Chapter Twenty-one
Sophie turned on her side again and flipped her pillow, hoping the new position would help her fall asleep. It didn’t, though she was tired enough. She’d started her new part time job at the elementary school aboard the Mother ship and the little ones had just about worn her out.
Sylvan had told her she could just stay home and concentrate on her art but Sophie had decided she needed an occupation outside the home to keep from going crazy. Besides, she adored kids and teaching them to paint and draw and use modeling clay was great.
But it wasn’t her new job that was on her mind now. Something else was keeping her restless and wakeful.
With a sigh, Sophie turned over again, facing Sylvan’s broad, bare back. He was breathing deeply and she knew he must have had a hard day at the med station. There had been a big influx of wounded that day from a scrimmage with the Scourge and he’d been going from morning until night with barely a pause.
Sophie sighed softly. If only the thoughts and images would leave her alone. If only—
“Sophia?” Sylvan turned over to face her, his eyes glowing a faint blue in the dark. “Are you all right?”
“I’m sorry,” Sophie said contritely. “I didn’t mean to wake you up. I know how tired you are.”
“It’s all right.” Reaching out, he cupped her cheek gently. “I can tell you have something on your mind.”
“It’s nothing,” Sophie protested. “Go back to sleep.”
“I’m awake now so you might as well talk. Come on, Talana. Tell me what’s troubling you.”
Sophie sat up and ran a hand through her hair. “It’s Lauren—I can’t get her out of my head. I keep imagining what that horrible AllFather must be doing to her and I feel so bad. I mean, that could have been me. It would have been if you hadn’t found me in time.”
“Sophia…” Sylvan sat up beside her and drew her close to his side. In the darkness he felt warm and solid and his muscular arm around her shoulder was very comforting. “I know you feel bad for your kin but you can’t dwell on it,” he said softly, his deep voice rumbling through her. “There’s nothing we can do at the moment—no way to trace her.”
“I wish Deep and Lock were here,” Sophie said mournfully. “Maybe they could locate her doing their seeker/finder thing.”
“That’s very doubtful if not completely impossible,” Sylvan said. “They don’t have a properly trained focus and without one, their only hope to find Lauren would be to join with someone who knew her intimately. And you saw how that ended for Kat.”
“That’s true.” Sophie nodded. “But it just seems like there should be something else we can do.”
“You’re not the only one who thinks so,” Sylvan said dryly. “Baird told me he got another call from the detective the sister of your mother hired to find Lauren today. He was angry when Baird put him off.”
“He was?” Sophie frowned and sat up. “But why? What does he know?”
“I’m not sure.” Sylvan shook his head. “But I don’t think we can keep evading his questions forever. The male has good instincts—he seems certain that we know more than we’re telling him.”
That reminded Sophie of something. “Sylvan,” she said, looking up at him. “Speaking of keeping secrets, can I ask you something?”
“Of course, anything.” He looked at her. “But I hope you don’t think I’m keeping secrets from you.”
“No, I know you’re not—this isn’t about you. It’s about Deep.”
“What about him?”
“Well, Kat seemed to think that there was something he’d done in the past. Something…troubling. She didn’t get a chance to give us any details but Liv and I were worried about it.”
Sylvan sighed and raked a hand through his spiky blond hair distractedly. “What you’re asking me, Talana…it’s a secret that really isn’t mine to tell.”
His actions put Sophie on high alert—she almost never saw her cool, collected male so obviously agitated. Whatever it was, it must have been bad!
“Please,” she pleaded. “This is Kat we’re talking about—she’s my best friend in the world besides Liv. If she’s in any kind of danger when she’s with Deep I need to know.”
Sylvan was silent for a long moment, apparently debating with himself. Then he shook his head. “I’m sorry but I can’t reveal another warrior’s past—not even to you, Talana. Not when it concerns something this delicate.”
“Sylvan—”
“I will tell you that Kat is not in any danger,” he said, interrupting her protest. “And that Deep didn’t do anything wrong…though that’s not how he sees it.”
“Do you have any idea how frustrating this is?” Sophie demanded. “You keep throwing out these little half hints and then refusing to tell me the whole story.”
Sylvan looked serious. “The whole story, as you put it, is a grim tale—not something I want to talk about in the dead of night.”
“Not even with me here to keep you safe?” Deciding to let the matter drop for now, Sophie snuggled against him.
“There are other things I’d rather do with you at night than talk.” He kissed her, taking her mouth in a way that made her moan softly.
“Sylvan…” she protested. “About Deep—”
“I don’t want to talk about that. About grief and sorrow and loss.” His deep voice was unexpectedly rough. “Don’t you know I have dreams—nightmares—where I don’t reach you in time? Where I break into the Scourge ship to find you already…already gone?”
“Well, I’m not gone—I’m here with you.” Sophie pressed closer to him. “You got to me in time—you saved me, Sylvan.”
“No, Talana,” he rumbled, kissing her again. “It was you who saved me. Without you I’d be dead inside.”
“Hmmm,” she whispered, stroking his thigh. “You feel pretty alive to me.”
“I’m going to get a whole lot livelier if you keep that up,” he warned.
“That’s okay,” she murmured. “I don’t mind. I…” But she couldn’t finish—Sylvan was licking a long, slow trail down her neck.
Sophie’s heart began to race as his warm, wet tongue caressed her sensitive skin. His big, hard body felt so good against hers and his mating scent was rising, enveloping her in pure lust. She tilted her head to one side, baring her throat. “Do it, Sylvan—I want to feel you in me.”
“I never get tired of biting you,” Sylvan growled softly, lifting her so that she was straddling his hips. “Or kissing you…or tasting you…or fucking you.”
“Sylvan…” she whispered breathlessly as he lifted the lacy hem of her nightie and parted her thighs. Hearing dirty talk from him when he was usually so cool and logical never failed to turn her on.
“Yes, Talana?” he murmured, sliding the broad head of his shaft against her wet folds. “Was there something you wanted?”
“Nothing but you. God,” she moaned as he sank his fangs and his cock into her at the same time. “Sylvan!”
“I love it when you call my name while I’m inside you,” he sent through their link. “Love the soft, helpless little sounds you make when I take you.”
“Take me harder…more!” she begged. And the part of her mind that wasn’t drowning in pleasure wondered how he always knew exactly what she needed. All the troubling thoughts that had been bothering her were swept away on the tide of pleasure as he made her his once again.
But though Sophie knew she would sleep well after their loving, she was also certain she would return to her worries eventually. Lauren was still out there, somewhere and as for Deep’s dark past…well, she would have to compare notes with Liv and see if she’d gotten anything out of Baird.
Later…