The Warlord Forever (9 page)

Pleasure consumed her. Exquisite, delicious pleasure. She moved her hips with him, trying to keep up with his frenzied pace. Every hard thrust sent pleasure flowing into her. She grasped at his shoulders, pulling him down on her. His skin was hot to the touch, his muscles bulging with strain.

Kenna looked up into his eyes, holding his gaze, and he smiled. It was the most erotic thing she’d ever experienced. He thrust into her harder and faster, and she moaned as pleasure filled her. He moved faster, driving her pleasure higher.

“Oh, oh!” she cried out as he brought her to that keen edge.

“I want you to come, lass,” he growled at her ear.

“
Please!
” She gave herself to him.

He moved over her, faster and faster, until the pleasure flooded her, crashing into her. The most sharp, intense pleasure she’d ever felt.

****

Ian’s cock throbbed as she came around him, her body clasping him as she cried his name, digging her fingers into his arms. Ian rode her steadily through her climax, feeling his own building with such intensity he feared he might lose control.

He bucked hard, desperate to reach his release. He shuddered as that heavy feeling arose and the pleasure erupted from him in a powerful explosion. He yelled out as he spent himself inside her, his cock pulsing with his release.

Ian could spend the rest of eternity making love to this incredible woman.

He wanted to.

For now, he’d have to settle for the rest of the night.

****

Kenna woke that morning to an empty bed. She wasn’t surprised Ian wasn’t there with her. The man didn’t seem to need sleep or any rest at all. He was insatiable. Had made love to her all night.

She stumbled downstairs, roused by the smell of cooking food and fresh-brewed coffee. When she passed by her uncle’s study, she noticed Ian, Evan and Rosa gathered in front of the television. Evan gave her a worried look as she came into the room.

“What is it?” she wondered, joining them.

She glanced at the television. They were watching the morning news.

“Police are asking anyone with information to contact their local law enforcement department.” The news anchor stood in front of City Hall.

Her stomach dropped.

Information about what?

“Connor Flemming was found face down in the L.A. river last night,” Evan said, frowning.

“What?” She couldn’t believe she was hearing this. Connor Flemming was dead?

“It explains why he didn’t meet us last night,” Ian said.

“I wish you’d told me where you were going,” Evan complained. “I would have liked to go along.”

“Why?” She shrugged. “Nothing happened. He was already dead.”

What did that mean for her? What if whoever had killed him knew he’d called her? Was she next?

“I don’t want you leaving the house until this is over,” Evan ordered, turning into the protector she’d always known. “Things have just gone from bad, to worse.”

“When will it all be over?” she wondered. “When we’re all
dead
?”

Ian had brought nothing but death into her life. Not intentionally, but he seemed to hold the secret to something everyone wanted. Something they were willing to kill to obtain.

What were they supposed to do now? Hide out until death came to their front steps?

“I could put a vanishing curse on him,” Rosa offered. “My cousin will bring the chicken.”

The chicken?

Shit.

How much did the housekeeper know about what was happening?

“David isn’t going anywhere,” Ian bellowed, his face turning to stone. “I alone will finish this.”

“You’re doing a bang up job so far,” Kenna mocked. “Why don’t you go down to the museum and take his head with your sword?”

If only it were that easy.

“I’d love nothing more,” he said. “But your world has too many rules. Criminals have more rights than their victims.”

Wasn’t that the truth?

“Aside from a voodoo ritual and decapitation, does anyone else have any bright ideas?” She studied the three of them, her eyes stopping on Evan.

“We could go to the cops with what we know,” he proposed. “Take out a restraining order to keep him away from the house.”

“Oh, right!” She dragged her hands through her hair in frustration. “What do you suppose they’ll do to us when we tell them about Ian and the tomb? I’m not ready to be committed.”

“And you have no proof of what David has done,” Ian reminded. “If you intend to involve the authorities, you’ll need to have evidence.”

Kenna angled her head at him, impressed. “How much television have you been watching?” He sounded like a detective who’d come straight from C.S.I. Miami.

“Enough to learn how the laws of this land work.”

She was losing every advantage she had over him. Ian wouldn’t need her help for much longer. She had no doubts he’d get along in the world without any problems. Did everything come so easy for him?

Having slept with him, it was hard for her to be angry with him when he was just being himself. It wasn’t his fault he was smart and gorgeous and sexy.
Irresistible
. The man of her dreams.

It was her fault for liking him so much.

“We should at least inform the police about your phone call last night,” Evan said.

“Yes, Mija,” Rosa agreed. “You need to tell them. What if it’s information they need?”

There was no point in arguing. They were right.

“Evan can drive me to the station after breakfast.” She decided it was the best plan of action.

She was also curious to discover exactly what the cops knew. Get a little information of her own. Then they would figure out what to do about David.

****

The world looked different at night.

This simple fact put him at ease as he wandered through the city streets, because nothing about this world was normal to him.

Not yet.

Only Kenna gave him the comfort he needed. She alone touched some part of him he never expected to feel again. Made him dream of having a life he’d never thought possible.

As much as he hated the Fates, he’d ended up in a remarkable place. He was grateful to be alive. This new life he’d been given had opened his eyes. He no longer saw his immortality as a curse, but as an opportunity to experience things most people would never have the chance to.

The gentle ocean breezes swirled through his hair, and he made his way down to the shore. This late at night, no stores or restaurants were open. The only people he passed on the streets were the homeless, or people up to no good. Thankfully that lot knew enough not to bother him. He wasn’t in the mood for a confrontation.

He walked out onto the sand and sat for a good while, watching the moon reflected on the water, and the ebb and flow of the waves dancing on the beach. The ocean brought him peace. Clarity. Left him feeling refreshed and confident.

He finally had a place in the world. One he didn’t want to lose. And he had the most amazing woman to share it with.

How lucky Duncan Douglas had found him. That he should end up in the man’s house, in America, with his beautiful niece. It was almost too good to be true.

Ian wandered through the sullied part of town. Past abandoned buildings covered in graffiti, the windows broken out. Shady characters kept to the shadows, doling out drugs and prostitutes to those in need or want of such things.

He had centuries of pent up need he was dying to release. A sexual appetite to rival the Gods. But a hundred women couldn’t satisfy him tonight.

Because he only wanted one.

For the rest of his nights.

From the moment Kenna had become a part of his dreams, his only desire was to join her in the physical realm. To touch her, hold her, feel her. To taste her. To know her.

They were connected in a way he’d never known was possible. He’d gotten inside of her, using her dreams to help her open his tomb. He’d seen all that she was. She had given him the greatest gift: his freedom. And he loved her.

He would spend his life showing her how thankful he was. How much she meant to him. And he would spend eternity protecting her and loving her, whether she chose immortality, or not.

As the night sky faded and the stars began to disappear, he realized morning was coming. He’d left the house earlier that afternoon, wanting to walk and experience things on his own. He watched the sun rise over the horizon, chasing away the black of night with the bright colors of a new day.

Did Kenna miss him? Was she worried about him?

With David Wilkes still out there, was she even alive?

Cursing his stupidity at leaving her alone for so long, he raced to her house.

****

Where in the hell was Ian?

The warlord had been missing since this afternoon when she and Evan arrived home from the police station.

She was still pissed at how easily the cops had brushed her and Evan’s concerns about David aside. They thought the two of them were over-reacting. That Connor Flemming’s phone call to her and his death were unrelated.

When she’d mentioned her uncle’s expedition in Scotland, they only wanted to know about the curse and the mummy, and had sent her and Evan off without taking them seriously.

If someone didn’t take her seriously, and soon, she would go nuts. Something had to give. She had a madman obsessed with immortality stalking her, a growing body count, and a sexually charged warlord, who happened to be the best looking man she’d ever seen, who made love like a warrior and wanted to gift her with immortality.

It was quite a load for a girl to carry.

Evan assured her Ian would return, but when he hadn’t come back by dawn, she’d sent her cousin out looking for him. He could have gotten lost, or into some kind of trouble. She was worried about him. She didn’t want anything to happen to him.

She’d gotten so used to having him around, that having him gone left some part of her feeling empty and lost. She wanted to know where he’d gone, and why. She wanted to go with him. To watch him discover this new world so foreign to him. To see his eyes light up with wonder and awe.

She’d done the one thing she’d promised herself she wasn’t going to do.

She’d fallen in love with Ian.

And she was terrified of losing him. What would she do if someone discovered the truth of what he was? What if someone tried to take him from her? She would never want another. After the way he’d touched her and held her, she couldn’t even think of it. She’d brought the man of her dreams to life, and she didn’t want to let go of him.

The loud knock at the front door startled her.

Ian!

Had he finally returned to her?

Her heart leapt in her chest as she hurried across the foyer. Without bothering to see who it was first, she threw open the heavy wooden doors.

No!

Not him.

David Wilkes.

“Ms. Douglas, how lovely to see you again.”

He didn’t look so put together this early in the morning.

He was a sloppy mess. Hair mussed, face unshaven, his eyes darting, shifting all around.

His gaze stopped on her, eyes darkening as he took in the sight of her standing there in her skimpy nightgown.

She felt the need to cover herself from his roving stare, and moved to close the door. “You’ll have to come back later.”

He braced his hand against the door to stop her. “Is your cousin home?”

Her gut clenched with fear. Evan was out looking for Ian. Rosa was at the market downtown. Kenna was alone in the house. And she couldn’t let him know.

“He’s in the shower,” she said, trying to hold him off.

“May I come in and wait?” He pushed the door open further and stepped up to her.

Kenna cringed at having him this close. She had to make him leave. “I’d prefer if you didn’t.”

“How did we start off on the wrong foot with each other?” He sneered at her. “What have I done to make you dislike me?”

That look, for one.

“I smell coffee,” he said. “Would you offer me a cup?”

Only if it was laced with rat poison.

“Mr. Wilkes, I’m tired of you showing up like this,” she started. “I think you—-”

He locked his hands around her arms and pushed her back, forcing his way into the house.

She struggled to get out of his grasp, panicking when he gripped her tighter. “Let go of me!”

“Where is it?” he roared, releasing her with a hard shove.

Kenna stumbled back, not certain what to say, what to do. “Where is what?”

“You know what I’m talking about.” He took brisk strides into her uncle’s study.

When he saw the open tomb, empty, his whole body tensed with rage. “What have you done with it?”

Kenna gulped. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You’ve opened it.” He looked at her, aghast. “What did you find?”

“Nothing.” She shrugged. “See for yourself.”

“You’re lying,” he accused, his dark eyes radiating hatred.

Fear quaked through her. Her hands trembled, her legs went weak. How much did he know?

“Where is the potion?”

The
huh
?

Potion?

She didn’t know about any potion.

Unless that was the secret to immortality. In the silver flask Ian tried to keep hidden in his pockets.

That was it!

Ian had the Queen’s immortal potion. Had been buried with it. David could never be allowed to have the potion. What horrible crimes would he commit, aside from cold-blooded murder?

Shit.

Was he going to kill her next?

She’d been the only thing standing in his way, and they were alone, with no one to save her.

If she didn’t think of something fast, she was going to die.

“Did you hear Connor Flemming was found dead this morning?” she asked, scanning the area around her for anything she could use as a weapon.

“I thought it would take them longer to find him.” David approached her, a look of cold malice on his face.

The man was desperate, and that made him dangerous. She inched her way over to the desk, thinking the green-shaded lamp would deliver a nice blow to the head.