Bound by Magick 4-in-1 Box Set (Pentacles of Magick) (9 page)

“You ready to go or do you need some time to take care of
something?” Her breathless voice stilled his thoughts. Her attempt at sarcasm
fell flat, betrayed by her lust filled eyes and obvious struggle for even
breathing. It was nice to know she was as affected as he was. His mouth
twitched in amusement, making it damn difficult to keep a straight face.

“Ready when you are, babe.” Oh yeah, he was ready all right.
Ready to bend her over the motorcycle right there and now and bury himself in
her wet, tight heat. Fuck them both senseless until whatever trouble his magick
sensed was brewing blew over. He reached down to shift the position of his
cock, as the pain from his zipper digging into his now fully engorged shaft was
killing him.

He donned his helmet and wrapped one of his arms around her
waist, forcing them tight together. There would be no denying his arousal. No
problem, he mused, let's see how she handles this.

“Let's go, Selene. Show me what you've got.”

Her beast of a bike roared underneath them as she shot
toward the open highway, spewing gravel behind her. Under his hand her body
heated. Not hot, but a subtle sensation like a warm shower on a cold night.
Like him, it felt good to ride. Free and easy on the open road, and obviously
her fire starting abilities were linked with her emotions. It seemed any surge
in feeling such as anger, lust or the myriad of other possibilities heated her.
So far anger had been destructive and happiness was comforting. He imagined her
in lust, her pleasure. Would her body heat up when he fucked her? Would she
warm his pistoning cock as he brought her to climax over and over again?

He sighed. This was going to be a long ride.

Selene looked at the sign announcing the miles to Boston and
calculated if she pushed her bike hard she could have them in the city before
midnight. Night had fallen a few hours ago and the constant press of his body
against hers had her itchy and restless. She didn't even need to look at his
face to know he probably needed a break as well. The tension in his hard body
against her had been vibrating around them both for hours.

Spying an advertisement for gas at the next exit, she made a
decision to stop and take a break. She just needed a little breathing room, not
to mention gas for her bike. Maybe some food would help them both. Or some ice
cold water to cool them down. She shook her head, laughing at herself. She
sounded like a desperate woman about to die if she didn't get a break from this
man.

Since when did she let men get to her like that? Thanks to
her battery-operated friend she didn't even need one very often. After the last
betrayal from the one man she had trusted, she'd not let another one get even
close. That was one mistake she still ran from every day. He would never be
satisfied until he caught her. It seemed every time he caught up with her
lately, it was sooner than the last. The most recent incident she'd barely
managed to get out in time. Innocents had been injured. The memory rode her
every time she tried to sleep.

“Hey, Selene. What's wrong?” His urgent question startled
her from her thoughts as she realized she hadn't been paying attention to her
emotions. Her arms had grown brighter and she was getting pretty hot. “Whatever
you’re doing stop it. You're burning me.”

Not wanting to wait any longer, she pulled the bike off the
road onto the dirt and grass just behind a tree. A good a spot as any to rest,
right next to the highway but out of sight of passersby.

Before she came to a stop Cash bounced off the bike, ripping
off his helmet. “Damn, woman, what the hell are you doing?” He ripped open his
shirt to reveal reddened skin on his lower abdomen. Right where he'd been
pressed up against her on the bike.

“Jesus, I'm sorry. I didn't realize…”

“You didn't feel the heat burning the hell out of me? Are
you kidding? Look at me.”

She looked at him all right. Smooth, muscular chest with
just a fine sprinkling of dark hair that narrowed into a trail that disappeared
below the waistband of his pants. She licked her lips at the thought of the
flesh hidden there. Most of the ride she had felt the hard imprint of his cock
pressing between the cheeks of her ass, driving her mad. It had taken every
ounce of willpower not to wiggle back against him.

It had been a while since she’d been with a man, and even
longer since it had been good. Maybe that's why a prime specimen such as him
had her on an erotic edge, fighting the fall.

“Can't you control your power? And why are you looking at me
like that? Don't do that.” He took several steps closer as he spoke. The sharp
sounds of sticks and leaves crunched under his boots. “You keep looking at me
like that and I will take what I want.”

Her mouth went dry as he moved toward her almost in a
surreal slow motion. The air between them alternately heated and cooled. Heat
from her and a cool breeze from him? How was that possible?

Despite the cool air her flesh heated further, her body
tight in her own skin. She needed to run away as much as she craved his touch.
She shouldn't be thinking about him this way.

What the hell is wrong
with me?

He'd seen her loss of control earlier and he seemed rather
nonchalant about it. Like he knew what to expect. Who was—no, what was
he? There was something different about him from the other men who'd come after
her. Selene found it impossible to hold onto those thoughts with his tall,
half-naked self moving closer and closer. Her hardened nipples brushed against
her clothes, rubbing the sensitive skin. Her body throbbed and ached for his
touch. In the light of her warmth his amber eyes glowed with a lust to match
her own, her last thought before he crushed her to him, taking her mouth with a
powerfully demanding kiss. Lips, teeth, and tongue all worked in frantic
movements, searching for more.

His hand wrapped around the back of her neck to cup her
head, crushing her lips harder against his own. Her own hands did some roaming
of their own. Specifically all over his warm, bare chest, savoring the tight
muscles flexing as he moved against her. She couldn't help herself, she didn't
want it to stop. Parting her mouth slightly, she allowed him the entrance he
sought, his tongue smoothing over her lips. When his tongue touched the tip of
hers, his taste and essence exploded within her. Not just her mouth, but her whole
body. His flavor, a unique wild musk, tasted of wild nights, a cool night
breeze, and heat. Oh hell, lots and lots of heat.

Desperate for more, and willing to get it any way that she
could, she jumped up into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. His
free hand caught her ass, pulling her tighter against him. Flesh—she
wanted more flesh. She pushed at his shirt and jacket, baring his lean
shoulders to her touch. Pressing her lips against his shoulder, she rained a
trail of kisses up his neck, alternating with gentle bites. Damn, she wanted to
sink her teeth in him as he buried his thick, hard cock in her wanting pussy.

She wrenched her mouth away from his. “What the hell are we
doing?” Her breath came in short, shallow pants.

“Don't ruin the moment by trying to analyze it, Selene.” He
gripped her bottom lip gently between his teeth, nibbling and stroking with his
tongue. Releasing his hand on her ass, he stroked up her torso, close to her
leather encased breasts. “You have on entirely too much clothes, you know
that.”

She laughed. “I couldn't agree more.” She released her tight
hold on his shoulders and reached for the zipper of her jacket. With slow,
precise movements, she ticked it down one inch at a time, watching his eyes.
She wanted to rush. Just rip the clothes from her body and offer herself up to
him like a damned sacrifice. Really, what had gotten into her? With the jacket
undone, she let the edges fall loose. The thin tank top she wore underneath did
little to hide her protruding nipples as they poked against the fabric,
yearning for his touch.

His head dipped forward, grasping one of the cloth covered
tips between his teeth. Gently. Sensually. He played with her, driving her
crazy for more. When she bucked her hips against his waist a soft chuckle
sounded in his throat.

“Mmm. So hot. If I dip my hand to your sweet pussy will I
find more heat? Will you scorch me with your need, baby? Mmm. I can’t wait to
explore on my own. Find out if you’re as wet and ready for this as I am.” Her
juice did flow at his words, threatening to spill onto her thighs. Her body
quivered with uncontrollable desire as her hips bucked against him again.

His hold on her ass loosened, allowing her body to slide
down a little, settling around his hips. When his steel hard cock rubbed
against her clit she nearly exploded on the spot. She gasped, unable to control
the pleasurable sensation he had created. His mouth closed over her nipple and
sucked it deep inside his mouth, shirt and all. The heat and moisture of his
mouth coupled with the friction of his cock on her clit was too much. Her
orgasm began to build, pushing her past the point of stopping.

“Please—please,” she breathed.

“Damn, Selene, I can feel your heat even through the
clothes, it's driving me fucking crazy. I want you with a need I can barely
keep under control. Your ability calls to me. Draws me in. Can you feel it?”

Her lust addled brain tried to take in the meaning of his
words. Her ability? The fire? What the hell was he talking about?

“What? I don't understand,” she murmured. She tried to focus
on anything except the pleasure about to burst in her body but it was
impossible.

He thrust his hips with a quick sharp jab against her,
putting more pressure against her sensitive nub. When her loud moan echoed through
the night air, his own groan followed. With little thought to his surroundings
or potential danger, he focused on her pleasure. More than anything he wanted
to watch her burst apart in orgasm at his doing. Give her more pleasure than
she had ever endured. Over and over. The pressure of his building magick
increased in his chest, forcing him to release a small amount of it.

The wind around them whipped into a frenzy, blowing his hair
and hers, caressing their bodies as he continued to move against her.

“Come on, baby. Come for me. Allow me that pleasure. The
pleasure of watching you.” She threw her head back and thrashed against him
while his own breath came out in hard forced breaths. Hell, much more of this
and he would be coming right here in his jeans himself, something he hadn't
done since he was a young teen just coming into his powers.

Releasing her head, he moved both hands to her ass, pulling
her a fraction tighter against him. Damn, but his cock head nestled perfectly
against her. What would she feel like completely surrounding him? Would he even
survive that pleasure? He wasn't so sure. He needed to get her naked and find
out. His gut told him this was a huge mistake, but they'd gone too far and
neither of them could stop now.

“Fuck it,” he murmured, before burying his head between her
breasts, nuzzling and nibbling every inch he could reach. Her movements against
him were wild and hard, rocking them both in the wind.

“Cash,” she whispered harshly.

His tongue touched the bare skin of her neckline, tasting
and stroking her hot, flaming flesh. “Does this feel good, Selene?” He
continued up her curve of her neck to just below her jaw where he paused to
nibble her soft spots. “Is this what you want?”

“Uh-huh,” she nodded her head.

“Then come for me. Come right now.”

His lips hovered at her ear, encouraging her before moving
back to her neck. When he bit her neck again, she jolted with the first wave of
sensation flowing through her and bursting through her clit. Her fingers dug
into his back as she clung to him while the pleasure intensified as he
continued to rub against her. She was unable to scream, or think as her climax
burst through her with waves of heat, and bright points of light exploding
around her.

His movements slowed but did not stop as she rode the last
of her orgasm. With every clench of her spasming inner muscles, she longed to
have him inside her so she could milk him to his own climax. She ached to see
the look that crossed his face when he came. With his breathing as ragged as hers
she wished they were somewhere naked and safe. The intense throbbing of his
cock against her was an unmistakable sign of his need for her as well.

Her body grew soft against him with satisfaction as the air
whipping around them died down to a soft, gentle breeze, cooling her heated
skin. She laid a gentle kiss along his jaw, contemplating what had just
happened and the deep satisfaction settling into her chest as she lay against
him.

Moments later he eased his grip on her body and gently slid
her to the ground. “That was a mistake, Selene. I shouldn't have done that. You
don't want to get involved with someone like me, it's too dangerous.”

She looked up at him in surprise. Him, dangerous? What the
hell did he think she was? She turned away from him, afraid to let him see any
weakness in her. What had happened was no big deal. They hadn't even taken off
their clothes. Certainly nothing to get all maudlin about. Yet, as she stood
there, still trembling from his touch, she ached for more from him. She zipped up
her jacket, taking in deep breaths to calm her heartbeat and cool her body. In
an uncharacteristic moment of weakness, she’d had a fleeting thought of him
different from the rest.

She turned to tell him. Let him know he couldn't back off
that easy.

He was gone.

Chapter
Two

Cash walked farther and farther away from Selene. Every step
he took hurt, and he couldn't figure out why. With her ability she would be
just fine without him. After all, she was the one with a ride, not him. When
she'd come just from rubbing his cock like that he'd wanted nothing more than
to rip her pants off and plunge into her body. Pumping her hard and fast until
she begged for more, or mercy. The force of how much he wanted that shocked
him.

His dick twitched in his pants at the thought, which was
amazing considering how tight the front of his leathers were right now. Hell,
he didn't think he'd ever gotten this hard in his life. His hand ran down the
shaft, rubbing it through the leather, imagining her bent over on all fours and
begging him to fuck her. To take her for his pleasure.

He laughed. He doubted the little firestarter was up for his
brand of dominance. He suspected she would fight him for control every step of
the way. It was best to walk away before things got out of hand. Her fire
called to his air, creating a storm between them. When her body had heated to
the point of burning…she came and his cooling air had kept her flames at bay.
This time. But what happened when they actually got naked? What would his
magick do when he got inside her? When her fiery heat sucked at his dick?

He shook his head. No, he had to stop thinking of her like
that. His brothers would laugh at him right now. Tell him how he'd gone soft on
a woman. No way. Not him. He liked a variety of willing women. Always had. He
just needed to get this one out of his system. But deep down he suspected that
was easier said than done. Not that any of it made an ounce of sense. He
couldn't stop thinking about her lips on his, or the way her eyes had softened
as her sexual heat built.

He couldn't even work up a good mad for her blowing up his
classic Harley. He'd really enjoyed riding on the back of her bike. Her riding
skills impressed him, despite the near death accident he'd saved her from.

Grae would be pissed at him. He’d been given a job to do.
One he had demanded. Now he stood out in a forest about an hour or so from
Boston. This definitely was not the way to impress his family. He looked around
the trees, listening for the cars on the nearby highway. Not hearing anything,
he realized just how far away he'd gotten from Selene. A sudden sense of
something not right came over him. Pain flared in his chest at the sudden leap
of his magick. His instinct to protect and defend what was his overwhelmed him.

Danger.

Something or someone not unlike him was close. And getting
closer and closer every second as pressure built in his magick, seeking
release.

Selene.

Cash turned back in the direction he had come and took off
at a dead run. Selene was in danger and he had left her alone. Fucking hell.

Unsure of what to do, Selene paced the area, debating
whether to leave Cash stranded here or to wait for his return. That he'd walked
off in the first place left her cold and angry. She could still feel his mouth
and hands on her body, stirring up her heat once again. Her sex pulsed with the
need for more of him, throbbed at the memory of being in his arms.

Lost in thoughts of Cash, Selene didn't notice the
interloper moving in on her. Feeling the displacement of the heat around her
and the familiar dark emotions, she whirled around, coming face to face with
her nemesis.

“Hey, Selene. Getting kind of soft these days, aren't you?”

She so desperately wanted to wipe that smirk off his face.
“Hey, Merc. How the hell did you find me so fast this time?”

“Pretty easy when you leave a trail of fire behind you. That
kind of thing is going to land you in a lot more trouble than you have with me.
For someone who seems so desperate to get away, you sure are behaving
recklessly. If I didn’t know better I’d think you wanted me to find you.” He
was trying to lull her to him with friendly, casual conversation, but she could
still see the deadly menace in his eyes. She suspected he was dying to finish
this once and for all.

“What ever you think,” she shrugged. “Shit happens. You've
found me again. Now what?”

“That depends on you, sweetheart. We can do this the easy
way or the hard way. Which do you prefer?”

“How about my way?” She laughed, noticing that the wind
surrounding them had picked up. So much so that her hair whipped around her
face. Selene watched Merc's bald head as he too looked around the clearing,
watching the wind.

“Looks like a storm is coming, Selene, we don't have time to
play tonight.” He raised his right arm, showing the gun that he had trained on
her. “And no, I may not be able to kill you, but no one said anything about not
maiming you. So think twice, darling.”

With no time to consider her options, Selene pulled her
heat, using the psychic energy to form a small fireball about the size of a
softball.

“Don't even think about it, Selene. I can fire off a shot
quicker than you can hit me with that.”

“Who said anything about hitting you with it?” She hurtled
the flaming ball into the night sky above and beyond Merc's head, traveling
down the side of the road about a quarter of a mile. With a precision she had
perfected over many years, it hit his black Mercedes right underneath the
engine, catching the car on fire immediately.

“You little bitch. Was that really necessary? You think I
can't control you on your little bike?”

Selene knew she wouldn't be getting away from him right now.
No, she would have to wait for a better opportunity. But she was nothing if not
patient. Something else she had learned with years of practice. Yes, she would
go with him for now and bide her time for later. At least Cash wasn't here
right now. Merc may have orders to keep her alive, but he wouldn't hesitate to
kill someone else who got in the way of his mission.

Merc walked up to her with rage contorting the features of
his face into an ugly mask. It gave her a great deal of satisfaction to drive
him insane. She smiled sweetly at him. “I'm ready to go.”

Instead of grabbing her by the arm, he fisted his hand
around her hair, yanking her against him. Pressing his lips right up against
her ear, he spoke. “I've had about all I'm going to take from you this time,
you little whore. Any more trouble from you and I'm bound to twist this pretty
neck of yours. Or, if I decide not to kill you, maybe something I might enjoy
even more.” As he trailed his lips down her neck her stomach heaved. For months
she had evaded him without hurting him, but right now, with his big hard body
pressed into hers and his clammy lips touching her, she didn't care anymore if
he lived or died.

Her power built again, this time a little wild and a whole
lot bigger. Both hands burst into flames as she jerked out of his grasp. As he
leveled the gun at her again, the already gusting winds pitched her backwards,
pulling her away from Merc. As she fought to gain purchase on the road, a sharp
pain shot through her leg.

The son of a bitch had shot her. Lucky for her the wind
knocked off his aim and she was hit in the leg. She looked down to see it
wasn't a bullet he'd gotten her with—oh no, the bastard used a tranq.
Trying to reach for the dart, her arm wouldn't go where she told it to. She
glanced again at her leg and saw more than she was supposed to, there were
several darts sticking out of her leg. Whatever he'd shot her with was already
working. She wouldn't last long. Her thoughts became fuzzy and thick and she
couldn't form a flame in her mind. No way to use her power to save herself this
time.

The wind screamed in her head as she looked for Merc. He had
landed on his butt on the road and… wait—she tried to focus her vision.
Scrunching her eyes, she saw too many people. Was someone on top of him?
Fighting him? Her legs gave way as she fell to the ground, succumbing to the
darkness.

Selene opened her eyes to soft burning candles and the smell
of cooking food. Her head pulsed and stomach growled at the same time. Looking
around the room, she took in the antique dresser, expensive art on the walls,
and an odd New Age collection of Tarot cards, crystals, pendulums, and
chalices.
Strange.

Where the hell am I?
Did I fall down the rabbit hole?
This was definitely not the compound.

She tried to sit up, struggling because her body and limbs
felt weighted down as if they were made of lead, especially her leg, it hurt
like a bitch. Looking down at her body, she found herself dressed in only her
tank top and some baggy sweat pants that looked five sizes too big for her. She
forced her body to move, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

Her fuzzy memory began to clear and she remembered Merc
hitting her with a tranquilizer and could only imagine where he had taken her
this time. The organization had hidey-holes placed strategically all over the
country, and since she didn't know how long she’d been out she could be
anywhere by now. She needed a plan for escape and pretty damn quick.

First things first. Food and decent clothes. She rifled
through the drawers in the dresser to find only men's clothing. Nice stuff,
too. Expensive designer T-shirts and undergarments, even the workout gear
looked and felt incredibly luxurious. Now if only she could find some of this
stuff to fit her. She padded across the room to the closet to find only more
menswear. There were several nice suits with shirts and ties but there was also
an equal amount of leather. She slowly breathed in the familiar rich scent.

Her thoughts immediately flashed to Cash and the way his
lean, muscular body had filled out his leather pants and jacket. Yum. A little
dark cloud settled over her at the realization that she’d never see him again.
She hadn't even gotten his last name, let alone any other personal information
about him. She suspected, though, that she would never forget the affect he had
on her or be able to ride her bike again without thoughts of his hard cock
pressing against her backside.

Selene sighed and yanked herself back from her wayward
thoughts, she closed the closet door and started to search the room for a way
out. Walking to the door, she bent down to examine the lock to see if it could
be picked. Testing the knob, her eyes widened in surprise when the door popped
open. Slowly she peeked outside the doorway, looking for a guard or camera that
would be watching her. Spying nothing, she stood up and eased out the door, her
bare feet making no sound on the hardwood floors.

Pressing her back against the wall, she waited for any clue
that someone was nearby. Hearing no sound and only smelling the food
and—dear God—coffee, she hurried across the landing to the stairs.
Until she got to the bottom of the stairs she would be completely vulnerable to
anyone who walked into the area. She considered turning around and
investigating ways out of the house through other rooms, but damn that food
smelled good and she was hungry, starved actually since she hadn’t eaten at all
the day before. She quickly moved down the stairs, trying not to cause any
creaks. She heaved a sigh of relief when she reached the bottom without
incident.

With a fresh flood of adrenalin coursing through her body,
her limbs were no longer heavy or slow.

Something isn't right
here
.

Why would Merc allow her free reign of the house? It would
only take a few minutes for her to have the whole place crashing down on them
in flames. A test maybe? Some sort of new trap? She'd figure it out and
eventually find her way out. She always did.

Following the scent of freshly brewed coffee, she headed to
what she assumed would be the kitchen. The layout of the house prevented her
from seeing the interior of the room without actually stepping inside, or at
the very least poking her head in the door. She debated the smart course of
action, but when her stomach growled again she decided to go for it.

She moved into the kitchen, coming to an abrupt halt.
Expecting Merc to be waiting, she nearly fell over in shock at the sight of the
man cooking at the stove. Dressed only in faded jeans, she followed the curve
of his spine up and out across his broad muscular shoulders. Tanned, smooth
skin, except for a small scar below his right shoulder blade. The faded color
of the skin around the scar indicated the injury was from a long time ago. She
might not have known him long but she’d memorized that physique from the moment
she met him.

Cash.

His dark hair stood mussed around his head like he'd just
rolled out of bed. An image of him lying naked in a bed, teasing her with his
broad hands and strong fingers, ran through her head. Him lying over her skin
to skin as he pushed himself deep within in her warm willing body.

Whoa. Get a grip,
Selene.

Truth be told, she was just happy and relieved to see him.
She wanted to rush forward and wrap her arms around his waist. Holding on to
him like she would a life preserver.

“What the hell is going on here, Cash? How are we—?
Where are we?”

“Well, good morning to you, sunshine.” His voice rumbled
through his body to hers, soothing her frazzled nerves despite his attempt at
sarcasm. “It's about time you got your lazy butt out of bed. You hungry?”

She nodded, unable to speak again. She wasn't sure she could
without crying or doing some other crazy girly thing while feeling so swamped
with this unexpected and unwelcome emotion.

He put the spoon down on the edge of the pan full of eggs
and turned to face her, his hand touching under her chin to tilt her face
upward to meet his gaze. “I think we have a lot to talk about, don't we?”
Selene blinked fighting tears and simply nodded her head again. “But first we
eat. You've been out for quite a while and have to be starving. Go. Sit. While
I finish this up.”