Shadow of My Heart (Shadow-Walker Tribe Series) (6 page)

“Working late, Miss Hamilton?”

“I was finishing up the last of these tests. Is there something you needed?”

“Do I need a specific reason to visit with one of my employees?”

“Of course not,” Cara said, feeling a shiver of fear going down her back. What was Davidson up to? He didn’t normally come and check on her. “I guess I’ll be going now,” she said, rising from her metal desk and putting the papers into her school bag.

“Are you doing anything this evening, Cara? Meeting with Mr. Darkwood perhaps?”

“No. I have to finish getting the student’s grades entered into the computer. Why do you ask?”

“Oh, no reason. Just making polite conversation.”

“Well, I really need to go now. Goodnight, Principal Davidson.”

“Goodnight, Miss Hamilton.”

Cara hurried out of her classroom and out to her car. Davidson was acting downright weird, and it was scary. She climbed into her little car and headed for home. After fighting with Raven and then this, she felt exhausted. A hot bath and a glass of wine were definitely in order. Then, she would try and figure out how to respond to Raven’s news.

She didn’t mean to get so angry. After thinking about it, she figured she overreacted big time. But what really worried her was: Could she live like this? Raven’s tribe worked for the government and came into contact with the dregs of humanity. This might not be the last time she was put under surveillance.

Cara felt the cold of Shadow blow over her skin.

“When we get to my condo,” Cara said, knowing Raven’s men could hear from Shadow what was said on Earth, “you stay outside.”

Chapter Six

Two days, two days, Cara had refused to answer his phone calls. When he touched her mind, she ignored him, refusing to reply. Or worse, she started reciting the alphabet. Pacing in his office, Raven didn’t know what to do. This was a first. He was the commander of a black ops team, a Shadow Walker, and one woman had turned his world upside down. If she didn’t answer her phone, he was going to storm the castle so to speak and . . . and . . .

“Girl trouble?” Derek said, appearing out of the shadows in the corner of Raven’s office and flopping down in a chair.

“What are you doing here? Who is watching Cara?”

“Joe took over for me,” Derek said. “I needed a couple of hours of sleep. Cara told me to stay outside her apartment. She’s a spitfire, that one. Anything more on Amanda?”

“It appears her treachery was just a fit of jealousy,” Raven said. “But she did receive a $4,000 payment to her bank account. Now that I have the evidence, I'm afraid we'll have to have her arrested.”

“That's too bad. I never meant for this to happen,” Derek said. “At least she only sold the terrorists the photograph. It will take more than a photo for them to go after Cara. You need to stop pacing. You’re making me dizzy.”

“We released publicity pictures of the annual awards banquet,” Raven said. “As a winner, Cara’s name is listed. So the terrorists have more than her picture. They have her name and the name of her school. I let it be known that you are out of town on business, so no one will question your absence. Don't let anyone see you in the building. I called our contacts in the military. Except for the brochure, they don't know how the Isanti, Inc., connection was leaked.”

“That’s worrisome. Could it be the mole in the admiral’s office?”

“He’s still looking into it,” Raven said. “Go get some sleep. I want you back on watch as soon as possible.”

“Why, is your spidey-sense tingling?”

“Not funny, Derek. But yes, I can feel danger coming. I just don’t know from where.” How could he keep Cara safe if he didn’t know where the danger would come from or when?

“Joe will keep Cara safe until I get back. Don’t worry so much.”

“How can I not?” Raven said. “She is everything I want. She won’t even answer my phone calls.” That really burned him. Why wouldn’t she at least talk to him about it?

“Give her some time. I’ve heard her muttering to herself. She is feeling overwhelmed. Let her work through it.”

“How can you understand? You don’t have a woman that you want more than anything.”

Derek grimaced and looked toward the door. “I better get to bed,” he said as he disappeared into the shadows as easily as he appeared.

“I wonder what that was about,” Raven said, shaking his head. Would he ever understand his little brother?

§

Cara typed the last grade into the school computer file and hit save. It was done, another year completed. The next two days would be filled with end-of-school parties and assemblies. All she had to do was ride herd on the students. No more homework for her or her students.

Cara stretched in her chair and powered down her computer. She felt the cool breeze of Shadow blow over her skin and frowned. This was getting silly. How long was Raven going to keep her under surveillance? They were already on day three. She didn’t even know who was watching her. It irked her that someone was always spying on her.

Picking up her purse, Cara turned off the light in her classroom and walked out to her car. She still didn’t know what to do about apologizing to Raven. She knew she had overreacted. His calling her several times a night was both irritating and sweet. She could feel him missing her.

She hadn’t been sleeping well the last two nights. She kept having bad dreams. She was lost, and Raven was calling for her, but she couldn’t answer him. Maybe she should go home and go to bed early. She was tired and cranky. But she didn’t want to take it out on her students. Pulling into her assigned parking spot, she walked up to her building. Someone must have just gone in because the door was still closing.

“Geez, anyone could just walk in.” She’d have to bring up the security of the building at the next homeowners meeting. Shaking her head, she got into the elevator and pushed number six to take her up to her floor.

She felt the cold air near the shadows in the corners of the elevator and squatted down to feel along the edges. There was a certain spot that looked like it wavered. She pushed her hand into that spot and gasped when her fingers disappeared. She wiggled her fingers. They were still there. But the cold was almost painful just as it is when you put your hand in a freezer. She pulled her hand back out and shook it, trying to warm her fingers. She stood up, making a fist and then stretching her fingers, trying to get the circulation going. They were still cold, and she put her hand under her arm to help warm it. Man, Shadow was cold. How Raven did this day after day was a mystery.

The elevator dinged, and Cara walked out on her floor. She fumbled with her keys, her fingers still stiff from the cold. Finally, she got the door unlocked and walked into her apartment. After closing the door, Cara gasped at the scene before her. An arrangement of roses sat on every table. The largest on her eating table had more than three-dozen pink roses mixed with baby’s breath, her favorite color. She walked over and buried her nose in a bloom, smelling deeply. She loved fragrant roses. Picking out the card, she opened it and read the message scrawled in Raven’s firm hand:
I love you, please talk to me
. What a romantic gesture. Of course, it looked as if Raven went a little overboard, or was desperate. It was kind of nice to think he might be desperate.

She walked over to the red-rose arrangement on her coffee table. Picking up the card, she read:
Please talk to me, I need you
. She put the card down and moved to the arrangement of yellow roses on the end table. The card read:
Call me, I will come.
I love you.

Sighing, Cara slipped off her shoes. Then, picking them up, she walked into her bedroom. Her bed was strewn with rose petals. An arrangement of blush roses sat on her nightstand, and when she looked into the bathroom, an arrangement of purple roses sat on the edge of her tub.

She smiled as she put her shoes in the closet and went into the bathroom to draw a bath. She picked out some bubble bath and poured it in the hot water. Then, she lit some candles and slipped off her clothes. Before stepping into the bathwater, she picked up one of the purple roses and pulled off the petals. She let them float in the bubbles as she sat down in the water. Releasing her hair from the elastic tie, she leaned back and closed her eyes.

Raven?
she called across space and time. She felt the cool breeze of Shadow blow across her skin and smiled. Raven must have been waiting for her call and walked through Shadow immediately. When warm hands moved her hair to the side and began to massage her shoulders, she sighed. Raven always knew right where to touch her. He feathered kisses to her shoulders as he massaged the stress of the day away.

I missed you, tehila,
gently floated into her mind. Cara liked how he kept their speech intimate and quiet.

What does that mean? tehila?

It means, Love. I love you, Cara, I can’t say it enough.
Raven slowly reached for the sea sponge on the side of the tub and pressed the warm water from its center. Then, he began to wash her arms and chest, circling and teasing her breasts and her stomach beneath the water. Cara let tingles of arousal shoot through her system. Yes, she wanted him. She had missed him, missed his touch.

Moving around to the side, Raven lifted each foot and washed it with the sponge. Then, he moved up her calf to her thighs, hips, and her pelvis, teasing and tantalizing her skin with the sponge. When he was finished, Cara felt herself shivering in reaction. Every touch only inflamed her need.

Raven lifted a bath sheet and held it ready to engulf her.
Come, let’s get you dry.

Cara slowly rose from the water, letting the bubbles gradually slide down her skin. She watched Raven’s eyes darken with passion and desire. She felt like Venus rising from the ocean. Raven stepped forward and wrapped the towel around her and then lifted her into his arms and carried her into the bedroom.

He lay her down on the bed and reached up to unbutton his shirt. After he shrugged the shirt to the floor, he undid his pants and let them fall. He was fully erect, his shaft hard and glistening. Cara felt another moment of triumph. She had caused that reaction.

He stepped forward, and Cara sat up and reached out to take him with her hand. He was velvet over steel. His skin so soft, but rigid underneath, a drop of pre-cum forming on the head. Cara rubbed her thumb through the moisture and circled the top, causing Raven to shudder.

Release me, baby. I want this to last. Let me love you,
Raven sent, pulling her hand free and laying her back on the bed. He followed her down, covering her body, his thigh parting her legs. He leaned down and kissed her breast, lightly licking at the water drops and then nipping, before taking her nipple into his mouth. He sucked and circled the little nubbin with his tongue, then bit down slightly, causing her to moan from the sensation. Cara clutched his head to her breast, not wanting him to stop. Her hands tangled in his shoulder-length black hair. He hummed, and the vibration tickled and scintillated her skin. Kissing his way across, he licked and kissed the other breast, giving it the same attention he had the first. His hair caused her skin to tingle, and overcome with sensations, she shivered.

Raven loved how Cara reacted to his touch. She tasted sweet, and he thought he could suck her breast for hours. Reaching down, he stroked her belly and inner thighs, before dipping down to her mound. He found her wet and ready for him as he pushed his finger into her folds.

“Yes, just like that,” Cara cried, rising up against his hand.

He circled her clit and pushed a second finger into her. Cara gasped and shuddered. Raven could feel her tightening. He knew she was close. He rose up and removing his fingers, he replaced them with his shaft as he pushed into her. Slowly, giving her only an inch at a time, Raven teased her. Her eyes became dazed, and her body trembled. A flush rose slowly over her pale skin. Her head thrashed on the pillow. At that moment, he thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He pushed the rest of the way through her folds in one thrust, and Cara exploded, her muscles clenching and pulling him in. He withdrew and thrust again.

“Oh, God, yes,” Cara cried out.

Her words only encouraged him, and he lifted her hips to seat himself deeper. Then, he continued to pound into her, marking and claiming what was his. Cara tightened her hold on his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin. He felt her start to tremble, and her muscles began to tighten a second time.

“Come with me, Cara,” Raven encouraged her. Then, taking her mouth, he parroted the motions of his body with his tongue, flicking in and out as his shaft penetrated and withdrew. Cara’s tongue dueled with his, and then she sucked his tongue deep into her mouth, refusing to release him. They ate at each other’s mouths, filling each other up and then withdrawing to lick and nip.

Cara became as tight as a bowstring, then she flew apart, gasping. This time, Raven allowed himself to follow her, holding her tight against him, as he poured himself into her. They lay tangled and complete, their breathing ragged as they slowly came back down to earth.

Cara looked up at Raven’s face, his chocolate-brown eyes dark with desire as he gazed at her. “Wow, that was just, wow,” she said.

Raven chuckled and kissed her nose. “You do that to me—keep me in a state of amazement. Sometimes I can’t believe you’re mine.”

§

Raven hated to leave the next morning. As it was, with the time difference, he was late getting into the office. Mrs. Sloane looked up from her desk, her eyes twinkling.

“Long night?”

“Yes, but memorable.”

“There are all kinds of rumors floating around the office. Seems that the cold and distant Mr. Darkwood is smitten. Want to give me the scoop?”

“Since you ordered the flowers yesterday, what do you think?”

“That Miss Cara Hamilton of Redondo Beach is a lucky girl.”