Love in the Shadows (13 page)

Katherine walked over to Derek and let
him pull her down into his lap. He held her tight for a moment
before relaxing back in his chair. She rested her head in the crook
of his neck. She smelled his musky leather scent and breathed
deeply. She couldn’t lose this man, not the way she lost her first
husband.

Your first husband should
have never left you behind. You’re not going to lose me.

“I forget that you can slip into my
thoughts. I can’t handle all this espionage stuff. Will we always
have to live looking over our shoulders?”

“No. This is only a glitch in the road.
We will get through this, and you will become my wife. The plan is
simple. You tell Nurse Eschbach that we are going out to Isanti’s
place this weekend. We will leave the rest to Joe and his
team.”

“How do I make it look natural? I don’t
want her to be suspicious. I never go down to the hospital to
visit, which means I somehow have to bump into her.”

“Why don’t you send her a memo about
the team for the Run-for-the-Cure marathon? Get her to come up
here.”

“Okay, that might work.”

“Honey, you’re thinking too much.
Relax. You’ll be great.” Derek leaned down and nuzzled her
neck.

Katherine shuddered and turned to
capture his lips with hers. Derek was always playful and calm. The
only time he seemed to lose control was when making love to
her.

You undo me,
Kate.

Katherine ran her fingers down his
shirt and quickly unbuttoned it. She needed to feel his skin under
her hands. Derek cupped her breast and lightly teased the nipple
into attention before easing the blouse off her shoulders. She
slipped the shirt from his shoulders and ran her hand over his
chest and down to his stomach, scoring his skin lightly with her
nails. Then, she leaned down and sucked his nipple. Derek hissed
and moved to hold her to him. She licked and sucked and bit down
gently. Derek wrapped her hair around his hand and gave a little
tug. “Behave, Kate.”

Katherine smiled and moved to the other
side licking and nipping before sucking his nipple. She could feel
his desire become stronger beneath her as she enjoyed his chest.
She slipped off his lap and knelt on the floor between his legs.
Reaching for his belt, she quickly removed any impediment between
them. His member fell into her hands, strong and long, and she
couldn’t wait to taste him.

Watching his eyes darken, she leaned
over and licked the head.

“Katie, you’re going to kill
me.”

Katherine sucked his length into her
mouth, licking that little spot under the head. Derek shuddered and
grew harder in her hands. She loved his size, kissing and running
her tongue up and down. She loved the control, knowing, at this
moment, only she could please him.

Derek moaned and reached for her. “Come
here, Kate. I won’t last much longer.”

He started to lift her, but she
resisted, unwilling to give him up.

“Oh, no you don’t, little vixen.” Derek
tugged on her hair, making her gasp. He stood up and lifted her
into his arms. “When I come, it will be inside you.”

He stepped out of his shoes and pants
and carried her over to the bed. He laid her down before removing
her skirt and panties. Then, he removed her bra. Katherine lay on
the bed, feeling sexy and wanton. She crooked her finger at
him.

He chuckled and climbed on the bed
between her legs. “Did you like sucking me?” Grasping her thighs,
he pushed them farther apart, baring her to his sight. She felt a
rush of moisture. How did she ever end up with a man as sexy as
Derek?

He pushed one finger through her folds
and into her moist heat. He felt her muscles clench around his
hand. She moaned and wiggled.

“Derek,” she pleaded.

“It’s my turn to drive you
wild,
tehila.
” He
leaned down and licked up her slit. She whimpered.
God she loved this man.
He plunged his tongue into her depths, then began to lick.
The pressure built as he added two fingers inside her and moved to
suck on the little bundle of nerves between her legs. Her stomach
muscles clenched as she tried to hold off the orgasm rushing toward
her. She wanted him inside her when she came. “Derek, please. I
need you inside me.”

He looked up as she lay there panting,
afraid she would come without him. He moved up her body until he
could position his length against her. He pushed in slowly. They
both watched as her body swallowed him. Katherine shuddered and
closed her eyes. She wasn’t going to last.

He pulled out and then pushed back in.
Katherine marveled at the feeling of stretching and fullness. He
continued the tempo, building pleasure. In and out, deeper and
deeper, until Katherine thought he touched her womb. Hot, she was
so hot. Her body began to shake as she pushed up to meet each
thrust. She stared into his face and saw the exact moment when he
lost that perfect control.

Gripping her hips, he moved faster and
harder, pushing her body up, higher and higher. She would carry his
fingerprints. Sweat slicked their bodies as each one tried to get
closer. Fire rushed over them, and they both flew apart. Katherine
cried out as her arms tightened around him. Derek moaned as his
essence filled her. This man was hers, and she was surprisingly
possessive. Shaking her head, she let ecstasy carry her
away.

§

Derek leaned over and kissed Katherine.
Her red hair, spread out over the pillows, glowed softly in the
rays of the setting sun. He moved to the side and withdrew from her
body. Lying down beside her, he pulled her closer into his arms.
She sighed and snuggled into him.

He ran his fingers up her
spine, caressing her soft skin.
Great
Spirit, how he loved this woman!
The
telephone rang and Derek reached over to answer it.

“Red Hawk…”

“It’s Joe. I’m sorry to disturb you. I
just got a call from the local police. Katherine’s apartment has
been broken into. The police want to speak to her. I’ll meet you at
the garage and drive you over.”

“Dammit, Joe. This guy needs to be
stopped.”

Katherine stirred and opened her
eyes.

“I’m working on it. See you at the
garage,” Joe said before the phone went dead.

“Is something wrong?” Katherine sat up,
and Derek took in her mussed hair that was spread around her
shoulders. One strand fell down to caress her breast. He sighed,
hating to tell her about the newest calamity.

“Someone broke into your apartment. We
have to go over there now. The police are waiting.”

Katherine’s eyes grew wide, and she
jumped from the bed, reaching for her clothes. Derek walked over to
the chair to find his clothes on the floor. They both dressed
quickly and once more headed for the garage, this time going down
to the bottom floor where the fleet of Isanti vehicles was
parked.

Joe stood waiting by the elevator for
them when the doors opened. “Over here. I checked to make sure, and
this car is clean. Get in, I’ll drive.”

He always has to
drive
, Katherine telepathically sent to
Derek.

I heard that, and, yes, I
prefer to drive, Katherine. Now get in.

Katherine looked at Derek. “I guess
that will teach me not to use my telepathy around you,
Joe.”

Derek held the back door open for
Katherine and, once she was in, walked around to the other side.
“Joe has always been proficient at reading peoples thoughts,” Derek
said, sliding into the sedan.

“Maybe, he should hang around the motor
pool and see if he can pick up who the mole is. It might be faster
than me going through all those files,” Katherine
suggested.

“Good idea, Katherine. I already
planned to check in tomorrow.” Joe maneuvered the car out of the
parking garage and onto the main highway.

Isanti was about thirty miles from
Albuquerque, and the glow of the city could be seen to the south.
The sun had set, and the black sky filled with stars. Derek pulled
Katherine into his side and wrapped his arms around her. Once more,
she would suffer the consequences of being his mate. How would she
cope this time?

§

Katherine steeled herself as she saw
her apartment door with the broken lock. At least, most of her
things had already been moved to the log cabin. But not everything
had been packed yet, including her grandmother’s china. Joe led the
way, while Derek brought up the rear. Katherine knew they kept her
between them for safety. Joe opened the door, and an officer
stepped forward to meet them.

“Mrs. Sloane? Your neighbor noticed
your door had been tampered with and called us. Do you have any
idea who might have done this?”

The officer stepped back, and Katherine
stepped into the room. She gasped at the total destruction around
her. Derek wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her
close.

Her couch looked like
someone had taken a knife to it. Polyester filling lay in piles on
the floor, tables were overturned and lamps broken. On the wall
behind the couch, someone had spray-painted a warning. “Stay away
from Darkwood, or else.” Katherine’s heart pounded in her head.
Everywhere she looked, pieces of her life lay broken. The only
thing keeping her from losing her composure was Derek’s steady
support. It’s just things, she reminded herself,
things
are
replaceable.

“Mrs. Sloane, you work for Raven
Darkwood at Isanti, Inc.?”

“Yes, officer, and Derek Darkwood is my
fiancé.”

Derek shook hands with the officer
while keeping a firm hold of her. Derek’s face looked grim. Needing
to console him, she leaned into his embrace and rubbed her face
against his shoulder.

“Do you have any enemies, Mrs.
Sloane?”

Before she could answer, Derek spoke
up. “Katherine hasn’t done anything to have enemies, officer. If
someone is targeting her, it would have to do with being my fiancée
or working at Isanti, Inc.”

Joe suddenly walked back into the room
from down the hall. Katherine hadn’t noticed him
disappear.

“This wasn’t a robbery. Katherine’s
jewelry box is still in her room and looks untouched. You’ll have
to check it, of course, Katherine.” Joe walked to the other side of
her, standing protectively close.

The officer frowned, and Katherine
jumped in to make introductions. “Joe Running Bear is the head of
security at Isanti, Inc.”

After shaking hands with the officer,
Joe pulled out his cell phone and began making arrangements for her
apartment to be secured and cleaned. Once more, the tribe would
take care of everything.

The officer asked a few more questions,
and Derek or Joe answered. Katherine knew it was cowardly, but she
let the men take control of the situation. She closed her eyes and
rested her head against Derek’s chest. She didn’t want to face the
hatred apparent in this latest attack. Why were people so
cruel?

§

Derek wanted to punch someone. When he
caught up to the guy responsible for this, he would kill him.
Katherine leaned against him, her eyes closed. One lone tear
escaped and rolled down her cheek. She was so brave to face all
this. Inside, she hurt, and Derek hated that he couldn’t stop
it.

The officer turned away, and Hugh
knocked lightly on the door. Charlie stood behind him. Both their
faces reflected their anger. Katherine had made quite an impression
on the men in the Amazon. They thought of her as one of their own,
and whoever hurt her would answer to them.

“We’ll get the door fixed. The cleaning
crew will come in the morning,” Hugh said.

Derek nodded and turned to
Katherine. “What do you need me to get for you,
tehila
?”

She blinked. Tears glistened in her
eyes. “My grandmother’s china and my jewelry box are the most
important things. We moved the rest already.”

Derek looked at Hugh and saw him nod.
Both items would be waiting for her at the cabin when they
returned.

“Hugh and Charlie will take care of
that. Anything else?”

Get me out of here…
Derek lifted Katherine into his arms and headed
for the bedroom. He found the nearest hidden shadow and quickly
opened a portal.

The cold of Shadow engulfed Derek and
Katherine as he stepped inside. He closed the portal and
concentrated on the master bedroom at their new home. Katherine
needed to be surrounded by her things. The mist swirled around
them, blocking everything from sight. Then, they were looking out
at their room in Montana. Derek opened the portal and stepped out
into the master suite, before turning to close the portal.
Katherine lay quietly in his arms, her eyes closed. He knew she
wasn’t asleep. He kissed her eyes, licking the salty tears away.
Then he kissed her mouth. She sighed and opened to him. Her arms
crept around his neck as he deepened the kiss. Their tongues
tangled and danced together. When both of them were breathless, he
pulled back and lowered her feet to the floor. She looked up at
him, her arms still around his neck.