Hearts in Darkness

He cleared his throat again. “Well, yes. Why don't you go put a robe on so I'm not so distracted?"



"Can't do that, because I'm enjoying distracting you. So say what you have to say.” She already knew what it was, could tell by the cautious feel to the link. He was going to tell her to leave. Only what he said first wasn't exactly what she'd expected.



"Elizabeth was outside our room last night. Watching us. Waiting for me to leave you alone." Fear stirred her stomach. She took another sip of coffee. “Why?"



"To understand that, you must know a little about Elizabeth herself." The last thing she wanted right now was a discussion about his ex. Talk about a mood killer. “I understand that she's a nut who likes little boys. What more do I need to know?” How old was Michael when she'd turned him? He hadn't been as young as Matthew, that much was for certain.



"I was twenty-seven, Nikki. An old man in my time."



She hesitated. “Married? Kids?"



He shook his head. “Neither. I worked my family's farm."



She raised her eyebrows in surprise. “Why?” From the little she knew of the sixteenth century, people married early and died young. It was rare for a man to be single at sixteen, let alone twenty. Twenty-seven was old-age material.



He smiled and trailed his fingers down her cheek, gently outlining her lips. “I never met anyone I truly loved and wanted to raise children with."



"So Elizabeth's hunger for virgins is what drove her to you?” She opened her mouth, gently sucking on his fingers.



Embers flared, breathing heat through the link.



"Yes,” he said softly. “And I, mistaking lust for love, followed her into darkness."



"Can't be sad about that,” she said. “Because that's what brought you here to me."



"True.” He reached across to the tray and grabbed a croissant. Tearing it into pieces, he began feeding her. “And you, my love, are what I hungered to find all those years ago." She sighed softly. He could say words like that forever, because she would certainly never tire of hearing them. Each time he fed her a piece of croissant, she ran her tongue across his fingertips or gently sucked them. The embers became a fire, and the heat burned them both. God, she wanted to touch him so badly she ached. But not yet. And even when she did, she would tease him as he had teased her last night.



"That doesn't explain why she was watching us,” she said, once she'd eaten the final piece of croissant.



“Neither of us are exactly virgins anymore."



"No.” He paused, reaching for an apple and a knife. “What Elizabeth likes more than virgins is domination. She likes total control."



He peeled the apple and fed her a sliver. She sucked it slowly into her mouth, her gaze on his. Saw him swallow. Hard.



"What has domination got to do with you or—” She hesitated, fear washing through her. “She can't still dominate you, can she?"



God, wouldn't that be the mother of all ironies? To finally have Michael admit he needed her in his life, only to have it snatched away by the bitch who'd turned him.



She shoved the thought from her mind. Michael didn't seem too worried about that prospect, so neither should she.



He continued feeding her the apple. “Elizabeth and I have always had a somewhat uneasy relationship. She has never truly controlled me, and I think in many ways, she enjoyed the challenge I presented. I think that's probably why I survived my years under her care. I was a battlefield not yet won."



"Overconfidence goes before a fall, you know."



He smiled. “Yes. But as you are in life, so you are in unlife . I wasn't like most of her other fledglings. I was a quiet farmer, relatively content with my lot. Most of her other fledglings ran with danger in life and, therefore, enjoyed the harvest of death that turning provided. I did not, and that was something she could never change."



But she'd tried, if the edge in his voice was anything to go by. “What have her domination fantasies got to do with you and me?"



"It's nothing personal. Whenever a fledgling she had not yet grown tired of found pleasure in another woman's arms, she caught, tortured and killed that woman—and forced that fledgling to watch."



"A true charmer,” Nikki murmured, chilled. “I gather then that she intends to try doing this with me."



"I'm still a challenge to her.” He placed the knife and apple on the table and cupped a hand against her cheek, pressing warmth into her cheekbones. “But I promise you, she will never get near enough to hurt you."



She believed him. He'd made a similar promise with Jasper and had almost died keeping it. But she also knew part of that promise involved getting her to leave the resort—something she had no intention of doing.



Time for some extra distraction, perhaps. “Lift your hips." He raised an eyebrow but did as she requested. She glanced down at his jeans and narrowed her gaze, concentrating. Power slid around her, around him. His zipper came down, and then she tugged his jeans from his body. She kinetically tossed them back toward the bed.



"I am trying to have a serious discussion here."



"Oh, I know.” She straddled his lap. The hard length of him, still contained by the silk of his shorts, pressed against her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and lightly kissed his lips. “By all means, do continue."



This close, she could hear the thunder of his heart, a rhythm that matched her own. She began to rock her hips back and forth, gently rubbing him. He jerked, then groaned.



"Even the Man of Steel would have trouble concentrating right now." He touched her breasts, teasing her already aching nipples. She bit her lip then caught both his hands, placing them behind him.



"No touching. But do continue."



He swallowed heavily. “Now that Elizabeth knows what you mean to me, she will bide her time and attack when we least expect it. We cannot risk that, not with Cordell so close." She leaned forward, pressing her breasts against his chest. Slowly, she ran her tongue up his neck and nibbled his ear. “It's going to take two of us to defeat Cordell, and you know it."



"Maybe.” His breath was hot and quick against her cheek. “But I want you out of the firing line. I want you to leave."



She trailed tiny kisses across his cheeks. “No,” she whispered against his lips. Then she kissed him deeply, giving him no time to respond.



They were both panting by the time she pulled away. She ached for him, ached so fiercely it was almost painful. He throbbed against her—so close, and yet so far. She continued to rock gently, teasing them both. Deep down, the quivering began.



"Oh, God, Nikki.” He took a deep, shuddering breath. “If you stay here, she will come after you. Cordell is the important one. He's the one we have to stop." She ran a hand down his stomach, then lifted her hips slightly. “You're wrong, Michael.” She caught his boxers, pulling them out of the way and freeing him. “It was Elizabeth who took Matthew. It was Elizabeth who sucked his mind dry then spat him out. We have to stop them both." He was trembling, his whole body hot with urgency. She didn't give him what he wanted—what she wanted—but continued rocking, covering him with her slickness.



"I made a promise, too, Michael. I told the flame imps I would try to stop Cordell. I don't intend to back away from that promise now."



"I'll fulfill your promise. This is what I do for a living. This is exactly what I don't want you involved in."



"I was involved in this case before you came to see me in the office. I have to see the end of it—for Jake, for Matthew, and for MacEwan."



The trembling was growing, becoming a tide threatening to overload her senses. She rubbed harder, heard his response—a quick, sharp gasp. Could feel him quivering and knew he was battling for control.



"Matthew's dead,” he somehow ground out. “And Rachel's receiving the help she needs. Your part in this has ended. Go home. Be safe."



"I'm safe when you're safe, and I can't...” hold off any more. The tide washed over her. She gasped, grabbing his shoulders as the shuddering took hold. Needing him inside, she shifted, capturing him, thrusting him deep. Then she rode him fast and hard, until his tremors finally eased and they both were spent.



She leaned her cheek against his chest and sighed deeply. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her in place. Holding himself inside her. It felt good. Safe.



Which she knew they weren't.



After a while, he brushed a kiss across the top of her head. “Whatever am I going to do with you?"



"Make love to me like that every day, and you're halfway to making me a very happy woman." His smile was something she felt deep inside. “And what would it take to make you wholly happy?"



"Coffee. Lots of it. Preferably fed intravenously."



His laughter rumbled through his chest, tickling her cheek. “For someone in such desperate need of coffee, you didn't seem to drink a lot of it this morning."



"I had other things on my mind.” She pushed upwards far enough to see his face. “So what's our next move?"



He brushed the hair from her eyes, his face concerned. “There's nothing I can say to make you go?" She wrapped her arms around his neck and stared into his beautiful eyes. The sheer depth of love and understanding she saw there chased a shiver through her soul.



"No,” she said softly. “And don't think you can force me—telepathically or physically. I'll fight you, with all my heart and all my energy. Neither of us can afford such a battle, with Cordell and Elizabeth so close."



"It wouldn't be wise,” he agreed.



His hands cupped her rear, pulling her a little closer. Amazingly, she felt him stir deep inside. “Good lord, are you kidding? Does becoming a vampire also give you an amazing rate of recovery after sex?" He kissed her, his mouth gently demanding. “No,” he said, after a while. “The touch of a good woman does that."



"Smooth, real smooth,” she said, laughing against his lips. “What about Cordell and Elizabeth?"



"We can't do anything until Cordell is asleep. He's not that old in vampire years, so he will have no choice but to slumber. If we wait until noon, we should at least be safe from him." But not safe from Elizabeth, she suspected. Still, confronting them one at a time seemed a hell of a lot more sensible that confronting both of them together. “We really should try to find Rodeman, as well."



"Yes. Most of the other men who disappeared were gone a good week before they were found. Rodeman only disappeared yesterday. Hopefully, Cordell hasn't had the time to fully begin work on him."



"Sounds like a plan to me.” She grinned slightly. “So what do you suggest we do in the meantime?



Partake in a wildflower tour? Go see some wildlife?"



His reply was little more than a growl. “The only wildlife I'm currently interested in is the one sitting so snugly on my lap."



He pressed his hands more firmly against her rear, then rose. She gasped slightly and wrapped her legs around his waist.



"Besides,” he added, his lustful look melting her insides. “We are supposed to be newlyweds. The staff will suspect something is wrong if we get up too early."



"Heaven forbid we do anything to destroy our cover,” she murmured. Even though little more than ten minutes had passed, she so desperately wanted him to touch her again—something she had never thought possible so soon after such fulfillment. “I guess you'd better do the husbandly thing, then."



"I guess I'd better.” He took her over to the bed and made her boneless again.



* * * *



Nikki checked her flashlight. Water fogged the glass, but the light itself worked. Which was good. Something told her this time she would need it.



She slipped it into her pocket then walked over to the table. Michael was unwrapping a small parcel.



“What's that?"



"Present from Seline.” He tore open the box and held up two braided rope bracelets. “Charms to stop Cordell doing to us what he did to Rachel and Ginger."



He slipped one over her hand and pushed it up her arm so that even if she pushed up the sleeves of her cotton sweater, it wouldn't be seen. It felt like silk against her skin, despite the harsh look of the interwoven red, brown and gold cord. “How is rope supposed to stop him?" He slid the second charm up his arm until it was hidden under the sleeve of his shirt, then shrugged. “I don't question her magic, I just let it protect me. And it always has."



"Cool.” She'd have to meet this Seline one day. She sounded like an incredible woman. “Which entrance are we using into the caverns?"



"I think they'd be watching the one we used last night. We'll have to risk the office entrance." She frowned. “But that's alarmed."



"Yes. I'll have to dismantle it first. But I also want to go past Cordell's office and act like we're going to break into it.” He ushered her toward the door.



She frowned. “But his office is sure to be monitored."



"Exactly. And it'll provide a nice distraction if he is still up and around.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, drawing her close as they strolled down the hall. “See those security cameras?" She glanced up. Little black boxes were evenly spaced along the ceiling. She hadn't even noticed them until now. “What about them?"



"I want you to kinetically take out all the ones near Cordell's office." She frowned. “Won't that bring security running?"