Passionate Investigations (8 page)

Zahra laid a hand on Rob when he came near her, pausing him
in his growing agitation.

“We’ll do this together. I can see the lack of answers
weighs on you, is eating away at your mind. We’ll sort this out, I promise.”

Rob kissed her fiercely. Zahra cupped his jaw in her hands
and moaned into his mouth. Her body flamed alive at his merest touch, her need
for him growing with every moment they spent together. She opened her mouth for
him and instantly his tongue filled her.

They parried with one another, teeth lightly scraping
delicate, inflamed flesh as they explored.

“I crave you,” Zahra panted as she unbuttoned Rob’s shirt.
As his tanned chest came into view she sucked in a deep breath. The wizard
worked out, lean muscles clearly delineated. She ran her fingers over him in
awe, then quickly followed with her tongue, licking at his skin and suckling at
his nut-brown nipples.

His fingers threaded through her curls, urging her lower as
her hands hastily tried to unbuckle his jeans. She freed him in a matter of
seconds, his shaft bobbing against her chin as she pulled down his cotton
boxer-briefs.

Rob was hard as a rock already, slick moisture leaking from
his weeping slit. Hungrily she lapped at him, loving the salty, musky flavor of
his natural taste.

“I’ve been like this since the bike,” Rob uttered hoarsely.
He hissed with pleasure as her mouth encompassed his head and much of his
shaft. Licking and sucking at his cock, Zahra knelt on the cool tile floor and
held Rob’s tightly muscled ass as he thrust himself deeper down her throat.

Lifting her eyes, she watched him, their gazes meeting
heatedly as he fucked her mouth hard. He hissed again, clearly at the edge of
losing his control.

“Fuck, you’re beautiful,” he moaned. “How I managed to wait
so long for you I don’t know. Oh yeah, sunshine, just like that.”

He was pounding into her now, and Zahra breathed quickly
through her nose. She scraped her teeth lightly over the highly sensitive skin
of his shaft, loving the way Rob’s thighs quivered. The muscles in his lower
back bunched and his back arched, thrusting his cock even deeper into her.

“Circe! Oh man, I’m going to come.”

Licking around the tip of his head, she pressed her tongue
hard against him and sucked, urging him on. Rob gave a loud roar as his cock
twitched, erupting a flood of hot, salty seed that she greedily sucked down.

Pumping into her hard and fast, Rob’s body shook as he
emptied himself down her throat. When his cock began to deflate she licked him
further, cleaning him to get every last drop of his seed. Pulling back, Zahra
licked her lips and grinned wickedly.

Rob’s eyes were melted emeralds as he stared hotly at her,
clearly aroused by their quick fuck. Pushing herself up on slightly unsteady
legs, Zahra wrapped an arm around his shoulders. Rob brought her close to his
body, cupping her face and lowering his head to kiss her hungrily once again.
His tongue penetrated her, tasting himself.

“You’re amazing,” he murmured. “I promise to reciprocate in
full very soon.”

“I’ll hold you to that,” she replied huskily. They kissed
again deeply and Zahra could feel her heart go into this wild wizard’s keeping.
She could feel her lust and infatuation for Rob deepening into something more.
Zahra didn’t just crave him physically, the intimacies they shared also pulled
at her heart.

The way he would twine a curl behind her ear, the
instinctive way he turned to help her off the bike or the heat with which he
stared at her when he didn’t know she watched him. It all added up to a large
pressure in her chest, something indescribably warm and addictive she could
feel growing within her. She knew she was falling in love with him, Zahra just
wasn’t ready to say anything yet.

Pulling back to glance down at herself, she grinned wryly.

“I always keep a few changes here. I just want to get out of
these clothes and wash up a bit. Can we wait another five minutes?”

“Just five, then we need to get moving,” Rob nodded as he
began to dress himself again.

Zahra hurried to the bathroom to quickly brush her teeth,
pull her curls back into a ponytail and change into some fresh clothes. After
the promised five minutes she returned. Rob held the door open for her. With a
last look at her sister’s unit, Zahra left without a backward glance.

* * * * *

Rob drove around the block once to make sure they weren’t
being followed—or that was what he told himself, at least. The fact Zahra clung
to him, her arms wrapped tightly around his waist, her thighs pressed against
his and her pussy ground into his ass, that had
nothing
to do with his
dragging every last second out of their night.

No.

Really.

He’d always relished his freedom. Sure, he loved a good,
hard fuck and a sensual ride just as much as the next red-blooded wizard. Until
now, however, he’d always found after a certain period of time he’d once again
start to crave his freedom. Never had he been tempted to settle down, stick
with the same witch over a longer period of time.

Zahra changed all that for him. Fiercely independent, strong
but still warmly feminine, smart and sassy she ticked so many of the boxes for
him. The deep core of her sensual nature echoed with his. She appeared to be as
insatiable as he. His cock hardened in his jeans when his mind flew back to her
giving him a blowjob in the middle of the kitchen.

Oh yeah, that was something he could get used to on a
regular basis.

Neither did his desire appear to be abating for her, either.
They had flirted mildly on the rare occurrence their paths had crossed. The
more he learned about her the deeper his interest had become. Her free spirit
drew him, resonating with his own wilder urges. The more time he spent in her
presence the further he fell under her spell. For the first time in his life
Rob questioned whether he could ever get enough of this alluring witch.

His stomach twisted with a mixture of jitters and excitement
at the thought he’d maybe finally met his match. He couldn’t fathom ever
growing tired of her, of not wanting those supple, slender thighs wrapped
around his waist, of ever not wanting to thrust his hot prick deeply into her
every orifice, of needing to feel those lush lips trace over every inch of his
skin.

She rapidly was becoming his greatest addiction.

As they rounded the corner Rob could see Ben had found a
rare parking space out on the street. The large, dark-skinned wizard leaned
casually against the brick wall next to the entry of the parking lot. His mind
snapping straight back into high focus, Rob slowed the bike and scanned the
area thoroughly.

No one lurked anywhere, the few people still hanging around
hurrying home from work or further into the city for dinner appointments. While
the street had cars parked in both directions, nothing struck Rob as
suspicious. Knowing it would look stranger for them to make another pass rather
than just get the ball rolling, he slowed further and pulled the bike up onto
the sidewalk.

Letting the engine idle, he released the kickstand, removed
his helmet and then turned to assist Zahra to climb down.

“I’ll circle the block a few more times while you and Ben
search Tanya’s office,” he said. Zahra pulled her helmet off and brushed a few
stray curls as the wind blew them into her face. Rob’s attention wandered
again, surprised by how sexy she looked in a simple pair of blue jeans and a
white button-down shirt.

“At this hour the place should be pretty empty,” Ben spoke
up. Zahra handed Rob her helmet and he turned to stow it away securely as his
friend continued. “We should be able to duck in, check things out and leave
without too many questions. I think—”

The sound of a car engine revving caught Rob’s attention. He
looked up, his eyes instantly scanning the traffic. Ben’s words cut off. He
stiffened and Rob could tell his friend had become alert as well.

“That car is certainly going somewhere fast,” Zahra said.
All of Rob’s instincts started screaming at him and he stood up, the gut-level
need to protect his witch having him move before the conscious thought had even
formed.

When the car raced closer to them, he noticed the back
window was open. Acting purely on impulse, Rob threw himself backward, bumping
into Zahra and twisting to drag her down onto the pavement. He used the bike to
shield himself and covering her petite frame with his own body.

“Get down!” he shouted, but Ben had dived down almost
simultaneously with him, his jacket flapping open. The car screamed to a halt
only a few hundred feet away from them and the sound of doors opening filled
the night air.

A blaze of heat seared above their heads where seconds
before they had stood. Shots rang out and Rob’s eyebrows rose. Wishing devoutly
for his gun, he wondered whose foot he had trodden on and what was really going
on. Three people—minimum—in the car signified a whole lot more depth to this
situation than he had previously believed.

Anger and fear built inside him, his magical energy charging
his hands. Shouting an incantation, he fueled all his rage into a tight ball,
hurling it with all his might to the black sedan which blocked the road in
front of them. Electric energy burned a hole along the side of the car, missing
his target but still scaring his opposition into ducking for cover. Paint
peeled along the vehicle as his magic blazed a path.

Ben had pulled a large sidearm from his holster. A boom
echoed down the street as his friend shot out one of the car’s tires, the
rubber exploding. Incoherent shouts came from the other wizards and doors
slammed shut. Not expecting such a ferocious response, Rob knew they’d lost the
element of surprise, but would return better prepared later.

He figured this round was a tie.

The vehicle swerved before the driver appeared to regain
control. Accelerating away, he peeled rubber as the sedan shot down the road.

Rob covered Zahra’s ears to protect her as Ben shot again,
this time cracking the rear window.

“Shit, it’s too far out now,” Ben grumbled, discontented.

“What the fuck?” Rob queried in general. He clutched Zahra’s
shoulders, held her a little back so he could visually check her out. More than
anything he needed to know she remained unharmed.

She looked shaken but fine. Satisfied, Rob looked up and
down the street.

“You’d better get moving,” Ben suggested. “Bet you ten bucks
security will be down here the moment they’ve finished wetting themselves and
covering their asses with calls to management.”

Wanting to be questioned as little as being shot in the
head, Rob stood up and retrieved Zahra’s helmet. Handing it to her, he picked
his up from where it had fallen onto the sidewalk in his haste to move earlier.

“What about you?” Rob asked Ben.

“You could use the extra protection, I know,” Ben replied as
he continued to scan the area, “but someone needs to be here to answer their
questions and fill out the reams of paperwork. Leave a message at my service
when you bunker down. I’ll swing by when things have settled here and we can
work something out.”

“This can’t be a coincidence, can it?” Zahra asked shakily.
Her words were faintly muffled under the helmet. Rob felt a fierce pride in
her. She didn’t sob or wail, lose her head or overreact to the situation. She
might not think she had as much strength as others, but now he had proof
otherwise.

“Now you’re learning,” Ben replied without looking at either
of them. Rob pulled on his helmet and climbed onto the bike, pleased his friend
continued to guard their rear. He now knew for certain his trust had not been
misplaced.

“A bit of paranoia is imperative if you want to live in this
game. Despite what the shrinks and others will tell you, it’s quite healthy to
always assume there’s stuff you don’t know and people willing to go to great
lengths to keep you away from it. It’s certainly the reason Rob and I have
continued as long as we have,” Ben finished.

Rob helped Zahra back up onto the bike. He glanced one last
time at the entrance where any second now security would come streaming out.

“You sure about this?” he asked Ben one last time. His
friend nodded his dark head.

“Positive. Don’t forget to call me when you reach your bolt
hole. Get going. They might be calling for reinforcements. You don’t have a
weapon and I’ve only got my handgun. I’ll bring my kit next time.”

“Thanks,” Rob said as he revved the engine. Swinging the
bike around just as two guards came out, hands raised and powerful balls of
magical energy already snapping around their palms, Rob accelerated away with a
squeal of tires.

Ignoring the shouts, he entered the road and sped away, thinking
hard about where he could take Zahra. Many of his usual places were useless as
they were widely known by those he used to work with. Deciding somewhere random
he’d never used before, Rob headed outside Chicago, knowing where a few
campgrounds had cabins one could hire.

Driving into the night, he kept a close watch behind them,
making certain once again they weren’t being followed.

Zahra sat on the edge of the large double bed as Rob walked
through, checking the cabin. She felt tired, but wired at the same time. Her
heart rate had finally settled after the action earlier. She could see the
strain still clearly in Rob. His fingers flexed, tiny sparks still shooting out
when a loud noise crashed or if something took him unawares.

On the bike he’d wound them both through a seemingly endless
path to get to the cabin they’d hired for the evening. Many times he’d
double-backed, taken random blind turns without indicating and appeared to use
every trick possible to make certain they were safe.

Despite the mild night she’d grown cold in her thin shirt,
but refused to say anything. Zahra had thought hard about how they might have
been ambushed. She’d noticed Rob checking their tail as they drove to the city
and she didn’t believe they could have been followed. He also had implicit
faith in Ben which, after some thought, she supported. The other wizard could
easily have not drawn his weapon, leaving them to fend for themselves.

Ben had been instrumental in their running off their
attackers. Besides, if he had called them earlier they would have been better
prepared and neither Rob nor she would have had a hope. The assault had been
rash. She wondered if the wizard responsible for the leak had seen them out of
the windows and called someone.

Not even that made sense. What were the chances that such a
crew would be idly hanging around nearby? They had not been parked for more
than a few minutes. None of this added up.

Zahra came to the conclusion Rob’s earlier hypothesis might
be far more accurate than he could have dreamed. Obviously there was far more
going on here than one senseless murder and his framing. Clearly it was
something big, as first they had ruined an innocent wizard’s reputation to
cover their tracks, following through with the murder of Tanya when she came
too close.

These were not people to be trifled with.

Rob returned from checking all three rooms and walking
around their perimeter. He looked drained. She patted the bed next to her.
Without a word he came over and sat down with a weary sigh.

“Will Ben be all right?” she asked, genuinely concerned but
also so they wouldn’t sit there in silence.

“Yep. He’s more than capable of throwing a tail and looking
after himself. I’d be more worried about him getting bored with the mountain of
paperwork those security guards will have him filling in.”

“He handled himself well with that gun,” she agreed
thoughtfully. Rob cast her a sideways glance.

“He’s a Sharp Shooter,” Rob said. Zahra nodded knowingly.
Many Mages referred to professional Assassins by the far more pleasant
pseudonym.

“Then he’ll definitely be fine.”

Zahra turned and massaged Rob’s shoulders. He groaned,
tension seeping from his posture almost instantly.

“That feels amazing.”

Grinning with the power of a newfound purpose, she leaned
over and removed her boots. Kneeling behind Rob on the bed, she began to
massage his shoulders and back in earnest. Even though he clearly had started
to relax she could still feel the tiny sparks of magic tingling through his
skin.

“You need to relax,” she insisted in a low tone.

“You could have been hurt. They weren’t playing games out
there, they wanted us dead.”

The thought was sobering. Zahra considered it for a moment
before she spoke again.

“The upside to that is obviously we’re rattling some chains.
Whomever we’re up against is getting nervous and sloppy. That’s a good thing,
right?”

Rob turned around, his green eyes dark and angry.

“Not if it ends up harming you, no.”

“Hey,” she insisted as she kept on rubbing his tense
muscles. “I’m fine.
We
are fine. Let’s not borrow trouble. We’re
swimming in enough already.”

“We’ll have to be more careful from now on. Maybe I should
stash you with some friends of mine. Between Ben and me, we know a few people I
think I can trust to keep you safe. If I call—”

“Not a chance, Rob,” she snapped. Rob frowned, clearly about
to argue further. She headed him off by kissing him hard. Flames ignited
between them and every thought flew out of her mind.

Rob’s hands came up, cupping her head and drawing her
closer. She straddled his waist and sat in his lap, clutching at his shoulders
for purchase. Need sizzled between them. She rocked into his rapidly growing
erection, rubbing her wet pussy against the hardness filling his jeans.

“This isn’t over,” he spoke hoarsely as his hands tore at
her shirt.

“We can argue later,” she promised him as she shoved his
jacket off over his arms. The leather fell in a pool on the bed and she grabbed
the hem of his shirt and lifted it up over his head.

Rob lifted his ass up to grab a foil packet out of his back
pocket. Zahra wrapped her legs around him, tightening her thighs and ass so she
rode him through their jeans. Desperate now, they both shed their clothes and
Rob sheathed his thick erection. Lying back spread-eagle on the bed, he cupped
her breasts in each hand.

Her fingers tried to circle the base of his shaft, but he
was too thick for her to close a fist around him. Positioning him at her wet
entrance, she lifted her gaze to meet his. They were both panting with need,
her lips were slick and her clit ached from the steadily growing need that
seemed like months in the making.

“Do it,” he pleaded in a rough whisper.

In one long, smooth stroke, she lodged the tip of his
enormous head at her passage and pressed down until she engulfed him fully. Rob’s
eyes fluttered shut and he pressed his head back into the mattress. She had to
pause for a moment, let her body adjust to the penetration. He was larger than
she’d been expecting and although his possession of her wasn’t painful, she
felt incredibly full.

She was panting harder now, and sweat beaded down her back.
After an agonizing second she lifted herself up over him before pressing down
once again. Settling into a driving rhythm, she braced herself over him, her
hands fisting in the coverlet as she fucked herself on his cock.

Watching her expectantly, Rob fondled her breasts, lavishing
attention on the sensitive peaks. Sparks of magical energy sang through her
body, heating her blood and causing the sensation of lightheadedness. She
moaned in dismay as he released one breast, but the denial quickly turned into
a groan of approval as his hand trailed lower to toy with her clit.

Ravenous now, she canted her hips up, fucking herself deeper
on his shaft while simultaneously pushing her clit into Rob’s wickedly
delightful fingers. Skillfully he heightened her pleasure, the small trickle of
energy soon turning into a flood. Sparks snapped between them as her pleasure
fed his and vice versa.

Leaning over him, she fucked him harder, loving the way he
increased his stimulation on her clit. A wave of intense pleasure overwhelmed
her, heat growing in her belly as she rose to her climax. Shuddering, her body
pulsed as she gave in to the sensation. Her pussy contracted, clenching around
his cock as she continued to rock onto his shaft.

Screaming, she rode him hard as wave after wave of pleasure
seared through all of her senses, her magic shooting through her. Dimly she
felt astounded she didn’t set the bed literally on fire. Slowly she came down
from her high, her senses returned to normal and Zahra managed to catch her
breath.

Squeezing her inner muscles, she realized Rob hadn’t yet
come. Kissing him tenderly, she murmured a soft response as he wrapped his arms
around her.

“Good?” he questioned huskily. She chuckled. His gaze burned
into her, masculine satisfaction flaming in the depths of his eyes.

“Wonderful,” she replied, more than happy to feed his ego
after such a fantastic experience.

He lowered his hands to grasp her hips. She frowned as he
lifted her off his still-impressively erect shaft.

“I fantasized about this earlier,” he confessed when he saw
her confusion. With a gentle nudge, he maneuvered her to the side, so she
crouched on her hands and knees. In a swift motion he came around behind her,
crouching so his chest pressed against the line of her back and his cock bumped
the round curve of her ass.

“Ah,” she grinned as understanding dawned.

Still slick from her juices, his cock slid easily into her
pussy, stretching her tightly once again. Sighing in response to the delicious
sensation of being possessed intimately, Zahra wriggled back so he could fill
her utterly. His balls lightly slapped against her naked ass.

Moaning as his hands closed firmly around her hips, she shuddered
as he pulled out of her then rammed himself back in. The friction between them
grew with each thrust, her desire quickly growing to an unbearable pitch in
moments. His ragged breathing proved this time he would not be able to hold on to
his control like he had earlier.

He moved within her with growing force, his balls tapping
the tender skin of her ass. They both jerked as they strained for their climax.

“Please. Harder,” she begged, needing the relief
desperately. Lowering one hand, she stroked her clit, gasping at the electric
pulse that immediately raced through her.

“Fuck. Oh, Circe, I can’t—” Rob moaned. He shuddered in
release, his cock pulsing hotly within her body. Tiny shots of magic burst
through her body. Waves of pleasure rocked through her and another orgasm
exploded within her.

Zahra’s eyes squeezed shut instinctively and her body braced
against the near-painful climax as it tore through her body. Her senses flooded
her mind with data. Pleasure, pain and every hue of the rainbow in between.
Breath escaped her and her body trembled, on the verge of passing out at the
sensory overload.

Shaking like crazy, she only barely managed to stay
conscious as the most intense peak she’d ever experienced slowly ebbed away.
Rob pressed onto her, clearly as wrung dry as she, and together they collapsed
onto the mattress in a liquid pool of adrenaline and release.

Minutes ticked by in silence, the cabin filled with the
heavy sound of their breathing. Zahra struggled to catch her breath, her pulse
pounding in her ears and chest, her body slick with sweat and her own cream.

Zahra had no idea how long passed before Rob rolled to the
side and delicately withdrew his flaccid cock. Sliding off the bed, he walked
to the bathroom, where a moment later she heard the water run in the sink. The
air felt cool against her skin. Rubbing her arms, she reluctantly climbed from
the bed and headed into the bathroom.

Feeling shy, fully conscious of how strange the sensation
was considering the intimacies they had shared, Zahra smiled at Rob as she
opened the shower door and turned the faucets on. As soon as the water heated
steam filled the small cubicle. Satisfied with the temperature, she stepped
into the stall.

“Is there room for two in there?”

Zahra grinned and waved him in.

“It will be a tight fit, but you’re welcome.”

Rob stepped in, teasingly pressing her against the cool,
slick wall and hogging all the hot water.

“Hey,” she protested, thumping him lightly on the chest to
urge him back. They laughed as Rob soaked a washcloth, squirted some of the
complimentary shower gel onto it and began to rinse her body.

“Mmm,” she murmured appreciatively as the slow, long strokes
soothed her.

“We can’t possibly have our first argument after such
explosive sex,” Rob spoke. Steam billowed around them. Zahra frowned, not sure
where his comment had come from.

“What do you mean?”

“My instinct right now is to spend the night alternating
between making love to you and fucking you raw. Then first thing tomorrow
morning I want to pack you up to stay with someone whom I can trust to keep you
safe while I sort out what the hell is going on here. Hey,” he hastened to add
as her body stiffened in immediate denial. “I know you’re not happy with that.
But I don’t want you in danger. I…well, I care deeply for you. I want to
protect you. You can’t snap at me for that.”

Zahra inhaled a lungful of the steamy heat, forcing herself
to think before she spoke.

“Okay. This is where all those overpriced relationship
manuals insist on the art of compromise, evidently. You want to keep me out of
danger and I want to help you find my sister’s killers and restore your good
name. Why do they need to be mutually exclusive?”

Rob paused and seemed to consider this. Zahra took the
washcloth from his hand and returned the favor. Squeezing more shower gel upon
it, she soaped his body, giving him time and space to think.

“I don’t like the thought of my attention being divided,” he
finally confessed. “If you remain with me—and believe me, sunshine, I like the
thought of you sticking with me for a long, long time—then I know I’ll be
focused on protecting you. I might miss something. Keeping my focus is the most
important thing in an investigation.”

“So when you call Ben back later ask him to join us,” she
suggested. “If Ben is scouting our surroundings, making sure we aren’t ambushed
again then you can focus on the details of the investigation. I can try to keep
my eyes open for the bigger picture in case you get too bogged down in the
miniature. Hopefully I can work out what exactly Tanya unearthed and give us
something to work with.”

As she rinsed Rob’s body she lifted her eyes from the glory
of his muscled form and caught his gaze. He appeared thoughtful, clearly
pondering her words. His hands roamed over her slick skin, tiny frissons of
energy skating over the surface of her curves. A tiny smile hitched the corner
of her mouth when she realized how very easy it would be for either of them to
distract the other.

“It isn’t ideal, but it could work,” Rob finally conceded. “My
main problem is I had decided earlier the next step I’d take would be to try and
enter the offices very early this morning. Around three a.m. the security shift
changes when no one in their right mind would be in the building. There’s just
the one wizard on duty and I know for a fact from past experience he usually
makes himself comfortable and watches various porn movies.”