his hands kneading her ass. She didn’t want to come…but she did. She cried out, yanking his hair harder as she exploded from within, her womb contracting then expanding like a supernova, as if all the energy in the room coalesced in her tiny, hooded bundle of nerves before firing to every other cell in her body. The muscles of her channel spasmed, clutching at something he wouldn’t give her, trying to milk the long shaft he’d refused her. She ground against his face instead, something in her soul crying out in frustration against this man who should be inside her. Filling her. Completing her. When the last tremors of her orgasm shook her, Gavin soothed her swollen flesh with light strokes of his tongue. Kara almost moaned aloud. It was the best thing she’d ever experienced. And the worst. She’d never felt as physically content or as emotionally empty as she did in this moment. Utterly alone.

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Kara never cried. She didn’t cry when she was passed around from foster home to foster home. She didn’t cry when the man in the alley forced her against her will at seventeen years old. The only time she’d ever allowed tears to fall was when the woman who’d been like a mother to her had finally succumbed to cancer so many years ago. So she didn’t understand what was happening when her throat closed and a single wet, salty drop trickled down her cheek. Gavin looked up at Kara from between her legs, his lashes fluttering in surprise. “What’s the matter, princess? Did I hurt you?” The dark blond hair falling across his forehead, sticking out at odd angles from rubbing against her thighs, was the most adorable thing she’d ever seen. No, he hadn’t hurt her, but the angelic beauty of his features and the kindness in his eyes picked at the scab over her hardened heart, allowing some of the pain and pressure to seep out around the edges. “Of course not. I’m f-fine.” She dabbed away the tear with a stiff finger. “You’re not fine. You’re crying. What can I do?” He crawled over Kara and nestled into bed beside her, spooning his body around hers and wrapping her in his burly arms. His erection hadn’t budged, even though he’d come hard enough to saturate the front of his pants. There was no mistaking the wet material clinging to Kara’s backside as his hard length pressed between the globes of her naked ass. She’d feel bad for him if he wasn’t so damn stubborn, denying them both what they needed. “Kara…” he said gently. “I’m not crying,” she argued, but she couldn’t resist turning in the circle of his arms to rest her temple in the hollow of his throat. It felt so right it scared her, as if she’d finally come home. “I think I got something in my eye.” Gavin didn’t say another word. He kissed her hair and cradled her head against him as the tears spilled from her eyes. The light dusting of hair on his


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hard chest was like golden flecks over silk-encased marble. His skin was soft and warm, but his muscles wouldn’t yield against her cheek. Everything about him was hard except for the gentleness in his eyes. After a long time, when he was breathing deeply and evenly beside her, Kara looked at her new tenant and whispered, “Welcome to the neighborhood, Gavin.” He murmured something unintelligible and pulled her tighter against him, so she finally stopped fighting it and fell to sleep in the warmth and safety of the stranger’s arms.

If there was ever a time for sweet dreams, it should have been now—ten minutes ’til midnight. Kara nestled against her neighbor, her body replete from the most mind-blowing orgasm she’d ever had. But as she roused from sleep at Abbey’s “secret” knock at the front door—one loud rap followed by three softer thuds—the first thing that came to mind was her nightmare. The dark angel had hovered outside her bedroom balcony, his black wings extended to block out the glow of the moon, his lips peeled back in a vicious snarl as he surveyed the pair tangled up in Kara’s bed. In this dream, she watched from somewhere above her body as he pulled a dagger from a jeweled sheath. She could feel his thoughts as easily as her own, and tonight, they rested on one thing—Gavin Cross had touched his woman and now the bastard was going to die. Kara carefully lifted Gavin’s arm from around her waist and slipped from the bed. She pulled her skirt down and grabbed a clean but equally crappy pair of underwear from her dresser drawer. When Gavin stirred, Kara froze. She

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couldn’t handle seeing him. Not after she’d made such a fool of herself begging, cussing, exploding and then crying like a flippin’ baby. God, she wanted to die. She found his key on the carpet, grabbed her boots and went into the hall, closing the door quietly behind her as Abbey knocked again. When Kara heard the sound of her friend fishing through her purse for her set of keys, she dropped the boots and bolted for the door. No way was that witch stepping foot in this house after what she’d done. No way was she getting anywhere near Gavin. When it came to men and sexual prowess, Abbey was the queen. She could probably get his pants off and his cock inside her before the introductions ended. The pretty bitch. If Kara didn’t love her so much, she might hate her. Kara flipped the deadbolt and twisted the door knob just right, so she wouldn’t make too much noise. That was all it took. Her red-haired friend bounded in, looking around the small apartment from her vantage point near the kitchen. “Well, where is he?” Her loud voice sounded like it could shatter glass in the silence. “Shhh!” Kara ground out, pretty loud herself. “He’s in my room, and before you ask, no. We didn’t have sex.” She glared at her friend, letting that little tidbit sink in. “You failed, Abbs. Sorry. Maybe that spell book of yours is as screwed up as you are.” Abbey stepped back. “Ouch. That would hurt even more if I knew what you were talking about.” “The lust charm.” Kara cocked her brows and pursed her lips. “Ring a bell?” Abbey walked to the kitchen cupboard, grabbed a package of crackers and popped one into her mouth before replying, “Nope.”


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Kara’s hands flew to her hips. “Don’t lie. It’s not funny. I’ve been riding my hand like a jockey at the races for three days now. My dreams have been so vivid, I thought I might be hallucinating!” Abbey smiled. “Still don’t know what you’re talking about, but it sounds promising. Tell me more about the riding part.” Kara’s heart dropped to her stomach. She and Abbey had been friends a long time. She knew when Abbey was telling the truth. “You didn’t stick a black feather under my bed?” Abbey shook her head. “No. And lust charms need to be made of wood, Kara. You’d know that if you put any effort into your craft. What you are is plain, old-fashioned horny, my friend. You’re not taking care of your body, so it’s decided to take care of you.” Kara didn’t understand. She had been so sure…her strange reaction to Gavin, her dark, nasty dreams, her compulsion to masturbate. What the hell? “So…” Abbey drawled, taking out another cracker before sealing the pack and closing the cupboard. “Hunting can wait. You have a real, live man in your bed and we never know when this miracle is going to happen again. See ya.” She wriggled her fingers in Kara’s direction. Kara almost leapt over the barstool and the cream counter tiles to grab Abbey’s arm, but she restrained herself with a jerk. “Don’t you dare leave without me! He’s sleeping anyway. Let me write him a note and then we can go.” Abbey grinned, not even caring that Kara had been about to plow her down. “He passed out? Really? What did you do to him, Kare-bear?” “To him? Nothing.” And that was the very dismal truth. “He didn’t even let me past first base.” On the other hand, the time he’d spent between her legs had pretty much hit the ball out of the park.

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“Uh-huh. Sure. If you don’t want to tell me…” Kara walked past Abbey into the kitchen, scowling all the way. She grabbed a piece of paper and a strip of tape from the drawer, then leaned over the counter and scribbled out a message. Thanks. Let me know if you have any more problems with the apartment. –Kara Reed She taped the key to the note and placed it on the table where Gavin would be sure to see it when he left. Abbey glanced at the remaining object in Kara’s hand and her brows shot up. “Are you gonna carry those around tonight as bait? If so, I’d choose the black lacy ones.” Kara looked down and it was all she could do not to slap her palm against her forehead. She was still holding her underwear. “Thanks.” Abbey snickered. “If that’s the kind of nothing you’ve been doing these past few years, I shouldn’t have felt so sorry for you.” Kara rolled her eyes and yanked the panties up her thighs, settling them under her skirt as a fleeting image of Gavin’s mouth came to mind. Was it wrong to be turned on by the fact that his saliva still coated her skin? Her nipples tightened at the thought of it. “Let’s go.” “You’re leaving him here alone?” Abbey looked incredulous. “What if he steals something? How well do you know this guy?” Kara slipped on her boots—no socks, damn it—grabbed her purse and headed for the door. True, she was giving Gavin the last key to his apartment, but it was a short jump from her balcony to his. “If he steals something, I’ll steal it back.” Gavin lay in bed, relishing the satiny feel of Kara’s sheets and the smell of her body on his skin. If he steals something? That could be arranged.


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When the bickering finally ended and he heard the snick of the deadbolt locking into place, he rose from the bed and went to Kara’s dresser, rifling through her drawers until he found what he was looking for. He held it up to the moonlight coming in through the bedroom window and smiled. Then he reached into his pocket and drew out the feather. “Where are you, my friend?” he asked, staring out the window, daring the night to come and get him.

“What about that group of sailors?” Abbey jerked her chin in the direction of the loudest table. “That one’s a mean-ass drunk and he’s been staring at the blond for the past hour, even after she told him to screw off when he grabbed her ass.” “I’m not sure.” Kara shrugged and leaned forward in the faux-leather barstool to rest her elbow on the counter. “It doesn’t feel right.” “Kara, get on the ball. Most of the bars will be closing in the next hour or so, and you haven’t found a target yet.” “Yeah…” Kara glanced down into her water with lime. “Okay.” Abbey narrowed her olive-green eyes at Kara. “I know what’s the matter. That new neighbor sucked the fight right out of you. Who knew it’s actually a good thing Kara Reed never gets laid. You’d be a zombie.” Okay, now she’d had enough. That was the last time she’d share her exploits with her best friend. “Don’t give me your damn cat-eyed glare. If there’s no target, there’s no target.” She tried to keep her voice low in the steady murmur of the bar. “You want me to magically castrate somebody because he grabbed a lady’s ass? You know that’s not how this works. Maybe you get more of a thrill out of it than I do.”

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Abbey put her drink down and shifted in her chair to face Kara. “Rein it in, cowgirl. Don’t make me mention why we started this in the first place. Neither of us want to go there tonight.” Kara dropped her head into her hands and let out a low groan. “You’re right. I’m sorry for being such a bitch. You’d think I’d be in a good mood after what happened with my new neighbor, but I feel like shit.” She reached out and squeezed her friend’s hand. “I really don’t sense anything tonight. Let’s go crash at your place and get an earlier start tomorrow.” Abbey’s brows drew down. “My place? Why would you want to sleep at my leaky little house? If it rains, I was actually going to ask if I could stay with you.” Then she smiled. “Oh, I know. In case the mystery man is still sleeping in your bed. Too scared to face him, huh?” “I begged him to screw me, Abbs. Like, pleaded for my life, and he refused. Then I cried—real tears—and let him hold me even though I knew he just felt sorry for me. If I never see him again, it’ll be too soon.” Abbey rolled her eyes. “Give yourself a break. You haven’t cried in years. It’s probably PMS.” When Kara shrugged, looking miserable, Abbey narrowed her eyes. “Okay, you win. You’re a frickin’ nut job. Does it make you feel better to have someone agree with you?” “A little.” Kara refused to crack a smile. Abbey stood and grabbed her purse. “Let’s go, crybaby. I think I know what’ll cheer you up. I have a couple of numbers on speed dial of men who can go all night. We could share one if you want—not at the same time, of course. I know that would creep you out. But I know this one guy who has a totally clean bill of health and he would rock your world. And then maybe rock mine when you’re through with him.” She winked.


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Kara barely stifled a groan. “No thanks. But you can call him. I’ll sleep on the couch downstairs. Wouldn’t want to keep you from getting your world rocked.” She wasn’t really joking, but she was still surprised when Abbey smiled in relief and took out her phone. “You’re the best friend a girl could have, Karebear. That’s why I love you.” “Love you, too, Abbs.” Now if she could only find a set of professional-grade earplugs on the way to Abbey’s house in Golden Hill, she might actually get some sleep tonight. Those old houses didn’t have enough insulation in the walls to muffle Abbey’s lead vocals. The bar was starting to clear out, and as the two women stepped out the back door, Kara tensed and grabbed Abbey’s hand, squeezing tight as a tremor shook her. She had to fight to keep her eyes from rolling back in her head as a tentacle of fury and lust grabbed at her through the night air. “Shit.” Her skin crawled with unbound energy. “Don’t call your friend just yet. We’ve got a customer.”

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Abbey braced an arm under Kara’s elbow. “You okay? This one’s hitting you hard.” Kara wiped the perspiration from her brow with the back of her hand and swallowed down the nausea that always came with being in the vicinity of evil. “Yeah, I’m fine.” She stood straighter and pulled her elbow from Abbey’s tight grip. “Let’s go get this son of a bitch.” Abbey followed a step behind Kara, giving her the room she needed to guide them to their target. Kara led them down the alley and they came out on 4th Street, still in the center of the Gaslamp Quarter. The streets were beginning to clear of even the most gung-ho partygoers as the thick early-morning fog rolled in from the bay. When they rounded another corner, Kara opened her purse, retrieved the syringe and the knife and tucked them into the waistband of her leather skirt. She took another step and stumbled, going down on one knee with a yelp. “Ow.” Either the ground was spinning or the buildings were tilting sideways. Abbey pulled Kara to standing, glancing at Kara’s bloody knee with a frown. “What’s going on? I don’t have a good feeling about this.” Kara didn’t either. Something felt off, more ominous than usual. And with the scum they dealt with, that was saying something. The dark oppression steeped in her blood. It wouldn’t lighten up until she had the bastard under her and had avenged his helpless victim.

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Her skin crawled, the energy of violence licking at her like flickering orange flames. “I tripped. Damn boot heel caught in a crack.” Abbey stared at her, then shrugged. “If you say so.” Kara closed her eyes for a moment and reached out with her consciousness. When she opened herself like this, the wickedness flooded in. Finding the source was similar to following the pings of a metal detector. The stronger the awful feelings were, the closer she was getting. “This way.” She turned down another street and took off at a jog. The urgency beat at her, whispering on the breeze. Hurry. They drew curious stares from the remaining people ambling about the streets, most of whom had had too much to drink. “What’s the hurry, gorgeous?” one man hollered as they approached the exit of yet another sports bar masquerading as a restaurant. She glanced his way but decided not to engage him. Talking to drunks didn’t rank high on her list of favorite things to do—unless she was working and the chat was followed by a hefty tip. The man’s two buddies slapped him on the shoulder. “What you’re looking for is right here,” he said, pointing to his crotch. His friends guffawed, and Kara could smell their musky sweat and the alcohol seeping from their pores from five feet away. Kara slowed and made to pass by him, but he reached out with a big grin on his face and gripped her arm. “Hey, baby. No need to rush. You’re invited to our party.” Kara glanced at his hand on her forearm and her whole body tensed. This motherfucker had picked the wrong girl on the wrong night. “Oh, crap.” Abbey shook her head. “Hey, you. You look like a nice guy— maybe just a little too much to drink, huh? I’d let go of my girl’s arm right now

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before she introduces you to the delights of eating your own teeth.” He looked at Abbey like she was dense, and his hold didn’t budge. “Pretty please? I’m not a fan of blood.” The man glanced down at Kara’s shorter form and threw his head back laughing. His breath reeked of cheap booze and breath mints. He obviously thought Abbey had meant it as a joke. Hurry, Kara. Kara didn’t have time for this. She looked into his eyes with a feral glare an instant before she raised her boot and slammed the chunky heel into his foot with all her might. When he released her with a howl and bent to grab his loaferencased toes, Kara drove her knee into his face. His four front teeth snapped at the roots with a sound like cracking twigs and his head rocked back, blood spurting from his mouth. He crashed to the ground and rolled over, instantly unconscious. His friend stumbled back. “He was kidding, you crazy bitch!” The other friend fell to his knees and grabbed the unconscious man’s head in his hands. “Someone call 911!” he yelled, his eyes frantic. Kara felt a sudden pang of conscience. He probably hadn’t truly intended to hurt her. She would have felt it. Abbey grabbed her hand and towed her in the direction they’d been running. “Come on. We need to get out of here.” Yeah, they did. When the police showed, Kara wasn’t sure who they’d side with—the unbruised woman or the man in need of an ambulance. Kara brought her hand to where his fingers had encircled her arm, wishing there was a mark there—a welt, a scratch—anything to justify her reaction. “He grabbed me, Abbs. You saw. It wasn’t my fault.” Now Abbey would think Kara was even more unstable.


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“Hey, I’m not going to argue with you, Kare-bear. Either way, we can safely say he probably won’t try that again anytime soon. You kicked his teeth in.” She put two fingers over her grimacing mouth, like two broken buck teeth, to illustrate her point. “Nasty—but I’m not judging you,” she added hastily. “Maybe I wasn’t in real danger, but if he’d done that to a normal woman, she could have been the next victim. You never know.” Abbey smiled at her as they jogged. “See these lips…?” She made a zipping gesture. Damn, Kara hated it when Abbey was the sensible one. Day to day, she could never tell which of them was going to have their head up their ass and which was going to have to reach in and pull it out. Street after street passed. When Kara glanced again at her oldest friend, Abbey’s breath was huffing in and out with the exertion. “You okay?” “Either we start taking my car or I need a gym membership. Apparently, sex isn’t the only exercise I need.” She winked. “It’s so strong, I didn’t know it would be this far,” Kara told her, though she wasn’t winded. Even as a child, she’d felt as if she could run forever. The sensation of peril redoubled once they finally got out of the Gaslamp and crossed over the trolley tracks, heading toward a vacant parking lot. The damp ocean air made her skin goose-bumpy. Suddenly, Kara stopped and grabbed her head, a whimper escaping her throat. “No. No. No.” This was worse than usual. Way worse. It went beyond strange dark feelings and nausea. This hurt. “It’s something bad.” She raised her head, scanning the vacant lot. “Not just lust and anger. This isn’t going to be a typical neuter job, Abbs.” Her voice sounded like she’d swallowed glass.

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Whatever they were tracking was an evil Kara hadn’t encountered before. There was no way she could allow Abbey to get any closer until she knew what they were dealing with. With a casual gesture, she reached in her waistband and depressed the syringe’s plunger. Then she stopped and made a disgusted face. “Shit! The manza leaked all over my skirt.” She pulled out the syringe and held it up to the dim streetlamp. “There’s nothing left! Cheap-ass diabetic needles.” “Oh, crap.” Abbey squinted at the empty syringe then ran a hand over Kara’s saturated hip. “At least it didn’t poke you. I mean, I love you and all, but I can’t carry you home from here.” Kara touched the sticky leather and shook her head. “Can you make more?” Abbey paused in thought, taking in a quick calming breath then letting it out again. “Yes. I have the herbs and the purified water, I only need a few drops of red wine and some salt. I can do this.” “There was a liquor store a couple blocks back.” Abbey grabbed the syringe from Kara’s fingers then turned and headed in that direction. “Come on,” she whispered over her shoulder. “No, I don’t want to get any farther from the trail. The violence is fading, but so is the woman’s energy.” Abbey stopped and poked a finger at Kara. “Fine. But don’t you move from that spot until I’m back.” “I’ll be right here.” Kara gave her a thumbs-up, but as soon as Abbey was gone, she turned back down the street and cast out her mental net, straining toward the darkness. She drew in the stale scents of city sidewalks and smog and found something else tickling her nose. Something metallic that made her hair stand on end. She


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followed her nose down a small street, old brick businesses on one side and a construction site surrounded with chain link fence on the other. She couldn’t see much better than the average person, so she was thankful the moon splashed a pale yellow glow into the shadows. Except for sight, she had more acute senses than the other witches she’d met, and she was a hell of a lot stronger. She would have traded those little perks, though, for the ability to mix a spell. Even as adults, Abbey’s circle of witchy friends politely snubbed Kara because of her defect. In high school—they’d been outright cruel. Kara wrinkled her nose and glanced around, sensing a shift in the energy. A large dumpster was against the wall to her left and the scent of blood wrapped around it, permeating the night air. When she walked past the edge of the dumpster, she saw a man dressed in jeans and a gray hoodie standing over a body on the ground, his face angling down and his hands moving busily in front of him. “Hey!” Kara shouted, heading straight for the man. “Get away from her, you son of a bitch!” He glanced up in surprise. “Wh—huh?” She couldn’t sense the evil in him, but by the look of his blood-streaked hands, he was as guilty as hell. “You like to play rough with ladies?” She stopped a few feet from him and gestured to her chest. “Here I am.” The man glared at her with bloodshot eyes, his greasy brown hair peeking out the edges of the hood. “You’re crazy. I wasn’t hurting her. I was just looking for a cell phone to call the cops.” When Kara glanced down and got a good look at the woman for the first time, her blood ran cold. The unconscious brunette’s face was badly bruised and oozing from several spots, as if she’d been beaten with a blunt object. Her

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crimson-stained white shirt was hiked up and her stomach looked like she’d been splashed with wet paint. Blood welled deep in the tracks on her skin— curved lines radiating out from a perfect circle, all carved into the tender flesh below her navel. Kara had seen some crazy stuff, but this was flat-out insane. “What did you do to her?” “Me? I didn’t touch her, lady. I was trying to help.” The man stuffed a wad of bills in his pocket before chucking the woman’s wallet to the ground. “I was looking for ID.” “Tell it to the police, you sick fuck.” Kara took a step toward him, but the man jumped back and pulled a small gun from the front pocket of his hoodie. He cocked his hand sideways, and the barrel of the gun trembled slightly as it aimed toward Kara’s head. “Listen, bitch, you should have walked away and kept your mouth shut. Now I have to shut it for you.” Kara’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t think so.” He blinked. “You really think you can take me? Not only do I have a gun, you’re a fucking scrawny woma—” Kara didn’t wait for him to finish. She leaped forward and spun, kicking her right leg out in a wide arc and snapping the gun from his hand hard enough to send it flying into the brick wall in a pink puff of brick dust. The man cried out and clutched his right hand to his chest. “You broke my hand!” Kara crouched in front of him, careful to avoid the battered woman beside her. “Lie down and lace your hands behind your head. I’ll only tell you once.” The woman moaned and Kara glanced down. The man launched himself in her direction. They both went tumbling to the asphalt, bits of trash and grime


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meeting the side of Kara’s cheek as the man brought his elbow down hard on the center of her face. Pain shot through her as her nose shattered. Blood spurted from her nostrils. The man grabbed her wrist with his left hand and hoisted it above her head, settling himself over her body. It took Kara a moment to realize she was pinned under him. Vile images flooded her mind of the time a man had held her down like this when she was only a teenager. But she was nobody’s victim anymore. “You shoulda minded your own business. Now look what you made me do,” he said. Kara smiled, flicking her tongue out to lick the blood from her lips. “Forget calling the cops. You won’t be around that long.” With a sudden burst of strength, she pushed out at the heavy man and sent him flying back against the brick wall. He hit with an oof and crumpled to the ground beside his gun. Kara rose and stalked over to him. “Pick it up.” She nudged the gun closer to him with her boot. He opened his clouded eyes and blinked at her. “Huh?” The blood running down the front of Kara’s shirt slowed. As the man watched, she took her nose between her hands and snapped it back into place. She felt the abrasions on her cheek tingle and knew what he was seeing—her skin knitting itself back together before his very eyes. “If I have to cut my cheek open tonight to dig out gravel, I’m not gonna be happy.” “Kara!” Abbey called, her shoes slapping against the pavement at a dead run. “You were supposed to wait!” Kara didn’t dare glance away this time. “I couldn’t let him finish what he started.”

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Abbey gasped. “Oh my God. Look at her. He cut her up. Look at all the blood.” Her voice sounded muffled, as if she had a firm hand clutched to her mouth. “Look away, Abbey. Keep it together.” “I didn’t do it!” the man whined. “I swear.” Kara’s heart and breath slowed, as though everything were in slow motion around her. “Pick up the gun.” The man gazed at Kara like she’d come to collect his soul. “No. I don’t want to pick it up.” Kara kicked the gun harder, sending it tumbling into his lap. “Pick it up. Try to shoot me. Come on. One free shot.” Abbey stepped beside Kara. “What are you doing? Let the police handle the rest. You’re scaring me.” Kara heard Abbey’s words, but she couldn’t stop the black ribbons streaking her vision. She couldn’t stop wanting to kill this man. “Let him do it. He deserves it.” “Don’t move,” Abbey snapped at him, stooping over the man to jab the refilled syringe into his thigh. She only depressed the plunger halfway, then pulled it out. “Ow! Shit, that burns. What are you doing?” He rubbed his grubby jeans where Abbey yanked out the needle. “I may be saving your life.” She met Kara’s eyes. “Or maybe not.” The man’s head lolled to the side, but he fought to keep alert. “Ask him, Kare-bear. Don’t do anything you’d regret without being sure.” Kara’s lips curled back. She usually liked her friend, but in this moment, Abbey was a thorn in her side trying to keep her from administering justice. “He


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held a gun on me and pinned me down. He carved this woman like a piece of Play-Doh. There’s nothing else to say.” Abbey’s red hair caught in her mouth and she spit it out. “Damn it, Kara. Get the truth. Don’t ask me to watch you kill a man who claims he’s innocent when you can ask the flippin’ question.” Kara’s breath rushed through her teeth in an angry hiss. “Fine.” She knelt down, noting the boneless way he drew his limbs around him. Abbey could sure mix a spell. “Look at me.” She yanked his hood back and his gaze locked onto hers. “Did you hurt this woman?” He shook his head vehemently. “No.” Kara flexed her fingers to keep from wrapping them around his throat. She wanted to call him a liar, but she knew it would be impossible for him to resist the herbs unless he was a powerful warlock, and he wasn’t anything more than a grubby lowlife. “Why are your hands bloody? Tell me the truth.” “I was looking for money. Got to get my fix. I mighta called the cops for her. Maybe.” Abbey frowned and glanced around the empty street. “It wasn’t him. He’s still out there.” Kara blew out a breath and glanced at the mutilated abdomen of the woman. For the first time, she felt like she was out of her league. “We have to get the ambulance out here now. Make the call.” Abbey took out the disposable cell phone and dialed. Before anyone answered, Abbey drew her fingers over her throat as if she were plucking at spider webs and said a quick chant. When she spoke to the operator, her voice sounded like a fifty-year-old man. It still astonished Kara every time she heard it. When Abbey hung up, she looked at the man. “Wipe him and turn him loose.”

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“Are you kidding me? He was pick-pocketing a rape and torture victim. He’s scum.” Abbey nodded. “Yes, he’s scum, but he didn’t do this. If they find him with her blood on his hands, he’s going to jail for the rest of his life.” “Hold on.” Kara turned back to the man. “Have you ever raped a woman?” “No,” he replied, managing to look slightly horrified even in his stupor. “Never.” “Have you ever killed anyone?” “No.” She narrowed her brown eyes at him. “Shot, stabbed, maimed or injured?” His shoulders sank. “I broke your nose and knocked you on your ass tonight, right before you picked me up and threw me into the wall. But I wasn’t going to shoot you.” “Shit,” Kara mumbled. “You never saw us. Understand?” “Yes.” “You’re free to go. Give the lady back her money and anything left in your wallet, then get your ass home.” “Okay.” “And stay off the drugs. You hear me?” He picked up the wallet, stuffed the bills inside and put it back in the woman’s purse before turning to leave. “Go home and stay off the drugs,” he mumbled as he disappeared around the corner. Kara crouched over the woman and pressed a hand to her cold forehead. “Her energy is running low, Abbs. I don’t think she’s gonna make it.” It cut her heart out to look into the victim’s battered face and know she couldn’t fix the damage that had been done. The best she could do was beat the


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shit out of the person who did it. No matter how much they wanted to help, even Abbey wasn’t skilled enough to do serious healing magic. Abbey joined Kara, kneeling on the other side of the woman and placing her hand over Kara’s. “Don’t give up on her, Kare-bear. You of all people know it’s possible to beat the odds. Maybe she’s a survivor, like you.” Kara nodded slowly. No, she wasn’t giving up. Not on this woman. And not on catching the man who did this.

Kara wasn’t sure how she managed to keep upright that morning on the trek back to Abbey’s house in Golden Hill. The two friends slunk through the streets, at once alert for signs of a sadistic rapist and numb to their cores from the atrocity they’d discovered. By the time they made it through the front door, Kara was shaking so hard, her knife rattled like a diamondback as she laid it down on the cluttered entry table. Abbey’s tiny, two-story house wasn’t in a great neighborhood, but it had a certain shabby-chic charm, from its rustic wood floors to its old sofas with floral slipcovers. It was the same aging, pine-green home it had always been, but no one teased Abbey about the red door and trim anymore. She refused to paint it, choosing to leave it just as it had been when her parents were alive. Abbey glanced at her cell phone when it lit up. “So…I guess we’ve had our world rocked enough for one night, huh?” Kara’s head shot up. “Don’t you dare answer.” What was Abbey thinking? Couldn’t she take one stinking night off from men? Abbey regarded the number and let out a tired chuckle, dropping the phone to the couch. “Calm down. I wasn’t going to invite anyone over.”

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“Sorry.” Kara sighed and massaged her fingers over eyes. “We need to call Tray.” “No. Please,” Abbey moaned. “The woman’s at the hospital by now. There’s nothing else we can do.” “Yeah, there is. We can call Tray.” When Abbey turned toward her and gave her the evil eye, Kara had to smile. A hacked-up woman couldn’t get Abbey down, but mention her ex, Tray Oaks— the San Diego P.D. detective who’d dumped her—and heaven forbid, look what happened. “I don’t want him here,” she was still saying two hours later at 5:30 a.m. when Tray knocked. Kara opened the door and regarded her old nemesis—the tanned, blondhaired man who Abbey still loved. At least, he had been her nemesis when he was taking all Abbey’s time and Kara was alone. Now she just felt bad for him because she suspected he still loved Abbey, too. Tray gave Kara a tired look and ran his hand over his short buzzed hair. He was handsome, but his blue-gray eyes had dark smudges under them as if he hadn’t been sleeping well lately. As the head of the Special Victims Unit, he had his own nightmares to contend with. When he’d met Abbey that first night, questioning her and Kara for hours after seeing them crowding over a rapist’s unconscious body, his eyes had been empty. And now, sadly, Kara could see that same emptiness creeping back in. “What’s up, Kare-bear?” He stepped toward Kara and gave her a kiss on the forehead. Okay, maybe not her nemesis, exactly. “You keepin’ my girl out of trouble—or getting her right back in it?” Kara sighed and pushed the door shut behind him. “We were hunting tonight…and we found the woman by the construction site.”


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“Oh, hell.” Tray stopped and looked up at the ceiling like he was arguing with God. His navy suit was rumpled. He’d probably fallen asleep in his work clothes again. “Out of all the people who could have found her, how did I know it was gonna be you two? And you left the scene, Kara.” His voice grew in intensity as the news hit him. “You broke the law.” Abbey rose from the couch, threw down her People magazine and stalked toward Tray. “Leave her alone, tough guy. We had a rough night.” Tray turned his gaze to Abbey, and Kara could see the pain reflected there. “I’m sure you did, sweetheart. Between your vigilante activities and finding a new guy to fuck every night, I don’t see how you even find time to hold down a job at your grandma’s shop.” Abbey lifted her chin. “Don’t be so bitter, Tray. You dumped me, remember? If you want to be added into the rotation, all you need to do is ask—no, make that beg.” Her wary eyes turned seductive in a heartbeat. “Beg like a good boy and I might still be able to find some time for you later this morning.” Tray laughed mockingly, shifting on his feet and turning his back slightly so Kara couldn’t see his burgeoning erection. But even if she hadn’t already seen it, the hurt and lust radiating from him permeated the air around her like a decaying bouquet. “That’s not going to happen, sweetheart. Ever. Again. I’d rather go hungry than share my meal with another man.” Hmmm… So he wasn’t quite over Abbey asking him for a threesome. She’d warned her friend it was a bad idea. “Tray,” Kara began, “I’m sorry I asked you here. I didn’t mean to cause more drama, but I thought we might be able to help you with your investigation, and in turn, you could let us know what you find out.”

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Tray finally tore his eyes away from Abbey and turned to Kara. “Do you have any idea how hard it is to use information from you two when I have to keep my source a secret? I’ve already been investigated by internal affairs twice.” “I get it, but we’re cleaning up the streets, Tray. Serial sexual assaults have been down since Abbey and I started doing this. That has to be worth something.” Tray blew out a breath. “Of course it is, Kara, but you have to let us do our job. You’re convicting these people without a trial. You’re breaking the law.” “Not exactly,” Abbey said. “I’ve never read a law that says you can’t cast a spell on someone.” Tray’s nostrils flared. “It’s assault, Abbey. You think I didn’t notice the report of a guy downtown this morning who says he got his ass beat by a brown-haired woman and her tall, red-haired friend. Even the guys in my unit thought it sounded a lot like you and Kara. I had to tell them they were fucking crazy. But you’re the crazy ones.” Abbey stepped up to Tray, chest out, hands on her hips, and got right in his face. “It’s not illegal to say some words over a guy’s disco stick. If he can’t get it rockin’ after that, it’s not my problem. Want me to show you how it works, stud? I promise you won’t feel a thing.” “Abbey,” Kara warned. Now Abbey was just making things worse, and Kara wanted to go to bed and try to forget for a few hours what she’d seen in that alley. Tray stepped back. “The words may not be illegal, but I’m pretty sure Kara’s boot in someone’s throat and the fact some of these men accidently get sliced could be mistaken as an attack.” His brows rose, daring her to deny it. “Still carrying that syringe?” Kara shrugged. “It’s just herbs.”


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When Abbey took another menacing step forward, Tray didn’t retreat this time but stepped forward to meet her, his chest colliding with hers. “Back off, sweetheart, before you force me to teach you respect for the law.” A spark lit in Abbey’s eyes at the challenge, and Kara inwardly groaned, envisioning spankings and all sorts of twisted crap. Who knew what Tray and Abbey could come up with behind closed doors as they worked out their issues? Kara didn’t even want to think about it. “Uh, Officer Oaks?” Kara ventured in her best smart-ass tone. “I have the utmost respect for the law, but you have a real psycho out there roaming the streets. If you want to work together on this, let me know. Otherwise, get the hell out.” Tray gave Kara a long, hard stare. “I can tell you this—they’re calling our guy the SoCal Rapist.” “The SoCal Rapist?” echoed Kara. “Yeah. The ER docs wrote on her chart that the carving looked like a sun, and the name stuck. Our sunny Southern California rapist.” Kara shuddered, thinking about finding the unconscious woman drenched in her own blood. “Great. If this gets out in the news, he’ll get off on his own celebrity.” “That’s it?” Abbey asked, incredulous. “That’s all you can tell us?” She turned to Kara. “I told you we shouldn’t have invited him over. You expect too much from a man who can’t handle our gifts and runs at the first sign of trouble.” Kara glanced away, barely containing a get-me-out-of-here groan. Abbey wasn’t talking about Tray as a professional, but as her first steady boyfriend, and Kara didn’t want to be caught in the middle. It was bad enough being able to sense so many of Tray’s emotions.

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Tray smiled and leaned down, wrapping one hand behind Abbey’s head while he found her lips with his. She opened for him immediately, clutching his shirt in her small fists, until he whispered into her mouth, “Hey, baby, think of me tonight when you’re fucking some stranger. I’ll be thinking of you…and how I’m better off with my hand.” He released Abbey and turned toward the door, saying over his shoulder to Kara, “Give me some time to think about the case. I’ll call you.” After the door closed, Abbey sank to the weathered wood floor, right where Tray had been standing. “I don’t think I can live without that man. I’m going to totally give up all other men, for like…a week. If it goes well, maybe he’ll take me back.” Kara tried not to snort. A week? She doubted Abbey’s good intentions would hold out that long. Still, a few days of sexual sanity was better than nothing. “If that’s what you want, I know you can do it. And with the SoCal Rapist out there, we don’t have time for men, anyway.”


65

Chapter Five

No time for men. No time for men. Kara repeated it to herself like a mantra as she walked into her building. Two of the five offices on the lower level already sported their Closed for Lunch signs on the glass. The clock in the lobby told Kara she’d been able to squeeze in almost four hours of sleep on Abbey’s worn sofa. It still wasn’t enough. She ached down to her bones from hanging off the small couch all morning. At least she hadn’t woken up in a lusty sweat in the throes of another orgasm. Wait…was that a good thing? Screw the stairs and working on her thighs. She deserved the elevator today. Kara pressed the button, noticing she needed to touch up the chipping paint along the decorative frame of the elevator. On her to-do list for the day, that would fall somewhere below fixing the slow leak in machine number three in the basement laundry, and somewhere far above the mandatory check she needed to do on the condition of Cat Lady’s carpet on the third floor. Kara had promised Cat Lady that if she could clean it up and find a home for half the cats, she wouldn’t report her to the landlord. Here’s to hoping. She really hated being the bad guy. When the elevator doors opened, a mother and her college-age daughter from the sixth floor walked out. Kara smiled and said hello, hoping they didn’t think of something that had suddenly broken, as many of the tenants seemed to do when they had the fortune of cornering Kara in the elevator. Not making eye contact never helped.

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Her smile grew when they simply greeted her and kept walking. She stepped into the elevator, and someone called from the lobby, “Can you hold the doors, please?” Crap. She sighed impatiently and put her hand out to stop the doors from closing. She wasn’t out of the woods yet. “No problem.” She only looked up when a set of large feet in expensive black leather shoes fill her vision. Gavin? Her eyes followed the path up his long legs, taking in the oversized box in his arms, until they got to his face. She frowned. Not Gavin. But as she looked closer, she realized he was the man she’d seen Gavin talking to last night in front of the bar. He had a swarthy complexion with dark, almond-shaped eyes and glossy black hair. Glossy like a feather, she mused, and something low in her belly clenched in delight. “Hi,” he said simply, but his eyes radiated heat, as if he knew somehow what she was thinking. “Hi.” Kara looked away and pressed number ten. “What floor?” The man glanced at the elevator buttons and smiled. “Looks like we’re heading the same direction.” How was it possible for him to make the simple statement sound like a come-on? And how pathetic was she that her panties were growing damp just being in the small enclosed space with him? It was his scent. It had to be. He and Gavin must use those stupid body wash products “infused with pheromones” a person could buy on any store shelf now. She’d had no idea that stuff actually worked. When the elevator opened, Kara got out and held the doors for him again as he shifted the box higher and stepped into the hallway. “Thanks.” He moved the box to his hip and extended his hand. “Julian Mercés.”


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She reached out to shake his hand, but as she did, the box tilted ominously and slid from Julian’s grasp, crashing to the floor and spilling assorted toiletry items over the carpeted walkway. Julian stopped, then he looked into Kara eyes and laughed, rich and seductive. At the other end of the hall, the door next to Kara’s popped open and Gavin walked out. He looked from Kara to Julian before his gaze came to rest on the box. “Having trouble, buddy?” His deep voice trailed over her like a kiss. Julian laughed again, his eyes darting back to Kara. “Just distracted, I guess.” The way he said it made Kara’s nipples tighten against her shirt. Gavin walked down the hall toward them, perusing Kara’s outfit from top to bottom, seeming to notice how the tight pebbles under her shirt threatened to poke through. “Hi, Kara,” he said. “Haven’t been home to change yet?” Crap. She should have borrowed sweats from Abbey to walk home. Half her neighbors probably thought she moonlighted as a call girl as it was. Coming from Gavin, though, the question was just plain rude. She wasn’t sure if he’d asked to let Julian know he’d already been with her, or to call her a slut, assuming she’d been out all night with another man. Either way, it didn’t matter. Getting involved with her neighbor was the last thing she needed. “Here, let me help,” she responded instead, bending over in her short leather skirt to start gathering the items. “Thanks.” Julian knelt down beside her with a warm smile. “I’m not usually such a klutz.” Kara glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, taking in the way his tan skin stretched over broad muscles. He looked like a living, breathing Zorro fantasy come to life. Everything about him screamed that he was a capable man who could take care of a woman’s needs. But he was softer than Gavin, somehow—more ready with a kind word, more open with his smile.

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“I don’t doubt your coordination for a minute.” Kara raked him with a hot gaze. She couldn’t help it. Her pussy was throbbing—an itch that could only be scratched by one of these men pounding it out of her. She froze. Take a breath, horn-dog. She dragged air in through her nose and let it out slowly through her mouth. Julian paused and licked his lips, and Kara got the impression again he knew exactly what she was thinking—and that he was thinking the same thing. Gavin reached down to retrieve a wrapped bar of soap. “I missed you this morning, neighbor. I locked the bottom lock when I left, assuming you had a key with you. Did I do good?” Yeah, he’d done her good, all right. But he hadn’t allowed her to return the favor. She couldn’t look at Gavin as she collected the towels and various bathroom items, most of which still had the tags on. “Yeah, thanks, Gavin. Sorry I had to rush off.” “I was a little worried, to be honest. But I got the key copied this morning, like you asked.” “Thanks.” Julian looked curious about the exchange, though Kara couldn’t imagine Gavin not telling his friend the gory details of their encounter, right down to the way she’d cried like a proper virgin on her wedding night. Once the items were back in the box, the three rose to their feet and walked down the hall toward their apartments. Gavin opened the door and held his arm out in invitation. “Want to see how it’s coming along?” “Uh…” Kara wasn’t sure about the wisdom of going into the place with two men who were virtual strangers, but against her better judgment, she heard herself reply, “Sure.”


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Gavin smiled and followed her in, closing the door behind her as Julian took the box to the bathroom. The first thing Kara noticed, besides the fact that the men had obviously been hard at work bringing in the big stuff—like a kitchen table, a large brown leather sofa, an enormous flat-screen TV—was that half the stuff either still had tags on it or looked like it was straight out of the box. Either Gavin had recently moved out of his parents’ house, or he was going through an ugly divorce and his lady had gotten everything but the shirt off his back. Kara guessed the latter, and it made sense when she thought about his guilt last night and how he wasn’t ready to have sex. “So, Kara…” Julian stepped from the hall, thumbs tucked in the pockets of his jeans. “I was planning to get takeout tonight from that deli around the corner, and I wondered if you might like to come over as a thank-you for helping us move.” If eyes could be hungry, Julian’s would be devouring her, licking the marrow from her bones. “Us? Are you Gavin’s roommate, then?” The woman in her thrilled at the thought that she’d be seeing more of Gavin’s black-haired friend, but the apartment manager was peeved. “I don’t think you put him on the application, Gavin?” Gavin shrugged, all six feet seven inches of him suddenly looking like a little boy caught sprinkling salt on his mama’s prized racing slug. “It’s only until he finds his own place. Besides, it’s a two bedroom and he’s pretty quiet—” Gavin pinned Julian with a sharp glare, “—most of the time.” Takeout, huh? It wasn’t as if Julian had offered to tie her up and service her all night long. What harm could there be in a little dinner, besides the fat and carbs? She met his dark, almost black eyes. “Yeah, sure. What time?” Julian’s triumphant grin revealed perfect white teeth and adorable dimples on his sculpted cheeks. “Six?”

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Gavin walked up beside his friend and patted Julian on the back hard enough to jar the smile off his handsome face. “How hospitable of you, Jules. And at six? When you know I won’t be around to…partake in the meal.” “Exactly. With you gone, there’ll be too much food for one person,” Julian agreed. “But don’t feel bad about leaving me alone on my second night in San Diego. Look—” he gestured to Kara, “—I’ve already made a friend.” Standing side by side, Gavin had few inches over his roommate, and Kara supposed Julian himself was big enough to get sideways glances as he walked down the street. Gavin put an arm over Julian’s shoulder, then slipped a hand above his friend’s biceps and pinched hard enough to make his knuckles white. Julian snorted in pained laughter and twisted out from under Gavin’s arm. “Don’t be upset, buddy. We’re not trying to exclude you. Maybe you can eat with us—” he looked to Kara as though they were a couple trying to help out a pathetic, lonely friend, “—next week?” Kara chuckled, seeing how Julian enjoyed teasing Gavin. “By all means. Maybe I’ll have you both for dinner next week.” Gavin’s brows shot up and his smirk reminded her of how he’d looked the night before when he’d told her to stop talking and spread her legs for him. Kara almost groaned. “Have you over for dinner.” Every word out of her mouth felt packed with double meaning. But she had to admit, the man-buffet before her did look delicious. Kara blushed, not believing the idiotic things going through her mind around these two. With the overwhelming sexual current thrumming through her body, she was going to have to resort to one of Abbey’s emergency backup numbers if she wanted to be able to focus at all this week. “Well, I’d better get going.” She edged toward the door. “See you tonight, Julian.”


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Julian came to her and took her hand. “See you tonight.” Sliding her smaller fingers through his, he brought her hand to his mouth and kissed it gently. The feel of his lips against her skin and the little zap of static electricity it produced made her shiver with need. “I’ll walk you out,” Gavin said from behind them, his voice grim. He shouldered past Julian and opened the door. Kara didn’t argue as Julian stepped back and allowed Gavin to take her elbow. Once they were outside in the hall again and the door was shut, Kara regarded her would-be one-night stand. “I live next door. I’m pretty sure I can find my way back.” Gavin smiled, an intimate grin she’d only seen when they were alone. He leaned over Kara as she stuck her key in the lock, placing his hand over hers as the metal slid into place. “You don’t need him, you know.” He rotated his wrist over hers until she heard the snick of the door unlocking. “Huh?” Kara turned to look at him. Was he a mind reader? He leaned close to her ear. “Look at your nipples. They’re dying to be sucked. I was in a bigger hurry than I thought to forget something as important as that. I planned to remedy the situation when I woke, but you were gone. Just one little note, Thanks, when I still had your scent on my face. I’m surprised, Kara. You seemed to enjoy it more than that.” It was hard to meet his eyes, but she was no coward. “Yeah, I won’t deny I enjoyed it, but I don’t like being the only one.” Gavin blinked. “Please tell me you’re joking. You don’t think I loved every second of last night?” “Well, to be honest, you seemed pretty…clothed. Not quite what I was hoping for.”

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Gavin leaned into her. “You mean you wanted this,” he said, rubbing against her slowly, erotically. It was the middle of the day, and he pressed her up against her door where anyone could see. Kara’s mouth went dry. Yeah, she wanted it. “Are you offering? ’Cause my answer is yes.” Gavin turned his head away with a frustrated growl, leaving Kara feeling like she wanted to scream. “I want to. I just can’t. But I do enjoy you. I want to show you how much pleasure I can give you tonight with my mouth, my hands, my body.” To emphasize his point, he wedged his leg between hers, drew her onto his thigh and rocked into her. Kara’s skirt hiked as he rubbed against her mound, and her breath hitched in her throat. She groaned, then quickly glanced down the hall, making sure no neighbors were in view. She’d never wanted a man as much as she wanted Gavin Cross. She pulled his head down to her mouth and put her lips to his ear. “It’s not enough. I need you all of you, Gavin.” Gavin was breathing harder, still rocking against Kara like he didn’t give a shit who saw. “I can’t. Please don’t ask me, Kara. Let me show you another way.” Kara took his rejection like a slap across the cheek. She reached behind her and twisted the handle, almost falling backward into the room from the weight of the two of them pressing against the door. Gavin stumbled slightly but caught himself as Kara backed through the door and shut it in his face. When the deadbolt clicked into place, it sounded like Gavin dropped his forehead against the door. “Give it a chance, Kara. Give me a chance.” That was two chances too many as far as Kara was concerned. No man deserved a third opportunity to humiliate her. “Watch the hot water heater now that there’re two of you. We have it set on low. Cold showers are a real bitch.”


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She should know. She was going to need one.

Gavin stared at her door a moment longer then stormed back to his apartment, carefully turning the handle when what he really wanted to do was rip the door from its hinges. “Julian!” he growled, once the door was locked behind him. It would have felt better to shout at the top of his lungs, but he figured that might scare his new neighbors. “Show your face, you son of a human whore.” Julian stepped out of the bathroom with a sardonic smile and bowed. “You rang, milord?” The air rushed in and out of Gavin’s nostrils as he counted to ten—he’d heard it worked for humans, and he thought he might as well give it a try— before he grabbed Julian by the throat and put his head through the wall. “What in the name of Og are you doing with Kara Reed? What game is this?” Julian shrugged and leaned back against the wall, projecting the easy charm of a carefree man, but Gavin had known him too long to be fooled. If it came to blows, his friend would be ready, even eager. Julian brushed some imaginary lint from his shoulder. “We’re here to keep an eye on her. I thought it would be easier if she and I were in the same room.” Gavin let out another breath, attempting to calm himself as his hands trembled. “Please, Julian. It was hard enough for me. You won’t be able to resist being in the same room with one of our females for that long.” Julian smiled, leaning his head back against the wall as if he were daydreaming. “And what a female she is. Did you see those lush hips and sturdy thighs when she bent over? I think she could take all of me and still beg for more.”

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Gavin arched his brows. “You know she hasn’t reached maturity yet. Her body hasn’t gone through the transition necessary to accommodate these damn—” he motioned to his groin, “—appendages. You have no experience with young Demiáre females.” “And you do?” “I know it would be like taking a human woman, and I don’t want to chance hurting her.” Julian grinned. “Oh, please. You’ve had more human women than I can count. I’ll wrap a fist around the base of my cock and she’ll be fine.” Gavin’s shaft twitched. He’d been thinking the same thing himself. But Kara was a woman he wanted to hold on to with both hands as he pounded his seed into her womb. “No. We can’t risk you becoming attached to her, and we can’t risk bringing her closer to maturity. You have a responsibility to your clan. And for future reference, you sack of downy fluff, hurting a woman is the quickest way to get thrown out of her bed. Keep your cock to yourself.” Julian pushed away from the wall and paced the room. “She’s practically in heat, brother. Her powers may not be coming in, but by the look of her, she’s ripe in every other way. You said our old Aniliáre friend has been visiting her?” “Visiting her, yes, but he hasn’t had her that I can tell.” “How can you be sure?” “A dark essence pervades her room, but when I…” Gavin’s voice trailed away and the tips of his ears heated. Julian stopped pacing and his brows shot up. “What?” Gavin cleared his throat. He wasn’t sure if he was choked by anger or embarrassment. “There is no flaming way I’m going to describe to you what it tasted like between Kara Reed’s legs.”


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Julian sucked in a breath, looking for a moment as if he were having a seizure, until finally, the air rushed from his lungs in loud fits of laughter. “Oh, no. No, no, no…” he hooted, grabbing his stomach. “You were checking for him by taste! You are a dedicated bastard!” Gavin considered quelling Julian’s hysterical laughter with a fist to his mouth. A warrior in a lady’s harem might be used to tasting another man’s fluid between his lady’s legs, but not the Lords of the Mercury clan—him, Julian and Aiden. To protect the clan, it was forbidden for the Mercury Lords to share a woman or bond to one. They couldn’t risk giving a female that much control over them. A low growl sounded in Gavin’s chest. He had to admit he’d been more than a little relieved that the only thing he’d found at Kara’s core was her own exquisite flavor. “It isn’t funny, Julian. We can stop him for now, maybe slow him for a time, but if we allow them to have sex—or heaven forbid—bond…” He didn’t have to finish the thought. If they allowed the dark angel to possess Kara Reed and bring her to maturity, she’d be his to take to the Shadowland. Julian sobered. “If he takes her to his kingdom, we won’t be able to get her back. Most of our men don’t have pure enough blood to even travel to the Shadowland, much less stage a battle there. It would be the Great War all over again, but this time we wouldn’t be fighting with Teras by our side.” Gavin glared at his friend. “Then you understand how important it is to keep your hands off her. If Ailexon has her in his sights, I don’t want to take the chance, however slim, that our seed could push her toward the transition. Let’s not make this any easier for him.” Julian’s jaw tightened. “We need more scouts posted, now. I want to be the first to know if Ailexon so much as scratches his ass outside the Shadowland again.”

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“It’s already done.” “Good. And just so you know, brother—” Julian put his hands palms-out, “—my plan is simply to help slake her urges, so she’ll be less susceptible to the Aniliáre bastard if he comes for her again.” Gavin had never heard such a load of wing dust in all his long life. It was so ridiculous, he wasn’t even sure if Julian was kidding. He spoke slowly, as if to a child, “But if you mount her, her desire for our species will only increase. How will this help? Not to mention you’ll be in danger of bonding to her and breaking the law.” Gavin paused to allow this to sink in. “Julian Mercés, Lord of the Mercury Clan, becoming nothing but a slave in a lady’s harem.” Finally, Julian’s façade broke and his eyes glinted with fury. “Never. I’ve resisted this long and I will not belong to one woman. How could you doubt me?” Gavin laughed. “Because I’ve been with her. This is nothing like fulfilling your duty with a lady of the clan, one of the women whose vanity and callousness surround her as closely as her armed lovers. Kara Reed is irresistible.” Gavin’s voice dropped lower as he looked into Julian’s eyes. “She’s proud, strong and kind…but all alone in this world of humans with no male of her species to protect her.” Julian blinked and swallowed. “She needs you, needs your seed to help transform her into who she is destined to be. Imagine…a queen’s daughter all to yourself. No harem to interfere as you have her again and again, so deep, like only she can take you. She needs you, Julian.” Julian nodded, his eyes half-lidded. “She needs me.” Gavin reached for a glass on the counter behind him and launched it at Julian’s head.


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Julian dodged to the left as it hit the wall and shattered into a hundred pieces. “What was that for?” he cried, grabbing his crotch to adjust his hard shaft. “You flaming idiot! You can’t even resist me telling you about a willing Demiáre female, but you think you’ll be able to resist mounting the real thing when she has her legs spread before you and her scent is driving you insane?” Julian reached down and picked up a small fragment of the glass, then flicked it at Gavin like a throwing star before Gavin realized what he was doing. Gavin growled and plucked the shard from his chest, watching as scarlet blood blossomed across the shirt he’d just purchased the day before. “Asshole. Shopping for new human clothes is a pain in the ass.” Julian smiled, back to his old self, the lump in his pants starting to shrink. “I’m going to pull out.” Gavin shook his head in confusion. “What?” “Pull out—of Kara Reed. That’s my plan. It will help her resist Ailexon’s advances because she’ll be properly sexed, but she won’t become addicted to our seed or brought to maturity any faster.” Julian’s smug smile said he thought he was so clever. “It’ll be easy.” “From the scent of her lust, I doubt she wants to resist Ailexon’s advances. He’s probably coming to her in dreams. Your plan won’t help in the least. The only way to protect her is to tell her the truth…and risk her running. Or cast him into the Abyss.” Julian threw his head back and laughed. “That’s the spirit!” He raised his hand in mock salute. “Let’s take out the chief of the fallen angels, the Aniliáre king who can’t be defeated. The Mercury Clan will have you to thank for starting another war we have no hope of winning.”

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Gavin’s jaw clenched and his nostrils flared. “You and Aiden and I all made the same promise to protect her. Would you go back on your word now?” Julian’s shoulders sank and he slowly shook his head. “No. But if I’m going to die—” a small smile curved his lips, “—let it be after I’ve had that woman.”


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Chapter Six

After the washing machine had a new center post gasket and the molding around the lobby elevator had a fresh coat of paint, Kara sat at her kitchen table thinking of Gavin and taking her frustrations out on helpless balls of clay. She smacked her fist into them, sank in her fingers and shaped the clay the best she could, but when she was done and sat back to regard her handiwork, she had to admit the tall, rounded shapes intended to be abstract people looked a lot like…well, penises. Shit. She was crazy. No, it wasn’t her, it was this damned week. Sick of denying the urge, she finally gave in to her body, locked Mr. Pibb in the bathroom and brought herself to orgasm three times with her face pressed up against the sheets where Gavin’s scent still lingered. When she returned a little later from checking on Cat Lady and issuing the third “final” warning, Kara called Tray. They discussed what she’d witnessed at the crime scene and any details she could give to help his investigation. He was surprisingly normal when Abbey wasn’t around. A real nice guy. Too bad Abbey brought out his inner delinquent. He’d used his handcuffs on Kara’s friend more than once and the baton…well, there were rumors it had served multiple purposes—none of them involving beating off bad guys. As six o’clock approached, Kara put the finishing touches on her makeup, then stepped back and looked at herself in the mirror. She wore a light yellow dress, more sunny-beach attire than fuck-me chic, like she’d worn last night. She would change again before she and Abbey went out, but she didn’t want to give

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Julian the wrong impression. She was seriously considering having Abbey call someone for her tonight, and that thought was keeping her strong as she faced an hour alone with Gavin’s smoking-hot friend. Neighbors, bad. Strangers, good, she chanted to herself. It was best not mix her job as building manager with any extracurricular activities involving her tenants. She wasn’t staying away from Julian because of Gavin. At least that was what she told herself. She wouldn’t feel bad for a man who’d teased her twice with what she couldn’t have. He’d had his chance. No, she didn’t feel bad…but if it was possible to like a guy after only knowing him twenty-four hours, then she’d have to admit she sort of liked Gavin Cross, and that made his rejection hurt even more. Kara’s head shot up when the doorbell chimed a minute later. She went to the door and peered through the peephole. Her jaw dropped when she saw what was on the other side—Julian Mercés in jeans and a white dress shirt with a huge bouquet of red roses in his hands. She pulled open the door. “Julian?” He gave her a lopsided grin, making the dimples in his cheeks more prominent. “I’m here to pick you up for our date.” He held the flowers out to Kara, and she laughed. It wasn’t really funny, but the joy that came from his gesture bubbled up inside her like champagne uncorked from the bottle. Gavin had called her a princess, but in this moment, Julian made her feel like one. She smiled and took the roses from his grasp. “You didn’t need to do that. Dinner was enough. I’m easy.” And getting easier by the second. He followed her into the kitchen when she went to grab a vase. Pibby poked his nose around the corner, giving Julian the once-over, then he joined them in the kitchen, swishing his tail and meowing his most melodious give-me-a-treat greeting. Julian scooped him up. “Beautiful cat.”


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“Thanks. He sure seems to like you and Gavin.” She plucked the vase from the top of the fridge and rinsed out the thick coating of dust. The pretty container hadn’t seen flowers since Abbey had gotten her a mixed bouquet for her last birthday. Kara grinned like an idiot the whole time she was filling it and arranging the stems. Roses like these cost a fortune. “Really, you shouldn’t have gone to the trouble,” she said again. Julian set Pibby on his feet and wrapped his large hands around her waist. “Yes, I should have. To see you smile like this, I’d do anything.” He leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. His warm breath against her skin smelled like sweet summer nights. “Are you ready?” Kara met his eyes and swallowed. “Ready?” Hell, yes. “Sure.” “Then come.” Julian took her hand and led her to his apartment. When they stepped through the door, Kara stopped, taking in the change from when she’d last seen the place only hours before. In the dining room, the table was set with a white linen tablecloth, candles, red wine and dishes of food that didn’t look anything like cheap takeout. Julian led Kara to the table and pulled out her chair. “Sit,” he told her. He placed her napkin in her lap and pulled the silver covering off the first dish. It took Kara a moment before she could speak. No man had ever done this for her before. “Wow. I never knew this building had room service.” A joke was all she could manage. The filet mignon and grilled vegetables on the plate in front of her looked like they’d come from a five-star restaurant. At least she thought it was filet mignon. She couldn’t afford to eat out very often. Julian laughed, seating himself in the chair closest to Kara. “Who knew the little hole-in-the-wall around the corner served more than deli sandwiches?” He lifted the lid on an exotic dish, some sort of purple vegetable in a creamy sauce.

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“Glad to hear they changed their menu. For a minute there, I thought this might be an expensive attempt to seduce me.” When Julian’s hungry eyes locked on to hers, Kara’s stomach flipped. Shut up, Kara. We don’t screw our neighbors. She noticed a shiny pendent hanging at his throat where his dress shirt parted and decided to change the subject. “Cool leaf. Where’d you get it?” Gavin wore charms like that, too. She thought he might even have the same one. Julian brought a hand to his throat, fingering the gold charm. “Family heirloom. Here, try this.” He dipped a spoon in the creamy mixture and brought it to Kara’s mouth. “Mmmm…” The sound reverberated in her chest like a purr as the flavor blossomed on her tongue. She brought her hand up to Julian’s as he spooned another bite into her mouth. The feel of his skin and the sensuality of him made her ache. “I like it. You have good taste.” “Good taste in food and great taste in women.” He gestured to her then brought his wineglass up to clink against hers. “Cheers.” She took a sip of the expensive wine and her guilty conscience flashed to Gavin and what he’d done to her in the very next apartment. “So how did you and Gavin end up in San Diego? Where are you from?” He laughed. “Is this you asking or the apartment manager?” She smiled. “Does your answer change from one person to the next?” He stared at her, his eyes slightly narrowed, his dimples on display. “Maybe.” “Oooh. Mysterious,” she teased. “It’s me asking, then.” “We own a small company and our biggest client recently relocated here. It made sense to move in to a place together until we figured out how long the assignment would be.” “Gavin said something about that. A security company, right?”


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“Exactly.” “Gavin was on the waiting list for a while, though.” Julian paused, then he said, “Corporate moves don’t happen overnight.” “I guess that’s true, but you’re still lucky a place became available. I would have thought in the three months since Gavin applied, you might’ve had to find another apartment.” “We were considering it, but then you called.” He smiled as if she’d done him a great personal favor. “I can’t take credit. It’s just plain old timing. The woman who lived next to me seemed like she wanted to live here forever. She was a sweet old lady, everybody loved her. But then one day, she knocks on my door and tells me she can’t stand living here anymore and she’d rather be with her grandkids on the East Coast. She was literally gone by that night. It was so strange, I had to call her kids to make sure she made it there safely and dementia wasn’t involved.” Julian’s brows rose. “You really do keep an eye on your tenants, don’t you? Maybe we should hire you to do investigations.” Kara laughed. “I’m not a stalker, I promise. You won’t find me peeping through your windows or anything.” “You can stalk me anytime. Just give me warning and I’ll leave the door unlocked.” His sizzling stare made Kara shift in her seat. “So…what made you go into security?” “Oh no you don’t, Detective Reed.” Julian chuckled. “You’re letting the food get cold.” He cut a piece of the filet and raised it to her lips. “Oooh, delicious.” Her nipples were as hard as diamonds under her yellow sundress, and it had nothing to do with the temperature in the apartment or the tender meat on his fork.

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Kara never would have thought she’d like someone feeding her, but she couldn’t resist Julian’s smile or the sparkle of his obsidian eyes in the candlelight. With his dashing good looks, swarthy complexion and roguish smile, he looked like her pirate fantasy come to life. She suddenly had visions of him tying her to the mast of his vessel and having his way with her. She blushed as he spooned another bite onto her tongue. He made a little small-talk but mostly seemed content to watch her eat while he fed her, as though it were the most interesting thing in the world. When she drained her glass of red wine, he ran his thumb along her chin to catch a drip. She should have been uncomfortable, but she didn’t have the time. He fed her until she didn’t think she could eat another bite. Just as she was going to tell him she was stuffed, her cell phone rang. She glanced down and bit her lip. Tray never called to shoot the breeze. “I’m sorry. I have to take this.” “Of course.” She turned slightly away in her chair, as though it were less rude to take a call during dinner if she couldn’t see her date’s face. “Yeah?” she said quietly, hoping Tray would get the hint she was busy. “You said you wanted to help. Well, I need you.” “Tonight?” “Now, actually. I can pick you up.” “Now doesn’t really work for me.” She glanced at Julian. “I’m kind of busy.” “I’m at SD General, Kara. In the room of the woman you found.” She worked hard to keep her voice level. “How is she?” “The doctors thought she’d be fine at first, but they’re having trouble staunching the bleeding from her wounds. With all the transfusions they’ve given her, they’re out of her blood type now and are using O-neg.”


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“You’re kidding me. Do they need donations?” “No, that’s not the kind of help I’m asking for.” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Julian shift in his seat. He was watching her conversation with laser-guided interest. She gave him an apologetic smile and held up a finger, mouthing, “Just a minute.” “She’s been unconscious since they brought her in, and we don’t have enough physical evidence to catch this guy. If rape was involved, he must have been wearing protection. I thought maybe you could…see what you pick up.” Her cheeks flushed. “I can’t really talk right now, but honestly, I don’t think I can help with that.” “What the hell, Kara? You’re always saying you want to work with the police and the first time I ask, you’re really gonna tell me no? Is this about Abbey?” Kara almost snorted. Everything always led back to Abbey. “No, Tray, listen—” “Kara,” Julian said, taking her hand in his. “Let me drive you.” “What?” She met his eyes in surprise, wishing Tray wasn’t so damn loud. “No, Julian. You don’t have to do that.” “Hello?” Tray called into the phone. “Who are you talking to? What’s going on?” After a moment of indecision, she replied, “Okay, Tray. I have a ride, and I’ll see you at SD General in fifteen minutes. Don’t get your hopes up.”

When Kara saw Julian’s shiny rental car, it occurred to her all over again that she really didn’t know him or Gavin at all. Unfortunately, that realization didn’t seem to bother her libido one little bit.

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Once she was in the small confines of the car with Julian’s scent wrapping around her, she didn’t know if she’d be able to make it to the hospital without forcing him to pull over so she could lick every exposed inch of his fragrant skin. His essence was like catnip, and her body was purring just sitting next to him. She rolled her window down and took a few deep breaths. “Make a left at the next street. Thanks again for doing this.” He smiled. “I wasn’t going to let you get away from me that easily. We haven’t even had dessert yet.” She almost chocked on her saliva. Blood rushed to her core and made her reply a breathy sigh. “Yeah?” “It’s chocolate layer cake. It looked amazing in the window.” “Oh.” He meant real dessert. Great. “That sounds nice.” He turned on the next street and glanced over at her. “So, you’re the one who found the woman?” She nodded. “Are you all right?” “Yeah. When you live downtown, every once in a while you stumble upon something you wish you hadn’t seen. It comes hand in hand with the tourists and the ocean view. But this time…it was worse.” “I’m sorry.” She wrapped her hands around her arms and shivered. It could have been from the chilly air blowing in through the open window or from the memory of seeing the woman, unconscious and bleeding in the alley. “So am I. She didn’t deserve that.” Julian placed his hand over her cold fingers, as if to warm them. “It looks like I picked a bad night to invite you to dinner.”


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She smiled and squeezed his hand. “Hey, I’m still planning on dessert. I love chocolate.” “So what does Tray expect you to do with the woman you found? It seems if you were able to identify her, you already would have.” She stiffened slightly, then consciously relaxed her muscles. “You’re right. That’s what I’m trying to tell him.” She gestured out the window. “Turn here. It’s just down the street.” “Do you want me to come up with you?” “No, no, that’s okay,” Kara said quickly. “You know how the police are about these things.” “Ah.” He nodded. Why had she even allowed him to drive her here? “Thanks for the ride. I shouldn’t be long.” The glow of the walkway lamps speckled his irises with stars. He leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek. “Go save the world.”

Tray met Kara in the hallway outside the victim’s room. He looked her up and down, his arms crossed over his chest. “What was so important tonight that you didn’t think you could make it?” She returned his hard stare. “None of your business.” “Did you have someone over? A party, maybe?” “Tray, you don’t give a flying fig if I have someone over. What you’re really asking is if Abbey was there with another man.” He raised his brows, waiting. “I’m not getting in the middle of this. Call her and ask her yourself.” His jaw flexed so hard, Kara was scared he’d shatter his teeth. “I’ll take that as a yes. She’s not the type to refuse a party if men are on the invite list.”

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She rubbed her hands across her eyes. “Listen. I’m not going to play this game. Just because I’m sick of the drama, I’ll tell you that I was having dinner with a man, by myself. He’s waiting outside for me. But you know damn well that what Abbey does, or doesn’t do, isn’t any of your business anymore.” He looked away, pain flashing in his eyes. “I just want to know she’s safe. That’s all.” She nodded. “I’ll keep her safe.” Tray laughed, but it was a low and full of bitterness. He stepped closer, his voice almost a whisper, and gestured to the room beyond. “Take another look in that room, Kara. Some sick motherfucker sliced that woman open and left her to die—and he may have raped her first. That’s what you’re exposing Abbey to out there.” Kara swallowed down her hurt. “We’re trying to right wrongs. Same as you. Can we go in now so I can get the hell out of here?” Tray turned and opened the door. Kara followed him in. “Take a walk,” he said to a uniformed officer reading a magazine in the corner. “Sure,” the man replied, but the expression on his face looked like he wanted to tell Tray just where he could shove his walk. Kara’s gaze wandered around the room, finally settling on the arsenal of machines surrounding the woman’s bed. A nurse finished replacing an IV and a new bag of blood, then glanced at Tray. “I’ll be back to check on her in a minute, Detective.” “Thanks.” He nodded as she made her way out the door, carrying a tray of syringes and vials. The smell of blood and antiseptic went straight from Kara’s nostrils to the pit of her stomach, leaving a sickening weight there. Kara hated hospitals. Hated them. But this hospital most of all. Here she’d lost the only woman, besides


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Abbey, who’d ever loved her. She pushed away the memories, buried them deep down where they belonged. “Well, what do you want me to do?” His eyebrows almost disappeared into his short blond hairline. “You’re asking me?” “I told you I’ve never done anything like this before.” “Shit. Just do what you do when you’re with Abbey. That thing.” “What thing? It’s not like I have visions.” “Come on, Kara. Man up. Hold her hand or something and focus.” Kara could barely contain her frustrated growl. “Sure.” She approached the bed, regret twisting up her spine with every step. The woman was so pale, if it weren’t for the slow blip of the monitor, Kara would have thought she was already dead. She reached for the woman’s limp hand resting at her side. Her index finger was saddled with something around the tip with a wire coming from it. For her pulse, if Kara remembered correctly. With her other hand, Kara gently pressed her palm against the woman’s forehead. The weak energy radiating from her barely made Kara’s palm tingle. Not good. “Do you know her name?” “No. She didn’t have any ID on her. We think she probably lives alone and doesn’t have family in the area, and that’s why nobody’s reported her missing. Why, do you need a name?” She gave him a look over her shoulder. He really didn’t get that she’d never done this before, did he? The woman’s hospital gown was already beginning to soak through with blood just below her navel. Kara took the victim’s cool hand in both of hers and closed her eyes, willing an image into her mind, calling out for the sake of justice. Who did this?

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“Well?” Tray asked. Kara squinted harder, feeling the veins in her temples begin to throb. “Come on,” she said to whoever was listening, the great witch in the sky, giver of psychic gifts. Maybe a spell would help. After several long minutes, she finally opened her eyes. “I’m not picking up anything.” “What?” “Sorry.” “Shit!” Tray swiped the magazines to the floor then turned his back to catch his breath. He bent and gathered the stack, then returned it to where the other officer had been camped out reading. Kara tucked the woman’s hand once again to her side, feeling like a complete failure. “I want to come back and try again tomor—” “No, no. It’s fine.” He waved his hands in dismissal. “It was stupid anyway.” His disappointment was thick in air, like moldering fruit. “You can go now.” She rarely glimpsed this Tray, the man who shouldered the burden of protecting the community, instead of just the man pining for Abbey. “Tray…” “Don’t worry about it, Kare-bear.” With a forced smile, he patted her shoulder and walked her to the door. “Don’t leave your man waiting.”


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It was hard for Kara to keep up polite conversation on the way back to the apartment. Part of her felt better just being close to Julian and soaking in his presence. The other part wanted to pull her Lord of the Rings battleaxe out of the closet and put the replica to the test in the skull of the man who’d committed the atrocity. Julian’s hand was warm and strong around Kara’s when they stepped out of the elevator. He walked her to her door, his brow puckered in concern. “You’re hurting. Can I do anything?” “No.” She shook her head. “I wanted to help. It kills me that I couldn’t.” He brought his hand to her face and tucked her hair behind her ear. “You’re different than I thought you would be, Kara.” Her brows rose in surprise. “Different how?” He pressed his hand over her heart. “You feel.” “I’m not sure how to take that.” He smiled. “As praise of the highest order. The women I’ve spent time with have been beautiful on the outside, but they were empty shells. No warmth in their hearts, if they had hearts at all.” “Ouch. Sounds like you were dating the wrong women.” “The right one hadn’t come along yet.” He stared into her eyes for a long moment then kissed her forehead. “Good night.” When he started to pull away, she captured his hand to her chest. “Hey, what happened to dessert?”

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His gaze tangled with hers. “Are you sure? You’ve had a difficult night.” She couldn’t get rid of the chill that had invaded her bones in the hospital tonight, and Julian’s warmth called out to her. “Nothing a little chocolate couldn’t cure.” Julian’s grin lit his face from within. “Then let the healing begin.” Minutes later, he sat her on his brown leather sofa and placed a huge slice of cake in front of her and another glass of wine. Her eyes widened. “You weren’t kidding. That cake looks delicious.” What started as eating morphed into touching, just the lightest pressure from his fingertips gliding over her cheeks and neck. The feel of his hands stroking gently over her skin had her trembling with need. When her glass was empty and she didn’t think she could hold the plate any longer from the weakness in her bones, she set it on the coffee table in front of her. If she’d ever needed what a man could offer, she needed it tonight. “You didn’t finish,” he said, gesturing to the plate and the mound of frosting there. Kara put her hand to her stomach. “I don’t have any room left.” He frowned. “You don’t eat enough. You’ll need to do better than that to keep up your strength.” Kara almost laughed. Anyone could see she ate plenty. “Strength for what?” “For me.” He placed a small bite of frosting in Kara’s mouth then leaned in to kiss her. As soon as she swallowed, his tongue breached her lips. He pulled Kara closer to him, his tongue exploring her depths. Finally, he pulled back, his breathing shallow and his eyes heavy lidded. “Mmmm. I thought that cake looked nice in the window.”


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Holy shit. Her clitoris throbbed like it had a heartbeat of its own. “Julian…” she murmured, searching for something to say besides take off your pants. “You hardly ate.” “There’s only one thing I’m hungry for tonight.” Her nipples ached. Her voice was a breathy whisper. “What’s that?” He stood from the sofa, pulled Kara to her feet and kissed her slowly, nipping her bottom lip with his teeth before running his tongue over the spot to soothe it. “You.” He tasted like mint and honey, and Kara’s senses ignited. She grasped his collar and pulled him to her, opening her mouth for him as his tongue darted inside. Her brain warned her to stop, but her body told it to shut the hell up. He pressed against her, his pants taut and straining. She tilted her pelvis to allow his bulge to rub her aching mound. With his hand fisted in her long brown hair, Julian gently pulled her head back an inch to look into her eyes. “Tell me about Gavin. What did he do to you?” Kara gasped and pushed at his chest. She should have known. There was no reason two such handsome men would be pursuing a woman like her. And Julian, acting like he cared, driving her to the hospital when he was nothing but a perverted wolf in sheep’s clothing. “Is that what you two are into? Swapping stories? Sharing?” “Never,” he growled. “I don’t want to share you. I want to erase any trace of him until I’m all that remains.” He pressed his mouth to hers and kissed her until her knees buckled, then caught her in his arms and held her to his chest. “Tell me what he did and I’ll do it better. I understand you, Kara. I know what you need more than Gavin ever will.”

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His declaration eased something inside her, but she still couldn’t do it…couldn’t say it. “It doesn’t matter.” He reached under her sundress and traced a firm path from her thigh to the edge of her panties. There, his hand gentled and delved underneath, his long fingers testing her wetness and trailing through her slick crease. “Oh, hellfire, woman,” he groaned. “You’re so ready for me.” Kara moved against his hand, praying he would give her more. She wanted to tell him she was ready for him, but she felt a twinge of regret he wasn’t golden-haired Gavin. And worse yet, what if he rejected her as his friend had? He slipped a finger inside Kara and shuddered, then pressed his erection to her belly. “I need you, Kara, as much as you need me. Tell me what he did to you. I don’t want secrets between us.” She was so swollen and wet, every sensation was amplified against her engorged lips. Her clit felt hot, needy. When he slipped another finger inside her, she gasped. “He licked me,” she panted, her cheeks turning scarlet as she pushed against him frantically. Julian surged against her, his cock impossibly hard and bulky under his pants. “And did you like it?” She grasped his shoulders. “Yes. But I wanted more.” “And he wouldn’t give it to you, would he?” Julian smiled, pulling his hand from between her legs. “But I will.” He reached down, scooped Kara up in his arms and carried her to a bedroom. The bed in the center of the sparse room was plain, but he set her in the middle of a soft, goose-down comforter. He lifted her yellow dress over her head and threw it to the floor, then cupped her breasts and pinched her nipples through the lacy fabric of her bra. “Do you want me inside you?”


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She didn’t answer. She needed a man, she couldn’t deny it, but somehow she still wanted it to be Gavin here with her. At least, she wanted it to be Gavin until his black-haired friend released her bra and slid it from her arms. Once he bent his head and took her nipple into his mouth, sucking hard, all bets were off. “Oh, Julian. That feels so good. Take off my panties.” Julian licked her other breast, teasing her cold, wet nipple to an even harder peak. His free hand reached down and pulled her panties down her thighs, then two fingers suddenly invaded her wet heat, burying themselves to the knuckles. “Mmmm. You’re so tight. Relax, love. Let me ready you for me.” Kara thrust into him, but Julian held her hips down to the mattress with his left hand while his right hand worked her opening until it burned. Did he think she was a virgin? “I am ready for you. Take off your pants.” Kara reached for his zipper, half expecting him to shy away like Gavin had, but instead he lifted up for her, helping her quickly shuck his jeans. Next came his dress shirt, and Kara licked her lips when she saw he was as thickly muscled as Gavin. But then she looked down and saw the head of his very thick penis protruding from the top of his paisley boxers, as though the silky shorts couldn’t contain his incredible length. Kara pulled away. “What the hell?” “Kara,” Julian murmured. “Look at me.” Lulled by his voice, Kara looked into his eyes and immediately fell into their twirling depths. He was beautiful. “Don’t be afraid. Relax your body, here—” he trailed a gentle hand down her belly, “—and here.” He grazed a knuckle through her saturated folds and dipped his thumb into her channel, then reached a finger up to massage her clit. “I won’t hurt you, love, if you relax and allow your body to accept me. Can you do that?”

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His voice was so gentle, so compelling, Kara felt something inside her expand, swelling with anticipation of what was to come. “Yes,” she whispered softly. Julian’s eyes remained locked on Kara’s as he pulled away and slipped off his boxers. Kara couldn’t help glancing down and gasping again when she saw him free, his magnificent erection standing tall and proud, so long, so thick, she couldn’t believe it was real. Her throat went dry and a trickle of fear crept down her spine. She’d never seen a man that large before, hadn’t even heard of it. “It won’t work, Julian.” She shook her head. “No. It won’t work.” “Kara.” His voice broke through her fear. “Look in my eyes.” He waited until her gaze was back on his face. “Don’t look away, do you understand?” She nodded. “Yes.” “Do you want me inside you?” “I do. More than anything.” He smiled and dropped his forehead to hers. “Not more than anything. Not more than I want you.” “Hurry,” she whimpered. “You’re relaxing, your body is readying to take me in.” As he said it, he reached between her legs again and massaged her opening, stretching her until he could insert three fingers. Kara sucked in a breath, her hands clutching his arms as he stroked her. “Please. I want you. All of you.” Julian smiled triumphantly and reached for his long shaft, rubbing it through the fluid between Kara’s legs to make it slick. When he pressed the thick crown to her opening, Kara almost convulsed with the energy that coursed through her veins. He was so damn big, but she wanted to grab his hips and impale herself upon him. “More,” she cried, taking hold of his ass to do just that.


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Julian quickly pulled back and grabbed Kara’s hands, pinning them above her head. His black hair stuck to the light sheen of sweat on his forehead. “No.” His voice was a rough command, and something in Kara wanted to look away from the compelling dance of his black irises. A little voice told her if she could break his gaze, she wouldn’t have to listen to his stupidity and she could ride him as hard as she wanted to now. Kara’s lips peeled back and she growled at the man between her legs. The rumbling sound coming from her chest should have concerned her, but only Julian looked troubled, his eyes widening as he regarded her. He released her hands and grasped her face, cupping her cheeks in his palms until all she could see was him. “Shh, Kara. It’s all right. I’m going to give you what you need, love. Just slowly. Slowly, love. I don’t want to hurt you.” His voice was the most alluring sound she’d ever heard, like the quiet tinkle of gold coins spilling from an open pouch. It reminded her of her dream lover, the man with black wings who stared into her eyes while he brought her to the heights of passion. Kara whimpered, trying to calm herself. “Hurry, Julian. Please.” Julian laughed. “Oh, Mother of Eve. What have I gotten myself into?” Kara would have answered to appease him, but he seemed to be talking to himself and taking his damn time doing it. Didn’t he know she was on fire? Her molten blood surged through her veins as a low rumble rose from her chest again. “Take me, you son of a bitch.” Julian stopped smiling and looked sharply into her eyes. She felt the head of him press into her again, then a burning sensation as she was slowly filled, stretched from the inside out. Kara cried out and grasped his shoulders with her fingers, digging her nails into his tan skin. She panted, looking to where he joined with her body, shocked to her core to see only half of him inside her and

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his fist wrapped around the other half at the base of his erection, like a barrier to keep him from going farther. She already felt filled to bursting. But half wouldn’t do. “Julian! All of you!” She bucked her hips and took him another inch. He groaned and quickly grasped her hip bones with both hands to hold her off. “No, love. It’s too much. Trust me.” Kara knew she was filled to her limit, but something carnal and wild inside her demanded all of him, daring her to take him all the way. With a desire that bordered on lunacy, Kara let go of his arms and sank her nails into the soft flesh of his ass as she thrust her pelvis against him and fully impaled herself on his huge cock. They cried out in unison. Julian began trembling from his thighs to the tips of his fingers. His gaze was desperate. “Oh, sweet motherland. Don’t move, love. Don’t move. I need to pull out before I damage you. Gavin is going to fucking kill me.” But Kara’s body was already adapting to his size, the discomfort a delicious reminder of what a magnificent specimen he was. Her inner muscles clamped around him like a vise and her body demanded he continue until his fluid fed her greedy womb. She shifted her hips, and when he started to pull out, she thrust against him again. Julian cried out when his balls slapped against the crack of her ass. “Kara. Stop. I won’t be able to control myself.” “Julian.” She smiled and took his face in her hands this time. “Shut up and show me if you know how to use what you’ve got.” Something flashed in his eyes. The concern evaporated and his lips curled in a dangerous smile. He leaned down to kiss Kara roughly, his tongue plundering her mouth as his hips pulled back and thrust against her. She grunted at the


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impact, the slap of skin on skin echoing in her soul. Her body felt complete, whole, as if a missing piece of her life’s puzzle had clicked into place. “You like that?” he asked. Kara licked her lips. “More.” He reared back and thrust again, and both partners cried out in pleasure when he rammed her clitoris and the entrance to her womb at the same time. Kara leaned up to lick his shoulder and graze her teeth along his tender flesh. “More,” she growled. When he slid in all the way, Kara bit down, not hard enough to break his skin, but hard enough to leave a welt. She couldn’t help it, she wanted to consume Julian Mercés, body and soul. Julian moaned when she bit him, then brushed her forehead with a soothing kiss and began a slow steady rhythm, as if she were a fragile porcelain doll. “I’ve never been this deep.” His words were hushed and reverent. He buried himself in Kara over and over again as his hands ran through her hair and trailed along her face. “What pleasure you give me.” He kissed her as he said the words, his face mere inches from hers. “I think I could get lost in you and never find my way back.” Something in Kara felt unsettled by his blatant adoration—almost as though he was making love to her, and she’d always been one to prefer simple, hard sex. She didn’t want him to take it easy, she didn’t want slow, lingering thrusts. “Let me go,” she demanded. He blinked, then raised his hands off her body and wiped the sweaty hair from his brow. “What’s the matter, love?” Kara pulled away from him, sliding inch upon inch from inside her until she was finally free. “Lie down,” she told him. When he sat there, shaft at attention,

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looking confused, Kara took him by the shoulders and shoved him to his back on the end of the long bed. His brow wrinkled. “Kara, look at me.” His voice was like the soft patter of rain on her window. “Gentle, love. Easy.” Something compelled her to look away instead. “Julian, seriously. Let me handle this.” She crawled up his body and settled her legs on either side of his hips. He was so much larger than her, it wasn’t easy. But finally, she rose above him, grasped him in her hand and found her wet opening with his crown. Chills swept over her skin when she started to sink down onto him and kept going and going, wondering if his length would ever end. Finally, when she felt his balls under her and her clit rested on his warm flesh, she threw caution aside and began to ride him hard, the metal-framed bed creaking under their combined weight. Ignoring the way the end of his cock rammed into her and the twinge she felt, she glided up and down on Julian until her muscles started to clench and tighten around him. She ran one hand along his smooth, hard-muscled pecs and the other over his thigh, delighting in the masculine covering of hair there. With every downward thrust, she ground her clit against him, devouring him with her hunger. “Oh!” she cried out when the first wave of ecstasy hit her, making her cold and clammy while she simultaneously burst into flames from within. “Oh, Gavin!” She rocked against him harder, riding him like a wild mustang as her breasts bobbed up and down. “Gavin!” Her fingers bit into his chest until blood pooled under her nails, but her lover grabbed her hips and thrust up into her so hard he lifted her off the bed with each strike of his shaft.


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“Kara!” he groaned, tears caught in the corners of his eyes. And Kara’s whole body—her spirit—shattered like a pane of glass, then heated again until all the pieces melted back together like a work of art, handblown by a master. After she climaxed, Kara went limp in his arms and fell against his chest, and if Julian’s cock wasn’t swelling inside her, attaching her to his body until his seed was deposited deep inside her womb, he would have shoved her aside and never looked back. Gavin? He’d had the most profound and fulfilling experience of his life, being the first to bury himself to the hilt in a lovely unattached female—and she’d called for Gavin. He was so insulted he felt dirty being inside her. But at the same time, if he was being honest, he wanted to hang a sign above her hot little thatch of hair reading Home, Sweet Home. But why the hell was he coupling with her? He ran a hand through his hair. How was it possible they were coupling when she hadn’t even reached maturity? And yet, there he was, fighting against the pleasure of his seed pumping continuously into her as her muscles clamped down on the engorged end of his shaft. If Gavin would have been angry about Julian’s failed attempt to pull out on a regular night, coupling with Kara in a way meant to produce offspring would send the man over the edge. Oh, well. Fuck Gavin. This wasn’t Julian’s fault. There was something different about Kara Reed. And the way she’d growled at him… What in the name of Og had prompted that? She was a wild little hellion, and she hadn’t even reached maturity yet.

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When Kara sighed and nestled deeper into his chest, Julian was relieved she was falling asleep. If she were to wake up now and realize he was locked into her like a damn dog, he wasn’t sure his powers of persuasion were strong enough to calm her and keep her from injuring them both. He pulled a pillow under his head, tried to shove the hurt and confusion out of his mind and simply enjoy the feeling of coupling with a Demiáre female. A very strange Demiáre female. In all his long life, he’d only experienced a coupling four times. Granted, that was more than most men could claim, but each occasion had been bought at a great price and none had produced an heir. Coming to the end of his lifespan, Julian didn’t think he would have this chance again. But here it was, the most amazing gift—and she hadn’t even remembered his name. After a long while, Kara stirred. Her naked breasts pressing against his chest were heavenly. She blinked her sleepy eyes and ran a hand down the marks she’d made on him, then leaned over and kissed them gently. “Oh, Julian. Look what I did to you. You give me the best sex of my life…and I gouge the crap out of you.” Her words were slow and slumberous, and when she was finished with what she had to say, she dozed off again. At least she’d gotten his name right this time. Thinking about what she said, Julian glanced down at his chest and frowned. Superficial cuts like those should have healed within minutes. Was something the matter with him? Was his ability to heal decreasing? Or was it her, somehow? Julian settled her more tightly against him as he felt his penis finally soften and her muscles release him. He kissed her sweet-smelling hair then eased back into the downy bedspread to sleep. His body had never felt so content as it did in this moment with Kara Reed in his arms. Maybe he could forgive her for wanting his friend. He wasn’t sure. Such was the love of a Demiáre female.


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But one thing he did know for sure as he felt Kara’s gentle breath tease the skin over his pumping heart. Gavin couldn’t have her. Julian wanted the fickle woman for himself.

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Chapter Eight

Kara woke in Julian’s arms. They were joined by a thin film of sweat where their bodies touched. The first thing she noticed was she was soaking wet between her legs and her pussy hurt. No, not just her pussy—her whole damn abdomen—like she was getting her period or something. She didn’t remember him being so rough, but then again, some parts were a little fuzzy. That would teach her to mix expensive red wine and hot sex. She studied Julian as she carefully backed away. God, he was so handsome— black hair, almond-shaped eyes and a body that should be posing for a sculptor. He didn’t belong with someone like her. She prayed he was as heavy a sleeper as his friend. “Kara.” She jumped and almost fell off the bed when Julian sat up and latched on to her hand. “Where are you going?” She smiled to cover the embarrassment of being caught sneaking off. “Oh, hey, Jules. Can I call you Jules? I heard Gavin call you that.” Julian’s black brows rose and he released her hand. “You can call me whatever you like. Are you leaving so soon?” Kara glanced at her wristwatch and pressed a small button on the side to illuminate the time. “Yeah. I’m meeting my best friend, Abbey, for a drink.” Or if she was being honest, they might skip the drink and get straight to the hunting. Julian frowned. “Would you like some company? I could go with you. It’s not safe for a beautiful young woman to walk alone at night.”

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Kara was counting on that fact. Walking alone made her look like bait. “Uh…that’s really sweet, but no, it’s just around the corner. And we, uh, need some girl time. I’ll be careful, thanks.” She stood and searched the room for her yellow sundress, bra and panties. When she had them in hand, she clutched them to her front to cover her belly and breasts. It was a little too late for modesty, but it made her feel better. “Would you mind, ah, turning around, please?” Julian looked at her like she’d sprouted a head out her ass. “Are you serious? After what we shared?” Kara snorted. She’d known him for a day. One shuttle service to the hospital and one amazing romp in the sack didn’t earn him the right to be difficult. “I’m always serious.” He narrowed his eyes in her direction, then angled his head away. “By all means, Kara. Dress.” “Gee, thanks.” “You know, I’ve never minded burnt marshmallows. They may be slightly bitter on the outside, but they have a sweet, gooey center.” He turned back to look at her, his eyes sweeping over her from top to bottom. “When you let me in tonight, it was a beautiful thing.” “Hey, Jules,” she said, ignoring his comment about her being a burnt marshmallow as she walked naked toward the door. “Thanks for the takeout.”

Sex and slaughter weren’t two things Kara usually had on her mind at the same time. But tonight, with her legs still pliant from her time with Julian and blacktop scuffing under her boots as she walked the night in search of a coldblooded rapist, she couldn’t help it.

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She had never killed anyone before, but she’d wanted to. Every time she and Abbey found another woman victimized, Kara wanted to put the assailant down like a sick dog. Wasn’t that the humane thing to do with someone who’d lost his humanity and had no hope of being reformed? But she never did cross that line. A few cuts from her blade when they struggled, a few bruises when they got mouthy and one very effective spell to cut them off from their manhood were all she allowed herself. Truth be told, she wasn’t sure she could take someone from life to death if the moment came. Regardless of what Tray said, Kara didn’t think she was above the law, or even a law unto herself. She operated within a very strict set of rules she and Abbey had come up with years ago before they’d gone on their first mission. They were so naïve back then. They had no idea what kind of crap they would find when they waded into the cesspool that was downtown after dark. Kara wasn’t sure what was worse, the tourists from around the world looking for a good time, the drug-related crime spilling over the Mexican border, or the native San Diegans stirring the pot, hoping to alleviate their boredom in “America’s Finest City”. Looking back, Kara wasn’t sure she’d have done anything different these past eight years, but so many nights she wished she could sleep without the images of violence and degradation popping up in her dreams. Finding the woman last night, being too late to save her and absolutely zero help at the hospital… Well, she couldn’t blame herself for taking refuge in a warm and willing neighbor, even if he was a tenant. It wasn’t as though she’d broken the manager/tenant golden rule or anything…right? And for one blinding moment, a brief flash in the nebulous shadows consuming her life, she’d felt safe again. Cherished. Like there might actually be


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a reason males and females walked the same planet together. The fragrance of Julian’s roses permeating her apartment had seemed proof enough. But now, miles away from the Gaslamp, with Abbey beside her and one bigass knife hidden in Kara’s even bigger-ass purse, doubt was creeping back in again. What was the world coming to? Even Abbey, who preferred letting Kara do the rough stuff, wouldn’t leave the house tonight without pepper spray and her taser. Abbey’s troubled sigh was the first sound she’d made in a mile. “Would it be wrong to say I almost hope we don’t find him?” Kara slowed and glanced over at her friend. She looked adorable in her black jogging suit with vibrant white sneakers poking out the bottom of the pants and her hair in a high ponytail. She wouldn’t know bad-ass if it bit her in the bottom. “We can call Tray to pick us up. If we’re in over our heads, it would be smart to acknowledge it, right?” She didn’t know if she was offering an out to Abbey or herself. “Now that he thinks I was at a wild swinger party at your house earlier? No thanks. I’d rather wrestle a salmon from a grizzly bear’s jaws.” Kara snorted. “Smart lady.” “I was thinking, though…what’s the plan if you do find the guy? This isn’t just a catch and release. He’s a psychopath.” Kara clutched her knife tighter to her side through the fake leather bag that enfolded it. She might stalk the streets like she owned them, but she didn’t think she could really kill him. Did the SoCal Rapist deserve to die? Probably. But couldn’t the police handle that in a tidy shootout or something—anything that wouldn’t add to her nightmares? Even the man from the alley had haunted her sleep on Abbey’s sofa, and all she’d officially done was kick the gun at him.

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It always seemed to come back to those horrific dreams, those sleepless nights of tossing and turning as she heard the victims cry for help. She was so sick of it. After the most amazing sex of her life tonight with Julian Mercés, she shouldn’t have been thinking about the shadowy dream lover who’d given her a brief reprieve from the dark visions. But here she was, tracking a criminal, counting the minutes until she could go home, fall asleep and block out the chaos beyond. Talk about easy. Three nights of wet dreams replacing bad dreams, and she was hooked. She and Abbey turned down another street, getting farther and farther away from Abbey’s piece-of-crap white Neon they’d parked on a side street in Barrio Logan. They walked because Kara couldn’t sense much from the passenger seat, but leaving the car in that neighborhood, she’d be surprised if it was still there when they returned. “You really didn’t put the feather under my bed?” Kara asked, her mind looping back to the strange dreams. Abbey glanced at Kara with a look of exasperation. “What? Honestly, Karebear, I love you, but who gives a crap about a feather right now? I’m walking through gangland, trying not to make eye contact with the drug dealers and the pimps, tracking a guy who carved a woman like a Thanksgiving turkey. A feather? No. I didn’t do it.” “Okay. Sorry.” That didn’t go over too well. “But if it makes you feel any better, I can tell you we’re getting closer to something.” Abbey reached over and grasped Kara’s hand. “Is it him?” Kara shrugged. “I don’t think so. It feels different. More passionate, more personal and not so much like…death.” She hadn’t wanted to put a name on what


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she’d felt last night, but after processing the strange feeling, “death” was the only thing that came close to describing it. Abbey pulled her sweat jacket tighter as they passed a couple on the street who looked stoned out of their minds. “I don’t know how you do it, all that evil flooding in all the time. Grammy D says she’ll keep working on another spell to try to get rid of it, if you want her to.” Kara shook her head. “Nothing’s worked so far, no offense to Grammy D. We all know I’m the worst witch in history. There’s no reason I should have to take you everywhere I go to do these spells, Abbs. They look pretty straightforward to me, but they don’t work when I do them. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” Abbey followed Kara down another dark street where the rundown businesses gave way to old, worn-out houses with tall weeds in place of grass and short fences that didn’t look as if they’d keep in a playful pit bull, much less a really angry one. “Stop it, Kara. Somehow you think not being a first-class witch reflects on your general value in life. That’s crap. It doesn’t mean anything. Imagine how happy I was to find a friend in the fifth grade who had any witch blood at all.” “You have lots of witch friends.” “None I want to spend any time with. Without you, it would just be me and Gram.” “And Tray…” Kara teased. “He may not be a warlock, but he’s definitely under your spell.” Abbey groaned. “Yeah. And Tray.” Then she looked over at Kara and smiled. “Speaking of sex—’cause there’s never a bad time to bring a penis into the discussion—when are you going to tell me the details of the little romp

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between you and your newest neighbor? You’re two for two, Kare-bear. I’m so proud of you!” Abbey reached out for a fist-bump, so Kara rolled her eyes and rapped her knuckles lightly against her friend’s. “Thanks.” “So…how hot was it?” As they approached a gray bungalow-style house with a flat roof and peeling paint, Kara slowed. She didn’t need to use her sixth sense to find the right place with all the noise coming from the back of the house. “Uh, not now. I think we’re here.” She reached into her purse and donned her black leather gloves. They didn’t look half bad with her denim skirt and black sweater. “Suit up, Abigail. Don’t forget to wear protection.” Abbey frowned. “Sounds more like a wife-beater than a rapist. We don’t get involved in domestic disputes, remember?” Of course she remembered. It was one of their rules. Kara glanced sheepishly at her friend. “I couldn’t be sure until we got closer. But now that we’re here…” Abbey reached out and grabbed Kara’s arm. “Don’t you dare! You go in there and try to subdue the guy, and the wife will probably clobber you with a frying pan—and that’s if they aren’t armed. Look at this neighborhood. The preschoolers are probably packin’.” The voices built to a crescendo and a loud scream tore through the night. Kara’s stomach dropped to her feet. “You know what I said about this not feeling like death—I think somebody changed their mind.” “Kara, no!” Abbey whispered as Kara took off for the back gate. “Stay here!” Kara mouthed over her shoulder, adding hastily, “Cloaking spell!”


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She hoisted herself over the fence and jumped down, then crept toward the back screen door and dropped her purse in the bushes. She didn’t hear Abbey say the words, but she felt the tingle, like snakes slithering over her body when Abbey cloaked them from view. With Abbey cloaking them both, they could still see each other, but it was hard for her to keep the illusion up for more than a few minutes. At least nobody would remember seeing Kara enter the house. With the lights on and the door open, it was like stepping onto the set of a horror movie. Kara could see every detail of the man standing in the kitchen, baseball bat in one hand while the other hand raked through his balding brown hair. “You bitch,” he moaned. “Why’d you make me do this? You cheating bitch.” His wife—judging by the gold bands on their fingers—lay in a puddle of blood, her black hair matted to the side of her temple where the skin was broken and weeping. Her face was a collage of old bruises and new, but Kara doubted her husband had ever taken it to this level before, for the simple reason that the woman would have been dead by now. Not taking her eyes off the man, Kara felt a rush of wind at her shoulder and heard Abbey’s frantic whisper. “What’s wrong with you? Two guys in two days and now you’re breaking the fourth rule? Are you having an early-life crisis or something?” Then Abbey must have seen what Kara did, because she breathed out, “Oooh, shiiit.” Just then, the woman began coughing and rolled to her side. Kara could see the exact moment the man realized he hadn’t finished the job and at the same time, his evil intent spiked through the air and sliced into her like a dagger. She scanned the kitchen for less than a second. Immediately spying what she needed, she bounded up the steps, threw open the screen door and headed straight for the stove.

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Kara knew how some women berated themselves for not keeping the house clean enough, not cooking good enough meals, etc., etc. But little did the woman know when she fried her dinner tonight that leaving the heavy cast-iron skillet on the stove might save her life. Kara grabbed the skillet by the handle and came at the wide-eyed man, clocking him upside the head with a staggering blow. The last thing he would have seen was a frying pan flying through the air of its own volition. Before he could even finish his “What the fu—”, he was face-down on the linoleum, out for the count. Kara wasn’t sure how badly she’d hurt him, and truth be told, she really didn’t care. But the woman was in bad shape. Abbey leaned over and heaved, her cheeks puffing up with air like she was going to blow, but then she clenched her fists and straightened her spine. “How is she?” Kara walked to the woman and touched her forehead, testing the thrum of energy in her veins. She smiled when she felt the force of will reach up to meet her palm. “Strong.” Abbey nodded. “We can’t get Tray involved in this again.” “We won’t.” She lifted the woman’s limp hand, wrapped it around the handle of the frying pan and set both down gently on the floor. Next, she grabbed the cordless phone, dialed 911 and set the phone within easy reach of the woman’s body, careful not to touch the blood or grease splattering the floor. “Oh…” Abbey mouthed silently, giving Kara the thumbs-up. When they were safely outside, gloves off and purses in hand, jogging down another street they hoped wouldn’t intersect the path of the patrol cars, Kara felt the cloak slip away. When she finally heard the blessed noise of sirens in the distance, she smiled. “We did all right tonight—and we didn’t even need to call Tray.”


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Abbey’s grin stretched ear to ear. “You’re a frickin’ superhero, you know that? You looked like a dragon slayer going to battle in there. But, you know, with a frying pan instead of a sword.” Kara laughed. “A slayer, huh?” “Yep. Bad guys and hot tenants beware! The slayer is here.” Abbey thrust her hand out, striking the air with her imaginary blade. They were both walking with a little pep in their step. Breaking a rule had never felt so right. “Hey, you gave me the idea with your smart-ass frying pan comment. That makes you a hero, too. And you’re getting so fast with those spells.” “I am. Aren’t I?” Abbey fired back, smiling as she fiddled with the taser in her pocket. “So you’re okay with going home without finding our target?” Kara shook her head. “If he was out here, I would have felt him. Besides, we may have saved a woman’s life. Hopefully, her husband is going to jail for a very long time. Yeah, I’m okay with how it turned out tonight.” “Me, too. Let’s celebrate!” Abbey reached into her pocket for her cell phone and punched in a number. “Hello? Antonio? This is Abbey. Meet me at my house in an hour. I’ll make it worth your while.” Abbey shoved the phone back in her pocket and Kara rolled her eyes. Some things never changed. “Sorry, Abbs, I don’t think I can take another night hanging off your couch. I’m gonna chance it at my place.” As they turned down another road, heading back toward Abbey’s car, an electrifying chill ran from the base of Kara’s neck all the way down to her toes. She glanced around, wrapped her hands over her cold arms and kept walking. The shadow regarded the two women from his perch on the nearby rooftop—his dappled wings folded and brushing the backs of his leather-clad thighs. He’d been filled with lust for his brown-haired beauty when he saw her

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battle the weak man and strike him down with one blow. She was a rare and worthy adversary, but his alone. If the man had raised a hand to her, he would have torn the human to bits and left him in small pieces for the rats. As it was, it only took a moment to punish the fool once Deanna’s daughter and her red-haired companion had fled. There were few benefits of leaving the Shadowland to visit this realm, but one was the exquisite thrill of the game and the other was the beautiful simplicity of taking a human’s mortal life. Watching them exhale their last breaths as their corporal bodies ceased to struggle against the inevitable was one of the few pleasures the shadow could still feel. And tonight, though it had been brief, it had been sweet.


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Chapter Nine

By the time Gavin materialized in the living room of his new apartment, he had almost calmed his trembling. He’d hated traveling to the Mercury Clan tonight and leaving Julian alone with Kara, but it wasn’t as if the other lord was going to volunteer to go in Gavin’s place—not when he had a female all to himself for the evening. Still, Gavin trusted Julian to do the right thing. He was sure he’d talked some sense into him about responsibility to the clan and not getting attached to Kara Reed. He knew Julian would hold back. Gavin had even promised Aiden it wouldn’t be a problem when he’d seen him tonight. He was so convincing, he’d even begun to believe it himself…right up until he saw the elegantly appointed table and smelled the essence of Demiáre sex in the air over the staler scents of beef, chocolate and red wine. Gavin stared at Julian’s closed bedroom door. He couldn’t describe the sensations pounding through his blood, but his eyes began to glow, casting a dim blue light into the room around him. He couldn’t kill Julian, not if Kara was sleeping beside him. Gavin closed his eyes and reached out with his mind, sensing only Julian in the bedroom. He expanded the circle and found Kara wasn’t next door, either. He didn’t worry much for her safety. Their scouts hadn’t detected Aniliáre in the city, and she could handle any conflict with humans. Her own species, though, was proving to be a problem. One he planned on dealing with himself.

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Gavin stalked across the living room and shoved his hands into the door without slowing his pace. The wood splintered and the door flew open to bang against the wall. He saw Julian lying in the rumpled sheets and went to the bed, grasped the mattress and flipped his friend onto the floor in an explosion of bed linens and flailing limbs. “Get up!” Julian cracked open his lids to glare at Gavin, then he grabbed a pillow and put it over his head as though he had no trouble going back to sleep on the floor. “Fuck off,” came the muffled growl from beneath the feather stuffing. “What have you done?” Gavin demanded, sifting through the sheets, looking for evidence that Julian had pulled out. The veins in his temples throbbed as if they might explode, and he couldn’t mask the blue fire in his eyes even if he wanted to. Julian threw the pillow off his head and rose to his feet. He was completely naked and his shaft hung limp and content over his balls. “Put my sheets down, you sick bastard. It wasn’t a group activity.” Gavin ignored him as he searched for the milky fluid, praying Julian hadn’t spilled his seed in Deanna’s daughter. He couldn’t be jealous. He couldn’t want to rip his oldest friend’s head from his fucking shoulders over a woman. It wasn’t that he wanted Kara for himself, it was the clan Gavin worried for. It must be. “Please tell me you kept your word.” The strange thing was, if Gavin was furious, Julian looked positively hateful. He glared at Gavin as if he were the enemy. “It wasn’t my word. It was my plan. The plan changed.” Gavin sucked in a breath and dropped the sheets, his hands fisting at his sides. He had to swallow before he could speak. “You came inside her?” The muscle in Julian’s jaw twitched. “Yes. But it was more than that…there was a coupling between us.”


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Gavin stepped back and laughed. Now he knew Julian was just being an ass. “Oh, really?” “Yes.” “She hasn’t reached maturity yet, Jules. She’s not even thirty years old. You’ll have to do better than that to fool me.” Julian’s eyes hardened, and he took a step forward. “I make a sire’s claim. Until her next cycle, when we know whether or not she carries my child, no other man shall have her.” Gavin laughed again—a small puff of breath as the smile slowly melted from his face. The surge of blood in his temples made it difficult to understand what Julian was saying. Sire’s claim? “Impossible. She’s not in season. She hasn’t even made the transition.” Julian smiled. “It happened. I’m not sure how. She was amazing, brother. She took all of me, buried me to my balls in her tight, hot channel. She couldn’t get enough. And you should have seen her sweet submission when I locked into her. Don’t be upset. She needed a man willing to breed her, and I was happy to oblige.” What Julian was saying was bad enough, but something in his eyes taunted Gavin, stabbing the truth into his brain with a molten poker when a gentle touch would have sufficed. And Gavin finally lost it.

Kara couldn’t say she was actually tired—she could walk forever and didn’t think it would wind her—but her joy over saving the woman was short-lived. Someone worse was still out there roaming the streets. As she took the elevator up to her apartment, all she wanted to do was lock Pibb in the bathroom again and go to sleep, praying she would have sweet dreams. Well, not too sweet.

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But as she passed Gavin’s apartment, she heard a loud crash, like a tornado had descended upon the top floor and was tossing the furniture around like dollhouse toys. At the same time, the air felt thick with a rush of anger and violence. It wasn’t the same as the evil she sensed hunting with Abbey. This was more like righteous indignation, but it was lethal all the same. “Gavin!” she shouted, pounding on the door. “Gavin! Are you all right?” The husband and wife in the apartment across the hall poked their heads out. “Is everything okay? Do you want me to call the police?” the man asked. Kara felt a sudden shift in the air and the anger subsided like a storm cloud scattered on the breeze. She frowned. “No, Mr. and Mrs. Johnson. Everything’s okay. Sorry about the disturbance. I’ll talk to the new neighbors about the noise.” “Well,” the man said, “you can talk to them, Kara, but if that keeps up, I’m going to have to call somebody.” His wife glared up at him. “Don’t report them, Ted. Next thing you know, they’ll report you and your friends during football season.” The man shrugged and his wife pulled him back inside. Kara turned back toward Gavin’s place as the door cracked open. “Yes?” Gavin barely opened the door past the width of his head. “What happened?” Kara’s heart beat against her ribs. “Is Julian okay? Did something fall?” Gavin paused, then nodded briskly. “Yes. The table…collapsed. I guess we didn’t put it together right.” Kara’s eyes bulged. “All that noise was from one table?” “Well…the chairs were under it at the time. They were crushed.” What kind of bullshit was that? “Can I talk to Julian, please?”


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Gavin ran a hand through his blond hair and his nostrils flared. “Of course.” The strained smile on his face made Kara uneasy. “Julian, Kara Reed is here to see you.” Suddenly, the door opened a little wider and Julian’s head appeared next to Gavin’s. “You’re back!” His smile shined down on her like a beacon as he quickly wiped his nose with the back of his hand, smearing an ebbing stream of blood from his nostril to his cheek. “What happened?” She stepped forward and took his face in her hands. Julian leaned into her touch as Gavin backed away. “I noticed the table was a little rickety tonight at dinner, so I was tightening the bolts. Gavin stood on it to hang a picture, not realizing I was under there.” Kara dropped her hands. “He’s six-seven in an apartment with eight-foot ceilings. Why would he need to stand on anything? That doesn’t make sense.” “Exactly!” Julian laughed, throwing up his hands. “That’s what I was trying to tell him. Stubborn idiot. And now he’s mad the table is broken. It wasn’t his in the first place.” Julian cast an angry glance at his roommate. “Nobody has wronged him.” Gavin faced Julian and squared his shoulders. “I was the first to eat at it. I know how to care for furniture so nobody gets hurt. I won’t turn my back on my family, no matter how comfortable the flaming cushioned seats are.” Kara looked back and forth between the two men. Holy crap, were they on drugs? She couldn’t deal with this tonight. “Sorry you got hurt, Julian. I gotta go to bed. Try to keep the noise down,” she said over her shoulder as she walked away. “Kara.” Julian rushed out the door and grabbed her shoulder. “I—” She turned to see he was wearing nothing but a blood-speckled sheet and her brows shot up. Seeing him still naked from their encounter, it suddenly hit her

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what might have happened. She was the idiot. “Did Gavin punch you? Over me?” Did Gavin care that much? If she’d thought he had, she never would have messed around with his friend. She did have some boundaries. Fuzzy ones, but they were there. Julian stilled. The sheet wrapped around his waist left the rest of his glorious body on display. “The table…” he began, choosing his words carefully. “Oh, hellfire. I don’t want to lie to you. He attacked me when he found out we’d been together.” “No! You’re kidding me.” She didn’t peg Gavin as the violent type. And she’d let him go down on her. Julian nodded sadly. “Yes. I don’t know what came over him.” Then he looked down into Kara’s eyes and took a step closer. His skin smelled like their mingled sweat. “Do you think I could stay with you tonight? I don’t feel safe at his place.” His muscled body brushed against her. He reached down and ran his thumb across her cheek. “For one night, until we get things straightened out?” Kara glanced over at Gavin’s apartment and narrowed her eyes. What an asshole. And now she had to let Julian invade her space because he didn’t feel safe. Well, screw it. Let Gavin try to pick on Julian when Kara was around. She’d taken down bigger men than him. Okay, maybe not bigger. She didn’t know if she’d ever met anyone as big as Gavin. “Sure, Jules. Just one night. Tomorrow we’ll talk with him and let him know there’s nothing going on between us, that this is all a big misunderstanding.” Julian frowned. “There isn’t?” “Isn’t what?” “Something going on between us.”


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Kara unlocked her apartment and opened the door to her naked neighbor. “No.” Julian closed the door behind them as Kara unzipped her boots and threw them in the corner. When she dropped her purse, it fell to the floor with a heavy thud from the weight of the knife hidden inside. Julian turned to her and let the sheet fall. Kara’s eyes glued to his groin as his heavy shaft stirred to life. Holy crap he was huge! How could she have forgotten something like that? “Really? Because I definitely thought I felt something—” he stepped closer and pressed his erection to her belly, “—between us.” Kara’s mouth watered at the sight of his dusky nipples just inches from her lips and the feel of his stiff rod pressing into her. “It was a hell of a first date, but I’m not ready for anything more. My life is complicated right now.” “I’m not trying to rush you,” he said, cupping her ass and fitting her tightly against him. She smiled. “Yeah, I can see that.” Her skin felt clammy. Wanting him was like a fire inside her, burning up any rational reason to say no. She leaned in and smoothed her lips across the soft skin of his chest. His scent made her thoughts fuzzy. Julian moaned when she ran her hands over the globes of his naked ass and squeezed. “If you get any harder, you could do some damage with that thing.” She trailed one hand across his rump to slide over the base of him. He hissed out a breath and grabbed Kara’s face in his hands, then crushed his lips against hers. She massaged her hand up and down his length as he probed her mouth with fevered strokes of his tongue. After a minute, he broke the kiss but held her face so close she could feel his lips move against hers as he spoke. “I want you, Kara. Tell me you want me, too. Only me.”

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She swallowed. She did want Julian—she’d be crazy not to—but she didn’t want to lie. He’d been honest with her and he deserved as much. Instead of telling him what he wanted to hear, she dropped to her knees before him and traded her hand on his shaft for her lips and tongue. She should have been exhausted from her time with him before and her domestic intervention with Abbey, but as soon his pearly fluid hit her taste buds, her whole body flared to life. She grasped his length in both hands but had trouble fitting her mouth over his crown and sinking down far enough to cover much more than the head. But his low groan echoed in the room and his hands laced around the back of her head, so he must not have minded much. “Kara,” he whispered. “You’re a goddess. Don’t stop.” He thrust into her open mouth, but her tight fists around his base kept him from penetrating deep enough to hurt her. Her engorged clit pulsed so hard with excitement, it might as well have been his hand stroking between her legs. Kara sucked greedily on his shaft, trying to squeeze every drop of moisture from him. She paused her gliding strokes only long enough to lick his slit as a low growl began to vibrate in her chest. She needed more. She needed to feed on his essence. But suddenly, Julian tugged her head back and yanked her to her feet. “Inside you. Now,” he demanded, no longer smiling or playful. Kara almost came from the deep rumble of his voice. He drove her against the wall, his black eyes so feverish with desire they burned like torches in a dark cave. Her fluids rushed to coat her channel as it contracted in waves, ready to milk him in its silky-tight embrace. Julian pulled up her short denim skirt then shredded her panties at the seams and threw them aside. When he lifted her knee over his hip and shoved


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his big cock into her opening, she cried out in pleasure. He was too large, but he grasped her ass in his strong hands, lifting her feet off the floor as he began to work his length into her in sharp strokes, sinking deeper, inch by inch. If she wasn’t so slick and ready, his girth and length would have been impossible to accommodate. But she reveled in the feel of him. He stretched her until she doubted she could take any more, then he proved she could. “Julian—” she began, but he licked her lips and smashed his mouth into hers, silencing her as he fit the last of himself into her tight pussy. With the wall at her back, he braced one arm under her as his upper thighs slapped against her ass. She couldn’t believe how strong he was. Julian thrust against her clit, and she groaned in need, wanting him to pump his liquid desire deep inside her, as if she were starving and he was the only thing that could nourish her. Once he was buried to the hilt, thrusting up from under her, his flesh smacking against her tender nub while the head of his cock found her womb, he captured her breast through the fabric of her sweater with his free hand. Unsatisfied, he growled and ripped the thick material straight down the front, then sucked one pert nipple deep into his mouth, using his hand on her breast like an anchor as he pummeled her over and over. Kara clutched at his shoulders and arched her back against the wall, pressing her chest to his ravenous mouth. She was completely at his mercy, her feet dangling at his sides, helpless to even meet his thrusts as his hips plowed into her. Yet she felt so complete, she wanted to weep. “Do it,” she cried. “Deeper.” Julian didn’t speak. He panted and huffed as he plunged into Kara, consuming her mind and spirit. She felt him straining for release, felt the tremors racking his body as his hands found her hips again and angled her toward his

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pelvis. When he began his delirious murmurs, Kara could swear they were in a language she’d never heard before, but she understood what his heart cried. Mine. And as she contracted around him, and a tidal wave of ecstasy washed over her, she had to agree. This man was hers. “Harder!” she urged, tilting her ass up into the onslaught to keep her orgasm going as his desire rained down on her. She clutched and clawed him desperately. “Come in me!” she pleaded. Julian cried out, and his fingers dug into the soft skin of Kara’s ass as he began to empty himself inside the warmth of her body. Then suddenly, a rush of wind to her left blew Kara’s hair into her eyes and a large, ominous shape flashed at the corner of her vision.


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Kara’s lips were still parted in rapture when she looked over and saw a shirtless Gavin appear across the room, eyes blazing blue, dressed in buckskin leather pants with an enormous sword in his right hand. His lips peeled back in a snarl. “Son of a human whore! Put her down!” One moment Julian was pounding her into the wall and the next, he almost exploded into the air. He turned and leapt halfway across the living room, as if he could defy gravity. Kara couldn’t make sense of how Gavin got into her house, or why he was so angry, but as she glanced back at Julian, to her utter disbelief, two slits on either shoulder blade split open and silver-gray wings burst forth. Julian hissed at Gavin as long, dark claws stretched from the tips of his fingers. Gavin risked a glance at Kara. “Did he have you again?” Kara opened her mouth to say something, she was sure, but only a huff of breath emerged. “Huuuu…” she tried again, scooting farther from the two men ’til her knees hit the edge of the sofa. “Did he spill his seed in you?” Gavin shouted. “Not nearly enough!” Julian answered for her, his speech slightly slurred from the two long fangs protruding from his mouth. His clawed fingers curved like scimitars, ready to slice into his adversary. “How dare you interrupt my time with my woman.”

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Adding to the mind-numbing vision of the massive silver wings stretching across his back, his large cock was still standing at attention, pointing toward Gavin as if in accusation. A bubble of hysterical laughter escaped Kara’s throat. “What the hell is this?” Were they witches? Were her new neighbors some sort of crazy-ass warlocks with powers she couldn’t even begin to comprehend? Gavin’s jaw flexed and he raised the sword higher, never taking his eyes from Julian. “Consider it an intervention.” Without another word, Julian launched himself at Gavin, knocking the sword out of his grasp and toppling him to the carpet in one fluid motion. He straddled Gavin’s torso and wrapped his claws around his friend’s neck, but Gavin kept his hands at his sides. “Julian! Do you see what’s happening to you? You’re in a mating rage. Calm the fuck down. I don’t want to hurt you.” Julian lowered his face slowly to Gavin’s. His lips pulled back to bare his teeth as a deep growl roiled in his chest. “You’re trying to take her from me. Admit it.” As he said it, a dark fog rolled up from the ground and Kara felt a truly ominous presence stir in the air, like the darkest shadows were being summoned from the corners of the earth and Julian’s anger was giving them substance. The dark shapes billowed around Gavin’s head like living smoke. Fear flickered in Gavin’s eyes for less than a heartbeat, then he steeled his jaw. “In a thousand years, you would never do that to me, my brother. You’ve lost your senses. And you leave me with no choice.” Gavin raised his hand toward Julian’s face as blue light shot from his palm, like lightning seeking a place to touch down. The energy illuminated Julian’s features for the barest second, casting his handsome face and onyx hair in a


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tangle of light and shadow before he convulsed, limbs straightening then going limp as he crashed to the floor beside Gavin. Kara had never seen magic like this. She didn’t know what the hell was going on, and she wasn’t going to wait around to find out. She shot to her feet and sprinted for the door, yanking her skirt down as she went. She reached a hand toward the doorknob just as Gavin materialized before her, causing her to bounce off his broad chest instead. “Kara. It’s all right.” He held his palms out. “This is not all right!” She threw her shoulder into him, trying to move him from her only escape route as she grunted out her response. “Not…by…a long shot!” But as strong as she was, she couldn’t budge his massive body. So she did the next best thing. She drove her knee into his groin with all her might. “Move it, motherfucker!” When Gavin clutched his crotch and doubled over, Kara used her bare foot to kick him off balance, out of the path of her front door. “Kara,” he pleaded, his voice choked with pain. “Stop. You’re in danger.” He reached out and grasped her foot in an iron grip before she could even turn the handle. “No shit.” She stomped his hand with her free foot but couldn’t break his hold. Where were her damned boots when she needed them? “Let. Me. Go.” She glanced around for her purse, wishing she had the knife, but it lay out of reach on the other side of Gavin. One more quick glance confirmed Julian was breathing deeply, his claws and fangs retracted, his long, limp shaft lying against his thigh and his silver wings tucked against his back. Wings? Really?

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Gavin shifted to his knees with a grimace and looked into Kara’s eyes. “Your father sent me.” Kara froze. Even her heart seemed to slow. She couldn’t imagine any words powerful enough to keep her feet glued to the floor at this point, but Gavin had found them. “My father?” “Don’t run. Please listen to what I have to say. Promise me.” Kara glanced again at her naked guest’s feathered wings and Gavin’s epic sword across the room. “I won’t promise you a thing. You have one minute to explain, or I’ll cast a spell on you so vile it’ll make your light show look like a cheap trick.” To Kara’s surprise, Gavin laughed and slowly released her foot. “I’ll take my chances with you and the spell casting. You see, I know something you seem to be confused about. Only witches can cast spells.” Kara lifted her chin, attempting her most intimidating stare. “That’s right, and I am one kick-ass witch. You don’t want to mess with me. I’ve got spells you can’t even imagine.” Please, please, let this crazy man believe her. “Demiáre don’t need spells, Kara. Power flows through our blood. You have it in you. I can teach you how to use it.” Kara shook her head. “Demi-what?” Gavin slowly rose to his feet and adjusted his crotch. Another grimace contorted his handsome features as he ran a hand over his balls. “Dem-y-ar-ay. Your people. Your father was Aniliáre, but he wasn’t half bad for one of his kind. He gained my respect in the years I served him before he died.” “Died?” Kara heard the words, but she couldn’t accept them. Gavin only nodded in response. She blinked, her jaw slack, until the ludicrousness of what he was saying struck her. Gavin didn’t look much older than Kara. How could he have


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“served” under her father? What would that make her old man, some military leader when Gavin was an infant? “I don’t believe one word coming out of your mouth. If you knew my father, prove it.” “Gladly.” He opened a soft leather pouch at his waist and pulled out a sparkly gold sphere. “My ring!” Kara gasped. “How did you get that?” She lunged forward to grab her ruby ring. It was the only thing she had from her parents. It had been on a chain around her neck when she was dumped at the hospital as a newborn, but she couldn’t bring herself to wear the gift of someone who would abandon their own child. Over the years, she’d seen different foster parents eyeing the expensive stone, so she’d taken to hiding it in her underwear drawer. That Gavin had it proved he was not only crazy, he was a thief. “Look at it, Kara.” Gavin held the ring out to her and she plucked it from his hand. It was on the tip of her tongue to verbally smack him down for stealing the ring, but the words died in her throat as her eyes caught on the new band fitted perfectly on either side of the old one. She held it between her fingers and inspected it. Every marking on her gold band locked perfectly into the newer band, forming strange words where before it had only been odd shapes. “What is this?” she whispered. A moan echoed through the room, causing Gavin and Kara to turn toward the sound. Julian’s wings unfurled against Kara’s carpeted floor and he opened and closed his fists, as if testing whether his body still functioned. Gavin arched a brow at Kara. “Hold that thought. Don’t move…please.” He marched across the room and pulled the leather cord from his waist, using it to secure Julian’s hands.

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Kara swallowed at the sight of her new lover being bound. Even if he did have silver-gray feathers like a flippin’ metallic pigeon, she didn’t want Gavin to hurt him. “What are you doing?” Gavin tugged on the knot and looked up. “Hedging my bets. If he wakes up in his right mind, I’ll unbind him. If not, I’d rather not let his shadowy friends suck out my soul.” “Okay, then.” What could she say to that? “Don’t hurt him.” Gavin walked back to Kara and regarded her carefully. “Are you already growing attached to him? Did he come in you again tonight?” Her breath hissed in through her nose. “That’s none of your business.” “It is my business. Julian is a lord of his clan and I can’t have him bond to you. If you’re not sure about what I asked, come closer, princess. Let me put my hand between your legs to feel you.” Kara had to laugh. “You wish.” He smiled. “I do wish. I wish you would have allowed me to pleasure you and finish what I started. Instead you’ve gotten yourself and Julian into quite a mess. He could have killed me tonight.” “What are you talking about?” Kara fisted the large ruby ring until it cut into her palm. “Who the hell are you?” “Careful.” Gavin stepped toward Kara to gently pry open her hand. “You don’t want to cut yourself. We’re not ready for you to feed your blood to this ring.” She frowned. “What happens if I get blood on the ring?” “I’m not sure. Your father never told me.” His hand against hers shouldn’t have felt so right, but her confusion beat against the inside of her skull and Gavin was so solid. His skin radiated warmth and safety. The same sense that told her when evil was present told her this man


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was good. Honest. Noble. She allowed him to take the ring from her grip and slip it on her right hand. He ran his thumb over her finger and looked into Kara’s eyes. “There. At least that’s one promise I’ve kept. Your father said I would know you and you would know he’d sent me when I united the two halves of this ring. Do you believe what I’ve said?” The aura of truth enveloped him like a warm cloak in a storm. She didn’t understand, but she did believe. “Yes. But I shouldn’t. You moved in here pretending to be a normal guy, but there’s nothing normal about you. I don’t let men make a fool out of me, but I haven’t been able to keep my hands off you or Julian—and I think you know why. I don’t like being lied to, Gavin.” She laced the last words with warning. He placed his hand on her shoulder and leaned closer. “I’m sorry. I wanted you to trust me first. I wanted to tell you of this slowly. I should’ve foreseen what being in close proximity would do to us. I never wanted Julian to mate with you. I wanted it to be your choice once you fully comprehended who you are. The end result may be the same, but it should be your choice.” Kara couldn’t breathe, and her skin was damp with perspiration. Nothing mattered but the fact she adored Gavin Cross—ached for him in the most primitive place in her heart. She wanted him to kiss her and make everything else go away. His dark golden hair curled at his temples, framing the most exquisite hazel eyes she had ever seen, deep green with flecks of gold and bronze. She’d had Julian inside her, and now she wanted this man—thought she might shrivel to dust if she couldn’t have him. “Gavin…” she breathed. He stilled, seeming to read the desire in Kara’s eyes, then he licked his lips and slowly leaned toward her when a vicious snarl shattered the silence. Gavin stepped back with a sardonic smile. “I think your lover is awake.”

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Kara spun to see Julian glaring at them, his two long fangs fully extended again. “Oh, for the love of Pete, Julian! Put those things away! You don’t own me,” she snarled back, her cheeks burning. It would be convenient to pop out some fangs every time she got pissed at someone, but witches couldn’t do that. She had to use the bad-ass glare. Julian sat up, his hands still bound before him. “No, I don’t own you, Kara.” Then he looked to his friend. “But I will defend my claim until the time comes.” Understanding only bits and pieces of what they were saying, Kara shook her head and turned back to Gavin. “The ring. Tell me how you got it. Tell me about my father.” She unconsciously gripped her ring finger with her other hand but pulled her fingers away when she felt a strange heat flowing from the ruby. “Your father was Aniliáre—a true fallen angel. We—” his gesture encompassed himself, Julian and Kara, “—are Demiáre. The offspring of humans and fallen angels.” Kara took a step back. “My dad was an angel and he knocked up my human mom? That’s not possible.” Gavin frowned and rubbed his knuckles across his chin. “Technically, your father was a demon—that’s the fallen part, princess. And your mother, of course she had a little bit of human in her. The Aniliáre are a race of men. Females came only through the human lines, but after thousands of years of breeding, your mother’s blood was so pure, it was almost indistinguishable from the fallen angels themselves.” Kara sucked in a breath. “My mother bred for thousands of years? How old is she?” The rustle of Julian’s wings caught her attention. “You’re doing a piss-poor job of explaining this,” he grumbled to Gavin. “Untie me and let me up.”


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Gavin cocked a brow at Julian. “Can you handle being in the room with her when she’s in this condition, Jules?” Kara’s breath came out in an angry huff. Gavin’s tone made it sound like she was sick or something. Julian lifted his chin, but his tan cheeks went ruddy. “I’m fine. I give you my word.” With that, his wings folded down and retreated into the slits in his back. Kara couldn’t see how they fit under his sleek, tight muscles. There wasn’t room for them. Gavin pulled a small knife from his waistband, cut the strap around Julian’s hands and helped him to his feet. Julian immediately shouldered past him and came to Kara, wrapping her in his strong arms before she could even protest. He rained kisses down on her head and pulled her face against his chest. His bare skin under her cheek smelled like a pine forest after the rain. “Forgive me,” he whispered into her temple, then began to kiss her again. His lips pressing against her hair over and over melted something inside her. She’d told him there was nothing between them. Sex was just sex. But the tender affection radiating from him held her even more snugly than his embrace. She pulled back and squeezed his hand. “Just don’t do the nasty claw thing again, all right?” He seemed so fragile at the moment, like he was barely hanging on to his sanity where she was concerned, so she decided to leave the discussion for a better time—such as a time when he wouldn’t try to kill Gavin. Julian leaned down, his sleek black hair falling across his tan brow, and tenderly took her mouth. She loved the heat in his rosy lips and the taste of him on her tongue but had to pull back when his naked erection pressed against her. Her head swam and the juncture of her thighs tingled. A moment ago she’d wanted Gavin, but now she was ready to fall to her back and spread her legs for his dark-haired friend. In light of what was going on and all she’d learned about

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these men and her ties to them, it wasn’t logical. And yet, as Julian stroked his hands up and down her arms, he fanned embers in Kara’s body that were igniting like a brushfire. “What’s wrong with me?” she whimpered, pressing her palms against her cheeks. She didn’t know whether to slap them or screw them. “Gavin?” She risked a glance at the larger man, expecting to see anger, but instead saw compassion. “Julian, please,” he said. “I affirm your claim. Please, brother, don’t make this harder on her than it needs to be. You don’t really want me to leave you here to fuck yourselves into a stupor.” Julian raised his head. “I don’t?” “You can’t protect her like that. You need to clear your thoughts and keep your vows—to the clan and to her father.” Julian released Kara and stepped away, grabbing the bloody sheet from the floor and wrapping it around his waist. His shoulders slumped in what looked like shame as the sheet tented over his groin. He turned to Kara and searched her eyes, choosing to stay on the other side of the room. “Gavin didn’t mean your mother had been bred for thousands of years. The poor woman died when she was only fifty years old—barely a child for one of our kind—and you were her only offspring. He meant that every time the Aniliáre breed with a young Demiáre female, the next generation becomes more pure.” He smiled then and a melancholy sadness settled in his eyes. “You are your father’s daughter. I imagined you would grow to look like Deanna, but I can only see her in the swell of your hips and the rise of your breasts. My Aniliáre king looks back at me from your eyes, Kara. You have his strength.”


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These men knew her father and her mother. The revelation rocked her. She’d always wanted to know what happened to her parents, why they had abandoned her, but now she had more questions than answers. And the two people she wanted to hear those answers from were dead. She would never feel what it was like to have her hair braided or be squeezed tight against her mother’s breast. She would never be able to scream at them for the shitty life they’d handed her. Dreams of walking down the aisle on her father’s arm…well, that wasn’t going to happen. Kara swallowed and her eyes welled. She’d be damned if she would cry in front of these bastards over broken dreams she shouldn’t have been stupid enough to wish for in the first place. She clenched her fists and swallowed again, trying to clear the lump in her throat. “Do you have pictures? Letters? Anything?” Gavin smiled and walked to Kara. Two broad silver wings extended from his back and poised above him like a bird in flight. “I do have something you might be interested in seeing, but first, I want to introduce you to your kin.” “My kin?” Kara frowned. She couldn’t be related to people with wings. Gavin’s gaze ran over Kara’s black sweater and the sides of her breasts peeking out from the torn fabric. “You might want to put on a shirt for the occasion. The Mercury Clan has waited twenty-six years to welcome you home, princess.”

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If not for her own strange supernatural outings with Abbey, Kara wouldn’t have believed it was real when Gavin wrapped his arms around her and lifted them into the sky from her living room balcony. The night was still and dark as his strong wings pushed off and rose on the light current sweeping through the clouds. His arms around her felt like straps of steel, but she clung to him fiercely, locking her arms around his neck. Her whiteknuckled grip dug into his skin as they soared higher. She wasn’t taking any chances if he got preoccupied with flapping and forgot he was carrying her. Even before dawn, cars bustled through the Gaslamp. “They’re gonna see us,” Kara called, probably a little louder than she needed to with her face pressed against his neck. Gavin laughed, the deep sound resounding through her. “No, Kara. Our power of will extends as our wings do. Only others of our species can detect us.” “Oh.” She grudgingly buried her face against his throat again. She didn’t like Gavin laughing at her. It wasn’t as if anyone had given her a manual about how this all worked. She had been Demi-whatever, for like, what? Ten minutes now? As he traveled higher and higher, Kara’s stomach felt as if it were dropping out from under her. Flying should have been the most supreme thrill, but in reality, it was scary as hell. “Shouldn’t you slow down? What about Julian?” When the thrust of Gavin’s wings slowed, Kara shrieked and clutched him tighter, sure they’d lose altitude at any moment.

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“Faster!” she urged, swallowing back the bile in her throat as she waited to plummet toward the roof of some skyscraper a thousand feet below. Gavin barked out a laugh as his wings stilled completely—and yet, they hovered where they were, not even moved by the breeze. “You are a demanding woman. Higher, lower, harder, faster. You can’t let a man take the wheel, can you, princess?” Her cheeks flushed with the heat in his voice, reminding her of how demanding she could be. It was hard for her to let go, but when Julian had taken her up against the wall tonight, he’d also taken some of the control she always tried so hard to hold on to. The worst thing was, she wasn’t sure she minded. Even after seeing him winged and scary, she still needed to know he was all right. “Where’s Julian?” “He’ll catch up once he gets some trousers on. Trust me, he doesn’t want me to have you to myself for long.” Gavin lurched into motion again, swooping down through the clouds, his face glowing with pleasure. The cool mist clung to Kara’s skin, mixing with the odd perspiration that had taken up residence there. She wanted to relax and enjoy the ride, but it was too surreal. “So, we won’t fall even if you stop beating your wings?” Gavin made a sharp turn and dropped to the nearest cloud. Kara gasped and pressed herself closer to the shelter of his body. Then his wings stilled, and he rolled to his back so Kara was lying on top of him, chest to chest. The way the cloud billowed under him, he looked as if he were reclining on a mountain of airspun cotton candy. “We won’t fall. At least, I won’t fall, not if my wings are out and it’s my will to be suspended here. But you…” He smiled and started to ease his arms from Kara.

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“Gavin! Gavin!” she shrieked, wrapping her legs around his waist in a death grip. She could have smacked him—had she been willing to spare the hand— when he erupted in laughter and moved his grip to her waist. “I would never let you fall.” Kara squeezed her legs together harder and placed her hands palms-down on his chest, sitting upright on his horizontal form. “You asshole! You sure seem to be enjoying yourself at my expense.” He pulled her tighter against him, fitting his growing erection into the notch between her legs. “Would you like to enjoy yourself, Kara?” When he rocked her against his hard length, chills swept down her spine and sent a shock through her core. As her short denim skirt rode up around the tops of her thighs, she felt herself moisten against his bulge, and she wasn’t sure if the wetness was what Julian had left behind or her own body’s primal reaction to having Gavin under her. She attempted to swallow back her desire, but the soft suede covering him felt like a thin layer of skin between her wet panties and his engorged shaft. She could have come with a few thrusts against him, but she wanted all of Gavin Cross or nothing at all. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of thinking he’d pleasured her again without even taking his pants off. “I know what happens if I say yes, Gavin. Nothing.” The desire in his eyes flickered to frustration. “Not yet. But someday.” “Whatever,” Kara grumbled. “Are you finished? Can we go? I have other things to think about right now besides your package.” Gavin’s eyes narrowed. “Like Julian’s?”


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She smirked. “Maybe. Twice I’ve needed him and twice he’s come through for me. Why would I choose a sexually repressed guy like you when I can have him?” Gavin growled and flipped her onto her back, suspending her in the clouds with nothing under her but his arms. “I could do things to you that would make you forget he’d ever touched you.” Kara saw the battle raging behind his eyes. “But you won’t, will you?” His nostrils flared at the challenge. “I’m trying to protect you, and you give me nothing but your disdain. You have no idea what our people are like, yet you judge my efforts and my manhood. Let me show you what you ask. Let me show you a lady of our clan and your destiny, Kara, then you can decide.” He dropped, as though gravity had suddenly won the battle, and Kara felt like she’d been swallowed down the throat of a dragon. She couldn’t see or hear a thing. Her only line to reality was Gavin’s tight grip on her arms. Black pitch blinded her eyes, sucked at her skin and stole the breath from her lungs until she thought she might drown in the oppressive sludge. Then, only a few moments after it had begun, she dropped to her hands and knees on a bed of cool, white sand, her skirt still riding up over her ass. Kara squinted and looked around her, sucking in gasping breaths as she took in the bright sunlight glinting off the clear blue waves. The pristine white beach was completely surrounded by dense vegetation, and mountains awash in every shade of green towered in the distance. “Come on,” Gavin said from behind her, reaching down to cup Kara’s hips and lift her to her feet. “That position is entirely too tempting for me.” She balled up her fist and spun around, catching Gavin off guard as she slammed her knuckles into the side of his face. “Asshole!”

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Gavin stumbled back, then righted himself and ran his hand across his scarlet cheek. “Yes, you’re definitely your father’s daughter. Your mother would never have lifted her hand against another.” His words alone rocked her head back, boring into Kara’s heart like a poisontipped arrow. “Screw you, Gavin! You deserved it!” She stepped toward him and poked him in the chest, following him step for step as he retreated. “What the hell was that? Where are we? You can’t just spring all this on me like that!” She felt stretched to her limit and couldn’t get a hold of her racing heart. “Oh, by the way, you’re in danger, Kara,” she mimicked in a low voice. “I worked for your father. Your saintly mother is dead. Your neighbors have wings. I just sucked you through a black hole.” She threw her hands up in desperation. “What the hell!” Gavin stopped, arched a brow and hooked his thumbs in the waist of his buckskin pants. “I thought you were tough enough to handle it. Am I wrong?” Kara’s lips pulled back and she growled, stepping closer still. A couple of days ago, she didn’t even know it was possible for a woman to really growl, and now she couldn’t seem to stop. “Where are we and how did we get here? Did we time travel?” “Time travel?” Gavin rolled his eyes and stepped forward, bumping his chest to hers as he yanked her skirt back into place. “That’s what I said.” It sounded ridiculous, but the sun in the sky was proof enough—it had been dark when they’d left San Diego. She situated her white T-shirt then adjusted her skirt again, just for good measure. After she got back home, she was done with these damned skirts. It was sweats and jeans for the next year, hunting or no hunting. “Let’s call a truce, shall we?” He took her hand and pulled her along beside him as he began to walk down the beach.


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“Start talking, Gavin. I’ll decide on the truce after I hear what you have to say.” “This is the domain of the Mercury Clan. We didn’t lose any time in traveling here.” “If that’s true, then we must be halfway around the world from San Diego.” “I’d rather not say where exactly, for your own protection, as well as ours. We have many enemies, Kara, and our females need to be protected. But I can tell you we’re on Earth.” “Earth? Well, that’s a relief.” Her tone oozed sarcasm. Kara fell into step beside him, sensing she’d get more answers from him on the move than arguing with him on the beach. She breathed out a long, calming breath. “Okay. Pertinent facts. How many of you are there?” “Ah, ah, ah.” He waggled his finger at her. “I can only speak of such things to friends of our clan, and you wouldn’t accept my truce.” He paused and looked her in the eye. She could tell he was teasing, trying to make her smile. “Are you friend or foe?” “Friend,” she finally mumbled. “We have to shake on it.” She reached out and placed her hand in his. Touching hands, her sensitive fingertips dragging across his palm, she felt a surge of energy between them. “Friends,” he said at last, then gave her hand a quick kiss and continued down the path. “Our clan has several hundred men and twelve females.” He grasped her elbow to help her over a fallen log that stretched along the beach. Kara’s mouth dropped open. “Twelve? Twelve women total?” Gavin nodded. “We’re fortunate. We’ve tried to make a good home here for our females. We’re expecting a child in the coming months. It will be Olivia’s tenth and her first with her man Ryen. He’s so proud, you’d think he’d

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personally defeated a hoard of Aniliáre with his rod alone.” Kara glanced at Gavin to see his face beaming. Ryen wasn’t the only one who was proud. “So, you have a lot of kids running around, huh?” She kept her voice neutral, trying not to be judgmental, but Gavin looked down at her as if she weren’t all that bright. “No, this will be our third. The other two are grown and have chosen to live on the mainland.” “Oh.” Kara looked out at the transparent turquoise waters of the ebbing tide, trying to make sense of Gavin’s strange world. An oddly familiar smaller island sat in the distance, black rock rising out of the sea. “We’ve only been growing our clan for twenty-six years,” he said defensively. “Okay.” She wasn’t sure how she felt about it when his grip loosened slightly on her arm like she’d hurt his feelings. “So, there’s not a very high fertility rate with the Demiáre women?” “I told you Olivia has had ten offspring.” He pulled Kara onto a path leading into the dense tropical forest. “But this is her first child on Mercury Island.” “If you’re all so excited about…offspring, why did she wait so long?” “Ryen is Demiáre, like us, but the first nine had Aniliáre fathers.” “And?” She stepped over a short fallen limb and almost shrieked when the leaf sticking to the side of the log skittered away. Ew. What if she’d stepped on it? She was a city girl and squishable, leaf-colored lizards were on the con side of the tropical-island-in-paradise checklist. “The purer the sire, the easier the breeding.” Gavin cast her an amused glance, as if he’d caught on to her aversion to tiny, scaly critters. “It’s not usually easy?”


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“Our women rarely come into season, and even then, a child is not guaranteed. The ancients say the Maker made it so to keep the balance of life.” “Ah.” He’d lost her when he started talking about the balance of life. Maybe that was a conversation for another day. “So…what I really need to know is, when do I get my wings?” A bark of laughter burst from Gavin’s chest. “Never. Females don’t have wings, princess.” Her eyes narrowed to slits. Why the hell would she want to be Demiáre if she couldn’t fly? “No wings at all? Are you sure?” “Completely sure.” “Shit.” There had always been differences between Kara and the other witches that hadn’t make sense. She tried not to advertise how quickly she healed or how she could sense things without using magic. It had been hard enough growing up as a fledgling witch who couldn’t mix a spell. Being Demiáre didn’t seem much better. Gavin took her hand and led her through a maze of roots stretching from the tree’s canopy all the way into the ground. “But fangs and claws are not out of the question. I’d say about half the females I know sprout fangs and claws when their blood gets pumping.” “Why would I want those? That’s nasty.” He sighed. “Well, let’s hope you’re in the other half then. Besides, those are the least of the powers you can expect when you reach maturity.” “What else is there?” “Every Demiáre is unique. I can’t say what your gifts will be.”

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“So when will I know?” She could just imagine how much better she’d be at hunting if she could zap people like Gavin could. Abbey would be so impressed… Or would she? What would Abbey think when she found out Kara wasn’t a witch at all? Believing they were the same species had been the thing that had brought them together as children. Would Grammy D still invite her over at Christmas when she learned Kara wasn’t one of them? “You are twenty-six…” Gavin paused like he was calculating something in his head. “I’d say two to three more decades until you make the transition.” “Twenty or thirty more years? Really?” “For the most part. You’ll have your first season soon—if you haven’t had it already—but it’s very rare for a female to be fertile until after she reaches full maturity and her powers come in.” Hearing the odd note in his voice, she glanced over at him. He met her eyes and schooled his frown into a more encouraging smile. Maybe he wasn’t comfortable having “the talk” with her, like some dad counseling his adolescent daughter. But if she could handle the embarrassment, he’d just have to suck it up. “Seasons? You mean like having my period? That’s the biggest change I can expect until I’m old enough to be a grandma? Well, that’s a letdown.” “It’s not something you want to rush, princess. Think of it as stages. Physical changes are just the beginning. Then…it gets interesting.” She was about to dodge a thick branch hanging in her path, but Gavin reached out and snapped it with one hand, shoving it out of her way. “Okay, so it’s going to be a while before I know what my ‘gifts’ are. Do they run in families? What were my mother’s gifts?”


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He smiled. “Your mother was a prize. Beautiful, with such a gentle disposition. But she died so young, I doubt all her gifts had fully manifested. And what she did possess, Ailexon was careful to hide.” Kara halted on the path. “Ailexon…” she breathed. “That was my father’s name?” Gavin stopped and faced her. “No, Ailexon was her husband, the king of the most powerful tribe in the Shadowland. Your father was Teras.” “Holy shit! She cheated on her husband with my dad?” It just got worse and worse. Gavin almost laughed, then he shook his head. “Ailexon probably thinks so, but it’s much more complicated than that. Our females are not like humans, or even the witches you are used to. Once you meet them, it may give you some perspective.” Kara frowned. The whole conversation was weighing on her. “I always wanted to know who my birth parents were. But I didn’t expect this.” “How could you have?” He took her hand and started walking again. “Do you have any family? Did you grow up with a mom and dad?” “Not quite. Highborn Demiáre—silver-wings and females—are born only to Aniliáre sires and Demiáre mothers. I’ve never seen an Aniliáre answer to ‘dad’.” “What about Ryen and Olivia’s baby?” “A demibreed. That’s what you get when a silver-wing sires a child with one of our females. Demibreeds don’t have wings—well, most demibreeds don’t have wings—but they can have fine gifts.” “What about an Aniliáre and a human woman? Does that work?” Gavin chuckled. “It works quite well. It’s the easiest breeding by far, but the offspring is a demibreed. Not nearly as strong as one of the highborn.”

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Crap. Her head was going to explode. “Okay, I think I’m getting this. I’m a…” “Kara, it’s not that complicated. The Aniliáre are the true fallen angels. The Demiáre

consist

of

the

highborn—silver-wings

and

females—and

the

demibreeds. You, my sweet princess, are highborn.” Kara nodded, mulling it over. “That’s kind of sad. It’s like two classes of citizens.” Gavin frowned. “Not at all. I hope to have my own son one day. He won’t live forever, but four or five hundred years would still be worth it.” “Four or five hundred years?” Her mouth gaped. “Yeah, I’d say that was worth it. How long do the highborns live?” He gently pinched the curve of her shoulder. “Until their heads are no longer attached to their necks.” Of all the things she’d learned, this was the toughest for her to comprehend. Even witches topped out at a hundred years or so. What would living forever be like? Would she even want to? Hell, why was she even worrying about it when her own mother hadn’t even made it to retirement age? “Are you all right?” Gavin asked. “Hey, we were talking about you, remember?” Anything but talking about how she felt at the moment. “So…no children, no mom and dad…” Gavin looked into the distance, his gaze traveling over the mountaintops toward some unseen destination. “No. No mother or father, but…” He squeezed Kara’s hand tighter and glanced over at her. “I have a brother.” “Really? Are you close? Did you grow up together?” He helped Kara over some stones in their path and kicked aside the lowlying branches brushing her ankles. “I like to think we would have been close if we’d stayed together, but it wasn’t possible. He’s here now though, and that’s all


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that matters. I’ve been given my brother back and a second chance. He’s the only family I will ever have and I mean to make the best of it.” She heard the passion in his voice and realized she wasn’t the only one who’d missed out on an average childhood. Maybe they all had. “That’s great. I’m happy for you, Gavin. Abbey is the closest thing to a sister I have.” “You were never adopted?” Kara cleared her throat. Gavin didn’t know her well enough to know she didn’t discuss her childhood. Ever. “No. Almost, once, but she died. I don’t have family and from what I’ve seen out there, I’m probably not missing much.” Gavin glanced over at her with a quirked brow. “You have us now. Whether or not that’s a good thing is something you’ll have to decide for yourself.”

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Chapter Twelve

An hour into the hike, Kara knew they were being followed. It wasn’t like being on the streets of San Diego where she could sense only evil. Here, she could feel the presence of Demiáre and vague impressions of intent, good and bad. “Gavin, I hate to tell you this, but I think somebody’s watching us.” Gavin placed his hand on Kara’s lower back to guide her over a small stream, leading her around the slippery, moss-covered rocks to find surer footing. “I certainly hope so, or somebody’s ass is going to get handed to them when we get to town.” Despite Gavin’s best efforts, Kara slipped on the last stepping stone and buried her shoe in the cold, clear water. “Crap! If you were going to fly us here, couldn’t you have landed us closer to civilization?” She stopped and stripped off her soggy, brown leather flat. She wasn’t a klutz. The damn thing didn’t have enough traction. “I could have, but I wanted to spend time alone with you.” Kara’s heart pounded as she drained the water out of her shoe and placed it back on her foot. “Why?” He grasped her hand and pulled her down yet another vegetation-choked path. “To answer your questions. To prepare you for meeting your people.” “Oh.” The disappointment in her voice was unmistakable. But what did she really expect? That he would take her up against a tree and show her what she’d been missing? He was so beautiful. Every inch of his six-and-a-half-foot frame was hard-muscled perfection and she’d never been beauty-queen material.

Cassi Carver

They walked into a clearing with tall grass and a small pond. Gavin stopped and took Kara’s hand, forcing her to meet his eyes. “The women here aren’t what you’re used to, princess. I hope when you see them, you’ll understand my choices. I hope you’ll understand I’m doing what’s best for you and our clan.” Kara felt Julian’s presence only seconds before he descended into the meadow, black hair blowing about his face and silver wings extended. He landed beside them and smiled at Gavin. “Yes, you’re all about clan, aren’t you? Is that why you took Kara through the jungle instead of bringing her directly to me?” Gavin’s corresponding smile was just lips stretched over teeth. “Here she is.” He bowed in a courtly gesture and stepped away. “Let’s go.” When Gavin turned on his heel and started making his way to the other side of the clearing, Julian glared daggers into his back. Even indignant, her lover was gorgeous, with brilliant, black-diamond eyes and virile strength. Seeing him again, Kara couldn’t believe she’d had a man like him an hour before. If she wasn’t still in shock about the whole life-changing fallen-angel revelation, she would have enjoyed running her fingers along the smooth planes of his wings and inspecting the grooves where they disappeared into his back. “Stay close to me, love.” He linked her arm through his and pulled her in the direction Gavin had gone. Kara was a woman who could take care of herself and would have yanked her arm back on principle alone, but she was nothing if not pragmatic. When it came to traipsing through the jungle on what appeared to be an island of supernatural creatures, she didn’t mind a tour guide. Besides, if they got lost, she’d have a buddy to keep her warm at night. “What took you so long?” “Why, did you miss me?”

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She couldn’t get enough of his scent or his smile. Her heart got warm and fluttery just being near him, and it wasn’t a sensation she was used to. “Just wondering what happened.” His jaw flexed. “Gavin was cloaking your energy and his. It’s a lovely little trait that runs in his family and can make him a true pain in the ass. I had to search for you by sight.” Kara bit her lip. “Oh. I guess he wanted to be extra safe.” Julian snorted. “Yes, I’m sure that was it.” “How much farther?” He ducked his head to place a quick kiss on her cheek. “We’re already there.” They pushed through the vine-covered tree limbs Gavin had disappeared into and stepped out into a valley. Small houses dotted the green pastures and seemed to be arranged around a central square where a large bonfire burned. Larger, more extravagant homes were nestled into the surrounding mountains. Men bustled about everywhere, cooking meat over open pits, filling pitchers with amber liquid, carrying heavy platters of fruit to long, rustic banquet tables. The men who weren’t involved in cooking were scattered around, talking and laughing in small groups, and farther in the distance, other men practiced their skills, launching arrows into targets, grappling hand-to-hand and exchanging strikes with their swords. Kara’s mouth opened, but she couldn’t find the words. If you added kilts, these men would look like they belonged in the hills of Scotland hundreds of years ago, not on a tropical island in the present day. Many had cords around their necks with pendants, like Julian and Gavin, but with the balmy weather on the island, there wasn’t a shirt among them.


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Gavin took up his spot on the other side of Kara just as dozens of armed men came through the trees behind them as if they’d been escorting the trio all along. “There wasn’t time,” said the one in the lead, a tall sable-haired man with a thick beard obscuring his features. He was clad in nothing but brown leather pants and had a bow in his hand with a full quiver strapped to his back. “Sorry, my lords.” He looked to Gavin and Julian apologetically. “Lord Aiden said it might be weeks before the lady came.” Then his eyes met Kara’s and he smiled so wide, not even his furry beard could hide it. “Hello, lady.” “Hi,” she replied, unconsciously pressing herself closer to Julian’s side. The men looked completely awestruck. She didn’t think warriors were supposed to lose their cool like that. Gavin motioned toward the man. “Kara, this is Liel. He’s captain of the guard.” Liel stepped forward and glanced at Kara’s fingers as if he was waiting for her to offer them. She reluctantly allowed him to bow and kiss the top of her hand, but she felt ridiculous when he held on, hovering over her like a bee pollinating a flower. She had to admit though, scruffy and all, he still smelled pretty damned good. They all did. “By Brakken’s bow, she’s a fine-looking woman.” As if suddenly realizing what he’d said, a mortified expression flitted across Liel’s face. He dropped her hand. “I belong to Riana.” Kara smiled and nodded. “Good for you.” “I don’t,” a black-haired man said, stepping shoulder to shoulder with Liel. “I don’t belong to anyone.” “Nor I,” said a brawny warrior with a long coffee-colored braid down his back. This one wore a leather vest and had small throwing knives strapped to a wide belt at his hips. “I’m at your service, my lady.”

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Their enthusiastic comments broke the dam and suddenly all the warriors on patrol were spewing words, talking over each other, eager to tell Kara just how available they were. She felt Julian stiffen at her side and heard the low growl rattling his ribs. “Enough,” Gavin barked out first. “Kara Reed is our guest, getting to know our clan for the first time. You’re not helping her to feel at ease in our midst.” “No disrespect intended, my lord,” the braided man said, his face shadowed with brown stubble, “but she smells like she’s gotten to know one of you very well. It’s only right that if she’s started looking for bondmates, we be allowed to present ourselves.” He stepped forward with a lusty smile and calculating eyes and dropped to one knee. “Kara Reed, my name is Rik. I was one of the men assigned to watch you and your city. I feel as though we’ve already met, and I’ve been eagerly awaiting the day I could offer myself to you.” He’d been watching her? Kara felt Julian’s claws extending from his fingertips as he started to pull away from her to confront the other man. Gavin turned swiftly and put a quelling hand on Julian’s chest. “No, Julian, it’s the law. He’s done nothing wrong in letting Kara know he desires her.” Kara could only see Julian’s broad back and shiny black hair, but she heard the lethal intent in his words. “Hear this: I am the law. Under penalty of death, no one will touch this woman while she is in our care. Is that understood?” The men stepped back and looked at one another, seemingly baffled Julian had made the edict, but the other warrior’s smile was dangerous as he rose to his feet. “Yes, my lord,” he said slowly, bowing low. “Come,” Liel said to his men. “The lords have this lady safely to camp. Let’s get on with our duties.” The men turned and disappeared into the dense growth, but not before Rik cast Kara a final, scorching glance.


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She waited for the sounds of the guards’ footfalls to fade. “I’m assuming you both knew he was watching me.” Gavin sighed. “We have scouts around the city just to be sure nothing comes your way that you can’t handle.” “For how long?” “Pardon?” Gavin asked. Her hands flew to her hips. “How long have you all been watching me?” Gavin looked to the horizon then back at Kara. “Not long, princess. If we’d known where you were, we would have come for you sooner. I can have Rik moved to another post if you’d prefer.” “Kara—” Julian began, his features drawn in concern. She stopped him with a flick of her hand. “No, it’s fine, Julian. If what I’ve learned so far hasn’t sent me packing, a few more admirers aren’t going to keep me from finding out the truth. But if I see that guy flying outside my window or going through my underwear drawer, Gavin,” she said pointedly, “I’m going to make pigeon soup out of him.” Julian chuckled, the bright sun catching the dimple on his cheek as his claws retracted. “What?” Kara asked. “Nothing,” he said. “I’m just glad you didn’t take him up on his offer. Rumor has it he doesn’t bathe. And he hates cats. And little old ladies.” Gavin laughed. “Most of the men here kick puppies for sport. You’d better stick close to us.” When Kara and her two escorts turned back toward the village, to her horror, all the bustling activity was at a standstill and people were beginning to make their way over. She’d escaped the jungle only to be caught in a receiving line extending back to the square. The men lined up eagerly for the chance to

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fawn over her hand and make subtle comments as to their willingness to be her playthings. What the hell kind of island was this? After she’d been introduced to the entire group, Gavin instructed them to continue with dinner preparations. “I’ve never seen them make such a fuss in all my long life,” Gavin grumbled, looking to Julian. “We should have sent word ahead so the men could have tried not to make such asses out of themselves.” Julian smiled. “It wouldn’t have helped. I’ll be the first to admit she’s irresistible.” Kara hated to change the subject, but if it was possible, she was on flattery overload. “That didn’t look like several hundred men. More like a hundred, I’d say. And where are the women you keep telling me about?” Gavin turned toward her. “The rest of the men live in the outlying villages with human camp companions. Those tend to be the men who’ve given up vying for one of our females’ attention and satisfy their urges elsewhere. Demiáre females don’t like to have human women around, so it’s better for everyone if we give the men who are rarely chosen jobs outside the square.” “Oh.” Kara’s eyes were wide, soaking it all in. “That’s…interesting.” Julian put a protective hand on her shoulder. “And five of our females have opted to live in different cities on the mainland. Between them, they have about a hundred men, but we send replacements when needed to make sure they’re well protected.” “And Olivia’s here on the island?” Julian cocked his head and gave Kara an odd look. “So Gavin’s been busy filling you in. He told you she’s expecting a child?” She nodded. “Congratulations. I mean, I know it’s not yours, but it seems like it’s pretty exciting for you all.”


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Julian’s nostrils flared. “Thank you. We are excited. Did he tell you much about Demiáre breeding, then? How it works?” Kara shook her head. “Not every detail, but unless there’s a quiz later, I think I’d like to take a break. I’ve learned enough for one night…day…whatever the hell this is.” She turned her attention to Gavin. “You said you had something to show me about my parents. I’d like to see it now so I can go home and get some sleep while it’s still dark in San Diego.” If she ever needed to go out with Abbey and see a mindless chick flick, tonight was the night, or today was the… Whatever. Gavin’s hands fisted at his sides. “That’s not all you need to see, Kara. I want you to stay for dinner, meet the court. I’ll take you home afterward.” “Yeah, I’m not hungry. The whole getting-sucked-into-oblivion-and-spit-outon-a-tropical-island thing doesn’t do wonders for my appetite.” “You’re not eating enough.” Julian pulled her against his side, a frown line marring his perfect face. “Are you ill? Do you need to lie down?” Kara shook her head and tried to hold back a snort, but she nestled into the crook of his arm just the same. “Seriously, Julian, are you trying to get me in bed again? Is two times in one night not enough for you? Not to mention the last time we had sex, you sprouted wings and almost ate up Gavin with smoke monsters.” She couldn’t believe she was making light of it. She’d blame it on sleep deprivation—and remembering the mind-blowing sensation of Julian’s hard length driving into her as she came. As the image flashed in her mind of how he’d taken her roughly against the wall, she could easily imagine her nails running down his tan back tonight as she called his name over and over. She’d never been with a man like him. He wasn’t simply talented in bed, he was passionate and hung like a friggin’ horse. Against her better judgment, the more she had him, the more she wanted him.

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As Julian searched her eyes, she smiled and conceded, “Well, I am sort of sleepy.” His chest expanded with a slow lungful of air, as if he dared not hope it might lead to more. “I can take you to the palace. You can rest and freshen up before dinner.” “Julian,” Gavin warned. “Why don’t you let me take her? I seem to do a better job of controlling myself.” Kara’s jaw dropped. “Hello, Gavin, I’m right here.” She waved her hand to get his attention. “You make it sound like I have no choice in the matter, that if Julian’s alone with me we’re going to screw like rabbits.” Not a bad idea. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, by the way, but I’m an adult and I know what I’m doing.” Gavin’s jaw tightened. “Do you, Kara? You just learned you’re a different species than you’ve always believed, but you still think you have it all figured out, don’t you?” Kara opened her mouth to fire off some choice words, but Julian picked her up like a child in his arms as his wings expanded to their full breadth. “To hell with you, Gavin. The lady needs her rest.” He clutched Kara to his chest and pushed off from the ground using his strong thighs, but they hovered for a moment over the clearing, slowly sinking lower as if he was having trouble gaining altitude. Then suddenly, they rocketed into the sky like someone had loosed their leash. Definitely not the smooth ride she’d had with Gavin. “Julian!” Gavin called after him. But her dark-haired lover never looked back.


157

Chapter Thirteen

“I wanted to show you something before I take you to the palace.” The cool wind in her hair and Julian’s warm breath on her neck sent chills racing over Kara’s skin. “Show me, then.” He touched down on a small meadow with a large deciduous tree in the middle, more what she would expect to find in a Northeastern town than here on the island. Julian landed and took Kara’s hand, hauling her under the sprawling canopy. “You asked about my symbol, the gold leaf I wear around my neck. Well, this is it.” “It’s beautiful.” Kara didn’t know what else to say. The big, rounded tree looked out of place in the vast expanse of palms and sand and tropical things. “What kind is it?” He smiled, as if he were letting her in on a secret. “A balsam poplar.” She had to assume there was something more to this whole tree thing unless he moonlighted as a botanist. “Is it special because it’s the only one like it on the island?” He pulled her close. “It’s special because this tree—well, this type, not this specific one—was sacred to my mother. She used them in her magic and wanted to pass along a love for her heritage. She was Native American. Iroquois, actually.” Kara smiled and turned to peer up at him. “Is that where you get your dark hair and complexion? I wondered if it was from your father or your mother.”

Slayer’s Kiss

“I’m not sure who fathered me, but from my mother’s accounts, he must have been Aniliáre—and amazingly handsome.” He laughed. “When we left your father’s kingdom and made a life on Mercury Island, I planted a sapling here to symbolize my new home, and the tree has done better than I ever imagined it would.” He paused and fingered the leaf charm around his neck, as if deep in thought. “I wondered if you might…” Kara cocked her head, waiting. “What?” Julian smiled and dropped the charm. “Never mind. You’ve had a long day. We can talk about it tomorrow. Come on.” He picked her up again and lifted off. She felt like a child being carried around so much. Did she need to let Gavin and Julian know she’d been walking on her own two feet since she was ten months old? She turned her face toward Julian, only half admitting to herself she sort of liked it. “Thank you for showing me your tree. I can tell it means a lot to you. Your mother must have been a wonderful woman.” He snorted. “My mother was one hell of a shamaness. Everyone in her tribe was frightened of her, including me. But she taught me what she could before they finally…” He frowned, his eyes haunted as he looked back at the tree from a hundred feet above. “Finally what?” The wind made her hair fly into her eyes, but she tucked it back to look at him. “The Iroquois thought she was cursed. Evil. And they ‘cleansed the earth of her spirit’. I didn’t know what to think. To me, she was simply my mother. But when I was old enough, I ‘cleansed the earth’ of the ones who’d touched her.” “That’s horrible. I’m so sorry.” “She’d been gone too long to move her grave, so I planted her sacred tree where she died. They only live about a hundred and fifty years, so I plant a new one in the same spot every hundred years or so.”


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Her face went slack. “How old are you, Julian?” He grinned. “Ten trees’ worth.” “Wow.” She’d thought she was a witch since she was a little girl, and her dreams had followed accordingly. Kick some ass, settle down, find her lifemate, have some brats, die when she got old and wrinkly and the joint cream wasn’t working anymore. But Julian had lived unchanged for a thousand years. “I’ve had a good life.” He paused, deep in thought, and his wings slowed. “I do wonder sometimes…who will plant them when I’m gone.” “Where are you planning to go?” Julian snickered and kissed her temple. “Do you know what a demibreed is?” “Gavin told me they’re the children of Aniliáre and humans. But if I have this right, that’s also what you get with a silver-wing father and a Demiáre mother.” “Yes, they both produce half-breeds.” He said it as though it was a bad word. “But Gavin left out one thing. Witches.” “He never mentioned witches.” “I’m sure your friends have told you that witches, while they appear human and have similar physical qualities, cannot produce offspring with humans.” She gave him a look. “Julian, I grew up thinking I was a witch. I spent my junior high years passing notes with Abbey, relaying stories of hot, nasty witch sex.” He smiled. “When that hot, nasty witch sex happens with one of our kind, usually nothing comes of it. But rarely—very rarely—the breeding takes.” Kara’s breath came out in a soft hush. “And your mother was a shamaness…a witch.”

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He nodded. “Yes. In this case, I was born with wings even though I am, in reality, a demibreed.” Dread curled in the pit of her stomach. “But I thought demibreeds didn’t live as long as the highborn. Gavin said four or five hundred years, and you’re already long past that.” “I am the oldest living demibreed and the only Demiáre still alive with any witch blood at all. But look hard, love.” He held his wrists and arms up for her inspection. “You won’t find an expiration date anywhere on me.” She squeezed him tighter and kissed his cheek. “Thank you for telling me. But you know it doesn’t matter to me that you’re a demibreed, right? I wouldn’t care if your wings were purple—or if you didn’t have wings at all.” He shook his head as if to clear his thoughts and smiled. “Tonight is a night of new beginnings. I have you here with me. I don’t need anything else.” Kara wasn’t what she would consider overly emotional or prone to fall for pick-up lines, but she could tell Julian had given her a part of himself with that story. The knowledge wedged a lump in her throat. “You’re amazing.” He smiled and met her gaze as his strong wings beat against the wind, rising higher, chasing a string of long, thin clouds. “Amazing is how you smell with my scent on your skin. Damnation, Kara, you’ll be my undoing.” He pulled her close and dragged his nose along the curve of her neck. When he caught the closest cloud, he plunged inside, surrounding them with thin, cool mist. “Clouds look fluffier from a distance.” Trying to form a coherent sentence with him nuzzling and nipping her throat wasn’t easy. “Inside, they’re damp and foggy.” “Yes, but there are advantages to the fog.” He rolled to his back and sat so she was straddling his lap.


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From underneath both shoulders spread his wings, more powder gray than silver in the milky light filtering in through the clouds. They were thicker at the base, but then tapered to fine points. If she could have reached, she would have run the final feather of each wing between her thumb and middle finger, just to memorize what it felt like. Being up here with him, feeling the power of his body under hers as he suspended them in the sky by his will alone, it was intoxicating. He slowly leaned up and kissed her. He was gentle this time, staring into her face as if he was memorizing every line. “I’ve been wanting to do that since you stepped foot on the island.” He kissed her again, his tongue so soft and sweet as he explored her mouth. She pulled back while she still could. “Julian…” His lips were swollen and his eyes feverish—kind of like how she was feeling. “Yes?” “It means a lot to me…what you shared about your mother and yourself. But that doesn’t mean I’ve forgiven you for hiding things from me in the first place.” “I understand. I’ll give you as long as you need.” He gathered her to him, chest to chest, and simply held her. Despite how much he wanted her and the evidence of it pressing between her thighs, she felt his easy resignation and his contentment just being with her. It was strange how she was beginning to sense Julian’s emotions in a way she never had with any other man. She shifted restlessly against him as he stroked her damp hair. After a few minutes of cuddling, the scent of his desire and the feel of his hard muscles under her fingertips were driving her insane. She was quivering with need and her skin was hot and sticky by the time he spoke. “It’s probably time to get going.” She ground against his erection. “Okay.”

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“I think it would be best for you to rest now,” he said quietly, his eyes closed as she pressed into his lap. “Sure.” She tightened her hold around his waist and leaned up to lick the rim of his ear. “We should probably go, then.” But he made no attempt to move. “Probably.” She carefully shifted to her side and reached between them, untying his pants and freeing his shaft. When she ran her hand up and down his length, he hissed in a breath. “Kara…I’ll give you as long as you need. I want to make this right.” She squeezed his crown, using the moisture there to slide her fist over him. “This is what I need.” As though she’d loosed his chains, Julian spun her around and draped her knees over his shoulders. Her breasts rubbed over the sparse hair covering his abdomen through her thin white shirt as he hiked her skirt higher. He pulled her panties to the side, and the next thing she knew, she was moaning as his tongue plunged through her wet folds. She licked the pearl of moisture from his crown, then ran her tongue over him as if he were an exotic delicacy. His responding groan against her heated core sent shivers racing through her. She took him in her mouth, opening wide to fit his massive girth past her lips and tongue as he nuzzled his face against her throbbing clit. Suddenly, the beat of wings and the hush of voices brought her head up. “Is somebody there?” a man called. Julian’s head dropped away from the juncture of Kara’s thighs. “Hellfire and half-cocks,” he ground out. “Huh?” she murmured, sounding as alert as a drugged camel. “Julian?”


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He turned her in his arms until her head was again on his chest and put his fingers to her lips. “Shhh, love,” he whispered. “Not here.” When he wrapped his wings around her, blocking her from view, she had an instant of panic again, thinking they would fall at any moment. And then they did. Julian plunged from the sky, streaking past two curious warriors who seemed to be out for a leisurely stroll through the clouds. As they rocketed toward the earth, Kara gripped Julian’s shoulders, digging her nails into his flesh. She was pretty sure she’d left her stomach somewhere above them. Just when she thought they were going to crash into the side of what looked like a massive white box, Julian’s wings unfurled and caught the wind, whipping them horizontally through the air to land on the marble steps of what had to be the palace. “Here,” he said, then crushed his mouth to hers. She was momentarily stunned by the flight and the taste of her own juices on his lips, but then she pressed into him with a growl. He quickly lifted her in his arms and stalked through the entrance. There weren’t many doors, just sheer curtains blowing in the breeze that opened to the lush landscape beyond. Huge potted plants added green to the stark white interior. No wonder Julian had marshmallows on his mind earlier— he practically lived in one. But still, it was awe-inspiring. The overall decorating theme seemed to be sparse, wide open and sultry. He carried her past the entrance hall and laid her down on a bed of soft white animal skins draped over a collection of cushions. “No one comes to the palace without permission. We won’t be disturbed here.” He slowly unzipped her skirt, then brought her knees together and slid the garment down her body. Next came her panties. When her lower half was bare

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before him, he parted her legs on the white bed of furs, opening her to the light streaming in through the gossamer fabric covering the high windows above. Kara swallowed and arched her neck into the cushions. She wanted this so much she wasn’t sure she could survive being interrupted again. “Are you sure it’s okay?” “Let me worship you,” he breathed, an instant before his tongue found her creamy slit and licked her into oblivion.

Aiden had been busy with a human companion when a messenger brought word of the commotion in the square. If Julian and Gavin didn’t have the decency to warn him they were bringing Kara Reed to visit the Mercury Clan today, he wasn’t about to give up his pleasure between the legs of a beautiful woman to greet them. After he sent his bed-servant on her way, he descended the steps from his room with the intent of finding the trio in the square and pretending he gave a damn. Though, these days, no one really believed his act anyway. But when he walked into the main hall, to his utter shock, a clothed Julian had his head buried between the legs of a female Aiden had never seen before. Even after all the years—the orgies, the women—the erotic vision flattened him like an oncoming freight train. His flaccid dick, replete and satisfied, roared to life. The scent of this Demiáre female, even from across the room, was the most delicious thing Aiden had ever encountered. She was different somehow from the other females, her fragrance pure and sweet and unaffected. This, then, was Kara Reed.


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Gavin had reason to be concerned if Julian was seeing to her pleasure instead of his own. The lords had never fallen. They did their duty and serviced a lady of the clan from time to time, but never the same lady often enough to worry about becoming attached—or heaven forbid, bonded. But with the way Julian’s head bobbed between Kara’s legs as he groaned out his lust, the way she ground her hips hard toward his mouth as if she already owned him—Aiden knew the Mercury Lords had a problem. Deanna’s daughter could be the beginning of the end for them. Aiden’s form melted into nothing more than a wisp of shadow as he watched Julian work her with his tongue. His mind swam as her scent came to him on the slow breeze wafting through the hall. Then he detected something else. Not solely Julian’s arousal—the precome no doubt staining his pants—but something more of Julian coming from Kara herself, as though the other lord had already branded her with his essence. Aiden’s blood pounded in his temples like fists beating a drum when he saw Julian pull back and fumble with Kara’s shirt, peeling the T-shirt over her head then unclasping her bra to free two perfect, round globes. “You’re my goddess,” Julian whispered as his fingers sank into the tender flesh and squeezed. Then he left his spot between her legs and ran his tongue in circles over one large, pebbled peak before latching on to her nipple fully as his fingers traced a path back down to the triangle of dark hair beckoning below. Aiden swallowed. He’d never been a good or noble man, but he wasn’t sure he should be watching this. It was true their females delighted in exciting and torturing the men of the clan with what they couldn’t have, and exhibitionism was a favorite pastime on this island, but he’d never met Kara Reed. Gavin made her sound almost human in her temperament.

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When he saw Julian ease two fingers into Kara’s tight sheath, the air left Aiden’s lungs like a dying man’s last slow breath. He could see the way her pussy devoured Julian’s fingers as her hips thrust against him. “Julian!” she called. Her voice was at once feminine and demanding. What Aiden would have given in that moment to trade places with his friend. Anything. Everything, to be the one to sink into her heated depths and bury his face in her fragrant core. His dick was so hard, it hurt, begging for relief. “I need you,” she told Julian, clawing his arms, trying to pull him closer. Then her hands frantically grasped at the thin suede covering him, pulling it down around his hips. Julian put a hand over hers. “I need to explain why this might be a bad idea, but I can’t think when I’m near you.” His voice was a plea for mercy. She cast his hands aside and yanked harder on his pants. “Think later. Fuck me now.” “Kara…” “Please.” Her strong voice cracked with vulnerability. Aiden didn’t like to get involved with their females, but if Julian wouldn’t ease her suffering, Aiden would shove him aside and do it himself. And from the look of her deliriously needy gaze, he would bet his best sword she would welcome his long shaft with open legs. He caught himself when he took one involuntary step toward the couple, but then, to his irrational disappointment, Julian kicked off his pants and freed his ready cock. “Whatever you want, love, I’ll give it to you.” Julian fisted his dick in his palm, giving the shaft a good rub. “You want me?” “Yes,” she whispered. Without further hesitation, Julian brought her feet around his shoulders, placed himself at the entrance of Kara’s channel and plunged inside. When


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Aiden saw him sink to the hilt, balls wedging into Kara’s ass, he almost called out in protest. Julian was going to hurt her, and he hadn’t even had the decency to soothe her first. But only seconds later, Aiden realized the fiery look in Kara’s eyes had nothing to do with pain. She took all of Julian’s length and wanted more, grasping his ass and pulling him deeper. Julian moved her legs aside so he could press closer to her body and began kissing her hair, breathing her in with every pant and thrust. “That’s it, love, take me.” Kara groaned, arching her breasts into Julian’s chest as her scent flooded the room. “More.” He pounded into her with a ferocity Aiden couldn’t fathom, Julian’s groin slapping against her skin, as though his rod wasn’t too much for a young female to handle. He wasn’t gentle, he rammed her as she clutched his back and whimpered his name. Her nails left perfect moons of blood on Julian’s dark skin. When he saw his friend grasp her shoulders in a rough grip and moan her name, Aiden wanted to moan it, too. Kara. Tremors racked Julian’s body as he threw his head back and bellowed her name. Kara’s face contorted with pleasure as she screamed, pumping herself frantically against Julian’s hips before her head lolled to the side, her breath exploding out of her lungs in fevered pants. Aiden held Kara’s face in his gaze as she came, never looking away from the perfection of her sensual, brown-haired beauty. Julian was right. She really was a goddess.

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Never had an orgasm been so all-consuming as the one Kara had just had— and she was becoming an expert on orgasms. How could it be getting better with Julian every time? As good as it was, better shouldn’t have been possible. She snuggled deeper into the cushions, pulling Julian tighter against her sensitive nipples. Her legs were still wrapped around his waist and although she’d felt his climax flood into her, his penis actually felt like it was growing inside her instead of shrinking—and the damn thing was big enough as it was. It didn’t hurt, exactly, but it was uncomfortable, as though Julian’s flesh was expanding into her and holding firm. “Julian,” she whispered. From the sound of his breathing, she wasn’t sure if he was awake or asleep. “Kara.” His head popped up. “I thought you might have fallen asleep.” She frowned. Why did he look so guilty? “I’m wide awake. I decided I’m not going to sleep ’til I’m back in my own bed. This island gives me the creeps. Every man here acts like he’s ready to whip his yardstick out for review and have me measure it with my tongue.” She thought that would get a snicker out of Julian, but instead, he looked deeper into her eyes. “I bet you’re tired, Kara. Relax, love. Don’t move. Sleep.” She grimaced when she felt his hard shaft twitch inside her, tugging at her insides as he shifted his weight. But at the same time, her limbs grew heavy as his essence warmed her. Everything felt right with the world. She’d known this man for no time at all, but she wondered if she’d finally found “the one”. She’d heard it was like that sometimes when it was meant to be. “Julian,” she whispered, her eyes still locked on to his. “Yes, love?” “I think I…like you. I really like you.” Did he know how much the admission cost her?


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He smiled softly, his tan skin crinkling slightly at the corners of his eyes, yet somehow his expression was bleak. “I love you, Kara.” He sighed, staring down at her for a long while before finishing, “Sleep now.” And she did. Aiden’s face contorted in disbelief as Julian soothed the unaware female, lulling her to sleep so he could continue to pump his seed into her womb. Aiden wasn’t easily shocked. He’d waged war. He’d fought and killed. He’d had sex with countless women for so many centuries all the events ran together in his mind—one face morphing into the next, one cunt as good as another, some prettier, some tighter, some who liked it rough, some who wanted to pretend it was love. The only thing he’d never been allowed to witness was a coupling. His powerful father had been an indulgent bastard, giving Aiden access to his stable at a young age, even instructing him on how to wring the most pleasure from a woman. But the act of coupling and the subsequent vulnerability of the pair was something Ailexon shared with no one. Aiden hadn’t even known Kara Reed had been in season, much less that she’d reached maturity, but the power washing over their joined forms left little doubt that the two of them were coupling. It reached out to him with the purest form of energy, like electricity in the sky before it coalesced into a blinding flash of lightning. Julian had known her little more than a day, and she gave him the greatest honor a lady could bestow upon a man. She’d allowed him to truly join his body to hers. Allowed him the chance to create a legacy, something that would endure when his numbered days at last came to an end. Julian was willing to turn his

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back on clan law for a woman who had no fucking clue what was happening. And Aiden wanted to throttle him for it. It was hypocritical, true, especially when Aiden was a bastard himself and hated the idea of ever being tied to a woman or child. So why did he want to shake Kara awake and ask her if she’d intended to breed with Julian Mercés? Why did he want to take Julian by the throat and ask him if he meant what he said about “love”, or if the word was yet another payment for services rendered? But he couldn’t do either to the man he considered a brother. Julian’s reckoning would come soon enough. But he could tell Gavin. No, he had to tell Gavin. This was no easy matter now. They’d vowed the clan came first for the Mercury Lords and that they’d never let a female control them. But in truth, Kara Reed had hold of his brother by the groin, and the heart. Aiden found Gavin by the bonfire, sorting out a disagreement between two demibreeds as to who deserved the first night with a new camp companion. Evidently, the woman didn’t enjoy taking more than one man to her bed in a night. As Aiden listened impatiently, waiting for Gavin’s attention, he had to wonder why they’d brought a woman like that back to Mercury Island in the first place. “She won’t make it here,” Aiden interjected. “Have one of the silver-wings wipe her memory and take her back where she came from.” “But, my lord…” one of the men protested. “He’s right.” Gavin glanced over his shoulder to frown at Aiden. Even when he agreed, he liked to settle disputes himself. “She’d be better off with the humans if she has such mild appetites. Put some money in an account for her and get her off the island by morning.”


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“Morning?” the other man echoed. “Yes, my lord. But who gets her until morning?” Gavin sighed, apparently thinking it over. “Who does she want?” Holy Mother of Eve. They’d be here all night if they waited for Gavin to make one of his famous rulings. Aiden would have settled it with a backhand across the man’s face. “She doesn’t seem to have a preference, my lord, which is why we came to ask you,” the man explained. Aiden shifted, trying to quell the growl in his throat. “Gavin, I need to speak with you.” He turned to the men. “Dragons, witches and jewels. Go.” The men blinked. “Excuse me?” the shorter of the two said. Aiden narrowed his eyes and spoke clearly. “I said ‘Dragons, witches and jewels’. One…two…three…cast it!” The men immediately threw up their hands up, making their signs. The shorter man had his hand clawed in the sign of the dragon, but the taller man held two fingers down like the legs of the witch. “Ha! Dragon eats witch!” the shorter man cried. “Two out of three,” the other complained. Aiden’s growl peeled from his chest like the bark of thunder. “Dragon eats witch—now get the fuck out of here!” When they trotted off, Gavin turned to him. “Dragons, witches and jewels? I attempt to rule with the Wisdom of Solomon and you make a mockery out of it. If you don’t treat the companions with respect, Aiden, the men may cease to do so as well.” “Like the respect you’re allowing Julian to show to Kara Reed? What about respect for our laws, Gavin?” Gavin’s chest froze on his intake of breath. “What do you mean?”

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“He’s coupled with her. And I’m assuming she wasn’t freely offering her womb with the way he put her sleep afterward.” “How can you be sure?” “I watched.” “You what?” Gavin exploded. He looked as if he might shoot steam from his ears. “You witnessed their coupling and did nothing to stop it?” Aiden’s brows quirked together. “Like what? Yank him off her and tear her womb to shreds? She would heal in time, but that’s not usually the way I introduce myself to a woman.” Gavin looked off in the direction of the palace and took a deep breath. “This is a problem. I knew it would be. That’s their second coupling and the third time they’ve been together. Julian can’t control himself. He’s going down and he’s taking Deanna’s daughter with him.” “Their second coupling? You told me she hadn’t reached maturity yet.” “Hell, I didn’t know she’d even begun her seasons.” Aiden frowned. He’d been so sure they were coupling, but that wasn’t possible until Kara reached full maturity, which would be years—decades even—after she first came into season. Yes, it was possible to speed up the process if she was bred continuously, but twenty-four hours with Julian shouldn’t have been enough. “Then maybe I was wrong.” “You weren’t wrong. Julian and Kara have coupled. I don’t know what’s different about Kara, but I’m beginning to suspect there was a good reason your father separated Deanna from his stable and hid her gifts. Now Julian has made a sire’s claim over her daughter.” “Oh, that’s lovely. Just fucking lovely. How could you have let this happen, Gavin? You told me he planned to pull out so he wouldn’t bring her to maturity


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any faster or jeopardize our clan, and now I learn he’s made a sire’s claim. How the fuck could you have let this happen?” Gavin growled and stepped up chest to chest with Aiden. At Gavin’s height, even Aiden had to look up slightly to keep eye contact with the enraged lord. “It’s easy to judge when you weren’t the one tasked with watching her. No, you stay here and rule our clan from between the legs of your servants, popping out to make decisions with children’s games! Don’t you dare lecture me, you indolent ass!” The words stung, but more interesting was the way unflappable lord had lost control. What was Kara to him, then? “Fine. I merely thought you’d like to know. Deal with it yourself.”

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When Kara woke, her body felt like it had been used for kickboxing practice, then thrown into a lumpy pile of old laundry. She was so damn tired, it was hard to open her eyes. It took her a moment to figure out where she was, but slowly, she saw torches burning, creating dancing shadows in a white marble room. She dragged her fingers through furry rugs piled high under her naked body. She was in the palace. Julian. She’d had sex with him—again. And heaven help her, her first coherent thought was that she still wanted him. Beads of sweat pearled on Kara’s forehead. She reached a hand up and swiped them away, but it felt like she was getting a fever. Her body ached. Her hips felt disjointed. She needed Julian. She stood, then suddenly heard a rustle of cloth behind her. She whirled around, afraid of what she might see, but it was only Gavin, standing two feet away, staring at Kara with unblinking eyes. “You scared the crap out of me, Gavin!” He didn’t say anything, just allowed his gaze to roam over her naked body. Her nipples hardened and her pulse pounded, but something about him seemed off. She had to admit she was surprised by his intimate appraisal. “Do you like what you see?”

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“I do,” he said. He was dressed in a flowing white robe, something she’d never seen him wear before, and his hands were folded in front of him. “I would bend you over and mount you now if you didn’t reek of that lowborn bastard.” She frowned and brushed the hair from her eyes. “I thought you liked Julian.” “Why would you think that? You don’t even know me.” Kara shifted on her feet as her arms broke out in goose bumps. “Because you seem close to him. He calls you brother.” “The closest I’ll ever come to that son of a human whore is smelling him between your legs. Rinse him away, Kara. Let me cover you with something far richer.” “Gavin, what’s wrong with your voice?” He looked like Gavin, but he sounded entirely different. His voice was as deep but utterly cold. “Ah, you see, I do not sound like Gavin, because I’m not Gavin. I’m Gable.” He still hadn’t blinked the entire time he’d been standing in front of her. “Gable?” She gaped at him and her blood chilled. “Gavin’s twin?” “So my brother told you about me.” He smiled, but it didn’t soften his eyes. “That he had a brother, yes. He forgot to mention there were two of you.” “He doesn’t like to brag.” Kara wrapped her hands around her breasts, realizing she was naked in front of a complete stranger. “I really need to get dressed now.” Gable smiled and reached for Kara’s panties. “Allow me to assist you.” That was it. She’d had enough of Gavin’s creepy twin. “Julian?” she called out, her small voice echoing in the cavernous space. Then she realized what an idiot she sounded like. She didn’t need a man. She didn’t rely on anyone but herself.

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The sound of bare feet slapping against the stone floor brought her head up. Julian rounded the corner at a dead run and came skidding to a stop at the foot of the pelts. “What’s the matter? Are you all right?” Kara looked back over her shoulder to see that Gable had evaporated like a figment of her imagination. She ducked her chin as her cheeks heated. “Yeah. Fine. Please tell me Gavin has a twin brother and I’m not losing my mind.” “You met Gable? Here?” Julian glowered, his lips pulling away from his teeth. “Uh, yeah.” Why did he seem mad at her? She hadn’t done anything wrong. “I want you to stay away from him. He’s only come to stay with us recently and he’s not like Gavin.” “I noticed.” He grasped her shoulders and began to inspect her. “Did he hurt you? You sounded frightened.” “No. Of course not.” She laid a hand over his to calm him. “It was a little weird waking up in an unfamiliar place and having it be dark again for the second time tonight. But I’m fine.” Julian grabbed a pelt and settled it around Kara’s shoulders before he wrapped his arms around her like cocoon and pressed her face to his bare chest. His heart pounded under her cheek. He pulled away to smile at her. “You scared me.” “I was confused for a second. No big deal.” He cupped the side of her face and nuzzled her ear. “I like hearing you call to me when you’re unsure.” Kara snorted, trying not to suck in the unique fragrance clinging to his skin. Her own aphrodisiac. “Don’t get all excited. It probably won’t happen again.” God, how humiliating. “What time is it?”


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“Dinnertime.” Julian frowned and kissed her forehead. He ran his lips along the moist surface, testing it with his tongue. “Holy hell. You have a fever, love. I don’t think you should go down to dinner.” She didn’t owe Gavin anything, but it bothered her that he was so disappointed with her not wanting to meet the others. “I’m rethinking it. If Gavin’s sure it’s really that important…” “Kara, let me have something brought up for you.” There was her heart, fluttering against her ribs again. She wanted to close her eyes and lose herself in Julian’s warmth, but the saner part of her rebelled against the weakness. “If there’s one thing I’ve never been, Jules, it’s fragile. Don’t start treating me like that now. I skipped the princess-dresses-and-tea-parties phase.” He grinned, revealing his perfect white teeth and those dimples Kara couldn’t get enough of. “I can imagine how adorable you would have been in a frilly dress, sipping tea and eating cakes.” She rolled her eyes. “In the foster homes I was in, dirty hand-me-downs and stale beer were more the order of the day. The morning after poker night was always especially good. I could usually find pretzels to go with what was left in the bottles.” He shook his head. “It doesn’t have to stay that way, Kara. Here, you would be a queen. Every need met twice over. Your word, a command.” “That’s sweet, but I just want to find out about my parents, say hi to the gals then go home. If Gavin can fly me back with a to-go plate, all the better.” He trailed his fingertips down her cheek. “Your father never wanted you to grow up like that. He was trying to protect you and give you a life where no one would think to look for you.” “Well, if my parents were as important as you say, I’m sure no one would have thought to look in the shitholes I lived in. He was pretty smart. Great guy.”

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“You have every reason to be angry, but never doubt that he cared for you. He’d arranged for one of his allies—an Aniliáre like him—to hide you in the event that he lost the battle to Ailexon. Even we didn’t know where you were. Teras reasoned that if we were captured and tortured, we might give up your location.” “How did you find me?” “We were to wait until you were twenty-five, then Gavin traveled to the Shadowland as instructed and was given your general location. Once we knew you were in San Diego, you were easy to find.” “Why twenty-five? What’s so magic about that number?” Julian almost looked embarrassed. “Nothing, exactly. But as you age, you’re beginning to give off a scent that might attract attention from others of our kind. It was a natural time to bring you under our wings.” Kara bit her lip as she regarded him. “What if I’d been adopted and moved out of state?” “It might have taken longer, but we wouldn’t have stopped until we brought you home. We promised your father as much.” Part of her was still angry, but the other part had to admit that it felt pretty good to be wanted, to be searched for—not that she was ready to tell him that. She pulled away and wiped a hand down her slick skin. “This island is making my skin crawl. I’m sweating out of every pore. Would you mind grabbing me a towel?” “Of course. I was looking for something warmer for you to wear when you called.” Julian looked her over and swallowed, seeming fairly unhappy about Kara’s state. “What? Do you think I’m really getting sick? I’ve never been sick a day in my life.”


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He stepped forward to adjust the pelt around her shoulders again. It made her feel like a little old lady. “I…ah…doubt you’re ill, love. I wouldn’t worry. You need to relax in a bath while I bring you something to eat. I think you’ve had enough today. Why don’t you meet the ladies another time?” “Don’t tempt me.” She wasn’t an extrovert on a good day, and the idea of meeting women who might have known her mother was more than a little overwhelming. But hadn’t she just declared she wasn’t fragile and she could handle whatever came her way? Still, she couldn’t meet the ladies of the clan like this. They could have been friends of her mother, for Pete’s sake, and even Kara could detect Julian’s scent not only on but in her body. Talk about awkward. “Just a quick bath,” she conceded. “After that, I’ll go down and meet who I need to meet before Gavin shows me my parents’ stuff, then I’m going home. I have a life there, Julian, and people depending on me.” Half a world away, she had a job to do and a rapist to contend with. Julian went still. “You could have a life here, too. With me.” She sighed, but her eyes softened on Julian’s intense black gaze. He was so handsome, his tan skin and perfect features seemed to radiate his otherness. She would be crazy not to see where this went. “Hey, you still have the apartment next door if you’re coming back. It’s no white palace, but if you’re brave enough to eat my cooking, I could make you dinner tomorrow night before I go to Abbey’s.” He smiled and pulled Kara into a crushing embrace. “Of course I’m coming back. You’re not getting rid of me that easily. My place is by your side, and if you’re cooking, love, you’ve got yourself a date.” He leaned down and kissed her, sweeping his tongue into her mouth, causing her senses to cry out, begging her to drink him in. Even the moisture of

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his mouth was addictive to her. It was a fight not to simply pull his soft pants down to his knees and wrap her legs around his waist. At this moment, if she could live as a permanently mounted fixture on his lap, she would. Her knees went weak as one heavy drop of sweat rolled down her temple. Julian flicked out his tongue to catch the salty bead. “Your bath awaits.” He lifted Kara in his arms and carried her up the grand marble staircase to the second door on the left, nudging it open with his foot. “Is this your room?” she asked, her eyes widening at the expensive furnishings and plush tapestries. The vast room was done in soft colors, golds, creams and greens, and she saw signs of Julian all around—sword and weapon displays, a table with richly jeweled boxes and strange knickknacks, masterful paintings that looked immeasurably old. And against the far wall, a bed so large it could have fit five men Julian’s size. He carried her straight through the room into the bathroom. The marble was richly veined with green, and a large sunken tub sat in the center of the room with dozens of flickering candles flanking its edges. The tub was filled with fragrant, steaming water and gardenias floated in the brew. Julian set Kara on her feet and tossed her sheepskin aside, then pulled off his own pants until he was as naked as she. Taking her hand, he led her down three steps into the toasty liquid. Chills ran across her arms as her heated flesh hit the water. She sank down to her waist, scooped up one gardenia in her palm and pressed it to her nose. “You don’t have to try so hard to seduce me, you know. I won’t say no to you, even if I should.” Julian sank to his shoulders and moved close to Kara. He reached for a silver cup on the ledge, gently tilted her chin back and poured water over her hair. “I’m not trying to seduce you. I only want to take care of you.” He squeezed berry-scented soap onto his palm and massaged it into Kara’s scalp, using his


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strong fingers to soothe away the stress and the doubts. When he was finished, he rinsed her hair, then ran his thumbs over her eyelids to clear the water away. When she opened her eyes, he was only inches away, staring at her with adoration. “I love you.” Her heart sputtered. She’d never had a man tell her he loved her before Julian. Not a father, not a brother. Never a lover. “We just met. Under false pretenses, at that.” “Are you saying you don’t feel the same?” The water swished as Kara turned away. She’d never been in love, but this felt dangerously close to what she imagined it would be like. She didn’t want to be apart from Julian. She felt more at peace with him by her side. His smile brought light to the dark recesses of her soul. “I like you, Julian. I may be insane, but I want to spend more time with you in my world. I haven’t had this before. I’ve never been attached to a man. That means something to me, but it’s not love. Not yet. Give me time to process all of this. I barely understand what I am, much less what that’s going to mean for the future.” He stared at her for a moment, acceptance slowly seeping into his features, then dropped his forehead to hers. “I told you before and I meant it, I’ll give you as much time as you need.” Kara closed her eyes and rested against him, loving the feel of the strong, steady energy radiating from his skin into her own. She swallowed. It would be so easy to get lost in the love of a man like him and never find her way back to the solitary life she’d led before. Could she risk it? She cupped his cheek and inhaled slowly through her nostrils, breathing in his essence like he was oxygen in a fire. “Jules—” she began, but then his head shot up and his fangs snapped down.

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Seeing his instantly feral expression, Kara sloshed to the side of the tub, but then Gavin’s deep voice echoed behind her. “Julian, we need to talk.” Julian stood and stepped past Kara, water sluicing off the hard planes of his body. “Leave, now, old friend. My woman is bathing and she doesn’t require your assistance.” Gavin’s gaze traveled over Kara’s naked shoulders and the tops of her breasts before he looked back at Julian. “Kara is not your woman. She’s a Demiáre female. She belongs to no one.” Julian’s silver wings spread from the slits in his back, effectively blocking Kara from Gavin’s view. “Let’s discuss this outside then. I’ll come to you after she’s cared for.” A deep rumble reverberated in Gavin’s chest. “I know exactly how you plan to care for her, you fool.” “Stop it, you two.” Kara stood, gently pushing Julian’s wing aside, not giving a damn if Gavin saw her breasts—hell, even his brother had seen more. “It’s none of your business, Gavin. I don’t care if my father told you to watch out for me. I’ve taken care of myself my entire life and I’m still here.” She stepped around Julian, straight out of the tub, leaving a drippy mess in her wake, then brushed past Gavin on her way to the basket of fluffy cream towels. Gavin came to stand toe to toe with her. “Do you think we don’t know about your nighttime activities, Kara? Stopping one pervert is like squashing a caterpillar under your boot compared to coming up against an angry Aniliáre. Think about that same boot versus a dragon the size of this palace. As a female unprotected by a clan, that’s what you’d be dealing with. You need us.” Kara’s mouth dropped open. “They turn into dragons?” No stinking way. “What?” Gavin shook his head. “No. It was a metaphor.”


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Suddenly, Julian was behind her, wrapping the towel around her naked breasts and tucking it in tightly. His breath hissed over her shoulder. “Get out. I will bring her to dinner when she’s dressed.” Every muscle in Gavin’s body tensed. “Dinner is long over, Julian. And I will not leave you alone with her again. Don’t make this difficult.” As the words left Gavin’s mouth, armed men came from the shadows to flank him on either side, five to his left and five to his right, carrying ropes and tethers. Each man was as large and powerfully built as Julian, their expressions ranging from doubtful to determined. “Please, my lord. We have no desire to use force against you,” pleaded one man. Kara stepped back, sucking in a quick breath as Julian’s claws extended and his eyes flashed red. They glowed like embers from his dark face as he regarded Gavin. “You bastard son of Brakken. How dare you use my own men against me.” Gavin quickly turned to Kara. “Go! Wait for me outside.” She opened her mouth to protest when the room exploded into motion. Julian, armed with only his talons and fangs, launched himself at the group, taking the first man down with a quick bite to the neck. The man yelped and jumped back, clutching his bleeding throat in his hand as a steady stream of blood ran under his fingers. But before Kara could even comprehend what was happening, Julian had his claws curved into the face of the next man, one hand gripping his bloody jaw and the other around his neck as though he were going to tear the man’s head from his shoulders. “Julian!” Kara screamed. She didn’t know if she was afraid for him or of what he seemed capable of in that moment.

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As his scarlet eyes flashed to her, four guards tackled him from behind, toppling him to the floor. His hands were still wrapped around the gasping man’s face and neck. A fifth guard was trying—and failing—to break his grip. “Tie him down!” Gavin shouted above the frantic sounds of struggle. He walked to the head of the fray and bent down, grasping Julian’s clawed hands as electric blue light shot from his own fingers—zzzzzttt—crackling against Julian’s grip with the quick resonance of a bug zapper. Julian’s body stiffened with the shock. He released the man’s neck and began thrashing under the weight of the guards. “Don’t touch her!” he bellowed, the sound echoing like a clap of thunder in the marble room. “She’s mine! Kara!” Kara’s eyes were wide and disbelieving. She couldn’t understand how it had all gone downhill so fast. But one thing seemed clear, Julian had completely lost it. “Gavin, leave him alone. What’s going on? Why are you doing this?” “Healo, put him under,” Gavin commanded, not even sparing Kara a glance. A leather-clad warrior with a blond braid down his back stepped forward and knelt at Julian’s head, narrowly avoiding getting his thigh grazed by Julian’s sharp fangs. “Sorry, my lord. Let’s hope you’re in a better mood when you wake up.” With that, Healo cupped his hand around the crown of Julian’s head and his arm began to quiver with energy. “Kara,” Julian mumbled, using the last of his strength to find her gaze and latch on. “I love you.” His eyelids bobbed slowly down and back up. “I…love…” As he went still, the air rushed from his lungs with the weight of the men on his back. Seeing Julian passed out, slack-jawed and crushed to the green marble floor, Kara broke. With her towel barely hanging on, she rushed forward and shoved the nearest man, knocking him on his ass.


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“Get off him!” Her fist connected with the jaw of the man straddling her lover, sending his head rocking back. “He can’t breathe! Gavin!” “Kara.” Gavin’s voice was all command and authority. He snatched her wrist midflight when she released another punch. “He’s fine. I promise. Liel, have your men tie him up until he’s out of the mating rage.” “Yes, sir,” the bearded captain replied, and it was only then Kara realized more warriors were waiting in Julian’s room. What the hell kind of trouble had they expected from one man? Gavin met Liel’s eyes. “Ask Aiden to bind Julian’s darker powers until the next moon, when he’s had a chance to get Kara out of his system. I’m not sure how much longer he’ll fight with fangs before he decides to call the shadows and damn us all.” Liel’s brows drew down and his smile was tentative. “I’ve known Lord Julian a long time. He wouldn’t do that to his own people.” Gavin laughed bitterly. “He already did. After dark in San Diego, he had an ‘episode’. I was able to subdue him before it went further, but his power has to be bound.” Liel bowed. “Yes, my lord.” He walked quickly from the room. The men stood, preparing the ropes, but Kara’s hand was still firmly stuck in Gavin’s grasp. “He’s your friend, Gavin! Why would you do this?” Gavin released his grip, looked down into her eyes and smiled. “Little warrior princess. You honor Julian with your defense of him, but women don’t need to fight in the Mercury clan. We will take care of you, Kara, and even protect you from ourselves when you need it.” Kara threw her hands up, colliding against Gavin’s chest in her fury. “Julian hasn’t hurt me. You don’t know what you’re talking about!” But she had to admit both times she’d seen Julian in a “mating rage” had been frightening.

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“There are things you don’t understand about our laws, about our intimacy. Julian is a lord of this clan. It’s forbidden for him to bond to one female, and I’ve seen him with you. He’s barreling down that destructive path without thought to the consequences to either of you. He’s not well, Kara.” “No, you brought this on! One minute he was Prince Charming and the next he went crazy. You did this, Gavin!” She poked a hard finger into his chest to emphasize her point. “Yes, I did this—for you. Calm down, princess.” He looked deep into Kara’s eyes with a soft, peaceful expression, his voice gentle. “Everything’s all right. Julian will be good as new after a short rest.” She glanced down to see Julian bound with brown leather cords, but when it sank into her adrenaline-addled mind he was unhurt and breathing peacefully, her tension ratcheted down a notch. She blinked up at Gavin, her lungs exhaling a deep, cleansing breath, even as a bead of sweat trailed down her forehead to sting her eye. As she stared into Gavin’s serene hazel eyes, her racing blood slowed like molasses in her veins. “Julian’s okay?” “Yes. I’ll take you to dress now and meet our ladies. That may answer many questions you have.” “All right.” Kara knelt to smooth Julian’s black hair from his forehead. “You’re going to be fine, Jules. Rest and get better, baby.” She smiled and kissed his closed eyelids. “It’ll all be better tomorrow.”


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Gavin clutched Kara tightly to him as his strong wings carried them closer to the town square. She couldn’t help feeling ridiculous in the filmy apricot dress he’d given her. It cinched under her breasts and touched the ground when she stood—and with its little puff sleeves, it looked like he’d plucked it off the set of a Jane Austen movie. The farther they traveled from the palace, the more concerned she became for Julian. She wasn’t sure why her thoughts and feelings were so scattered lately. Yes, her predictable life had been blown to bits in the last twenty-four hours, but that still didn’t explain how she could want to rip Julian’s attackers apart in one instant and be calm enough to take up knitting the next. “Kara,” Gavin said, startling her out of her thoughts. “We’re almost there.” “Yeah, the music and the crowd gave it away.” She felt crabby and off kilter, like she was finally experiencing the sacred rite Abbey loved to tell her about— PMS. “These women may not be what you’re used to. I imagine you may have more delicate sensibilities.” Her, delicate? Kara snorted. “You must not know me very well.” She doubted these women could come up with words she didn’t use on a regular basis. Sure, she hadn’t had many lovers, but Abbey’s stories made up for that twice over. She’d seen her best friend just a few hours before, but she was already missing her. It felt wrong to be on an island so far away from San Diego, so far from her responsibilities. The sooner she was home, the better.

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“Stay close to me. Please.” Gavin touched down outside the square. Kara got to her feet and shook out her dress. “Don’t be a drama king. I’ll be fine.” He took her hand and walked her through the maze of tables. Food and drink were left all around, scattered and spilled without any of the earlier bustle of men cleaning or going about their work. “Why are they all in the square?” She saw the press of bodies and heard the ribald shouts coming from the sea of undulating flesh. The only men not pressed into the group were the musicians, playing a strange mix of stringed instruments and native-sounding drums. “Is this some sort of after-dinner game?” Gavin coughed and cleared his throat. “Yes, actually. You could call it exactly that.” His fingers pressed tighter into hers as he breached the first wall of men, jostling them aside. As they turned and saw Gavin, they lowered their eyes and stepped out of his path. Kara felt raked with their heated gazes and couldn’t figure out why Gavin hadn’t chosen something that covered more flesh on her upper half. The island air was thick in the crush of bodies. Kara smelled the mingled scents of sweat and sex and male arousal. She could feel the energy in the Demiáre around her, see the way their muscles tensed and flexed, sense their barely restrained desire. She tipped her chin up to murmur in Gavin’s ear, “What’s going on?” “A contest.” As he said it, they emerged at the edge of the inner ring of spectators. The men here were clearly aroused. Several of them stood completely naked, their shafts hard and ready. The sounds of the men were louder and more urgent here.


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Kara’s eyes drifted to the center of the commotion, and the sight caused her to suck in a breath. A pale woman with long blond hair lay in the center of a brown wooly pelt. She had a man on either side of her, one massaging her breasts while another kissed her neck. Between her legs was a dark-skinned man with tightly curled hair, but Kara couldn’t make out his face—it was busy lapping at the woman’s core. The woman grabbed his hair hard enough to tug his scalp, pulling him farther into the valley between her legs. “Yes,” she panted. “More. Use your mouth. Suck me.” The man groaned as he pleasured her. He lifted his hand and slid his fingers into her channel. Suddenly, an armed guard reached down and plucked the man’s hand away from the woman. “No hands. You agreed to the rules,” the guard said, binding the darkskinned man’s hands behind him with a leather cord. The man lost his balance and had to prop himself sideways on his shoulder, but all the while, he feasted on the woman with a singular focus. Kara couldn’t believe what she was seeing. She couldn’t understand it. As she looked around and noticed how many men were palming their erections and stroking them in time with the thrust of the woman’s hips, Gavin wrapped a protective arm around her and pulled her close. Then, like an avalanche on a clear winter day, the woman began to keen and grind herself into the man. “Yes!” she shouted. “Yes!” Her hips pumped savagely several more times until finally she fell exhausted to her side and her legs parted. Her face was radiant as she regarded her audience. The man at her feet tried to inch closer to her, but he was yanked back by the man who had bound his hands. “Wait for the verdict!” the guard said.

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The woman laughed. “Not bad. I’d give it a six. Still, not good enough to make it to the final round. Who’s next?” A volley of hands shot up and several of the naked men stepped forward. The woman barely looked them in the eye—her gaze directed more on what strained from their bodies. “Oh, you…” she pointed at one. “Kiro, isn’t it? You’re exceptional. I think I’ve had you before. You will be next.” Gavin spoke up before Kiro could step forward. “Lace, before your next contestant, I would like to introduce you to Kara Reed.” The men went silent, and Kara wasn’t sure if it was from the steel in Gavin’s voice or from Kara crashing the party. Either way, when Gavin pulled her forward into the empty space between Lace and the crowd, Kara wanted to die. The woman turned her seductive eyes toward Kara. Even by firelight, they were the most gorgeous cornflower blue, almost lit from within. Lace was an exquisite work of art. She sat up slightly and sprawled her legs toward Gavin, giving Kara a prime view of her swollen, rosy flesh. “Oh, Gavin. What poor manners you have. I don’t expect to be interrupted unless you’re hoping to be added to my harem.” She smoothed one finger through her slick folds, and with only a soft whimper from her lips, the men at her shoulders replaced her hand with their own. “Good boys.” She rewarded them with a sultry smile. “Lace,” Gavin said. “Behave yourself.” “Or what? You’re going to punish me with that big cock of yours?” She grasped her servant’s hand and pushed his fingers inside her. “It’s almost time for you to service me again, Gavin. Don’t think I won’t take my turn because you found another plaything.” The woman turned her cold blue eyes to Kara. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kara Reed. Let me know if you’d like to borrow any of my men.” She smiled


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suddenly, as if an idea had struck her. “Oh! What about Jaxon? I don’t want him anymore and I’ll have chosen his replacement by night’s end.” When Lace gestured to a man on the sidelines, Kara noticed him for the first time. On his knees in the dirt, clad in nothing but black, x-shaped leather straps across his chest, his eyes were the saddest, most dejected thing Kara had ever seen. His brown hair looked unwashed and fell limply across his forehead. Forgetting introductions, or her own shame, Kara asked breathlessly, “What did he do wrong to have you treat him like this?” “Pardon me?” Lace looked sincerely confused. “Jaxon didn’t do anything. He was losing his edge.” She cast him a dismissive glance. “You will learn soon enough, Kara Reed, you must be selective. There’s so much you don’t know. You need someone like me to show you.” Indignation boiled like venom in Kara’s veins. Was this what Gavin wanted her to see? Was this how Demiáre females lived? “Yes,” Kara replied. Lace sat up fully, her mouth curling into a grin. “You want me to teach you pleasure?” “No. I meant yes I want that man there.” She pointed to Jaxon before his face even had a chance to register shock. “I’ll take him.” Gavin leaned down and growled in her ear, “Kara.” She squeezed his hand tight, hoping he got the message to let her handle this. She wasn’t going to let the sad-looking warrior be publicly humiliated as that vile woman had a “pussy eating” contest to choose his replacement. “Will you come with me?” she asked the man. She heard several murmurs coming from the crowd and some of the men shifted on their feet, looking unsure of what was happening. Jaxon’s dead eyes widened, as if he was hearing the conversation for the first time and only now registering Kara’s presence. He continued kneeling, not

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saying a word. Then, as if pulled by puppet strings, he rose to his feet and his gray wings extended. Even naked and dirty, he tilted his chin up and walked forward. As he stepped over Lace and her companions on his path to Kara, he yanked a cord from around his neck and dropped it at Lace’s feet. Lace’s blue eyes turned murderous, but she smiled. “You’ll regret this, little princess. He’s finished.” Kara smiled back. She’d faced down much scarier people than one naked Demiáre female. “I doubt that. He looks like a man who knows how to satisfy a woman. Regrets will be the furthest thing from my mind tonight.” Lace sprang to her feet and the men around her scrambled out of the way. “How dare you interfere, you infant.” Kara snorted. “How dare you, you nasty bitch. Where do you get off treating people that way?” “Kara. That’s enough,” Gavin warned. Lace’s blue eyes got bluer, casting a glow over her features that spread across her skin. Her pink lips edged away from her teeth to reveal two sharp, pointy fangs, and her fingers curved into crystalline claws, like shards of blue glass from the tips of her fingers. “It would be too bad if your first visit to our island were also your last.” Kara could barely make out the words with the way Lace’s breath hissed through her teeth. She was more than a little concerned with the energy she felt in the air, not just evil intent, but with some kind of wattage to back it up. Just as she was about to square her shoulders and mutter a polite fuck you, Lace lifted her glowing hands above her head. Oh, shit. This was gonna hurt. Gavin thrust Kara behind him, blocking her completely with his body. “Lace! Stand down!” he commanded.


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“I won’t tolerate disrespect.” Kara couldn’t see her, but she sounded serious. “As you said yourself, she’s young. She doesn’t know any better. It won’t happen again.” “Like hell,” Kara muttered to Gavin’s back. He quickly turned and took Kara by the shoulders, ushering her away with his body still covering hers. They walked through the crowd without looking back, and the demoralized warrior was right on their heels. Gavin didn’t say a word until they had reached a small cottage on the edge of the tropical forest. He pulled Kara inside and released her hand, turning to her with fury burning in his eyes. “What have you done? You were only supposed to observe, Kara.” “I saw enough, thank you very much.” “No, you did much more than that. You made a dangerous enemy and claimed a warrior as your own on your first night on Mercury Island!” “Oh, come on, Gavin! You can’t really think I would…” she began, but Jaxon knelt at her feet and took her hand, his silver wings folding against his back. He brought her fingers to his lips and kissed them tenderly. “Bless you, my lady. Even if you did it only as a kindness and don’t want me as a man, I’m yours. Thank you.” He kissed her palm and released her but stayed where he was. “What’s this all about, Gavin? A hazing? A ritual I don’t understand?” “We decreed a lady could not have more than fourteen men in her harem. It was causing too many fights between the men who already belonged to a female. They simply weren’t getting enough time with their lady. Some, like Lace, have made a game of filling the spots. Maybe to spite me…” He ran a hand through his hair. “It’s getting out of control. Jaxon, how long have you been with Lace?”

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Jaxon swallowed, gazing at the floor. “One hundred and thirty-three years, my lord. I came with her to Mercury Island, but I was with her long before that.” Kara gasped. “A hundred and thirty-three years and that’s how she breaks it off? What kind of monsters are these women?” Jaxon frowned and met Kara’s eyes. “Lace isn’t a monster. I’d say she was…bored. And she hasn’t conceived a child in over three hundred years. The strain is wearing on her.” He glanced up at Gavin. “She’s interested in you, my lord. If you could couple with her and give her a child, maybe she would return to her old self and take me ba—” His lips snapped shut, as if his pride had intervened and saved him from uttering the words. “You’d go back to her?” Kara asked in surprise. Jaxon’s folded wings disappeared into the slits in his back. “I’m yours now, my lady. I will not attempt to rejoin Lace’s harem.” “But you want to?” He gave her a sad smile, the first upward tilt of his lips she’d seen. “One hundred and thirty-three years devoted to one woman is a long time. I can’t sleep without her scent in my nostrils. I can’t breathe without knowing she’s safe.” His rich brown eyes welled and Kara’s heart ached for him. She couldn’t understand that kind of loyalty to such a callous woman. “Jaxon…I’m sorry for your loss,” Gavin said, his discomfort showing in his voice. “Go to the palace. You’ll find your new mistress’s quarters between Lord Julian’s chambers and my own. That is your home now. You need a shower and a change of clothes. You look about Aiden’s size—I’m sure he won’t mind lending you some things until I recover your property from Lace’s camp. Ask a servant when you arrive and they will help you get settled.” “Thank you, my lord.” Jaxon bowed his head, then got to his feet and stepped outside the cottage. Kara saw his gray wings extend and his muscular


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form take flight. She felt guilty ogling the poor man’s naked backside, but it left her with no doubt that not only was Lace mean-spirited, but to give up a man like Jaxon, she must also be crazy. As soon as he was out of earshot, she turned to Gavin. “I have a room in the palace? Why?” His jaw flexed in the light cast by the fire. “In case you chose to stay with us. Julian suggested it, and I agreed it was a good idea. I didn’t think you’d actually need it to initiate your harem.” She tugged her peach dress up. “I don’t need a room here, and I’m not initiating anything.” “You publicly chose him, Kara! Without even knowing the rules of Demiáre society. What were you thinking?” “I was thinking that you’re all really fucked up and I couldn’t let him be humiliated by that woman! That’s what I was thinking.” “Well,” he conceded. “It’s done now. You offered and he accepted. He’s yours.” Kara swallowed. “What exactly does that mean?” Gavin raked another angry hand through his blond hair. “It means he will give his life to protect you and you agree to bring him into your fold. The oath is sealed by allowing him to mate you.” “What?” Kara blanched, but her traitorous body purred its acceptance. Images of Julian’s body rocking against hers filled her vision until she could barely see, and then the sight morphed into Julian and Jaxon, taking turns plunging into her depths. Sweat instantly beaded on her skin, seeping from her pores. She felt feverish. “That’s a stupid tradition. I was doing it to be nice.”

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“Damn foolish girl,” he burst out, his anger finally getting the best of him. “I can’t protect you from one man before you bind yourself to another. You’ve put me in a difficult position, Kara. I can’t keep three hundred men in check if I don’t enforce the rules.” Kara’s mouth fell open. “You wouldn’t ask me do this against my will, would you, Gavin?” He blew out a breath and stepped forward to take her hands in his. “Of course not, princess. Let me think.” He paused for a moment. “We can send him away. We’ll send him to another continent for a decade or so. No one will question it. Your will is his command.” “I didn’t stand up for him to make his life worse. I’m not going to send him into exile. He can keep my room. I’m going home tonight anyway.” “Hiding away in your room won’t help his standing here. Our sense of smell is too acute, Kara. Just as Julian marked you tonight for the world to know, every man here will know you didn’t want Jaxon and his shame will be complete. It’s more humane to send him away.” Kara looked around the small cottage and found a chair. She plopped into it with a heavy sigh. “It’s like I woke up in the Twilight Zone. This is too much.” Her mind was buzzing, but her throat felt tight and her skin was still slick. She needed Julian. She licked her lips and cast a furtive glance at Gavin’s muscled thighs. “Think, Kara…” she mumbled. “Okay. I have an idea and you’re going to have to trust me. I’ll spend the night with Jaxon and by the time I leave in the morning, no one will doubt he’s mine.” Gavin blinked. “No. This is my fault. I wanted to show you the dangers of giving in to your Demiáre urges. How could I have known you’d stand up to


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Lace and beat her at her own game?” He laughed. “Look who I’m talking to. Of course I should have known.” “Everything’s going to be okay.” Kara’s chin tilted up with a confidence she didn’t feel. “Show me my parents’ stuff, then I’ll settle this problem with Jaxon and check on Julian before I go. It’s fine.” Catching a serial rapist at home was looking tame compared to the mess on Mercury Island. “You already have the other half of your father’s ring. Your mother’s journal is at the palace, and I had the painting of her hung in your room.” “A journal?” She didn’t know what she was expecting, but a journal wasn’t it. But maybe a journal was exactly what she needed. How better to get to know a mother who was long dead? “I left it on the nightstand next to your bed. Come. Let’s get this over with.” As Gavin held Kara in his arms, he wondered how, in the name of Og, things had gotten so out of control. He wanted to keep flying and take her away to a place where she didn’t have a warrior waiting in her room, a place where his best friend hadn’t made a sire’s claim over the woman Gavin wanted for himself. But Gavin had always been strong. And since the day he’d turned his back on the old ways, he’d always put the needs of his clan above his own. All he had to do was make sure Julian stayed asleep while Kara followed through on what she intended. “Would you like for me to stay with you during your time with him?” He didn’t know if he could without punching somebody, but that was nothing compared to what Julian would do to Jaxon if the other warrior so much breathed in Kara’s direction. “Uh…” She nestled closer to Gavin’s chest. “Outside the door, maybe? Just in case…”

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“Kara, tell me what you’re going to do.” “Please, don’t ask. Let me fix this mess I made.” “Promise me you won’t let him touch you.” “I promise.” She squeezed his shoulder. “And because he’s sworn to me, he won’t hurt me or…force me…even if he wants to?” “No.” His feet touched down on the balcony railing of Kara’s room in the palace. “The Warrior’s Bond seems to give a man more will than he could ever find on his own. If you say no, he won’t force you.” Kara stepped onto the marble floor. “Explain everything to Julian for me. Tell him I’m still planning on him coming to dinner tomorrow night.” She gave him a tremulous smile, but her skin glistened like a wet rose petal in the moonlight. She had no idea what Julian’s seed was awakening in her. He wanted to kill his best friend for what he’d done to Kara. He wanted to flog himself for not telling her the truth. It was simply a matter of not wanting her to shut them out of her life. She needed their protection more than she knew. “I’ll tell him,” he said. “He’ll understand.” Gavin was glad his nose didn’t grow like the fairytale boy made of wood. Julian was likely going to strip the living flesh from Jaxon’s bones the moment he woke. Gavin’s only hope was that Kara wouldn’t be around to see it. “I’ll be waiting at your front door. One word from you and I’ll be there.” “Thank you, Gavin. For everything.” Kara reached up on her tiptoes and placed a soft kiss on his cheek, then turned and walked through the sheer curtains.


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Kara wasn’t sure what to expect from her new room in the palace, but since she’d never had a nice place before, she almost rocked to a stop when she saw the lavish furnishings and the softly feminine decorations in different shades of cream and blue. Some things looked way beyond antique, but the room also carried the scents of new rugs and fabrics. The more she looked around, the more she was convinced the room had been recently decorated. How had Gavin known she would be visiting? Why would he think she would even want to stay one night on Mercury Island, much less have her own place here? Kara saw the light blue silk comforter on her king-sized bed shift, and she crept forward to inspect the restless lump. Jaxon’s face was visible, his eyes firmly shut, but the rest of him was tucked under the blanket. He was freshly showered, already looking much better than when she’d first seen him. What had Lace done to him to have him in such a filthy state? How could Gavin and the other lords allow the women to treat their men that way? It was sickening. On the nightstand next to the bed was a leather-bound book. The journal Gavin had promised? She might have grabbed it right then if she hadn’t glanced above the bed and been stopped dead in her tracks. Hanging on the wall was a huge painting of a beautiful woman. Was that her mother? She looked more like the woman in the square than someone related to Kara. The curvy blond staring back at her wore her hair in a regal bun, with wisps of flaxen hair falling around her face. Instead of the gown Kara would have

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expected, Deanna was wrapped in a soft blue cloth, clutching the fabric to her body, covering her most intimate parts. The artist had captured the exact essence of spirit Gavin talked about. Sweet. Docile. Seductive. All the things Kara would never be. She squinted and crawled up on the mattress, hiking her dress and scooting on her knees toward the headboard to get a closer look. Jaxon shot upright in bed. “My lady. I wasn’t sure you would come. Forgive me for…” He gestured to the rumpled blankets. “Hey,” Kara replied in greeting, trying to pull her gaze away from her mother’s image. Jaxon must have been oblivious to the undercurrents in the room. He had his own worries. “I’m sorry for imposing on you…but I suppose this is where I belong now.” He didn’t seem too happy about it, and Kara couldn’t blame him. He’d been with Lace for over a century. Any other living situation was going to take some getting used to. Kara sat on the edge of the bed, pushing her parents out of her mind until she could be alone. She wasn’t even ready to tell Abbey what she’d discovered. First things first. “I’ll be going home soon, Jaxon. You can stay here until we figure something out.” “I’ll go where you go.” “No, that isn’t necessary. Really.” She put a little too much emphasis on the last word. “I have no place here anymore, and when the men discover you didn’t truly want me, the torment will not end. To be rejected by not one but two females who have chosen me… It won’t go well for me.”


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She scooted a little closer, trying to ignore the clean, masculine scent of him as she wiped at her damp skin. “I have an idea. And after we’re through, no man here will doubt you belong to me in every sense of the word.” His eyes widened. “You want to consummate the bond?” Kara couldn’t help being slightly offended by the lack of enthusiasm in his voice. “No. Not exactly.” “I don’t want to appear ungrateful, my lady, but it’s been a long night. I’m confused.” Kara took a deep breath. “All we need to convince them is your scent on my body, right?” He frowned and seemed to stop breathing for a moment. “If you want me, I’m yours to take. I won’t deny you, mistress.” “Oh, Jaxon, no. I’m not trying to force you to ‘mate’ with me. I don’t want that, and it’s clear you aren’t ready either. But…if you could…” She could barely choke the words out. “If you could maybe…” She grimaced. “Oh, crap. This is harder than I thought.” When she rested her chin in her hand, Jaxon smiled and took her other hand in his. “Tell me, mistress. I’ve never known a Demiáre female who couldn’t speak her mind. You must have led a strange life.” Not nearly as strange as the conversation she was having now. She tamped down her embarrassment, thinking it was nothing compared to what Jaxon would go through if she returned home without taking care of this. “Here.” She reached under her dress and pulled off her panties. “Go into the bathroom and, uh…put your ‘scent’ on them. I’ll wear them back to the village and no one will be the wiser.” “Oh,” he replied. “I see. That is clever.” But the look in his eyes expressed more doubt than encouragement. “That sounds easy enough.”

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Kara stared at Jaxon’s uneasy expression, noting he didn’t so much as twitch a muscle toward the bathroom. “What’s the matter?” He took in a deep, slow breath, as though even speaking took energy he didn’t have. “I’m not sure I would be able to accomplish that tonight. I’ve had a difficult time since…” He glanced down and his face flushed. “The trials she put me through were not…kind.” What had Lace done to this poor man to turn him from a favored lover to a scrap of his former self? “Why did you let her treat you that way, Jaxon? I don’t understand.” “It’s not her fault.” His voice held a hint of defiance. “At your age, young mistress, you can’t fathom what the monotony of the years can do to the mind. Inside, I know she’s still the beautiful woman I loved for over thirteen decades.” Kara leaned back heavily, resting her hand on the smooth silk of the comforter. “Fair enough. I don’t know you. I don’t know her. All I know is if we don’t do this, it will be obvious to everyone that we broke some stupid, sacred law. Right?” He nodded, then stared at Kara for a long moment. “Why do you care what happens to me? Even my own brethren turned me away when Lace cast me out.” Images of her own childhood flitted past her eyes and she didn’t know which was worse—the scrawny girl in the filthy clothes stealing food to eat, the evenings she’d spent sitting on cold porch steps to avoid the fighting and anger inside yet another foster home, or the cruel witches who had made her high school years a living hell. “I know what it’s like to be an outcast. Nobody deserves it.” “Maybe some do.” He swallowed hard. Her nostrils flared. “Yeah, maybe some do. But you’re not one of them.”


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He turned his face to Kara. “You are truly an angel, my lady. But I haven’t got anything left in my body to give.” Kara slid off the bed, pulled the covers back, then crawled underneath the heavy blanket. “Are you mine? Did you tell me I could have you if I wanted you?” Jaxon peered at her like she was a poisoned apple. “I did.” She crawled closer to him, ignoring the heat radiating from his body and the answering fire in her own. This was for him. A good deed. Nothing more. He sucked in a breath when Kara trailed a hand down his naked chest and began massaging his hard abs. “You owe me nothing,” he said. “If the law is broken, it’s my fault for not pleasing my mistress. The blame doesn’t fall to you.” “Shhh,” Kara whispered. Her hand crept lower, her soft palm bumping against the first stirring of his erection. She prayed he wouldn’t fight the pleasure. “Mmmm. You’re so warm.” She took it slow, touching his sensitive skin with the tips of her fingers until she felt him start to harden, then she wrapped her fingers around the base of him and began to stroke. “I feel you coming alive in my hand. You’re so big, Jaxon. So hard.” It wasn’t difficult to infuse her words with desire—it was too damn easy. He swallowed audibly and his large body relaxed into the mattress. “It’s been so long. She hasn’t wanted me in so long,” he whispered. “Tonight you are wanted. I want to feel you in my hands. I want you to come for me.” The sweat moistening Kara’s skin seeped through her thin dress, turning the peach to orange where it clung to her. If it wasn’t for thoughts of Julian still sleeping off his mating rage somewhere nearby, she could imagine taking Jaxon into her mouth and sampling his salty flavor. The juncture of her thighs flooded with her juices when she felt his penis harden completely and the thick veins of

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his shaft stand out from his skin. “Oh, you are magnificent.” She tightened her grip and increased her speed. A low groan broke from his throat. “Your hands are like satin gloves, mistress.” He squeezed his eyes shut and rested his head against the pillow. She leaned over him and used the moisture from her mouth to make him slick. He filled her hands as she pumped her fists over his hard flesh. After a few minutes in her care, he was rocking into her hands, the tight muscles of his abdomen clenching with every thrust. “That’s right, Jaxon. Let go. Feel how much I want you, how much I need you to come for me.” She pressed her knees together, but her clit throbbed. If this was an act to help him along, her body had bought front-row tickets to the show. He groaned again and Kara felt him pulse in her hands. His buttocks clenched as he thrust upward, again and again, until finally, he wrapped his hands tightly around Kara’s and with another strong thrust, moaned his release as liquid pleasure shot from his crown in thick, milky spurts. Kara gloried in it, wanting to rub herself along his ridge and capture his essence between her legs. She felt like she was going crazy, considering mounting a stranger when minutes before she’d been talking him through his pain. She clenched her legs together before she did something stupid and grabbed her panties, using them to clean the thick fluid from her fingers and his muscle-corded thighs. When she finished wiggling into her damp panties and her dress was back in place, Jaxon grabbed her hand, kissed her palm and brought it to rest on his cheek. “Thank you,” he whispered. His voice was sadder than she’d heard it all night, so when she looked into his face, she wasn’t surprised to see silent tears leaking from his eyes. He kissed


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her palm once more then rolled away from her onto his side and pulled the covers up around him. Kara rose from the bed, smoothed out her dress and walked around to the nightstand on Jaxon’s side of the mattress. She took her mother’s journal in one hand and leaned down to kiss his salty, tear-stained cheek. “I can’t imagine how horrible this must be for you, but the humiliation ends tonight. She can’t hurt you anymore.” As sparkling rivulets trailed down his cheeks, she could barely hear him breathe, “The pain is all I have left of her.” Kara smoothed a hand through his hair and stood. It struck her as bizarre to be almost feral in her desire and yet be playing nursemaid to a wounded warrior she barely knew. “I wish you the best, Jaxon. A man as devoted as you deserves nothing less.” She walked in silence to the door and slipped from the room. Before she could even close the door, Gavin was in front of her, wrinkling his nose. “I see your idea came to fruition.” “Shhh. Let’s not talk here. He’ll hear us.” As Gavin had probably heard every word between Jaxon and Kara. “This way,” he replied. He led her down the long hall to the very next door, but when they entered, Kara couldn’t see much. The heavy drapes were drawn and no fires burned to illuminate the dark space. “Well?” he prompted. “It’s done. No one should think twice about him belonging to me now. I have the journal and I’m ready to go home. I just need to check on Julian first.” “Stop worrying, princess. I’ve already received word he’s safe and sound. Aiden has taken care of the most serious concern. Healo will wait to wake him until you’re back home.”

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Kara rubbed her arm and her fingers came back damp. Her knees felt like Jell-O, and the sensitive flesh between her legs was swollen and achy. “I need to talk to him.” That was a lie. She needed him to touch her. To give her a moment’s reprieve from this insane wanting. “Are you really so attached to Julian? Have you chosen him, Kara?” Kara laughed. “Don’t sound so offended, Gavin. I wanted you first, but you didn’t feel the same.” “Is that what you think?” “It’s what I know.” “You saw enough tonight to understand what it means to be Demiáre. I was trying to protect you. I wanted you to be able to choose, instead of letting your biology choose for you. But look at you now. You have the fever, Kara. Julian did this.” “You keep saying that, but at least he wanted me,” she snarled back. Gavin closed the space between them and captured her shoulders. His gaze burned through her, flashing from her lips to her eyes, until he finally trailed one hand up her shoulder and cupped the nape of her neck. “No matter what happens, know that what we shared the night we met meant everything to me, even if it was merely a taste of something I can’t have. I do want you, Kara. Never doubt it.” When he leaned close with a tormented look in his hazel eyes, she reached up on her tiptoes and met him halfway, pressing her lips to his. Gavin’s other hand cupped her ass and pulled her against him, bringing her off her feet to fit his ridge against the groove of her sex. As soon as she felt the hard length of him pushing against her, Kara groaned and hopped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist as he cradled her


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against him. This was wanting. Now she knew. She’d never wanted anyone like she wanted Gavin Cross. She wrapped her arms around his neck and strained into the kiss, plunging her tongue so deep into his sweet mouth he had to breathe her air to breathe at all. She wanted this. For him to breathe for her, live for her. She wanted to possess him. Make him hers. She tilted her pelvis into him, grinding her hips against the hard outline of his desire. It would be so easy to pull the strings of his buckskin pants and free him. She reached down to yank his laces, but he caught her hand. “No,” he said, his voice thick. “Julian’s made his claim on you. He believes his seed may be growing inside you.” His words hit Kara like a bucket of ice water. “What? What are you talking about?” She slid down Gavin’s body to land on her feet and tried to back away, but Gavin grasped her hips and held her to him. “We don’t know how the couplings occurred, but no other man can have you until we determine whether or not you’re with child. Julian may have broken the law to have you, but a sire’s claim supersedes all else.” “What the hell are you talking about, Gavin?” Her blood drained to her extremities. “Any man who has you after Julian made his claim will be put to death.” The room felt like it was tilting sideways. “This can’t be happening.” “It’s not so bad, princess. With you being so young, the couplings were an aberration. I was hoping not even to burden you with the news, because I’m confident nothing will come of it.” When Kara just stared, he continued. “In a matter of weeks, we’ll confirm that you are not carrying Julian’s child, then you can have your pick of any man

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here who isn’t bonded to a female. You can consummate your vow to Jaxon and even pick another warrior if you like. And in the meantime, I have no doubt Julian will offer his services to help you satisfy your urges.” His voice was bitter as he said the last words. She massaged a hand across her forehead, trying to get circulation to her brain again. “Coupling? You mean having sex? I don’t even understand what you’re talking about.” Her and babies? Julian’s child? Gavin looked away, and Kara wished the light were better so she could see him more clearly. Whatever he was telling her was bad. The energy he was throwing off was heavy enough to drown in. “Turn on the light, Gavin.” He flipped a switch and the room was instantly bathed in soft light from the chandelier hanging in the center of the room. “Sit down, Kara.” “What are you not telling me?” “Sit down.” He patted the bed beside him and rested his hands on his knees, but Kara’s feet were frozen to the floor. “Sex is sex,” he began, “but for a Demiáre to conceive there must be a coupling.” “Like, unprotected sex? I’m on the Pill.” “Birth control pills would help—if you were human.” She shook her head in denial. “It doesn’t matter anyway. I’ve never had regular periods.” Gavin’s long breath out and rigid muscles were scaring Kara more than a boogeyman at her window ever could. “What, damn it? Just tell me what’s going on.” “A coupling is when the male expands inside the female and her body captures his, binding her to him while his seed is deposited in her womb. It only happens on the rare occasion that a mature female is in season. I don’t know what it means for you. You’re too young and you have no outward signs of being in season, except for the fever.”


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Kara’s shoulders sank in relief. Thank God. “You’re wrong, Gavin. He never ‘expanded’ in me.” He fisted his hands on his thighs, and the guilt in his expression made her heart lurch. “He did. But he soothed you so you wouldn’t hurt yourself by pulling away.” “Soothed?” Her voice was deadly calm, but the room teetered in her vision. “At times, our females can be violent in their desire. Soothing is something that often has to be done.” The arteries in her neck throbbed in time with her pounding heart. “And he did that to me so I wouldn’t pull away or remember?” “Yes. He should have warned you, but the practice is fairly standard, especially with a younger female during a coupling.” Kara’s lips pulled back from her teeth. “You could have warned me.” “I agree you should have been told what Demiáre mating involved. But he didn’t make you want him. That was all you. He only helped you remain calm. Don’t you see this is why I was in such a hurry to show you the island? I wanted to tell you the truth.” They had used her. Violated her trust—and her body. Kara stepped toward the end table and reached for a vase that looked truly ancient. She drew it above her head and sent it crashing to the floor at Gavin’s feet. “You could have told me before, Gavin! What kind of man are you? How could you allow Julian to couple with me without my consent?” She was shouting so loudly, spittle flew from her mouth. Gavin stood, his nostrils flared. “Oh, you gave your consent—every time you spread your legs for him. You could have demanded protection, but you didn’t. It was no different from having sex with a human without wearing a condom. There are risks!”

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“Except a human doesn’t drug me afterward to make me forget!” “He didn’t drug you, Kara. You have the fever and you aren’t thinking rationally.” “Why are you defending him?” Kara stopped as a horrible thought struck her. She brought her fingers to her lips, but she couldn’t control the tremors in her hands. “Oh my God. You’ve been doing it, too. That’s how you were able to get me to go along with tying up Julian.” Gavin looked away in shame before he finally met her eyes. “You’re behaving like a maltreated human. Calm down and try to see it from our perspective. A crazed female is exactly what I was trying to avoid. When your powers come in, it could be dangerous.” Kara bared her teeth at him, and a deep growl rattled in her chest. “I’ll show you dangerous, you bastard!” He started slowly backing away. “Come on, princess. Don’t blow this out of proportion and do something you’ll regret.” A loud knock sounded on the door. “Mistress?” Jaxon called. “Do you have need of me?” “No.” Gavin’s hands tightened into fists. “Leave us.” “Jaxon, come in,” Kara shouted. The door opened instantly. The previously naked warrior stood in the doorway in black leather pants, and the leather straps across his chest now carried an assortment of knives and throwing stars. Kara could still see the puffy wetness under his eyes. He looked like a man on the edge with nothing to lose. “How may I serve you?” He spoke to Kara, but then turned his glare to Gavin, almost daring him to protest. “You have wings, right?” she asked. Jaxon nodded in response. “Then let’s get the hell off this crazy island.”


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When it came to flying, not all Demiáre were created equal. But on the bright side, Kara learned a lot from Jaxon about how they traveled in the six hours it took to get home. Apparently, even a silver-wing needed to have been to a location before in order to flash there, unless someone bearing their symbol summoned them. It finally made sense to her why the Demiáre wore so many charms around their necks. If they needed to find someone, the pendants were like ancient GPS. But if they’d never visited their destination and didn’t already have someone there to summon them, they were like any other winged creature, flying above the scenery, looking for the right place to touch down. And as for the demibreeds—the wingless black sheep of the family—when it came to supernatural travel, they were screwed. As luck would have it, Jaxon had never been to San Diego, and after they swooped through the square on Mercury Island to give the locals no doubt they’d consummated their vow, he flashed them to a desert oasis in Arizona that he and Lace had last visited fifty years ago. The once-secluded love nest was now a rundown trailer park. The ride home from there was rough. Kara had almost lost her lunch several times before she finally directed the exhausted warrior to her home in the Gaslamp Quarter. The first night, Mr. Pibb was pissed, glaring at Jaxon from under tables and chairs as if the dejected warrior were there to make a catskin coat of him. But by the end of the first week, even Pibby had taken pity on him, bringing Jaxon

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assorted toys to try to get the man interested in living again. If Kara wasn’t so busy hating Gavin Cross and Julian Mercés with every fiber of her being, she might have even asked Jaxon for a ride back to the island where she could beg Gavin to take him back. Her warrior just wasn’t thriving here. “Eat it.” She pushed the plate of scrambled eggs toward him, then brushed the food particles from her dingy robe. He crossed his arms on the table like an obstinate child. “Thank you, mistress. I’m not hungry.” “Don’t argue, my word is your comman—” “Ahht…” He halted her with a finger. “I believe your friend Abbey is on her way up.” “Shit.” Jaxon had way better hearing than Kara and it peeved her to no end. She wondered if his insight had to do with his unique gifts, because she couldn’t figure out how he could hear well enough to distinguish Abbey’s stride. “Are you sure?” But a minute later, she heard it, too, the clomp of heels coming to a stop at her door. “Hurry! Help me get these dishes off the counter.” Abbey pounded out the secret knock and Kara put a finger to her lips. “Shhh. If we don’t answer, maybe she’ll go away.” But not more than five seconds later, a key turned in the lock and Abbey sailed in, her green dress flying like the flag of a conquering nation as she slammed the door behind her. “You’re kidding me! That’s the same robe you were wearing yesterday, Kare-bear—and the day before that.” Kara shrugged. “I’m out of quarters for the laundromat.”


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Abbey sauntered over to the breakfast table. “Then walk down to the corner and get change. This crap has got to stop. You’ve been depressed over your neighbors longer than you knew them.” Kara rolled her eyes. “I’m not depressed. This morning, I even threw out the roses Julian gave me on our first date.” And the irony hadn’t been lost on her. The flippin’ roses had lasted longer than her relationship with him. “Then what’s that?” Abbey pointed to a wilted bud hanging upside down on the kitchen towel rack. “Are you drying it for potpourri?” Kara huffed out an irritated breath. “I should have never told you about them. It probably broke some sacred Demiáre rule or something anyway.” “That it did,” Jaxon agreed, trying not to smile. He always seemed entertained when Abbey was giving Kara grief. “And you, Jaxy…” Abbey turned her green-eyed glare on the warrior, and his smile faded. “Eat something. Your totally smoking-hot bod is wasting away as we speak.” Her eyes raked him with hungry appraisal. “And trust an expert— that’s a damn shame.” Kara threw her hands up. “I’m trying everything to get him to eat more.” Abbey cocked a brow. “You’re the example of healthy living in this house? Showing him how to leave empty pints of ice cream on the coffee table because you can’t be bothered to get up off the couch?” “Is it my fault the building’s owners finally had to hire a real plumber? Those pipes were above my pay grade. And The Hoolecha Inn gave me the week off when I told them I had a fever. You can’t work in a restaurant with a fever, Abbey.” Duh. “Jaxon, tell her what we’ve been doing with the journal.” Jaxon looked from Kara to Abbey. “I am trying to interpret it, but I’m not fluent in the language. It may take some time.”

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“See, we’re swamped. And by the way, I completed three sculptures this week.” She gestured to the uncovered clay models on the shelf. There was plenty of fresh newspaper under them since Gavin hadn’t returned to the apartment since their big fight. But Julian…the stubborn ass wouldn’t leave her alone. “I’m not sure what more you expect me to do.” Abbey made a mock gagging sound. “How about a shower, Princess Stinky. That would be one suggestion for how to spend your time.” Kara cursed Jaxon for letting it slip that she was a princess of sorts. Abbey wasn’t easily impressed. “And as for your sculptures…” Abbey said. Kara followed her gaze to the newest figures in her collection. “All three of those look like sickly green sperm in outer space. It’s time for you to snap out of it.” Kara placed her hands on her hips, wishing she were wearing shoes with a tall heel instead of her fuzzy blue slippers. She hated looking up at Abbey when her friend was on her high horse. “Snakes—not sperm. I’ve been dreaming about them lately. You know I always sculpt what’s on the inside. What you see is how I’m feeling.” “Well, you’d better be feeling more reds and kick-ass colors by tonight because I need you.” Kara cocked her head. “Have you heard something? Is it the woman in the hospital?” “No, she’s still hanging on. The bleeding’s stopped, but they can’t get the wounds to close.” Abbey bit her lip. “Tray called me this morning to tell me there was another attack.” Kara’s hands dropped to hang limply at her sides. “No. The SoCal Rapist?” “Sit down, sweetie.” Abbey let out a deep breath through her nose.


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Kara snorted. Why was everyone always telling her to sit? “Oh, come on. Tell me.” “He killed her.” Abbey’s words sent a shock of chills racing up and down Kara’s spine. “What did you say?” “He carved a different design this time, but it’s in the same spot. It’s him. The SoCal Rapist is now the SoCal Killer.” Kara pressed her shaking hands to her closed eyelids. “Oh my God. What have I done?” She’d been wallowing in misery at home instead of fulfilling her mission, her purpose, out there on the streets. Abbey put a firm hand on Kara’s shoulder. “It’s not your fault. Don’t even go there. But it’s time to catch this bastard. Tray is willing to take any help we can give him off the record. The guy hasn’t left them with any leads. They’re desperate.” Jaxon looked up, real interest flickering in his eyes for the first time in days. “I can help, mistress.” Kara glanced around her filthy living room and back down to Jaxon’s hopeful expression. While she’d been hiding in her apartment, the SoCal Rapist had claimed his first life. “Yeah,” she said to Abbey. “Tonight. We’ll be there.”

Kara wished she’d been reunited with her favorite boots under happier circumstances. At least the shower had been as helpful for clearing her mind as it had been for cleaning the film off her skin. She finished pulling up the zippers of her black boots and went to the living room. Jaxon looked good sitting on the arm of the couch in the jeans and green army jacket Abbey had picked up for him at the thrift store. He had a whole

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wardrobe now of secondhand clothing, but he was so damn big, it had taken all three washing machines in the apartment’s basement-level laundromat to fit the XXL garments. She’d never gotten far enough with Julian to wash his clothes, so she hadn’t realized how many quarters a big man used up. The emptiness that settled in her gut every time she thought of Julian just wouldn’t go away. She was an idiot to ever have believed that she was falling in love with him. Maybe Demiáre weren’t meant for love. “Ready?” she asked Jaxon, clearing a little lump from her throat as she dumped the images of Julian into her mental trash bin where they belonged. “Ready and eager.” He stood and adjusted the weapons under his coat. “Are you sure you’re up for this?” Kara asked. “I think it might be too soon.” The truth was, Jaxon couldn’t even sleep without being in the same bed as Kara, touching some part of her body, even if only his toes to hers. She’d come to find out that most of Lace’s harem slept in groups and Jaxon was finding that change the most difficult of all. But he never made any sexual advances. Kara almost would have preferred it if he had. It would show he still had some zest for life. “I assure you that I’m indeed up for it,” he replied, walking to the door. “Remember, I’m not taking my purse tonight ’cause I don’t want it to slow me down. You have the keys, right?” He sighed. “Yes, mistress.” From his exasperated tone, Kara could tell he wasn’t used to being fussed over. “Good. Keep them in your pocket and lock the door behind you. Just push in the button before you close the door. I know they don’t have many key locks on Mercury Island.”


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“I know how to use a key, my lady.” He was close on her heels as she went out the front door. “I traveled here on my own two wings, not in a time machine from the past.” She heard the click of the lock fall into place behind her. “Well, your island isn’t exactly high-tech. You hadn’t even surfed the internet before.” She walked into the hall—straight into the monolith blocking her path. Kara slammed into Julian’s chest and it sparked the nerve endings over every square inch of his flesh. She stepped back and glared up at him, her long brown hair falling into her eyes. “Get out of my way,” she growled, shaking her sexy hair back into place. Jaxon came to stand behind Kara, so close Julian was sure their bodies were touching. He wanted to be calm, to try once again to make her understand, but the intimate sight of his female and her devoted servant was too much for him. If he had detected Jaxon’s scent anywhere on her, he vowed by Hexa’s hairy ass would have disemboweled the man right there. “Tell Abbey to take down the wards, Kara,” he growled back. “So you can flash into my room again and try some new excuses for why you lied to me? I don’t think so.” “Take down the wards. I can’t protect you like this.” His jaw clenched tight as he looked from Jaxon to Kara. “The only thing I need protection from is you and Gavin.” She looked back at her guard. “Let’s go.” When she tried to step around him, Julian took her by the shoulders. “I need to speak with you.” His voice was rough, but his grip was gentle. He couldn’t help leaning in to inhale her fragrance.

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In the time it took her to suck in a quick breath, Kara’s face flushed, her cheeks and lips heating under the thin veil of makeup. Her nipples pebbled under her long-sleeved purple shirt. “Don’t touch me.” Julian could see her forehead moisten in the stark florescent lighting of the hall. “Look at you, love. Your body wants its bonded mate.” Her brown eyes flashed. “I’m barely over the fever, you bastard. You could have told me you were hooking me like some crack-head addict.” His fingers curled into her upper arms. He couldn’t release her if his life depended on it. The wild beat of his heart made him feel almost lightheaded, and all he wanted to do was drink in the sight and scent of his woman. “I never intended to hurt you. You have to know that. I love you.” Kara pulled her head back, trying to put distance between them. “That’s your lust talking. People don’t fall in love that fast, Julian—no matter how good the sex is.” “I’ve had a thousand years to figure out how I feel and what I want. I want you, Kara.” “As if that makes all the lies better.” Her eyes narrowed to slits. “I can’t throw you out of this apartment building without getting the owner involved, but I can ask you not to darken my doorstep again. I don’t do second chances.” She pulled back in earnest then, and he had to release her. When she stepped past him this time, Jaxon followed. “Why are you dressed for an evening out?” Julian demanded, watching her hips sway in her tight black jeans as she sauntered down the hall. When she didn’t answer, he followed them behind them. “Jaxon, where is your mistress heading?” Jaxon looked back over his shoulder with a smile. “I think they call it a ‘hunting trip’, my lord.”


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“You’re walking the streets tonight with your witch friend?” The rush of blood in Julian’s ears sounded like the crash of waves against the cliffs. “I forbid it!” Kara whirled around, her eyebrows cocked over wild eyes. “Excuse me?” He squared his shoulders. “Until it’s proven whether or not you carry my child, I forbid you to put your life, or the child’s, in danger. I make a sire’s claim.” He couldn’t help the smirk curving his lips. If she wouldn’t listen to his heart, then she could damn well listen to the law. She bit her lip and cocked her head. “A sire’s claim…hmmm. Nope. Haven’t heard of it.” She spun around and started walking. “So, anyways, like I was saying,” Kara said in a loud voice, glancing at Jaxon beside her. “I’m saving up for a car. We won’t have to walk forever.” “Walking has never bothered me, my lady. But…” he grinned, “…I wouldn’t mind learning to drive.” A deep rumble filled the night air, coming from behind them. The damn growling was getting on her nerves. “So, if Julian’s screened but I throw a rock at him, will he still feel it?” Jaxon laughed. “The term is veiled, mistress. And yes. So long as he doesn’t flash before it hits him.” “Traitor,” said Julian’s disembodied voice. “Sorry, my lord. You can see I’m in a difficult position,” Jaxon replied to the night. But he didn’t sound sorry. He sounded like he was having fun for the first time since Kara had met him. “You really like the idea of a good fight, don’t you, Jaxy?”

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“It’s what I was born to do. As part of a harem, our first priority is to protect our lady, but the battles never seem to be in defense of her. Rather, one is always fighting to keep his place by her side.” Kara shook her head. “That sucks.” He nodded. “It sucks very much.” “Well, those days are over for you. You can stay with me as long as you need to. But we’re going to have to think about you getting a job. If you ever get an appetite, I won’t be able to cover the groceries.” “My job is to protect you. If we need money, I can sell some of the bounty I’ve collected over the years.” Then his brows shot up, as though he’d had a brilliant idea. “We could order the ‘gold kit’ I saw on the television. At the price they offer, a handful of bullion should feed us for a year.” Kara was pretty sure Julian was growling now just to annoy her. He was like a damn cat whose purr was broken. “That’s sweet, Jaxon, but I don’t need your money or your protection. I’ve always been able to take care of myself. I’m supposed to be helping you out, remember?” Jaxon frowned. “Is that how you see it, mistress? As charity for an unwanted warrior?” The red flags went up in Kara’s mind and she knew she had to tread carefully. “Of course not. Look at what you’ve already done for me. I mean, who else was going to teach me how to resist Demiáre soothing? Not Julian or Gavin—obviously,” she said a little louder than she needed to. “And you’ve taught me about flying. And really stupid Demiáre laws. And more than I ever wanted to know about sex in a harem. How many have you been in, anyway?” “Harems? This is my second. Lace’s was my first.” Kara gasped when Julian exploded into existence not two feet in front of her, his fangs already snapped down. But he wasn’t looking at her, he was looking at


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Jaxon like he wanted to gnaw him down to pulp. “The only reason you’re alive is because Gavin assures me you and my woman didn’t consummate your vow. But make no mistake, you are not in her harem. She doesn’t have a harem. You are nothing more than a servant here.” Maybe Kara was getting sick of walking, or maybe the whole thing with Julian was bringing out her inner bitch, but either way, she surprised even herself when she shot back, “Oh yes, I do have a harem. You’re looking at it, asshole.” She reached up to squeeze Jaxon’s thick arm, showing him off like a prime piece of meat. Julian huffed out a breath, looking like he’d swallowed something foul, then he spun around and kept walking as though he were in the lead. “You’re pushing me too far, love.” “I’d push you right out of my way if I could.” Kara pointed silently to the street sign for Jaxon’s benefit, so he’d know they needed to turn at the next corner to get to the bar. She snickered when Julian kept walking. “But it looks like I won’t have to. We’re obviously not going to the same place.” Julian cursed and caught up with them as an impatient Abbey poked her head out the front door of the bar. “There you are, Kara. Jaxy,” she acknowledged, giving him a sexy grin. She turned to Julian. “Who’s this?” Kara rolled her eyes and mumbled, “Abbey Sellers, Julian Mercés, Julian— Abbey.” “This is Julian?” Abbey asked, eyes wide. She gave him a quick, thorough appraisal. “He’s hot. He’s like eastern-European underwear-model hot. This is the guy you wanted me to ward out of your bedroom? We seriously need to get your head examined.” Julian’s face broke into a wide grin. He leaned down and kissed the top of Abbey’s hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Abbey. You’re a good friend to Kara, and

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you obviously have excellent taste in men. She should listen to your wise words.” “Oh, no,” Abbey countered, apparently rethinking her statement. “It’s nice to meet you, but I’m not getting in the middle of this. We have at least a half-hour to kill before Tray gets here. Come on, Jaxy, show me how you dance.” “Do you dance?” Kara asked. She didn’t want to subject him to too much too soon. He shrugged. “I can try, if you don’t need me.” He glanced at Julian, looking unsure if he should leave them alone. She wouldn’t let fear of being alone with Julian dictate their night. “Go. Have fun. If we’re lucky, we’ll be busy later catching a killer.” Without another word, Abbey grinned, took Jaxon’s hand and pulled him inside. Kara went to follow, but Julian put a hand on her arm. She looked up into his eyes and their gazes locked. “This is getting old, Julian. Blocking my path and manhandling me is not going to help your cause.” He lifted his hands and leaned back. “What would help my cause?” “Nothing.” “I never meant to deceive you. I just didn’t want you to run before you understood that what was happening between us was a miracle, Kara. A sign we were meant to be.” The night air brought his essence to her on the breeze, and as his scent wafted into her nostrils, her belly clenched with need. “No,” she said, more to herself than to him. “I won’t fall for this again. It isn’t real.” “Keep telling yourself that. I’ll still be here when you realize you’re wrong.” She glanced at her watch. “Are you aware that you are a major pain in the ass to get rid of?” When he only smiled, she shook her head in defeat. “Let’s sit down in the bar. Tray is going to be a little while longer.”


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Julian nodded and followed Kara to a tall table where Abbey’s sweater and Jaxon’s jacket were draped over two of the four ladder-back barstools. The air was thick with artificial fog, creeping low from the flashing lights of the dance floor to the bottoms of the tables. She caught herself wishing she could take a deep breath against Julian’s skin to cleanse her lungs. The music was almost too loud for beings with exceptional hearing, but it was nice not to have to worry about being overheard. They sat as a server appeared with a tray of four drinks. Four drinks? Had Abbey known Kara was going to invite Julian to stay?

Once Kara was seated, she searched the crowd. Jaxon was easy to spot at his height, even hunched close to Abbey as they ground together in time to the beat. Kara blinked and mumbled to herself, “I guess he does know how to dance, after all.” Julian’s lips pressed into a tight line. “He was in a harem for a hundred and thirty-three years. I doubt there’s much he doesn’t know.” She bit her lip and regarded her warrior thoughtfully. “Hmmm.” “What does that mean?” “It means, ‘hmm’. It’s interesting, that’s all. Don’t play the offended boyfriend, please. I’m still trying to digest my dinner.” Julian’s hands fisted on the table. “I see talking isn’t going to get through to you. You’re not leaving me many options, love.” “Oh, I’m sorry I’m making this tough on you, Jules. I usually roll over and giggle when someone I care about stabs me in the back.” “Yes, I think you will roll over next time.”

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“What?” Kara shifted in her seat to lock eyes with him. “What are you talking about?” “I’ve been trying to get through to you like a human, but the next time I come to you, it will be as a mate. And, Kara—” the low seduction in his voice made her knees weak, “—I can promise you one thing—you are going to beg me to take you.” She swallowed down the moisture pooling in her mouth. “That’s not going to happen.” “Really?” “Nope,” she promised, but the way his shiny black hair caught the lights made her want to reach out and touch him to be sure he was real. He smiled. “You think you can resist me?” “Absolutely.” “Then dance with me.” He stood and offered her his hand. “Hell, no. I don’t even want to touch you.” Okay, maybe that was a lie. “The only reason you’re here is because I don’t know how to get you to go away. Throwing things at you when you flashed into my bedroom didn’t work—all I did was break a picture frame when you disappeared. You owe me for that frame, by the way.” He stepped closer, still extending his hand. “You don’t want to touch me because your body craves mine. If it’s not true, prove it.” When she hesitated, he said, “It’s almost sad, thinking about how a will as strong as yours is going to cave the next time you’re alone with me. I’ll almost feel sorry for you when I’m buried in your warm flesh and you have to admit you’ve always wanted me. You say Jaxon showed you how to resist soothing, so what will your excuse be next time?”


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Kara slapped her hand into his. “Game on, you sorry sack. Let’s see who’s going to be walking around tonight with blue balls and who’s going to be totally fine.” Julian grinned and pulled Kara to the thrumming dance floor. As soon as his hands touched her back, her damned body prickled all over with a sensation she hadn’t felt for days. She began to doubt herself when the telltale mist sprang up on her skin. But if her bargain went south, she could always knee him in the groin and take her revenge that way. The loud thump of the drums reverberated in Kara’s bones and made her want to move. Even standing across from the man she both wanted and hated, the man who had dared her to prove her indifference, she couldn’t help herself when her hips started swaying in time with the beat. On the dance floor, Kara was drowning in the scents of sweat and arousal, but she also detected the underlying stench of anxiety from the occasional young man trying to muster his courage to approach an available woman. She thought dating shouldn’t have to be so complicated, that if you wanted someone you should be able to tell them and see where it led. But look where that had gotten her. Her love life was worse than a disaster. Gavin was missing in action, and the only man she’d ever allowed to come inside her had mind-fucked her. She couldn’t even conceive of the fact she could be carrying his child. She didn’t know what being a pregnant Demiáre felt like, but she was pretty damn sure this wasn’t it. She sucked in a breath and tried not to step back when Julian edged closer. “I’m sorry, Kara. Does this bother you?” He reached down and dragged his fingers across her hips. “I thought you said my touch doesn’t affect you anymore?”

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“Humph,” she snorted, trying not to look into his smoldering eyes or notice the way his black T-shirt clung to his hard abs as he moved. Hell, he could make money as a dancer if being a lord didn’t work out. A gyrating couple bumped her from behind and sent her another inch closer to Julian’s broad chest. He steadied her with one hand. “Kara?” Damn it. She couldn’t want him. She refused to allow her body to yearn for him like a dog staring into a butcher shop window. “I’m fine.” But she wasn’t really fine. After days of getting Julian out of her system under Jaxon’s care, her nipples were as hard as stones, straining toward his touch, and her panties were growing damper by the second. She swallowed and risked a glance at his hand, wondering if she would still have to concede defeat if he used only his fingers to rub out the ache building between her thighs. He leaned his big frame down to whisper in her ear, “I can smell your arousal.” His breath was like a warm Santa Ana wind on the sensitive rim of her ear and she tilted her head toward his mouth for more attention. He chuckled and flicked his tongue out, licking the ridges of her ear before pulling the lobe into his mouth and suckling it. Kara’s knees almost buckled, but it was the thing she needed to shock her out of her desire-induced stupor. She pushed out at his chest. “Asshole. That’s not fair.” His eyes glinted like polished flint. “What’s not fair is how wet you are right now. For me. And yet you deny us both what we need.” She had to stand firm against falling for him again, but her body’s call was so strong, it was like trying to resist pure animal instinct. Rationally, it made no sense, but biologically, he was her perfect match. His tall, strong body was made to join with hers. Kara undulated closer to the bulge in his pants, needing beyond all reason to feel his arousal stroking the swollen, achy bud between her legs.


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He gripped her hips and pulled her closer, rubbing his length against the seam of her jeans. “Mmmm,” he growled. A few more lunges and she would have an orgasm right there on the dance floor. “Come with me,” he said, taking her hand. She pulled back. “What you did was wrong.” But she really wasn’t sure she cared anymore. She missed Julian so much it felt like her insides had been scraped clean and emptied. “I understand you were raised with humans and you think I betrayed you, but you’ve punished me enough with your silence. I’d rather you take your retribution on my flesh.” Lust shot through her as images of a bound Julian raged in her mind. Did she want to punish him like that? Her slick skin cried out for his touch. “Where do you want to take me?” “Here and now if I have to.” She squinted her eyes at his taunt. “No, I meant—” Suddenly, Kara caught sight of a familiar face at the edge of her vision. She glanced back to see Tray standing at the door, dressed in black slacks and a white dress shirt, as if he’d left his tie and jacket in the car and come straight from work. He flashed a badge at the man checking IDs and stamping hands, then pushed past the bouncer and scanned the room. Kara’s gaze flew to Abbey and Jaxon, rubbing against each other on the dance floor like they were grinding wheat between their pelvises. “Oh, shit.”

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“What?” Julian tensed. “You have to go. If Tray sees Abbey with Jaxon, he’s going to kick his ass. I’ll tell him Jaxon’s with me.” “A human against a Demiáre? Let him try it. It’ll be fun to watch.” “Just go. Please.” He cupped her cheeks and kissed her. “I’ll give you one hour to wrap up your business with the officer while I make arrangements for us.” “You sure are cocky for a guy who’s on my shit list.” “That’s because, my love…” He nipped her lower lip and followed with another kiss. “What I have planned for you, you won’t be able to resist.” She snorted, already spinning toward Jaxon and Abbey. “I’m stronger than I look.” When I’m not looking forward to giving in. She flung herself at Jaxon at the exact moment Tray came shoving through the crowd. “Who the hell is this?” Tray hissed, the veins in his neck protruding from his skin. Jaxon stiffened and turned toward Tray. Kara smiled and threw her arm around Jaxon’s waist. “Thanks for watching him for me, Abbs. The line in the bathroom was out the door.” Abbey froze for a beat, as if she wasn’t sure what to do about her ex catching her dry-humping a guy on the dance floor. “You’re early,” she said to Tray. “Yeah.” He glared at Abbey like she’d taken out his heart and fed it through a woodchipper. “I didn’t go home to change. Never know what I’ll find when I show up early to your party, Abbey.”

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“Tray…” Kara pulled Jaxon close. “This is Jaxon—my boyfriend.” When the warrior looked down at her, she reached up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the lips. Jaxon’s clouded eyes searched hers for a fraction of a second, then he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and offered Tray a close-lipped smile. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. Any friend of Kara’s is a friend of mine.” With one arm practically squeezing the life out of Kara, Jaxon thrust his other hand out to Tray. Tray glanced back and forth between Kara and Jaxon, and the tension in his shoulders eased. He reached out and took Jaxon’s hand in a firm grip. “I guess you were the guy who drove Kara to the hospital the other night. Nice to finally meet you.” Then he pinned Kara with a playfully accusing stare. “I didn’t know it was getting serious.” Abbey snickered, fighting to keep a straight face. “Yeah, well, when you meet the right one, you just know. Jaxon moved in with Kara last week.” Tray’s eye widened. “Wow. Congratulations, you two.” “Thanks.” Kara plastered on a fake grin. “You’re a lucky man.” Tray smiled at Jaxon. “I never thought our Kare-bear would settle down. You better treat her right.” Jaxon leaned down to press a quick kiss to Kara’s temple. “She’s an angel. And I plan to treat her as such.” Tray’s eyes narrowed. “Where’s your accent from? I can’t place it.” “I…” Jaxon frowned. “Oh, honey, let me tell it,” Kara interjected. Jaxon gave her shoulder an encouraging squeeze. “By all means, mistre—my sweet.”

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“Jaxon is American, but he grew up in…South Africa. And went to school in…the Cayman Islands. He has the cutest accent, doesn’t he? Faint, but unique.” Tray seemed unimpressed. “Yeah. Cute. Well, we should find a table. I have the photo I promised you, Kara, but I can’t show it around in public like this.” He still avoided looking at Abbey. Kara took Jaxon’s hand and tugged him toward the table where their drinks waited. “Over here, Tray.” She scooted onto the barstool and sat Jaxon next to her. “Do you want anything to drink?” Tray frowned. “No, thanks. I’m still working. And you know—” “Oh Lord, here it comes.” Abbey sighed dramatically. “If you already know what I’m going to say, then you know better than to leave your drinks unattended while you dance. Anyone could walk by and put something in your drink, Abbey.” “That’s what I have Kara for. She has a nose like a bloodhound.” Abbey picked up her drink and held it out to Kara. Kara sniffed the strawberry margarita and smiled. “You’re safe. And they’re skimping on the tequila, by the way. It smells like a watered-down slushy from the local convenience store.” Abbey pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. “I thought so. I need you to check my drinks before we dance next time.” “You got it. And Grammy D didn’t think any good would come out of me working the bar at The Hoolecha Inn,” Kara teased. “How could I smell your drinks without all those hours of training?” But Abbey wasn’t really listening. She looked peeved. “That ass-hat bartender was probably flirting with me so I wouldn’t notice his sleight of hand.” Jaxon shook his head. “He was flirting with you because you are as beautiful as a fresh-cut rose.”


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Tray snorted, glancing away. “Yeah, that and you picked another cheap-ass bar with no cover charge. What do you expect for three-dollar you-call-it drink night?” Jaxon was looking at Abbey in a way that set Kara’s warning bells on full jingle. When he opened his mouth again, no doubt to spout off about how Abbey smelled sweeter than honeysuckle or some other crap, Kara grabbed his knee and squeezed. Jaxon stifled a surprised yelp and turned quickly toward Kara. “Yes?” “Uh…can you go get me another drink, sweetie?” He nodded in response. “Of course…my sweet.” His grimace at his new pet name for Kara was obvious enough for the whole bar to see. “I’ll need money.” Kara fished through the cash in her pocket and gave him four bucks. “That should do it. Mr. Ass-hat doesn’t need a big tip.” She handed him the money, then leveled an impatient glare at him when he didn’t move. Jaxon raised his eyebrows in retaliation. “What type of drink would you prefer?” “Oh. Uh…virgin berry daiquiri.” Tray was watching them with interest, so when Jaxon turned, Kara gave him a firm slap on the rump. “Thanks, baby.” Jaxon cleared his throat and cast her a look over his shoulder before striding away. “You know, you look a little clammy,” Tray said when Jaxon stepped into the crowd milling around the bar. “Are you feeling okay?” Kara blotted her forehead with a napkin and cursed her reaction to Julian. “Never been better. So where’s the picture?” Tray slid a large color photo from a manila envelope, then held on to it, seemingly unsure if he should hand it over. “I could get fired for this.”

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“Come on, Officer Oaks.” Abbey ran her slim fingers down his arm until her hand came to rest over his. “We know you need our help or you wouldn’t be here. Unless—” she smiled and leaned closer to Tray, “—you came to see me?” Tray gripped her hand and placed it on the table. “If you’re still looking for a threesome, it looks like Jaxon might want to include you in what he and Kara have going on.” Abbey and Kara gasped in unison. “Ewww. Not with my Kare-bear!” Abbey exclaimed. “Hey, Officer Asshole, that’s my boyfriend you’re talking about!” Kara hoped her acting skills were up to par, because she had to agree that Jaxon looked like he wanted something more with Abbey than the toe-to-toe contact he shared in bed with Kara. “Show me the photo, Tray.” Tray pushed the glossy paper toward Kara and flipped it over. Kara was careful not to show a visible reaction to what she saw. She liked to think of herself as a professional of sorts and wanted Tray to see her that way, too. Abbey had no such aspirations. She whimpered and her head listed to the side. “Oooh. That’s not right.” Tray frowned as if he was fighting with himself, then stood and walked over to Abbey’s stool. He took her red head in his hands and leaned her cheek against his broad chest. “Shhh. I’m sorry, babe. I know how you hate the gruesome stuff.” He ran a hand over her hair and tilted his chin down to rest on her head. “Try to block it out.” Kara could see Abbey’s grimace slowly turn into a Cheshire cat smile. Abbey buried her head deeper in Tray’s shirt and linked her hands behind his back. “Just hold me for a while, please. I need to give my stomach a minute to calm down.”


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Kara almost rolled her eyes but held off for her best friend’s sake. Abbey was in ecstasy. “The sun is the same carving as last time.” Kara pointed to the curved lines coming off the circle. “But it looks like he added a…dagger down the middle.” “Yeah, a knife,” Tray said over Abbey’s head. “That’s what it looks like to me, too. Does it mean anything to you?” Jaxon returned with Kara’s drink and set it in front of her. His face was a stiff mask, showing no expression as he glanced over at Abbey’s bowed head and Tray’s hand smoothing back her hair. “Is Abigail ill?” “She doesn’t like blood, or even pictures of blood,” Kara explained. “She’s always been that way.” Jaxon nodded approvingly. “She’s delicate.” “Yeah, like a flower.” Tray pulled Abbey closer still, like he could keep the rest of the world from noticing how beautiful she was. Jaxon glanced down at the photo of the dead woman’s lower half, and his brow wrinkled. “What do you have there?” Tray jarred Abbey’s head when he quickly reached out for the picture, but Abbey squeaked and clung tight. “You don’t need to worry about it, Jaxon. That’s something between Kara and me.” “Jaxon knows everything about me, Tray.” Even more about Kara’s species than Kara herself. “We don’t have to hide things from him.” “Fine.” Tray smacked the picture back down on the table. “Does it mean anything to you? Can you like…I don’t know…touch it and tell me something about the guy who did it?” Kara rolled her eyes, but she felt bad. “Where are you getting these ideas? Too much TV?”

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Tray let out a deep sigh. “Well, what can you do? We’re neck deep in a shitstorm and sinking.” Kara glanced over at Jaxon, surprised to see him studying the photo so closely. “What is it? Do you recognize something?” Even Abbey peeked up from her spot on Tray’s chest to see what was going on. “No,” Jaxon said with finality—too much finality to put Kara at ease. “I’ve never seen this mark before.” “Shit,” Tray ground out. “I can’t believe I’m asking this. Can you walk tonight, Kara? We could start in the area where the women have been attacked, at say…midnight? Abbey and I could follow you in my car. Maybe you’ll pick up on something that way.” “No.” Jaxon’s booming voice drew the attention of the surrounding tables even through the haze of loud music. When Kara turned to him with wide eyes, he softened. “Please. Not tonight. It isn’t safe.” Kara laughed. Since when had hunting been safe? “It’s part of the job description, Jaxy. Abbey and I know what we’re doing.” Jaxon mumbled something under his breath, but Kara ignored him. It seemed her warrior could mother hen as well as she could. “Of course I’ll help you, Tray. I was going out there tonight anyway.” Tray exhaled a breath he’d been holding and nodded. “Thank you. And don’t worry, we’ll keep an eye on you.” Jaxon clenched his teeth and he shook his head. “As if you could. You don’t know what you are asking her to do.” Tray squared his shoulders, but he didn’t look very fierce with a greenaround-the-gills redhead glued to him. “I’ve known Kara a lot longer than you have. Who do you think you are?” “I’m the man who will have to protect her when you fail.”


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Kara scooted out of her stool, not liking the feeling of sitting on her ass when two burly men were starting to get pissy. “Hey, guys. Calm down.” She put a hand on Jaxon’s arm. “Two things you both should know. One, I’ve never needed anyone to protect me. I know how to handle myself.” Why was she constantly trying to prove that to the men in her life? “And two, Tray…Jaxon is like me. My kind. He knows what he’s talking about.” Tray frowned and leaned in, lowering his voice. “What do you mean your kind? Another witch?” Kara gave him a weak, lopsided grin. “Yeah. Something like that.” Tray groaned. “How could this shit get any crazier?” Abbey picked her head up and leaned against the wooden backrest of her barstool. “Oh, trust me.” She glanced down at the photo. “If we don’t get this nutcase, I don’t think we’ve seen the tip of the crazy iceberg.” Kara nodded. “She’s right. We’ll see you at midnight. You can pick Jaxon and me up at Abbey’s house. We’ll leave from there.” “Do you need a ride over there now?” Tray asked. “I can fit all three of you in my car.” Kara was still mulling something over in her mind. “Are you ready to leave, Abbs?” Abbey nodded. “Yeah. I’m done here.” “Good. Tray can give you a ride home—maybe even wait with you there for a couple of hours.” “You’re not coming?” Abbey asked. “No. Jaxon and I need some time alone together.” Jaxon eyed her dubiously, but it was Tray who spoke up, his voice low in warning. “Kara, you aren’t trying to get me and Abbey alone, are you?”

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“Of course not,” Kara protested, but Abbey’s secret smile suggested she thought Kara was doing just that—and she approved. “Jaxon and I have things to do.” Tray slipped the photo back in the envelope and dragged his keys from his pocket. “All right. We’ll see you at midnight. Don’t be late.” Abbey grabbed her sweater and rose from her barstool perch as though even the most heinous crime scene wouldn’t bother her now. She practically glowed. “I’m ready.” Kara smiled as the two walked out of the bar. When Abbey tried to clutch Tray’s hand, he slipped his hands in his pockets. As soon as they were gone, Kara turned to Jaxon and her smile vanished. “What the hell was that?” Jaxon rocked back and put a hand to his chest. “I don’t see that I did anything wrong, mistress. Abigail’s a beautiful woman, she’s not committed to a man and your attentions lie elsewhere. Indeed, a witch may be the perfect companion for me. You still have my vow. That will never change.” Kara narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m not talking about your love life, Jaxon.” “Then what’ve you taken issue with?” “The picture. What are you not telling me?” Jaxon sat heavy on the stool and took a long swallow of his bourbon and Coke. “I’ve never seen that exact design.” “But…” Kara prodded, plopping down in the stool beside him. She knew he was holding back. He put his drink down and looked Kara in the eye. “But it has the makings of the symbol of Brakken.” She’d never heard of the symbol of Brakken, but her heart thudded at the serious look on Jaxon’s face. “Oh, wait. You mean like, ‘by Brakken’s bow’,” she


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mimicked in a low voice, remembering the island’s captain of patrol using the phrase. Jaxon nodded and leaned close. Pulling her hair away from her ear, he whispered, “It’s best not to say the name, mistress. If he is near, we’ll need to travel as fast and far as my wings can carry us.” Kara pulled away, still too turned on by Julian to tolerate a handsome man breathing in her ear. She wasn’t sure if the chills along her spine were from fear or need. “Why? Who is he?” Jaxon laid his army jacket across his thighs. “He’s a powerful Aniliáre— almost a phantom. He rarely travels from the Shadowland, but when he does, it’s never a good thing.” He took another swallow of his drink. “And if it is him, can you beat him?” Jaxon choked on his bourbon and set the cup down. “No. I cannot. But perhaps we’re jumping ahead of ourselves. A dagger in the sun is only two of the three markings of Brak—of his symbol.” “What’s the third?” “A serpent winding around the blade of the dagger.” Her jaw dropped. “A snake?” “Your sculptures…” he said. Then he shook his head. “We mustn’t jump to conclusions.” “So you can’t be sure it’s him?” “No. There’s no reason the Aniliáre king should terrorize your city. Though it’s been said…” Kara squeezed her hands into fists. “What? Say it.” Jaxon frowned. “It’s been said he does like to mark what belongs to him.” “Oh shit.” Kara almost melted into her seat.

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“Don’t waste your worry. What I saw tonight wasn’t his symbol, only something that resembled a piece of it.” She glared at Jaxon with raised brows. “Yes, but this guy has drawn two symbols on two victims. What if the he completes the mark on a third?” Shoulders tense, Jaxon exhaled a loud breath. “Allow me to look into it before we venture out tonight. If there are signs of Aniliáre in your city, we’ll be gone before sunrise.” “I’m not leaving my home, Jaxon. I have a life here.” “Stubborn woman,” he muttered at his empty glass before glancing at Kara. “Have you sensed anything different on your walks?” “Different? I don’t even know what an Aniliáre looks like.” “They look like nothing at all if they choose not to be seen. But in their true form, we call them black-wings. They might look like Demiáre to you, but they are infinity more powerful. Fallen angels. Spirits given flesh.” “Black-wings?” Kara thought she was going to be sick. Visions of erotic dreams and a black feather under her bed had her head spinning. “Can they come into your dreams?” “There isn’t much they can’t do.” “No.” Kara put her head in her hands, her elbows sticking to the surface of the table. How was it possible? “Tell me, mistress.” “I think I have your proof.” She sat up and her cheeks heated. “I’ve been having strange dreams—okay, erotic dreams. I can’t see his face, but he has dark wings. And I found a black feather under my bed.” Jaxon’s eyes widened. “It’s you, then. He’s come for you.” “Me? No. This isn’t about me.” She shook her head vehemently as though her denial made it less true. “These attacks can’t be linked to me.”


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“What other reason would an Aniliáre king have for leaving the Shadowland but for a prize like you?” Kara inwardly groaned. “Well, if that’s his way of getting my attention, he has it. How do we kill him?” “The Aniliáre are less powerful on Earth than in their own realm, but still, you can’t kill spirit clothed in flesh.” “That can’t be true. Gavin told me my father was dead so it must be possible for Bra—him.” Jaxon shrugged. “Death might be easier for you to understand, but technically, the best we could hope for would be to send him into the Abyss.” “Okay. How?” “Neither you nor I have the ability. If Brakken has you in his sights, we need to flee. Tonight.” “I’m not hiding.” “For a time. Not forever. Just until he loses interest in the game he’s playing. Think, mistress. If he’s here for you, your leaving will distance him from those you love.” “What about Gavin and Julian? I know they would help us. They said my father sent them to look out for me. Would the four of us be enough against him?” “The Mercury Lords are strong. Their strength is one of the reasons they maintain order on an island of Demiáre. But when all is said and done, we are the lesser species.” Disturbing images flashed through Kara’s mind. Visions of the men she cared for being carved and torn apart by a phantom, a faceless black-wing. Regardless of how angry she’d been with Julian and Gavin, she would never put

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them in danger. “Oh crap, Jaxy. You’re the only thing making sense in this screwed-up thing called my life.” He reached into her lap and squeezed her hand. “You’re a prudent woman. We can go now. I’ll flash you somewhere where no one will ever think to look— except perhaps Lace.” Kara made a face. “A used love nest, huh?” “Sadly, not used in a very long time. The important thing is that you will be safe.” Leave San Diego? Leave Abbey with Mr. Pibb? What kind of kinky sex would he be witness to? And what about the fact Kara’s heart still ached for her sexy neighbors, regardless of how they’d played her? “I have an appointment with Julian. I can’t even consider going without seeing him first.” Kara glanced at her watch. An hour had come and gone. Jaxon tensed. “Have your appointment, then. I nursed you through the fever once and I can do it again. But promise me this…don’t mention the name of the symbol. If the lords haven’t suspected him yet, we don’t want to give them a reason to go looking.” “I don’t know if I can do this. How can I not tell them what we’re planning? How can I not say goodbye?” “I’m your servant and I have your best interest first in my heart, but I made vows long before we met. Vows to protect my lords.” “But…” He put a hand to her cheek and turned her to face him. “Have I ever lied to you? Who told you of truths the others hid from you? Who pledged his loyalty to you above all else?” Kara sighed. “You.”


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Jaxon smiled and kissed her cheek. “Then give me your trust. You are my angel. Have your fun, and I’ll meet you at Abigail’s at midnight. We’ll tell her you’re taking a trip. We’ll warn her and her officer friend to stay off the streets.” “And don’t forget to take Mr. Pibb with you. We have to drop off Pibby and his stuff.” The thought made her eyes go misty. “Yes. Just for a time.” Jaxon unfastened the cord around his neck. Its silver moon charm sparkled even in the dim lighting of the bar. “Take this. Wear it. I can find you if I need to, even if I’ve never before traveled to the place. Do you agree to bear my symbol?” “Sure,” Kara said without much thought, putting the thick necklace on and clasping it. “Will Abbey be okay?” “She can ward her home. That should help if anything’s taken an interest in her. My priority is to protect you, but I wouldn’t allow her to suffer for it.” He dropped his forehead to Kara’s and closed his eyes. She knew it was a platonic gesture, but he smelled damn good. Her warrior liked to comfort with physical touch, and she couldn’t say she minded under the circumstances. “All will be well, mistress.” “Don’t go all soft on me,” she teased. She could sense the fierce loyalty in him, and it unwound the tension in her gut. She cupped his face and closed her eyes to mirror his reassuring gesture. “Lace is an idiot. You’re the catch of the century, Jaxy, and your friendship means the world to me.” She squeezed his cheeks one last time and sat back. “Your hour is up,” said a deep voice from the other side of the table.

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Kara’s gaze flashed to Julian. He was so handsome, he took her breath away. Instantly, her nipples hardened and her skin broke out in goose bumps. She glanced at her watch and bit her lip. “So it is.” “Ah, Jaxon, I see you gave your mistress a trinket.” Julian’s eyes were glued to the pendant on Kara’s neck, and he looked pissed. “I did,” Jaxon agreed. “And she accepted it?” “Yes.” When Kara stood, Jaxon grabbed her hand and shot her a questioning look. She leaned down and whispered in his ear, “What we talked about…I promise. See you at midnight.” “Come.” Julian didn’t waste time saying goodbye to Jaxon. He turned and pulled Kara down the hall and through the door to the women’s restroom. Even Kara’s hormone-steeped brain twinged in warning when they walked in on two women applying lipstick in the mirror and another washing her hands in the sink. “Julian?” Kara didn’t need to say anything else—the what the hell? was in her voice. Julian looked to the three surprised women and Kara felt a soft power waft from him, like a flower-scented spring breeze. “Ladies, you need to leave now and you’ll not remember you saw us here.” The one washing her hands left the

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water running and her palms soapy as she slowly walked toward the exit. The others closed their purses and followed her out. Kara’s face scrunched in indignation as she walked over and turned off the faucet. “Is that how easy it is to mind-fuck us women?” She’d never seen it before, but it reminded her of what she did when she and Abbey went hunting. Maybe the herbs had nothing to do with her powers of persuasion after all. Julian followed her, his black eyes burning with lust, and pressed her lower back to the marble countertop. “Human women. Not the same with Demiáre. But that’s not really the type of fucking we’re here to talk about, is it?” Her chin tilted up at his challenge, then she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his lips down to hers. He came willingly, thrusting his tongue into her mouth. She sucked his tongue, imagining it was his cock instead. He moaned and ground himself into her. Finally, when her pussy was throbbing and her breath was coming in short pants, she pulled back. “I have to be at Abbey’s later tonight. No coupling. And if you try to use your sleepy-time mind games on me, I’ll gut you.” She meant it, but she wasn’t sure her swollen lips and moist skin gave the impression she cared about anything more at the moment than taking off his pants and getting him inside her. “Understood.” He nipped her neck and grazed his teeth over her collarbone. “I’m not sure I have the will to deny myself a coupling, but I’ve taken care of it. I give you my word.” Kara must have been crazy, but her body was on fire. She nodded her assent, and Julian smiled triumphantly as he crushed her into his embrace. She felt the floor drop out from under her and had the feeling of being sucked through thick black sludge for a moment outside time, then her feet touched down on thick white shag carpet an instant later.

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She gasped. “Uh…your wings?” “We don’t need to extend our wings to flash—just to fly. It’s safer to be prepared, but I knew exactly where we were going tonight.” “And where’s that?” She looked around to see a perfectly decorated room done in modern furnishings, mostly black and white, with hints of red. A highrise hotel suite or penthouse apartment from the look of it. One entire wall was glass and overlooked the ocean from countless stories above. “Downtown. I didn’t want to distract you with unnecessary travel.” Even as he said it, he was pulling at her clothes, seeming unsure if he should squeeze her breasts through the fabric of her shirt or take the time to remove it. He stripped off her purple shirt as the clock on the mantel struck eleven. Her head lolled back when he gave up with his hands and chose to capture her nipple in his mouth through the lacy fabric of her bra instead. She moaned, her pulse frantic. “Hurry.” He slowed as she licked his chest, his body going rigid. She reached down to fumble with his jeans, unbuttoning the clasp then sliding his zipper down in a rush. He grasped her wrists, halting her progress on his pants before she could push them down his hips. “No.” His jaw tightened, the dimples on his cheeks morphing into muscle. “I thought this would be enough. But it isn’t.” “Okay.” She swallowed, desperate to taste him. “Can we talk about this later?” His nostrils flared. “Let me in, Kara.” “I plan to. Just as soon as we get these damned pants off.” When she reached for his jeans again, he grabbed her hand and flipped her onto the black sofa. She stared up at him with narrowed eyes, trying to catch her breath. Liquid heat surged through her veins as he straddled her.


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“Is that how you want it, love? Rough? Fast? Anything goes so long as your heart stays out of it?” “That’s all I can give you, Julian. Don’t ask me to risk my heart again.” Knowing she would have to leave him when it was over, she wondered if she would survive even another superficial pairing. “Take it or leave it.” Hurt flashed in his eyes. “Well, then…I suppose I’ll take it.” He slid down her body and began unfastening her boots, moving the zipper so slowly down the knee-high leather she thought she’d scream. He placed the first boot on the carpet, then started in on the second. “Need help?” she offered. “I’m fine.” He took forever on the second boot before placing it precisely near the first. He began working the hem of Kara’s jeans around her ankle as if it were delicate surgery. Saliva pooled in her mouth and her fingertips itched. “Julian,” she warned. “What happened to the man who liked to rip my clothes off?” He looked affronted. “And ruin a perfectly good pair of skinny jeans?” By the time he’d removed the last stitch of her clothing, Kara’s lips were quivering and a slow, steady growl was peeling from her chest. “Control yourself, love. I can’t help you this time.” He leaned over her and kissed her eyebrows, then worked his way down to the delicate hollow of her throat. She’d had enough. She surged up and tackled him to the other side of the sofa. “No more.” She reached for his jeans and the waist of his boxers and pulled them down his strong thighs. She discarded his socks, figuring she must have it bad when even his toes looked sexy. Next, she took the collar of his black T-shirt in her

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hands and yanked it apart, rending the material down the front to expose his hard-muscles abs. “Ring a bell?” “Ah. So that’s how it’s done.” His gaze scorched her. “Let me see if I have this right…” He rose with Kara straddling him and sank to his knees on the carpet. “Like this?” Without even readying her for his girth, he found her opening with his crown and plunged inside. She cried out and clutched his back as he loomed above her. “Something like that.” It felt so good to have him inside her, she had to fight to stay alert and not simply give in to the energy coursing from his body into hers. She closed her eyes, savoring the way he filled her. When she rocked her hips toward his, he snarled and pinned her to the floor. “Look at me.” Bringing his face to hers, he slowly pulled out, then fed his rigid length to her body, inch by painstaking inch. “Watch me make love to you.” She couldn’t. But he didn’t understand. Did he really think he meant so little to her? Memories of her time with him and Gavin were what she would take with her when she was gone. She tilted her hips as far as she could. “More.” “Kara. Please.” He kissed her lips then started to move inside her. She felt every inch of friction as he took her slowly, his gaze never leaving her face. She turned her cheek into the plush carpet as he rode her. Soon, even he couldn’t deny the frenzied need of their bodies. “Don’t stop,” she pleaded, whimpering against his chest as the universe merged into a single, blinding light within her.


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“You’re my heart,” he panted, grasping her hard by the hair as he spoke the words to her lips. “I’m never letting you go.” And with that, he came, flooding her with his essence, branding her with a piece of his soul. She cried out against his cheek and felt the first stirrings of her pussy clamping harder around his bulb, the first stirrings of what could only be the coupling. It was exquisite possession on the deepest level. “Gavin,” he growled. “Where are you?” The question expanded past her, as though Julian had the ability to cast out his thoughts. She wrapped her legs tighter around him, pressing into his delicious warmth. “What does Gavin have to do with this?” she murmured, wondering if this was what it felt like to be high. Suddenly, her golden-haired angel appeared near the sprawling window, his chest bare from travel and his wings folding in. His hands were clenched in fists, and he didn’t look happy. Julian clutched her to him like a lifeline. “I gave you my word. Gavin’s here to help me keep it.” She settled into Julian’s embrace and closed her eyes, trying to block out everything but how it felt to have him inside her. “Tell him to leave.” “Gavin,” Julian said, his voice desperate and his body trembling. “Pull away from him now, princess,” Gavin commanded from across the room. “No.” Her voice was low and scratchy as she sank her swollen mound farther onto Julian’s hard shaft. “Go away, you stuffy killjoy.” Gavin strode across the room and tugged Julian by the hips. Julian tensed and growled at the intrusion, but when Gavin growled back, the fierceness of it shook Kara from her stupor. “Your word,” Gavin warned.

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Finally, Julian slid free and lay down on the white carpet, his engorged shaft leaking a small, steady stream of milky fluid. He laced his hands behind his head and let out a long breath. “I’ve never hated you more than I do in this moment, brother. Thank you.” Kara swallowed down her own growl. Her pussy still throbbed from her powerful orgasm, and her blood was pumping fast from the sight of Julian’s seed on his skin. She wanted to make Gavin pay for pulling them apart. “I don’t accept help from someone I can’t trust.” Gavin’s chest heaved and his stoic façade crumbled in one breath. “You can’t trust me, princess?” He looked as if she’d thrust a knife into his gut. “Do you really believe that?” “Julian wasn’t the only one playing the mind games, Gavin. You already admitted it. The difference is that Julian just proved he can change.” Gavin’s lips turned down at the corners. “Everything I’ve done, I’ve done for your own good.” “You can’t even see it, can you?” “See what?” “How you hurt me.” The truth was there in her voice. “I only wanted to keep you safe,” he whispered. “By keeping things from me?” “Yes, by keeping myself from you, because it was the right thing to do.” A low vibration emanated from Julian’s throat. “Are you finished, Gavin? This wasn’t why I brought you here.” “It needs to be said,” Gavin replied. Kara’s pressed her lips together, unsure how to respond. Could what Gavin said be true? Could he have been trying to do what he thought was right, what he thought would protect Kara, even if he was an idiot in how he went about it?


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When she saw the pain etched into his brow, when she felt his misery and longing seeping into her skin, she melted. “I don’t want to be angry anymore.” She sighed in resignation and went to stretch out beside Julian. He wrapped an arm around her and spooned close, nestling into the apex of her thighs. “I don’t think so.” Gavin sprawled down beside Kara and sandwiched her between them, rolling her to face Julian and pressing her ass firmly to his own lap. “Don’t worry, Gavin. He has more control than you think,” Kara said dryly. “Better safe than sorry.” He pressed his nose against her hair and drew a long breath, then rested his chin on the top of her head. “You can trust me, princess. I’ve denied myself the one thing I want most. What more do I have to prove?” She couldn’t walk away on these terms. If she saw herself as the victim before, now she wasn’t so sure. Who else would she hurt before this was over? “You don’t have to prove anything. It’s enough.” She felt his body mold to hers, felt the sweet relief emanating from him. “Thank you,” he said, raining kisses down on her hair, her cheek, the rim of her ear. She closed her eyes, reveling in Gavin’s gentle touch at her back and Julian’s comforting presence before her. She wanted to remember exactly what it felt like to be surrounded by the two men she adored. With a soft sigh, she tilted her ear to Gavin’s mouth and felt the graze of his teeth there as he pulled her tighter against him. His breath tickled, causing her to smile and turn her lips toward his. Julian stood, looming over Gavin with a scowl. “You’ve done what you came to do—now beat wings and get the fuck out.”

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Gavin rolled his eyes and rose to his feet, leaving Kara sprawled on the floor alone. “Here comes the mating rage.” He stood chest to chest with Julian. “Honestly, Jules, it’s getting old.” Julian stalked to the window, breathing deeply as though he was trying to rein himself in. Gavin glared at Julian. “You don’t own her.” The thick muscles of his shoulders tensed. “She could have been mine. Once we determine that there’s nothing to this claim of yours—she still can be.” Julian stopped pacing and turned to face Gavin. “Not while I live.” Gavin took a step forward and Kara leaped to her feet and glued herself to his back, wrapping her arms tightly around his middle. “Gavin! No.” “Let me go, Kara. I’m at the end of my patience with his possessive shit.” Then he snarled at Julian, “If you want monogamy, try another species, you arrogant pile of wing dust!” Julian looked over at Gavin and raised his brows. “Tsk. Tsk. Who’s in the rage now? What’s your excuse?” When the clock on the wall began to chime, Kara’s stomach sank. It couldn’t be time. She couldn’t leave them like this. She felt like Cinderella after the ball and her coach was about to turn into a rotting pumpkin. But she cared about them enough to keep them safe—and they would be safer without her around. Her eyes welled as she dropped her forehead against Gavin’s back. “I have to go.” “Don’t leave. Not yet. Let us resolve this once and for all.” He captured her hand on his stomach and laced his fingers through hers. Maybe her going away was exactly what they needed. “I don’t want you to fight over me. I won’t be the thing that comes between you.”


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Julian approached the pair and held his hand out to Kara. “I’ll take you. Let’s go.” The city lights filtering in through the window glinted off Julian’s onyx hair. God, she was going to miss him. She was going to miss them both. “Let me say my goodbyes, Julian.” Her voice was choked with emotion. “Are you crying, love?” “I told you—I don’t cry.” She sniffed back her tears. “Please don’t.” Julian came to wipe the tear that had escaped Kara’s eye as she rested her cheek against Gavin’s back. “I know I haven’t made this easy on you, but I want you to be happy, Kara. Gavin is a good man and he cares for you. If he makes you happy…” He didn’t finish, but Kara wasn’t sure she was ready to hear what he was going to say anyway. How could she live without either of them? “Shhh, princess. We’ll work it out,” Gavin whispered tenderly. He squeezed her hand as Kara moved his hair aside to give him one last kiss on the nape of his neck. Suddenly, she gasped, pulling back like his skin had scorched her lips. There, at the base of his skull, under layers of silky blond hair was a faded green tattoo. A snake wrapped around a dagger. Surrounded by the sun.

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Kara stumbled toward her jeans and yanked them on, followed by her longsleeved shirt, not even slowing to add the bra, panties and socks strewn across the floor. Julian stepped forward, his brow wrinkled and his muscles tensed. “What is it?” “Nothing…I’m late.” Kara slipped her boots on her bare feet and looked for the front door. Gavin was on full alert, his eyes tracking her frantic progress through the room. “What happened, princess?” Kara couldn’t process anything. She couldn’t think. All she knew was that Gavin’s symbol was etched into the belly of a woman in the morgue. She had to get the hell out of here. She had to ask Jaxon what was going on. “I have to go.” Julian took her gently by the arm, his nostrils flared. “I’ll take you anywhere you need to go. Don’t run away like this.” She pulled out of his grip. “I like to walk. I need to walk. Please let me go.” She lurched toward the door, and once it was closed behind her, took off running, not even stopping for the elevator, just needing to flee. She ran down flight after flight of stairs until she burst out of the building. She paused and bent over, hands on her knees, pulling in lungful after lungful of cold night air. After pausing only a moment, she looked around. She was still downtown, but she was miles away from Abbey’s house and she’d never needed to get there faster. “Damn it!”

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She clasped Jaxon’s charm roughly in her right hand. Why hadn’t she asked him how to call if she needed a ride? “Jaxon,” she said out loud, trying to summon him with her mind the way she’d felt Julian do with Gavin. She felt nothing in return. “Jaxon!” Wasting no more time, she jogged in the direction of a busier part of the city. She needed a cab. If she could get to the Gaslamp from here, she could find a ride to Abbey’s. The whole time she trotted toward the heart of the city, Kara never stopped calling Jaxon with her mind. She rubbed the charm. She thought his name so hard, the veins in her temple began to throb. Nothing happened. Finally, when she was three blocks away from Horton Plaza, Kara spotted a yellow Taxi stopped along the curb. She jogged up to the driver’s side and rapped her knuckles against the window. The driver glanced up from his newspaper with startled eyes and rolled down the window a crack. “Yeah?” “I need a ride.” He took in her sweaty, shabby appearance and shook his head. “I’m on break, lady.” “I need to get somewhere. Fast.” He snickered. “I don’t think so. I don’t do damsels in distress. You probably ain’t got no money, and I sure as hell ain’t got no time for drama.” Kara’s lips pulled back in a snarl. “Listen to me.” She cast her thoughts out, trying to grasp the waves of energy in his mind and hold them in her grip as she did when she used the manza. “I need to get somewhere. Now. I don’t happen to have much money, but that’s not a problem, is it?”

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The man blinked. “I guess that’ll be fine. I wasn’t making money sittin’ here anyhow.” He absently thumbed his hand in the direction of the door. “Get in, lady. We’re in a hurry.” Kara couldn’t take the time to feel triumphant as she slipped into the back seat. “Take me to Golden Hill. The corner of 26th and B. Do you know where that is?” “Of course.” He hit the gas, screeching from the curb like a man on a mission. She needed to talk to Jaxon. She needed him to explain why the sign of a twisted murderer was tattooed on the back of Gavin’s neck. He’d said it was Brakken’s symbol. Was Jaxon lying—or was Gavin? Streets of wandering tourists passed in a blur. The frantic beat of Kara’s heart made it hard to breathe. The turnoff to Abbey’s house finally came into view. “Turn here on B. It’s just down the block.” She looked up at the driver when the car slowed to a stop. “What are you doing? Hurry.” He glanced back and frowned. “Something’s going on up there. The street’s blocked.” Kara sat forward and leaned around the headrest, trying to see what was blocking their way. When she saw the flashing lights and the smoke billowing up from beyond the nearest rooftops, her pounding heart sank like a boulder in a tar pit. Without another word, she yanked on the handle of the door and took off at a sprint down the street toward Abbey’s house. Not Abbey. Not Abbey. Not Abbey, was all she could think. She couldn’t survive something happening to her oldest friend. Abbey had to be okay because Kara couldn’t live in a world without her.


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Kara slid to a stop on the pock-marked asphalt when Abbey’s pine-green house came into view. It lit up the night sky, illuminating the entire block like the noonday sun as it burned. Crews of heavily suited firemen wielded hoses, spraying steady streams of water at the small, crumbling structure. Abbey. Kara stumbled toward the house, oblivious to the shouts of the men around her. Suddenly, someone grabbed Kara’s upper arm, their fingers digging deep. Kara turned to see who she would have to knock out on her way into Abbey’s house. No one was going to stop her. “Tray?” Tray’s eyes were rimmed in angry red and his face and clothes were covered in soot. “Don’t you dare go in there.” Kara searched his eyes. “Where’s Abbey?” Tray swallowed and blinked. “I went back for her. I swear I did. It was just so black and everything was falling apart. I couldn’t find her.” He crushed Kara to him. “I’m so sorry, Kare-bear. I’m so sorry.” Kara couldn’t breathe with the acrid stench of smoke filling her lungs. It came from all around her. From the house. From Tray. She pushed at his chest. “I don’t understand.” Tray wiped blackened fingers across his eyes and glanced over at the men in his unit. He lowered his voice. “I dropped her off. I didn’t stay. She was…” He sniffed and his voice was choked, from emotion or fire, Kara couldn’t tell. “She was coming on strong and I needed some space. I took a drive. When I pulled up, the flames were already visible through the windows. I kicked in the front door. Jaxon was on the floor in the living room. The couch was on fire, inches from sending him up in flames. I pulled him out onto the grass. But when I went back in, it was too late.” His breathing was shallow, like he was going into shock.

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“The stairs collapsed and the roof started caving in. It was like no fire I’ve ever seen, like some new sort of accelerant. How did it happen so fast?” Kara wanted to tell Tray to stop talking. Didn’t he know this was just a bad dream? She knew a nightmare when she felt it, and when she woke up, everything would be fine. But for now, she had no choice but to play along. “Where’s Jaxon?” Tray shook his head. “He’s…” A bubble of crazed laughter burst from Kara’s chest. “He’s where, Tray?” She glanced around the scene, glimpsing the bright revolving lights of an ambulance parked three houses down. “Is he in there?” She pointed to the van. “Is he hurt?” Tray wrapped his hands around Kara’s shoulders. “They said it looked like he’d come into contact with a live wire. He was burned from the inside out.” “Well, why are they still here? I’ll ride with them to the hospital.” Kara felt as if she were floating outside of her body. No dream had ever felt so unreal. He cupped the side of her face with one smoky hand. “He’s gone, Kare-bear. He was gone before I’d even dragged him out.” Kara shook him off and stepped back. “No. You’re wrong. Where’s Abbey?” She could hear the hysteria in her voice, but she couldn’t stop it. “I gotta talk to Jaxon.” She pushed past Tray and ran toward the ambulance. The crew fought the blaze as other officers clustered around, some talking quietly, some taking notes and pictures. She stopped when she saw the black vinyl bag zipped closed atop the gurney, already loaded into the back of the ambulance. Inside was a huge shape, tall and broad. A shape like Jaxon. Kara jumped into the back of the ambulance and clawed at the zipper. “Hey!” a man shouted. “You can’t be in there. Don’t touch that! You’re contaminating the evidence.”


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Kara almost couldn’t hear Tray tell the man it was okay over the pulse of blood in her ears. “He was her boyfriend. Give her a minute to say goodbye,” he said, his voice a sharp-edged fragment of utter desolation. “Sorry, Detective Oaks. I already got the call to bring him in,” the driver protested. “I’ll go with you,” Kara said. “Hey, Tray!” someone called from near the front of the house. “We found something!” The driver put out his hands in a helpless gesture. “I have to go, and I can’t have her alone with the body. You know that.” “Wait for me,” Tray called over his shoulder as he ran back to the house. “I’ll ride along with her.” The paramedic frowned and he couldn’t meet Kara’s eyes. “I’m sorry for your loss, ma’am. I’ll give you a minute.” When he stepped around to the front of the van, Kara slowly zipped down the body bag. One inch revealed short brown hair, the next white skin smudged with black. Kara kept thinking maybe this whole thing was a mistake. Maybe it wasn’t Jaxon at all. But when she zipped it down past the contours of a head and pulled apart the vinyl, Jaxon’s opaque eyes stared back at her. “No!” Kara cried. She captured her warrior’s face hands between her hands. No, not just her warrior. Her friend. Reality came crashing down on Kara with the strength of a tidal wave against a straw hut. Jaxon was dead. And if Jaxon was really dead, maybe Abbey was dead, too. “What have I done?” she whispered. She’d led a murderer to Abbey’s doorstep and left her to face him alone while she fucked her brains out. She’d

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taken a warrior under her wing just to get him killed. He’d told her they should flee. She hadn’t listened. Kara’s tears fell on Jaxon’s cheeks as she leaned over him, kissing his cold forehead. It was time for tears. And she didn’t know if these liquid drops of pain would ever stop. They washed away some of the soot, revealing the sickly blue veins under Jaxon’s almost transparent skin. She traced a finger along the stark blue lines. What kind of power did it take to kill an immortal warrior? What kind of evil had stalked the people she loved? Why did Gavin bear the sign? “Let’s go,” Tray said angrily, startling Kara from her silent agony. He wiped his eyes with the back of his knuckles. “I can’t stay here. Not while my baby burns.” His words made Kara feel sick. She thought she was going to vomit. She zipped the bag up around Jaxon’s face, but it seemed wrong putting plastic over his mouth and nose. How will he breathe? she thought irrationally. Tray closed the ambulance doors and hammered his fist against the van wall. “Go!” “What did they find?” Kara asked. “It doesn’t matter. It wasn’t her. She’s still inside.” He buried his head in his hands. “If Abbey’s gone, nothing else matters, does it?” “I need to know.” I need to make sense of it. This is my fault. “They think it’s arson. They found a piece of paper folded around a black feather with some kind of cryptic shit. ‘Tiger’s eye for rubies where our bodies ignite.’ What the fuck could that mean?” A steady stream of tears leaked from Tray’s eyes.


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“A black feather?” her throat completely dried up. Kara wished she could comfort him, but she couldn’t reach out. Her hands had gone numb. “It’s my fault,” Kara said. “I got Abbey involved in this.” “Please stop. I can’t hate you right now. I need to be with someone who loves Abbey as much as I do.” “She loved you, too—you know that? You’re the only one she ever loved. She just didn’t know how to show it.” “I shouldn’t have left. Oh God. How could I have left her tonight?” He ran a trembling hand through his hair. “He killed my baby. He burned her up. And he leaves us a note, like it’s some sort of game. I’m going to kill him. I’m going to take him apart with my bare hands and roast him over a spit.” The lights in the back of the ambulance flickered. Kara ran a hand along the planes of the black bag. “If the man who did this to Jaxon can take down one of my people so easily, you’ve got to stay away from him.” Tray looked over at the bag. “I’m so sorry, Kara. I know you cared about him. He seemed like a solid guy.” “He was.” As she said it, Kara imagined Jaxon’s pendant vibrating with energy against her skin. She felt the warmth of the metal and hoped it was a sign he was looking down on her from wherever he was now. She wanted to think he forgave her. Tray shook his head and sniffed. “If I’d only gotten there a minute earlier, maybe I could have stopped it.” “If you’d have gotten there any earlier, you’d be dead.” “How are you so sure?” “I think the man responsible for this is…” Her voice trailed away. But this wasn’t the time for secrets. “He’s not human, Tray. There’s nothing you, or me,

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or even Jaxon could have done.” The pendant burned, and Kara reached up to move it away from her skin. She held it in her grip and felt the current flowing from the silver moon. “What do you mean? Witches can die, Kara. One bullet to the brain and even a witch isn’t getting back up.” “Not a witch. A fallen angel. A…demon.” Tray’s breath hissed out between his teeth and he glanced up at the roof of the van. “No. This shit can’t be real.” She laid her hand on his arm. “I’m real. You’ve known me for years now, and I’m not a witch.” His face contorted in disgust. “You’re one of them?” She nodded. “Not by choice. I was born that way.” “Did Abbey know?” “I told her when I found out. You know I never could keep anything from Abbey.” The tears wouldn’t stop. Kara smiled, but it hurt. “She thought I was a remedial witch. She tried so hard to fix me, but nothing worked.” Kara laughed softly, but then her throat closed up. Losing Abbey was like losing the best part of herself. It made an empty space in Kara that neither time nor vengeance could ever fill. “Ouch!” Kara dropped the pendant against her shirt when a burst of heat burned her palm. “What is it?” “Nothing, I—” Kara began, but Tray’s eyes suddenly went wide. “Holy shit.” He pointed an index finger at the body bag. “Tell me I’m not seeing what I think I see.”


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Kara turned in her seat, her gaze flying over the large black lump of vinyl. The plastic covering Jaxon’s head was fluttering lightly, puffing up, then flattening back down over the contour of his mouth. Kara sucked in a breath and almost leaped at the body, fumbling to zip the bag free of Jaxon’s face. “Jaxon!” When the bag pulled away from his mouth and nose, Jaxon took a huge gaping breath, his eyes wild and blinking rapidly. “Oh my God!” Kara cried in disbelief as he started to thrash. “Unstrap him!” “Jaxon!” Tray came to kneel beside Kara. He took Jaxon by the shoulders through the heavy material. “You’re all right. Calm down, buddy. You’re gonna be all right.” Tray unbuckled the straps pinning Jaxon to the gurney and zipped the bag down. “I don’t believe it,” he mumbled, shaking his head. “I don’t fucking believe it.” Jaxon’s gaze darted around the interior of the ambulance, until he locked eyes with Kara. He stopped flailing, but his breathing was ragged. “Abbey,” he rasped. “I know.” Kara put her fingers to his lips. It was a surreal mix of emotions to be so happy to see him breathing and yet totally annihilated by the loss of her best friend. How could she tell him Abbey was gone? She reached down and grasped his hand. “She’s gone, Jaxy.” He tried to sit up, but he didn’t have the strength. “We must find her.” “No…” Kara’s breath hitched on the word. “She’s gone. She didn’t make it.” “No, mistress. It can’t be.” Jaxon rolled to his side and struggled to prop himself up. “Where did he take her?” Tray’s expression was bleak. “She never made it out of the fire.” Jaxon frowned and pushed himself up on his elbows. “She was never in the fire.” He coughed, ducking his chin toward his chest as a rumbling hack erupted

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from his lungs. He wiped the back of his hand across his lips and it came back covered in blood. “What are you saying?” Tray demanded. “By the time he finished with me and lit the house, she was already gone. I’m sure of it.” Kara’s hand flew to her lips. “She’s alive?” The high-pitched sound from her mouth seemed to originate in her soul. “Who took her? Where’d they go?” Jaxon finally sat up, his brow knotted in anger. “I don’t know. He hid his essence from me and I have no way of tracking them. I’ve failed her.” “Abbey’s alive,” Tray breathed out, blinking up at Jaxon. Jaxon’s mouth pulled down at the corners, in shame or grief, Kara didn’t know. “He won’t kill her until he gets what he wants.” Tray threw his hands up. “What does he want?” The warring hope and desperation in his eyes made him look like a man on the edge of sanity. Jaxon met Kara’s eyes. “My mistress in exchange for her friend.” “Why?” Tray asked. “What does he want with Kara? And why are you calling her your mistress?” Jaxon was straining to stay upright but finally gave in and lay back on the gurney. He threw his arm over his eyes to block out the dim light of the interior. “She is not my girlfriend, but my lady. The one I’m sworn to protect. But as for why the black-wing’s taken an interest in her, that I cannot say. Maybe breeding. Maybe he wants to kill her. Either way, I won’t let it happen.” “I can’t believe you’re alive.” She grasped Jaxon’s hand. “If he had Abbey, why didn’t he kill you when you were unconscious?” Jaxon laughed and the low sound set off another fit of coughing. Kara reached for strips of gauze on the shelves above him and wiped the blood from the corners of his lips. He squeezed her hand and took a deep breath. “If I rule


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out the kindness of his heart, he must want me alive to take you to him for the exchange.” “But where?” Kara rolled her hands into tight fists. “I don’t know where to look.” Tray leaned toward Kara. “I’m not saying you should trade yourself for Abbey, but he did leave a note. He must think you’ll know what it means.” Kara glanced back at Tray. Not saying she should trade herself—her ass. He was practically salivating at the thought of handing Kara over for Abbey’s return. And Kara couldn’t blame him. The idea was sounding pretty good to her, too. “There was a note?” Jaxon asked. “It makes sense there would be. What does it say?” Tray sat back on the seat across from Jaxon. “‘Tiger’s eye for rubies where our bodies ignite.’ That’s it.” Jaxon nodded. “You’re the tiger’s eye,” he said, grasping a lock of Kara’s hair between his thick fingers, “and Abbey is the ruby. As for the rest…I’m not sure.” “Jaxon, there’s something else.” Kara’s mind whirled like muddy water down a drain. The dreams. The feather. The symbol. Gavin. She didn’t even want to utter the words out loud. “I was with Gavin tonight. I kissed him and…he had the symbol tattooed on his neck.” “What symbol? The fucking murderer’s symbol?” Tray bit out. “You’ve been sleeping with the murderer?” The more Kara thought about it, the less it made sense. She looked to Jaxon. “Besides the fact that Gavin would never do anything like that, he’s not a blackwing. He’s a silver-wing. You said yourself that it was the sign of Brakken. Gavin wouldn’t do this. But why would he have Brakken’s symbol?”

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Jaxon pushed himself up again and rested his elbows heavily on his thighs. “I couldn’t tell you until I was sure, but your discovery confirms it.” “Confirms what?” “Lord Gavin is Brakken’s son.” “What?” Kara gasped. “He forbids speaking of it, but I’d heard rumors that the Aniliáre bastard sired the Mercury Lord.” “What does that mean? Is Gavin in on it or a victim like Abbey?” “I can’t answer that question for you, but I don’t think we should ask for his help until we know for sure. I’m hard-pressed to believe he and Lord Julian could have been living beside you without being aware of a black-wing in their midst.” Jaxon shook his head. “That doesn’t sound like my lords.” Tray let out an angry breath. “Okay, so we’re on our own against this blackwing guy. Tell me where he is and we’ll get Abbey back.” “Where our bodies ignite,” echoed Jaxon. “You have the key, mistress.” Kara sat silent for a moment, feeling sick that Brakken would even say something like that based on a few wet dreams he’d planted in her head. She wanted to scrape her brain out with a melon baller to get rid of the unwanted erotic images. Black wings. Never a face. His hands on her body. Glowing red lava singeing the tips of his wings as he pounded into her. Saplings catching fire and bursting into flames like her body when he made her come. “Oh my God. I know where it is.” Jaxon reached out, grasping her hands in his. “Yes?” “That little black island off the Mercury coast.” He looked as if he hadn’t been expecting that answer. “Firebird?” he choked out, coughing up another mouthful of blood into the gauze pads. “It’s a small volcanic island. Nobody lives there. Are you sure?”


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“That’s where he’s been all along. I need you to take me there.”

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Kara and Jaxon argued for minutes over what they should do. There were several problems, not the least of which was Jaxon being almost too weak to travel. The other was his insistence that the two of them would be virtually defenseless against a true Aniliáre. “Then we need help,” Kara said. “Who would you suggest besides the man who bears Brakken’s symbol or his closest friend?” “Shit!” she ground out, her fingernails cutting into her tender palms. “I don’t know. I’m just rolling with the punches here and trying to stay on my feet.” “I’m going,” Tray insisted again in his most macho cop voice. Kara glared at him. “Jaxon won’t have enough juice to get Abbey back safely if he has extra baggage. The answer is no.” When he opened his mouth to let fly a string of cuss words, Kara put up a hand. “I know you love her, Tray. That’s why you need to let us do this. I love her like a sister and I won’t let anything happen to her. Besides, we need a cop on the ground to explain where Jaxon’s body went when we pull up to the hospital, in like, two minutes.” Tray’s nostrils flared. “Yeah, and how am I supposed to do that?” “I’m sure you’ll figure something out.” She turned to Jaxon. “Are you ready?”

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He shook his head. His lips were a narrow slash of frustration. “If I were a smarter man, I would tie you up and take you as far from Mercury Island as I could travel.” “Then it’s a good thing that my word is your command—and you have a thing for redheads.” She winked at her bruised warrior. Tray’s face could have frightened a serial killer into turning himself in. “What about redheads?” Kara chuckled as the ambulance slowed and the sirens cut off. “It’s time to go.” Jaxon let out a long, slow breath and opened his arms to Kara. “Your harem is never dull, mistress. I’ll give you that.” And with that, Kara squeezed him tight and dissolved into a million pieces.

The suffering was unbearable, like nothing Kara had ever experienced in her life. The sludge slipped into her lungs, filled her nostrils, choked her soul. It was hard to think with raw agony seeping into her pores and dissolving her bones, but one thought managed to break past the pain—if Jaxon couldn’t hold them together, they were going to be lost in this black wasteland forever. Her screams were sucked into the thick silence, suspended like particles in outer space. When she dropped on her side in the cool white sand, Jaxon went limp beside her, his neck as slack as a rag doll and his eyelids fluttering. For a moment, all she could do was breathe. Finally, when her strength started coming back, she ran her hands over her legs and arms to be sure she hadn’t left a piece of herself in the never-ending void.

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“Jaxon,” she whispered, nudging his shoulder. “Are you okay?” She shouldn’t have asked him to do this. He was still too weak from getting fried, and he wasn’t moving. Kara sat up and looked around, trying to judge if it was day or night. The sky above her was dark with heavy gray clouds. It looked like it was going to split open and hemorrhage, and that mirrored what her head felt like at the moment. She reached up to dab at the irritating wetness under her nose and her fingertips came back red. She wobbled to her feet and tried to get her bearings. The ocean stretched to her left, the jungle to her right, and off in the distance was Firebird Island. A soft plume of smoke billowed up from the land mass and lifted into the air, mixing with the rain clouds until she couldn’t distinguish the two. Kara knew Jaxon was awake when his coughing scared the parrots from the nearest tree. She dropped to her knees beside him and ran a hand over his hair. “Hey there, cowboy. That was one wild ride. Hope you don’t mind if I swim home.” He laughed weakly, then doubled over with another spasm. When he was finished, he propped himself on one elbow and spit. The blood soaked into the sand like an offering to the gods. “I can demand payment for old favors and find us both a ride home. At this point, I’m not too proud to be clutched to a stronger warrior’s chest.” His wry smile told another story. “Yeah, about that… Not that I’m complaining about your nonstop service to Mercury Island, but why are we over here when we need to be over there?” Kara pointed to the small island. If she was right, Abbey was there, almost within Kara’s reach.


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“If I’m going to take on a black-wing, I’d like to be armed with something more than your house key.” Jaxon rose and lumbered toward the dense trees like a two-hundred-pound toddler just learning to walk. “What are you doing?” “Come see,” he called. Kara followed him, stepping into vegetation so thick she couldn’t make out a trail. “All I see are plants slapping me in the face.” She put one hand in front of her eyes and pushed at the limbs with the other. After only a few minutes of trudging through the undergrowth, she almost ran face first into a hut completely covered in vines. She wouldn’t have been able to find it had she not been within an arm’s length of Jaxon’s backside. He ripped away tentacles of thick leaves covering the entry and pushed open the door. Kara followed him inside the dark hut, waiting for her eyes to adjust. “Where are we?” She glanced around, seeing ropes and tethers tied to posts and an assortment of weapons cluttering the floor. Then she saw other things—blindfolds and items shaped suspiciously like ancient sex toys. “Great. Another old love nest.” He clenched his jaw and nodded. “Yes, though the dust has barely gathered here.” It didn’t look that way to Kara from the overgrowth outside. She reached down and picked up a shackle attached to a thick wooden post. Beside it was a black leather whip. “What the hell did you do to her, Jaxy?” He ran a hand through his hair, looking chagrined. “It wasn’t so much for her, mistress.” Kara remembered the day she’d met him and the black leather straps he wore. “You know what, I don’t even want to know.”

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He ducked his flushed face as he sifted through a wooden crate by the wall, then pulled out what looked like an old brass pocket watch and wiped the dust from the surface. “I think that’s for the best.” Kara turned away from Jaxon’s hobby room and began rummaging through a collection of swords in decorative scabbards. One in particular caught her eye. “What should we take? What works best with a black-wing?” “We? What kind of protector would I be if I allowed you accompany me to Firebird Island?” he asked. She answered with a snort. Jaxon moved beside her and reached for the sword in Kara’s hand. He took it from her and pulled it free of the leather sheath, revealing a glistening blade as sharp as the tip of a serpent’s tongue. Intricate etchings ran up and down the metal with strange words and squiggly designs. She reached down to touch the markings, but when she laid her fingertip against the blade, her ruby ring pulsed with static electricity against her skin and made an ominous buzzing sound, like a hive of bees. She snatched back her finger. Jaxon frowned and took her hand in his. “What do you have there, mistress?” “A ring from my father. At least that’s what Gavin told me.” “It doesn’t like this blade. You should pick another.” Kara’s brows shot up. “It doesn’t like it? What are you talking about?” “All Aniliáre artifacts contain quanta. Energy. Each one is unique. Not all the artifacts harmonize with one another.” He brought her hand closer and inspected the ring, running his finger over the surface. A faint hum resonated in her bones. He smiled. “It likes me, though.”


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“Wonderful. I’m so relieved.” She let out a long breath. “Couldn’t you have taught me these things after the lessons in how to resist soothing? I don’t know crap about these people.” “I’ve done as much as I could in one week. Not much time was left after your lessons to me each night on the various flavors of Ben and Jerry.” She sighed and squeezed his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Jaxon. I figured we’d have more time than this. Brakken could have killed you tonight…I thought he had. I thought I’d lost you and Abbey forever. I feel like scum for dragging you into this…but I can’t lose Abbey again.” He rested his hand on hers. “I’d give my life for you. You plucked me from the pit of disgrace and helped me rise again. If I die, I die as a warrior defending his lady. There is no greater honor.” Kara’s eyes welled again. She was no wimp, but the night had been too much for her. Everyone she cared about she thought she’d lost. Maybe even Gavin. “Promise me this—if you can get to Abbey, use the last of your strength to flash her somewhere Brakken can’t find you. When things calm down, take her to Grammy D. She can help build a ward strong enough to give even Brakken a run for his money.” “Of course.” He smiled softly, then held out the brass circle and a tiny knife with a hilt made of lumpy, carved bone. “Take this compass. Follow it southeast. If you walk quickly, you should make it to camp in an hour—sooner if the patrol finds you. And this dagger is for luck. I made it from the antlers of my first kill as a child and I want you to have it.” She took the small dagger and stuck it in her waistband but left the compass dangling from his grip. “Thank you, Jaxy. But you do understand I’m going with you, right?” The gentle smile melted off his face.

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She quickly tested more blades from the pile until she found two that warmed to her touch. She strapped the sword on her back, fit the larger dagger in her boot, then unclasped the necklace Jaxon had given her. “Take this. I don’t want anything on me that could lead someone back to you or Abbey.” When he wouldn’t take it, she unclenched his fingers and laid it in his palm. “It’s gonna be okay. I have a plan.”

Julian lay against the satin comforter and propped another pillow behind his head, staring out the balcony window at the palm trees whipping in the wind. A storm was coming, but he’d be gone soon, back to his pseudo-human life. It was hard living in a hovel in the city when he had a palace like this to come home to, but being close to Kara made up for the inconvenience. He should have been there with her now, but after her time with him and Gavin, she’d run like the building was on fire. She was beginning to sense his presence now and he doubted she’d appreciate him following her around like a stray dog when she’d made it clear she needed her space. He almost wished Ailexon would leave the Shadowland again so he’d have an excuse to glue himself to Kara’s side and not let her out of his sight. But she was too damn independent. A woman like her didn’t respond well to being pushed into something she wasn’t ready for. He should have known better than to argue over her with Gavin as if she were a scrap of meat. He thought she might have been accepting him in her life, but then he’d fucked it up with his jealousy again. Maybe he’d been wrong to ask for Gavin’s help. Maybe if Gavin hadn’t been there, he and Kara would have coupled together with no obstacles or lies between them. Only her giving her body and her love to him alone.


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He closed his eyes and imagined it. Her tight sheath clenching the length of his shaft from root to tip as his milky fluid fed her womb. Her soft brown eyes staring up at him with adoration as he held her hips in his hands. Her pliant body resting against his thighs, accepting, trusting. Knowingly taking his seed into her depths as her body created life from their love. Was it wrong to leave Kara with a child when Julian could be approaching the end of his lifespan? Hellfire, it probably was. But the idea filled him with hope. Hope that something more than the tree in the garden would mark his thousand years on this Earth. He wanted a legacy almost as much as he wanted Kara. When he thought of a life with her, one part of his mind argued that no one could really say how many years he had left. But the other part of him was more honest. Yes, he had wings—as Gavin was always quick to point out. But those wings didn’t truly symbolize the immortality of the highborn. He was already beginning to see the changes in his body that would one day lead to his true death. The slowly healing marks on his chest that Kara had made their first night together and his embarrassing lift off from the square were only two signs of many. He prayed to the Maker that he could spend his final years with Kara in his arms. He would never want another woman as he wanted her. He would never love another woman as he loved her. She was made for him. Boots scuffed outside the door and Julian’s head shot up. It wasn’t a good idea to flash into a lord’s room if a man was fond of his head remaining attached to his shoulders. Even before knuckles rapped on the door, Julian reached out with his mind and found Aiden. He let out a small sigh. “Enter, Aiden.”

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The door pushed open and the pale lord walked in, his short white hair as spiky as his personality. “Am I interrupting?” “No. Just thinking.” Aiden laughed. “Let me guess. Forlorn expression. Haven’t touched the food your servant brought up. It’s Kara Reed again.” He frowned. “Perhaps.” “It seems to be catching. Gavin is stomping around in a fine temper, ordering the men to prepare for the storm. I wondered why he was taking the weather so seriously—until I smelled Kara on him. I thought time with her would have put him in a better mood.” Julian sat up, barely containing a growl. “So that’s why you’re here? To tease? To gloat?” Aiden’s smile turned cold. “Don’t cast your bitterness on me. It isn’t my fault you can’t keep a leash on your woman. What did you expect, Julian?” Julian closed his eyes and ran a hand through his dark hair. “Well, it isn’t what you think, anyhow. I didn’t want to risk another coupling and asked for Gavin’s help.” Aiden simply nodded and Julian wasn’t sure if he believed him or not. “Why are you here?” “Two reasons. The first is to let you know I’d like to do the ritual to unbind your powers tonight after dark—unless you’d rather me leave you this way.” He raised a brow in challenge. Julian grimaced. Having his darker powers bound against his will may have been necessary while he dealt with his territorial instincts for Kara, but being unable to call the shadows left him feeling like a dog that’d had his balls on the block. “Do we have to wait until dark? With these skies, I can’t see that it makes any difference.” Aiden shrugged. “It’ll be easier if I do it under the moon.”


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“Fine.” He supposed a few more hours wouldn’t make a difference. “And the second thing?” “A guard sensed Jaxon’s arrival at his old nesting ground. I’m not sure what it means. Maybe Kara tired of him and sent him packing. Either way, I thought you’d like to know.” Julian nodded, a thousand thoughts worming through his brain. “Thank you, Aiden. I’m sorry for being such a bastard.” Aiden snickered as he walked to the door. “Yes, you are a sorry bastard, aren’t you?” Before he left, he peeked his head back in. “I almost forgot. Two of our scouts are an hour behind in checking in. I was going to ask Gable to flash to the city and get the report, but the lazy ass has taken himself off to hide at the first sign of work. Let him know Gavin needs his help if you see him.” Julian swung his legs over the side of the bed. “Track him.” “The mottle-winged monstrosity has veiled himself again.” “Don’t let Gavin hear you call him that. He loves the prodigal brother more than you and I combined.” “I’m hoping if we send Gable on enough errands, he may forget the way back.” Aiden laughed, and Julian smiled in agreement. “How Gavin thinks Gable will make a good lord when he can’t even be bothered to service a lady of the clan is beyond me. A duty is a duty,” Aiden said with a wink. Julian snorted as Aiden strolled down the hall. He knew something about duty, but if asked, he’d be unable to service any other woman. Kara Reed owned him, body and soul.

“Stop.” Jaxon stepped in front of Kara. Even if he was trembling with exhaustion, she couldn’t ignore the massive body blocking her path.

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She flipped her hair back and glared at him. “What?” “Mistress, so help me, Og, I’ve followed you this far, but giving yourself to Brakken so I can take Abbey to safety is not a plan.” His scowl was darker than the clouds above them. As Kara stared across the water at the small island, chills swept across her skin and sank into her bones. She tried not to shake. If Jaxon thought she was weak, he’d never listen to her. “Your wings aren’t strong enough yet. We’re going to have to swim.” Instead of stepping around him, she changed course and headed for the shore. He grabbed her arm. “Listen to me, you stubborn woman. Let me go alone. I can take Abigail to safety while you head back to the village for help. I doubt Brakken would take on the entire tribe in his pursuit of you.” She shook off his strong grip. “Tell me the truth. Can you fly in and get Abbey without a distraction?” He glanced away. “It’s not impossible.” “Bullshit! You’re a horrible liar.” “What if I’m wrong about the Mercury Lords? Lord Julian seems to truly care for you. At least allow me to try to summon him. Just because Gavin bears the symbol doesn’t necessarily mean Julian cannot be trusted.” Kara shook her head. “I was never worried about Julian hurting me, Jaxon, but you said yourself they can’t defeat Brakken.” “He could flash you away.” “Not if he’s dead.” His face was as hard as stone. “You’re really planning to give yourself to Brakken?” “Once you have Abbey, I’ll see if this sword and I can change his mind about leaving me alone. If he wants to kill me, it sounds like there’s nothing I can do


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about it. If he wants to breed, I think he’ll find that quite a challenge with a knife in his balls.” “Please don’t do this.” She tamped down her regret and met his eyes, allowing her authority wash over him. “I’ve made my decision.” She shucked her boots and put the larger blade in the waist of her jeans alongside Jaxon’s childhood knife. He murmured something behind her, a chant of sorts, and she felt the power rise up from him. She waded into the clear blue water and looked back at him. “Are you calling Julian?” He shrugged, his lips pressed into a tight line. “I don’t have his charm. Anything with wings can hear my plea if their minds are searching. Let’s hope Brakken isn’t among them.” He walked into the surf and dove into the water. Kara followed, sinking to her neck and diving under an incoming whitecap. The water was like a warm bath left to sit just a few minutes too long. At least she wouldn’t freeze on her swim to the island. She paddled through the water and thought of Abbey. If San Diego had beaches like this, maybe Abbey would agree to lie in the sand and get some sun with Kara this summer. Abbey’s skin was pasty because she didn’t want to get wrinkled from the UV rays. She didn’t object, however, to watching the occasional game of beach volleyball when it included tan men in shorts. Kara’s breath hitched and she almost sucked in a lungful of water as she stroked against the current. She wasn’t sure if she was crying—everything was wet and salty—but she couldn’t think about Abbey and stay strong. The clear, shadowed depths beneath Kara suddenly lit up. Seconds later, she heard the crack of thunder over the water sloshing in her ears. She glanced up at Firebird Island and paddled harder as heavy drops began to fall from the sky, hitting the surface of the water and bouncing heavenward again before finally

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giving in and merging with the vast expanse of the ocean. Jaxon glanced back to make sure Kara was still behind him, then they both forged ahead. It was farther than it looked to Firebird Island, and by the time she and Jaxon walked up the rocky shore, they were panting with exhaustion. Kara wiped the salt from her eyes and twisted the water out of her long brown hair as Jaxon slicked his hair back and spit again. Kara frowned, almost angry with the bloody saliva caught at the corner of his lips. “Are you strong enough to get her home?” He nodded, his expression miserable but resigned. “I am. I vow to you that if it’s in my power, I will take Abigail from this place.” He reached out a cold hand and wiped a trickle of water from Kara’s cheek. “You’re a treasure among women, and it has been my honor to serve you.” Kara swallowed. “No goodbyes, Jaxon. We don’t have time for that.” She marched up the beach, careful where she placed her bare feet in the rocky soil. As they got closer to the mountain, her stomach roiled. She felt the same dark energy she had the night she’d found the carved woman…the same energy she’d first felt at her bedroom window the night before she’d met Gavin. It was all she could do to keep moving forward as evil thickened the stifling air around her. “I think it’s this way. The base of that mountain looks familiar.” They didn’t speak again as they walked. She could tell he thought this wasn’t going to end well, and she couldn’t mentally go there. She had to put one foot in front of the other and get to Abbey. She’d worry about Brakken once her friend and her warrior were safe. When they came over the crest of the hill, a small valley stretched before them. Green shrubs popped out of the black soil along the edges of an old trail of lava.


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A man leaned against the trunk of a palm tree, his legs crossed and his hands playing with a small piece of auburn rope. The rain glued his blond hair to his head. Knives and other heinous torture devices hung from the dripping straps crossing his chest. Kara squinted to get a better look at his face and her heart lurched. Gavin.

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“Gavin?” Kara called before she could think better of it. “No,” Jaxon whispered, taking her by the shoulder. But it was too late. Gavin glanced up at Kara and smiled. At the same time Kara looked to the scene at his feet. Abbey. Naked and stretched out, her hands and feet bound with rope to stakes in the ground. Her body was pale. Pink rain dribbled down her sides. Pink? A small cry burst from Kara’s throat as she stumbled forward, never taking her eyes off her friend. The closer she got, the clearer she could see the rain pooling on Abbey’s belly, filling in the gaping tracks left behind by Gavin’s blade. The sign of Brakken. Kara fell to her knees, unable to support her own weight. The black rocks dug painfully into her skin, helping to keep her mind from retreating in shock. She heard the metallic sound of Jaxon’s blade pulling free of the scabbard behind her. Gavin pushed away from the tree, still smiling. “I thought you would get here sooner. She’s almost bled out, I’m afraid.” Kara moved her lips, trying to speak several times before the words finally broke free. “Why, Gavin? Why would you do this?”

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Jaxon came to Kara’s side. “Stand, mistress,” he commanded, pulling her roughly to her feet. Then more loudly he added, “This is not the Mercury Lord. This is his brother, Gable.” Kara settled her feet firmly in the soil and pulled the dagger from her waist. “Gable.” If not for the reptilian look in his eyes, he’d be indistinguishable from his brother. “Yeah, we’ve met. I’m glad to see you, Gable.” His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “Are you really? Even with the dreams we’ve shared, that is a warmer greeting than I expected.” Kara squeezed Jaxon’s hand hard. Remember your promise, she wanted to say. “Oh, trust me. I was expecting a black-wing. To see you standing there, I’m delighted.” “And why is that?” As Gable twisted the short rope in his hand, Kara realized it was Abbey’s hair—a beautiful red braid gathered at both ends with twine. She glanced at Abbey’s still form. She couldn’t tell if she was breathing. Her hair looked as though it had been hacked away by a dull blade, different lengths stuck to her forehead and cheeks. Kara felt like she was looking down on the scene from above. Her whole body tingled. “Because now I can kill you.” Without another thought, she launched herself down the path, running full speed at Gavin’s twin with her dagger extended. When she was only inches from him, arcing down to slice into his chest, he vanished. A moment later, he appeared on the other side of the tree with his wings unfurled, laughing as if they were playing a child’s game. “Not a true black-wing perhaps. But you see these?” He bobbed one black and gray dappled wing in her direction, like a peacock fanning his tail. “I am the only one of my species who has both. I’m utterly unique. Hope you don’t mind I chose the black feathers for our courtship. It was more fun that way, don’t you think?”

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Kara’s heart pounded like the surge of the heavy rain around them. She gripped the dagger tighter and lunged at him again, hitting nothing but air. “Get Abbey!” she bellowed, spinning in time to see Jaxon slice through the final binding around Abbey’s wrist. Jaxon dropped the sword and gathered Abbey’s limp, bloody body in his arms, his gray wings stretching from his shoulders. “I’ll come back for you,” he said over the sound of the rain. “No! Stay with her. Don’t you dare let her die!” Abbey couldn’t be dead already. She couldn’t be. Jaxon nodded with a quick jerk of his head and pained concentration washed over his features as he began to flash. Then, like a scene from her worst nightmare, Gable materialized behind Jaxon and plunged a blade into his back, delivering the blow to his spine, between the base of his wings. Kara screamed in warning, but the damage was done. Jaxon’s eyes went wide as he curled into a ball, his arms still wrapped around Abbey’s sheet-white body. Seeing Gable poised above Jaxon, Kara flung her knife as hard as she could, burying it to the hilt in Gable’s bare chest above his heart. Gable looked up at Kara and growled, flashing his long fangs. She saw it then, the glint of insanity. He grimaced and pulled the knife easily from between his ribs, then tossed it to the ground. “I wasn’t aware you had that skill.” He pulled a long sword from the sheath at his waist and swung it back, arcing it toward the base of Jaxon’s neck. Kara watched it happen as if in slow motion. She didn’t even have time to scream. A silver-winged shape burst from the sky, plowing into Gable’s body with enough force to send them both flying. Gable’s sword spun up in the air like a pinwheel and came crashing down not more than an inch from slicing into Abbey’s calves.


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Kara scrambled over to Jaxon, her gaze flitting back and forth between her two friends and the dark-haired blur grappling with Gable. “Jaxon!” She slapped his cheeks, trying to wake him. He blinked open bloodshot eyes. “Go!” she cried desperately, praying it was possible. “Knife,” he murmured. It took Kara a second to understand him, then she reached around and pulled the blade from Jaxon’s back. His breath hissed in. Slowly, he began to dissolve, just a blurring of his edges, as though she were seeing his reflection in a foggy mirror. She watched in horror, unsure if it was worse for him and Abbey to stay on Firebird Island or risk getting caught forever in the bottomless mire if he didn’t have the strength to get them home. He glanced at Kara one last time as his essence faded in and out, and Abbey’s with it, until at last, they were gone. Kara glanced up, her ears ringing with the sounds of snarls and grunts from the two winged men writhing on the sharp, rain-splattered stones. Claws dug deep and muscles flexed. Gable straddled the other man and grabbed a handful of his hair, using it as leverage to smash the man’s head into the black wall of rock. In the brief pause, Kara saw clearly. It was Julian lying under the deranged Demiáre. He’d come for her. Julian lunged at Gable’s throat, pulling a chunk of flesh out between his fangs in a cascade of scarlet blood. Gable’s scream was a wet gurgle as he slashed his claws over Julian’s exposed face. The men thrashed on the porous stones, each one injured and desperate. Gable spread his clawed fingers wide above Julian’s forehead, and Kara felt a draw on the energy around her. Julian cried out in agony as steam billowed around his body. Like Jaxon. Gable was going to try to burn him from the inside out like he had burned Jaxon.

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When Julian’s scream dissolved into a guttural groan, Gable laughed. “I’ve always…enjoyed…a fair fight, mutt. Call the shadows…to come and get me.” His voice was as shredded as his throat. “What?” he asked, leaning closer to Julian’s convulsing form. “You can’t? Oh…the things we give up…for the sake of love.” Kara pulled the sword from the sheath on her back and crept forward, staying out of view. She would do whatever it took to keep Julian from burning. She raised the sword over her head, praying she could bring it crashing down on the plateau of Gable’s shoulders without completing the arc straight into Julian’s forehead. Just as she swung, Julian glanced up, giving away her position—and as quick as that, Gable was gone. Kara’s whole body moved with the momentum of her swing. One of Julian’s eyes was shredded, gaping from the socket, and the other was staring at her, as if doubting in that instant she would really hurt him. Kara yanked back with all her strength and went tumbling after the sword, barely rolling in time to avoid falling on the blade. She stopped and caught her breath. She was still in one piece. “Julian.” She crawled toward him and grasped his bloody face in her hands. There was so much blood. “Oh my God. Your eye. Your skin. Are you all right?” He wasn’t all right. His face was a gory mess and his skin was cherry red and blistered. “Turn around, Kara. Don’t leave your back exposed.” Julian stood and twirled Kara so they were back to back, both facing outward with swords in their hands. “I deflected most of the heat to the surface. I’ll be fine.” With his left arm, he reached behind him and grasped her hip, trying to keep her close. His wings pressed softly against her skin, sheltering her from the worst of the wind. “He hurt Abbey.” Her voice cracked like she was going to cry, but she blinked hard, not daring to let a tear fall until Gable was dead.


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“He’s out of his mind. We’ve done nothing but provide for his every need, but no matter how much Gavin wants to fix him, Gable is irreparably broken.” She gripped the sword tighter. “He’s a silver-wing, right? He can be stopped.” Julian circled around slowly, still keeping Kara pressed to his back. “We’ll have to take his head. That’s the only way. Out of all Brakken’s offspring, Gable is the strongest.” Kara had taken down more thugs than she could count, but she knew a Demiáre like Gable was out of her league. She felt Julian shift against her back, and she was amazed he was still standing, amazed he would fight Gable to protect her. “Thank you for coming for me.” “If I would have been brave enough to ask you to wear my symbol, you could have summoned me instead of Jaxon. I didn’t want to force you into something else you weren’t ready for.” Kara swallowed. She wouldn’t tell him that she hadn’t come to him because she wasn’t sure at first whom she could trust. She was an idiot and he didn’t need to know that. “I’d love to wear your pendant, Jules. It would be my honor.” Julian laughed as the rain fell around them, shielding his face with his forearm to keep the damaged eye from the worst of the weather. “Is that the way into your heart, then? All I have to do is kill one little warrior? You should have told me this last week.” “You don’t have to do anything to get into my heart. You’re already there.” “God, woman, I love you.” She felt the press of his back against hers and knew he wanted to hold her right then as much as she wanted his arms around her. She opened her mouth to tell him she loved him right back, but she couldn’t utter the words. There would be time for that later when Abbey was safe and

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Gable’s head was at the bottom of the sea. There would be time to tell him how he meant everything to her and how her life was fuller somehow, now that she shared it with him. So instead she asked, “Why is he doing this to me?” “I don’t know.” If Julian was hoping to hear I love you, he didn’t show it. Kara looked at the bloody scene around them. The rain was already cleansing the ropes where Abbey had been. But there on the rocks… “Where’s Gable’s sword? It’s gone.” “We need Gavin.” She felt his hand move from her thigh. “Damn it. My charm must have fallen off when Gable cut me. Here, move with me, love.” He shambled back to where they’d fought and from the feel of his movements, must have been searching the ground for his charm. “Got it!” “Is that really necessary, Julian?” a deep voice asked from somewhere under a blanket of rain. Julian shot upright, fitting himself tightly to Kara. She heard him quickly mutter some words and felt the summons flow past her into the angry gray sky. Gable materialized to Kara’s left, causing both her and Julian to turn to face him. The bastard was still smiling. “It doesn’t matter.” He cleared his throat, and although his flesh was still ragged, his voice already sounded stronger. “It’s time to let him in on the game, anyhow.” “The game?” Kara’s sword hand trembled with fury. “You think this is a game between you and me?” “Between you and me?” He looked honestly surprised. “What would be the point of that? You are an insignificant speck on the timeline of my life. This is a gift for my brother, though I’ve been disappointed he’s let you have all the fun.” “What does this have to do with Kara?” Julian demanded. “Protecting Teras’s daughter. That’s all Gavin spoke of when he came to me, asking me to leave the Shadowland and make a home on Mercury Island. He


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was obsessed with the vow he’d made, but after all these years, Ailexon doesn’t really care about Deanna’s brat, does he?” Gable shook his head, answering his own question. He turned his cold gaze to Kara. “And then Gavin saw you. He saw you and he wanted you. You weren’t simply the child of his old master hidden away from our world, but a female ripe for the picking. Once he said he was moving to the city to be near you, I knew I would lose him if I couldn’t keep his interest.” “Keep his interest?” Her brows rose into the wet hair across her forehead. “He’s never going to forgive you when he finds out what you’ve done. You’ll lose him forever.” Gable laughed. “You’ve barely known him two weeks, little princess. My brother was a great warrior when we were young. Gavine the Gruesome was feared to the darkest corners of the Shadowland. Why else would Teras have enlisted his help to lead his army?” Gavin’s gentle face flashed in her mind. “I don’t believe you.” Gable regarded her with a frown. “I thought you would ask him for help and tell him about the markings. Or our dreams.” He smiled when he said the last part as if he’d had a private peek into her soul. “You really haven’t held up your end of the bargain…though I can’t say I minded entering your fantasies. You’ve cast your dream self with a wonderfully tight—” He was interrupted by the rumble of Julian’s low growl. The tension in Julian’s body radiated out like a tangible force. Memories of the dreams decayed in her mind. “You disgust me.” He shrugged. “Now, perhaps, but I was your first taste of the divine. You didn’t seem to mind so much when I was taking you over and over. And all you had to do to stop it was tell your noble protector. That was part of the game. But you didn’t want it to stop, did you? And you didn’t want Gavin to have a place

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in your life beyond your bedroom.” He shook his head. “You could never make my brother happy. He’ll be better off when you’re gone.” “Trust me, she’s not going anywhere.” The chill in Julian’s voice could have turned the rain to hail. “You still think she carries your child?” Gable chuckled. “Julian Mercés,” he said grandly, “the oldest living half-breed. The eternal optimist. I’m sorry, mutt, we’ll soon be cashing in on the bets that you wouldn’t last another year.” “I don’t need much more out of life—only enough time to kill you.” With that, Julian shot forward, faster than Kara’s eyes could track, his sword clashing with Gable’s in a crash as loud as cymbals. Julian’s eyes glowed red like smoldering embers as he hacked at his enemy’s weapon. The two men were light on their feet, almost graceful, as they fought to the death on the small splotch of an island in the middle of nowhere. Julian’s head was turned slightly, trying to keep Gable in his sight with his one good eye. Gable lunged, swinging his blade in a long arc just inches from Julian’s chest. Julian sidestepped the blow and spun, catching Gable on the forearm. Gable jumped back and smiled, glancing briefly at the gaping cut on his arm. The gash looked like two red lips parted for their lover. “Not bad for a Cyclops, half-breed. But your aim is off.” Julian kept his body between Gable and Kara, but Kara was watching for an opening to strike Gable without getting in Julian’s way. “I expected more from the only mottled-winged man in creation,” Julian mocked. “It’s disappointing, really. Gavin had such high hopes for his long-lost brother. What will he think when he finds out you’re as crazy as your father?” Gable growled, and his wings flexed. Instead of running at Julian, he surged forward without his feet even touching the ground. Julian met him in the air,


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their swords clashing again and again, as each man put everything he had into the blows. The rain stung Kara’s eyes as she looked up at the battle raging before her. How could she help when she couldn’t even get off the ground? Julian’s black hair was dripping down his back and his silver wings were poised like a raptor in flight. His strong muscles flexed and bunched with each strike, but the way he carried his head to the side left a blind opening for Gable. Gable struck fast, plunging his sword through Julian’s side with a crack of bone and sinew. When he yanked out the long blade, Julian reeled back, just as Gable brought the sword around again, his broad swipe catching Julian at the base of his throat and following through. Like a puppet cut free of his strings, Julian’s head toppled to the side as his body crashed to the earth. Kara blinked as Julian hit the ground chest-first, bouncing once before he came to rest. She couldn’t understand what she was seeing when the blood leaked slowly from the stump at his shoulders. She dropped her sword and ran to him. When she rolled him over onto his back, his head followed like a dog on a long leash. It draped across his shoulder, facing sideways, held on by nothing more than a leftover scrap of sinew. Her heart felt like it had stopped beating. She wanted to cup his cheeks and tell him she loved him, but she couldn’t bring herself to touch his face…it wasn’t in the right spot. She knew she should get up. She should defend herself from the monster. But she didn’t care. A tortured sob tore from her chest as she knelt over Julian’s headless body. She grabbed his limp hand and brought it to her cheek as the rain pelted her face. She felt the same skin stretched over his smooth knuckles, the same fingers that had played over her body, but already the cold wind was chilling his flesh as the last of his lifeblood seeped into the stony black soil.

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“Shhh,” whispered Gavin’s soothing voice from behind her as he brushed the wet hair from her eyes. “I know it hurts. Kara, look at me.” Kara turned toward him, meeting his eyes and wishing he could take away the pain. Abbey. Now Julian. What was the point of living if there wasn’t anyone left to live for? “He’s gone, Gavin.” He smiled softly. “Yes, but you won’t think of that now. Rest, Kara. Lie down beside him and you will see him soon.” Kara’s thoughts slowed like the hardening lava in the distance. She welcomed the numbing fog rolling across her mind, masking the unbearable things that lay under the thick gray blanket of mist. “All right, Gavin.” She stretched out beside Julian, curling toward his solid body and resting her head against his bloody chest. “That’s a good girl. Close your eyes, Kara.” Kara’s eyelids fluttered closed, catching a metallic glint in Gavin’s hand the instant before her body relaxed into Julian. No! her mind screamed, pushing back at Gable’s energy, jolting her out of her slumber with the equivalent of a bolt of lightning. Before Kara could even make sense of it, she swept her foot out with superhuman speed, catching Gable off guard and knocking the sword from his grip. The next instant, she was on him, her hands wrapped around his throat, tearing at the same wound Julian had inflicted on him. Gable flashed, drawing Kara through the thick tar of time, but she held on like a leech, her fury giving her substance when she would have faded away. They emerged a dozen yards from Julian’s body, her fingers still sinking into Gable’s muscle, ripping him apart bit by bit. Gable grasped Kara’s head in his clawed hands and shot into the air. She wrapped her legs around him in a python’s grip as his talons sank into her skull,


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rending bits of hair and scalp from the bone as he tried to pry her off. The pain was like acid eating away at the twists and curls of her mind, as if he had poison in his fingertips and it was dissolving her brain with barbed tentacles of agony. She was going to die and had room for only one thought—she was taking Gable with her. She felt the sharp vertebrae of his spine just beyond her reach and clawed harder. He couldn’t scream or breathe—she’d completely torn his throat out. He angled his wings and dove for the ground, smashing his body down on hers with enough force to almost burst her lungs. Kara went limp, her body in shock and her scalp hanging down in shreds. When Gable rolled off her onto his back, grasping at his neck with his hands, Kara’s eyes followed the motion. Air bubbled up from the fist-sized hole in his throat. She could see the edge of his vertebrae protruding through the mangled flesh. Kara reached behind her and pulled Jaxon’s knife from her waist. She rolled toward Gable in one smooth motion, curving her arm like a sickle as she heard a voice bellow from the sky, “Kara! No!” She plunged the blade straight through Gable’s searching fingers, into his exposed spine, and twisted, hearing the pop as the bones separated from one another. His body spasmed, every muscle going rigid before Kara dug the short blade deeper, using all her strength to sever his head from his shoulders. “No!” Gavin screamed from behind her, landing so hard, he stumbled. His gray wings inadvertently brushed against her red-stained face as he crawled over his brother’s body and snatched up his head, cradling it protectively against his chest. With the sound of a thousand rushing streams, warriors descended from everywhere, drops of rain flying from the tips of their feathers with every beat of

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their wings. Kara looked away from Gavin, away from the shock and agony on his face as he held his brother’s blond head in his hands. She crawled past warriors’ feet and swords being sheathed and curled up next to Julian again. Resting her battered head against his chest, she linked her fingers through his, closed her eyes and finally fell to sleep.


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Kara stretched out in the grass, staring at the sky through a canopy of leaves. “So, I guess things are looking up, Jules. Jaxon’s spine is completely healed and the construction company finally got Abbey’s property cleared. We don’t know when they’re going to start building the new house, but honestly—” her voice dropped to a whisper, “—I don’t think she’s in any hurry to leave my place.” Kara smiled, thinking of Abbey tucked under Jaxon’s protective arm as they dropped her off to visit Julian then flashed out of existence. The patches on Kara’s scalp had long since grown back, but Abbey’s witch blood wasn’t helping her heal as quickly as a Demiáre. The layered red hair falling to her chin wasn’t the only mark left by her time on the island, even if the other scars were harder to see. That day had wounded them all. Kara hadn’t attended Gable’s funeral, but she heard it was a small event. Nothing like Julian’s. All the ladies of the Mercury Clan had returned home for Julian’s interment, and every warrior attended. Kara had never seen anything like it. They’d lit huge pyres, but instead of burning Julian’s body, they entombed him in a stone casket filled with the earth from his ancestral home and buried it under his special tree. Aiden had promised her that doing this would give Julian the best chance of regenerating. His expression had told Kara he didn’t believe it was going to happen, but she chose to take comfort in his words. If the head hadn’t been completely severed, there was always a chance.

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She felt closer to Julian here, under his tree. She wanted to think he could hear her. And who was to say he couldn’t? “Unfortunately, we haven’t found Pibby yet. I’m still hoping one of Abbey’s neighbors took him in and is too in love with him to respond to the fliers. I’m not going to stop looking until I know for sure. But…that isn’t all I came to talk to you about.” She propped herself on her elbow and ran a hand over his stone. What she had to tell him wasn’t going to be easy. “I know how much you wanted a child. Aiden told me after…well, after you went away. And it didn’t happen.” She took a deep breath to keep her voice from quaking. She wasn’t ready for children and on most days she would have been pissed if he’d gotten her pregnant, but she couldn’t deny there had been weeks after she’d lost him when she wished she still had a piece of him to hold on to. “Just come back. You hear me? Come back and we’ll talk about what the future could hold. About children. I mean, not right away,” she added hastily, “but someday. I haven’t quite wrapped my brain around it yet, but it seems like time is something I won’t be running out of soon.” Kara felt Gavin’s presence just moments before he alighted on the small patch of grass beside her. “So it’s true?” he asked. She stood and slowly turned toward him. She’d missed him so much it hurt to look at him. He still paid the rent on the apartment in town, but he didn’t leave the island, and he avoided seeing her when she made her weekly visits to Julian’s graveside. “What’s true?” His blond hair shone in the sun and his hazel eyes were as mesmerizing as ever. “That you’re free, princess.” Kara looked up at him and stilled. He hadn’t called her princess since the day she’d killed his brother.


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“Free. Yeah. If that’s what you want to call it.” Funny. Being alone didn’t feel that freeing anymore. She splayed her toes in the grass, staring down at her feet like she was enthralled by the sight. It was hard to meet his eyes. “I’m not pregnant. I had my first real ‘season’ last week. Jaxon helped me through it.” “Did he…?” Gavin began, his brows drawing down. Kara waved her hand. “Oh, heck no. He didn’t mate me or whatever you call it. He just helped me through it and Abbey helped him when it got rough.” Gavin nodded. He must have had experience with what it was like to be around a female in season. It wasn’t pretty. “But other than that,” Kara continued, “I don’t feel any different. I was expecting more.” The side of his mouth quirked up. “One season doesn’t mean you’ve reached maturity. You’re still young yet, princess. Don’t rush your life.” Easy for him to say. He could zap people with his hand, and all Kara could do was detect him doing it. Maturity couldn’t come fast enough, in her opinion. “It’s good to talk to you, Gavin. I’ve missed that.” I’ve missed you. His half-smile melted away. “I’m sorry I couldn’t come to you sooner.” “No, I’m sorry.” She slowly shook her head. “I know how you’ve suffered. You lost two brothers that day.” “I did. But you should know that I don’t blame you, Kara. I never did. I blame myself for not seeing Gable’s madness sooner. Everything that happened is my fault. I didn’t protect you. I didn’t protect Julian. I failed the two people I love the most.” Kara glanced up at him. His gray wings had a metallic sheen in the morning sun. It was breathtaking. She wanted to trace a finger along the smooth, silky

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planes. “You can’t carry the weight of the world, Gavin. Even you aren’t that strong.” “These past months have shown me just how weak I am.” His eyes reflected his turmoil, and Kara could swear she felt his conflicted emotions swirling in the air around them. “I have two things to tell you. I need to say this, princess, and you need to listen carefully.” “Okay.” She swallowed and clasped her hands together so he wouldn’t see her shaking. It was hard to be a bad-ass when he looked as if the fate of the world were hanging in the balance. “The first is that Aiden and I have been sensing…something from Julian’s grave. At first I dismissed it because it came to me in dreams, but now the energy is almost constant. It’s dark and it’s in pain.” “Are you sure?” She turned to look at his headstone. “Julian, in pain?” “Yes. Aiden has begun ceremonies each night to restore Julian’s powers to him. The curse he bound to protect us needs to be released.” Her eyes welled. Nothing mattered but one thing. “He’s really coming back?” He shifted into a wider stance and nodded. “I’ve never heard of a demibreed healing from such a grievous injury, but it seems he is.” “And it hurts?” Gavin flinched. “Yes, princess.” He glanced at Julian’s grave. “The process may be long, and it’s most assuredly painful.” Kara focused on breathing. She was feeling lightheaded and she wasn’t sure if it was because Julian was actually regenerating, or if it was because he was going through hell to do it. She shook her head, casting aside her doubts and fears. “I know he can do it. And we’ll be here for him when he comes through.”


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“Yes. We,” he said carefully. “That’s the second thing.” Kara looked up into his eyes. Her breathing slowed. “Forgive me for standing on my brother’s grave and saying this to you, but when I learned you were released from his claim, my heart rejoiced.” She put her fingers to his lips. “Gavin—” He took her hands in his. “I lost you once because I was too concerned with what was right for the clan. I can’t lose you again.” “What are you saying?” “I realize you love my brother. All I’m asking is for a place by your side. If Julian pulls through—when he pulls through—you can make your decision if you have room for us both.” “Gavin, you’re talking about breaking the law!” He laughed. “I made the law.” Hope began to bloom in her heart like the first bud after a long winter. With his fingers in hers, she squeezed gently, wanting him to know she was serious. “That’s a decision Julian would need to be part of.” “I understand. But I know one thing, he wants you to be happy above all else. And I believe I can make you happy.” “What if that day comes and friendship is all I can offer you?” He looked deep into her eyes and smiled. “Then we will be the best of friends. Either way, I love you, Kara, and going on without you in my life is no longer an option.” She could barely speak. To learn Julian was going to be all right and at the same time hear the earnestness in Gavin’s voice, it was too much for her. “Are you crying?” he asked. Kara snorted and blinked away the moisture in her eyes. “I don’t cry. You know that.”

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He chuckled. “Ah, yes. I remember.” “You really think that we could get past everything we’ve been through? That when Julian comes back we can figure out a way to make this work?” He stepped forward and took her in his arms, pressing her temple to his shoulder as he breathed into her hair. “I want to try, if you do.” She inhaled his heady scent and felt his warm skin beneath her cheek. Being in Gavin’s arms again was like waking from a bad dream and realizing the phantoms couldn’t touch her now. “I’ve never wanted anything more.”


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About the Author

Cassi Carver lives in sunny Southern California with two dogs, four kids and a hubby who gives great massages. She gets to the Gaslamp for research (okay, happy hour) as often as possible. She’s never saved the world, but she keeps sexy boots on hand just in case the opportunity arises. Twitter: @CassiCarver Facebook: Cassi Carver Website: www.cassicarver.com E-mail: [email protected]

For an innocent man, she’ll go to her grave. Again.

Incarnate

© 2011 A.C. Ruttan The Portal Keepers, Book 1 Cia is serving her sentence in the Canadian Arctic, guarding one of the many portals that seal off Earth from Heaven and Hell. She doesn’t mind the cold. What she does mind? Someone’s bumping off other Incarnates, the dual-souled beings who hold the Apocalypse at bay. And she’s next on the list. Worse, she learns the prime suspect is Arthur, her ex. Arthur is many things, but despite their history, he’s no murderer. Cia has only thirty days to find him and prove it before the Wrath is unleashed to mete out justice.It’s no relief when he shows up in her truck’s headlights on the side of the ice road. He stirs turmoil between her volatile old soul and the younger one that keeps it in line. Worse, he shows all the signs of turning into a demon. The closer they get to Yellowknife, the more rogue demons pour out of Hell, dragging with them a past she thought would never haunt her again. Another murder, and the elders prepare to summon the Wrath ahead of schedule. A move that will, literally, let all Hell break loose. Unless Cia makes a soul-tearing choice. Warning: Ice, frigid temperatures, lots of Poutine consuming and a mention of blubber. Many demons were harmed in the writing of this book, but the polar bear really is okay. Enjoy the following excerpt for Incarnate: Those were scary times. The Elders were constantly in mediation and there was chatter of the end of days. Agency cover-up artists disguised it as Y2K.

Brilliant, and it worked, but lately there had been talk about the Mayan calendar and the end of days again. Perhaps Henry was gaining power again and would try to take over the world like he had ten years earlier. Only this time he was going to get rid of the one Guard who had previously stood in his way. Me. “So how do you stop a demon prince, then? If he’s truly indestructible, how do you get rid of one?” “You send him back to Hell through a portal.” A frown creased his brow. “Of course, whoever accomplishes the task usually forfeits their own life and is dragged to Hell with the prince, since to keep him from coming back, the Guardian has to destroy their portal and thus kill themselves in the process. Kind of like a sacrifice.” “Wouldn’t he just go to another portal?” “No, because each portal opens up into a different part of Hell, and a demon prince can’t encroach on another prince’s realm. Demon princes are very territorial. They can only pass through a portal that connects to their realm in Hell, and since we have no way of knowing which portal connects to which territory, it makes them undetectable and hard to track. It makes them seem like they can pop out anywhere.” I dropped my head in my hands, my gut twisting in a knot, the headache pounding behind my eyes. I could feel my locket containing the piece of my portal vibrating gently between my breasts, reminding me of my tie to it. Why did I suddenly get the feeling it would be me? Damien’s words haunted me then: “A blood sacrifice must be given.” My life was tied to Yellowknife, and the only protection I had was a neophyte or trainee Incarnate, Anne. As if thinking the same thing, Arthur

scooted to the side of the bed and reached over to where I was sitting, placing a strong hand on my knee. His hand was warm and reassuring. Without looking at him I placed my hand on top of his and squeezed. “I am sorry for all of this,” I said. “Sorry Henry is doing this.” “And I am sorry, Cia. You know I am. I’m sorry I left you. I was a fool.” He picked up my hand and brought my knuckles to his lips, brushing a feather-light kiss across the top. It caused gooseflesh to break out across my skin and sent a delightful zing of pleasure washing through me. This was something more than just lust or an itch to scratch. He seemed to be thinking the same thing because he pulled me from the chair onto his lap. His skin was still damp and the cheap thin towel was soaked. “You’re getting my pants wet.” Arthur cocked an eyebrow, and I blushed, laughing as I remembered “pants” in England were underwear or panties to us in North America. I punched him hard in the shoulder. “I mean my trousers. The towel has reached its absorbent capacity.” Arthur looked down, and before I had a chance to avert my eyes or at least escape his grasp and retreat to the safety of my chair, he removed the towel and I got an eyeful of my estranged husband. Fully aroused. Flames of desire licked through my body at the sight of him hard for me. On their own accord, acting purely on instinct, my nipples hardened under the thin cotton of my shirt—my body thrumming with awareness at the close proximity of a very naked and turned-on Arthur. Erotic memories flooded through me, my body reliving each exquisite detail of Arthur’s touch.

“Move, get away from him,” my rational side screamed at me, but a much stronger voice—which was having free range lately—made the most vocal protests, in ancient Celtic nonetheless. Boudicca wanted Arthur. No. We wanted Arthur. “No we. We are one and of the same accord.” I bit my lip at the tingling sexual tension between us. The unquenched thirst of lust was thick in the air. It seemed like I had no control of my body, like Boudicca had taken my body hostage. The steadfast, calm side of me no longer had a voice. My body had been hijacked by a two-thousand-year-old, horny barbarian woman—and I couldn’t be happier to oblige. Snaking my arms around his neck, I trailed my fingers over his shaved head through the coarse stubble which was still damp before placing a lingering kiss on his mouth, surprising him as I playfully sucked on his bottom lip. “You know I didn’t tell you to remove the towel, but I’m glad you did.” His strong arms slipped around me, his skin hot and humid from his shower. The heat from his skin permeated through the cotton of my shirt as his hands slid down my back to cup my ass. He growled in appreciation. “Well then perhaps I should invest in a set of cheap, scratchy small towels if they get you into such a state of excitement,” he whispered against my ear before leaving a trail of nips and kisses down my neck, his tongue swirling in the hollow at the base of my neck. A sigh slipped past my lips. He remembered. That secret spot in the hollow of my throat that made my heart skip a beat, made my sex wet with desire. I turned myself so I was sitting astride him, pressing our bodies closer so I could feel his erection hard between us. Cupping his cheeks I trapped him in a deep kiss—the more aggressive, passionate kiss I had been longing to indulge in. Pushing him

down against the mattress I captured his lips again, our tongues intertwining as his hands slipped under my flimsy T-shirt, kneading my aching breasts.

’Tis the season for ho-ho-homicide.

Secret Santa

© 2011 Sierra Dean Secret McQueen, Book 2.5 It’s the most wonderful time of the year. The season for mistletoe, Christmas lights…and a killing spree. When Secret’s friend, Detective Mercedes Castilla, asks for help to solve a series of murders longer than a string of lights, Secret resigns herself to the fact her holidays will be anything but peaceful. It seems someone is killing New Yorkers in an unusually gruesome way, and as the bodies pile up faster than presents under the tree, the police are no closer to finding the killer than Secret is to finding the perfect present for one of her boyfriends, Lucas. Tracking down a monster in Manhattan the week before Christmas is almost as difficult as shopping for her ever-expanding collection of loved ones. When tragedy strikes close to home, Secret must do everything in her power to put an end to the horror in time for Santa to come down the chimney. Warning: Contains a less than merry McQueen with a sword and a reason to use it; a festive new use for mistletoe; and a promise that will haunt Secret like the Ghost of Christmas Future. Enjoy the following excerpt for Secret Santa: Desmond lifted me as though I weighed nothing—which was probably what I felt like to a buff werewolf—and slung me over his shoulder. I wanted to fight, but this angle gave me a fabulous view of his wonderful, toned butt, and I was hard-pressed to find anything wrong with that.

He kicked the door closed behind us, and I watched the apartment slide by as I dangled upside down, a curtain of my blonde curls obscuring most of the view. “Aren’t you at all curious about the knocking?” I wheezed, the question directed at his tush. He didn’t stop walking until we were in the bedroom, where he heaved me onto the unmade bed. “Do you hear that?” he asked, lifting his head and looking around the room. “Hear what?” I listened closely but heard nothing. “Nada. Not a damned thing. No knocking.” With his coat on the chair and his tie already loosened, I could tell strange noises were the last thing on Desmond’s mind. Getting to my knees, I fixed him with a serious look. “What if it was a monster?” My tone was playful, but just saying the word reawakened my guilt. He must have seen the shift in my eyes because he climbed onto the bed and knelt in front of me, cupping my face between his warm, rough hands. The touch of his wide, familiar palms made a sensational heat bloom inside me. If there was one thing Desmond could be counted on for, it was making me forget my problems. “The monsters will always be there, Secret. Let’s just pretend for a little while we don’t know anything about them. Deal?” I ran my hand through the thick, dark waves of his hair. It had gotten longer in our time together, and wilder. Sometimes it reminded me of the carefree waves Holden had always favored, but I bit my tongue whenever the comparison sprang to mind. Desmond’s extraordinary violet-gray eyes were searching my face, trying to judge my reaction to his request.

I smiled and traced a path from his hair, down his cheek, my fingernails grazing the five o’clock shadow that made him look both mature and dangerous. “Stand up,” I whispered. A befuddled look overcame him, but he edged backwards off the bed and complied with my instructions. I crawled towards him, my gaze fixed on his face, and the new expression there was worth every slow, painstaking inch I traveled. When I stopped I was on all fours at the end of the bed, eye level with his Gucci belt buckle. I breathed out a hot, openmouthed sigh, and Desmond groaned. He reached out to touch my hair, but the instant I felt the brush of fingers, I pulled back and shook my head. “That’s not how this is going to work.” He raised a single brow and couldn’t hide the smirk threatening to overtake his lips. As patient as he was, his resolve wouldn’t last forever. Werewolves, especially those with Alpha leanings like Desmond, were used to being in control at all times. It had never bothered me that his dominant nature exhibited itself in our bedroom, because I knew it was hard for him to keep it buried in the pack. As Lucas’s second, Desmond couldn’t flaunt his power since he didn’t want to upset the balance. If he wasn’t the king’s lieutenant, he’d be Alpha of another pack, and I wondered if he ever regretted not being given the opportunity. But I had dominant urges too. And with all the stress and pressure that had been mounded on me, I didn’t want that to be one more thing I needed to bury. Tonight I needed to let my freak flag fly. I rose on my knees, the front of my body rubbing against him as I did. His breath came out sharp and raspy. “Secret.”

“Shh.” I twisted my fingers in the Windsor knot of his tie and noticed for the first time that it had festive silver snowflakes embroidered in the silk. The knot came undone without any resistance, and I tugged the tie off him with a precise yank. I pressed into him, licking the bow at the bottom of his lower lip, but when he tried to kiss me I turned my face away. He growled, and the rumble of it made goose bumps rise on my arms, while inside the primal part of my inner wolf awoke with a lazy stretch. Only when I was with Desmond could I feel the wolf as her own entity. Usually it made me uneasy, but tonight it fed the fire. I snaked my arms behind his back, and with my face pressed against his shirt, I bit one of his nipples through the soft material. He was distracted enough he didn’t seem to notice his hands were bound behind his back with his tie. Only when I pulled away did he realize it. There was a defiant flash in his eyes, but he must have been willing because he was strong enough to easily get his hands free if he wanted to. He let them stay tied. I smirked at him. “Are you sure you want to give me all this power? Could be dangerous.” He gritted his teeth and spoke slowly. “If you just leave me standing here fully clothed…” I undid his top button and then a second as he spoke, “…it could be dangerous for you.” With his shirt unbuttoned and pushed off his shoulders, I trailed kisses down his exposed abdomen. “Promise?” I asked, casting a coy glance upwards. I bit the leather of his belt and pulled the end tab loose with only my teeth. “You devilish—”

I undid the rest of the belt with my fingers, and he lost track of his insult when I unzipped his slacks and placed a delicate, teasing kiss on the strained cotton covering his rock-hard erection. I tugged his pants and underwear down. With him exposed, it was all I could do to not unbind him and make him take me then and there. But that would defeat the purpose of the experiment. “Hold that thought,” I said, and licked the full length of his shaft. “Or should I say, wait here and don’t hold anything.” I leaped off the bed before he could argue, and when I came back I was dangling something from my finger that made Desmond bark with laughter. Dropping onto my knees in front of him, I held the cluster of mistletoe over my head. “Now where should I kiss you first?”

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