Authors: Suzanne Rock
Their tongues danced as he ran his thumbs over her nipples.
Pleasure fanned out through her chest, then raced through the rest of her body.
She arched her back, pressing her chest deeper into his calloused palms. More,
she wanted more.
Tara reached out behind her and threaded her fingers through
Donar’s hair. His longer locks felt rough as they slipped through her fingers.
Donar leaned over and kissed her shoulder, then ran his tongue in a long,
sensual line over her skin. Tara groaned as a dull ache formed between her
thighs. The men closed in around her. She felt their body heat, sensed their
own rising desire. She wished that the moment could last forever.
Donar slid his hands down her sides, tracing the outline of
her curves, before finally resting them on her hips. He curled his fingers into
her flesh, as if rooting her to the spot on the bed. Then he pressed his hips
forward and rubbed his cock up against her ass. She felt his erection through
the rough jeans, thick and ready. He groaned against her skin and slipped his
fingers underneath her thong. He toyed with the material as he feasted on her
neck and shoulder, alternating between little nips and licks. Tara went weak
and her mind blanked to everything but the touch of the two men surrounding
her.
Soren pulled away from her lips and rained little kisses
along her jaw as he squeezed her sensitive nipples between his fingers. He
pressed and rotated, sending a spiral of pleasure and pain swirling through her
body. She groaned and ran her free hand along his shoulder, feeling the dip and
rise of each muscle located there.
Donar growled and hooked his fingers underneath her thong.
Tara gasped as he tugged the thin fabric down over her hips.
Donar lifted his head up from her skin. “I just want to
return the favor.”
She turned her head to meet his gaze. “The favor?”
“You freed me, now I want to free you.” He started to remove
them, but she rested her hands on top of his, stopping him.
“We can’t do this.”
Oh Lord
. Why did she have to have
a spark of common sense now? They couldn’t do this. Samir could return at any
moment. There were still
deahmans
after them and Sparrow said that he
was sending a team in to collect the twins. Any number of things could go
wrong.
“It’s funny that you are only starting to show resistance
now and not before,” Soren said as he eased back from her body.
Okay, so she was contradicting herself. Her body wanted
this, wanted it badly, but it wasn’t practical. They needed to get Samir and
get out of there.
“I can feel the conflict inside of you,” Soren said. “Perhaps
there is more that we can do to persuade you to feed us.”
“We don’t need to persuade her. Her body is already willing,”
Donar added.
Tara opened her mouth to respond, but Soren pressed his lips
against hers. The kiss was hard and possessive and claimed all of her
attention.
She arched her back and leaned against Donar’s hard,
masculine chest. He groaned and rubbed his hips against her backside as Soren
left her mouth and kissed a trail down her chest.
“I’ve been dying to taste these.” Soren closed his mouth
around one of her sensitive nipples. Tara gasped as pleasure radiated out from
her breast and blanketed her body. Donar shifted on the bed until he was next
to her, then closed his mouth over hers, catching her breath. He held the back
of her head while he tasted and explored her mouth.
Tara groaned as her body heated. She reached out and touched
both men, wanting to feel their skin.
“That’s a girl,” Soren murmured against her skin. He slid
his fingers around the outsides of her breasts, then over her soft abdomen.
Tara gasped as he slipped his hands under her thong and dragged it down around
her knees. “She’s so responsive.”
Tara groaned as Donar eased his fingers between her damp
folds. She widened her stance on the bed, granting him better access. The man
knew what he was doing. He inched his fingers around her outer rim, teasing her
body until she softened against him.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen someone so receptive to my
touch.” Soren sat back from her breasts. “Look at these. I could feast all day.”
He took one into his mouth, then dragged his teeth across the tip. Pain sparked
from her chest and fanned out over her skin. It was quickly eased by his
tongue, and her cry dissolved into a moan of pleasure. She felt his hand inch
lower and lower, until it joined Donar’s between her thighs.
“She’s so wet,” Soren said.
“I know.” Donar moved until his lips were within inches of
her ear. “We want you to come for us, hard and fast. If you don’t, we’re going
to tie you up and punish you.”
“Punish me? How?”
Soren looked up from her breasts and smiled. “If you don’t
want to find out, then come for us.”
“I…” She didn’t know what to say. She could see Soren’s need
in his gaze. She wanted to help him. Perhaps giving her pleasure was a way for
the men to gain control over their
deahmans
. After a brief hesitation,
she nodded.
“Good.” Donar flicked his gaze to Soren. “Let me.”
“But—”
“I’ll be first, then you.” The men stared at each other for
a brief moment as tension filled the room. Tara guessed that their
deahmans
were locked in some sort of power struggle that she couldn’t see. Muscles
ticked in Donar’s jaw as he stared down his brother. Finally the tension eased
and Soren straightened away from her breasts.
“Very well.” Soren removed his hand from between her legs.
“Focus on her breasts,” Donar commanded.
Both twins descended on her body. Donar moved behind her
once more and wrapped his free arm around her waist, locking her body against
his. She felt his erection push in between her ass cheeks, and shivered at how
erotic it felt. Desire wound its way through her, twisting her muscles tight.
Donar kissed a long, sensual line across her shoulder,
growling as he moved across her skin. It sounded primal and possessive. He
shifted his hand between her legs and ran his finger around her slick opening.
Soren captured her breast with his mouth, using his tongue
and teeth to tease her sensitive skin. He slid his fingers over her skin,
sending tingles of awareness through her body.
“Remember, hard and fast,” Donar murmured against her skin.
Soren nipped her breast as Donar plunged his finger deep
inside her core.
Tara gasped at the intrusion, but her body quickly adjusted.
Donar began pumping his fingers, thrusting back and forth until her channel
became wet with desire. Soren continued to tease her breasts, taking first one
in his mouth, then the other. Donar tightened his hold around her waist and
rubbed his hips against her ass. She loved the feel of him along her back, how
she felt so secure and cared for in his arms. Donar was a natural protector,
she realized. She felt so safe in his dominating presence.
She reached down and held onto Soren’s head, holding him
close to her breasts. Soren’s tongue set her skin on fire. Each lick was
claiming her, possessing her. She didn’t want him to stop.
Donar worked his way up her neck, then nibbled on her outer
ear. He withdrew from her channel, then exchanged one finger for two. Tara
gasped as he cupped her mound and thrust his fingers deep. Soon Tara was moving
her hips in time with his hand, her body rising on a wave of need.
What the men were doing felt so good, but she needed more.
She wanted to feel their skin against her. She wanted to know what it was like
to have them both fill her at the same time.
The air around her heated and perspiration dotted her skin.
Their spicy male scents surrounded her, their hands and mouths moving in unison
to provide her the most pleasure.
Pressure built inside her body, rising higher and higher until
she didn’t think that she could take any more. One minute she was standing on
the edge of a precipice, looking out over a vast and magical landscape. Then
she toppled over. Pleasure poured into every crevice of her body, filling her
with more joy than she thought was possible.
On instinct, she spread her wings, forcing both Donar and
Soren to fall back. Her magic filled the room with color and light. Pleasure
and power ran through her body. For one brief, glorious moment, she was numb to
everything but the men surrounding her.
Incredible.
She felt more powerful and complete than
she had ever been in her entire life. She reached out to the men with her magic
and felt their darkness, their inner turmoil. She tried to touch it and heal
them, make them whole. She hit an imaginary wall, of course, and her heart
broke that she wasn’t strong enough to take away their pain.
Even with the power of an orgasm, she was useless.
As her happiness began to fade, so did her light. Despair
seeped into her chest. Once again, she was a failure. No wonder the other
Iatros
considered her an outcast, a freak. She had no idea what Darien or her queen
saw in her. She was as helpless as a human.
Tara opened her eyes and stared at the men before her.
“Wow,” Soren said. The men had shifted on the bed during her
little display of magic. They sat together in front of her, clear-eyed and
dumbfounded.
“How did you do that?” Soren asked.
“Do what?”
“Your wings,” Donar said.
She pulled her wings into her back, suddenly self-conscious
of her abnormality. “I’m
Iatros
.” She shrugged and tried to change the
subject. Something in Soren’s pocket caught her eye. “Your hip is glowing.”
“What?” Both Soren and Donar looked down. Soren’s jeans pocket
was glowing bright red.
“What do you have in there?” Tara asked.
“I don’t know,” Soren reached into his pocket as a loud
crash exploded in the far end of the room.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
Tara pulled away from the men to see Samir standing in the
doorway, his hands empty. Donar quickly pulled on his pants.
Tara gathered her clothes off the floor and put them on.
This was the second time Samir had caught her with her clothes off. Surely he
must have thought she was losing her mind.
“Weren’t you supposed to get coffee?” she asked.
Samir stared at her for a moment, unable to respond, then he
seemed to gather himself together. “Our friends are back.”
Tara buttoned the last button on her shirt and straightened.
“I know. I called Sparrow.”
“No, the
deahmans
are back. And they brought a secret
weapon.”
“Who?”
Samir pressed his lips together for a moment. “I thought she
was dead.”
“Who?” Tara repeated.
Samir shook his head, as if dispelling some memory. “Let’s
hope you don’t find out.”
Tara glanced at the twins, who had straightened their
clothes and stared at Samir in confusion. The crimson had vanished from their
eyes. Donar’s were the color of emeralds, Soren’s a brilliant blue.
“What’s going on?” Donar asked. His voice sounded softer,
more human.
“You don’t remember?” Samir asked.
Both twins shook their heads.
“There’s no time to explain now. We have to get going.”
Samir tossed everyone weapons and grabbed his duffle bag. “Follow me.”
When Samir got within a few paces from the exit, a shadow
fell across the doorway.
A long, thin female dressed all in leather leaned against
the doorframe. She stared at each of them in turn with her red eyes. First
Donar, then Soren… when her gaze passed over Tara, she felt a chill deep within
her soul. She was thankful when the woman finally dismissed her and turned to
Samir.
“Well, well, look who we have here?”
Samir nodded at the woman who almost equaled him in height. “Anisa.”
“You know her?” Tara asked.
Samir glanced back at her. “I knew the human she once was,
yes.” Samir returned his gaze to the woman before him and steeled his jaw. “Let
us through, Anisa.”
“Oh, I can’t do that.”
“Why?” Tara asked.
Anisa tugged on one of the fingers of her long, black glove.
“Because I’ve been sent here to kill you.”
Kill them? Tara shivered. Having a
deahman
after them
was one thing, having a woman who looked as though she killed and ate humans
for breakfast was another.
The crimson in Anisa’s eyes intensified as she pulled off
her glove, revealing red, charred fingers. She pointed them at the group.
“Ah fuck,” Samir muttered.
“What’s she doing?” Tara asked.
“Run!” Samir turned around and motioned Tara back toward the
bed.
Large flames exploded from the Anisa’s fingertips and then
Tara’s world was engulfed in smoke and flames.
Chapter Five
“Samir!” Tara shouted as she fell to the ground. She couldn’t
see him, and the worst of the flames had been cast in his direction. She’d
never forgive herself if he got hurt. After they had first found the twins,
Samir wanted to run straight back to the
Iatros
home, a place called
Celestial Wood, but she had wanted to stop and let the twins recover before
continuing on such a long journey.
It was her decision to hide out at the hotel, and because of
it, they could all die. Once again, she was an epic failure.
Tara coughed as smoke filled her lungs. She tried to crawl
to her friend, but it was so hard to see anything. Large, muscular arms wrapped
around her middle and drew her back.
“No, it’s too dangerous,” Soren said, his eyes blazing red
once more.
“But I have to help him.” Tara’s eyes stung with tears, although
whether it was from the smoke or her sense of helplessness, she wasn’t certain.
“I’ll go.” Donar materialized next to her, his eyes as
crimson as his brother’s. “You stay here and get her to safety.”
“I don’t need protection,” Tara said.
Donar flashed her a frown, then disappeared into the smoke.
The room was hot and just getting hotter. Large orange
flames licked the walls and the floor creaked beneath her. An alarm sounded
from somewhere in the room. The overhead sprinklers turned on, spraying water
on her face and back, soaking her clothes and skin.
“We don’t have much time,” Soren said. “Once those flames
are out, we’ll be vulnerable.”
“I can’t leave him,” Tara said.
“He’s not alone, master is with him.” Soren tugged her back
behind a loveseat in the sitting area and closer to the window.
Tara twisted in his arms. “Master? He’s Donar—your brother!”
Soren scoffed. “He has been and always will be my master.”
Tara thought that his response was odd, but she had no time
to dwell on it. The water was beginning to put the fire out, and the smoke was
beginning to clear. She peeked around the loveseat to see if the coast was
clear. Anisa had walked farther into the room and was surveying the damage. She
caught sight of Samir’s form as he staggered to his feet.
“You’re going to have to try harder than that, my love,”
Samir said as he straightened.
“Don’t call me that,” Anisa spat.
“Why not? We were lovers once.”
“That part of me died a long time ago.” She held out her
hand toward Samir. “Give me the twins.”
Tara watched Donar as he sneaked up behind Anisa. Was he
crazy? Tara started to yell, but Soren closed his hand over her mouth. She
glanced over her shoulder and saw him shake his head.
“Don’t let them know where we are,” he whispered in her ear.
His eyes had changed back to blue, but something flickered in their depths. He
had temporary control of his darkness, but it wouldn’t last long.
“I can’t leave him.” While she appreciated his concern,
Samir was her friend and she was not the type of person to turn her back on her
friend.
“The twins are of no concern of yours,” Samir’s back was to
them and he stood just out of reach. His focus was fully on the woman before
him.
“Oh, but that’s where you are wrong.” A large
deahman
with dark hair and shining red eyes appeared in the doorway. He was at least a
foot taller than Anisa, and Tara recognized him as one of the
deahmans
who were chasing the twins before.
The dark haired
deahman
walked up behind Anisa and
ran his fingers through her long, ebony waves. The motion reminded Tara of how
one would pet a cat. “You see, the twins are mine now, just like Anisa is mine.
Isn’t that right, precious?”
Anisa’s crimson eyes glazed over. “Yes, master.”
“Good.” The dark haired
deahman
patted her on the
head. “Now let’s make our new leader, Urian, proud.” He stood to one side to
give her room.
Anisa seemed to break free of whatever hold the other
deahman
had on her. She straightened and focused on Samir.
“Give me the twins!”
“Anisa, listen to me.”
Anisa bent her elbow, bringing her hand up toward her head,
then she straightened it once more, her fingers reaching out toward Samir.
Flames exploded from their charred tips.
Donar jumped out of nowhere and wrapped his arms around Anisa’s
waist. He lifted her into the air just as the fire left her fingertips. Flames
arched up toward the ceiling, creating a wall of fire. Tara squinted and tried
to peer through the flames. She could make out the form of Samir as he rushed
forward. He, Anisa, Donar and the mysterious
deahman
disappeared into
the smoke and flames.
“Come on!” Soren tightened his grip around her waist and
drew her back from the door. “We have to get out of here, now.”
Tara tried to break out of his grasp. “I can’t leave them!”
Soren turned her to face him. “If we don’t leave now, we’ll
die.” He nodded toward the door. “They can take care of themselves.”
More flames erupted between them and the door, keeping Tara
from Samir and Donar—and their only means of escape.
Beads of sweat formed on her temples as the temperature of
the room continued to rise. She wasn’t going to last much longer in this heat.
Soren was right. They needed to leave. Hopefully Donar and Samir would be all
right on their own.
She nodded to Soren. “Okay, we’ll go, but the door is sealed
off.”
“What?”
“We can’t use the door.” Tara raised her voice, but it was
getting more and more difficult to hear anything over the roaring fire and
creaking wood. Sirens cut through the air and Tara guessed that the local first
responders were on the scene.
Lovely.
How were they going to explain
this mess to a bunch of humans? She’d have to call Sparrow and have a cleanup
crew come in the area. That is, if she could get out of this place in one
piece.
“Come on, I have an idea.” Soren lead her a short distance
to the bathroom and then shut the door. The smoke was thick and heavy, but
there were no flames. They were safe for the moment.
Soren poked his head out the window and peered down at the
street below. He swore and slipped his head back in the window, his pale skin
turning green.
“What is it?”
“We’re too high up to jump. There’s nothing below us to
break our fall. It would be suicide.”
“Is there a fire escape or something?”
He nodded “There’s one, but we’d have to balance ourselves
on a ledge to get there.”
“Or we could use my wings.” Tara started to take her jacket
off, but he put his hand on her arm and stopped her.
Something didn’t look right about him. “What is it?” she
asked.
He sat on the ground and leaned his head back against the
wall. “We’re not flying.”
“Why?”
He hesitated for a moment. “It’s too dangerous. The alley is
too small.”
Tara peered out the window. “It looks fine to me.”
“No wings.” He turned around and glanced out the window once
more. When he returned, his skin turned slightly greener. “We cross the ledge
to the fire escape and climb our way down.”
“But—”
“Wings will attract attention.”
“Okay.” He had a point. “I’ll go first.”
“No, I’ll go first.” He stood up so fast that Tara leaned
back in surprise. He turned his back to her and stared out the window.
“Soren, are you okay?” She could sense something wasn’t
quite right with him. Even his inner darkness, his
deahman
, seemed
apprehensive.
“I’m fine,” he said through clenched teeth.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to go first?”
He flashed her an irritated glance. “No. I’ll go across the
ledge and help you over.”
“I’m perfectly capable of—” Tara stopped as Soren climbed
out on the ledge. He teetered for a moment, his arms flailing. Tara’s breath
caught in her throat as she watched his body lean from side to side. What the
heck was he doing? This was no time for jokes.
Then he leaned forward and plastered his himself against the
wall. He closed his eyes and pressed his cheek against the aging brick.
“Soren?”
“Yes?” He didn’t open his eyes.
“What are you doing out there?”
“I don’t like heights.”
Tara blinked in surprise. “You’re scared of heights?”
He steeled his jaw and opened his eyes. “It’s not as if it’s
an uncommon phobia.”
“I know, it’s just…” She struggled for the right words. How
do you tell someone that they appear too big and menacing to have any fears? “I
thought that with you being a member of Venom and all…”
“Venom?” He steeled his jaw.
“You know, Venom.” She played with her earlobe, pointing out
the diamond stud in his ear. “The underground group of elite assassins. You and
Donar were a part of it before you went to work for Darien at the FBI. That’s
how you got your earring and tattoo.”
He frowned in concentration. “I don’t remember it.”
“It doesn’t matter. You should have told me before you went
out that window.”
“There’s no other way out.” He shimmied three steps down the
ledge and then stopped. His breathing appeared labored and sweat glistened on
his brow. At this rate, he was never going to make the fire escape.
“Yes, but I could have helped you.”
“Helped by a woman?” Soren snorted. “Not likely.”
Tara crossed her arms in front of her chest. “What’s that
supposed to mean?”
“I don’t need help from a woman.”
Anger burned in Tara’s chest and she considered letting him
rot on the side of the building. It would serve him right.
A loud crash echoed through the bathroom door. Tara glanced
back and noticed a crack in the solid wood. It wouldn’t be long before either
the fire or Anisa would reach them. She had to move now.
She turned back to Soren. “Okay, I’m going to fly out there
and take you down.”
“No.”
“Just close your eyes.” There was another bang on the door.
Someone was trying to get in. There was no more time to waste.
“Be careful. I’m coming.” Tara crawled up onto the window’s
ledge.
“No, stay where you are. I’ll be fine.”
Tara ignored him. The man was so scared that he couldn’t
move, let alone edge across the ledge to the fire escape. Tara took off her
jacket and tank, then tucked them under her arm.
Here goes nothing.
She let out her wings and crawled up onto the window. Soren
was right—they were high up. Hopefully she had enough strength to carry him the
short distance to the ground. It had been a long time since she had worked out,
and she didn’t have a whole lot of confidence in her upper body strength.
Suddenly the door splintered and a figure rushed through.
Shit.
There was no time to think. Tara jumped out the window and took to
the air just as something reached for her leg. She began to drop, and her magic
immediately responded. Her wings glowed. Tingles spread out over her skin,
lighting up the alley. She moved her wings and she made her way over to where
Soren stood on the ledge and held out her hand.
“Come with me.”
“No.” He clung tighter to the building and squeezed his eyes
shut.
Stubborn man.
She looked back and saw a pale-faced
deahman
staring at her with wide, red eyes. He sneered at both her and Soren and a
chill race up Tara’s spine. She watched the creature climb out the window and
onto the ledge.
They had to hurry. “The building’s structure is being
eroded. It’s only a matter of time before it will collapse.”
“I’ll take my chances.”
Tara sighed. “Close your eyes.”
“Like hell I will.”
“Suit yourself.” Tara wrapped her arms around his chest and
braced her feet on either side of his body. She pulled, but he didn’t move. She
pulled again. Still nothing. “Come on, help me out.”
“No.”
“Big baby.”
Another figure appeared in the window. He had a pale face
and large, red eyes.
Deahman
. Tara watched in horror as a second
creature showed his face. They growled and spat and reached for Soren. How many
of them were there?
“Soren.” She pointed back at the window where the
deahmans
were congregating.
Soren turned his head and opened one eye. “Shit.”
“Come with me.”
He hesitated. “Very well.” He let go of the wall.
He was heavier than she thought. It was a good thing that
they were going down, because Tara didn’t think she could fly horizontally to
the fire escape. They didn’t fly, it was more like a controlled fall. At least
they would both survive the five story drop.
The
deahman
on the ledge growled at her as he made
his way to the fire escape. The second
deahman
climbed out onto the
ledge. Then the third. Where did they come from? She watched the three monsters
reach the fire escape and start to climb down. At the rate they were moving,
they were going to reach the ground before Tara and Soren.
“They’re coming after us,” Tara said.
“Just concentrate on getting me to the ground. I’ll take
care of the rest.”
Tara stiffened her jaw and tried to do what he said. It was
difficult. She kept looking over, comparing their progress with the
deahmans
.
Her arms ached and she was soaked to the bone. Her grip slipped, and Tara had
all she could do not to drop him. Relief swept through her when they finally
reached the ground.
“Okay, let’s run,” she said.
He ignored her. As soon as Soren’s feet touched the
pavement, he was moving toward the fire escape.
“Where are you going?” Tara asked.
He drew his sword and charged the
deahmans
.
“Wait!” What he was doing was suicide. There were three
deahmans
to his one. Tara stood stunned as his tall, muscular frame charged into the
fray. They converged on him as one body, biting at his skin and tearing at his
clothes.