Dark Caress (The Fallen) (12 page)

Fate took a step out in the nighttime humidity, breathing deeply into his lungs.
Yep, he was bored.

Charleston
was all hyped up. Word had it Kane was getting on with his Elemental. Fate knew it was true and was trying to stay as far out of it as he could. Kane had to learn how to love of his own free will.

There was something darker going on in the city. It was more than just
the Fallen. There was an underlying beat that brought the hairs on the back of his neck to attention. Fate looked over his shoulder. He was being watched. No, he couldn’t see the men watching him, but he knew they were there.

Interesting.
This wasn’t something Fate expected. He decided a shortcut would be a perfect way to kill a little more time. He headed toward the sensations. The lights were out around the alley. The hairs on his arms, legs, and neck were screaming for him to turn around. A world of pain waited for him. Oh, he was so ready for it. Maybe tonight would be the night he’d finally get his freedom, but deep down he knew he wouldn’t. These men were at a crossroads in their lives. Fate only appeared to people whose lives were at a pivotal moment.

Fate was grabbed. Yanked into the alley by an unseen man. Fate had to give him kudos for the surprise factor. Not that he was all that surprised. The gun was pushed up under his chin. The trigger cocked.

“Give me your wallet.”

Fate didn’t carry one. There was no
“Mr. Fate” calling card in his jeans. “Don’t have one, my man.”

“Come on! Give us your money!”

“I don’t have any! You don’t want to do this.”

“Fuck this!”

The gun was swung against his chin. Pain ricocheted down his jaw. Fate fell to the ground. He could feel the blood pooling in his mouth. His pockets were patted, but the guys came up empty-handed.

“I told you. No money
, my man.”

Shots were fired at his head. Fate played dead. He was done with these fools.
They ran. A screeching of tires and the thud that followed told him what happened to the shooter. Fate sat up and ran a hand through his hair. Every one of those 9mm bullets had missed his head, bouncing off like pebbles thrown at him.

“Damn the luck. All bad.” He couldn’t even
get himself killed right if he tried.

Fate got to his feet. When he didn’t have anything to do he popped over to the police station. He hadn’t checked i
n with his cop in a while. He liked humans, especially the wild ones. The only thing Fate knew he should be worried about was the leader of the Fallen, Kane. If Kane didn’t learn to love, war was going to break out again. This time it wouldn’t be the Elementals who would suffer. This time suffering would be handed down to humans. Fate saw the future unfold without love within his mind, and it saddened him. The next generation of Fallen needed a strong leader who knew how to love, and that leader was Kane. Fate looked up at the moon. There were only a few more days until the next full moon. He hoped it was enough time for Kane.

Amber was driving across town to meet Chris to discuss cold cases. Thoughts of Kane kept pace with her thoughts of what happened downtown last night. After Chris had dropped her off, she sensed that she was being watched, but the feeling didn’t last long. Whoever it was had left shortly after.

H
eat continued to pound, despite the late afternoon sun being drawn down and twilight on the horizon. Amber parked across from the restaurant. She was meeting Chris at their favorite diner to discuss their ever growing cold case files.

Amber sashayed past the doorman and went straight for their booth. The
ir latest case file was sitting on the table in front of him.

Chris
sat with his fingers lightly touching the edge of the papers as he read. His flat brown hair was spiked wet with gel. Amber slid into the seat across from him.

“What did you bring for me?” she asked.

The corner of his mouth lifted. “Drug deal gone bad. It’s two weeks cold.”

“Oh, lovely.” He scooted the
file over, and she lifted the papers. “No witnesses came forward. That’s just beautiful.”

“
It wasn’t from lack of trying. No one wants to talk.”

A waitress brought a huge basket of nachos and slid it in front of
Chris. He offered some to Amber, but she declined. She watched as he inhaled the chips.

“How do you like working cold cases?” Chris asked.

Amber sighed. “It’s more discouraging than I thought it would be. I want to solve the cases faster.”

He looked pensive as he chewed and thought about it.
“Cases work out when they’re meant to. Sometimes it takes years.”

Amber studied the case file. There was nothing odd about the file. It was obviously a drug deal gone wrong. Those cases were the hardest to close. She still took it personally.

“You’re right about that.”

He burped. “Yup,
you can say it again.”

“Don’t push your luck.”

“What’s wrong?” Chris asked.

“It’s nothing. Just work I suppose.”

“You can’t fool a detective.” Chris sighed when she merely stared out the window. “Don’t be like this, Amber. We’re partners. You can tell me anything. I won’t judge you.”

She stopped listening. Through the window, Amber caught sight of Kane materializing across the street. His hand swept down over his zipper,
adjusting his package. What was he doing here?

“Amber?”

“I’m sorry, Chris. I have to go.”

His hand snaked out and grabbed her wrist
. “Are you sure you’re okay? You seem different lately.”

“I
t’s nothing. I’m fine. Promise.”

“Liar.”
Chris let go of her wrist. “I’m here if you need me.”

“T
hanks.”

Annoyance furrowed under Amber’s skin. This was totally stalking. She opened the side door and stepped out onto the terrace. Kane’s gaze moved over
her from head to toe, but his eyes were cold, aloof as he stared at Chris through the windows. Kane was eating a peach, but he paused as though he were considering chucking the half-eaten peach through the window at Chris.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I wanted to see you.”

Amber crossed her arms. She couldn’t help but be fascinated by the way his fangs glistened with juice from the
peach. The way they struck first through that soft skin. The way her tongue went to touch the top of her lip as though she could taste that sweet nectar. Amber needed to restore some sense of balance. What was it with her losing it every time she got near Kane?

“We
should go someplace where we can talk.”

Amber turned
, but he grabbed her by the arm. “Are you ashamed to be seen with a Fallen in front of a human? In front of your lover?”

“Would you be jealous if I had a lover? Or many lovers for that matter?” She heard his teeth grit down hard on the last few pieces of
peach in his mouth.

“Yes. You are mine. I don’t want you with anyone else.”

“Tell me what is really bothering you, Kane.”

He bit down into that damn
peach and chewed it ever so slowly, as though they both had all the time in the world and nothing to worry about except each other. Amber didn’t live life that way.
“Well? Is he your lover?” Kane asked.

“
No, he’s not my lover. He’s my coworker.”

Kane pulled her deeper into the shadows of the building.  “Are you ashamed of what I am?”

She shivered as he smoothed his hand up and down her bare arm, patiently waiting for her to answer. Sexual energy undulated between them. With each thunderous crash over her body, Amber could feel the slow burn of need churning through her pussy. She wanted to be with him again.

“No, I’m not ashamed of what you are.”

“Cold?”

“No.”

Each pleasurable spike brought them closer together. She wanted to give in to his touch. She was certain Kane could see how much his touch was affecting her body so thoroughly.

“I don’t want to fight with you,” he said.

“Neither do I.”

“I need to know if you love me,” he said.

“I’m falling for you.”

She could hear the frustration in his sigh. “There are only a few days before the next full moon.
I need your love, Amber.”

Chills raced over her skin. She didn’t know Fate had that much co
ntrol. “I know.”

“What do I need to do to show you that we are meant to be together?”

Amber thought about it. “How am I supposed to be your lover and live my life?”

“
I won’t take you away from what you love, Amber. I promise. You’ll have your job, and you’ll have me.”

Could it really be that simple?
She wasn’t so sure that it was.

“Come with me
, Amber. I want to talk to you alone.”

“Right now?” she asked.

“There’s something you need to see. It’s important to me. I wouldn’t inconvenience you otherwise,” he said. “Scout’s honor.”

Amber crossed her arms.
“You probably were never a scout.”

“
I wasn’t. I guess we have to do this my way.” He sighed. “I thought we were starting to get along. I guess I was wrong about you and me.”

She could hear the teasing note in his voice.
“What does that mean?”

“It means what it means,” he said.
“You don’t trust me.”

“I trust you.”

He arched his brow. “Then why are you fighting me on this?”

“I don’t like my independence trampled on.”

He smiled. “You and I are more alike then you know.”

Arms that
were strong and safe came around Amber’s waist, pulling her against him. Tension radiated through her body. She couldn’t struggle and wouldn’t embarrass herself by doing so. There was no point. She knew what was happening, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Darkness swirled upward from the bottom of her feet, engulfing both of them. The tornado spun faster and faster. Energy twisted deep within Amber’s bones and through her soul. Amber clutched at Kane as they both disappeared.

She didn’t want Kane to know how much she enjoyed the ride
, how much it affected her. She tried to play it cool, but she could tell he could feel the excitement coursing through her blood.

“I love it when we dematerialize toget
her,” he said.

“So do I.”

Amber stepped away from Kane. Her cheeks were wind-whipped and slightly chilled. She ran her hands over her hair and down her body Black onyx stone glinted off the fortress in the moonlight. Towers and stone went on and on forever. They had materialized in the courtyard on the far side of the Armory. She had never imagined that it could look so beautiful at night. Something pulled gently on her heart. Fireflies fluttered above the ground, their green-yellow glow making the grounds appear magical. She remembered chasing those silly little bugs as a child, capturing them, and letting them go. It was one of the times she had discovered her ties to nature.

Being in this place now
, seeing the world through Kane’s eyes, was like coming home. The feeling moved lightning fast through her soul. Off balance, she stepped away from Kane. She didn’t want to feel at home anywhere. It made leaving easier if she didn’t make a tight connection. Amber cleared her throat, shaking her head to clear the sentiment suddenly playing with her emotions. Kane was watching her closely. Her soul felt exposed to him.

“What are we doing here?” she asked.

“I love the view from here. It’s my favorite part of the grounds.”

She looked out over the landscape. It was beautiful. Moonbeams rained down upon the trees, giving the forest around the Armory an enchanted feel.
Kane took her hand, linking their fingers.

“Come with me.”

Whatever he had to show her was very important to him. She walked with him toward the door where they looked up at a camera mounted in a darkened corner.

The door
buzzed opened. The hallway was well-lit and quiet. They went through several more doors and layers of security. They came to a security hub. Amber studied the setup where Vice sat at the terminal. Plum eye shadow arched over Vice’s exotic eyes. Cameras placed throughout the city gave Vice a real-time view of what was happening downtown.

“We watch for signs of the newly Fallen causing problems,” Vice said.

Amber was really impressed with the setup. They didn’t have anything this good at the CPD. “You police your own,” Amber said.