Guardian (14 page)

“What did you find out after we left last night?” Zach asked.

“Stine had three guards with him, including the telepath who was holding Mallory. Unfortunately, when the telepath realized they were caught, he killed the other two and himself. We didn’t get anything. Stine was no better. It’s like he had a psychotic break.”

“Great. What did you do with them?”

“They had an accident on the way back to Stirling. Stine is in a coma.” He gave his mate, Esme, a baleful look. “Some people objected to that step, but it was necessary. We don’t know who else is involved. Until we do, Stine stays silent.”

Mallory didn’t have a problem with that. “Do we know anything useful?” she asked. They’d better have, considering all the trouble she’d gone through.
 

“They’ve been kidnapping and experimenting on Elect for at least ten years,” Gabe said. “It looks like before that they took a back off and observe approach. Some counseling. Some parapsych research.”

“What changed ten years ago?” Mallory asked.

“The younger generation took over Stirling.”

“Why are we just hearing about them now?” Brax asked.

“It looks like they targeted Elect who didn’t know what they were and didn’t have people who’d go looking for them. They made a mistake with Kaden and Esme,” Gabe responded.

“So what’s next?” Zach asked.

“According to the files, there were only four patients on the seventh floor. Until we find out otherwise, we’re going to assume that’s it. In the meantime,” Brax said, looking around the table and briefly meeting everyone’s gaze, “we’re on high alert. The compound will be locked down.” He took a deep breath, before meeting Mallory’s gaze. “I want you to take a leave of absence from your job.”

She’d expected the demand from Zach, but shouldn’t be surprised to hear it from Brax. “What do you propose I do instead, Brax? I’m not used to idleness, you know.”

“You can’t use your investigative skills here? Mason and Gabe have a lot of information to go through on Stirling.”
 

“I’ll think about it,” Mallory said.

Brax didn’t look happy, but he didn’t try to convince her either. Mallory figured she knew why. He assumed Zach would do it for him.
 

The meeting broke up shortly after that. Zach went to his lab to check an ongoing experiment and she returned to their house to contemplate her future. In the end, she didn’t have much to decide. Zach may have his impossible moments, but she’d rather be part of them than not. So when he did come to her, hours later and strung so tight she could easily read it, she was ready.
 

She was sitting on the couch idly flipping channels when he entered. She pushed the off button and set the remote on the table but didn’t stand. His stance was rigid, his gaze determined, and she felt a laugh bubble up. He blinked, once, then moved so fast she barely registered the motion. One second he was across the room and the next he held her stretched out and pinned on the couch. His heavy weight settled over her and she felt a welcoming sigh slip.
 

“What’s so damned funny?” he bit out.

“You, babe. You didn’t really think you were going to have to convince me to stay, did you?”

He gave her a wary look as if expecting some kind of trap. “You aren’t going to argue?”

“I’m stubborn, not stupid. I know it’s too dangerous to go back to my house. Probably my job too, for now at least.”

“You’re going to quit?” he asked hopefully.
 

She hated to disappoint him, but she wasn’t ready to go that far yet. She shook her head. “I’ll take a leave of absence.”

“Because you figure it’s safer here.”
 

His voice was too calm, almost wooden. She lifted her hands to cup his face.
 

“Because I love you. Because I don’t want to go back to living half a life.”

He exhaled a gusty sigh of relief but then narrowed his eyes. “And when did you accept this?” he asked. She knew he must have felt at least some of it earlier. He wanted her to admit it. He wanted her to say it out loud. “How long have you kept me in suspense, baby?”

“I don’t know,” she answered as honestly as she could. She’d known when he came back into her life she wouldn’t be able to free herself again. She was less certain when she’d stopped caring about that freedom, though. His cold expression was making her nervous, however. Maybe she’d misjudged him and the situation. “Does it really matter? You said you wanted to go forward.”

She felt the ice in him crack, felt him let go of anger and fear.
 

“Forward, yes.”
 

He slid his hand between their bodies, under the waistband of her pants and panties, and gave the curls hiding her sex a small tug. His lips brushed over hers then trailed down her neck. His free hand edged under the hem of her shirt. His palm flattened on her belly, but he moved it so slow she wanted to scream. It was pure torture until he cupped her breast, until he squeezed her nipple between his fingertips.
 

He was gone with a suddenness that left her stunned and shaking, but it was only to yank off his clothes. She wasn’t as quick, but it didn’t matter. He did it for her, then he sat on the couch holding her perched over him.
 

“Ride me, baby,” he said harshly, but his grin was all wicked encouragement.
 

How could she resist? She took his cock in her hand and lowered herself, watching him as he entered and stretched her.
 

“Oh yeah,” he moaned and she couldn’t agree with that approving sentiment more.
 

She was full, filled, needy and she wasn’t holding back. Not any of herself. She set a fast pace that became hurried when she opened the bond and let him feel what she did. The sharp edge of lust that filled her. The love that overwhelmed her. The certainty that this thing between them was solid and forever. He returned the emotions and thoughts with a rush that sent her blindly into orgasm. She clung to him as she lost control of her body and mind. All that mattered was the connection between them, the bliss that took her over.
 

When her brain cells came back together, she was amazed to find him still hard inside her, a lazy grin curving his lips. “We should move this to the bedroom,” he said softly.
 

“No way. I’m never moving again.” She snuggled up against his chest, clasping her hands behind his neck, and reveled in the satiation that made her limp. He chuckled and patted her ass.
 

“Can’t keep up?”

“It’s not a contest, is it?” she mumbled, then complained as he slowly pulled out of her.
 

Every hard inch scraped over her sensitized nerves, reviving her as nothing else could. He stood with her in his arms and carried her to bed, not giving her even a second to adjust before he came down over her and thrust back inside her pussy. She almost came right then.
 

“No contest,” he murmured.
 

He kissed her deep and thorough. She felt his love vibrating on the bond between them. Then he started to move, deep hard strokes she felt clear to her soul, claiming her as only he could. Riding the emotional high, she couldn’t hold back and the next orgasm was as intense as the last. She screamed her release, barely registering his muffled roar as he joined her. It was a long time later before she stirred, pulled into the circle of his arms.
 

“Go back to sleep, baby,” he whispered, pressing a kiss against her forehead. “I love you.”
 

She smiled and burrowed deeper into his warmth. “I know.”

That earned her a slap on the ass and a mock growl. “Not nice. Say it.”

“Bossy. I love you too, Zach.”
 

His arms tightened around her and, content and safe, she went back to sleep.

About the Author

Loribelle is a former Army MP who traded in her combat boots for motherhood, flip-flops and all the Diet Coke she can drink. (She almost misses the combat boots.) She’s the author of more than twenty books, none of which her children are allowed to read. Ever. Visit her website,
www.loribellehunt.com
, or
www.facebook.com/loribelle.hunt
for information on new releases.

Look for these titles by Loribelle Hunt

Now Available:

Fireworks

Forbidden Passions

Passions Recalled

Renegade Passions

The Elect

Protector

Guardian

Print Anthologies

Forbidden Passions

Coming Soon:

The Elect

Warrior

He will protect her. No matter the threat.

Protector

© 2012 Loribelle Hunt

The Elect. They aren’t human. They’re the next step in evolution and they’re hiding in plain sight. They’re stronger, smarter, and faster. Nature’s perfect predator.

Welcome to the top of the food chain.
 

Braxton Lee is the protector of the Elect and it’s a job he takes seriously. As president of the committee that governs the Elect, he overseas everything from finance to security to keeping their existence hidden. He’s driven and ruthless. The Elect will not be exposed on his watch.
 

Unfortunately his research chief, Zach Littman, is contacted by a former colleague who’s run a DNA analysis of a blood sample and gotten weird results. The blood isn’t human, and Dr. Esme Durand is smart enough to know it. Brax will do whatever it takes to keep her silent. Until he meets her. Because Esme has a secret. She’s one of them. Brax wants nothing more but to bring her into the fold and into his bed.

Warning: This book contains hot sex, the next evolution of mankind, hot sex, a race to find a bad guy, a hot hero trying to prove his love, and did I mention the hot sex?

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Protector:

“Time to go, baby.”
 

She tried to dig in her heels, but he was bigger and stronger. He tossed her bag to her and dragged her back through her lab to the private stairwell, figuring it was there to escape chemistry experiments gone wrong. He pulled the key from the deadbolt on one side and relocked it on the other. Hopefully, the lab occupants on the floors below kept their doors secured. They'd gone from the sixth floor to the second when she jerked to a stop.

“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
 

“There’s where you’re wrong, Esme,” he snapped. “You aren’t going anywhere
without
me.”
 

She crossed her arms over her chest and stepped away from him. He was fucked. Short of tossing her over his shoulder, he couldn’t budge her.
 

“Why would I agree to that?” she asked.

Her demeanor had completely changed. If he didn’t know better, he’d think he was dealing with a hard-nosed street cop. Her eyes were narrowed, her lips pressed tight. She’d taken on an aura of determined calm that made him realize she’d give him hell if he tried to force the issue. She’d try a different tactic if she knew how intriguing he found that.

“You want to wait and hang around for whoever just broke in?”

“You broke in,” she reminded him.
 

His earpiece gave a warning click before Mason Cole, his security director, spoke. Brax had forgotten he was wearing the damn thing. “Unfriendlies in the front, Brax. The back is clear for now, but hurry.”
 

Damn it. “Look,” he ground out, “I can’t explain anything here. I’ll take you to Zach. You trust him.”
 

Four floors above them, the door rattled and they both looked up as the intruder fired two fast shots.
 

“I’m not the one shooting at you,” he pointed out.

“He’s shooting at the lock,” she snapped back, already hurrying down the stairs. “But, point taken.”

They exited on the bottom floor and Brax pulled her at a dead run with him to the back doors. He was impressed as hell when she kept up, but he wasn’t taking any chances. He flipped the mic down and spoke softly while peeking outside. It looked clear. “Pick-up,” he ordered.
 

“Two minutes.”
 

“Not good enough, Mason.”
 

“It’s okay,” Esme whispered, tugging at his sleeve.
 

She held up a set of keys. Her smile was tight and angry, but she was cautious when she stepped out the door as if she’d run into the night many times before. She set off into the parking lot with an efficient, smooth gait that was fast but unhurried. If anyone drew the attention of unwanted eyes it was him, but he couldn’t help himself. The need to protect her was riding him hard. He stuck close to her side, one hand on the small of her back, the other holding his pistol next to his thigh. She hadn’t even batted an eye when he pulled it out. Who was this woman? She wasn’t only the cerebral scientist he’d imagined her to be, for sure.