Fallen Darkness (The Trihune Series Book 2) (24 page)

Chapter 50

Kate paused. Lucas waited outside her room. Waiting wasn’t really the right word. He paced. His hands were in constant motion. Running through his hair. Across his eyebrow. Up and down his forearms.

When he noticed her he stopped pacing, but his head continued moving like he was listening to music and his arms swayed in a wide arc from behind to in front of him.

She stopped a few feet away. “What’s the matter with you?”

His whole body froze. “Huh? What?”

Kate cocked her head. If she didn’t know better, she’d think— “Are you on something?”

His demeanor changed instantly. His shoulders pushed back, spine stiffened, whatever emotion playing on his face when she walked up vanished. “I’m not on anything,” he said quickly, the words tripping over themselves.

She frowned, rubbed her forehead. Martha had worked her hard today, standing near him was making her nervous. She probably smelled. Kate took a step back.

Lucas’s gaze trailed the movement. Now he was frowning. “I wondered if you wanted to catch that movie, but if you’re . . .”

She didn’t have many nights left at the HQ. “Okay,” she said before she could talk herself out of it.

He’d started to turn toward his room, but now swiveled back, expression hopeful, eyes wide. “Okay?”

She nodded. “I want to shower first. Meet you there?”

He bounced from foot to foot, smile wide, arms swinging again. “I’ll get things set up.”

Ten minutes later she walked into the Entertainment Room. She’d cleaned this room before. Her gaze slowly trailed over the large flat screen, the multiple gaming systems, a computer with three screens—which seemed excessive to her—and a bunch of other electronic-looking stuff she didn’t even know the names of let alone what it did. Kate was surrounded by hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not more, and just last month she only had enough money to buy a jar of peanut butter. How fast her life had changed.

Soon it would change back. Not easily. It’d be hard to go back to living in poverty. But it wouldn’t be for long. Once she found Stacy she’d get a job. They’d never live in a place this extravagant. Though, maybe one day she’d own a TV. And if Stacy went to college, Kate would find a way to get her a computer.

“Do you want action, drama, or comedy?” Lucas asked. He was at her side, holding out three DVDs.

She hadn’t seen any of the movies he was holding.

Hangover III
. She never had a hangover. Rarely even drank.

The second one featured a boy and a girl in an embrace on the cover. Too close to what she and Lucas had done against his bedroom wall.

She quickly pointed to the one on the left without reading the title.

“
The Wolverine
. Good choice.”

The cover was of a man holding extremely large knives. Perfect. In no way could it lead to thoughts of Lucas and his bedroom.

Kate settled on the couch while he started the movie. He handed her a bowl of popcorn then jogged over to the door. The room plunged into darkness just as a preview erupted across the screen, bathing the place in light.

He sat next to her. On his own cushion. None of their body parts touched.

So why did it feel like they were? Her heart sped up.

“This okay?” he asked softly.

She turned and stilled, breath catching, staring into his eyes until a loud bomb blew up on the screen and she jumped.

“It’s fine,” she managed, swiveling back to the screen.

Quick think of something else.

When was the last time she watched a movie? Probably when she was a kid. In the group home, Fridays were Disney movie day.

Twenty minutes into the movie she sort of managed to forget Lucas was next to her. It helped that the guy with the knife hands was pretty hot.

“The popcorn is for eating you know.” Lucas leaned close to grab a handful.

She’d forgotten the bowl was there. Popping a couple in her mouth, she moaned. “Oh my God, this tastes awesome.” Just the right amount of butter and salt.

Lucas laughed, reaching for more. They fell silent. The room filled with sounds from the movie and their chewing. Kate found herself glancing at Lucas out of the corner of her eye.

The lights from the movie played over his face, sometimes highlighting his eyes, sometimes his cheeks, and sometimes his mouth. Heat that had slowly cooled since the start of the movie rose again, seeming to burn even hotter. Her grip tightened on the bowl.

Focus on the movie. Don’t even think it.

She couldn’t. It would end in disaster. Possibly death.

That should douse her lust.

So why didn’t it?

The conversation she had with Emma suddenly popped into her head. The woman knew without a doubt that she loved Cade. Had changed her whole life for him. Sure there were kinks to work out, but Emma knew leaving wasn’t an option.

Would Kate ever feel that way?

She glanced at Lucas. He was watching her, eyebrows furrowed.

“What’s wrong? Don’t like the movie? I can change it.”

She shook her head, not trusting herself to speak. Her throat was tight all of a sudden and she was afraid she’d burst into tears at any moment. With two hands, she set the bowl on the table next to the couch, rested her fists on her thighs.

If she planned it right, she wouldn’t kill him. Just a graze was all she needed.

It was a dark part of the show. Light had faded from the room. His silhouette was all she could see.

“Kate?”

Do it fast.
It’d be okay. She wouldn’t kill him. Just a quick sweep.

Kate lifted her head, leaned forward, and brushed her lips across his cheek.

Chapter 51

Kate felt three things before the vision pulled her in.

Lucas stiffened.

The stubble on his cheek grated against her soft lips.

Heat bloomed in her body.

Then the room vanished.

The sun was setting. Lucas stood in front of it wearing a weird looking suit. The brown coat went almost to his knees. A matching hat was perched on top of his head. The white triangular collar of his shirt, flipped up under his chin. His facial hair, comparable to the actor in the movie they were watching.

He stood next to Gabe, wearing a similar outfit, in the middle of a street. A Saloon sign hung from an overhang just behind Gabe’s shoulder. Two horses were tied to wooden posts in front of the General Store. The street was made of dirt. Everything seemed dirty. Women wore long dresses. Men were in outfits like Lucas’s. No jeans. No tennis shoes. No cars. No pavement.

“Can you pinpoint where it’s coming from?” Gabe asked.

Kate turned, followed Gabe’s gaze to Lucas. Then stiffened as emotions rolled in. From all directions. She bent forward. Air burst from her mouth, emptying her lungs.

Where was this coming from? This wasn’t just what Lucas was feeling. She couldn’t even tell what he was feeling.

Hands covering her ears, she tried to block it out. It was so loud. But the noises were coming from inside her.

She was back in the Entertainment Room. Lucas’s hands were on her upper arms. He was talking, but she couldn’t hear him. The noise in her head was still there. It was too much. Anger. Worry. Love. Guilt. Triumph. Greed. Hunger. Regret.

Surrender.

Sacrifice.

Too much. She rubbed her chest. Her heart ached. With pain, love, happiness, or sorrow? Which one was it? Which one should she deal with first?

She buried her face in her hands, realized she was crying. Heard the half sobs, half gasps escaping from her mouth. It was hard to breathe. Where was the air?

“Kate.” Finally Lucas’s voice came through.

Twisting, she threw her arms around him. Crawled onto his lap.

Her body wouldn’t stop shaking. She gripped him tighter. Focused on Lucas’s strong arms round her. His hand rubbed her back. He was speaking. She could hear his voice but not process the words.

The buzz in her head slowly subsided. Her sobs slowed. Tears faded to a slow trickle that made her cheeks itch. The curve of Lucas’s neck where her head rested was damp.

She froze.

Lucas did as well. “What is it?”

She moved a fraction of an inch and placed her lips upon the skin of Lucas’s neck, where her nose had been pressed moments before.

He inhaled sharply, didn’t move.

Kate was holding her breath, too. One second passed. Two. A third. She was still here. No memory.

She rose, met Lucas’s wide eyes. Lifted a hand to touch his cheek. Her gloves were still on. A small noise in the back of her throat escaped. She pulled at the tips of her gloves, tugged to get it off.

The other one.

No. That was stuck, too.

Her heart pounded. What if the moment disappeared? What if in five minutes the effect wore off?

“Easy, easy.” Lucas trapped both of her hands between his.

“I want my gloves off.” Her voice was high, panicked.

Hurry. Hurry.

She lifted her gaze. Met his. Stilled.

Lucas slowly pulled up the sleeves of her shirt. He gripped the end of the glove on her right hand. Peeled the pleather off of her hand in one slow move. Her heart was still pounding but for a different reason now. Lips parted as her breathing increased. Heat stirred deep within her as he moved to the other arm.

Then both of her hands were free. She clenched and unclenched her fingers. The skin stark white. A severe contrast to the black gloves. Her hands were damp. She wiped them on her shirt. Wanted to wash them before touching him. Make them worthy of touching. But the niggling worry was still there. The moment might fade. She lifted her hands. They were shaking.

Lucas held perfectly still. Breaths escaped from his mouth in quick succession and were warm across her face. She was an inch away. Her eyes bounced from her hands to his cheeks.

“What if it doesn’t work?” Lucas asked softly.

Her gaze flitted to his. She paused. He was right. She didn’t know for sure. She might kill him. Her shoulders slumped, hands fell into her lap. What was she thinking? Tears pricked her eyes.

“I don’t want you to be in anymore pain,” he said.

She shook her head. “I could kill you.”

His eyebrows furrowed. “No, Kate. I don’t think you could.”

“You don’t know that.” It was taking all of her strength to keep the tears in.

“I do.” He laid his palm against her cheek.

She gasped.

He immediately sat back. “What? Is it another vision?”

Kate rocked forward, pressed her bare hands against his cheeks. She moaned. The pads of her fingertips brushed the soft skin underneath his eyes. His rough stubble grazed against her palms. There was no stopping or slowing now.

Her fingers trailed over his forehead. Her thumbs ran down his closed eyelids, his nose, lips. She traced his lips. Again. Wanted to lean in and kiss him, but wanted to touch more.

Heat swirled in her belly. Hotter than before.

“Take your shirt off.” The words rushed out. He took too long to respond. Her hands dove under the soft fabric. Stroked the ridges of his abdomen. Fingers played with the light sprinkle of hair on his chest. Thumbs ran over his nipples. Paused. Did it again. She had to see what she was touching.

Kate tugged at the shirt. Dragged her gaze up to meet his.

Lucas’s eyes burned blue, brighter than she’d ever seen before.

Chapter 52

Sweet Creator.

Lucas ripped off his shirt.

Kate gasped, her gaze lowering to his uncovered chest, lids falling half closed. A second later her hands were all over him.

He’d never seen anything so sexy before. Had never been so afraid to lose control, afraid he’d move too fast and scare her. Her hips moved in a slow thrust against his pelvis. He didn’t think she was even aware, but he could barely concentrate on anything else.

“Red,” she said on a breath. Her hands seemed to have multiplied and were touching every inch of his chest leaving his nerve endings wanting more, tingling with need.

“Huh?”

“Your tattoo. It’s bright red.”

“Forget the red.” He grabbed her hips, thrusted up.

She inhaled sharply. Her hands clutched his biceps. Short nails dug into his skin, making him moan. Her eyes flashed to his, held. His Behn gaze brought everything in greater focus and his need intensified. Fangs burned to come out.

Recently moistened, plump, pink lips were parted slightly. Her smoldering brown gaze, always so full of caution, was trusting, pupils large with her own excitement. Soft breaths escaped her mouth and fanned across his face like a gentle welcoming breeze. Her cheeks, pink from arousal, only peaked his own. Tiny pieces of hair, still damp from her shower, curled around her head, framing her face.

Her tongue darted out, wetted her lips. “I want . . .” She panted with each thrust of his hips. “I want.”

“I want, too,” he whispered, letting go of her hips, to cup her cheeks.

Kate stiffened. He did the same, interpreting the changes in her expression. Fear. Confusion. Wonder. Delight.

He pulled her closer. Their lips inches apart. “I want to peel off your clothes one at a time,” he said softly. “Caress you with my hands. Taste every inch of your body with my mouth. Lavish each revealed piece of skin, giving it the attention it’s deserved your whole life.”

She opened her mouth, lower lip trembling, eyes shining. Her mouth closed, opened again. “Yes,” she said, her voice shaking.

Lucas didn’t move. “I’ll stop whenever you want. Just say the word.” He searched for any other hesitation or worry.

A slow nod. Her tongue darted out to wet her lips. Gaze fell and stayed on his mouth.

Another inch forward. Just a flick of his tongue and he’d be at her mouth. His cock already stretched painfully against his slacks. Kate’s heat was driving him crazy. A low growl escaped. Her eyes widened, flashed to meet his.

“Okay?”

“Yes.”

Her hands ran the length of his bicep, up and down, made it difficult to move slowly, give her time to change her mind. But this was Kate. He’d do anything for her.

He pressed his lips against hers.

She stilled.

Again, he did the same. Moved back a breath. “More?”

Instead of answering, she leaned forward and pushed her mouth against his. He let her set the pace. Her movements were stilted, unsure, and slowly torturing him. Hands still cupping her cheeks, he tilted her head to show her. When she got the hang of it, alarmingly fast, he opened his mouth and flicked his tongue against her lips. He groaned. Apples. Not only was it seeping from her pores, but it was on her skin as well.

Her tongue hesitantly swept across his bottom lip. He moaned to encourage her and because it felt so damn good. She did it again.

He darted his tongue out to meet hers. She stiffened, a breath pushing out of her lips.

“Good?” he breathed.

She gave a half-moan, half-yes answer. Then her hands cupped the sides of his face and she pulled him across the short distance to attack his mouth.

Lucas caught up fast. His hands fell, gripped her hips. Squeezed.

Her tongue danced faster against his. Her hips moved quicker, thrust harder. He helped.

She groaned loudly as an orgasm shook her body. He ran his mouth along her jawline, her cheek, earlobe.

She grew limp in his arms. Rested her forehead against his. Soft, warm breaths fell across his lips, his own mingled with hers.

“That was . . . that was.”

“Not even remotely the first orgasm you’ll have tonight.”

Her head lifted, eyes widened.

He leaned in for a hard, fast kiss, before cupping her bottom and standing.

She didn’t question, just wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his hips. Her fingers swirled across the back of his neck, trailing over his shoulders. Her touch was mesmerizing, intoxicating, and his almost bursting cock thickened more.

He was out of the Entertainment Room and in his own bedroom in five steps. Her hands ran over his chest as she slid to the ground. He kicked the door closed and walked her backward to the bed, stopping when the back of her knees hit it. His hands played with the edges of her shirt. One finger brushed across the skin of her lower belly. She stiffened, her eyes large again, but not just with excitement and passion.

Lucas stopped immediately. He pressed her hands against his chest, covered them with his own. The pads of his thumbs ran over the silky smooth, practically untouched, skin on the back of her hand. “As slow as you want,” he reminded her. “Stop at any time.”

She swallowed, nodded.

His gaze ran over her face, studying her expression again. This wasn’t just first time nerves. He inhaled sharply. His eyes flashed bright. Fangs burst from his gums so fast he didn’t have time to think of holding them back.

Kate gasped.

Though she made no move to get away, Lucas dropped her hands and stepped away. His hands clenched into fists at his side and he lowered his head. Someone had hurt Kate. His Kate.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

Forget it for now. Don’t ruin this moment. Question her later then go find the bastard and kill him.

His lips were moving before he could stop himself. “Did someone force you, Kate?” His voice was gravelly from speaking between the fangs, but she understood him.

The rosy color in her cheeks, the glow he’d brought there, leeched out. She stepped back, but the bed was directly behind her and she began to fall instead. Lucas grabbed her hands, helped her sit, before kneeling in front of her.

He let go of her hands. It was the hardest thing he’d ever done, but he wanted to give her space. Show her he wasn’t the same as that scum.

Her head was down, hair falling forward. His unsteady finger tilted her chin up. “Talk to me.”

Her eyes met his before lowering to his fangs. Her heart raced. Breaths matching, so fast he was afraid she was going to pass out.

“Don’t be afraid. He can’t hurt you anymore. I’ll protect you.” He’d kill the bastard.

She stared at him, chest still rising and falling rapidly. A look he couldn’t read crossed over her face. Her breathing slowed. Tears filled her eyes, two slipping down her cheeks.

He caught them with his thumb. “What is it?”

She opened her mouth, closed it, wet her lips, and tried again. Her voice was barely a whisper. “He’s dead.”

He was confused and disappointed for only a moment. His gaze flashed to hers, held. Fear was still evident in her brown eyes, but she wasn’t scared the
zakaar
was coming for her. “You killed him,” he said softly.

More tears dislodged. He caught those, too.

“I didn’t even know it was possible. He’d ripped my shirt off, started touching—” She shuddered.

A growl rumbled in Lucas’s throat.

“I was pulled into a vision.” She half swallowed a sob. “So many girls he’d hurt. I knew what he was going to do to me. Saw what he’d done in the past. I was so scared. Then so angry. I told him I was going to tell. He laughed. Said no one would believe me. I was nothing. Even my parents didn’t want me. I didn’t think. Just pulled off my gloves. Pressed my bare hands against his chest. To see more. Get evidence. Fear and pain tore through me. All from his victims. He gasped and I suddenly knew he was seeing and feeling what I was.

“I’ve never been able to let go in a vision, not by myself, and at that moment, I didn’t want to. When the vision ended, he was still on top of me, shaking. He started to get off. I followed. Held on. Until he was on the ground and I was over him. I didn’t let go until his body was still.” She fell silent. Her gaze bounced from Lucas to the wall. Lucas. The floor. Her lower lip trembled and she caught it between her teeth.

“I’m glad.”

Her eyebrows drew down.

“You protected yourself. There’s nothing wrong with that.”

She shook her head.

Lucas clasped her hands, ran his thumb across the smooth skin. “I wish I could take that from you. All the bad things that happened to you. You deserve to be showered with love and gifts on a daily basis.” He wanted to be the one to do it.

It might be too soon, but he couldn’t hold back any longer. He just had to touch her. Gently, he brushed the hair back from her face, trailed his fingers over her cheek. She closed her eyes, tilted her head into his palm.

“We don’t have to do anything.”

A line formed in the middle of her forehead.

“I’d be happy just to hold you all day long.” He gazed at his pillows, sheets. She couldn’t lie on his bed. Anything she touched would give her a vision. What had he been thinking? He stood, pulled her with him. Started for the door, but was jerked to a stop.

“You gave me a promise.”

“I’ll protect you, Kate. With my life.” He reached for her other hand. “But you’re strong. You’ve overcome so many things in your life. No one stands a chance against you.” Happiness then sadness ran through him. He glanced at their joined hands. He shouldn’t be able to get a reading tonight. Not after what he did earlier.

“That’s not the promise I’m talking about.”

What other promise had he given her?

She tugged and he stepped closer. Another tug and there was only a whisper of air between them. Kate stretched on tiptoes. They were eye level now. Her hands clasped behind his neck. She leaned until her body rested on his.

His heart began to thrum. Urges rose. He wouldn’t scare her. Never. But the way she was looking at his mouth made it difficult to hold still. Her eyes slowly trailed up to meet his.

She licked her lips.

His cock twitched.

“You promised me more orgasms.”