He walked to stand before her, tilting her up to search her face. She dropped her eyes quickly, unable to look at him. “
Cara
, you are adapting at an impressive rate. I could not be prouder of you.”
Her look was pleading when she finally met his gaze. “Can’t we go to the cabin? Bamf? We know where we need to be for tomorrow.”
“
Cara
.” He enfolded her into his arms. “We have to be close. David is counting on us, as are Lily and the others. Believe me, if I thought we could, we would. Houston will be meeting us first thing after sundown tomorrow. We both need to be prepared.” His arms remained around her, keeping her close.
“Meaning, be where you can feed.” Her voice was muffled, pressed as she was into his chest.
“Yes,
cara
.” He rubbed his chin lightly into the thickness of her hair. “
Cara
, do you trust me? Can you trust me enough to do this?”
“Diego. You know I do. But this?” She rocked back and forth, tense and trembling.
His voice was comforting when he told her, “Let me love you for now, Titania. We will worry about the sunrise when it arrives.” He drifted his lips over satin skin, nibbling and caressing with tender care.
“Diego, you are trying to distract me again.” She moved her chin a little as she said it, giving him room to move his warm mouth. “You’re cheating.”
“Is it working?” His hands twined through her hair, tugging gently, pulling her lips upward, totally unrepentant in his maneuvers.
“It would seem that way.” Her hands had loosened from between them, sliding with feathered heat over his ribs. “I really don’t know if I can do it, Diego.”
He paused hovered just over her lips. The heated rush of blood surged through her body. Something other than fear was beginning to build between them. “Let me worry about later. I need you.” He nibbled at the corners of her mouth, finding her feminine scent growing. Heat flared. Undeniable hunger built between them.
One moment they were hidden in the dark shadows of the wooded lot next to Tenorio’s private compound, the next he had Titania caged on the edge of a picnic table, her legs curved to wrap around his waist. His mouth claimed hers, capturing her cry of surprise. Diego found the honeyed warmth of her, his tongue dueling with hers as his passion rose.
She whimpered, spiking his hungers and his desire. Her hands fisted into his clothing, holding him prisoner when he rumbled in answer, a low vibration that rocked them both. He filled his hands with her hair, capturing her in strong arms as his mouth plundered.
He could not resist the sweet temptation of silken skin, his mouth sliding down her sensual warmth to her shoulder. Diego scraped his teeth over the beating of her heart and she tossed her head, making a mewling sound in the back of her throat. His temperature soared a thousand degrees, and he sank his teeth deep.
Fires raged. Heat ate at him from the inside, daring to consume him, to consume her. None had ever tasted so sweet, so hot, so addictive. Her arms clung, held him tighter, passion flaring between them in sharp arcs of energy.
She rubbed into him, demanding. Needing. He closed the marks with an aggressive slash of his tongue. He wanted her as hot, as needy as he was. At her demanding touch against heated flesh, he knew she was completely under passion’s spell.
Diego felt her hands, the raging torment of clawed fingernails raking down his chest. Forced restraint kept him from stripping clothes away, making him tremble. Driving fingers burned his skin with each stroke as she pulled buttons free and shoved material away. With her soft palms splayed wide, his heart thundered against his ribs, echoing loudly behind his ears.
He floated on a cloud of ecstasy when she devoured his mouth, moving lower to his chin and neck with her tongue swirling in decadent, damp seduction. His head snapped on a tight neck, a low hiss of pleasure escaping when she found his ticking pulse. Suction on the sensitive point made his skin blaze, his blood boil.
Thought ceased when her teeth broke skin. Lightning erupted. Clothes were gone from both, and he possessed her as she took him over the edge of endurance.
He pinned her close, plunging into her with a sharp stroke, and her body responded, welcomed him. Shuddered in his embrace in immediate release.
The damp of her tongue swept over his pulse, and his heart nearly burst in sensation. He guided her to the top of the picnic table, his hips surging into hers. Her cries lifted above them, filled the night sky. Gripping her hips to anchor them both, he held her tighter, took them both higher. Strong thrusts filled her deeper, her body taking him with each motion, claiming him as much as he marked her.
The world stopped spinning for a split second, and Diego felt her come apart. Absorbed her body’s shudder when her breath slammed out of her on a shattering cry.
Diego’s head reared back. Lights exploded as he detonated with cataclysmic force. A roar of possession rushed from his lungs. A sound of claiming. Of ecstasy.
Diego sagged over her, boneless while he skipped through the sky without leaving the ground. He pressed a gentle kiss to the valley between her beckoning breasts. Her skin glowed like warmed alabaster in the silvery moonlight bathing them. “You are the greatest gift I could have ever wished for, Titania.”
A single arm cradled him and he rested, pillowed by the lushness of her body, her heart pounding beneath his cheek with her love. He didn’t move until both their hearts had slowed to stop, their passion a languid and beloved memory that he would cherish always.
“That was so not fair,” she accused him. His laugh was a quiet, triumphant sound from deep in his chest.
“Forgive me,
cara
. I really could not help myself.” She smacked his shoulder, pushing him away. He did
not
look sorry in the least. The loss of his body’s heat shot a shiver over her. She dressed to cover herself, raking a hand through her tumbled hair when she was able. Dark shadows were fading, with sunrise less than an hour away.
Relaxed on the bench of the picnic table, she tucked her legs up to her chin. Silvery leaves danced and shuffled in the slow night breeze blowing through the trees. Diego sat behind her, wrapping his arms around her to bring her into his chest.
“
Cara
, I know you are scared.” His chin rested on her shoulder. “I am here for you.”
“Why do we have to stay here?” Fear made her voice high. Just the thought of being several feet underground trickled shudders down her spine.
He caressed her arms with light thumbs. “Because the cabin is too far away.” Her eyes closed when he nuzzled her. “I know it is frightening. But I would never allow anything to happen to you.”
“I will try, Diego.”
“That is all I can ask. I have faith in you,
cara
.”
“At least one of us does,” she muttered.
“I need to set the safeguards,” he told her, rising. She watched him walk around the perimeter, chanting and weaving symbols. It helped to take her mind off the soon-to-be-rising sun. And the shortening of time before she’d have to face the inevitable.
“How did you learn all of this?”
“When I was turned, searching for a way to reverse this, I found several old tomes of lore and spells. Some of them were useable, others not.”
“Like witchcraft?”
Diego shrugged. “I imagine it is so. The Brethren do not share knowledge like this. I had to find it on my own. Once I discovered it and found out how to make the spells work, I broadened my knowledge. There are several things that, being what we are, we can do by thinking of it, but this is something more.”
“How do you know?” She rubbed her chin on her hiked knees, letting her mind wander in thought as he explained.
His hand paused in midair. “I never really thought about it.” He resumed his work. “I believe the amount of power involved is higher than I had been granted in the beginning. I cannot recall much from so long ago, but each century the energy seemed easier to manage, felt stronger.”
“Did you have any knowledge before your turning? Did you study any magic?”
He was quick to answer. “No. Magic then was the black art. Heresy.”
A slight grin tipped her lips and she buried it where he wouldn’t see it, noting his evasive head shake. “But you were interested in it.”
“Maybe when I was a young boy,” he replied noncommittally.
Her legs dropped as her earlier conclusions returned to her. “Did you know any spells then?” His mouth pinched, and she told him, “You know, no one really cares that much about magic now. So tell me the truth.”
He dropped his hands, finishing his last guard, his expression blank. “I had a few scrolls. But it does not prove a thing.”
Titania rose from her seat. “No. You’re looking at this wrong. I was thinking along the lines that maybe it has been your ability which allowed you to keep your soul. You had to be born with a talent. Maybe you have a natural magic ability.”
Diego snorted. “Because I had an interest in the black arts?”
“They are not black anymore. Now it’s just magic.” She shrugged, then wrapped her arms around his waist. “Show me something.”
“Like what?”
“I don’t know. What can you do?” she prodded gently.
He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. “I can create an energy ball.” His gaze was wary, undecided.
“Really! Like a fire ball? That’s cool.” Her brow wrinkled. “I don’t think I can do that. Show me. Let’s see if it’s a ‘you’ ability.”
He stepped clear of her hold. “All right.” He stretched his hands out flat. Concentration was etched into his face as a small blue orb began to build in his palms.
“Can you make it bigger?” Her eyes bulged in delight and surprise as the orb floated, glowed a silvery blue.
He nodded. “I will keep it small for now. I do not like to do this often. The Brethren can detect pulses of energy.”
She reached out, able to feel the heat, but it didn’t burn her. He drew his hands together, and the orb winked out of existence.
“That is incredible. And you’ve had so long to study.” She spun to return to her bench, but he stopped her.
“
Cara
,” he said, wrapping her into his embrace. “Quit thinking you are not enough. You are exactly what I could have wished for.” His arms were warm. “I have an idea.”
He waved a hand, and a huge hole gaped open beneath the tree branches. Her mouth went dry. “Already?” She couldn’t make it more than a whimper.
“Wait,
cara
. What is your favorite color?”
“Um, blue, I guess. Why?”
“Watch.” He curled her into his chest as his focus went to the bottom of the hole. Blue sheets, pillows and a blanket appeared. “You will feel the material instead of the ground. When you feel your last moment, you will be only in my arms.”
She wanted to cry at his gesture. “That is the sweetest thing, Diego.” The blanket flipped back, ready for them.
“It is time,
cara
. Can you feel the weight of the morning? It will be light soon.”
She looked to the east and could feel the sun, could feel the first rays warming the edge of the horizon. But staring into the hole, she didn’t see a waiting bed, she saw a grave. When she tried to step away, Diego held her steady.
“Diego, I can’t.” She shook her head, pulling harder from his determined embrace. There was no contest.
“Shh, Titania. Remember, you will be unaware, and I will ensure you are free before you open your beautiful eyes at dusk.”
She thumped her forehead into his chest, the morning beating at her harder. “You can do that?” Her muscles were growing heavy, and it was getting harder to think. Time was running out.
“I would do anything to make you happy.” He curled his body protectively over hers. “I will hold you as I have since the moment I met you. Close to my heart.”
Tears pricked her eyes. “Why do you have to say such nice things?” She wanted to cry out in frustration, except she didn’t have the strength.
He didn’t answer, but cuddled her tenderly as he floated them to the waiting bed.
“I hate spiders, Diego. I really do.” It was a weak protest, her limbs already dead weight.
“They will not come near. I promise you.” He brought her up onto his shoulder, his embrace tender, his words understanding. The first sensations of earth covering their legs filtered into her thoughts, and she wanted to scream to be let out. Air rasped through her lungs as fear raked through her. Nails clawed as she fought against the sleep that was inescapable.
Diego pulled the blanket higher, tucked it around her. Her last moment of clarity was met with the heavy, cool weight of earth cocooning them in. And the knowledge that she was being buried alive.
* * * *
Titania awoke with a jerk of muscles. She pushed up sharply, whipping her head around to discern where she was, expecting the crush of earth like she had that morning. Trees surrounded her instead, and the sky was wide open overhead. Relief flooded her. She collapsed with a sigh, landing on Diego’s solid shoulder. She stared at the darkening horizon, the last rays of day disappearing beyond the trees.
They were together on cool earth, the hole nowhere to be seen, nothing giving a hint to its existence from the night before. She snuggled under the cotton blanket, pulling herself closer to the solidity of Diego’s body.
“That was dirty, Diego,” she told him.
“Oh?”
“Yes, you knew once it got too late, there wouldn’t be much I could do about it.”
“But you did not wake below ground, just as I promised.”
His hand traveled in languid sweeps up and down her side. Typically how she woke up every night, come to think of it. Connecting.
She rose up on a hand, staring down at him. “How did you do it? You always wake up before me.”
“I can wake a few minutes sooner because I have a stronger tolerance to the sun. Which is a good thing.” He palmed her cheek. “I never want to see or feel you suffer as you did last night. If we should ever have to spend the sunlight hours beneath ground again, I will ensure you do not have to suffer for it.”
His lips were warm and hungry when he found hers, stealing the last sane thought from her mind. They curved into a sexy smile when he released her.
She shook her head at him, chastising him. “So not fair,” she repeated. “But I forgive you, Diego. I understand.”
Diego stood and stretched, lean muscle and dark hair glistening in streaming starlight. “Come,
cara
. It is time.”
It took only a few quick minutes to clean any sign of occupation from the picnic site. Diego checked the camouflaged files taken from Tenorio’s lab, ensuring they were untouched. With an outstretched hand, he braced Titania to his chest.
They vanished from where they stood to reappear in a darkened alley off Grant Street. Sounds and smells of open restaurants and people assaulted Titania with a punch of humanity. She closed her eyes, willing the upheaval to ease. Diego held her securely until she was able to concentrate beyond the heady pulse of life walking just out of reach.
“Easy,
cara
.” His hands swept up and down her back.
“I’m fine.” She straightened, needing to prove to herself she could do this. She could walk and talk and act human. Her diet had changed, but she hadn’t. She found his hand with hers. “Let’s go find them.”
They strode past store fronts and restaurants to the end of the block where Houston and Laney were waiting. She refused to think about the hunger beginning to gnaw at her.
“I will take care of you,
cara.
You will be safer with Houston while I hunt.”
“Houston,” Diego greeted.
“Did you have any luck?” Houston asked when they drew near to be heard. They huddled together just beyond a dimmed storefront, out of the path of pedestrians.
“We did. We found where David was taken. There are others.”
Laney paled, and Houston placed a protective arm around her waist. “Others?” Her voice wobbled.
“Tenorio had other test subjects, men and women. We found their files at the burned-out lab. Four of the women are there.” Titania didn’t complain when Diego pulled her closer as well, keeping the group tight, everyone talking in low voices.
“That does complicate things,” Houston muttered, raking a hand through his hair. “Any suggestions?”
Diego nodded and explained, “He has wooded lots on all sides of his property. The building they are being held in is a refurbished storage building separate from the main house, with a basement and holding cells. The cells are guarded and electronically triggered to alarms. His security is aware, unlike the men before.”