CHAPTER TWELVE

Bay

 

As we approached Ténèbres, I spotted a familiar car parked on the street. I came to a stop and blew out the annoyance I felt. First Mercury crashed our dinner and discussion. Granted, he was rather pleasant and supportive of my interest in Spectra, but the bombshell he dropped about her father not only impacted Spectra but myself. Spectra was still shell-shocked, and her eyes were slightly wider than normal, pupils unfocused for the rest of dinner.

Mercury and I negotiated ground rules with barely any input from Spectra at all, and I held the distinct impression I would need to explain what Mercury and I decided on when she returned to the present.

Spectra paused and looked at me, confused. “What’s wrong?”

“Alexander is parked up the road, so I expect he's at the club looking for you.”

Spectra looked up the road, and when she spotted the car, her shoulders sagged. “Tonight is going to be one of those nights, isn't it?” Spectra pulled a silver key out of her pocket and held it up for me to see. “This was meant to be us tonight. It’s the key to the back room at Tommy's.”

I raised a brow. “You're actually willing to let him watch us?”

“No. I'm uncomfortable as all hell with the idea, but a bargain was struck.”

I took the key, taking her hand and pulling her to me at the same time, tucking her body against mine. “I can delay Tommy. What do you need tonight, Spectra? Do you need to go home and have time to yourself? Do you want Alexander? You gave me what I needed last weekend. I'll do the same for you.”

Spectra looked up the street. “Alexander probably wants to know how my interview went today. I really don't want to discuss it with him,” she sighed. “Take me home?”

I kissed her hand and turned the corner so that we wouldn't accidentally run into Alexander leaving the club. When we circled our way back to the car, Spectra was biting her lip. I waited till we were in the car and the engine started to turn and look at her.

“Did you want to talk to me about the interview?”

Spectra looked at me, sat back in the seat, and gave me a weak smile. “It’s a long drive to your place, I guess it would fill the silence.”

I blinked when I realized she'd meant my home, that she still wanted to come home with me. I put the car into drive and started winding my way to the freeway.

“I'm not interviewing with the NSIO till after I graduate, but I was offered two positions from the private sector upon completion. I met the first company this morning, and I'll interview with the second next Wednesday. Alexander wasn't happy I went. He thinks I should just come work with him.”

I suspected the benefits of having Spectra working in the same building was his focus and not her finding a job. “So how did the interview go?”

Spectra ghosted a smile. “Good. The company is excited to bring me on. They showed me where I would be working and introduced me to the team I'd be working with. The pay is reasonable for entry-level, and it’s only a fifteen-minute train ride.”

“You don't want the job they are offering you, though.” Spectra shook her head. “So why don't you want to tell Alexander that?”

“Because I still want to consider it and don't want to be talked out of it yet.”

“That's fair enough. Can I ask which companies are headhunting you?”

“Baulkims was today, and Pendant Security is next week.”

I felt my eyes widen slightly as the name of my company passed her lips. “Have you researched these companies and looked at your options and who they would usually hire?”

“Baulkims I know everything about, it's your typical software company. Pendant was a little harder to get information on. They aren't an IT company, the IT is a component of the private security firm by the looks of it. I suspect it will be the same kind of work as the NSIO. Checking people's credentials, fixing operating systems, the usual sort of stuff.”

I was drumming my fingers on the steering wheel. What the hell was HR thinking approaching a human, because they would have thought she was, to bring into the company?

“Is something wrong?” Spectra asked, watching my fingers.

“Just remembered I need to discuss something with Luke when I get home.”

Spectra pouted. “Oh! Straight away again?”

I tried to restrain the smile at knowing she didn't want to wait to be with me again.

“It's not urgent.”

She smiled and looked back out the window. “How's Calin and his family doing?”

My fingers stopped drumming. “They are holding it together. The funeral for both women was yesterday.” I looked across at her. “Luke said you were unwell Wednesday when he saw you. You mentioned something about Wednesday to Mercury?”

I watched Spectra swallow and look out the window. “I get migraines on occasion, usually after I extend my abilities. The one on Wednesday saw me rushed to hospital so Mercury could help me.”

“Because you pulled the beast from that man to save Gina?” She nodded slowly, and I could see she was angry. “How bad, Spectra?”

“Mercury had to do something he hated, and I hated that he did it. Even though I know he only did it to save me, I felt violated by it. He's made me promise never to do it again.”

I swallowed my concern. I wanted to know how she did what she did. I wanted to know if it could be replicated, but at the same time, I'd spent the week trying to work out how to ask her never to do it again. If the Essence found out she could do that, they would take her and force her to be their weapon. Knowing now that it was life threatening for her, well, that just ensured I wouldn't want her doing it ever again.

“I agree with Mercury. While I'm grateful for you saving Gina, I won't put your life at risk either.”

“You seemed to get on well with Merc at dinner.” The accusation in her voice made me realize she wasn't as spaced out as I'd assumed.

“It was good to lay out our interests and ground rules, Spectra. While I'd never consider you a possession, I am possessive, and males do tend to be territorial about women they are sleeping with when that woman means something to them.”

She met my eyes, wariness swimming in them, and I realized what I'd just admitted. I sighed, pulling off the freeway and into the country roads that led to my estate. “If we'd just had sex that first night, I might never have thought of you again. Your actions forced me to get to know you, Spectra, and now I want you permanently in my life.”

“But you accept that Alexander will be my primary?”

“I accept he is your first preference. I'm also aware he's already broken your heart, and, why you may think it's not the case, you are in love with your Angelis. If you marry Alexander, you will need to give the Angelis up, and I don't think you could do that. You marry Mercury, however, and he will still allow you the freedom of lovers. So, from a selfish point of view, I know who I am rooting for.”

Spectra turned her eyes to the window. “You don't want me to yourself?”

I considered lying, but I didn't feel right doing that with Spectra. “I do.” I cleared my throat. “But I work closely with Henry and his son. For Alexander to even know we are lovers would jeopardize years of work. I'm not saying you're not worth fighting for, but there are right and wrong times to wage a war, Spectra, and this is not the time to challenge for a woman who still prefers the other man.”

“He broke my heart to keep me safe.”

“No, he pushed you away to keep you safe. He broke your heart to live a playboy's life.”

The rest of the drive was ridden out in silence, with Spectra looking out the window as if lost in the darkness. I pulled into the garage and climbed out of the car, opening her door for her. Part of me liked the fact that she allowed me to. I touched her face and started drawing her mouth to mine. I'd been dying to kiss her all week. She put her hand on my chest and pushed back.

“Not here.”

I pulled back, confused why the privacy of my garage wasn't a good place to kiss. Spectra blushed and lowered her eyes shamefully, but with a glint of naughtiness showing in them. That look alone made my cock stand at attention for her, but the words that followed brought the ache of disuse back with a vengeance.

“I'm in a mood, and I know myself well enough to recognize that if I let you kiss me here, we won't make it out of this garage till at least one, or both of us, are spent.”

I groaned as my cock throbbed hard, ready to lift her skirt and plow her there and then, but Spectra wasn't that sort of woman. She was old-fashioned in some ways, and there were places to fornicate, and this wasn't one of them in her eyes. I took her hand and pulled her through the house at a light jog, grateful for her practical boots instead of heels. Luke came out of the lounge as we jogged up the stairs. I didn't stop for him but acknowledged him.

“Evening, Luke. We need to talk tonight, but not right now.”

Spectra blushed again but smiled as we made the second-floor landing and started the last flight of stairs. Luke gave us a quiet smile, shook his head, and went back to the lounge. I threw my door open with more force than necessary, tugged Spectra inside, and threw her up against the wall as the door rebounded and slammed shut again.

She was pulling her jacket off as my mouth found hers and I kissed her with the ferocity of my need. My shirt and jacket joined hers on the floor to encircle us in black cloth. Her fingers made light work of my belt and fly, and then her hand was gripping me. I moaned as just her hand nearly made me lost. She smiled wickedly. I heard myself growl as I turned her and pushed her against the wall roughly.

I slid the zip down on her dress, unhooked her bra, and slid my hands around under the material to mold those beautiful breasts of hers to my hands. The first brush of my fingers over her erect nipples made her gasp and throw her head back on my shoulder, exposing her elegant neck to me, her hips pushing back to rub against my groin. I closed my eyes, trying to control myself. Not my hunger, I wasn't tempted to feed from Spectra, I'd never seen her as food. Spectra Michaels was lust first, something more on an emotional level second, but she definitely wasn't food.

Spectra pulled her arms from her sleeves and then dropped her dress and bra to the floor around her feet. I kissed down her spine, my hands tracing the wonderful curves of her pale body till I was on my knees, where I pulled her panties down those long pale legs. I left the knee-high boots. I loved those boots on her. Pulling her hips back, I separated her cheeks and delved my tongue into her heat.

The sounds that came from Spectra's mouth were heaven to my ears. While I tasted her, I unzipped her boots before pulling away to remove my own. Spectra turned around, eyes glassy as she leaned against the wall breathless, waiting for me. From my position on bended knee, there was no denying she was angelic. No man could be looking up at her naked beauty from this position and not think it of her.

I stood slowly, keeping eye contact with her. I pushed my pants over my hips and watched Spectra's eyes flick down to watch as I unrolled rule one. She licked her lips and closed her eyes as if trying to control herself. I didn't want that. I stepped into her quickly, kissing her furiously, pulling her pelvis to mine. I gripped her beautiful arse in my hands and lifted her. Without hesitation she embraced me in her thighs, twining her ankles behind my back.

Spectra broke from my mouth, reached her arm between us, and maneuvered me. I lowered her enough to dip the head of me into her. I loved how it felt to enter her tight heat. I savored the moment and then walked us to the bed, sitting down, the movement forcing me deeper into her. I lay back to look up at her. I wanted to watch my angel ride me. I wanted to see every moment as she came undone for me.

Spectra untied her legs, allowing me to lie back between her ankles, and as she did, I slid even deeper into her. I saw her eyes widen as I went as deep as her body allowed, and I closed my own eyes momentarily to enjoy the feel of her. Spectra started sliding her hips back and forth, slowly at first, but as she became comfortable in that position, she rocked faster. I felt myself growing thicker and harder. This position was amazing. I knew I wasn't going to last long, but by the sounds of Spectra, that wasn't going to matter.

Her cunt was clenching around my cock, and I knew she was already on the edge. I put my thumb to that place she showed me last Sunday and watched her head loll back as she prayed. I smiled as she took the All Father’s name in vain and shattered herself upon my hardness, not even trying to be quiet, or maybe she couldn't be.

The feel of her coming was too much. I pulsed and watched Spectra's eyes fly open in surprise, and I knew I was too deep and that it hurt her, but it was too late. My entire body seized as I lost myself to her. I couldn't focus, and my shields dropped. Spectra cried out, but I was falling down the well of pleasure and couldn't pull it back in.

A moment later, my body relaxed. I pulled my power back in as quickly as possible, but not so fast I'd give her whiplash. I sat up, concerned for her. She sat there breathing heavily, face to her chest, hair covering her face, skin gleaming in sweat. “Spectra, I'm sorry. Are you okay?”

She nodded but kept her face hidden. I swiped her hair aside and touched her face gently, lifting her closed eyes to mine.

She slowly opened her pale blue eyes. “Don't you dare have sex with any other person until you can control that.”

I nodded, understanding I'd kill a human if I lost control like that with them. But I'd already spent the week testing myself. I knew it was only Spectra with whom I lost control. After one night with Spectra, I could fuck and feed myself for the first time in centuries. It wasn't a human I was worried about right now.

She smiled lightly. “Please do that to me again before we go to sleep tonight?”

She kissed me, wrapping her arms around my neck. I wrapped her in my arms and kissed her thoroughly, twisting to put her on her back before pulling out of her. She gasped as I did and I wanted to thrust straight back into her, and I would, very soon.

I rolled to the side and watched her slowly calm her breathing. “Are you hungry? We could raid the kitchen.”

Spectra rolled on her side to face me. “I could go for a drink, but I need a quick shower first. You really made me sweat.”

I smiled, took her hand, and led her into the bathroom with me. Watching her hands wash over her wet skin was enough to bring me back to life. As I pressed her face-first against the bathroom wall and slid into her, she moaned. I felt her tense and dropped my shields to drown her in my desire. I knew what I was doing, as I drove her to orgasm again, could ruin what we had. Using her weakness like this to take her pleasure was underhanded, but as soon as her body shuddered around me and relaxed again, I slid my shields back into place and withdrew from her body.

I felt her tense, ready to scold me. “Wait.” I breathed heavily in her ear as I took myself in hand and, pressing against her wet nakedness, brought myself to an end, remembering what happened in the bedroom just now. When I turned her to face me, I expected anger in her eyes. Instead, she held my face and kissed me passionately before rinsing off and stepping out of the shower.

* * *

I kept my promise and after some time out, chilling in the lounge room and watching a movie with Luke and Selena, I took Spectra back to my room and made her pray in a way not appropriate for church. Spectra was asleep in my bed by the time I finished my shower. I pulled on my tracksuit pants and walked into my study. Luke sat there reading over reports.

“Is this a work or relationship matter?” Luke queried.

“Actually, it's both.” I sat down in my armchair opposite him. “Spectra has a meeting with our human resources office next Wednesday.”

Luke's eyes widened. “Does she know?”

“No. I can't even mention the name of my company to anyone. She was headhunted straight from college before I'd even met her.”

Luke's brows furrowed. “The recruiter would have thought her human like we did. There is no way they would have contacted her.”

“But they did.”

Luke shook his head. “That doesn't make sense. I'll contact Alfred. We'll cancel her interview, and I'll have a good talk with the recruiter.”

“Yes, you will call Alfred and make him aware the recruiter bought in a human. No, you won't cancel her interview. Yes, you will definitely speak to the recruiter and find out what the hell they were thinking.”

“You're going to let her take the job?” Luke's eyes were full of concern. “Is that wise?”

“The NSIO want her and so do Baulkims. She must be very good at what she does, Luke.”

Luke leaned forward onto his knees. “You don't think this is pushing the limit? You can keep that you are screwing her behind closed doors, but you can't keep her working for you from Alexander. He will think you set it up. Not to mention when she finds out you are her boss. What that will do to this arrangement you have?”

I shook my head. “We would rarely see each other at work.”

Luke stood up. “You are going to put her in a building full of predators, boss. Think about that for just a moment. She hates our kind, and from what you told me, it's a thoroughly justified and possibly understated emotion. She can spot our kind a mile away, and you are going to let her walk into a city building full of nearly every predator known. I doubt she's going to be impressed by the fact you managed to bring species that normally loathe each other into a peaceful work environment. She is going to flip out and possibly have a panic attack.”

I sighed, leaning on my knees. “She knew the recruiter was a predator and she is still coming in for the meet.”

“Which brings us back to why they would even offer her the job.” Luke walked to my laptop at the desk and started tapping away at the mouse, his eyes fixated on the screen.

“What are you doing?”

“We profile everyone before approaching them. I want to see what they have on Spectra Michaels and how she got a green tick.”

I frowned, walking over to watch over Luke's shoulder as he found the profile on Spectra.

“My God! We've been watching her for two years.” Luke read on, astounded, and I could understand why. The recruiter had targeted Spectra when she was still a college junior and followed her progress. Her transcripts were on file as well as a full security workup. There were red flags on her file. Like the fact she didn't exist until seven years ago despite a validated birth certificate and school transcript.

Luke tapped the screen at a name on the profile. “Who is Miranda Jackson? I know everyone in HR, and there isn't anyone named Miranda Jackson.”

“Look her up.”

Luke started clicking again as he made his way through the personnel profiles. “Here we go. Miranda Jackson. Profiler for the Intergovernmental NSIO, transferred to us as liaison three months ago.” Luke flicked through her data. “She must have bought Spectra's file with her because she's been watching her for years before she joined us.”

“Stop,” I called as he scrolled through the data. “Go back up a little.” Luke scrolled up, and I pointed at a note related to her background training. “Shit!”

Luke looked at the screen, disbelieving. “Who the hell let this woman into our company?”

“She's using my company to pull Spectra away from working for the NSIO. She'll bring her in, recruit her, and then disappear with her.” I stood straight and sighed. Luke sat back, waiting as I walked back around the desk to look out the window. “Okay. Keep Spectra's recruitment active. Let Henry know about this predator, put a copy of both of those files on a memory stick for me, then send a team to bring Miranda Jackson in.”

I started walking to my room as Luke jumped into action. “What are you going to do?”

“I'm taking this to Alexander.” I moved quietly into my room and dressed in my typical suit and button down. I didn't bother with the tie, it was already past midnight. Spectra stirred in her sleep. I swept a strand of hair back from her face and kissed her cheek. She smiled in her sleep and snuggled deeper under the covers.

Moving back into my study, Luke handed me the memory drive. “If she wakes up?”

“Why would you be in my room for it to matter?” I raised a brow.

Luke's eyes widened in shock. “I wouldn't be, but she may come in here looking for you. That girl has an appetite.”

I smiled quietly, thinking he really had no idea how great an appetite. “That's actually normal of their kind. Possibly because their fathers spend so much time resisting the temptations of the flesh that it's where they find their greatest pleasure.”

Luke blinked. “You found out what she is? When?”

“Tonight. She's a balance, but we're not going to be mentioning that outside of this room.” I pocketed the memory drive and put my phone in the opposite pocket.

Luke looked ready to have a heart attack. “Did you seduce L'Ordre's future wife?” I shrugged, and Luke went red with rage. “What the hell are you still doing with her? You are risking our livelihood. Everything you've spent centuries building will disintegrate in our hands, Bay.”

I stood by Luke and put my hands on his shoulders. “Spectra and I will not be seen together outside of this house unless we accidentally run into each other at a city event, in which case, while we will acknowledge knowing each other, that will be all we will do. We will not tell anyone what she is, because she is valuable to Essence as a weapon.”

“Because of what she did to the beast.” Luke nodded with understanding.

“Which will never be mentioned ever again. Doing that nearly killed her.” I sighed and dropped my shields. “I should be back by morning.”

I stepped onto the street outside Caprica's Bar, a regular upmarket bar that I knew Alexander visited, mainly because I quite often ran into him here. I went in and was shown to a private bar that only their best patrons could access. Alexander wasn't here, but he'd usually moved on with whatever sex-on-legs item he picked up by now. I pulled out my phone and called him.

“Hello?”

“We need to talk.”

“I'm kind of in the middle of something,” Alexander grumbled, and I could hear a woman's giggle in the background.

“Mr. Williams, do you think I would be calling you on a Friday night to chitchat?”

Alexander sighed, frustrated. “Back off,” he mumbled to someone with him, and the girl’s giggle cut off. “I've told you to stay away from her.”

“I'm not your problem tonight, Mr. Williams. I'm at Caprica's. I'll stay for one drink. If you are not here by the time I've finished, I will take it that you are no longer in love with the girl and leave her to be taken.” I hung up the phone as the waiter put my scotch on the table. I knew that last word would work.

Alexander was shown into the private bar ten minutes later, anger radiating off him like a walking furnace. He sat opposite me and waited for his drink to arrive before speaking. “You intend to take her now?”

“Never.” I slid the memory stick across the table. “Fantôme do. One of them infiltrated my company to recruit Spectra. It was very nice of them to upload all their research to our personnel database, but then they had to to pull of the recruitment. We profile every prospective employee.”

Alexander took the memory drive and looked at it. He closed his eyes tight. “What is the name of the recruiter?”

“Miranda Jackson.”

“And you found out about this how? You just happened to be surfing through your employee database and spotted Spectra's name?”

“She's human. That sort of rings alarm bells within human resources in my company.”

Alexander smirked. “You really should consider changing what HR stands for in your company, don't you think? Maybe Hell's Residents?” Alexander took a mouthful of his drink. “You will cancel Spectra's interview.”

“No. That will remain.” I finished my drink and stood. “Don't glare, Alexander. How likely is it that Spectra would want to work surrounded by predators?”

“She won't last five minutes in the building.” Alexander blew out a breath in relief.

“Exactly.” I sobered. “I saw the dossier Miranda worked up. Spectra is very talented, and I suspect she was proud to be headhunted before graduation. There is no need to take that away from her.”

Alexander frowned. “Did you seduce her yet?”

I sniffed the air. “You've smelt like the same woman for the last three weekends running, Alexander. Does Spectra know you've found a balance yet?”

Alexander stood instantly. “She doesn't need to know that. That would only hurt her deeper than you could imagine.”

I shook my head. “I would never. But if you suspect this female Nephilim is strong enough to become your wife, it would be a kindness on your part to let Spectra go.”

“So you can taint her?” Alexander scowled.

“No, Alexander. So you don't break her.” I walked away from the table as Alexander slumped back into it. The Nephilim would need to be high order to even stand a chance with Alexander. Outside, I dropped my shields and stepped back into my study. Luke was there with Selena.

“Shit!” Selena cried and gathered her dress from the floor, covering herself before fleeing from the room.

I gave Luke a hard look, and he had the decency to cower. “End it, Luke. She is married to your brother and is his newest bride at that.”

Luke looked away. “The problem is I don't care. I want her.” Luke met my eyes again and defied me to demand him to let her go, which, of course, I couldn't. I'd wanted Spectra, and despite the danger she presented in other areas of my life, I'd gone after her till I got her, and now, I couldn't put her aside.

I shook my head. “Then Calin should know. If he finds out by accident, there will be hell to pay.”

Luke gave one firm nod. “Not right now. He needs time to grieve. He's lost two wives already.”

And right there, Luke just told me his intentions about Selena. He meant her to be his.