Scarlet (31 page)

Red let out a frustrated breath. "I told you, I don't know where he is. The last time I saw Morgan he was locked up."

"So you admit you were there," Maggie said.

"I never denied it, but I didn't break him out."

'This town has had nothing but bad luck since you arrived."

If Red hadn't been watching closely, she would've missed the fear in the woman's eyes. She'd never understood why Maggie had changed after Morgan left, but now she did Maggie needed someone to blame for all the pain that had been heaped upon the Nurians. She couldn't blame Morgan or anyone from here. Her only option had been to target an outsider, and Red was the only outsider around. At least she knew now what motivated the woman.

"I'm sorry you feel that way," Red said. "I came to Nuria to do a job. I stayed because I fell in love and thought I'd found a place where I finally belonged. I realize now that place doesn't really exist. Despite all the pain you and the other people in town have caused me, I won't let the tactical team level Nuria."

Maggie's gaze searched hers. After a few seconds, she nodded and left. Clearly torn between duty and loyalty, the deputies lingered behind until Red dismissed them.

"What are we going to do?" Takeo asked.

"We
aren't going to do anything. You guys are going to get out of town before the team gets here." Red turned to Raphael. "I know I don't have the right to ask this of you, but I need you to get in touch with your brother. I have to find out what Roark has planned. The only person who might know is Michael."

Raphael reached for her hand and pressed his lips to her knuckles. "I will try to do this if you grant me one favor."

"Which is?" she asked.

"Please allow me to bite you."

Her eyes widened. "Why do you want to do that?" she asked, looking around at the recruits, who were staring at her with a mixture of surprise and amusement. 

"Other than the pleasure.. ." Her eyes narrowed and Raphael held up his hands. "It will allow me to speak with you when words are not possible."

"Like you talk to your brother?"

Raphael's expression dimmed at the reminder of his brother.

"What?" she asked. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"I fear it may be too late," he said.

"Why do you say that?" Red paused, an unwelcome feeling gathering in her gut.

"Because his last message to me was cut short and I haven't been able to reach him since. It came shortly before Morgan's plea."

Red recalled her first encounter with Michael Travers. On top of being a genetically engineered vampire, he'd also displayed frightening psychic abilities. If those powers fell into Roark's hands, heaven help the people of this world. Not even an army of Others could stop Michael Travers if he was bent on destroying them. Her fear must have shown on her face because Raphael gave her hand a quick squeeze.

"I know," he said, as if she'd voiced her concerns. "I will find him."

And
kill him if necessary
was left unspoken.

Raphael stepped forward and gathered Red into his arms for what he was sure would be the last time. She felt good there. Her soft curves met the hard planes of his chest. It took effort not to crush her to him.

"I didn't agree," she said breathlessly.

"No, but you didn't protest either." Raphael looked around at the recruits. "Gentlemen, can you give us a little privacy?"

They looked at Red. She nodded. "It's okay. Just go up-stairs for a moment."

They didn't seem happy about it, but they did listen. Raphael waited until the last man had left, then brushed his thumb over her lower lip.

Awareness flared in her hazel eyes. "What do I have to do?" she asked.

He smiled. "Just relax. This shouldn't hurt. I've been told my bite brings pleasure."

She arched a skeptical brow. "I'm sure." Her tongue darted out wetting her mouth. Whether from nerves or anticipation Raphael didn't know. But she now had his undivided attention.

He stroked the side of her face, trailing his fingers down her slender throat.

"This doesn't have any meaning, does it?" Red asked. "I mean when Morgan bit me, it meant something. Does your bite have any meaning attached to it?"

Raphael debated how to answer. On the one hand, he bit people for sustenance. On the other, his bite could bind him to the person he was biting. He hadn't allowed himself to be bound to any woman. The thought of her having so much control over him was frightening . ..
and incredibly alluring.
He debated whether to deliver that blessedly cursed bite. It was selfish, he knew. But he longed to have Red in his life in a deeper way than she currently existed.

Morgan's plea replayed in his mind. Raphael couldn't do it. It wasn't her that prevented it. Or even himself. It was the thought of what Morgan was going through to save her. Despite everything that had happened, he still considered the man his friend.

"No," he said finally. "The bite will only allow me to speak with you."

"Okay," Red said. "I think I'm ready." She braced herself.

Raphael smiled again, then kissed her lips tenderly. He didn't try to deepen the kiss, instead, he allowed his lips to slide over her jaw until he could nuzzle her ear. He sucked the lobe between his fangs and worked it with his tongue. Her skin was so soft and succulent, he longed to taste every inch of it. If only they were on a rest pad and not standing in the middle of the water trader.

Red trembled beneath the onslaught of his attention. Raphael groaned, releasing her lobe to lower his mouth to the pulse pounding in her throat. His tongue laved the area, the toxin in his saliva numbing the skin. His fangs wept as his hunger rose with each swipe.

"Relax," he said, breathing the word against her heated skin.
Gooseflesh rose on her arms and he felt her nipples harden
against his chest. He swallowed a groan. She had no idea what this was costing him.

Raphael closed his eyes and opened his mouth, then bit down. Pleasure erupted inside him as her warm, salty blood rushed past his lips. He growled, making happy noises in his
throat
as he sucked the delicious sweetness into his mouth. The taste exploded on his tongue, sending his senses soaring. He felt the room spin as intoxication set in. He took two more
greedy swallows before he forced his mouth away. Raphael swiped his tongue across the wounds to help seal

"Is that it?" she asked. "I thought it would take longer." Red was pliant in his arms. Openly seductive. She licked her bottom lip.

His ragged breathing filled the silence. "Almost done," he said on a gasp. His gaze followed the movement. It would be so easy to take what she unconsciously offered. He watched the rise and fall of her small breasts. Desire scorched him, frying his senses until all that was left was raw need. He prayed
she couldn't see it burning in his eyes.

Red was breathing as hard as Raphael. Not since Morgan had bit her during their lovemaking had she felt something so sensual. She was painfully aroused, shaking with pent-up desire, and there wasn't a chance of it being assuaged. She took a trembling breath and let it out slowly. Her body raged at her. but she ignored it.

"What else needs to happen?" she asked, when her mind could finally string words together.

Raphael looked up, his eyes swirling with untapped passion. "Now, you must drink from me." His voice was hoarse as he whipped out a knife and carefully sliced the skin at his throat.

Red hesitated. She wasn't sure if she could do that when she wasn't in her wolf form, no matter how wonderful it had felt a moment ago.

"Please," he begged, his voice guttural. "It's the only way." Raphael reached up and cupped the back of her neck with his large hand and coaxed her closer. Red resisted for a second, then acquiesced.

Her mouth closed over his wound and the tangy spice of his blood brushed her tongue. She started to pull away, but he held firm.

"Swallow." he said, his body trembling beneath her. "You must swallow."

Red took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and swallowed. The initial taste burned her throat, nearly choking her, then it began to change. His blood wasn't so much sweet as it was addictive. She sucked, drawing more of it into her mouth. The taste broadened, going straight to her head. Red groaned.

"That's it," Raphael encouraged. "Drink from me." He sounded like a man on the verge of orgasm. And maybe he was. Red was too far gone to tell.

She sucked harder, drawing him into her body. Her senses came alive, sharpening to the point of pain. She wanted to pull away, but she couldn't. It was like the first time she'd had real chocolate. The full-bodied sweetness had swirled around her tongue, teasing her with its sinfully rich goodness. The synth stuff now paled in comparison.

That's
enough,
the voice in her mind said.

Red continued to drink.

Gina, can you hear me?
The voice came again, stronger this time.

She stilled, realizing the words hadn't been spoken aloud.

That's better,
the voice said.

It took Red a moment to recognize Raphael's voice in her head. The tone was different. She started, even though that had been the point of this exchange.

"It will take some getting used to," he said aloud.

Red slowly pulled away from his throat. "Yes, it will."

"I need you to try to speak to me," he said.

She frowned. "How?"

"Just think the words and I'll hear them."

"All the time?" she asked, horrified.

Raphael laughed. "No, not all the time. You have to think of me in order for me to pick them up."

Red bit her lip. "Was Morgan thinking about you when you heard him?"

His expression changed, becoming unreadable. "No, but there
are
exceptions."

"Such as?" Her unease grew.

"When someone is in great pain or experiencing fear, they can project their thoughts loud enough for me to hear them."

She gulped, nodding in understanding. "So Morgan was still alive, but he was scared and in pain, when you heard him." Red's heart cracked a little. She'd been enjoying Raphael's bite while Morgan had been suffering. What was wrong with her? She didn't deserve the man.

Raphael shook her. "We are doing this for a reason. Don't ever forget that. You deserve all the happiness that Morgan can offer you."

She nodded.

"Now try it again."

"Okay," she said, thinking about the tactical team.
I
don't know if I can stop them on my own,
she thought.

No matter what happens, know that you will
never be alone.
He met her gaze and she saw the truth in his statement. And despite everything that had happened and was about to occur, she found a modicum of peace

chapter twenty-one

The tactical team arrived in late afternoon, a steady stream of maglev shuttles and weaponry. The sun glistened off their thick armored plating. The roar of the engines deafened even the most secretive of thoughts. A plume of dust followed in their wake, as the shuttles lowered one by one to the ground. Tactical team members poured out of the vehicles in angry swarms of black and took up position, weapons aimed at all parts of the town.