Sea Panther (Crimson Storm) (13 page)

“Kimberly, I need you now,” blared from the intercom
speaker.

The urgency in Robert’s tone sent adrenaline humming through
her system. She bolted out of bed and flew up the companionway steps.

Robert stood at the wheel covered from head to toe in rain
gear. “Heavy weather coming. Don your foul weather gear.”

She headed below and pulled on a thick fleece, heavy red
storm pants and jacket, and ugly, white, foul weather boots. Shortly after
returning to deck, the wind kicked up. At fifteen knots, Kimberly reefed the
main sail. At twenty, she rolled up the genoa a tad and put a second reef in
the main. The sea rolled with six-foot swells. When the wind reached a speed of
twenty-five knots, she completely furled the genoa and
Night Thrill
sailed on the reefed main alone.

The massive squall hit like a tempest and slammed into them
with vengeance. Horizontal rain bit into bare flesh.
Night Thrill
bobbed
through white-capped waves like a child riding an unruly rocking horse. Robert
manhandled the wheel.

“Drop the sail,” he hollered over the din of the storm.

She tried, but the damn sail snagged on the rigging, and
wouldn’t release. A large wave crashed over the deck, drenching her from her
hair to the tips of the rubber boots, making matters worse.

“Take the helm,” Robert ordered. “I will go aloft, clear the
rigging and free the canvas.”

She shook her head. “Too dangerous in this wind.”

“Nae choice.”

Her muscles cramped from chilling fear. Kimberly held her
breath while Robert used a climbing harness and the halyard to pull himself up
the mast. He freed the sail, but as he lowered to deck, a line snapped and
tangled around one leg.

“Shit!” He can’t get free. Terror gripped her like a vise.

Robert yelled something, but the words were lost in the
chaos of the wind. Kimberly locked the wheel. She’d have to go up after him.
Her stomach roiled. What if she got part way up and froze? She’d never been
able to handle heights.
Oh, God, help me. How can I do this?

“You will.” Raven’s voice coaxed from within Kimberly’s
mind.

Kimberly twisted around, half-expecting to see Robert’s
sister standing next to her. She fought off the panic threatening to overwhelm
her. With closed eyes, she inhaled a deep breath, and visualized what needed to
be done. She heard Raven’s encouraging words. Her father’s voice joined in.
Vivid images flashed in her mind. They talked her through each step required.

Reassuring warmth wrapped around her. The blood in her veins
surged with energy. She released the fear.

Kimberly flipped her eyes open. She didn’t question the
strangeness of the experience. With disciplined efficiency, she placed the
tools needed, including a sharp knife, into a small sack, and slung it across
her chest. She pulled on gloves, secured the safety harness, and grabbed hold
of a secured line. Then she climbed. Using hands and feet, she shimmied up the
rope. Never once did she look down.

“Foolhardy wench.” Robert cursed as she cut the tangled rope
from his leg, freeing him.

It was dicey getting down with the wind tearing at the
lines. After they both made it safely to deck, Robert pulled her into his arms,
nearly forcing the breath from her lungs, and hugged her roughly. When they
split apart, she trembled from the after effects of a powerful adrenaline rush.

“Your father would be proud of you.”

“Thank you.” Rain poured over her face. Years of guilt
washed away with the stream of cold water. She smiled at Robert. But they
weren’t out of the storm yet.

Even with the biting wind and chill rain, Kimberly’s smile
brightened Robert’s life like his youthful memory of Scottish sunshine
shimmering on Loch Fyne. He didn’t want to think of what would have happened if
she had fallen and he couldn’t get free to help her. Where was his vampire
strength when it was needed? The experts in his employ had better find answers.

And soon.

With bare poles, the sails in the lazy jacks, he started the
engine. His pride in Kimberly made him grin. Thankfully, it wasn’t long before
the storm’s rage slackened.

The yacht continued to travel though rolling white-capped
waves, and the sky remained dark, but the worst of the storm had passed. Robert
held the wheel while Kimberly went below to change out of the foul weather
gear. Then she took the helm while he removed his wet clothing.

When he returned to deck, he commandeered the wheel.
Kimberly plopped onto a cockpit bench with a tired groan, though her cheeks
were flushed with healthy color. He couldn’t budge his gaze away. Pride filled
his heart. She was his heroic savior.

Suddenly, a strange heat warmed his skin.

Night Thrill
sailed into sunlight. Panic seized
Robert and he let go of the wheel. It spun, jerking Kimberly from her perch on
the edge of the cockpit bench. He reflexively covered his face with arms and
hands, expecting the flesh to burst into flames.

Instead, he experienced the biggest shock of his immortal life.
His skin didn’t burn and disintegrate into dust. His eyes didn’t tear. He
tolerated the sun’s rays without discomfort.

He stared at the fireball on the horizon, crimson merged
with amber, brighter than he remembered. What had altered him so? Vampire shifters
weren’t supposed to get sick, and they certainly weren’t able to withstand
direct sunlight except in animal form.

Robert reached for the beasts. Both the vampire and the
panther had receded deep into the depths of his subconscious. Why? He grabbed
the wheel, bringing the sailboat under control.

Kimberly scrambled to right herself. “What’s wrong?”

“Naught. I lost my grip for a moment.”

She scrunched her forehead and looked at him oddly. Then she
crossed arms over her breasts, drawing his gaze to her clingy floral print
blouse. For the first time since his turning, he appreciated the profusion of
colors. Bold reds. Bright yellows. Cooling shades of green and blue.

Glimmering light played with golden highlights accenting
rich brown hair. Kimberly was a feast for his eyes. Her skin glowed. Her
rose-colored lips—

“Now that the sun is shining shouldn’t we find a gunkhole
and get out of sight?”

The stunned revelations interrupted, he mentally shook
himself. “Aye, I ken a place not far from here.”

They raised the main sail, and Robert steered for a small
cove he knew from previous trips south. Kimberly remained quiet, giving him
ample time to reflect. His thoughts whirled around the questions, avoiding the
most likely answer. Finally, he had to face the facts. The only possible
conclusion to make—the key had something to do with Kimberly’s blood.

Whether for good or ill, something in her blood altered the
very core of his being. It was now more imperative than ever he reach the
compound quickly and confer with the experts in his employ.

First, he would have one more evening alone with Kimberly.

K
imberly
stepped through the companionway and her heart twisted. Robert had created a
comfy haven in the cockpit. He’d removed the teak table from between the two
benches and replaced it with cushions on the floor. Over those was placed a
colorful cotton quilt.

He sat bare-assed on top, wearing nothing more than a
predatory expression, like a cat about to pounce on a songbird. A thrill ran
through her. Was she the prey?

Kimberly smiled on the inside—a secret smile—and held his
hungry stare, letting the afghan she wore like a toga fall. Hot chills trailed
his gaze as it slid over her bare skin. The deliberate visual appraisal teased
a nervous giggle from her lips.

The desire reflected in his eyes made her feel sexy and
maybe even a little bit beautiful. She dropped to her knees in front of him,
surprised not to be the least bit awkward.

He placed his hands on her upper arms. “You are lovely.”

Heat singed her cheeks, and she couldn’t hold his stare.
Maybe she was self-conscious after all. “Thank you,” she murmured.

He grasped her chin, tilted it upward, and forced her to
look him in the eye. “I mean it, Kimberly. You steal my verra breath.”

Then he dipped his head and brushed her lips with his. He
kissed her mouth with aching tenderness. Desire pooled in her belly. When his
tongue slipped between her lips, she opened for him, inviting him to taste her
passion. And she, his.

The raw yearning wrapped within Kimberly’s response to the
kiss tore at Robert’s black heart. He twisted their bodies, her at his side
where he could hold her while catching his breath.

“We have all night, sweetling. Let us take it slow.” He drew
the afghan over them. “Let us enjoy the starlit night.”

Let us be as one
.

Her heart raced as did his. He heard the blood rushing
through her veins. Heard the pounding at her temples. Smelled honeyed desire.
His fangs lengthened, and he struggled with the vampire for dominance.

He would not take her blood again.

Overpowered, the vampire receded, and Robert’s fangs
retracted. He relaxed and held Kimberly tight against his side.

“I love you, Robert.”

His heart leapt along with hope. Was it possible? “You must
mean someone else,” he teased, unable to believe.

She rose onto an elbow and studied him. Honesty glowed in
her chocolate eyes. “Nope. I’m definitely in love with you.”

She leaned in and pressed sweet lips to his. He greedily
accepted the offering and wrapped his arms around her. Reveled in the demanding
kiss. Possessive need flowed through his veins.

Mine
.

She belonged to him.

Robert ended the kiss, wanting to look upon his lover. A
soft smile played on her lips. He swept a fingertip along the contour of a
smooth cheek, admiring her beauty, which glowed from within. She was much more
than he deserved. He inhaled a deep breath and took the leap.

“You are my mate. I love you,” he said. “Always and…”

“Oh, Robert.” Her smile widened and her eyes glowed through
a sheen of joyous tears.

His chest pinched and he pulled her close. “Forever,” he
whispered into her hair. He held tight, wanting to absorb her very essence.
Introduce her light to the darkness lurking within him. He was damned. He
shouldn’t taint her purity. He needed to find a way to reverse the curse before
she learned he was a monster.

Robert shook off the black thoughts and inhaled her sweet
scent. The smell of green apples from the shampoo and body wash she used teased
his nostrils. He nuzzled her neck, and Kimberly sighed. Until he found a cure,
he’d take what solace he could from within her embrace.

A comfortable silence stretched. After a wee bit, she
skimmed a fingernail along the length of the scar on his face. “How did you get
this?”

He shivered and brushed the hand from his cheek. Grabbing
the fingers, he held them over his heart. “’Tis naught.”

How could he explain that he received the sword wound from a
French corsair in 1715 on that dreadful night of his turning?

“Does it hurt?” She attempted to tug her hand free of his
grasp.

He distracted her by laying siege to her mouth. They rolled
across the quilt, their passion rising with each greedy touch of their lips.

Kimberly sucked Robert’s lower lip into her mouth and took a
playful nibble. He growled and rolled on top of her. He kissed her face. Her
eyelids. Her temples. He made her wild for more. She panted, trying to catch
her breath.

Robert loved her
. She wanted to shout her joy to the
world.

He didn’t give her a chance. His tongue swept the outer edge
of an ear, and she moaned. Her sex clenched, a primitive ache at the core of
her femininity. Taut with need, she arched her back, lifting up off the
cushions. He pushed her back with his hard body before slipping down her length
and kissing her belly. The arousing kick to her system had her doing a shimmy.

Robert rose over her and knelt, straddling her hips. He
lowered his head. His satiny lips found a sensitive nipple, and her breath
caught. The pull of his mouth drove her crazy. She squeezed the firm muscles of
his ass and held on, for fear if she didn’t, she’d spiral out of control.

He skimmed hands over the curves of her body, setting fire
to her skin with his touch. One hand roamed between her thighs and found the
throbbing center of her need. When he slipped a couple of fingers within, she
melted.

Kimberly dropped her arms and pushed against the cushions
with her palms. She rolled her hips, pressing her pelvis against his hand,
hoping to encourage him to give more.

Robert teased her sweet spot with torturous skill, pushing
her closer and closer to the edge. She panted, clutching at the quilt beneath
her, desperate for release.

He continued to toy with her until everything within
clenched. She exploded, coming in glorious waves of ecstasy.

When she managed to catch her breath, she opened her eyes
and took in his hooded expression.

Robert felt moisture seep from within the folds of
Kimberly’s pulsating sex.

Blood rushed to the head of his cock.

A blush spread across the length of her body as he yanked
her forward on the quilt and lifted her legs up and over his shoulders. He
would give her pleasure while teaching her to be less shy. His satisfaction
would be all the greater for the effort.

He leaned in and swirled his tongue along the edge of her
bellybutton. Licked the tender knot of raised flesh. Soft purring sounds spiked
his desire, and he rubbed his erection against her softness.

“Please,” she begged.

With the head of his condom-covered cock teasingly poised to
enter her inviting folds, he lingered, increasing the anticipation to a screaming
need. He tightened his jaw against the pressure demanding release. He held back
until he could no longer bear the pleasure-pain and then thrust.

Kimberly’s muscles gripped his hungry shaft in an erotic
embrace and pulled him deep within her welcoming heat. Through the haze of
pleasure, his heightened vampire senses detected the sound of a twig snapping
on shore. He froze. Lifting his head, he quickly scanned the shoreline for a
threat.

A ray of light from a searchlight spanned the port side of
Night
Thrill
. Who dared interrupt them? He didn’t like the answer. Adrenaline
kicked in. Heart racing in alarm, he went on full alert.

Kimberly undulated beneath him.

He withdrew in a swift pull and lowered her legs, dropping
to the floor at the same time.

“What’s—”

He gently placed a hand over her mouth. “Quiet,” he
whispered near her ear. “We have trouble. Stay perfectly still until I return.”

She nodded. He dragged the afghan over her, covering her
completely. Cloaking their presence would do no good. The intruder already knew
they were in the sailboat. His best tactic would be to take out whoever stalked
them.

Falling into a crouch, Robert slipped past the wheel, and
then scrambled up and over the transom, landing softly onto the diving platform
on all fours. He slid into the water and swam beneath the surface, beaching
south of where he detected the source of light. He threw off the condom and
called the panther to the fore to claim his body. Robert shuddered as he
allowed the transformation to take place. Bone and sinew contorted to
accommodate the big cat’s form. Fur covered his skin.

Well hidden within the tall grasses, the panther skulked
through the marsh. He moved silently, rolling one cushioned paw at a time, over
the muddy ground until he stopped behind the interloper.

He hunkered down to focus on the scent of his prey. Twisting
ears forward, he detected the sound of the human’s heavy breathing. He rose and
advanced slowly. Froze. Crept forward a little more then sank into a predatory
crouch. With the target eight feet away, the panther sprang, lunging for the
man’s jugular.

The man tossed him off, crawled a foot away, reached into a
satchel. He rolled to the side, pointed the gun and fired. Missed. The panther
growled, twisted his body, grasped the man’s leg with his mouth and bit down
hard. The man screamed, but managed to fire another shot. The blast echoed,
then silence.

* * *

Kimberly remained motionless for the count of twenty. Her
pulse raced at a frightening rate, but she refused to lie there naked and
helpless. She groped around for a weapon. Finding nothing nearby, she
concentrated on what she knew to be in the cockpit. The bag that hung near the
companionway contained the crank handle for winding the winch.

She crawled closer and reached into the sack for the piece
of metal.

A shot rang out. A man’s scream rent the night.

Her breath left her lungs in a gasp. She clutched the cold
steel to her bare chest and prayed Robert hadn’t been shot. After wrapping the
afghan around her nude body, she crept to the edge of the cockpit and peeked
over the side. She caught a glimpse of two shadowed forms rolling together on
the beach, everything else blurred into deep shades of gray.

A huge cloud swept over the moon, casting the land into
complete darkness. An eternity passed. She tightened the grip on the crank
handle and prepared to defend herself.

The lapping of water on the hull broke the silence, and she
tensed. A loud splash off the starboard side sent a shot of adrenaline through
her system. She raised her arm, ready to lash out with the makeshift weapon.

The moon suddenly escaped the clouds and brightened the sky.

“Kimberly, it is me.” Robert hauled himself from the water
and climbed onto the diving platform.

Relief overwhelmed her senses. She dropped the handle and
rushed to him. “Are you okay?”

Water dripped from his glorious nude body. “The hit man
found us,” he said, his breathing labored. “The bastard got away, but I managed
to injure him.”

Her throat tightened and she couldn’t speak.

Robert accepted the offered beach towel, but refused to make
eye contact. He wore a hard expression. Jaw tight. “Go below and get dressed.”

* * *

Less than an hour later, Kimberly stepped onto a run-down
dock near St. Mary’s, Georgia. Confused thoughts whirled in her mind. She
gripped the tote bag tighter. Driving to the compound instead of sailing was a
new development. Irritation tightened her muscles, and she stretched her back
and neck to ease the kinks. Robert hadn’t lied to her exactly. He’d just
neglected to mention that Colin waited at a nearby motel, ready to drive them
the remainder of the way south to Robert’s compound in Florida.

Had they not been attacked, when would he have divulged the
changed plans? She took a deep breath and loosened clenched fingers. Had Robert
really declared his love for her?

She should be ecstatic. Instead, the contents of her stomach
were performing gymnastics. Kimberly swallowed hard and tried to calm down.
After several more deep breaths, she sighed.

Early morning light shimmered on the surface of the water.
She inhaled the calming fragrance of the sea and turned away to the car parked
next to the dock. Her reflection stared back from the darkened window of the
black sedan. She glanced into the side view mirror and moistened swollen lips.
Whisker burns reddened her cheeks. She attempted to detangle the snarled curls
surrounding her face with her fingers, but there was nothing to do for it. She
looked like a woman who’d just had
to-live-for
sex.

Only, damn it to hell, they hadn’t completed the act.

Robert opened the car door, and she slid across the supple
leather back seat. A few minutes later, he joined her, and they were off. They
drove for hours in silence.

She stared at the scenery rushing by so she wouldn’t have to
think. They passed mobile home parks and large shopping centers with massive
parking lots. Housing and professional complexes, where every stucco building
had an orange tile roof. Strip malls were too numerous to count. South of
Orlando, the car zipped past newly built suburban retirement communities, their
many-colored aluminum roofs glinted in the harsh semi-tropical sun.

Kimberly peeked at Robert from under her lashes. A shadow of
whiskers covered his firm jaw, making him look all the more desirable. It was
hard to stay mad when the subject of your snit sat next to you and was damn
sexy.

So damn gorgeous, her sweet tooth hurt.

While they drove, her temper cooled. After all, Robert was
only trying to be protective.

As if recognizing the change in her mood, he grasped her hand,
and they laced their fingers. She’d sensed the sadness that overcame him after
they left
Night Thrill
. She understood. Their adventure had ended. The
hit man found her and probably would again.