Merrick's Maiden (18 page)

Markham watched as his brother glanced down at the report he had handed to him. Flicking through it, he knew when Weston paused on the property listings. From the previous files, he had decided that Addie Banks wouldn’t run to her family. Just the little time he had observed her showed that she would run as far away from them as she could, rather than endanger them.

“She went to Seaside,” Markham stated, settling into the chair across from Weston and lighting a cigar.

“She didn’t go alone either,” Weston muttered. “You saw the police report. There is no way she could have killed the two men we sent in, especially with the injuries and cause of death.”

“He’s back,” Markham reflected, blowing a smoke ring.

Cigars were his Achilles heel, which is why he only allowed himself to have one once a month. This one, he had been saving to celebrate having a new creature mounted in his office. He might have to bend the rule and have two.

“What are we going to do?” Weston asked, setting the file down on the table. “Do you want to send in more men after him?”

“No…,” Markham said slowly, glancing up at the ceiling, his eyes following the smoke ring as it dissolved. “No, this time we go. I’ll draw him away.” He lowered his head and stared into his younger brother’s eyes. “I want you to kill the girl and leave her on display for him.”

“He isn’t going to like that,” Weston said with a cruel smile. “Do you think you can give me a little time to have some fun as well?

“Long enough if you don’t get a cramp in your dick,” Markham replied.

“What do you plan to do then?” Weston asked. “If he cares about the bitch, he will be like hunting a wounded lion.”

“There is no fun hunting an animal that doesn’t know he is being hunted. I want him mean, desperate, and hungry, so when I kill him, it will be all the more satisfying,” Markham pointed out. “Have the helicopter readied.”

Weston nodded. “When do you want to go in?” He asked.

“Before daylight,” Markham said after a few minutes. “Perhaps a night of fucking will help give him an incentive.”

Markham leaned his head back and drew in a deep breath, enjoying the tangy flavor of the Cuban cigar. Exhaling, he blew a series of smoke rings, watching as each floated upward before vanishing. Yes, the idea of inflaming the alien before he killed, sent a shaft of excitement through him.

I hope my taxidermist doesn’t mind a more exotic specimen,
he thought.
The man really is good and I’d hate to have to find another one.

*.*.*

Addie pulled up in front of the house. It was large, roomy, and bright. She smiled at Merrick as she turned off the SUV. It was a place filled with lots of happy memories. Even after her illness, she loved coming here.

“This is my favorite place to come to when I’m feeling lonely,” she said with a self-conscious smile. “There is just something so peaceful about being near the water and all the trees and wildlife.”

“It is beautiful,” Merrick agreed, glancing out the front window of the transport.

“Come on, let’s get the groceries inside and I’ll show you around,” she said, pushing the door open and sliding out. Merrick slid out the other side and walked around the back. “Mom and Dad always leave the utilities on in case one of us kids decide to come up,“ she added as she pressed the button to open the back hatch.

Addie grinned when Merrick grabbed all the bags of groceries before she could. Pressing the button, she shut the hatch door and locked the car. Walking up the steps to the front door, she searched the keys on her keychain for the correct one. Pulling open the screen door, she inserted the key into the lock and soon was leading him through the living room to the kitchen.

She opened the refrigerator and grinned. Her brothers must have been here recently, it was full of beer and wine. Quickly storing the items that needed to be refrigerated, she opened the freezer. Yep, the guys had been here. There were a couple of steaks in the freezer and some ice cream.

Addie took the steaks out and laid them on the counter. It was still early and they would have time to defrost. She quickly put away the canned goods. A blush rose over her cheeks when she bent over and ‘heard’ Merrick’s soft rumble of appreciation.

Turning, she leaned against the counter. “Knock it off,” she teased.

“I want to take it off… All of it off of you,” Merrick said, stepping closer to her. “I want you, Addie.”

Addie tilted her head back, closing her eyes as he threaded his fingers through her hair on each side. Her hands moved on their own accord, sliding up his chest to wind around his neck. Her eyes slowly opened and she looked up into his blazing silver eyes.

“I think I’m falling in love with you,” she whispered.

“I know I am in love with you, Addie,” Merrick replied. “You came into my life and refused to leave, even when I wanted you to. You have a hidden strength, in here,” he murmured, dropping one of his hands to touch her over her heart, “that all warriors wish they could have.”

“You took the silence away,” she admitted. “I’m not alone anymore.”

“Even if I think too much?” He teased.

Addie laughed, rising up on her toes. “Even if you think too much.”

Addie met Merrick halfway as he started to lower his head. The teasing that started in the car ignited a slow burn that just needed the right time to burst into life. What began as teasing soon turned into a flurry of hands trying to touch everywhere at once.

“Merrick,” Addie moaned when he ran a series of kisses down along her cheek and neck. “My bedroom is upstairs, second door on the left.”

Addie was thankful Merrick didn’t need any more encouragement. Wrapping her arms around his neck when he swung her up into his arms, she pressed hot, delicious kisses along his neck. A sense of excitement filled her when his arms tightened possessively around her.

She murmured distracted directions to him when he paused outside of the kitchen. It didn’t take long for him to figure out where to go. Turning into her bedroom, she raised her eyes and thanked her parents for giving each of their kids a queen size bed.

Merrick laid her down on her bed, half kneeling, half standing over her. The look in his eyes sent a wave of heat through Addie that pooled between her legs and made her move restlessly against the soft covers.

“Do you have other clothing here?” He asked.

“Of course,” Addie responded with a puzzled expression that changed to shocked when he gripped her top and tore it down the middle. “Wow!”

*.*.*

Merrick was shocked at the primitive urge flowing through him. His hunger for Addie made him do things he never would have considered doing with any other female. All he could think about was taking her over and over. The teasing from earlier, combined with their heated kisses and frantic exploration downstairs, had turned him on until his body hummed with barely controlled restraint.

Staring down at the rapid rise and fall of Addie’s breasts and the creamy flesh that was barely covered thanks to the ripped remains of her shirt; he realized what little restraint he had, was gone. Bending over her, he snapped the front of the bra.

Now, this was more like it,
he thought as the full mounds flowed and swelled in his hands. He liked big breasts.

You and every other guy I’ve ever met,
she teased.

You have too many clothes on,
he growled.

“So do you,” she pointed out, looking up and down his body as he bent over her. “I want you, Merrick.”

Merrick heard the small wobble in Addie’s voice. His eyes jerked up to hers, before they darkened again at the hot desire reflected in her gaze. Gripping the bottom of his shirt, he yanked it over his head and threw it to the side. His boots and pants soon followed.

His hand shot out and pressed Addie back when she started to sit up and reach for him. He shook his head. He was too close to the edge. It was taking everything in him not to scare her with his desire.

“Go ahead and scare me,” Addie whispered. “I think I can take it.”

“Addie,” Merrick warned, fisting his cock in his hand. “I want you. I want you very badly.”

He watched as Addie’s eyes moved down to his hand. If she wasn’t careful, she might get what she was asking. The few times he had been so close to the edge, he had used restraints. He had none here and he seriously doubted that Addie would.

A hissing breath escaped him when Addie’s hands went to the waistband of her jeans. She unbuttoned them before slowly pulling the zipper down. She kicked her white leather shoes off her feet before rising her ass up just far enough of the bed to slid her jeans and dark red panties down. Once they were at her ankles she raised her legs to pull them off.

That was the moment that Merrick knew he was lost. The control he had been keeping on his emotions snapped. Four months of captivity, combined with his fear that something might happen to Addie, broke through all of his resistance, splintering it into a million unrecognizable pieces.

Merrick yanked the jeans and panties off of Addie’s ankles, while keeping her legs up. Wrapping a hand around each delicate calf, he pulled her until her ass was on the edge of the bed. Spreading her, he aligned his cock with her moist curls. Tightening his grip on her ankles until they were at his waist, he slowly released them.

“Are you sure of this, Addie?” he demanded in a tight voice. “Are you very sure?”

“Yes,” she said, never looking away. “Yes, I’m very, very sure.”

Merrick didn’t give her a chance to finish her sentence. Surging forward, he impaled his cock deep inside her. Bracing his arms on either side of her, he pulled out and pushed back in, giving her every inch of his cock.

“Yes,” he groaned as he began rocking back and forth.

He could feel Addie’s soft moans as he tilted his hips, trying to go even deeper. The feel of her gripping his cock in a tight, slick fist was almost agonizing in the pleasure it gave him. Wrapping his arms around her, he bent his knees until they were pressed up against edge of the bed. He held her tight, as he continued to drive into her. Each stroke took him closer to the precipice where he could lose himself in her.

Lowering his face to her shoulder, he ran long, frantic kisses along it to her neck. This is what it was to have a female who meets him with as fierce a passion as he had. Her hands were running over his back and sides, kneading while her legs locked him to her as if she was terrified he would suddenly disappear.

Rising up, he pulled her arms away from him. He wanted to see her stretched out before him. Pulling her arms up over her head, he held them there, gazing down at her as he drove into her hot core.

“Admit you are my mate,” he growled, not pausing.
Admit it.

Admit that you are mine,
she said defiantly.
Promise me that you won’t let me go and that you won’t leave me.

Never!
Merrick promised.
Never, Addie.

Then, yes,
she admitted, shattering around him with a loud cry.

Yes!
Merrick hissed, closing his eyes and bowing his head when his body answered her call.

He could feel the pulsing jets of his seed filling her. The hot fluid washing both of them in his essence. Something told him that he needed to mark her, prepare her womb to accept the prize she had demanded, that he was her mate.

Bending forward, he opened his eyes, a red haze of desire blurring his vision. All he could think of was that he needed to prepare her for their mating. He barely heard her gasp or felt her struggles as she tried to break free of the grip he had on her hands.

Merrick,
Addie whispered, staring at his teeth.
Merrick…

I am yours, Addie,
Merrick whispered through her mind
. Just as you will forever be mine.

A low rumble escaped him as he sunk his teeth into the top of her left breast. Her scream turned to a moan as the chemical in his bite ignited her already heightened sense. He carefully pulled back as her struggles lessened and the desperate rocking of her hips registered.

Merrick released her hands and slid his arms around her, supporting her as he stood with her legs wrapped around his waist. Walking from the bottom of the bed to the side, he lowered them both down again until he was lying on it with her on top of him. He had never had a woman ride him before, but the images in Addie’s mind would not let him ignore the possibility.

Ride me, Addie,
Merrick ordered, lifting his hands to cup her breasts.
Ride me.

Merrick smiled, wrapping his arm around Addie’s waist when she leaned against him. The sun was beginning to set and she had wanted to go for a walk along the beach. He closed his eyes, breathing in the salty smell.

If his body wasn’t so satiated, he would almost think he had imagined this afternoon. Nothing in his experience had prepared him for the explosive passion. Opening his eyes, he glanced down at Addie’s golden hair. She was real.

“Of course, I’m real,” she chuckled, tilting her head back to look at him. “Why would you think I wasn’t?”

“The females on Baade are not…,” Merrick paused, looking back out at the ocean. “There are few females on our world. Most have been chosen through the mating rites ceremony. The ones still unmated and not of age are either protected fiercely by their clans or sent to an island holding where they are kept safe.”

“What do you mean ‘kept safe’?” Addie asked, turning and wrapping her arms around him. “Why would they be in danger?”

“Desperation can cause even the strongest warrior to make poor decisions. In the past, some warriors have taken females that were not their bond mates,” Merrick explained, pausing for a moment before continuing. “Our scientists are searching for the reason why fewer and fewer female children have been born over the last few centuries. It has reached a critical level where the number of males far exceeds that of the females. There are other species, but none have been capable of being a bond mate, until Tink Bell appeared through the Gateway Cosmos Raines invented. This Gateway connected our two worlds and gave us hope.”

“But, are you saying, you’ve never been with a woman before?” Addie asked in disbelief.

“No,” Merrick replied, flushing. “I have been with several females before.”

“Oh,” Addie said, crinkling her nose up. “I think this is one of those questions best left unasked.”

“So do I,” he mumbled.

He did not want her to know of some of the females he had bedded when he was younger. Two had been older Prime females who had never had a bond mate and sought comfort with the males. Most of the females had been from off-world. Some had been pleasant enough, while others might have been enough to take the edge off of his lust, they had done nothing for him otherwise. In truth, the last few years, he had buried himself in the life of his clan or taken care of his own wants.

“Addie,” he said, looking back down at her with a serious expression. “Tomorrow, I will be returning to my world.”

Shock and hurt flashed across her face before she turned it away from him. He knew immediately what she was thinking. He caught a glimpse of it before she tried to shut him out. He was getting better at slipping under her defenses. Raising his hand, he cupped her chin in it so he could turn her back around to face him.

“Okay,” she said, trying to avoid his gaze.

“I must return before the council is aware I am gone,” he continued in a quiet tone. “I will not be returning alone. I will be taking you with me.”

“Taking me… to your world… as in someplace that isn’t Earth?” Addie whispered in shock.

“Yes.”

“But, what about my family? I can’t just disappear. My mom and dad. My brothers and my sisters,” Addie said, shaking her head. “I know I don’t see them often, but we always know we are there if we ever need each other. I can’t hurt them like that.”

“I will make sure that you see them again,” Merrick promised, sliding his hand along her cheek. “It is only right that I inform your parents that I am your mate. It will be vital that they do not tell any others of our existence and I will not be able to share how we travel between the two worlds.”

He could see the hope flash across Addie’s face. He knew it was a lot to ask of her, but the possibility of living with him among the Eastern Mountains was too important. Concern and a small amount of fear coursed through him when she bit her lip and looked up. Indecision pulled at her, and he could hear the question in her thoughts.

“What is it?” He asked, seeing her hesitancy.

“Do you have Massage Therapists on your world?” She asked.

“I am not sure what a Massage Therapist is, but if you wish to do it, I will do whatever I can to help you,” he promised.

“Oh, Merrick,” Addie cried out, throwing her arms around his neck. “Maybe this can work.”

Lifting her up and holding her tightly in his arms, Merrick buried his face in her neck. He didn’t care what he had to do, he would never let her go. In just the few days they had known each other, he had discovered the piece of his heart he hadn’t realized was missing until he met her.

*.*.*

“I could take them both out now,” Weston commented, looking through the scope of his rifle at the couple on the beach.

“No,” Markham replied, looking through his as well. “I want him to know who is going to kill him.”

“We won’t have long once the girl is officially reported missing,” Weston said, lowering his rifle and turning to sit back against the log. “The last report we received from your source stated the police are searching for her. One eyewitness, who has been considered not credible, stated she saw Banks and a man with glowing silver eyes, head up to her apartment right before there were loud screams. She was the one who called them.”

“We will be long gone by the time they search for her here,” Markham replied with a shrug, lowering his gun and standing up. He watched as his brother stood with a wince. “How’s your shoulder?”

“Fine,” Weston bit out, shifting the rifle to his good shoulder and looking around. “Let’s get back to the car. I want to go over the blueprints to the house again.”

Nodding, Markham glanced one more time to the faint outline of the two figures. A smile curved his lips. It would be interesting to see just how good the alien was when he wasn’t drugged up.

*.*.*

Merrick watched as Addie prepared a salad to go with the steaks that were on the small, propane grill outside. He swore she kept bending over just so she could tease him. Every time she did, a low, unconscious rumble of approval escaped him.

I want her again,
he thought, glancing at the steaks, then back at her again trying to determine if they could just skip the meal and get straight to the lovemaking.

“No, we can’t skip it,” Addie chuckled, picking up the two bowls and setting them on the table. “I’m starving. I’ll make you a deal, you feed me, then you can love me all you want.”

Merrick reached out and wrapped his arms around Addie’s waist and brushed a brief, hard kiss across her lips. Pleasure and warmth spread through him when she softened and returned his kiss. Opening his mind to her, he let her feel his emotions.

I never thought to feel like this, or that I would want to open myself to my mate should I find her,
Merrick admitted reluctantly.

Why?
Addie asked, really enjoying that she could ‘hear’ his voice.

I always believed it would make me vulnerable,
he confessed.
My mother was killed when she was down at the river. She slipped, striking her head, and drowned before my father could reach her. I was but a young boy, but I remember watching my father fade away before my eyes. I was determined to keep my own thoughts and feelings separate from my bond mate if I ever found her.

But…?
She asked, tears blurred her vision as she saw the images in her head of a beautiful woman standing near a handsome older warrior.

But, I was not prepared for what it would mean to really love someone,
he said.
The feeling of being whole, of being never alone…

Of never being surrounded by an empty silence,
Addie finished for him.

For the first time, he felt the weight of loneliness that Addie had endured for years, the constant silence. He thought of what it would mean to lose his hearing after having it, just the simple things he took for granted. The sound of his niece, Nadine’s laughter and endless questions, his aunt, Nadu’s, gentle rebukes when he tried to steal one of her fresh pastries, even the joking of the warriors as they trained or hunted.

I miss the sound of music and the birds, even the sound of the wind and the ocean,
Addie murmured, pulling away from him.
I miss that I will never hear the sound of my children’s laughter.

Addie,
Merrick began to say, stopping when she shook her head.

I’ve finally come to terms with it,
she said.
Can you check the steaks? They should be ready.

Yes,
Merrick replied with a nod.

*.*.*

“Trudy,” Rose said, scanning the data coming in. “We’ve got a problem.”

“What?” Trudy asked, looking up from the computer screen she was studying.

“I think I’ve found a snitch,” Rose bit out in a hard voice.

“Our leak? It isn’t Runt, I hope. I still haven’t found her,” Trudy complained. “Even RITA hasn’t been able to pick up anything! I swear, it is like the girl totally vanished off the face of the Earth. Hell, I didn’t think she would be able to stay disconnected this long.”

“No, it isn’t Runt. It looks like one of the President’s aides has been having a sudden financial boom,” Rose replied, studying the data in front of her. “Damn.”

“What?” Trudy asked in frustration.

““There was an attack on Addie Banks this morning. She is missing and two men were found dead in her apartment. One with a knife through his chest, and the other with a broken neck.”

“Something tells me that not all the aliens are gone,” Trudy muttered, reading the police report.

“No, Merrick has returned for Addie,” RITA replied. “My sis asked me to wait for his call and let her know so she could lock onto him. Core is on the other side waiting to open the Gateway, but so far, I haven’t received a call from him or Addie yet.”

Rose groaned and scooted over so Trudy could wheel her chair up next to her. They both scanned the report. Rose had tapped into the phone companies' records and was looking at the text messages sent. Sure enough, short, cryptic messages, some just hours before a raid, had been sent to a series of different numbers.

“Damn it,” Rose cursed.

“Look at the last one, Rose,” Trudy said, pointing to the screen.

“Shit,” Rose snapped out in a frustrated voice.

“RITA…” Trudy mumbled.

“I already have the flight plan uploaded. The helicopter will be ready. I anticipated that you would be flying it, Trudy. Do you want me to activate a team?” RITA asked.

“No,” Rose replied grimly. “We don’t want to take a chance of the asswipe getting news that we know about him. We are going to have to split up for this one. I’ll notify Cosmos while you go warn Merrick. Damn, I wish Avery hadn’t gone off the grid just yet. Cosmos has returned to Baade. He and Terra are working on something, but I can still send messages through RITA and RITA2.”

“She said it would only be for a couple of days. She deserves a day or two off every few years.,” Trudy joked, rising out of her seat. “Besides, we can handle this. Just be careful, Rose, or Avery will be hell to live with for a while.”

“You too,” Rose said. “RITA, I need the corporate jet readied for Washington.”

“Already done, Rose,” RITA replied cheerfully. “I was wondering why Merrick hadn’t contacted me yet, now I know. Ah, love.”

Neither woman responded as they geared up. Trudy would take the helicopter to Seaside. RITA would arrange to have a car waiting for her. She would head out to the address the snitch had posted.

At first, they thought they would only be dealing with Addie Banks. Now, they knew there would be a Prime warrior, as well. They weren’t sure who the snitch was sending the information to. That would be up to Rose to try to find out. The main thing was making sure that Merrick did not get captured again.