Cataclysm (31 page)

“If you’ll just give me a moment, I still need to brush my teeth and then I’ll join you in the bedroom.” He put the glass on the sink and turned to face the mirror.

Sinclair eyed the glass nervously, but before she could catch him watching her, he averted his eyes and busied himself preparing his toothbrush. When he didn’t hear her move, he looked up at her through the mirror.

She wrapped her arms around him from behind, generously fondling his chest and abdomen. “I’d like to watch.”

Drew chuckled. “Brushing one’s teeth can be a messy affair. I’d really rather you not be present should I dribble spit down my chin. Why don’t you turn down the bed and make yourself comfortable? I’ll just be a moment.”

Sinclair gave him a half smile, but she released him and turned to walk into the bedroom anyway.

When she was gone, Drew turned on the faucet and strategically took the glass into his free hand, swirling its contents around. Then he placed his fingers over the ice and poured the bourbon down the sink.

Sinclair kicked her heels off and shimmied her way out of her dress until she was left in nothing but her matching black lace panties and bra. She didn’t bother with the covers. No sense in covering up the masterpiece that was her body. Instead, she curled up on top of the duvet that adorned the high-posted king bed surrounded by elegant sheer panels. Her hearing was keen, so when she heard the ice clinking in Drew’s glass, she breathed a sigh of relief. He drank the potion, and within five minutes or so, he should be completely under her spell.

Once Drew was finished brushing his teeth, he went to join Sinclair. His skin crawled with the knowledge of what he was about to do, but he knew it had to be done. He only hoped his acting skills were good enough to make the witch believe he was completely smitten by her.

“There you are, lover,” she said when he appeared. “Where’s your drink?”

He held up the glass and shook it, showing her it was empty except for the ice cubes that clinked against the sides. “All gone, I’m afraid,” he said as he sat it on the nightstand. He nearly missed the surface and dropped the glass to the floor, unable to take his eyes off the half-naked woman who lay in his bed. “Great stuff, that Kentucky bourbon.”

She repositioned herself on the bed until she was on all fours. Like a sleek panther on the prowl, she crawled across the expanse that separated them. Perhaps he wouldn’t have to rely on his acting skills quite as much as he had thought. Even though he knew what she represented, Drew couldn’t help but be attracted to her. Her body movements were fluid, and her shape, flawless—curves in all the right places and toned muscles under a smooth, porcelain casing. She was sin in skin, a temptation that refused to be denied.

She kissed the bare skin that covered his left pectoral, gently scraping her teeth along his nipple and sending a shiver down his spine. Oh yeah, definitely sin in skin. She peppered light nips and gentle kisses down his chest and over his abdomen until she reached the dusting of hair that disappeared beneath the towel. Flicking her tongue at his belly button, she cut through the trail and went lower still until she was stopped by the plush barrier that impeded her advances.

Sinclair gave him a demure look, and then rose to sit before him on her knees. She played with him, dipping her fingers just underneath the towel to form a firm hold. She pulled him closer, their lips mere inches apart. “Do you like it when I put my mouth on you, lover?”

Drew moaned, his hands playing touchy-feely with the curvaceous body pressed to his. He cupped her ass roughly, loving the feel of her silk panties beneath his palms. “I love anything you do to me, Sinclair. You’re all the woman I’ve ever wanted or needed. Please... more.”

A devilish smile curled her lips. That love potion was some powerful shit. Giving it all to him seemed to make him even more aggressive with his affection than she had anticipated, but she loved it.

With one hard yank, she dislodged the towel and let it fall to the floor. Her gaze slowly drifted from his face and down his toned chest and abdomen until she saw the prize that lay, well rose, in wait. Her mouth fell open. Looking back at Drew, her heart thumped in her chest when he merely smirked and gave her a wink.

She inhaled a deep breath. “My, my, my. You are
quite
impressive.”

He couldn’t help but feel a bit smug. He was very well endowed, but seeing the size of his cock was nothing compared to feeling what he could actually do with it. “I’m glad you approve, darling, but trust me, you haven’t seen impressive yet.” Proving his point, he laid her back on the bed and wreaked havoc on her voluptuous body with hungry kisses.

He worshipped her as only an adoring lover could, while still giving her the heated dominance he knew she craved. In the morning he might be disgusted with himself, but for the time being, he took pleasure in her embrace. He wasn’t sure how much of the role he played was actually an act, but if he was a good actor, Sinclair was an even better actress. The way she clung to him, the way her eyes swallowed him whole—it was like she was lost to him. Even her aura seemed to change before his very eyes, and he almost forgot that he was sleeping with the enemy.

The enemy. She was the enemy, and he would do well to remember that. Like an animal from the wild held in captivity, she could turn on him at any moment, and then it would be curtains for him, as well as everyone else whose lives depended on his success.

Dominic sat in the garden watching the sun rise in the morning sky. Dawn brought with it a new day, but his dawn brought a restless sleep. And with that restless sleep, a nightmare that gave him one hell of hangover, which is exactly why he had given up on closing his eyes at all. If he didn’t sleep, his bastard of a father couldn’t taunt him in his dreams and force him to use what little Light energy he had left. It was all that was keeping him earthbound and by Kerrigan’s side.

His periods of transformation were coming far more frequently, with no rhyme or reason to the timing. When he least expected it, poof! The only thing consistent about those periods of spectral existence was that each one grew longer and longer in duration.

He remained in ghost form throughout the rest of the evening before and all through the night. It wasn’t until the sun crested over the eastern horizon that the old familiar tingling began to prick his skin, bringing him back to his flesh and blood form. Christ, there wasn’t even a name for what he was. He wasn’t a ghost in the traditional sense—he still had a heartbeat. He wasn’t exactly The Invisible Man either. Hell, he wasn’t even The Incredible Shrinking Woman. He cupped his crotch and smirked to himself. Nope, not a woman and definitely not shrinking.

Kerrigan came and joined him. She wore a cotton tank top that matched the color of her eyes and a long, white summer skirt with no shoes. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, and what little makeup she wore accentuated her eyes and high cheekbones. The woman was a goddess, and she didn’t even realize it.

“Good morning, handsome.” She walked over to where he sat in the chaise lounge and then climbed onto his lap to straddle him.

“Mmm, you looking to give new meaning to the words
‘morning glory,’
Querida?” He cupped her ass and pulled her closer to the hardening bulge in his pants.

“I just had this really great idea, and I want to try it out.”

“I love the way you think. A little early morning exhibitionism is just what this boring neighborhood needs, I think.” He peppered the exposed flesh of her chest with light, suckling kisses.

The light scruff of his beard tickled her, making her squirm and giggle, but she couldn’t deny the swarm of butterflies that fluttered in her stomach from his suggestion. “Be serious, Dom. I want to try something different.”

“I am serious.” He trailed open-mouth kisses up the length of her neck and sucked on her earlobe. “Tell me you’re wet for me, Querida.”

“You know I am.” It wasn’t a lie to appease him. The mere sight of him was enough to remind her that she was indeed a woman with a very healthy sexual appetite. How could she not be when he was so skilled at everything he did with his hands, mouth, and...

“I want to hear you say it.” He meant it when he said he hoped she would say naughty things more often and had been trying to coerce her into it ever since.

Even though things were veering sharply off the course she had originally intended, she couldn’t resist the opportunity to make him squirm for once. She purposely rolled her hips against him while sucking on his neck before lifting her head to tease his ear. “I am so wet for you right now, Dominic Grayson.”

His massive hands cupped her more firmly, and he growled seductively at her admission. “I want you... right here... right now.”

She pushed herself back from him, but remained sitting. “You can’t have me right now.”

He tried to pull her back down to him. “I don’t like being denied access to what’s mine.”

She put her hands against his chest and locked her elbows to stop him, laughing at his tantrum. “You’re spoiled rotten. You know that, don’t you?”

“Yes, and you only have yourself to blame.”

“Fine, I’ll take the blame, but can I please tell you what I want to try?”

Dominic sighed and relaxed his hold on her. “Rain check, then. Now, tell me. What is it that’s so much more important than making sure all the neighbors know my name?”

“Okay, so I just got off the phone with Mom, and she asked me when I was going to come home...”

“Is your father still pissed about us?” he asked, remembering her father yelling through the phone when she had first told him they were a couple. Apparently it was exactly what her father had been afraid would happen after he had moved her and Gabe into the house.

Kerrigan rolled her eyes. “No, he’s not. Anyway, Mom asked...”

“You know, I really expected him to fly down here and show up in the middle of the night with a shotgun aimed at my head.”

She sighed, annoyed. “He’s not going to kill you, Dominic. He just doesn’t agree with the whole living together out of wedlock thing. He’s old-fashioned, but that’s not important right now, so stop interrupting me.”

He made a show of zipping his lips, and then resituated himself. Unfortunately, moving around turned out to not be a very good idea because then he got distracted by the way her breasts were so full and round and just right there in front of his face.

Kerrigan noticed and snapped her fingers in front of his face. “Hey, you! I’m up here. Focus.”

“I can’t help it, Querida. You’re straddling me, and it’s been days since I’ve touched you.”

“Fine.” She grabbed his hands and put them on her chest. “There, you’re touching me. Happy?”

He swept his thumbs back and forth over her nipples, and gave her a satisfied smile. “Very, but I’d be happier if you told me you’re not wearing any panties, just like I know you’re not wearing a bra.”

“Dominic Grayson! I swear!”

“I’m kidding, Querida.” He laughed, and then pulled his hands away to avoid further distraction. “Go on, finish your story. What did Priscilla say?”

“She asked me when we’re coming home for a visit, and that gave me an idea. I want to take you home.”

“You want to take me to Chicago? No offense, but I don’t think now is a good time for that, what with my disappearing act being so unpredictable and all.”

“No, I don’t mean home to Chicago. I want to take you to my
home
, my sanctuary.”

“Is that even in the realm of possibilities?”

She knew it was, but she couldn’t tell him that she had been to Drew’s. Dominic was much too sensitive about the whole Drew issue to add to his suspicion that he was trying to get in her pants. He also didn’t need to know that her fellow Guardian thought she was his soul mate and had tried to kiss her. No, that wouldn’t be a good idea at all.

“I don’t know.” It wasn’t a lie. She didn’t know if a Guardian could take a mortal into their sanctuary, and even if it was possible, she didn’t know if she was advanced enough in her training to pull it off. But if it was true that she had been able to absorb some of Drew’s energy by being in his, maybe the same would be true for Dominic. It could be the answer she had been looking for or, at the very least, it would buy them some time.

“I’d still like to try, though.”