Authors: Laura Hawks
Jasmine frowned slightly, although she highly doubted it, she kept her mouth shut with what she really wanted to say. “I can only hope so.”
“Why would you think otherwise? I truly believe my mother would be happy with anyone who makes me happy, and you do so quite easily.”
“Because of my blood, Logan. I carry within my body something many will stalk me for. If you are associated with me, they will pursue you too. Or use you to get to me, if they know what you mean to me. I am putting you in danger.”
“A danger I willingly accept.” Logan reached over and took her hand. “If I have to give my life just to see you out of harm’s way, then that is what I would do without hesitation. I’ve come to care for you even more than I did when I arrived here. Living with you, seeing you every day and the kind heart you have, your gentle spirit, I could do no less. I will safe-guard you the best I can, or I will die trying.”
Jasmine shook her head. “A first date is not the time to be talking of dying. Let’s try to find a cheerier subject. Tell me about this wonderful smelling meal.”
Logan beamed as he described the menu he made for her. Putting on some Vivaldi and lighting the candles, he began their romantic evening.
Chapter 11
Present Day:
‘
Another day,’
Clarissa thought. It had been over five years since her daughter, Trinity, had been taken without word, ransom or anything else that might indicate whether or not she was okay. Every day Clarissa searched. Every day she was out there looking for her, refusing to give up, refusing to lose hope of never seeing her beautiful daughter again. It was a mother’s search of turning over every stone, tracking down every rumor, examining every clue trying to find Trinity.
It was bad enough Clarissa had to watch her whole family be killed in front of her, barely escaping herself; she was not about to lose her daughter as well.
Mel entered their bed chamber. “Oh good, you’re awake. I brought you breakfast in bed.” He nodded down to the covered plates on the tray he was holding as he moved towards her to set it upon the nightstand while he sat on the bed, leaning over to softly kiss her.
“Any news?” she asked anxiously, as she had almost every day since Trinity was taken.
Mel sighed and pulled back. “No. Nothing has panned out. Chip is on the lookout for her, just as he has been for the past five years. I have Zen and the others searching every corner you and I cannot go. Whoever has her, whatever their goal is, it’s not even causing a scuttlebutt anymore.”
Clarissa sat up, rubbing her temple. Chip was short for Chipiapoos, brother of Nanaboojoo and father to Azamel. He was also the god of the dead. If Trinity died, at any point, no matter the realm, she would have to go through Chip’s territory, which passed the soul from the living to the world of the deceased. There was nothing that got by him and no way he would let his granddaughter pass. It was a small comfort to say the least, but it was an assurance she was gratified to have. Every little bit counted as far as she was concerned.
Mel took her hand in his, his thumb gently rubbing her knuckles. “I’m not sure what more can be done. After all this time, it seems almost hopeless to find her.”
“Don’t! Don’t you dare!” Clarissa growled. The deep rumbling sound low within her chest was the sound of the wolf which resided within her, not the human she was.
Mel had spent enough time with Clarissa; her anger didn’t faze him.
“I’m just trying to be practical, babe. We are looking everywhere for her. I’m having my minions scour every inch of every world imaginable. Whoever took her has kept her close to the vest. No one has seen her, heard from her, or sensed her. We are running out of options. It has been five years.”
“Don’t you think I know how long it’s been? Don’t you think I have been acutely and painfully aware of how many days have passed since I have not seen my child? I’m not giving up, though. If you are, then that’s your issue not mine. She is my daughter and I will never stop until I find her.”
Mel frowned as he ran a frustrated hand through his hair. “I’m not giving up. I’m just running out of options. We still don’t even know which Rougarou were involved in taking her or where they brought her. We don’t know what they want with her or what she has been going through since she disappeared. Whatever the fuck is going on, it’s incredibly hush hush. I’ve never seen anything like it to where I can’t get even a basis on where to start.”
“I know. I know you are trying to find her. I know you are doing everything you can. I just don’t understand where she is. I don’t understand any of this.”
“Neither do I, my love. Neither do I.” He pushed the tray of plates towards her. “How about you eat and spend the day relaxing? You have not rested a full day since this all began.”
Clarissa shook her head. “I don’t have time to rest. Every minute I waste on resting is one minute longer Trinity is not home where she belongs.”
“One minute or one hour is not going to make much of a difference at this point. You need to care for yourself as well. And in case you have forgotten, we have a son, too, who might like to see and spend a little time with his mother.”
Clarissa sighed as she raised herself to sit against the headboard, leaning back. “I know I have a son. I’m very proud of him. I love him. But he has not needed a mother in years. Not since we failed finding Trinity after a year of searching. He is out in the world now. The human world and one I can no longer go.”
She looked up at him, a deep sadness in her eyes. “He no longer needs his mother. He has buried something deep within himself. Logan has become withdrawn since Trinity was taken. As if he blames himself. I don’t know how to reach him anymore. I don’t know what to do and I am limited since he moved away. My son is twenty-nine years old and I no longer connect with him as I once did. When Trinity was taken, I lost both my children, not just my daughter.”
“That’s not true, Clarissa. You never told him and he is hurt you never visited him. You have been so concerned about Trinity, you have not focused on much else, including Logan. He wanted you to meet his girlfriend, see his place, take you out for dinner.”
“And you know I cannot do that, no matter how much I wish to.”
“But you have not told him. He doesn’t understand and he thinks he is the reason you won’t come see him. Baby, he thinks you blame him for Trinity being taken, for not finding her and bringing her home. He believes you don’t love him anymore.”
“That’s not true!”
“He doesn’t know it’s not. You need to tell him.”
Clarissa was quiet for a moment, then nodded. “I’ll talk to him when I see him at the wedding. He is still coming, right?”
Mel bobbed his head in affirmation. “He is bringing the love of his life with him.”
“I’ll steal him away for a few minutes and tell him the truth. You’re right. He deserves to know why I haven’t gone to see him.”
Mel leaned over and kissed Clarissa. “Rest up a bit more. It’s going to be a very busy day getting the last minute preparations made before the guests start arriving tomorrow.” He saw the look in her emerald eyes and took her hand in his. “Two days is not going to hurt you to rest and enjoy the celebration of another. Besides, I still have my men out there looking. If anything, and I mean
anything
, sounds promising, you and I will be right there to investigate. I swear.”
Clarissa gave a gentle smile. It was a rare sight lately and Mel was grateful to see it light up her beautiful face. Her smile was what pulled his heartstrings the most. He moved the tray of food out of his way, leaning closer to her as he captured her lips. His tongue begged for entrance as his hands pulled the covers away from her.
Intimate moments between them had been few and far between since Trinity had disappeared. They were either too busy searching and apart, or too exhausted, catching minimal sleep and food before heading back out to search again. For Mel, he also had his duties as demon wrangler. It afforded them little to no time and he truly missed being with this feisty ball of fire he called his. He, too, had missed Clarissa. Needed her with a desire which could no longer be refused. He wondered if she would toss him aside, refuse him, or if she would give him what he wanted most at the moment.
Her lips parted beneath his onslaught, her tongue meeting his in a wicked dance. Her loins heated instantly as his body pressed against hers, trying to push her nightgown up and, finally refusing to wait any longer, tearing it in two from her. His hands clamped upon her breasts, teasing them firmly until her nipples scraped against his palms. Mel moved his arms behind her lower back and pulled her down under him. His silk suit glided along her soft skin and he flashed it away, wanting no barriers between them.
His mouth left hers, moving along her jaw to her neck, just below her ear, thrilling to hear her cry out breathlessly as she became excited. Her hands moved to his shoulders, her legs opened to expose her dampness. It was only then, she realized, how long she had gone without his touch and she mentally berated herself for not giving in sooner. She had forgotten how to live in her quest to find her daughter. She had put everything else to the wayside as she pursued leads, no matter how unreliable they might be. Through it all, she ignored what she shouldn’t have. Her husband. Her son. Now was the time to fix both, starting with her husband.
She wrapped her legs around his waist. Mel sat up, pulling her with him. Taking her hands, he held them behind her back, forcing her to jut her breasts out to his waiting mouth. His tongue swirled around her pert nipple, tugging it, pulling it gently with his teeth, growling with satisfaction. He loved the taste of her skin, how she felt in his arms, but most of all, how her body responded to his. His demon blood burned with desire for her, his rod hard and stiff against her wet core, twitching as if searching for entrance.
His mouth moved to her ear, his tongue dragging its way along the pulse of her neck as he did so. “You ready for me, baby?” he asked breathlessly, needing to be one with her.
“Always, my love.”
He needed no more encouragement than that. He rubbed his shaft over her sex a few more times before he finally lifted her slightly, settling her back onto his erection and pushing inside of her. He bounced her gently, driving himself to her very end over and over again.
He filled her, her body pulsating to his rhythm. The muscles deep within her belly tightened as her hair bounced with each thrust he made. He let her wrists go, one hand grabbing the back of her hair and twisting it around his fist to pull her head back, exposing her throat. He glided his teeth against the hollow of her throat to the life pulse of her neck. Finding the spot which beat with her heart, he suckled the skin.
She knew what he wanted, but she was also aware he wouldn’t just take it. There were times she wouldn’t allow him and others she did. This time she gave her consent to his silent query.
“Yes.”
A simple word which entailed so many things. He growled against her skin at her permission. Somehow, knowing she would give herself over to him in every way imaginable, that she trusted him enough to agree to his greatest request and that she loved him so unconditionally, only served to make him harder. He didn’t fully understand how he could be needier than before, but that was the effect she had on him. A response only she had ever elicited.
With his free hand, he held her lower back steady then sunk his teeth in against the pulse that ran against his tongue. The blood was his dietary staple. Though, before Clarissa it always came from the demons who were captured and served their sentence. Thankfully, he never needed much to satisfy his nutritional requirements and Shara had always seen to his meals. She still did as an overall. However, Clarissa was a rare delicacy he would indulge in. Her blood was sweeter than demon’s and, though it did not carry the full weight of the nutrients he required, her sanguine fluid was like having an infrequent delectable dessert.
For Clarissa, once his teeth sank deep into her veins, it was an entirely different experience than any she had ever beheld. She could feel his heartbeat joined with her own, sense his emotions, feel the love he had for her and she could feel the demon he carried deep inside roar with ecstasy. It was the latter which overwhelmed her so much, she could only satiate the desire on occasion. For the most part, it was erotic and exciting. She gave into it willingly. Her eyes wide open as he drank from her while he pumped his manhood repeatedly deep inside of her. When she came, it was in a blind explosion of stars and streaks of color, a rush unlike any other. She shivered, convulsing at his touch. When Destruction started to rise within Mel, he withdrew his fangs and licked the wound closed. Clarissa collapsed in his arms and he let her have a moments rest, laying her gently back onto the mattress before he renewed his strokes with a swift, hard, steady rhythm.
Clarissa needed a couple of minutes to fully recover and start to feel the build again within the depths of her womb. Without his drinking from her, she was solely focused on the feel of him embedded within her core, her own muscles tightening about his thick, hard shaft. Her whole body tingled, her blood raced. She was very aware of his demonic abilities to keep going over and over until she was finally sated. Her stamina was quite extensive as well, due to her female and were abilities.