Shadow Visions: Shadow Warriors, Book 2 (10 page)

It was madness. Ixa felt herself swept up into an intense, crazy storm of emotions, a whirlwind of want and desire. Always she had sat on the outskirts and watched others get involved in relationships while she had shied away, afraid of hurting another person she loved or of finding herself unlovable because of who she was. She had fooled herself with the notion that being one of the boys would be satisfying, but deep down she still hadn’t fit. In Manuel’s arms, she fit perfectly. Every curve of her petite frame fit right into the hard angles of his body.

Manuel’s tongue laved her bottom lip and moved over her chin, licking a trail down her neck. She arched her neck, allowing him more access. She moaned her pleasure.

“I can feel your need.” His voice came out in a growl.

She could have denied it, but her body betrayed her. Her rock-hard nipples pressed into his chest.

His hands roamed up and down her back, past her bottom, eliciting another moan from her.

Eye to eye with Manuel, she could see his blatant desire, raw and heavy. No man had ever looked at her the way he did. Sure, with the job she was constantly surrounded by males and had been propositioned more than once, but a few choice words sent them packing and she soon had a reputation for being an ice bitch. She hadn’t dared let anyone too close—until now. Even so, her mind told her to be careful. When all was done, he would be back to chasing the next demon, or criminal, or whatever work the gods had planned for him. And where would that leave her?

She would be foolish to get involved with him, except her body cried out for his touch and her heart longed to feel a connection to another, no matter how brief.

For one night she wanted to lose herself in a man, to lose herself in intense pleasure like men and women had been doing since the dawn of time. For one night she simply wanted to feel normal.

“Don’t make me any promises,” she rushed out as her legs slid down to support her once again. “Don’t pretend there’s more to this than there is.” Her hand rested against his chest. His heart beat steady and strong. His hand came up to cover hers, trapping it there against him.

“You are an amazing woman, a courageous woman, but you fear that which you do not understand.” His hand came up, catching the bottom of her shirt, slowly lifting it as his gaze held hers. He dragged it over her head and tossed it aside. He attempted to unbutton her jeans but she pushed his hands aside and quickly shed them, along with her white cotton panties and bra. And then she was back in his arms, with his fingers skimming the indentation at her waist, trailing a path of flames that set all her senses on fire. “Tonight, I don’t want you to think. I want you to feel.”

He caught the tip of her lobe between his teeth and nibbled, sending waves of heat through her bloodstream, making her womb clench and her breasts feel swollen and heavy. It was a wonder she could stand.

His hand traveled upward until it was lightly brushing beneath her breast. She wanted him to reach higher. A whimper sounded in her throat.

He blew softly into her ear. “What is it you want, Ixa? Tell me.”

She stared up at him helplessly, unable to keep the truth down. “You,” she whispered. “Only you.”

She was like a drug in his system. He couldn’t get enough of her. And when she admitted that she wanted him, triumph filled him. He didn’t give her time to rethink her answer. He brought his hand up to cup her breast, his thumb making lazy circles around her nipple. Her breath hitched and the sound made him even harder.

He wanted her badly.

Her hand came up to clasp his forearm, as if she was afraid he would snatch his hand away. Not possible. She moved him.

He had nearly given up hope. His animal spirit grew stronger with each demon kill and he knew he had little time left.

And then he found his spirit mate.

Ixa made his blood heat and his body come alive. He hadn’t had sexual urges in centuries, yet they were back now, riding him hard. He dipped his head to the curve of her shoulder, inhaling her unique scent even as he bit gently, then blew on the mark he had made.

“You smell like sunshine and fresh flowers,” he murmured against her skin.

She brought her arms up to clasp around his neck, her breath coming out on a sigh. “We probably shouldn’t be doing this.”

“Sure we should. You heard your lieutenant. He put you under my protection and I promised to take very good care of you.” He took her nipple and rolled it between his fingers, loving the soft little sounds she made in her throat.

“I don’t think this is what my lieutenant had in mind.”

“He has a very limited imagination.”

Ixa laughed. The sound filled the room and made the darkness inside him recede further. For a moment, he could not move. He stared down into her exquisite features and felt the earth rock beneath him.

She belonged to him.

“What is it?” She appeared uncertain, the laughter disappearing from her eyes.

“You. My world will never be the same now that I have met you.”

Her cheeks colored, but she held his gaze. She leaned up and kissed him on the edge of his mouth. “My turn.” Ixa took his hand and led him over to the throw rug.

“I want to taste you.” Her eyes held a mixture of shyness and boldness—a heady combination to a man who hadn’t had sex in centuries. He waited for her to make her first move. She put her hand under the loincloth and cupped his hard length. He sucked in a breath, savoring the feel of his manhood in her soft palm.

Heat swamped him and his eagle stirred. He ignored his animal spirit, focusing only on the woman before him. She smiled, a womanly smile that held secrets and mystery. She slowly slid her fingers over his head and rubbed up and down his shaft. He threw his head back. When he felt her take him inside her mouth, his body shuddered in ecstasy. Hot and tight, her mouth gripped him, suckled him. Her hands came up to caress his balls, lightly squeezing, as her mouth drew him in and out in a rhythm that set all his senses on fire.

His hands tugged at her braid, lifting it up and unraveling it. Her hair fell around her shoulders, a dark, silky waterfall.

He moaned and thrust his hips forward, pushing his cock deeper into her throat. She took the full length of him and let him slip out. She licked her lips, then crooked her finger and patted the rug next to her.

“Come lie with me, warrior.”

He followed her down onto the soft material, gently pushing her back until he blanketed her with his body. He caught her face between his hands, wanting her to see him. There was no going back. He needed his spirit mate desperately. But Ixa could not conceive what she was getting into, what it would mean to be tied to him as a spirit mate.

“You have no idea what you do to me.” His voice came out husky, emotions crowding in his throat. How long had it been since he had felt anything deeply? And all because of this woman.

“Oh, I think I do.” Her eyes twinkled as her hand slipped under the cloth to stroke him.

He pulled her hand away and brought it to his mouth, sucking on each finger, enjoying the flush working its way up her cheeks.

“I want to explore every inch of you.” Her breasts were round and ripe. He brought his mouth down to take the dark tip in, sucking and nipping and laving first one and then the other, until she was writhing underneath him.

He kissed his way down her flat stomach, paying particular care to her navel, loving the way her breath hitched in her throat. The scent of her traveled deep into his lungs, fresh and pure and entirely Ixa.

He hadn’t thought he could get any harder, any thicker, but the sight of her magnificent body lying there beneath him like a feast for a starving man had him swelling larger.

He brought one leg up over each of his shoulders, ignoring her shocked breath. Her sex glistened with cream, just for him. He brought his mouth down and stabbed deep.

“Manuel,” Ixa screamed.

He gripped her thighs so she couldn’t move and speared her with his tongue over and over. Energy swirled around them like a living entity, air blew up and over and around them. They were in the eye of a storm. Safe. Untouched.

He felt Ixa’s body tensing. She was so close.

“Please, Manuel. I can’t take anymore. I want you inside me.” Her head rocked from side to side. “Now, Manuel. Please.”

Whispering ancient Aztec words, he willed his warrior clothing away. Still holding her legs, he thrust inside her, swallowing a moan at the feel of her wet channel surrounding him. She fit like a glove made just for him. He pumped in and out, wanting to go slow, but too caught up in the energy building around them.

Ixa curled her fingers into the rug and then she screamed. Her muscles contracted, gripping him so tightly that he came as well, his seed flowing out of him and into her womb. The energy crackled and sparkled all around them. Colors danced on the air. He’d swear they were both lifted up by the wind flowing around them before landing softly back down.

Slick with sweat, he lay down beside her and gathered her to him. His fingers rubbed gently over her hummingbird tattoo. It tingled at his touch.

“I think we died,” Ixa whispered.

Manuel smiled. She could do that to him. “No, we are very much alive.”

“There is no way we can do that again. That must have registered on the Richter scale.” She yawned, her body soft and relaxed next to him.

“Go to sleep, Ixa.”

She nodded, her eyelids already closing. Her body snuggled up against his. He held her tight, listening to her soft breathing.

He would let her sleep…for now. But soon, he needed to be inside her again, because inside her hot, silken sheath he had found peace. He had found a home.

He had found his humanity and with it he hoped for the one thing he had not dared to believe he could ever deserve again…a family.

They lay spooned together on the small bed, where they’d eventually moved to from the floor. Ixa felt tired and spent in the aftermath of their lovemaking. The cool air of the cabin touched her skin. She shivered.

“You cold?”

“Yes.” She pressed her buttocks closer into the crook of his hips, seeking his body heat. He draped his arm over her.

“I can restart the fire.”

“No. Let me try.” She focused her thoughts on the hot embers that lay at the bottom of the potbelly stove. No longer a child afraid of her power and the past, she pursed her lips and blew. The fire was stoked and slowly rekindled. She waited to hear screams in her head. Silence reigned. Warm air picked up and caressed their bodies. She sighed in satisfaction.

“You are doing well.”

She twined her fingers with his. “It is you who taught me control.”

He kissed her shoulder. “Tomorrow I will teach you more.”

Ixa smiled halfheartedly. Worry crept up into the pit of her stomach. She had let herself get lost tonight with Manuel, but come the morning they both would be back to searching for her abuelo and Galante. She closed her eyes, and prayed that her abuelo was truly someplace safe tonight. Tomorrow morning, she would track him down and persuade him that whatever he was doing took a back seat to protecting him from Galante.

She nestled closer to him. “Hold me.”

“Forever,” he mumbled against her back.

Ixa felt her heart squeeze. If only it could be true. But she knew from years of past experiences that nothing lasted forever. She closed her eyes and fell asleep listening to the rhythm of his beating heart.

Boom…boom…

The rhythm at first came soft and low, methodically lulling her into a false sense of calm. Then the beat changed to a fast, furious pace that hammered at the inside of her head. The vision shackled her into a small, dark corner hidden from the world of man. Images came in fuzzy and unclear, everything cast in shadows. Slowly Ixa emerged fully into the other place. Wet and damp, the smell of decay and rotting wood permeated her senses. A frail body huddled in a fetal position on a broken slab of cement, the face covered with bruised hands. Gathering sunlight offered feeble illumination, but enough to see the graffiti on dirty, smoke-stained walls, the swear words in English and Spanish a crude contrast to the daisy wallpaper peeking out beneath the grime.

Desperately, she wanted to pull out of the nightmare. She couldn’t handle seeing another death. Watching another life she could not save drain away. But the vision wouldn’t release her. It swept her along in a torrent of wind, holding her captive.

A laugh from a source unseen grated against her mind. Garbled voices chanted in the background while a figure came closer. A man with a half-skeletal face stepped from the shadows. Galante! He wore his evil grin, and she’d swear he reeked of madness. He grabbed the figure on the slab and held down the elderly person’s arms. Shock coursed through her as she recognized the beloved features of her abuelo.

A lightning bolt cracked, and where the ground smoldered stood a man draped in a mantle of bones and teeth wearing a hideous rabbit mask. He raised his obsidian blade.

Ixa kicked and thrashed, helpless to stop the event unfolding before her.

“No!” she screamed.