Midnight's Captive (Dark Warriors) (31 page)

“There’s no place for you in my world,” he said into the silence.

The chair creaked as she rose. Aiden prayed that she would storm out. Her anger would keep her away from him. It was his last resort, since he knew he was too weak to keep his distance. The more he was with her, the more times he kissed her, only strengthened his yearning to keep her by his side.

He was shoved in the shoulder, spinning him around. Britt’s face was set in hard lines as she jabbed a finger in his chest.

“I’ve never met a more controlling, confident, maddening man in all my life. How dare you make decisions about my life. That’s for me to do. And only me.”

Her eyes blazed with anger, and it only made Aiden’s blood burn hotter.

“This is the twenty-first century, and you need to remember that,” Britt continued. “I’m not some weak female who needs you to come to my rescue. I’m perfectly capable of saving myself.”

Aiden barely heard what she said. His gaze was trained on her mouth while he battled the urge to drag her against him.

“So, I’m making the decisions for me. And I choose you, Aiden MacLeod. Get used to it.”

The words scarcely penetrated his brain before she rose up on her tiptoes and placed her lips on his. The kiss was frantic as their mutual need fueled the other to new heights.

Aiden backed her against the wall. There he kissed her as if it were their last night together. He poured every ounce of need, of the urgent, insistent yearning into the kiss.

Britt had to touch him, had to feel his warm skin. She tore at his shirt until she heard buttons hitting the wooden floor.

The deep, resonant moan that filled the room when she placed her hands on his chest made her heart skip a beat. How she had longed to caress him, to run her hands over his finely sculpted chest she’d glimpsed only in his tight shirts.

Her head tilted to the side when his mouth trailed down her neck, his tongue and lips doing wonderful, wicked things to her flesh.

Her fingers clung to his thick shoulders when he tugged down the strap of her dress. It fell against her arm while his fingers caressed softly, seductively along her skin as he followed the edge of the dress until he came to her breast.

“Lovely,” he whispered near her ear.

Chills raced along her skin as she silently begged him to take more. She was offering all of herself, if only he would take it.

He kissed down her chest, following the same path of his fingers until he came to her décolletage. There he paused before he cupped one of her breasts.

Britt sucked in a breath, her heart pounding uncontrollably. No one had ever made her shudder so wantonly with just a few kisses, but Aiden wasn’t like any other man in the world.

A gasp tore from her mouth when his thumb moved over her nipple, causing her breasts to swell and her nipples to harden painfully.

“Aiden,” she whispered, her knees threatening to buckle.

He kneeled before her, his hands gripping her hips as he lifted his face to her. His smile, so gorgeous, so irresistible made her blood race.

She bit her lip when his hands smoothed down the outside of her legs until they reached the hem of her dress. Then he dipped his hands beneath her dress. His eyes burned with desire as his hands slid up along her skin, dragging her dress with them up over her hips to her waist.

Desire centered low in Britt’s belly. She craved his touch as her body craved oxygen. And she feared she would never get enough of him.

“So damn beautiful,” Aiden murmured before he placed a kiss next to her navel.

Britt’s head dropped back against the wall and her eyes slid shut. His hands were everywhere, touching her, learning her as she longed to do to him.

Her sucked in a breath when his thumbs hooked her panties. Slowly he pulled the lace down until the garment puddled at her feet.

She shook from the need tightening within her, and Aiden hadn’t truly touched her yet. He very gently lifted each of her feet until the panties were completely removed.

And then his hands were on her legs again. His touch was firm but smooth as he skimmed his hands from her ankles to her thighs.

He gave her little warning before he lifted one of her legs and draped it over his shoulder. His touch was soft as he ran his fingers through her curls.

Britt placed her hands flat on the wall in an effort to keep herself upright while her heart hammered in her chest. She groaned when he skimmed her clitoris, the little nub aching for more.

Aiden moaned when he felt how wet Britt was. He plunged a finger inside her, stroking her tight core as her soft cries filled the cottage.

He added a second finger, her fingers digging into his shoulders. His cock jumped when he grazed her clit and heard her cry out.

There was no more waiting. He had to have her, had to claim her. Medieval thinking or not, that was the truth of it.

Aiden removed his fingers from her the same time he shrugged her leg off his shoulder. And in one fluid motion, he stood.

There were no words. Just frantic fumbling of their fingers on his pants and kisses frenzied by the need burning within them.

When his pants were finally unbuttoned and unzipped, Britt stopped him in his tracks with her hand upon his length. He stood stock-still while her hand ran up and down his arousal.

Then it became too much. He grabbed her hips and lifted her. Instantly her legs locked around his waist.

Britt felt the head of Aiden’s cock against her flesh a second before his hips thrust forward. She gasped as the hard, hot length of him slid inside her.

For several moments they stood as they were. He pulled out of her until only the head of his arousal remained. Then he thrust inside her again.

She clung to him, their gazes clashed as their bodies began to move. In and out he pumped, her body tightening with each stroke of his rod.

The urgency, the need driving them pushed them. The sound of their bodies meeting and their harsh breaths filled the room.

Britt’s legs constricted when he began to pound ruthlessly into her until, a heartbeat later, her climax claimed her. Her mouth opened to scream her release when Aiden kissed her to keep her silent.

Not even that could diminish the bliss that was her orgasm. She was floating on a cloud of pleasure so amazing she knew she would never come down.

Aiden never stopped thrusting. He prolonged her climax until his own claimed him. It was fierce as it ripped through him, his seed spilling inside her.

He buried his face in her neck, his body slick with sweat. Aiden wanted to do nothing more than find a bed and make love to her again and again. But reality crashed upon them with the sounds of approaching feet.

Aiden lifted his head to find Britt smiling at him. She ran a hand down his face to smooth away his hair before she kissed him.

“I don’t regret this. I’ve never been happier, and if you ruin it by telling me it was a mistake, I won’t be responsible for what I do to you.”

He grinned and gave her a quick kiss. “I was going to say I wish we were alone with a bed so I could take you to it.”

“Oh, now, that sounds wonderful,” she said wistfully.

Aiden pulled out of her and released her legs. There was so much he needed to say to her, but before he could, the door opened.

He shifted so that he was between whoever had just come in and Britt. She hastily lowered her dress while he buttoned his pants.

With a wink, she walked around him and began talking to Galen. Aiden reached to button his shirt when he noticed all but one of the buttons was gone. He spotted several on the floor around him.

He inhaled and just as he was about to turn around, he spotted the silver lace panties on the floor. Aiden bent and put them in his pocket as he stood.

Only to find his father standing behind and to the side of Galen, watching him.

“Anything?” Aiden asked.

Quinn’s gaze raked across the area. “It’s quiet. Too quiet. Wallace should’ve found us by now.”

“Let’s give ourselves some credit,” Britt said. “Besides, I’m in no hurry for him to show up.”

“Nay,” Fallon said as he suddenly appeared in the room beside them. “But he’s coming. Let’s try to get you all out of here.”

They all quickly stepped forward except for Aiden. “What about Phelan?”

“He has other business,” Galen said cryptically.

Which Aiden knew meant Charon. Whatever was going on there, Phelan wouldn’t leave Charon to go it alone.

Aiden took his place between Britt and Galen. Fallon put his hands on Galen’s and Quinn’s shoulders to take them out of there, but nothing happened. Just as before.

“Fuck!” Fallon shouted, and spun away.

Footsteps running toward the cottage filled the silence that followed. A second later and Phelan flung open the front door.

“I just spoke with Charon. He has a plan.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Charon watched Con as he stared out the windows of his office. Charon had laid out his plan for Constantine, and now all that remained was Con’s approval.

Of course, Con didn’t know that Charon had already told the plan to Phelan.

“You want to have the battle here,” Con said.

It wasn’t a question. More of a statement, but it was the humor in his tone that caught Charon off guard. “You offered your help. My concern was keeping the identities of you and your Kings a secret.”

“And you think having the battle here will do that?”

Charon glanced at both Guy and Banan, who stood off to the side. Neither King so much as batted an eye. Charon then glanced over at Hal, the green dragon he’d seen earlier, and another King by the name of Laith.

The solidarity of the men reminded him of the Warriors at MacLeod Castle. Further proof that Charon had no one but himself to count on.

Phelan was the closest thing he had to a friend, but Charon didn’t know if Phelan would allow himself to be called friend. Not to mention that Phelan was notoriously difficult to get ahold of if he didn’t want to be found.

“You know these glens and mountains,” Charon said. “Wallace knows nothing of you, and we can use that as an advantage. A surprise attack he’ll never see coming.”

Con clasped his hands behind his back. “There’s no doubt you’re a good battle strategist. I think it’s one of the reasons your god chose you.”

Charon looked at the floor. He didn’t know what Con was getting at, but he didn’t like—nor want—to talk of his past. “If you say so.”

“I say so.” Con chuckled then. “You’re immortal, Charon, but you’ve lived only six hundred years. I’ve lived for thousands of millennia. I’ve seen countless battles and wars. I’ve even watched you fight as a Warrior. I know what I’m talking about.”

“Then the problem is?”

“Cheeky bastard,” Guy mumbled with a grin.

Charon scratched his cheek with only his middle finger, causing Guy to have to cough to cover up his laughter. Banan, Hal, and Laith all ducked their heads to hide their smiles.

Con turned to face Charon. “You seem verra confident that Wallace can be beaten. Have you forgotten the outbreak in Edinburgh? Five more people have died, including a little boy.”

The cocky grin Charon had worn a moment before dropped as anger took its place. He was careful to keep his god tamped down, because while he wasn’t afraid of the Kings, he needed their help.

“While you and the other Kings have whiled away your years in luxury and privacy, the Warriors have defended the entire fucking planet from evil. I have no’ forgotten a damned thing. We’ve lost friends, innocents, and our families because none of you did a thing about Deirdre.”

“She wasna a priority.”

The fury Charon kept tightly controlled erupted. Fangs filled his mouth the same instant his claws elongated from his fingers. He didn’t need to look down to know his skin had turned copper.

“Wasna a priority?” Charon repeated in a low, dangerous voice. “Do you know the havoc she wrought? Can you even comprehend what she did to us and the other Druids? Or were you too wrapped up in no’ having your precious dragons to order around?”

Con leaned forward, his hands resting on his desk as his lip curled in anger.

“Struck a nerve, did I?” Charon taunted.

Con tucked his chin, and Charon bent his legs ready to fight when the door was thrown open and Laura rushed in to stand before him.

Her hands were braced against his chest, and even though Charon had his lips peeled back as he growled, it didn’t seem to faze her.

“Enough,” she said. When neither he nor Con relented, she tried again. This time she yelled. “Enough!”

Hal crossed his arms over his chest. “Brave woman.”

Charon straightened, but he didn’t tamp down his god. He had come to the Kings for help, but it looked as if he had ruined that.

Perhaps Phelan had been correct when he said neither he nor Charon were meant to be a part of anything.

“Look at me,” Laura coaxed Charon.

He wasn’t ready to give any ground to Con, but Laura wasn’t giving up.

“Charon, look at me,” she demanded in a louder tone.

He blew out a harsh breath and lowered his gaze to her. “You shouldna be here.”

“And where should I be while you and our new friends are about to fight? Luckily for you, Cassie happened to be walking by and heard the exchange. She came to get me.”

Hal rolled his eyes and shifted from one foot to another. “Happened to be walking by, my arse,” he mumbled.

Laura could feel the fury rolling off Charon in waves. He stood against five Dragon Kings without so much as a tremor. His copper skin glistened in the lightning flashes, and he was careful to keep his claws away from her.

She let her hand trail down his chest before she turned and faced Con. “Charon is right. You stood by while thousands died. Did I hear wrong, or were you able to shift from dragon to human so you could protect the humans?”

“Humans doona need protecting. It’s the rest of the world that needs protecting from them,” Con said with his teeth clenched. He pushed away from his desk and glared at Charon.

Laura sighed. She had hoped by coming into the office, she might help defuse the situation, but she’d been wrong. She faced Charon, knowing she had one more chance with him.