Angel Seduced (9 page)

She shuddered visibly so that Kasabian had to fight the urge to put his arms around her and tell her he would never let anything happen to her.

“And I was going to go,” she said, a quiver in her voice. “He totally fooled me.”

“Kye, your need to feel worthwhile, and to help others, could be your downfall.”

She didn't argue. “He seemed genuinely interested in the mechanism of the Cobra.”

It hit him then why his father wanted her. Kasabian gestured to his scar. “The Caido kids who were channeling the other kids' essence got this starburst because this is where we take it in. While they were drained, the Caidos were overcharged, and some got burned out, just like the boy who ended up at the Guard. I bet Treylon thinks the Cobra will allow the Caidos to channel more essence without burning out. And that would kill the other Crescents even faster.”

“If he thinks I'd do the Cobra with kids, he's sorely mistaken.”

“You would, Kye. You would look at their drawn, haggard little faces and you would do anything to protect them. I know, because I've seen those faces.”

That softened her outraged expression. “Like you taking the chance of getting caught when you planned your escape.”

He nodded, the memory now burning in his chest. “My father will try to get you to cooperate, one way or the other. I'm not going to let him.” The thought of that burned even more. “I can put a barrier around your apartment so no one without permission can Leap in. Except I can't create a barrier, because I have no angel in me.” He paced, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I'll ask Hayden.” He snatched up his phone and, when Hayden answered, said, “I need your help.”

“I can't get away at the moment.” He lowered his voice. “I'm on a bullshit assignment with my sergeant.”

“They're on to you.”

“The Concilium idiots grilled me on why I had an associate look up missing kids. I gave them some inane reason, but they were suspicious. What's up?”

“I need you to put a barrier around Kye's apartment.” He explained why.

“Hell. All right, I'll come as soon as I can.”

“Use me as a touchstone. I'm glued to her until you get here.” Kasabian disconnected.

“So now we're going to be physically bonded as well.”

He felt a stirring at those words. “Just until Hayden gets there. Then we are staying away from each other.”

“Yeah, that doesn't seem to work very well, does it?” She wandered around the apartment, looking everywhere but at him. And that ended up being his computer monitor, which showed a satellite view of Miami.

Kasabian came up behind her. “I've been trying to find my father's compound through Google Earth. I know, a needle in a haystack.”

“Yeah, I understand. It's better than doing nothing.” She twisted her fingers together. “All I can think of are those children, and not being able to do something is driving me crazy.” She waved to the computer. “Go on, keep looking.”

She pulled up a chair a safe distance away and watched him find and then discount area after area. Finally, she said, “Oh, shoot. I've got to get home and feed my cat. I never hear the end of it if I'm late with his dinner.”

“Ruled by your cat, eh?”

“I'm
his
pet, actually. I never understood that until I got him, how there's some part of you that wants to please him, to earn that bit of affection he throws your way. He always seems happy when I come home, and he likes to snuggle. He's the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Kasabian loved her smile as she talked about her cat. He couldn't help but think,
And I'm the worst thing.
“Let me grab some things, and we will save you from a cat thrashing.”

He threw on a shirt, grabbed some clothes, and followed her to her apartment. On the way, they picked up Chinese food for dinner.

Kasabian had to keep from whistling when he walked into her apartment. Everything about Kye saturated the place, from the black carpet in the living area to the red sofa that looked as though it had come out of a bordello. Old horror movie posters adorned the walls, all professionally framed. The place was neat and comfortable and, yeah, sexy.

“You think I'm weird,” she said, setting her bag on the desk.

“The more I know about you, the more you fascinate me.” He purposely didn't look her way as he said that, instead focusing on an Andy Warhol–style painting of Frankenstein.

A black cat jumped up on the back of the sofa where Kye stood. “This is Vlad. I named him for the man who inspired Dracula because he's got huge incisors. Smile, Vlad.”

The cat meowed, and yes, he did have long-ass fangs. Kye stroked Vlad, her fingers and red nails contrasting with his dark fur.

“He's beautiful,” Kasabian said, finding his gaze moving to Kye's face.

“He was at the shelter. The guy working there said that people were freaked out about his fangs, afraid he'd be vicious. And the volunteer at the shelter said that black cats are usually the last to be adopted because people are still superstitious.” She picked up the cat and rubbed her cheek against his. “He's the sweetest thing ever, aren't you, lover kitty?”

Kasabian ached at the sight of her snuggling the cat and the affection he felt from her. The bond still allowed him to pick up her emotions. To divert his thoughts, he walked into the kitchen nook and set the bag of takeout food on the table. She fed the cat, then ducked into her room to change. When she emerged, she wore a white skirt and a red tank top. She washed her hands and got out utensils and plates.

He watched her eat, the way she deftly used the wooden chopsticks. Especially the way they slid in and out of her mouth. Her tongue flicked at a drop of soy sauce on her lip. She suddenly stopped and looked at him.

“You're making this a lot harder, eating like that.” He had to shift to accommodate what was getting physically harder.

“Eating like what? This is how I always eat Chinese.”

He couldn't help chuckling. She really had no idea. He opened the second package of chopsticks and broke them apart. “Allow me to demonstrate.” First, he mirrored what she'd been doing. “Maybe you'll understand better if I do this.” He slipped his tongue between them and drew it slowly up and down, thinking of the way his finger had slid between her folds. Her cheeks reddened, and she set her chopsticks down and picked up a fork. But the beast of desire had been woken. In him and in her.

He felt the glorious rush of it seductively twining inside him. “You seem to be enjoying the idea of my tongue moving up something that's much softer than these sticks.”

The mist churned in eyes that grew heavier with her lust. She squirmed in her seat and gave her shoulders a shake. “And you would know, having stuck your hand down my pants.”

He rode the wave of desire, giving in to the thrill of it. “Go ahead and sound indignant, but I know you enjoyed it. At first you felt a jolt of shock, but it changed to desire. You were wet, love, and I hadn't even touched you yet.”

She clamped her teeth on the edge of the fork. Her cheeks were getting even more red. “While you were warning me away. Telling me how dangerous it is for us to be together.” She squirmed again.

“And you see that I was right. That part of me is still saying it, way in the recesses of my soul. But the Shadow part wants you right here.” He unbuttoned his jeans and pulled the zipper down an inch. “Straddling me. Naked.” His cock throbbed for her. Now she shivered, but her struggle for control was clear on her face.
Good girl,
that distant, logical part of his brain said.

“Then you'll own me. You got control of the Shadow before. You can do it again.”

He gave her a grin he knew was devilish. “I don't want to gain control of it at the moment. Do you know how good it feels to lust for you without pain?” He tilted his head back and tunneled his fingers through his hair. “Kye, you can't imagine having repressed desire your whole life and then suddenly be able to feel it.” He met her gaze. “Or maybe you can.”

She drew her hand to her collarbone. “Too well. But I'm afraid to go…there with you. Your eyes are glittering black. I can feel the power of the Shadow, like the dangerous energy that comes off a wild animal just before it attacks.”

He turned his chair and stretched one leg toward her. “You're both afraid and turned on. Tell me, which is stronger?”

She took in the length of his leg, as though it were a barrier to escaping. A sheen of perspiration created a dewy glow on her face. “Unbutton your shirt.”

He arched an eyebrow but complied with her command. Mmm, where was she going? “As you wish.”

Those words seem to fire her even more. “Unzip your jeans.” So did the sight of his erection straining past the top of his blue briefs. She seemed to force her gaze up to his chest. “You have no tan lines. I noticed that when you were taking a shower.”

“I Leap up to the roof. There's a private spot where I can grab some sun in an unrestricted way.” He shrugged. “It's my one small vanity.” He hitched his fingers over the waistband of his jeans. “Shall I take these off, too?”

Her pupils dilated. “No! I mean, it's not necessary. Just sit back and relax.”

He felt the most curious sensation, like a magic glove wrapping around his cock. A glove with a thousand electrical points that sent a wave of heat and…hell, he didn't know how to describe it. Other than amazing, incredible, and yes, magick. Now
he
was squirming.

“What in all that's decadent is
that
?” he ground out, trying to control his physical reaction.

“Sex magick.” She tilted her head, a deliciously coy smile on her face. “Is it working?”

“Gods, yes.” He shoved his jeans and briefs down and gripped his cock. “Why are you tormenting me? I'm already on the edge.”

“I'm not tormenting you.” The sensations increased, and so did her smile. “I'm protecting myself. If you get release, you won't be so scary. And obviously you need release.”

His body bucked. “Holy Zensu.”

“It's not actually Zensu magick. All Deuces have sex magick,” she said, before continuing to torture him.

He arched in his seat as pleasure pushed him closer to the edge. And she watched, wisely using her magick from a safe distance. Maybe it would work. Except as he let out a hoarse moan and brought his hand down as the orgasm seized him, he could feel her desire as much as his own. Hell. He didn't think this was going to work.

He threw his head back and shuddered. Gods, it had been forever since he'd come. He felt her magick rolling through his body as viscerally as if she were physically touching him.

When he drifted back to himself, he caught her gaze riveted on his hand gripping his stiff cock. Her eyes were as heated as his own. With a small gasp, she met his gaze and her cheeks reddened even more.

“Watching you come was…” She shifted her gaze away. “Interesting.”

When she looked back, he was zipping his jeans.

“Interesting like, weird, ew, yuck? Or interesting like mmm, watching someone else get off makes me want to get off, too?” He already knew the answer, but he wanted her to say it.

“Yeah, more like the latter. Not that I want…that I need…”

He approached her. “I think you do want. And need. I can help you.”

She furrowed her eyebrows, but he saw a spark of desire in her eyes. “How?”

He wiggled his fingers. “The old-fashioned way.”

She licked her lips. Flicked her gaze to the kitchen. A lovely pink glow flushed along her cheeks. Finally she met his eyes. “Okay, but this is about release, not sex. No kissing or making love in any way that will get out of control, right?”

Even though he'd gotten off, he still craved more of her. But he would stick to their agreement. “Just that.”

“All right. Then we can get this blasted desire out of our systems.”

“Yeah, sure we can.” Let her think that. Because he wasn't going to let her leave this table without experiencing the pleasure of letting go. “Unbutton your shirt.”

She arched an eyebrow at him.

He shrugged. “Just a suggestion.”

“And no watching.”

“You liked watching me come.”

“It's too embarrassing. Too personal. Promise me.”

Damn. She was invoking the promise. “I promise to keep my eyes closed. Under duress. Now, relax.”

She was wound up tighter than a coil, her fingers linked in her lap. If he had his magick, he would wave his hands over her. So, he'd have to do it the Mundane way. He came up behind her and started slowly rubbing her shoulders. Her body obeyed, sagging back against the chair. Her eyes drifted closed. She trusted him. Silly girl. But something deep in him wanted to earn that trust.

His hands moved down her arms, his thumbs grazing the edge of her breasts. Her bra was thin so that he felt her curves and saw her nipples tighten. Damn, he wanted to touch those beautiful mounds. Leaning forward put his cheek next to hers, and it was all he could do not to kiss the creamy length of her neck.

He restrained himself and moved his hand down to her wrists. Damn, it was hard to make this just about release. Sure, she wanted it to sound clinical, like something she would tell her clients to do. He wasn't going to let her get away with that.

Kasabian came around and knelt in front of her. He ran his hands from her ankles up to her thighs beneath the skirt, this time letting his thumbs trail along the sensitive skin of her inner thighs. Every time he stroked up and down, he got a little closer to her apex. She tilted her hips up and let out a soft breath. Oh, yeah, she was aroused.

“Spread your legs, love,” he whispered.

As she did, he pushed her skirt up to her hips. He moved his hand over her sex, cupping it gently. She pressed against his palm, and her mouth was turned up in a soft smile. He lightly ran his nails across the silky fabric over her nub, and her breath hitched.