Shadow Touched (Shadow Roamer #1) (6 page)

TEN

“At this rate, girl,
you soon gonna to make us look bad.” Trevas flashed his handsome grin at her, a shot of tequila in his hand. “To the rookie, for bravely kicking demon ass!”

“And saving mine,” Nero added, making the others laugh
before they all downed their drinks.

Stella’s cheeks were flushed, her eyes sparkling and everything about her seemed to glow. He wondered whether she knew that she was part of this team now. Only members were called rookies, and so
Nero was glad they had gathered at the Fool’s Head.

The bar was run by roamers, but humans and roamers alike came and went, without the humans ever knowing the truth about them.
From time to time they would finish their nights here, happy that all have them had made it through the patrol and just in need of a drink or two to wind down. When he had suggested it earlier, he wouldn’t have thought they would have such a great occasion to celebrate. But Stella had surprised them all, jumping into battle when needed, standing her own and killing her first demon. Not bad after one week of training. Really, not bad at all.

And she had been a sight to
behold. He would never forget that moment, when he had turned around to see her using the shadows as if she had done so all her life, slicing away at that bloodsucker. And in these boots no less.

His eyes trailed down her
long, shapely legs. Oh yeah, he would definitely give Ombra a raise. When his gaze traveled up again, she was watching him, and he looked right back at her, not even trying to hide what he had been up to as he took a swig of his beer.

More shots were lined up
and Ombra, Trevas and Scuro prepared for a battle of a different kind. Nero volunteered as score keeper, while his eyes followed Nebbia and Stella as they walked to the dance floor. Her hips were swaying gently, naturally and not in that exaggerated way some women would use to draw attention to them.

He watched her, and poured for his brothers-in-arms when necessary. The way she moved
with her eyes closed…slow, sure and lost to the music, it was captivating. Then her eyes opened as if she had sensed his gaze, and there it was again, that connection; that awareness throbbing between them, much heavier and much more sexual than what he had felt earlier when he had picked her up before heading out tonight. It was like a fist to the gut, a challenge and a promise all in one, and he wanted nothing more than to walk over there, bend her over his arm and kiss her until the world slipped away.

“Next one,”
Trevas commanded, pulling him out of his fantasies and to the task at hand.

“Of course.”
He poured, but always kept an eye on Stella. God, that woman could move.

After another song ended she came to their table
and plopped down in a chair beside him, their thighs touching. Her eyes were like starlit midnight as they met his. “How many did they have?”

“This was shot number twelve.”

He saw Stella’s brow rise as Scuro waved a sure hand for Nero to pour another one, while Trevas gave up, his head dropping onto the table. Oh yeah, Scuro was the silent guy with a friendly face, but he could drink them all under the table without batting an eye.

Nero held up the bottle and looked at
Ombra questioningly. She grimaced, “Mommy.” Then she straightened in her chair, elbows resting on the table like anchors keeping her in place, and nodded. “’kay. Pour.”

It wasn’t long after that they all made their way home, some having more trouble than others setting one foot in front of the other. But on
ce outside Stella couldn’t keep from staring at Scuro who was strolling down the street as if he’d just watched a game of foot in that bar and not downed fourteen shots of tequila. And that with his arm around Trevas no less, who really had trouble staying upright.

“
I don’t know whether to be awed or creeped out.”

Nero smiled at her.
“Yeah, me neither sometimes.”

“A
t least his eyes are a bit glazed over, otherwise it would definitely be creeped out.”

Fifteen minutes later it was once again just the two of them in the elevator, after the others had gotten off at their floors, eager to crawl into their beds.
Nero accompanied Stella to her door, aware of her body beside his. He had been aware of her ever since they had met and that awareness had only grown. But even though she had wielded a shadow sword as if she had been born with it tonight, they still had a lot ahead of them. She had worked the shadows when in danger but still needed to do so, simply on command…and she needed to survive the Council’s test. He had to make sure of it. It was his responsibility to prepare her for whatever they would throw at her.

When they reached the door to her room, she turned and
before he knew it she grabbed his neck, pulling him down to her mouth. She kissed him with a thoroughness that made his blood turn molten heat in an instant and he had her up against her door in the next. Tongues dancing and teeth nipping they got lost in the intensity of the desire blazing between them. His hand slipped under her sweater, caressing the smoothest skin until cupping a lace-covered breast. He craved her, needed more. Wanted to sink into her with his cock and his teeth - and wanted her fangs inside of him at the same time. Something he had never experienced. Either he had taken blood or the woman had, but never together.

Finally coming up for air and pulling back
, Nero stared into her midnight eyes, saw the invitation and the hunger there. And just like that his mind went blank, his resolve… everything crumbled like a house of cards.

Grasping for the last slivers of control he had, he said, “You don’t know what you’re doing, you drank too much in the bar.”
It was the first thing that came to mind, but he knew he was wrong.

“No, not the kind
of drink I’m craving anyway.” Her gaze fell to his neck.

ELEVEN

When his hand went behind
her to open the door while his mouth dropped back to hers with a growl, Stella could have sighed with relief if she had had the breath. Her need for him was a deep, aching hunger.

He gently pushed her
backwards and inside her room, his foot kicking the door shut so silvery, moonlit darkness enveloped them. They bit and nipped and licked while trying to tear each other’s shirts off.

When her
breasts were bare to his gaze, her chest rising and falling in an uneven rhythm, he bend her over his arm and dropped his head to suck one tight little nipple into his mouth. Then he used his teeth. Crying out Stella arched into him, wanting more of the pain and pleasure. His other hand came up to cover her other breast, caressing her in a languid, slow way that was a stark contrast to what he was doing to her with his mouth, and turned her knees to butter. Surely she would have slipped to the floor if not for his arm hooked around her waist. When he lifted his head and their gazes met, her breath caught at the intense heat there.

D
esire blazing through her, Stella never looked away while she moved onto the bed behind her. His eyes traveled the length of her and stopped at her boots, a wicked glint sparking in their dark depths.

“Mm, I really like them
.” His voice was deep and husky, tugging at her insides. He bent down, his hands deftly taking them off. “Almost a shame, maybe another time we can leave these on but now I want to see those long legs of yours.” Her pants and panties quickly followed.

And then his hands were on her, caressing every inch of her calves, her thighs. Her head dropped ba
ck as she felt his tongue play along the sensitive insides and liquid desire flushed her in the place she needed him the most. When his hands gripped her legs at the knees and pushed up and out, baring her to him, she bit her lip as the near physical touch of his gaze and anticipation were almost enough to push her over the edge.

His moan as he finally tasted
her mingled with her own and soon she could only arch her body into the voracious hunger of his mouth, growing closer and closer to that abyss of bliss.

When he pulled away, she almost whimpered, but was quickly pacified when she saw him taking of his clothes.
The moon had risen in the sky and its silvery light spilled through the windows and caressed the body her hands craved to touch. The strong arms and muscled chest, those abs. She was about to get up on her knees, but he finally came to her, taking her mouth and pushing her back into the mattress. Their tongues danced, a dangerous and oh so erotic dance as they played with fangs.

The blunt tip of his erection nudged her entrance, almost parting her most delicate flesh, but not quite
. Writhing with need, she rocked her heat against the exquisite hardness of him and apparently it felt as good to him as it did to her, given the sexy sound escaping from deep within his throat. She did it again and again. And then he drove into her, making both of them hiss at the pleasure.

When he began to move, it was slow and deep and making her crazy. His thumb joined the delicious play, circling her clit until
her eyes rolled back inside her head. He flicked it and fire scorched her veins, waiting to explode and swallow her whole.

Pulling him close, h
er tongue flicked out to lick his neck as another hunger clamored inside of her. Without a thought her fangs pierced his skin, making him shout out as they sank into his flesh. “Fuck.”

His delicious groan vibrated against her chest as the me
tallic sweetness of him, the taste of a city sunset, hit her tongue. Life swept through her and then all pretenses were gone. He bit her neck as well, connected them with an intimacy she had never felt before and suddenly he was pure male demand and thrusting hips.

H
is body slick and hard and driving deep, he sent her hurtling into the stars. Crying out she gripped him with her body and took him with her.

TWELVE

Nero
awoke to the bliss of finding them entangled in each other. Their legs entwined, her back snuggled up against his front and his arm holding her close while his hand cupped her breast…it was soft, warm heaven. Her silky hair was spilling over the pillows, glimmering violet in the early morning light, and he inhaled her scent. His nose tickled her neck and then his lips found that sensitive spot beneath her ear while his thumb brushed across her nipple, eliciting a lazy moan from her. Stretching and arching her back languidly, he had to bite back a moan of his own as her ass rubbed deliciously against him.

Turning in his arms, she smiled at him, eyes
sleepy but sparkling, “Morning.”

He kissed her nose
. “Good morning to you, too.” Then his lips wandered to her jaw, to her neck, where he could feel her pulse quickly waking up beneath her warm skin, and softly bit her earlobe.

He rolled on top of her, delighting in the way her thighs parted for him and her hands fisted in his hair.

A knock interrupted what he was sure would have been the best morning sex of his life. “Patroller Nero?”

Nero recognized the voice immediately, it was
Grey. Vago’s servant of sorts. He didn’t even bother to wonder how the guy knew he was in this room. Grey seemed to know everything that went on in the Tower. “Yes?”

“T
he King has returned and wishes to speak with you.”

Nice timing,
Vago. Really nice timing.

Dropping his head on
Stella’s chest, he kissed one nipple before he pulled away from the temptation that was Stella and got up. Grabbing his pants, he put them on before he moved to open the door.

“
Morning, sir.”

“
Morning.” This time he scratched the ‘good’. If not for this guy, his morning would have become fucking amazing by now. “I’ll be up in five.”

“Good.” The guy turned on his heel and Nero closed the door.

When he turned around it was to find a sexy, tousled Stella wearing nothing but his shirt leaning against the doorway to her bedroom. “Fuck, I’m going to kill him,” he groaned rubbing a hand across his face.

Chuckl
ing she walked over to him and slipped her arms around his waist. “Don’t do anything rash. I would hate losing you, now that I’ve developed quite a taste for your blood.”

Nero
grabbed her legs so they wrapped around him, and in a swift move had her up against the wall. Pressing his hips against her heat, he asked, “Only my blood, huh?”

“Uh-
huhhhh.” It was more of a moan than an answer.

He kissed her, nipping at her lip before losing himself in her taste and her scent. Too soon he had to pull away and let her legs drop back to the floor. Cursing the fact that their morning had been stolen
from them, he leaned his forehead against hers before pressing a kiss there.

He reached for the door and then turned around one last time,
“I’ll see you later. We’ve still got a lot to do.”

Cocking her head she asked,
“Which are you referring to, exercise in the bedroom or training room?”

“Both.”
A wicked grin on his lips, he gave her one last kiss before heading out the door.

He quickly went to his room to grab a shirt; since he rather liked the idea of Stella wearing his, he hadn’t
dreamed of asking her to give it back. God, that woman. At first he had thought he had turned her life upside down, when in truth it was the other way around. Until last night he hadn’t realized that he hadn’t drank any blood ever since meeting her. The only blood he had wanted had been hers. And when those small, sexy fangs of hers had sunk into him last night while he had been buried in her, he hadn’t been able to resist. Never had he shared his blood while drinking from another, but with Stella...denying himself had been impossible.

W
hile another secret elevator brought him to Vago’s private rooms, he let himself remember. Every kiss and every touch. The feel of her. The taste of her. Exquisite. And now he only wanted more.

The doors
ping
ed, forcing him out of his reverie.

Vago
looked a bit disheveled, his button-down was open, the tie and suit jacket hanging over the back of his chair behind him. His friend was standing behind his desk and looked up from the papers scattered there when Nero entered. “Hey, how is it going? Any trouble on your patrols while I was gone?”

N
ero dropped down in one of the lush, creamy leather seats. “Nothing worth mentioning. Except our shadow touched proved herself and took a bloodsucker out last night.” He couldn’t hide the pride in his voice.

“
She did?” Vago’s brows went up in surprise. He moved around the desk to collect a bottle of whiskey and two glasses from the minibar and then settled on the couch facing Nero. “Well, that sounds promising then.”

Nero watched as
Vago poured, accepted the offered glass and met his friend’s eyes. “I want her on my team when this is all done and over. The others already see
and
appreciate her as a part of it anyway.”

“Sure, no problem.
It pleases me to hear that she has found a place in our world.” He took a swig and leaned back, visibly exhausted from his trip. “What about her blood?”

Last night
he had been too caught up in the moment, not able to think at all if he was honest, to realize it, but, yes, he had tasted her blood and it had held that sweet hint that marked the royal family. A note of chocolate. “She’s Alba’s daughter. She’s your blood.”

“When did you taste it?”

Nero sensed where this was going and met his friend’s piercing gaze head on. “Last night.”

Vago’s
eyes narrowed as he leaned forward, tense, like a hunter after prey. “Her blood wasn’t all you tasted, am I right?” His elbows on his knees, his eyes hardened and Nero knew he wasn’t facing his friend or the King, but the uncle of his woman. “If she fails that test, it’s your ass on the line. If you don’t cherish her, if you so much as bruise her heart, you’ll have to answer to me.”

“Yes, sir.”
Knowing that Stella had won over the biggest ally she could have, he didn’t mind the words or the tone at all, he appreciated them instead. It was clear that the King didn’t want to lose the niece he had just found.