Unique Ink (Shadow Assassins Book 5) (19 page)

His lips brushed her ankle as his fingers blazed a trail up her calf. She tried not to squirm, to enjoy the light caress, but her body had other ideas. She felt tense and overstimulated and he’d barely begun to touch her. How would she survive once they really got going?

“Please,” she whispered, helplessly arching toward him.

“Relax,” he murmured, his lips caressing her skin. “I’ve got you.”

She clutched the bedding as his mouth explored her knee, finding sensitive patches she hadn’t realized were there. He took his time, frequently gazing into her eyes as his tongue stroked over her tingling skin.

It took him an eternity to reach her panties and still he wanted to tease. His fingertips skimmed along each edge, barely touching her skin. Anticipation crept closer to desperation and her thighs began to shake. She felt like a rubber band stretched to the breaking point, vibrating at that moment just before it snapped.

“You’re killing me,” she lamented, but his shoulders were firmly wedged between her legs now and she couldn’t do more than whisper protests.

Finally, he caught the sides of her panties and eased the garment down. She held her breath, tense and hyper-aware of everything about him. She felt the heat of his skin against hers and the gentle brush of his fingertips. His gaze burned into her flesh as she was revealed to him inch by inch. Even her lungs seemed determined to echo the rhythm of his breathing.

“Oh God…” He tossed her panties aside and buried his face between her thighs.

His tongue found her clit and the rubber band snapped. She cried out, coming in deep spasms that radiated out from her abdomen. His low chuckle assured her that he knew what just happened, and yet he didn’t stop. His lips slid against her folds and his tongue wandered from her clit only to return to the knot of nerves again and again.

The sensations had barely begun to recede when a fresh wave of pleasure flowed in behind it. Roxie rubbed against his mouth, helpless to resist the intoxicating aftershocks. It felt so good and yet it only made her desperate for what he’d denied her the night before.

She reached down and pushed her fingers into his hair, pulling gently until he raised his gaze. “Please. I need you inside me,
now
.”

In a blur of motion, he dragged off his underwear then grabbed a condom off the corner or the bed. He opened the package with his teeth and rolled the barrier down his shaft as he positioned himself at her entrance. His hands grasped her hips and their gazes locked, then he entered her in one long, steady thrust. Her eyelids drooped as fullness overwhelmed the other sensations. This wasn’t her first time, not even close, but nothing had ever felt so…significant before.

He pulled his hips back just as slowly then drove forward much faster. She gasped and drew her legs up along his sides. His hands moved up to her waist and he pulled her entire body even closer to the edge of the bed. He still stood on the floor, but arched over her now, his mouth latching on to one nipple.

Sensations zinged from her breast to her clit then rippled up along the walls surrounding him. She’d never been this aroused before, hadn’t realized her body was capable of all these sensations. Her entire body seemed attuned to his. He drove into her over and over, each thrust pushing the pleasure higher.

He kissed his way to the base of her neck, but couldn’t reach her mouth. With a frustrated growl, he wrapped both arms around her and pulled her up off the bed. He spun around and sat down then arranged her legs so she straddled his hips. They were still connected, but just barely.

His fingers tangled in her hair and he brought her mouth to his. “Ride me.” He whispered the command half a second before his tongue thrust into her mouth.

She clutched his shoulders, lost in the wild possession of his tongue, but gradually realized the rest of his body had stilled. He wanted her to “ride him”, she remembered through a haze of passion. Adjusting the position of her knees, she lowered herself onto his cock. He moaned into her mouth and his hands grasped her hips, steadying her without taking over.

Following his example, she pulled up slowly then drove down fast and hard, taking him deep into her body as they moaned in unison. One of his hands moved back to her hair, shifting her head to a different angle. His lips caressed and his tongue slid as she gradually found a similar rhythm.

Needing to feel all of him, not just the parts moving inside her, she stroked over his chest and onto his shoulders, down his arms then up his sides. Every inch of him was lean and tightly muscled, strong and capable. And every inch of his amazing body, every ounce of strength, every beat of his noble heart would protect and comfort her. Rather than looking for ways to manipulate and abuse her, he would take care of her. She shivered as the realization sent unexpected emotions crashing over her.

The smooth motion of her hips became stilted and then she stopped, tearing her mouth away from his. She turned her face to the side, not wanting him to see the tears gathering in her eyes. Her heart thundered in her chest and conflicting emotions twisted and pulled, making her feel anxious and afraid. He would never hurt her. She had no doubt about that. But could he really care for her, want more for her and from her than a stolen moment of physical release?

“What’s this?” His voice was low and patient, though their link still pulsed with unfulfilled desire. He brushed the hair back from her face, but she wouldn’t look at him. “Do we need to stop?”

“No.” She tightened her inner muscles and buried her face against his neck. “Just give me a minute.”

“Take all the time you need.” He held her, his hands caressing her shoulders and back. He didn’t ask questions or whisper platitudes. He surrounded her with warmth and caring, protecting her from her own insecurities.

Finally, she composed herself enough to lift her head. She pushed her fingers into his hair and stared into his eyes as she moved over and against him again. His expression was open and honest, hungry yet compassionate. She moved faster, taking him deeper, and desire burned brighter with each firm stroke.

His hands returned to her hips, helping now, yet still allowing her to set the pace. “Kiss me,” he urged.

Without slowing the rolling motion of her pelvis, she pressed her lips against his and pushed her tongue into his mouth. He sucked her deeper, his fingers digging into her hips. Emotions, hot and consuming, streamed into her mind. Afraid of the sudden deluge, she resisted at first. But individual feelings curled through her, identifying themselves as they passed. Affection, respect, and a protective sort of longing that could only belong to Elias. Sensing his personality in the unfamiliar emotions, she gradually surrendered to the intensity.

His emotions fueled hers and the kiss became wilder, more demanding. He thrust up into her, no longer able to remain passive. The combined movements doubled the impact, sending bursts of sensation all through her body. She gasped and arched, her inner muscles hugging him tightly.

Then he drove his full length into her and held her snuggly in place as he shuddered violently. Pleasure surged across their link, detonating a fresh cycle of rhythmic pulses. She shook with the force of her climax, lost to anything but the pleasure ricocheting between them.

He collapsed back across the bed, taking her with him. Her muscles gradually relaxed as she sprawled across his chest. He was still buried inside her and she couldn’t find the strength to crawl off him or roll to her side. This just felt too good.

“You okay?” His hand swept down her back and squeezed her butt with intimate familiarity.

“Why wouldn’t I be?” It was a foolish evasion. She knew exactly what he was asking about.

“Why’d you freeze up in the middle?” He hesitated over the description as if he couldn’t find exactly the right words to define what she’s done.

Not surprising. She wasn’t sure what had brought on her “freeze up”. “I’m not afraid of you.”

“I’m glad. The last thing I want to inspire in you is fear.” He touched her face. “Will you please look at me?”

Slowly, she pushed against his chest and raised her face until their gazes locked. “Everyone I’ve ever known wanted something from me.” He started to say something, but she shook her head. “I want to believe this is different, that it has nothing to do with your job, but I can’t forget how we met.”

“Earning your trust is an ongoing process. I understand that.” He stroked the side of her face then brushed his thumb over her lower lip. “And nothing I
say
is going to change your mind. You need actions, tangible proof that what I say is true.”

“I need time.” She sighed and nipped his thumb. “But I’m trying.”

“I know and I’ll do my best not to rush you.”

He wasn’t entirely to blame for the whirlwind pace, but everything was happening much too fast. “We should go see Jett and Tess. I’m afraid the half-connected call might have made them even more suspicious.” Reluctantly, she separated their bodies and crawled off the bed.

“We’re going to take a shower first.” He rubbed his bristly chin. “And I need to shave. Then let’s grab something to eat on the way. I’m starving.”

She glanced at him and longing clutched her heart, making her insides feel empty. Even sex tousled and scruffy, the man was gorgeous.

She shook away the now familiar ache and focused on one of the many questions lingering within her mind. “Something has been bothering me.”

Rolling smoothly off the side of the bed, he ambled over to her and pulled her into a light embrace. “Something I can help with, I hope.”

“I’m not sure. Morgan said Rodyte hybrids can’t conceive without a mating bond. If I can’t manipulate magic, how will I form one?”

His lips thinned and his jaw tensed, then he offered her a tight smile. “I don’t know.” He sighed and lowered his arms to his sides. “The obvious answer is you’ll need to mate with someone who can manipulate magic, but there are probably other ways. Lor linked us with the proximity bond and neither of us can manipulate magic. Don’t panic.” He smiled at her, a slow, sexy smile this time. “I just used us as an example. I haven’t forgotten that we just met.”

She nodded, but Elias had misunderstood her expression. She hadn’t panicked at the thought of bonding with him. Just the opposite in fact. Earth was her home and their uninvited guests had brought nothing but trouble into her life. She might have alien blood, but in her heart she would always be human. If mating with a Mystic was the only way she could have children, then she would adopt a human child.

“Let’s go take a shower.” She took him by the hand and led him toward her bathroom, turning her head so he wouldn’t see the uncertainty lingering in her eyes.

Chapter Eight

Morgan paused in the corridor outside the conference room and took a deep breath. The second wave of Lor’s reinforcements arrived a few minutes before and he asked that she join their briefing before they headed out to the field. Her team still outnumbered the Mystic Militia twenty to one, and her people were much more familiar with the setting. Still, that didn’t keep a knot of tension from forming every time she witnessed the Mystics’ extraordinary abilities. It was daunting to think what such people could do if their ambitions drove them toward conquest rather than cooperation.

Never one to avoid conflict, Morgan squared her shoulders and walked confidently into the room. “Good afternoon, gentlemen.” She glanced around the table to make sure she didn’t need to amend the greeting. As she’d presumed all of the new arrivals were male. Ontariese was still struggling with a disproportionately male population, so it had been a fair assumption.

Lor sat in her usual place at the head of the table, so she slipped onto the chair at the other end.

“This is Director Morgan Hoyt, leader of the human task force and our gracious hostess.” Lor’s tone stopped just short of condescension and four sets of curious eyes shifted toward her. Each man was dressed in jeans and a casual shirt. Their gently swirling gazes had been concealed behind contact lenses, making them appear human. The other two new Mystics were already in the field with Blayne. Their briefing had been on the fly, so Morgan hadn’t been involved. “Have you heard from Elias? Has Sevrin made contact with them yet?”

Morgan swallowed before she spoke, making sure her voice was calm and authoritative. “She walked right up to the door like the big bad wolf and demanded that Roxie let her in.”

“Is she a shapeshifter?” One of the Mystics asked, clearly baffled by her reference.

“Figure of speech.” Fighting back a smile, she waved away his confusion. “When Roxie didn’t oblige, Sevrin had Flynn teleport them inside.”

“Is she usually so bold?” another Mystic asked.

“She’s a Rodyte princess,” the original speaker muttered. “Of course she’s irrationally bold.” Though the war raged between Bilarri and Rodymia, the people of Ontariese had long since chosen the Bilarrian side.

“I presume Roxie wasn’t harmed or we wouldn’t be sitting here.” Lor brought the conversation back on track.

Morgan folded her hands on the table and kept her gaze focused on Lor. Though she couldn’t help wondering about the new Mystics’ abilities, she didn’t let it distract her. Their biggest challenge had been containing people who could teleport. Could the new Mystics solve that problem? “Sevrin bought the cover story or at least decided not to push her luck. Once again Flynn’s information proved accurate. Sevrin just wanted to make sure Roxie was easily accessible when the time comes.”

“When the time comes for what?” the chatty Mystic asked. There was one in every group, the self-appointed leader and spokesperson. If the facilitator could control that one person, he controlled the entire room.

Lor didn’t seem annoyed by the questions, so Morgan didn’t interfere. She generally asked people to wait until she finished her explanation before they voiced concerns or asked for clarifications, but this wasn’t her briefing.

“Sevrin has to verify that Roxie is healthy and capable of producing offspring,” Lor replied. “Does that make sense, Bentar?”

“Each prominent family was not simply promised a mate. They were promised an
empowered
female capable of producing empowered offspring,” Bentar persisted. “The élite families might have accepted Pern at his word, but they will demand proof from Sevrin.”

“Or they’ll bring someone who can determine the validity of her claims, like a Bilarrian slave or a rogue Mystic,” one of the others agreed.

“Which is why we attack, and attack aggressively, the moment Sevrin snatches Roxie,” Lor stressed. “Sevrin cannot be allowed to send word to her uncle that the first bride is ready. Pern’s final program must follow him to the grave or this could spark an interplanetary war.”

Bentar scooted closer to the table, clearly unsatisfied with the answers so far. “How do you know she hasn’t already sent word to the Crown Stirate? These noble sons of Rodymia could have arrived with the supply convoy.”

“We know they haven’t the same way we know about the supply convoy,” Morgan interjected. “Flynn isn’t able to provide us with all of the information we need, but the information he has supplied has been accurate.”

Bentar accepted her statement with a serene incline of his head. It was hard to judge the reactions of people who never changed their expression.

“Have there been any new developments?” Lor asked her.

“Not since this morning’s bombshell.”

“Which was?” Bentar wanted to know.

“Six captives in need of rescue and Sevrin’s reported success with human transformation. It’s what I explained just before Morgan arrived. The urgency of our mission has escalated and we have no choice now but locating the lab before we raid the Team South house.” Morgan detected tension in Lor’s silky tone. Apparently Bentar’s persistence was finally starting to annoy his commander.

“This informant provided the location of the Team South house?”

“He did, and we’ve already confirmed that it’s right where he said it would be.” Lor paused to rub the back of his neck.

“How many of these team houses are there?” There seemed to be no end to Bentar’s curiosity.

“Originally four. Team North is already in custody. Teams South and West combined, and it’s their house to which Flynn just gave us the address. Flynn doesn’t know the exact location of the Team East house.” Lor rattled off the facts with a minimum of elaboration, likely hoping to discourage follow-up questions.

Before Bentar could speak again, Morgan addressed the room at large. “We’ve been tracking phantom energy spikes for several weeks now. The spikes stopped while the hunters were moving to their new locations. They tried to make it seem like they’d left town and scattered to the wind, but the spikes have started up again and they’re still relatively close. The move was smoke and mirrors. They might be in new buildings, but they’re still within a hundred-mile radius of Las Vegas.”

“Our largest challenge has been capturing men who can teleport through most containment fields.” Lor returned to Morgan’s earlier point.

Not surprisingly, Bentar had a question. “Odintar was not able to contain them? How is that possible?”

“As I said, Odintar was recently injected with their nanites, but the hunters have had them since birth. Their physiology is in perfect harmony with the nanites, so they simply function better.”

This brought up a question Morgan had been eager to ask. “I know you asked Jillian’s guards about better weapons or a compact containment system. Were they able to help?”

“Who is Jillian?” Bentar asked.

“One of the hybrids we encountered in our search for Nazerel,” Lor explained. “It turned out that she was a direct descendant of King Indric, so he provided her with a safety contingent.”

Bentar nodded his approval. “If anyone can help us deal with Rodyte technology, it’s the Bilarrians.”

“And were they able to help?” Morgan brought the subject back to the original point.

“Yes and no.” Lor spread his hands with a frustrated shrug. “Bilarrian weapons are better than ours, but incapacitating the hunters is only half the problem. We have to be able to keep them once we catch them.”

His discouragement worried her. “I thought the holding cells at the new safe house had solved that problem. Elias told me you had tested them for us.”

“Blayne couldn’t teleport out, but Odintar could. It took him several tries and a massive amount of energy, but that won’t bother the Shadow Assassins.”

“So we’re stuck transporting them to Ontariese?” This was not what she’d wanted to hear. Each time they opened an interdimensional portal they risked discovery and triggered a mountain of paperwork for her.

“Perhaps not. King Indric sent over the prototype of a mobile containment field generator. When I asked for assistance six weeks ago, this prototype was still in development. He can’t guarantee it will work, but it’s definitely worth a try.”

“How is it used?”

Thank you, Bentar
. She’d been just about to pose the question herself.

“It creates a field large enough to encase an entire house. As long as it’s turned on before the hunters realize we’re there, no one will be able to flash out. Theoretically, anyway.”

“How long can it be sustained onsite?” Morgan asked, beating Bentar to the punchline.

“Not long. Here’s the tricky part. Each hunter will need to be incapacitated and then moved to the safe house. With a steady source of energy, we should be able to use the prototype to augment the holding cells. Even Nazerel shouldn’t be able to escape.”

“Shoulds and shouldn’ts make me uncomfortable,” Bentar grumbled. “Are there no better options?”

“If there were, we would have used them long ago,” Lor concluded. “We have two primary objectives. We must be prepared at any moment to respond to Roxie’s capture. Following her to the lab is our only hope of rescuing the captives and recovering the details of Sevrin’s research.”

“And two?” Bentar asked.

“We raid the Team South house, trapping as many hunters inside as possible. If we can accomplish those two objectives—and it will likely happen simultaneously—it will provide us with what we need to locate the Team East house and finally conclude this mission.”

“Are you sure?” Morgan didn’t want to rain on his parade, but she wasn’t willing to ignore a hole in his strategy. “Flynn indicated that the teams operate autonomously. Team South members aren’t going to be able to tell you how to find Team East. And it was my understanding that Sevrin has been conditioned to resist Mystic interrogation.”

“She has.” Lor paused dramatically. “But her guards have not. Flynn’s report indicated that Sevrin is always accompanied by one or more of her guards. One of them will know the location of the Team East house.”

She couldn’t argue with his logic, but it sounded like a lot to take on all at once. Unfortunately, they’d run out of alternatives. The time for action was now and their move had to be all or nothing.

“In the meantime, we start searching for the other brides. We know Pern contracted with fifteen families, but we don’t know how many hybrids he created. It could be considerably more than fifteen. Sevrin is alone in her search. She can’t involve others without admitting that her father didn’t trust her with the location of the females. At the moment, this is our only advantage and we must exploit it to the fullest. Assimilate the background information. Speak with anyone who might have known the war brides. Someone had to have delivered the babies. Learn the identity of the physicians or healers and find out what became of the infants. Were they adopted or did they become wards of the state?”

“I think we should contact the Symposium,” Bentar suggested. “Surely the Wisdom of the Ages contains some of this information.”

“It’s worth a try, though the Symposium’s information on humans is not nearly as extensive as it is on the life forms in our star system.”

Bentar nodded then said, “I will contact them anyway.”

“Are there any other questions?” Lor asked, looking pointedly at the other new arrivals.

“How is Roxie being monitored?” Bentar asked.

“She was injected with a radioactive isotope,” Morgan told him. “This form of radiation is harmless, but it’s so light it lingers in the air long after the person has left the area.”

“And you are able to track this radiation with human technology?” Bentar sounded skeptical.

“I didn’t say that.” She smiled at the argumentative Mystic. “The system didn’t originate on Earth. But don’t bother asking. Where we acquired the technology is irrelevant.”

“Does everyone understand their assignments?” When no one indicated otherwise, Lor said, “Dismissed.”

* * * * *

Elias looked around Unique Ink with new interest. Now that he knew Roxie better, he easily picked out aspects of her personality reflected in the decorating and arrangement of the tattoo shop. It was organized with a natural flow that maximized the limited space. Though at a glance the shop was rebellious and edgy, an underlying practicality was evident as well.

Roxie had timed their arrival for the late-afternoon lull, hoping to find her employees between customers. Her instincts had served them well. Jett and Tess sat on the sofa in the front of the shop, enjoying chai lattes.

“Roxie!” Tess set down her paper cup and ran to Roxie, hugging her tightly. “We have been worried sick about you.” She pushed Roxie to arm’s length and looked her over. “No bumps and bruises? You’re really okay?”

“I’m fine.” She laughed and gave Tess another quick hug before stepping back. “And relieved to see my shop is still standing.”

“You’ll never have to worry about that,” Tess assured. “We love this place as much as you do.”

Jett set his drink aside with more deliberation then sauntered toward them. “Welcome back,
Special Agent
Bertram.” His tone was anything but respectful. “Odd that the regional office of the FBI has no record of you.”