Tame the Storm: 2 (Cinder Mated) (12 page)

Movement flicked in the kitchen and Griffin’s gaze narrowed to a familiar pair of tits in one of his own t-shirts. His gut burned.

Astrid opened the door. The shadow waved to her. It had to be Neil. Anger surged and he battled it down, trying to control the weather’s response.

She’d betrayed Griffin.

His solar plexus tensed and he couldn’t breathe, unable to move for a full minute as he clutched the arm rests and tried to think through the pain.

Arguing finally burst through the misery that had frozen him to the spot.

“You lied to me. Have the decency to admit it and leave my mother out of it. I should have told them you were showing up. Let them deal with you. But I foolishly thought you were being misled too. Another shitty mistake on my part.”

“How can you believe them over me? I’m your partner.”

“No. You’re not. And did you really think I was so stupid? That I couldn’t figure out that they aren’t what you said?”

Neil loomed over Astrid. “Do as I say. Now. Stand aside and stay out of my way. Time to go home.”

The asshole gave a sneer that disappeared in the darkening night as clouds rolled in.

Thunder rumbled and Griffin rose, the blood pumping through him as he stalked toward the pair.

Silhouetted by the lights spilling from the kitchen, Neil grabbed at Astrid. She flinched back and struggled. Black gloves tightened around her pale arms. Then one went to her waist, tugging at her shirt. She flinched as a rip, loud in the stillness of the night, shredded the last of Griffin’s control.

“Let go of me. I told you, you have to stop this now or I’m calling the police,” Astrid pleaded.

“What’s gotten into you?” Neil shook her. Her head snapped back and Griffin growled in rage.

“I have.” Griffin yanked Neil’s head back and brought his fist down on the asshole’s face.

“Shit!” Neil let go of Astrid and lurched back, holding his nose.

“Bad enough you thought you could come here and take us down. But you put hands on what’s mine.” Rage pulsed in his veins in an anger so large, it consumed him.

“What the hell are you talking about? She’s not yours.” Whining, Neil still covered his nose, blood dripping on the tiles and glared.

“Astrid, go get Ray.” Griffin rolled his neck and shrugged his shoulders to loosen them. “And Susan. We’re going to need to subdue this fucker, ‘til we can question him.”

“Question me?” Neil laughed. “You guys think you’re something. My father was always,
Ray this
,
Griffin, that
. You know what? You’re no better than the old man. You want to order people around, get in their business and tell them what to do. Well, your time is done. We’re going to make sure people like you can’t lord over the rest of us.”

“By lying? By telling me what to do, under false pretenses?” Astrid came to stand next to Griffin and crossed her arms. She certainly hadn’t done what Griffin had told her to do.

“You always do what you’re told.” Neil glared and dropped his hands from his face. Stripping off his gloves he wiped the blood streaming from his nose and then threw the soiled leather on the ground.

“I have my own mind. I can see you for what you are. A manipulative glory hog. You just want what other people have. You can’t stand that there’s someone out here who uses their resources to help our kind instead of being a thug like you.”

“Look who grew a backbone.” Neil sneered and circled around, growing closer and closer to Astrid. “But you aren’t strong enough to take me down. Neither is the CTF.”

Neil lunged.

Griffin brushed Astrid aside and barreled into Neil. Shoving, he pushed the man back, kept a grip on the asshole’s shirt and pulled his fist back.

“Gotcha,” Neil snarled and deflected Griffin’s punch by shoving his arms up between them and wrapping his hands around Griffin’s throat.

Power surged, blinding white and hot.

Lightning crashed into the ground nearby and ozone filled his nose. The fingers at his trachea tightened and Griffin’s legs gave. He dropped to his knees, lethargic and skin tight, buzzing.

A wail blared in his head and the world tilted.

Astrid leapt onto Neil’s back and wrapped her uncovered hands around his neck, the only part of him easy to reach.

Power surged. She’d never gone for someone’s talent on purpose. The rush was electric.

Neil wobbled and pitched forward, slipping from her grasp. Griff roared and launched himself from the floor. The two men careened through the doors and onto the flagstones of the patio. They rolled, snarling and punching. Sparks flew. Neil’s electro talents gave off a tinge of burning plastic mingling with the ozone of Griff’s.

“Stop it,” she yelled. “They’re going to kill each other.” She fisted her hands at her sides. For seconds, she watched the flailing fists and ignored the vulgar insults thrown at each other. Blood flicked onto her face and she gulped back nausea. With no time to wait for help, she lunged after them.

Neil looked right at her coming then rolled away and onto his feet. Muscles tensed, Griff crouched. With a swift kick, Neil caught Griff in the shoulder and pushed him back. Griff skidded across the patio and into a line of lawn chairs. He went down with a moan.

The pounding of feet on the lawn brought her around. With Griff sprawled on the ground, Neil had run. She couldn’t let Neil get away. It was too dangerous. He’d be after them again—maybe when they least expected it. Someone could get hurt. Or killed. And right now, for certain, he’d ripped her pocket grabbing her phone. With it, he could have sensitive CTF data. Maybe even all the names and addresses of the para-talents CTF protected.

Deep inside, she knew that the information she’d obtained was dangerous. She should have deleted everything and put it down the garbage disposal.

She ran for all she was worth, following the shadow darting across the back lawn. Running so hard her legs burned and she couldn’t catch her breath, she forced herself faster. In a leap, she launched herself at Neil and caught the flapping of his shirt.

Neil stumbled and went down, dragging her with him. She landed with his hip digging into her rib cage. The punch of pain blinded her for a moment. Harsh hands shoved at her.

“Get off me, bitch. Damn, I’m glad I didn’t have to actually marry you.” The insult didn’t shatter her heart. She never should have even considered the weasel. Neil slithered on the ground away from her. His pants hiked up his leg and the white of his ankle shone pale in the night.

Time slowed.

She had to do it. The vulnerability of that uncovered skin beckoned. Heeding the allure of power that had surged earlier, she stretched out and watched her fingers in fascination as she clamped around the ankle now nearly out of her reach.

Blood rushed in her ears. The thread of this talent extended to her. She gathered it and yanked.

Neil screamed.

She didn’t let go of his ankle. Her fingers grew hot, searing. Popping sizzled loudly in her ears. That burning plastic smell stung her nose. Neil thrashed, kicking at her. His boot connected with her face and glanced a dizzying blow across her cheek.

The screaming rent the night and the power beckoned her, seductive and consuming. She was strong. Invincible. She’d never let go. She wanted it all.

Wails quieted to whimpers and her chest expanded. She’d never felt so damn hungry. Her hands clenched tighter around Neil’s ankle.

“Let him go, love.”

The whisper rushed through her. Her skin itched with the familiarity.

“Griff?”

“You don’t want to kill him. Let him go, sugar.”

“I’m still your sugar?” She turned her head, the movement streaking pain down her back.

“Always. Let him go so I can take you to bed and taste all that sugar. I want you on my tongue. And I want it now. Now, Astrid.” The command in his voice thrilled through her. “Let him go.”

She wrenched her fingers open. A spark flared from Neil as he rolled over with a groan, but she ignored it as she reached for the dark figure kneeling beside her. Trembling, she stroked along the side of Griff’s face. Stubble scratched her palm. He leaned into the touch and dragged her against him.

She’d never felt stubble before.

Wind swirled, snagging in her hair, sending it whipping around them.

“Ray, get this trash off the lawn.” Griff glanced over her shoulder.

“My pleasure.”

Astrid jerked. She shook her head and the daze died back a bit. Several people surrounded them. Ray. Clarissa. A few people she hadn’t met. She glanced back at Neil and froze.

He lay on the ground, his eyes closed. His chest rose and fell with his labored breathing. A hand lay along the ground and nearly touched her knee. Fingers, limply splayed, exposed a burnt glob of plastic.

“That was my phone. It had CTF records on it. Maybe some data. I couldn’t let him get away with it. It’s my fault. I didn’t understand.” The words spilled, unbidden and unstoppable until Griffin put a finger over her lips.

“Shh. It’s okay now. Vince is still in the clinic. Now we have Neil. Nothing to worry about except what I said before, sugar.” That last word rolled from him with a huskiness that bled with emotion. He cared for her. As much as she did for him.

“Are you sure?”

“Never been so sure of anything in my life.”

“What if…you know. What if I take too much? I wasn’t gonna let go of Neil until you got through to me.”

“But I did. Didn’t I? You heard me and decided to listen.”

“I did.” She looked inside herself as she’d never done before and really, truly listened to that kernel of her talent that usually lay dormant. She could control it. It wasn’t something to fear.

With no need to stop the impulse, she ran her hands over Griff’s face, neck and the small curls at the ends of his hair. His deep-brown eyes glinted and he all but purred—definitely not weakened by her touch. For the first time in her memory, she went with her instincts, against what she’d been taught, against what she feared. “I want you.”

Griff turned his face into her hand and kissed her. She shivered.

His large hands covered hers before he turned one, palm up. He licked her skin there then closed her fingers around the unusual but intensely erotic kiss. She leaned into him with a keen edge driving her to fill the ache that surged to life in her core.

Abruptly, he swung her up and cradled her to his warmth. She giggled with a freeing shift in her chest. “Put me down. I’m too heavy.”

“What? You?” He laughed and snuggled her closer.

“Griffin. Put her down!” Ray shouted.

Long strides took them inside but Griff didn’t stop. Raising his voice, he did answer, the vibrations of his chest making her tingle and tuck farther into him. “I’m claiming my partner. You said you’d take care of this. I’m leaving it to you.”

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Ray called.

They’d already made it through the kitchen, too far to answer, but Griff did.

“I know exactly what I’m doing.” He squeezed her in a hug that had to be the best feeling she’d ever had. Secure, touching skin to skin, she was both comforted and turned-on at the same time.

At the stairs she reluctantly pulled her head off his muscled torso to peer up at him. “I can manage the stairs on my own.”

“I got you.”

“Hey. We fall down those stairs, there’s no claiming gonna happen.”

Griff gently let her slide down his long body until her feet touched the floor. Her knees buckled and she fell against his solid bulk. His large hand stroked through her hair. “Easy there.”

“I got it.” A surge of energy helped her legs cooperate and she hurried, now eager to claim Griff for her own.

All the way up the stairs, his heat surrounded her. Light touches on her hips encouraged her to go faster. By the time she reached his door she practically ran.

The door slammed behind them and Griff caught her in his arms. At the bed, he threw her across it and landed on top of her. Her legs instinctively came up and hooked around his hips and locked behind his back. His jeans-covered cock nestled into her still-clothed pussy. She tugged at him, hooking into a belt loop and yanking.

“I like the way you think, sugar, but we need to get our clothes off.”

She squeezed her legs around his waist and he grunted. “Think this is a good idea? I know I said I could stop it, but what if I’m wrong?”

Griffin stroked across her lip with a light touch. His soft gaze was both endearing and hungry, eager. “You’re not drawing from me. I’ve been touching you this whole time.”

She put her hands on the sides of his face, cradling his bristly jaw. “Then I want you as my partner, Griffin Cinder.”

His lips crashed down on hers, licking and nibbling until she opened for him. His tongue stroked inside, curling around hers and exploring, plundering her mouth. His taste was amazing, full of the freshness of rain. The kiss grew more frantic and consuming. Heat built inside her until she squirmed. Her pussy throbbed in time with her every heartbeat.

Griff ripped his mouth away. His forehead resting on hers, he spoke with a husky murmur. “I want you to take me as your partner, Astrid Collins.”

“Sounds wonderful.”

“It will be,” he promised and sat back on his haunches between her legs. With a yank, he removed his shirt and sent it sailing across the room. Those big, long fingers opened his jeans and spread them wide, letting his hard cock free. “Don’t move.”

Her hips undulated on the bed. The ruddy head of his cock made her mouth water. She’d never gone down on a man, but now she couldn’t wait. She wanted to give him every pleasure he could imagine and get that pleasure in return.

Unable to think of having sex in a realistic way, she’d never been aggressive, and so far, all their interactions had been his lead. That would change right now. She wanted her mouth around his dick.

Her chin hitched up and she straightened her shoulders. She struggled out of her pants and sent them flying as he pushed off his jeans. Her shirt followed, slapping the ceiling as she threw it in her haste. She giggled as he smirked at her naked chest. Determined, she crawled toward Griff and gripped his silky cock before he could finish his strangled cry, “Astrid.”

“It’s my turn to take you.” Butterflies tumbled in her stomach, but she gripped him tighter, unwilling to stop.

“Okay,” he gurgled.

She knelt in front of him, on his knees on the bed, and rubbed a thumb over the head of his cock. The slit was wet and he groaned as she spread the slickness around and around.

“You’re so smooth and hard. How can you be both?”

“It’s just…” Griff shuddered as she loosely circled the plum-shaped top and stroked down to cup his balls.

“These are warm. Do you like this?” She lightly squeezed and his hips bucked toward her, nearly reaching her mouth. Slowly pumping him, she held him best she could. “I guess you do.”

“Hold the base. Firm grip. That’s it.” Sounding as if he was running a race, he put his trembling hands on her shoulders. Her power tingled, but it wasn’t as before, where she’d been hungry to drink it all in. It was if her power recognized his and was excited, eager.

He moved in small thrusts into her hand. A small bead formed on the tip again and his rain scent blossomed. Her mouth watered and she carefully leaned forward and stuck out her tongue, barely touching that drop.

He groaned harshly and gripped her head, his fingers tangling in her hair. But he didn’t move her, didn’t direct while his body vibrated. She licked him, lapping up his salty taste, reveling in the obvious enjoyment she gave him and letting her own desire bloom. Her pussy was hot, eager, thrumming in tune to the licks she made down his shaft.

Finally, she slid her mouth over the head, her fingers circling his girth, and moved, not quite knowing what he wanted, but she’d seen things, heard things, knew the function. His taste was delicious and all him. She bobbed her head up and down, more and more excited, eager to take him all, to lap him all up.

“Enough. Ah hell. Fuck. You have to…”

A hard yank on her head pulled her off with a slurp and the smack of his cock against his belly.

“My turn,” he growled and flung her back on the bed.

“But you didn’t finish.” She panted as she landed on her back.

“Not yet.” Then he yanked her legs apart and dove down, straight to her pussy, no stroking or petting or settling.

His mouth went straight to her opening and his tongue entered her.

“Oh my God,” she yelled. Her hips strained against his suddenly tight hold and she mewled. “Please, more. That’s. Oh that’s wonderful.”

“Shhh. You’ll like this.” He spoke against her pussy, the warmth of his breath stroking and the movement of his lips teased her. “Now be still. I want to look at you, sugar. I want to drink you.”

“I won’t stop you.” She laughed. She wanted this so much. It was so much more amazing than anything she’d ever done for herself. She’d never known what she was missing.

For a moment he stopped and stared up her body at her. A reassuring smile from him said it all. This was right. They balanced. They had a future. She relaxed and her legs fell open in invitation.