Betrayal (8 page)

CHAPTER TEN

Cyn woke with a start when his computer beeped. Groggy, he rolled over and saw Kieran’s face on his computer screen. By the shadows of trees behind him, it looked like his brother was still outdoors.

“Hey, I got some information.”

He sat up and shoved his hair out of his face, annoyed. He forgot to get it cut, again. Cyn motioned at the computer monitor for Kieran to continue. “The security shields are in place.”

“The demons discovered the droid and disabled him. But the other spy is still active.” Kieran paused, “Roderick is alive.”

Cyn jumped out of the bed and stared at Kieran’s image. “No shit! We have to get in there and get him out before they kill him.”

Kieran nodded. “I agree brother. I’m coming back home from Louisiana. Meet me at my house. I‘m headed there now. See you in about an hour.”

Cyn glanced at the time on the computer screen. “See you soon.”

After a fast shower, Cyn got dressed and went to wake up Emma. He walked in to find her bed empty.

Hearing her, he turned to see her come out of the bathroom. Preoccupied with wrapping a towel around her, she wasn’t aware of his presence. He waited for her to notice him, but she never looked up and ran right into his chest.

She jumped back startled.

“I-I was about to get dressed and come find you,” she stuttered.

She’d combed her hair back away from her face.

Nothing hindered his view.

She was so beautiful
.

His body reacted.

He saw the same heat reflected when their eyes met. “We leave in thirty minutes. Would you like something to eat?”

Emma nodded, her eyes never leaving his face.

“Ah hell.” He moved toward her, unable to stop himself from reaching for her.

When his lips covered hers, she sighed and wrapped her arms around his waist. He wished they had more time.

These would be their last few minutes alone.

She felt so damn perfect in his arms.

Just a few minutes
. If he could just spend a few more minutes with her, maybe he could calm the searing need that nearly had him trembling.

No, they didn’t have time.

She was dangerous. He couldn’t form coherent thoughts around her. It shouldn’t be this hard to walk away. The urge to be with her was too strong, like a tangible thing. It was new for him to not be in complete control and he didn’t like it.

Emma’s hand touched the side of his face and she looked into his eyes. She spoke his thoughts, “Can’t we be together one more time, Cyn?”

He couldn’t deny her.

He groaned, and gave in to desire.

Impatiently, he yanked his pants off, and his erection sprung free. He tugged away her towel, baring every inch of her in one fell swoop. He lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He carried her to the bed and sat with her on his lap, so she straddled him.

“Ride me Emma,” he told her. “Hurry love, we don’t have much time.” He lifted her by the hips and pushed up into her. Emma drew a sharp intake of breath as he filled her heated moist center.

She leaned forward and placed her hands on his shoulders and looked at him, her pretty face puzzled. Had she never done this before?

Emma frowned and bit her lip as she peered down to where they were joined. She raised her hips and when he began to slide out of her, she pushed back down. Hissing in pleasure, he was mesmerized at the sight of her above him. The feel of her snug heat made him buck under her.

Cyn shuddered as she pushed him back onto the bed and began to rock her hips up and down in a steady rhythm. He kept his hands on her hips — in heaven, but allowing her to set the pace. At first, her movements were slow but as she neared climax, her tempo increased. The sound of flesh hitting flesh and their moans filled the room.

Cyn teetered near the edge. Through half-closed eyes, he watched Emma. She was enticing, her eyes closed, lips curved into a sensual smile.

When she shuddered and fell against him, Cyn held her in place and continued to drive in and out of her. Not able to hold back long, he held her against his chest and rode the wave of completion.

She lay on his chest for a few moments. When their eyes met, he glimpsed a flicker of unguarded emotion.

He kissed her. She didn’t kiss him back.

The moment was over. He could literally feel her pull away from him and reassemble her walls. When he slipped out of her, Emma got off the bed without a word. She donned her bra and top before shimming into her jeans. The entire time she kept her eyes averted.

He wondered why she acted so uneasy after making love. Something about intimacy bothered her. He decided not to ask, as it didn’t matter. After they rescued Roderick, he would never see her again. He threw his clothes back on.

“I’ll be in the kitchen,” Cyn called as she turned toward the bathroom. “We leave in ten minutes.”

# # #

Cyn sat at the kitchen table drinking coffee. Why did Emma distance herself from him after making love? His bite may have frightened her. He definitely shouldn’t have bitten her. Not once had he ever bitten a woman during lovemaking. He wasn’t sure what came over him that drew him to do that. Perhaps she feared him still.

No, she had most definitely enjoyed sex with him. And he hadn’t bitten her this morning. Emma was an enthusiastic lover. When she walked into the kitchen a few minutes later, she looked away when their eyes met. She dropped her bag onto a chair before going to the counter to pour a cup of coffee. Inexplicably, it troubled him to see her so subdued.

Cyn held out a bagel to her that he’d already buttered.

“Thank you,” she muttered as she took the bagel and bit into it.

“Are you alright?” he asked before downing the last of his coffee.

“Great, why do you ask?” She raised her eyes to his as if daring him to say something.

What the hell do I say now?

They stared at each other not moving, it seemed that neither of them were sure what to say or do next.

Finally, he decided it was best to just avoid the conversation. “We better go.” He walked past her out of the kitchen.

Emma’s changing moods intrigued him. Everything about her called to him.

Watch your back
. Kieran’s words came back into his head. Could this all be a ploy?

Her stance was rigid when he picked up the strap to blindfold her. Cyn almost changed his mind, but he could not risk her knowing the location of the house. He had to consider Blue’s safety. He tied the blindfold and took her by the arm leading her to the garage. “Sorry, I have to take precautions.”

“Of course,” Emma replied, her voice flat.

# # #

They rode the motorcycle to the outskirts of Atlanta before Cyn stopped to remove her blindfold. Once she donned the helmet again, they rode on.

When they finally stopped outside an old white farmhouse, Emma looked around puzzled.

The old two-story, though in dire need of new paint, stood proud against the darkening background of tall pines. Several of its shutters clung in desperation to the weathered boards flanking the sides of the windows. One fallen victim leaned haphazardly against the house on the wide front porch.

Cyn drove around to a square dirt patch in the back of the house and helped her dismount. She took the helmet off and stepped back, careful not to brush against the bulky silver Harley Cruiser already parked there.

The arc of Cyn’s long leg sweeping over and off of the bike was a graceful thing to watch but her appreciation came to an abrupt end when he motioned to the ground next to her feet. “Can you grab that piece of wood for me?”

She handed him the square block of wood that he slid under the kickstand to keep the bike upright on the ground.

“This is my brother’s place,” Cyn told her looking up at the farmhouse.

The back of the house wasn’t in much better shape than the front. The door to a screened-in porch hung at such an awkward angle it couldn’t even close. The obvious cause behind the constant creaking of the rusty hinges as it opened and closed in the breeze.

Cyn noticed her raised eyebrows. “Kieran’s not much into home improvements.”

That was a huge understatement.

Emma followed closely behind him and scanned the area, feeling ill at ease. She sensed the other Protector as soon as they got to the rickety back door and stepped onto the porch.

Emma’s hand shook as she risked steadying herself on the doorframe. What if his brother could sense her demon nature? She held onto the fact that the spell star to camouflage her true identity had worked so far.

Without knocking, they stepped into a stunning modern and enormous kitchen that looked to double as a meeting room of sorts. An oversized oak table in the center of the room surrounded by six leather executive style chairs filled the room.

A stainless steel side-by-side refrigerator and stove lined one wall, along with a microwave and dishwasher. On the adjoining wall, there was a large farm style sink which was surrounded by a tan and rust speckled granite counter. A computer and coffee maker rested side by side. She made special note of the steaming cup of coffee, cell phone, gun, and sword that lay near the computer.

The dense tree line surrounding the house could be viewed from the large picture window on the wall opposite the sink.

Emma moved behind Cyn when two men walked into the kitchen.

The first man to enter had to be Kieran, Cyn’s brother. He was as tall as Cyn and had the same golden hair. But unlike Cyn, Kieran’s hair just reached his shoulders. The Protector was leaner than Cyn with the clearest green eyes Emma had ever seen. They were almost transparent. His demeanor was harsh.  He spared her one brief glance before lifting his chin at his brother in greeting. Like Cyn, Kieran was handsome, but more intense and aloof.

The other man, also a Protector, had just arrived. He wore a heavy coat and his sword hung prominently across his back. This male was exotic with caramel skin and luminescent gray eyes. A bit shorter than the brothers, the Protector had a strong jaw and a broad muscular chest. Under his unbuttoned leather coat, his gray t-shirt stretched across his well-formed pecks. The man sported the same feral look about him that was second nature to Protectors. He wore his midnight black tresses braided down his back.  More hostile than Kieran, this Protector took his time to eye her with distaste, his lip curled all the while. Cyn approached the intimidating Protector and put his hand on his shoulder.

“Rowe. It’s been awhile.”

Rowe returned the gesture and gave Cyn a pointed look, his expression solemn. “If Roderick’s alive, we’ll get him.” His deep voice coated in middle-eastern accent.

Cyn turned and motioned toward Emma, who tried to stay behind him as much as possible. “This is Emma.”

“Emma this is Rowe and my brother Kit,” he told her as he motioned toward each in turn.

Kit? Cyn’s nickname for his brother didn’t fit the somber man. When Kieran glared at Cyn, his nostrils flaring, she understood why he disclosed it.

Kieran’s eyes snapped to her and Emma swallowed hard. She was surprised when he relaxed and gave her a subtle nod. Rowe ignored her.

“We won’t eat you lass. Sit down, have some coffee.” Kieran had managed to maintain more of his Scottish accent while still sounding remarkably like his brother. The familiarity halfway assured that she was safe from Kieran. However, she wasn’t so sure about Rowe.

Kieran went to the coffee pot and topped off his cup. Cyn shook his head, flashing a crooked smile at his brother. “Kit is addicted to coffee. If he goes any length of time without it, he loses his mind.”

The Scot disregarded his brother’s comment and gestured at a map spread out on the table. The mood in the room changed when men stood around the table and studied the map. Kieran circled areas with his finger and briefed them about the newest information on the location of the demon compound.

Emma moved to stand by Cyn. Without taking his eyes away from the map, he motioned for her to take a seat. Too uneasy to sit, she remained standing.

“We know the demons are in this area, our droid sent general coordinates, but it was discovered before we could confirm an exact location. This area does make the most sense. Demons have to stay close enough to the city so they can get there, have their fun and be back under ground by daylight.” Kieran indicated a large circle around the city center. “They also have to be far enough out of the city so they can hide and keep their human followers.”

Cyn addressed her, “As you saw when you were there, they keep humans to feed from. Most of the humans are there voluntarily. They serve as food for the older demons which may be too old or weak to hunt. Humans are also used to train the young ones how to feed.”

Repulsed, Emma shuddered. She’d never felt the urge to feed from a human or demon for that matter. Being a half-demon meant that she didn’t need blood to live. Even most of the full-blooded demons she’d run across sought to blend in with humans and got their blood from demon-owned blood banks. Before her encounter with Gerard, that is.