Shameless Desire (The Outlawed Realm) (20 page)

Kuma ran his hand down her back, sending a delicious shiver through her. “What if we don’t?”

That wasn’t a question Gwen wanted to hear. If not them, then who? No way could they go to the police, nor were the guards going to stop on their own. From what she’d heard about Vakar, that maniac would never let them. These last days the guards had just been craftier, snatching females who wouldn’t be missed as readily…those forgotten and unwanted by society. No different from Gwen if she’d followed her mother’s life path.

“Come on,” she murmured and gave him a bear hug. “Let’s go hunting. Please.”

He muttered something beneath his breath but let go of her.

“Be careful,” Staci said, just as she had the last few nights.

Gwen embraced her cousin, sensing the girl’s never-ending concern. She whispered, “How many times do I have to tell you there’s no reason to worry. Kuma’s not going to let anything happen to me. Is Teeko treating you all right?”

“Oh God yeah—don’t be mad, okay?”

“Mad? If he’s who you want, I’m happy for you.” She’d kept her voice low so the guys wouldn’t overhear. “But please make certain Teeko also keeps his mind on business, which is protecting you.”

“He’s doing that, believe me. And I’m protecting him.”

Gwen held back a sigh. Staci was such a lightweight she’d have trouble fighting off a half-dead Chihuahua. “One more thing.”

The girl eased back, her beautiful features tight with worry. “What?”

Gwen whispered, “If you two lose your heads and go at it in here as you’ve done the last couple of nights, make sure to wipe everything down before Kuma and I get back. We’re tired of eating in bed.”

A vivid blush colored Staci’s face. Screwing up her mouth to suppress a smile, she nodded.

Gwen went to Kuma and offered him two of the syringes along with one of the vials should she be unable to get to those she carried.

To her relief, he took the items as he hadn’t before, stashing them into his jeans’ front pocket.

“Everything’s going to be all right,” she promised.

Without comment, he led the way outside.

The evening was cool and damp, the same as the first night Kuma had been with Gwen, the scents muted by the soupy air. What had been a steady mist turned to drizzle as they moved in an easterly direction, remaining in the less populated parts of the city. Places where the guards could more easily stalk their prey.

Kuma increased his pace, taking the lead as he had insisted to Gwen. He needed to detect the guard’s scent before the man came anywhere near. It was Kuma’s intent to put himself between her and danger.

Of course, she’d argued with him. “You should be behind me, following in the shadows. The prick needs to believe I’m alone so he leaves his hiding place.”

He countered, “The guard has to think you’re unprotected; otherwise, he won’t make his move. With me in front of you, he’ll wait until I’m well past and thinks I won’t notice anything.”

That would be the guard’s downfall. Once Kuma was within range of the man, smelling his stench despite the soggy night, he’d transform. He’d take the filth down wherever he hid without involving Gwen at all. After he’d slaughtered the guard, Kuma would allow her to activate the device so he could toss the man’s body into the portal, sending it to E3.

He’d protect Gwen whether she wanted him to or not, as he was doing now. With his acute sense of hearing, Kuma caught each of her footfalls from behind and every breath she took even as his attention remained on what lay ahead.

Rows of houses flanked both sides of the street, several in disrepair, many boarded up and dark. On the shadowed porches, Kuma saw the addicts, men and women unconscious from the drugs they’d taken, their bodies curled in fetal positions against the night’s chill. He didn’t wonder why they hadn’t sought shelter inside, guessing they feared death or injury from whomever was beyond those closed doors.

E4’s jungle had always seemed a treacherous place to him, its lush beauty hiding so much terror that took the ones he loved. He’d learned this realm was no different. No matter where one went on this planet, there would always be predators and prey. Tonight, though, he’d be the one who killed.

He reached an intersection. No cars moved down the street. Its damp asphalt glistened like thousands of stars beneath the streetlights. One flickered wildly, threatening to go out. The rain fell harder now. Blinking it away, Kuma took in the surroundings. Quite a number of these buildings had boarded-up windows, the same as the others they’d passed. Of those windows that still contained glass—mostly on the second and third floors—faint light glowed from inside, showing ceilings with water stains and cracked paint, bare bulbs hanging from fixtures, the inhabitants nowhere in sight, unaware or uncaring about what happened outside.

Kuma lifted his face and inhaled deeply. At that moment, the wind changed direction, swirling from behind, bringing him Gwen’s sensuous, earthy fragrance. His body weakened as it always did when he smelled her. Before he could take in his fill, the air current changed again, this time blowing from in front. With it came the scent of vegetation, cooked meat, the damp fur of dogs, cats, the stench of garbage and something else…an odor that was all too familiar and hated.

A guard.

Where?

The wind kept shifting, moving between too many obstacles, delivering the guard’s scent only to snatch it away.

Kuma’s pulse pounded. His muscles tensed, prepared for battle. He forced himself to slow a bit, just short of an alley. Behind him, he heard Gwen doing the same, following his lead. He sensed her excitement, smelled her fear. They shouldn’t have come out tonight. He should have used brute strength if necessary, hauling her into their room, cuffing her to the bed, kissing her long, deep and hard before he left without—

There. The guard’s scent returned. Stronger now. Closer. It came from the alley.

Kuma didn’t enter the dark, narrow space. Wouldn’t, no matter his previous plan. If he had gone through with it, Gwen would have certainly followed him, not realizing the danger ahead.

He went past, continuing down the deserted street to take them in a circuitous route that would eventually lead them back to her house. Once there, he’d endure her bitching, somehow convincing her that he had to hunt alone.

Holding his breath, Kuma listened for sounds from behind. For the first few seconds he didn’t hear Gwen moving and then he did.

She turned into the alley.
No.
Her running shoes hit a puddle. Its noise echoed against the concrete, the same as the pelting rain, making the night too loud.

Bolting after her, Kuma pulled at his jacket and tee, removing them as quickly as he could at the mouth of the alley. Gwen was already well down it, a shadow looming behind her.

Abruptly, she stopped, as though she’d felt the guard’s presence. Beads of rain glittered on her hoodie’s fabric. A whistling noise broke through the others. Gwen’s hand flew to her shoulder.

Had a dart struck her?

Yes. Kuma saw the vile thing embedded in her shoulder as she turned. Before he could think to move, she had the vial to her mouth, tipping her head back to drink its contents.

For Kuma, everything went still…the rain, wind, sounds.

Gwen fell to her knees.

His belly clenched. The antidote hadn’t worked on her as it had Regina?

Out of the shadows, the guard came. So did Kuma, a man now, though not for long. He tore off the rest of his clothing and began the transformation, his muscles, bones, tissues and skin white-hot with pain.

Seeing him finally, the guard gaped in shock but didn’t back away, not yet noticing what Gwen was doing.

She had only pretended weakness from the drug. With the guard’s attention elsewhere, she’d pulled out the device and now pointed it as Nikoli had shown her. The side of the abandoned building wavered and liquefied. Behind it was blinding light.

Quicker than Kuma believed possible, Gwen jumped to her feet and rammed her body into the guard’s. Not expecting her attack, he stumbled back, his muscular arms windmilling. With her shoulder, she slammed into him again. His mouth opened in a wide O as he fell into the portal. Its vacuum pulled at Gwen’s clothing. She held on to a metal trash container to keep the void from sucking her inside. The guard was no more than a dark speck in all the brightness as she ran her thumb over the instrument’s controls, sealing the opening.

Within less than a minute, the guard was on his journey to the land of the dead, the alley again dark and quiet except for the rain and their rough breaths.

Gwen glanced ahead and behind herself. She lifted her face and regarded the buildings, telling Kuma she needed to make certain they were truly alone.

He knew they were, not catching any intruder’s scent.

With her attention still darting up and down the alley, she hurried to him and whispered, “Why’d you change? Don’t you realize someone might have seen you? What’s the matter with you? The antidote worked. Tasted like shit, but it worked.” She scrunched her face as she pulled out the dart and threw it down the alley. It made a small pinging sound upon hitting the concrete.

Gwen leaned closer and whispered again, “I wanted the guard to think I was vulnerable. At no time was I in danger. I had everything under control. Still do.”

If that were true, then she was doing far better than he was. Kuma’s heart pounded so hard he could barely keep from falling down. His fear for her had drained him of too much strength. For the moment, he couldn’t revert to human form and scream at her for taking such a foolish risk.

Crouching next to him, she asked, “Are you all right?”

Kuma bared his teeth to let her know exactly what he was feeling—the best he could do without language.

She made a face, then glanced over, searching the shadows. “Do you smell another guard? Is that why you’re not changing back?”

Kuma continued to pant.

Wearing a confused expression, Gwen regarded him. “There’s no one else out here, is there?”

He swung his head from side to side to tell her there wasn’t.

Her shoulders slumped as though all her anxiety had drained away. “Thank God.” She fingered moisture from her face, smearing her make-up. “It went down easier than I thought. Did you see what I did to that SOB? Damn, he looked just like that first creep who attacked me. They could have been twins, you know?”

She expected an answer when he was still in this form, helpless because of his worry over her? Kuma bared his teeth again.

Gwen stroked his head as she would a docile pet. “We can talk about what happened later. How great I was.” Her gaze turned inward as though she were reliving it. She grinned. “Where’d you leave your clothes?” After a brief perusal of the area, she curled her upper lip. “Aw crap, you dropped them in the biggest puddles here. They’re all wet and muddy now. Dammit, Kuma, you need to be more careful. At the very least, you should allow me to do my thing.”

A warning growl poured from the base of his throat.

Ignoring it, Gwen retrieved his garments. “Go on,” she whispered. “Change back and put these on before anyone sees—”

She didn’t finish. Probably couldn’t, given her surprise. Faster than he’d ever done before, Kuma finally returned to human form, his body aching with the too-quick transformation. He forced his pain away with continuing anger at what she’d done.

“Wow.” Gwen gave him an approving smile as she regarded his nudity. “That was something. Here.” She offered his clothes.

Kuma yanked them from her and threw the garments aside.

Gwen arched one brow at them landing in yet another puddle; then she stared as he grabbed her wrists and used his weight to push her into the side of a building, keeping her against the structure’s gritty façade.

“Okay, I get it,” she whispered, “you’re not happy.”

He growled.

“Make that pissed,” she amended and frowned. “But this was all your fault.”

Words failed him at her ludicrous reasoning. He tightened his fingers around her wrists. Not enough to harm, but to let her know he meant business.

Pearls of rain clung to her lashes. She blinked them away and gave him a look that said she wasn’t about to back down. “You smelled the guard, don’t you dare deny it. You knew he was in this alley, which meant you were supposed to turn down it. That’s what you promised you’d do. But no. You decided to change our plans. You were going to lead me in circles tonight just as you have all the other—”

“Shut up.”

She glared at him. “Excuse me?”

“You talk too much.”

“And you don’t talk enough.”

“I said, shut up.” Before she could offer another word, Kuma kissed her, deep and brutal, just as she liked, and didn’t stop until she was limp with arousal. Holding her wrists above her head in one hand, he used his other hand to push her clothing out of the way, and cupped her breasts. All of his air spilled from him in a hard sigh. He had to fight for control.

Her skin was much too warm, incredibly soft, moist with the rain. Wasn’t enough. He needed more. Everything. Turning her to face the building, he tugged down Gwen’s jeans and panties, running his hand over the furrow between her cheeks. His breath caught. Her skin here was hotter than he recalled, sweeter to the touch, coaxing him to explore further. He did, reaching her damp folds.

A wanton grunt escaped Gwen. She didn’t resist Kuma in the least as he directed her to all fours. Despite their exposure to the rain, cold, and whoever might pass by, she lifted her naked ass in invitation. Her skin appeared lighter, vulnerable in the murky light that came from the lamps on the street. On his knees, Kuma cupped her buttocks and kissed them, a gesture of worship for this small part of her.

She purred.

He murmured, “I should punish you for what you did. I should spank you so fucking hard you wouldn’t be able to sit for a week, just like that man did to the woman in the movie you showed me. What did you call it?”

“An erotic adventure, though some refer to it as porn.” Gwen moved her ass back and forth, taunting him with it. “Go on, do your worst. Tie me up too. Make me pay.”