Aflame (Apotheosis) (23 page)

“Thanks, Marcus.” He managed a quick smile before devouring a maple bar. Man, he loved the food around here. Someday, after he was strong enough, he’d bring his mom here so she could have this yummy food too. Maybe she’d get better and be able to take care of him again.

He had a dream last night. Shayde again. This time, he was fighting on a mountain. Marcus and Zander were helping him. The girl was in the dream again too. She was pretty, as far as girls go, especially her red hair. Anyway, in this dream, he wasn’t scared. He was mad. He was mad because Shayde was trying to hurt the girl.

“Fucker,” Stephen whispered under his breath.

“What was that?” Marcus raised his eyebrows.

“I’m sorry.” Stephen smiled.

“Don’t let the ladies hear you talk like that,” Marcus scolded.

Stephen laughed. “Ladies? Grayce talks like that every day.”

“I know, right?” Marcus punched Stephens shoulder. It hurt. Not too bad, though. “That girl cusses more than a trucker.” Milk sprayed across the floor and Stephen doubled over with laughter.

“Hey, Stephen.” Marcus grabbed the now empty plate. “Chelsea wants you to come and eat a decent breakfast. Afterward, I thought the two of us could go outside. You can show me what you’ve got.”

Marcus posed, flexing his chest muscles. Stephen’s pulse raced, eager for the day he’d look like that.

“Show off.” Stephen giggled as he glanced back to the sleeping couple. Leaving was the last thing he wanted to do, but Chelsea would come and drag him to the kitchen if he didn’t go on his own.

“They’ll be here when we get back, don’t worry.” Marcus headed through the door. Stephen didn’t want to leave, but he followed, running to keep up with the warrior’s strides.

* * * *

The room came into focus one blink at a time. Window, bathroom door, dresser. Everything was right where it was supposed to be. The scent came next. Skin and sun. Zander’s heady smell. Then the heat, pressed warm and hard against her backside. The musk that invaded her senses lit a fire that shot a swelling desire straight to her sex.

Wait. He died.

Grayce rolled over and buried her nose in his chest. An erection pressed against her overheated skin. Maybe they were both dead. Was this a dream? Didn’t matter. She needed him inside of her, fantasy or not.

She slid her foot up his thigh, wrapped her leg around his bare ass and pulled him tighter against her hips.

They were naked, but how they got that way, she didn’t know. Sure as hell didn’t care. Saved her some time and effort. With a slight shift, she positioned her body until his smooth, heated sex pressed against her folds. Three rolls of her hips and his hardened flesh was slick with her moisture.

A sensual groan vibrated through his chest. Oh fuck, she ached with desire. Warmth spread up her legs, through her abdomen, continued upward and burned a blush into her cheeks. As she pressed kisses across his chest, his heart pounded a primal rhythm under his pecs.

“Good God, firecracker. I love you.” Zander kissed the top of her head.

He loved me.

Kiss. Lick. Nibble. Damn he tasted good.

A sharp hiss plucked her from her fantasy. “Careful love, that’s tender.”

What?

With one fluid motion Zander grabbed her waist, flipped to his back and lowered her onto his over eager erection. Sweet agony filled her from the inside out. An orgasm already threatened to destroy her. Damn. This power he had over her body was infuriating.

“Oh. My. Fucking. Hell.” Grayce’s eyes filled with tears as she caught glimpse of his pale, heaving body. Three large scars marred his torso. Covering her face, she peeked through her fingers. What the fuck? He shouldn’t be here. He died in her arms. “Am I dreaming?”

With a sharp thrust of his hips, Zander drove his sex deeper into her. Grayce threw her head up and arched her back.

“Does this feel like a dream, baby?”

No. God no. She leaned forward and traced the scars across and back. “How can they be healed already?”

“You healed me.”

Zander’s name escaped her lips when he gripped her hips and thrust again.

“I don’t remember what happened.”

“You. Healed. Me.” Each word came through gritted teeth. Every force of his hips validation that he was very much alive.

In an attempt to slow the torture, Grayce squeezed her thighs together.

For a moment, Zander relaxed beneath her. “Nikolas thinks your red energy hit the bear and me at the same time. Either gave the grizzly incredible strength or stripped me of mine. That’s how its claws were able to pierce my skin.”

He sat. Pulled her legs around his waist. Drove his cock deeper.

Her insides coiled then exploded in a painful series of convulsion and sweet, agonizing release. Grayce screamed his name and buried her face in his neck as she rode out the soul-shattering orgasm.

When able to lift her head, he brushed her lips with feather light kisses.

“You saved my life.” He breathed against her mouth. “You’re my superhero now.” Claiming her lips again he pulled her harder over his erection, wrapped his arms around her waist, then flipped and pinned her underneath him. “I need to properly thank you.”

Grayce whimpered when he pulled out of her and traced her abdominal scar with his tongue, leaving a trail of fire along the path.

“We match now.” He nibbled her hip bone. “Matching scars. How cool is that?” Another nibble. Her hips jerked up to him. “Firecracker.” His lips blazed a trail from her hip to her clit, kissing and biting along the way. So soft and gentle.

Grayce appreciated his tender touch. His tongue pierced her folds. Brain and libido jumped into hyperdrive. He stroked up and down her slickness, applied just the right pressure in all the right places.

Sucked. Licked. Bit. Then stopped on the brink of another release. One finger, then two pushed inside. Rubbed. Caressed. He pulled them out halfway, then plunged again. Grayce rocked her hips to meet him as his fingers worked their magic inside and his mouth drove her insane on the outside.

How in heaven’s name could she survive another orgasm? There hadn’t been time to recover from the last. “Zander,” she cried, grabbing his head and swiveling her hips back and forth against his hungry lips. “Fuck.” Grayce bucked, wild and wanton, under his head. “Oh fuck!”

Pain and pleasure tore through her from the inside out. Each shiver left her gasping, every tremor melted her muscle and bone until there was nothing left inside her skin but warm liquid.

Grayce’s muscles continued to clench with aftershocks. Zander crawled up the length of her body, eased his cock between her legs, filled and stretched her to the limit. She pulled his face to hers, bit his chin and licked her moisture from his lips.

“My love.” He reached his release, collapsed at her side, and locked their bodies together. Within seconds, he was out cold.

Physical exhaustion wasn’t enough to whisk her away to dreamland. Her brain wasn’t ready to shut down, not with all the nagging questions mud wrestling inside her head. She saved him? How was that possible? Why her? Why give her the power to both destroy and heal? If this fallen angel, warrior, soul mate mumbo-jumbo was true, why did she have to battle these demons? Something dark dwelled in her; it had always been there. But for the first time in her life, there was something light too, something...good? Maybe she was just crazy like her mother.

Great. Would she start hearing voices in her head soon? The thought brought on an unpleasant shudder.

Zander moaned in his sleep and gave Grayce a squeeze. Face pressed against his chest, she breathed deep and let his scent and warmth settle the unease. Concentrating on him alone, to block the bullshit bombarding her brain, she drifted to sleep.

10

Every jaw in the room hung open as Nikolas read the words printed on the front page of the Chastain Inquisitor. “John Houghton, escaped convict, claims he is the father of Grayce Smith. Miss Smith is wanted for questioning in the murders of two local women and the disappearance of another.”

Nikolas continued reading. Grayce pulled her knees to her chest and hid her face behind trembling fingers. When Zander offered an arm for comfort, she batted him away.

He heard the drag of breath as she pulled oxygen into her lungs, deep and slow, trying to stay calm. Good girl.

With a frustrated sigh, Nikolas looked up from the paper. “Did you know your father?” All eyes turned to Grayce.

With a sigh, she raised her head and lowered her hands. “No. My mother never talked about him.” The room temperature rose a few degrees in a matter of seconds. Zander shot her a worried glance.

“I’ve got it under control,” she barked at him, then continued with the deep breathing.

Damn, he was proud of her. He watched as her glow hovered then disappeared into her skin.

“What if he is her father?” Chelsea asked and grabbed her husband’s arm. “We have to get to that man.”

“They’re transferring him back to prison soon as he’s stable enough to be moved,” Zander interjected. He, too, was drawing deep breaths in effort to contain his dangerous and foul mood.

Chelsea turned toward her husband and placed a hand on his thigh. “Nikolas, my love. Will you take me to the hospital with you tomorrow?” Her hand slid closer to his crotch.

Oh crap, Zander thought. Chelsea was pulling out the big guns. Nikolas was in for a fight.

The twinkle in Nikolas’ eye couldn’t have been missed from a mile away. “What are you thinking sweetheart?” His words flowed like molasses.

Zander’s mood wasn’t so foul anymore. This was gonna be a good show. He relaxed into the couch, crossed his arms and nudged Grayce. He didn’t want her to miss this. She’d yet to be witness to a tiff between the Comptons.

“I’m thinking we can get close enough so I can read him. We need to find out what’s going on.” Emerald eyes flashed big and bright. Damned those big beauties. No one had ever been able to say no to them.

Tearing his gaze away, Nikolas swallowed hard. “Darling, I love you. It’s a brilliant idea. But you know as well as I, there’s not a chance in hell I’d let you get anywhere near that man.” His chin jetting in protest, Nikolas folded the paper and placed it on the floor next to his chair.

Her tone darkened. “We don’t have a choice.” The hand on Nikolas’ thigh clenched. The gesture was meant to be inconspicuous, but Zander had been watching and waiting. Her fingernails dug into his thigh, no doubt sending blood to the one place Nikolas didn’t want it to go, and the precise spot Chelsea had intended.

She leaned closer to her husband. “This is Grayce’s life we’re talking about. If he’s connected to Tyr, perhaps I can find out where that monster is hiding.”

“No Chelsea. You’re asking me to put you in harm’s way knowing full well I’ll never let that happen.” Nikolas shifted in his chair.

Poor bastard. He’d already lost the battle. Chelsea never played fair.

In a move so sly only a trained eye could see, Chelsea brushed a finger across the bulge in Nikolas pants before raising her hand to his chest. “Lover. Please. Marcus and Zander can come. There’s no way I’ll be in danger with the three of you. Besides, I’ve made up my mind. You can take me and make it easy, or I’ll go myself and find another way to get near him.” The hard-headed hottie stood, straightened her skirt and sauntered to the kitchen.

Zander exchanged glances with his friend.

Shoulders deflated, cock...not so much, Nikolas rose from the chair and followed his wife.

Grayce pounded the couch cushion. “Fuck. Stop arguing about it. I don’t care if the asshole is my sperm donor. I don’t want to know. Bastard can die for all I care.”

Nikolas turned to her wearing a warm smile. “Oh, we’re not fighting dear. She’s won this round. Once she’s left the room, her mind is made up. Nothing I can do to change it now.” He rubbed his bald head and continued after Chelsea.

“Was that a fight?” Grayce asked, bewilderment contorting her face.

“Yeah. That was a fight.” Zander pulled Grayce into his lap.

She snuggled against him. “Where are they going?”

He laughed. “To make up.”