Vaewolf: Damn the Darkness: The Prophecy's Promise (Hearts of Darkness Book 3) (4 page)

He gripped her thighs and spread them wider for better access. Hell, who was she to deny him. Allowing her knees to fall open, she gripped his hair and arched against his mouth, as he ran his large hands up her belly to cup her breasts. His long fingers stroked gently across her nipples, and electricity sizzled through her at his touch.

Then his tongue teased inside her hot center before his mouth latched on and devoured her.

Oh well, so much for the clothes...and please, dear God, let Shelby be running late.

Caitlin allowed the first release to overtake her quickly, but as Dylan sampled her body like a starving man, she decided to savor the experience along with him. But she arched closer and rubbed her tingling breasts against his chest, enjoying the way the light hairs tickled her nipples, and the way he reacted to her initiative. His cock rose higher on his abdomen. Then, when he still didn’t move, she dug her nails into his shoulders and spread her legs in invitation. Maybe they’d get this heat out of their systems before it was time to meet up with the doctor. Maybe not. Shelby would understand.

Dylan released her breast and gripped her ass in both hands. He squeezed, dipping his long fingers closer to her folds before spreading her wider for his access, then entered her slowly, inch by slow inch until he seated himself completely.

She gasped out “Thank God!” before he kissed her and moaned into her mouth with the scent of their love making, filling the air.

With her body temperature spiking, she clasped him tighter and shook her head. She didn’t care if they went up in flames or if they ever came up for air, as long as they could keep sharing this pleasure for eternity. “Dylan. Fill me. More. I want more of you, my love.”

“Aye darlin’. That’s my bawdy lass.”

Chapter Five

Signs of Stasis

When Dylan’s phone rang, he checked to see who was calling before he answered. “It’s Garr,” he told Caitlin and moved closer to the door, checking for better reception. “I’ll be right back.”

He stepped outside and listened, grinding his teeth as Garr told him what happened to Jackson and his pack. Pacing impatiently to keep his anger at bay, Dylan’s muscles tensed, and he experienced the thunderous, old berserker rage building within him. Letting the darkness loose might be a relief, but it would be dangerous. If he didn’t quell it and garner control, Dylan couldn’t trust his decision-making abilities. And there were too many decision to consider to risk even a slight miscalculation in judgment.

Garr explained the encounter briefly, and Dylan kept his one question short and to the point. “He’s okay?”

“
Oui
, he said you were getting together tomorrow,” Garr said. “He’ll give you more details when you meet. I thought you should be informed immediately, no? For all our people’s safety and your mate’s?”

“Aye, thanks for your quick thinking, my friend. Will I see you back at the estate, later?”

Garr quickly agreed, and Dylan pressed END. He stared into the window considering the possible repercussions, not to mention the rotten timing.

Caitlin opened the door. “What’s going on?”

“Jackson’s pack ran into a group of rogue jaguars in the company of two demons out where they regularly hunt.”

“What? Demons close to the Parrish? When we closed the portal—”

“We always knew there was a chance others passed through before we reached it.” He glanced toward Caitlin and noticed her shivering. He gathered her into an embrace and walked her back inside. “You’re not afraid of a couple of demons and a few measly rogues? Are you?”

She shook her head, but the shivering didn’t stop. “What do they want?”

“Something, that’s certain.” He smoothed the hair away from her cheeks. “They must want to stay in this dimension pretty bad to risk confronting the Weres and Jackson. It must be about something important.”

Holding her arms around herself, Caitlin shrugged. “Maybe the Halflings.”

“Aye. Perhaps. You okay?”

She ignored his concern and paced. “We need to speak to Detective Delavega. Ramon can help me analyze the data, while you and Jackson figure out what their motives are...and, if we have to deal with more demons, we need Victor Salazar. The good doctor might advise me through this metamorphosis.”

“You’re right. Max isn’t in any shape to confront demons without help or endangering his light. He’s too befuddled with the demon Halfling. Look, as long as we’re away from the estate, we’re like targets in the demons’ cross hairs.”

“No thanks. Been there—done that.” Caitlin’s hand swept the sweat from her brow and instinctively clutched her chest. “Got the medal. Let’s get out of here.”

Damn, he’d like to get his hands on one of them and tear through the creature’s mind until he had more answers.

Dylan noted she was manifesting some symptoms matching the onset of stasis, but when he ran his thumb across her cheek, he wasn’t prepared for the possibility of facing it now. She was suddenly hot to his touch.
Too hot.

“You’re flushed.” Then he examined her more closely for other symptoms. “And you’re feverish, again. Anything else bothering you.”

“No. I’m just warm. Is there something wrong with that?”

“No, but you’re warmer than you should be. At this stage, you should be able to control your body temperature, unless...”

“What?”

“Unless this is the onset of stasis.”

Dylan forced his racing heart to a normal pace, squelching back his anxiety. Her color was high, her cheeks almost bright red, and he could hear her heart pounding faster with each passing moment. With a light mind touch, he forced hers to match his heart’s pace.

“I thought it was from the spicy food.” Caitlin ran the back of her hand across her forehead.

Perspiration beaded on her upper lip, and more dripped, glistening between her breasts. He’d noticed her flush, but he’d been too busy ogling to put her high color and the sexy glow in perspective.

She lifted her mane of hair off her neck and tilted her head. “Now that I think about it, the sexual need and the heat are stronger and coming more often, lately.”

“I have a fix for the first.” He winked and hoped the smile he flashed was as charming as he thought, intending to reassure her. “The other—well, the time for your metamorphosis is probably approaching. We should prepare you.”

Dylan was almost thankful Caitlin was showing signs of stasis. The sooner she completed going through her metamorphosis, the safer she’d be.

“I thought I had more time—”

“So did I. Maybe that’s for the best under the circumstances. Must be Niccolai’s blood.”

When he turned and met Caitlin’s shocked gaze, her eyes had turned into black, swirling abysses.

“What’s really wrong, lass?”

“The crypt. I-I’m not good with small spaces. I’ll have to go through metamorphosis underground.”

But as Dylan stared, and the darkness poured from her fully dilated eyes, encompassing her crystalline aura, his worry went deeper. Fear wasn’t all that was wrong. He didn’t want to tell her she needn’t worry about metamorphosis, there were indeed more immediate dangers to her safety in the swamp as long as the demons hunted them. He could turn her attention away from his immediate concerns for her health to her well-being, but it didn’t feel right to bring it up if she was already traumatized.

“You’ll be unconscious during your change,” he spoke softly, as if speaking to a frightened child, careful not to bring his concern to her attention. “I can help you through this.”

She twisted the strap to her briefcase, her eyes rapidly searching for an escape, as Dylan gripped her mental anguish and grounded her to the moment.

“Calm yourself, lass. There are certain preparations we must make. Shelby can help, Victor oversaw hers and the others’ metamorphosis. I’ll call him.”

“I-I can’t seem to fight this panic...”

“Let me merge with your mind and control your fear. You can enter stasis naturally and without concern.”

“Uh-yeah? Dylan, you may be good, but don’t blame me if I’m a bit skeptical.” If possible, her aura grew even darker. This approach wasn’t working. She visibly trembled from her lips to her knees. “Maybe Shelby has a medication—”

“Lass, it won’t work.” He wrapped his arms around her and placed his lips lightly to her forehead, focusing every bit of his power on calming her.

She bit her lip and sounded concerned when she asked, “Is this unusual?”

“No, I went through the transition quickly, too. At the time, we thought it was because of my intense berserker nature, but perhaps it is Niccolai’s blood. Shelby plans to feed you before you go into the crypt. We should pack up the rest of your things and get back to the estate as soon as possible. Anyway, it can’t hurt to be cautious.”

“You know, at first, after being turned, I felt alive, invincible. In fact, I’ve never felt more alive even when I truly was.”

He heard the sudden increase in her heartbeat as it picked up and raced.

“But facing a week in a crypt? Yuk!”

“Caitlin, you’re a vampire. A vampire! Believe it or not, you’re approaching immortality.” Dylan understood her sudden panic, but he had to calm her down and take her mind off what was to come. “For now, I’m your best bet at getting comfortably through metamorphosis. Have a little faith.”

“O-okay.” She gave one last shudder. “I do trust you—with my eternal life and my immortal soul. But, Dylan...this fear isn’t rational.”

“Immortality doesn’t make one immune to old fears,” he said sympathetically holding back his own ancient fears from his mind. “But you won’t be alone.”

“Being immortal or being one step away from immortality, won’t guarantee I’ll survive certain injuries.” Caitlin ran a hand across her forehead. “I want to get this fear under control.”

“True. But none of us will allow anything to hurt you.”

The icy fingers of lingering anxiety climbed her spine and shook her from the inside out. Bad enough she’d already died once, now she faced entering a crypt, and literally being buried beneath the damp dirt. The idea sent waves of cold sweat rolling over her. Caitlin shivered.

“Oh hell, I’m suffocating.”

“There, there, lass, everything will be all right. Trust me to see to your concerns.” “Breathe. In. Out.”

“I. Can’t. Breathe!”

“I told you, lass. You don’t have to breathe.”

“
Smart ass.
” Of course, she was fully aware breathing was unnecessary for her survival, but who was going to inform her body? The light-headedness. The spots before her eyes...

“
All your imagination.
” Dylan’s mental link reassured her.

“
What kind of FBI, pansy-assed, vampire suffers from panic attacks?
” Caitlin continued to gasp for air.
“Stop laughing, Dylan.”
There was an annoying quirk to his lips, but his mental humor teased at her.

“Caitlin, lass, relax.” He cupped her cheek, and she sensed him brush his mind across hers, drawing her thoughts away from the frightening images and replacing them with pleasant ones he’d found in her recent memories—images of them walking hand in hand in the evening, more of them laughing and making love.

The tightness in her chest released, and she sucked in a big gulp of air, then let it out. Taking in another deep breath, she pulled away from him, bent at the waist, and exhaled. She stood and felt calmer...but the frustration remained.

“Why did you do that?” she snapped. How would she learn to control her own fears if he constantly fixed everything for her? “You can’t always be there for me. I’m used to taking care of myself.”

The light in his eyes went out, and his mind closed to her. His words sounded flat. “You’re my life mate. Of course, I’ll always be there for you.”

Caitlin spit out, “Damn you for keeping me out.” Her mind unwittingly went to the moment the bullet hit her, and Dylan had been screaming in her head but unable to reach her. Her thoughts escaped and when she realized they’d leaked, her eyes lifted to his.

His expression froze, but he didn’t release the gentle hold he kept on her arm, even when she ineffectively tried to tug away. And though his expression didn’t change, she felt his disappointment all the way to her heart even after he’d effectively blocked her from his thoughts. He knew what she was thinking, but he wouldn’t let her touch his mind.

“I wasn’t there for you—” Dylan’s guilt was palpable.

“You know I didn’t blame you.” She turned to him, sorry to make his guilt greater, and stepped into his open arms. Caitlin buried her face against his magnificent chest, inhaling deeply, and let his scent calm her. “I know you blame yourself for my mortal death, Dylan. But who could have known? Believe me, I
don’t blame you.”

She tapped a finger on his chest. “I’m FBI trained, a Special Agent with psychic abilities and a good number of years of experience. I knew better than to open up. If anyone’s at fault, I blame myself for being careless. I should have seen it coming.” She lifted her face to his, cupping his strong jaw in her hands, and stared deeply into his eyes. “I want to be your partner, your equal in every way, not a burden you have to look out for—”