Chapter Six
Macgrath
I woke roughly, half sitting on the bed. Groaning, I lay back amid the tangle of sheets and pressed a hand over the center of my damp chest. I glanced down and groaned again. The sheet was tented over my hips, likely due to the fact that my dick was hard as a rock.
Two days ago, I’d told Ava that all my dreams were of her. It wasn’t a lie. Since the first time I saw her, she haunted me. My dreams had never been so vivid and realistic. And now they were sexy as hell.
Though I’d never seen Ava naked, my subconscious seemed to have its own ideas about how her body would look. Down to a small beauty mark on her left hip.
In the dream tonight, I’d been lying on my back, staring up at Ava as she rode me. Her skin glistened with a fine sheen of sweat and a flush in her cheeks that spread down her neck and chest. Her hips rocked in a slow, steady rhythm, driving me insane. I gripped her hips and silently urged her to move faster. She chuckled, low and wicked, but refused to heed my direction. Instead, she slid down my dick until our bodies were completely merged and remained motionless, except for squeezing me tightly with her inner muscles.
“Fuck. Me.” My voice sounded more animal than human, which was exactly how I felt right now.
Ava laughed again and shook her head. “I’m on top, therefore I’m in charge.”
In a blur of motion, I grasped her hips and flipped us, eliciting a sharp gasp from her throat. I withdrew slowly before thrusting deep and hard into her pussy. She arched and gasped again, throwing her head back against the pillow.
Whether she meant it as an invitation or not, I couldn’t resist. I leaned forward and pressed my mouth to her throat, feeling my fangs lengthen behind my lips. “And now I’m in charge,” I whispered.
I bit her then and she screamed, her pussy clamping down hard on my cock as she came immediately. I pinned her beneath me as my hips pounded into hers and she writhed with her orgasm.
Then, just as I was about to come, I woke up. Now I was lying on my bed, desperate for release.
“Fuck,” I growled, my hand sliding down my body to grab hold of my dick. My balls ached with the need to come.
I grasped my dick and closed my eyes. I pictured Ava as I stroked firmly, letting the images from my dream fill my mind. I imagined her breasts swaying with the movement of her hips and tightened my grip.
When I came, I said her name.
Sweat slicked my skin as I collapsed against the mattress, my breath coming hard and fast. The sky was still dark, dawn hours away.
The sheets were damp with my sweat and come. Even if I changed them and showered, sleep wouldn’t be possible again tonight.
Sighing heavily, I threw back the sheet and climbed out of bed. Naked, I gathered the sheets from the bed and carried them through the house into the closed-sized laundry room just off the kitchen. The stacked washer and dryer were tiny, meant for a small apartment rather than a house, but they got the job done.
Once the washer was running, I headed to the shower. Hot water rained down on me, washing away the remnants of sleep from my brain. As I lathered my hair, I realized that the short length suddenly felt alien. In my dream, the strands had been longer, brushing my collar and jaw. For centuries I’d kept my hair unfashionably short. Irrationally, I hated long hair and cropped it close to my scalp on a regular basis.
Idly, I wondered about that small detail, focusing on the change in my physical appearance. It prevented me from wondering if fucking Ava in real life would be as mind-blowing as the dream.
Cutting off that train of thought before it could derail me, I finished my shower quickly, twisting the hot water tap off to rinse my body under the icy flow. More awake and no longer turned on, I dried off and dressed before glancing at my phone.
Five a.m.
Unlike all the vampire legends that humans perpetuated, my kind weren’t relegated to darkness for eternity. Like many predators, our excellent vision and hearing made hunting at night much easier. The darkness was helpful camouflage rather than necessity. Humans were less likely to notice the physiological changes, like fangs and supernatural speed, at night.
When they finally did realize that they were in danger, they were already snared, their minds rolled and open to any suggestions a vampire might want to plant there. Other supernatural creatures such as witches and shifters were not as susceptible, but they could still be controlled in the right circumstances.
However, I was up with the sun despite the fact that I rarely went to bed before midnight. I required very little sleep as long as I had a steady supply of blood.
That being said, the modern custom of coffee in the morning was one I’d adopted happily. I liked the warm bitter brew. The caffeine didn’t truly affect me, but I enjoyed the ritual and usually made a pot of coffee every morning.
I was sipping my first cup when my cell rang. I glanced at the screen, surprised to see that it was Callum.
“Callum,” I greeted him, lifting the phone to my ear.
“Macgrath,” he replied. Then he fell silent.
“What’s wrong?” I asked. He said it would be twenty-four hours before he contacted me and it had been a little over twelve.
He sighed. “I’m not sure,” he admitted, sounding frustrated and pissed. “I followed her trail easily enough but now there’s…nothing. It’s almost as if she never existed.”
I scowled. “Magic?” I asked.
“I don’t think so,” he replied. “I think she hired a human to do this. And whoever it is, they’re fucking brilliant.” He prattled on, using words that didn’t sound like English.
“Great,” I interrupted. “So it’s a dead end?”
He paused. “Not exactly. It’s just more complicated than I anticipated. If I can find the human who did it, it’ll go much faster.”
“Of course. It’s not like there’s billions of humans on the planet or anything,” I responded sarcastically.
“Have a little more faith in me, Mac. There are only a few people on the planet with the skills like this. Maybe a couple dozen. It won’t take long to figure out who it is.”
I put down my coffee and pinched the bridge of my nose with my fingers. There was an itch between my shoulder blades, one that warned me of the target affixed to my back. It also reminded me of the target on Ava. A delay could mean the difference between life and death. “Any idea how long?”
“A few days. Maybe a week tops.”
It was too long but there was nothing I could do about it. “Just keep me updated.”
“You’ll hear from me soon,” he stated.
“Thanks for your help, Callum,” I replied and disconnected the call.
Taking a deep breath, I placed the phone on the counter top with a great deal of care and reached for my coffee cup. I couldn’t help Callum find his mysterious hacker, but I could protect Ava the only other way I knew how.
I drained the mug and set it in the sink before I moved toward the door. I grabbed the leather jacket off the wall-mounted hook and headed out into the early morning chill. I would pick up some supplies from the grocery store on my way to Ava’s house. From my months of watching her, I knew that she was an early riser too so she would be awake by now.
Once again, the skin between my shoulder blades itched and I resisted the urge to look behind me as I shut and locked the door behind me. Even without that telltale discomfort, I would have known that Rhiannon was watching and waiting for her chance to strike. Just as I knew that she wouldn’t seek to hurt me directly, she’d noticed the way I’d looked at Ava and, if she wanted to get to me, she would go for Ava first and foremost.
And I would be waiting.
Surprisingly Ava’s windows were still dark when I pulled up in front of her house. If her car hadn’t been in the driveway, I would have believed she’d already left. Instead, I climbed out of the car, carrying a couple of plastic bags that contained eggs, fruit, and croissants.
As soon as my foot hit the first step of the porch, the front door opened, revealing Ava dressed only in a thin navy robe, the remnants of moisture from her shower still evident on her skin.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice pitched low.
I lifted the bags in my hands and kept moving forward. Rather than asking for an invitation to enter, I walked up to her, crowding her back into the house. “I’m hungry.” Her brows lifted and I realized how my words sounded. I chuckled and stated, “For food.”
Though the scent of her damp skin whetted my appetite for a lot more. I inhaled deeply and suppressed a growl. Control. I had to remain in control.
Her eyes narrowed as she shut the door behind me. “Well, come right on in,” she said, her tone mocking.
I fought to master the reactions of my body as I carried the bags into the kitchen. The entire front of the house was open, the kitchen, dining, and living areas blending together into one large room. Though I assumed Ava had plenty of money due to her many business endeavors, her house was rather modest. Not small, but definitely not the mansion she could probably afford.
I set the bags on the counter and began to put out the food. She approached, leaning a hip on the opposite side of the island. Her eyes widened when she saw the array.
“Are you really going to turn down a free meal that I’m willing to prepare for you?” I asked and smiled a little as her eyes paused on the chocolate-dipped biscotti I’d picked up on a whim. On more than one occasion when I was watching her, I noticed that Ava favored them with her coffee or tea at the shop.
The corner of her mouth quirked as she lifted her gaze to mine. “That depends. Are you going to wash the dishes afterwards?”
“Of course,” I replied without hesitation.
“Then I guess you’re making me breakfast.” She walked over to the coffee maker on the counter and poured two cups. “How do you take your coffee?” she asked.
“You don’t know already? I thought you were a powerful witch.” I was only teasing her, but she faced me and looked me over as though she took my question seriously and she was sizing me up.
Before I could laugh and tell her my preference, her violet gaze locked onto mine and the breath left my lungs. The power was there, in those purple eyes, glowing, shimmering, and dancing. She no longer looked like the beautiful, young woman she usually appeared to be. No, she could have been the Goddess in the flesh, looking upon a creature that represented little more than a puny threat. She was both the beginning and the end. Of time. Of life. Of the very fabric of the universe. Goose bumps rose on my skin and the hair at the base of my neck lifted.
“I know why you’re really here, vampire,” she stated. Her voice was little more than a whisper but it seemed to echo endlessly around us.
I realized then that I had never truly witnessed the height of her power. The night she faced down Rhiannon, she hadn’t even delved into the well that filled her. Right now, in this moment, I was seeing the true face of Ava Amaris and it was blinding in both beauty and ferocity.
“When I told you that I needed no protection, I did not lie,” she continued, moving toward me, an unnatural wind lifting the ends of her hair and tugging at the flimsy robe she wore. “I’m not arrogant nor am I weak. When the witch returns, this is who she will face.”
Ava stopped in front of me, close enough that I could feel the lash and withdrawal of her power as it swirled around her. Strangely, it didn’t hurt. In fact, it was warm and nearly comforting. Like I had finally come home.
Mesmerized, I lifted a hand and slid the tips of my fingers along her cheek. The magic glowed just beneath her pale skin, bringing a golden cast to her face. I could feel tendrils of power curling around my fingers and hand, holding me as though her magic wanted to bring me closer. Ava faltered slightly then, her lips parting as she stared up at me.
Abruptly, she pulled the power back into her body. The light and wind that whirled around us vanished without a sound.
“You’re incredible,” I murmured, studying her face with new eyes.
She blinked rapidly for a moment before replying, “Thank you.”
I couldn’t control the jerk at the corner of my mouth. I wanted to smile at her obvious surprise, but I didn’t think that would be the best reaction at the moment.
It was my turn to be surprised when Ava lifted her hand and covered mine where it touched her cheek. Her movement pressed my palm more fully against her flesh and she leaned into my touch.
Her gaze remained on mine when she asked, “Do you understand now?”
I nodded. “I do, but I’m still not going anywhere.”
Instead of the irritation I expected, Ava smiled softly. “I thought you might say that.”
“But I think I’ll stand behind you when Rhiannon shows up,” I joked. “You can protect me for a change.” I couldn’t control my smile when she laughed lightly. It was the first exchange between us that felt comfortable. Usually our conversations were rapid-fire, almost adversarial, and fraught with sexual tension.
She released my hand and moved away, back toward the coffee sitting on the counter.
“And Ava?”
She glanced over her shoulder at me, waiting for me to continue.
“I take my coffee with cream.”
She nodded and took a step toward the fridge. I went back to preparing breakfast, deep in thought.
Despite all that Ava had just revealed to me, that damn itch on my back hadn’t faded at all. If anything it was growing stronger.
Rhiannon was coming for us both and I knew without a doubt that it would be in a way we wouldn’t anticipate and when we least expected it. She knew Ava was more powerful. Her attack wouldn’t be straightforward. No, she would come at us from an angle that would allow her to remain unseen for as long as possible.