SEAL's Code (18 page)

She was aware her mother was in the next room, and it was everything she could do not to shout out his name. She smelled campfires and heard the singing, felt the stars crackle in the night sky as he kissed and explored her with long, careful fingers, rhythmically giving her more pleasure than she felt she could handle.

Her fingers sifted through his hair while he feasted on her tenderly, quietly, all except for the low growl and moan she felt course from the vibration at the tip of his tongue encircling her stiff bud, and the humming of his lips on her folds. In the faint light coming from a half moon through the open curtains, she saw his dark eyes flicker, telling her things she felt deep inside, but did not hear.

He took to removing her slip-on shoes and the remnants of her jeans at her ankles, and stood her up. He stepped out of his shoes and slipped off his jeans as well. Her fingers went to his member, which came alive in her palms as she squeezed him. One hand went to his backside and she pulled his buttocks toward her as she slightly bent her knees and allowed him to root up along the passageway of soft tissues at her opening, but stopped. The tension and anticipation of their joining sent delicious ripples throughout her body. She knew how they would feel joined together, and in that instant, all other cares in the world completely vanished.

He took her hand again and brought her to the bed’s side, stepping around the sleeping baby. She sat, pulling herself backward and over the quilt covering her bed. He crawled over her, placing a pillow under her head and neck, taking another one and placing it under her pelvis. She arched and spread her knees as he kissed and nibbled at the juncture between her legs again until she was ready to cry out. She put the back of her palm against her mouth and bit down. She burned for him to penetrate her as he kissed her sensitive flesh, smoothing over her bud and folds with his tongue. Everything he touched burned. Her muscles buzzed in heightened anticipation.

At last, he climbed her body and held himself up by the elbows, allowing his fingers to make traces in her hair as their legs tangled. Her thigh was against his, pulling him to her center, angling her pelvis higher on the pillow, begging to be entered.

“I have protection.” He didn’t smile, but stared down at her.

That brought a smile to her lips. “Is that going to protect me from missing you when you’re gone?”

“I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart.”

“You lie, Dine man. But oh, if I could just have you here forever, right here like this, right now, I would give up just about everything else.”

“Just about.”

She frowned and thought about Sarah. Was it right she was going to make love to this man, take solace in his arms and forget the reality of the circumstances which brought him home while she was still missing, could be in danger, or worse?

“You’re having second thoughts. I can see it in your face, Luci.”

“No second thoughts, Danny. Regardless of what happens, nothing is going to keep me from loving you.”

She heard his low growl at her mention of the “L” word. She drank from his eyes as he pondered something, watching his thumb crossing over her forehead in the moonlight. She matched his gentle movement with one of her own, sliding her thigh against his, back and forth, waiting for his answer.

“Is this enough? Is this enough for you, Luci?”

She slowly shook her head from side to side on the pillow.

He frowned. She raised her head toward his, meeting his lips and whispering to him, “I want all of you, Danny. Every thought, prayer. Every chant, all your hopes and dreams. I want your children. There isn’t anything I do not want about you. And I’ll still want more. More than perhaps you can give, and I’ll still want more of you.”

His tongue played with hers. He increased the pressure against her mouth, the growl at the back of his throat signaling he was losing control.

“Give me everything you’ve got. Let me decide if it’s enough, Danny.”

He arched up and took in a deep breath, then slowly pushed his thighs beneath hers, into the pillow, rocking back and forth with his pelvis until he was at her opening. Very slowly he entered her.

She heard the singing woman as she looked into his eyes. Danny had turned his head, and then leaned forward to kiss her gently on the lips. “Love this,” he said between kisses. The song was an aching lament to the death of her old self, and the new woman she was becoming.

He didn’t take his eyes off hers as he angled back and forth slowly, rooting deep. Each time she answered him with firmness, bringing him deeper still. The vacant places became filled. Her soul was light, the feeling of joy washing all over her body like a golden veil. Her eyes watered as she began to feel the power and meaning of the union.

“You hear it too, sweetheart?” he asked.

She was so overcome, it was difficult to speak, so she nodded. The tears began to roll down from her eyes onto the pillow, and then she released herself to him. “I hear it. Yes.”

His thumbs followed the salty drops, wiping them away. “Yes, baby,” he nodded. “Come for me, baby.”

He thrust hard and her back arched in answer. He held her head in his fingers, which sifted into her hair while his rhythm increased. He kissed her neck, moving down between her breasts and back up again. He bit and kissed the underside of her chin and the hollow in her shoulder at the base of her neck. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, squeezing the rock hard muscles. With one large hand, he grabbed her wrists and pulled her arms over her head, while he gripped her hip with his other hand spanned across one butt cheek as he pressed hard and held. Her breathing became ragged. She felt the muscles inside her clamp down on him. Pulling her leg up, he slipped his shoulder under one of her thighs and came deep inside her at an angle. She felt him tense and release as her own orgasm was pulling her to the pond, to the wheat fields, to the clouds, soaring like an eagle through the sky. She heard the wind and discovered it was the sound of his breathing.

With his chest against hers, she could feel the strong steady beat of his heart, and she knew it would be a love that would last forever.

‡

D
anny could function
on little sleep. He’d trained for it. What he hadn’t trained for was the heaviness in his chest as he ached to make love to Luci all night long. Every little movement she made woke him up, and he was on fire with need again.

She got up twice to feed Griffin, and both times she lay back against his chest, her naked body driving him wild until Griffin had had his fill and fell back asleep.

“I’m getting jealous already of the time he’s taking away from us,” he said in her ear as he took her from behind. She’d giggled afterwards, rolling back against him, their legs entangled, catching their breath.

By morning, Danny was fairly sure he wasn’t going to be able to walk. He’d never felt so possessed, but it was. But far from evil, this one was an obsession. He remembered how he felt about her the first time he’d seen her, and identified her as a sucker of souls. He’d follow her anywhere.

Dawn robbed them of the shadows and private groans in the darkness. As they heard her mother get up and make coffee, he reminded her that Sanders was going to be stopping by within a half hour. That meant a shower. And in the shower, she kneeled in front of him and started another play that lasted until they heard voices on the other side of the door indicating Sanders had arrived. All the hot water was used up.

Whenever they looked at each other, there was laughter and shyness he found sexy. He couldn’t view her face without seeing her naked body in the moonlight, or recalling the feel of kissing all her private places. His appetite was allowed to run wild, and she seemed just as insatiable.

They dressed quickly, bumping into each other and using the opportunity to touch each other in intimate ways. He knew the day would drag on, but tonight their lovemaking would go like wildfire just like it had last night. He could hardly wait.

Sanders wasn’t what Danny expected. The man was huge, but he couldn’t tell his age, although he figured Sanders was at least ten to fifteen years older. The man was seated across from Zelda at the dining room table, a fresh mug of coffee in his giant paw of a hand. His fingers were so big he almost couldn’t get them into the handle loop on the ceramic mug.

Sanders stood up upon seeing Luci. “Ma’am,” he said, nodding and pretending to take off an invisible cowboy hat.

Luci smiled back at him and then darted a look to her mother. Zelda was not happy with her and dished out a cool stare. Perhaps her sleep had been interrupted several times during the night with their lovemaking. After all, the walls were thin, the construction not very sturdy.

“Please, sit,” Luci said to him. The men ignored her completely.

Sanders looked Danny over and extended his hand. “I’m Special Agent Cortland Sanders,” he said as he showed his badge.

“SO 1 Danny Begay.”

They both cleared their throats and sat down, Sanders somewhat more clumsy than Danny, whose movements were stealthy and utterly soundless.

“So would you mind bringing me up to speed, Agent Sanders?”

Zelda was tapping the table with her unpolished fingernails, temporarily distracting Sanders. “There’s a lot about this case I can’t tell you, Begay.” Sanders adjusted his legs, crossing one massive thigh over the other one, which made him sit even further away from the table. He was dressed in a white shirt, but Danny didn’t think he normally wore a button-down cuffed shirt. He looked like he was dressed for a funeral. Danny figured he’d be much more comfortable in leathers.

His hair was scruffy, uneven and light brown in color, and prematurely going grey at the temples. But his hands were immaculately clean, nails buffed and trimmed. Danny was sure he’d be able to palm a basketball without any effort at all.

Sanders became self-conscious of his hands, as if he was being judged by the sight of the obvious manicure in some way. He uncrossed his legs, putting his paws under the table, resting on his thighs.

Danny began. “How can I help? I’m off for at least two weeks’ leave. I can have a third if I’m needed.”

“That’s appreciated. I think in this case we’re going to need your help. I have an assistant who is chasing down a lead we got just before we were ready to come up here. You’ll meet him. Name’s Lyle.”

“Okay, good. So suppose you tell me what you can, and I’ll ask some questions. Then we’ll go from there.” Danny worked on his breathing to show nothing of the raging apprehension brewing inside him.

Sanders left eye twitched imperceptibly as if Danny had flung lint at him.

“Got a question for you, Begay. How familiar are you with the tribal police?”

“Not much at all. Why?”

“Are they to be trusted, in your opinion?”

“Oh, I’d say for me, yes. For you?” Danny covered his mouth with the palm of his hand, searching Drew’s face. “There’s a reverse discrimination out here on the res, but I’m sure you’ve been schooled in that.”

“I have, and yes, I know about it.”

“I’m sure it comes as no surprise to you that you’d be considered an outsider, right?”

“No problem. That’s normal.”

“So cooperation will be difficult for you,” Danny said.

“I get it. So what about you?”

“For me? Well, that’s another story. And a bit complicated, too. I haven’t lived here on the res for twelve years.”

“That’s a fact I wish I’d known, son. I wouldn’t have had you bother coming all this way. I need someone I can rely on who’s
connected
. I know about the closed community here.”

“Excuse me, Mr. Sanders. Between my daughter and myself, we know just about everyone around here,” Zelda spat out, sporting a dangerous and challenging attitude.

“Ma’am, I can’t in all honesty use the mother of one of the victims,” Sanders said with a frown.

“Victims! What have you learned?” Zelda shouted as she stood.

“Now hold it right there.” Sanders clumsily got to his feet, nearly toppling the chair he was sitting on. “I don’t have any further information other than what we’ve already told you.”

“Which is
jack
, and you know it,” Zelda was becoming unhinged. Her eyes were on fire. She looked like she wanted to hit Sanders.

“Wait a minute, Mom. You’re getting in the way,” said Luci, who also stood, which caused Danny to stand as well.

“Don’t you talk to me about getting in the way. You guys are in there fucking like rabbits all night long, and I’m missing my little girl.”

Danny was sorry for the remark, which both embarrassed and insulted Luci.
He
could handle the insult, but he didn’t like it being hurled at Luci.

Sanders looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there. He wouldn’t make eye contact with Luci, but he appeared furious with
him
. And then there was the look he gave Zelda as she threw out a string of invectives, and then turned, making noise with the dishes she started washing in the kitchen sink.

After a short pause, she whirled around. “You guys, with your badges and medals…meanwhile that poor daughter of mine—” She hesitated because she was pointing a carving knife toward Sanders.