Shameless Desire (The Outlawed Realm) (24 page)

She pressed her lips together to keep from whimpering.
Please don’t say anything bad. I couldn’t stand it.

Without as much as a sigh, Teeko kissed her shoulders and murmured, “Lie down. On your belly.”

Too embarrassed to speak, much less argue, Staci did as he asked.

He sat next to her, the mattress vibrating with his weight. Teeko kissed her spine, the small of her back, the worst of her injuries, easing her hurt more than any narcotic could.

Recalling that moment, she hugged him fiercely now, unable to get close enough.

He grunted in what sounded like approval and brushed his lips over hers. Staci didn’t refuse his invitation. What began as a gentle, tender kiss between them grew steamy, each of them trying to get as close as possible, their hands clutching, fingers exploring. They necked as though they’d been separated for years, as if they’d known each other forever, not only a few days.

His body was solid and heated, his hunger for her, his acceptance of all of her imperfections precisely what she craved. He deepened their kiss, pushing her tongue aside so he could fill her.

Staci snuggled closer, requiring his warmth. Her fingers were suddenly chilled. Why? Gwen had turned up the heat shortly before she’d left with Kuma. And yet, there was a cold blast of air coming from somewhere.

Confused, Staci pulled her mouth from Teeko’s and glanced up at the ceiling vent. Warm air poured down, brushing her face.

Her fingers were icy now, as were her feet and legs.

Not understanding, she lowered her face and froze. The wall behind Teeko was liquefying like some weird special effect in a sci-fi flick. Intense light poured from it. Two men emerged from the brightness, dressed in similar shirts, jackets, pants, their features identical.

What the fuck was happening? Who were those guys?

Oh shit, who else.
Guards from E4.

Teeko turned, no doubt feeling the cold. The guard on the left lifted a weapon that looked like a small gun. Staci opened her mouth to scream. Before she could, there was a faint pop and then a dart hit Teeko’s shoulder. Another dart struck his leg. Surprise followed by fear flickered across his face. His arms dropped away from her. He fell to his knees, unable to stand, to transform and protect either of them.

No, no, no, no, no.

The men smiled, that gesture as cold and cruel as their expressions. The one on the right approached her. He spoke a language Staci didn’t understand, his tone coaxing and menacing at the same time.

She wanted to holler for someone—anyone—to help her, but couldn’t pull in enough breath to do so. At her feet, Teeko lost consciousness, his body slumping to the floor.

Fear and outrage pumped through her. She reached for him, then stopped as the guard nearest her edged closer. Fucking prick. Bastard. Acting on instinct, she backed away so he’d follow her, leaving Teeko alone.

He did just that, inching nearer.

Once more, she backed away. Her heart beat so hard Staci was certain it would explode. She flinched as her hip hit the counter.

The creep gave her another smile that said
you are so fucked, you are so trapped
.

Reaching behind herself, she searched for a weapon and found nothing.
God, no.
The knives were well to the left of her, too far away to reach.

The guard said something else, guttural words that repulsed her. The SOB with him continued to grin.

She stepped a bit to the right, hoping to keep their focus on her, ensuring that they forgot about Teeko. They watched her closely, each of them moving in the same direction she had, mimicking her movements. This time, she moved to the left, eager to get those pissing knives. When she kept going, sliding toward them, the closest guard strode forward.

Desperate, Staci grabbed the first thing she could, throwing the coffee pot at them both. The searing liquid flew in a wide arch and splashed the nearest one, hitting his eyes. He howled in agony.

The other muttered something beneath his breath and lifted his weapon.

In the split second before he fired, Staci fell to the floor, a learned reaction from the self-defense training Gwen had taught her. The guard stared, his frown saying he didn’t quite comprehend what had happened. Not giving him a chance to figure it out, she rolled away and pushed to her feet, bolting into the hall.

There Staci stopped and turned. She had to go back to Teeko to keep him from further harm.

The guard came into the kitchen doorway, his body between Staci’s and Teeko’s. Once more, the guard lifted his weapon and took aim.

They’d just reached the next block over when Kuma grabbed Gwen’s wrist to bring her to a halt.

Frowning, she whispered, “What are you doing?”

He lifted his face, smelling the wind. It was clean and cool, absent of threatening odors, and yet the animal part of him knew something was wrong. His belly clenched with the unknown threat, just as it always did on E4. The same as it had done the day Zule died. He’d known before he reached her that the unthinkable had happened.

Gwen leaned closer. “What is it?”

“We have to go back.”

“Are you kidding? Why?”

He didn’t answer, turning away from the wind instead. There. He’d felt it again, the threat urging him to return to the house before it was too late. “Use the device,” he said.

“For what? Is this more BS to keep me from hunting the guards? I’ve already told you, no way are you going out alone tonight. I’m going to be there with—”

Kuma grabbed Gwen’s arms, shaking her so she’d stop arguing and would listen for once. “Do what I say,” he growled. “Don’t fight me. Staci and Teeko are in danger.”

Her mouth sagged open. “Huh?”

“We need to go back,” he snapped. “We don’t have time to run. Use the device as Nikoli taught you.”

She’d insisted the man show her everything there was to know about it. How to get from one realm to the other…or from place to place in this dimension.

“Use it now,” he ordered.

Everything moved in slo-mo for Staci, allowing her to observe details.

Perspiration dotted the guard’s wide face. Frustration darkened his already swarthy complexion. Fury burned in his light brown eyes.

The ends of his curly black hair wiggled slightly as he stepped forward in a way that said he didn’t know what to expect from her. From the kitchen came the other guard’s pained whimpers. Good. Staci hoped she’d burned the scumbag’s eyes out so he couldn’t harm Teeko.

Her pulse jumped in worry. She listened for sounds coming from him but heard only the rush of blood in her ears. Surely, the other guard couldn’t see Teeko well enough to do anything to him.

She didn’t want to consider what that anything might be. Losing him to death was unthinkable. No longer being able to see him because he’d been transported back to E4 was also more than she could bear.

What now? What now? What—

Her thoughts stopped as the guard directed his weapon’s muzzle at her shoulder. Staci’s hand flew to it in protection. She heard that same distinctive pop she had earlier, then a whoosh.

Again she dropped, her body hitting the floor. The dart whizzed past. It smacked into the wall and fell with a tiny tap well past her feet.

The guard bellowed in outrage.

Definitely not the time for her to stick around. Scrambling to her feet, Staci dashed down the hall and wove from side to side to make certain she was a difficult target.

There was another pop and another. One dart flew past. Another hit the wall to her side.

She ran into her room, slamming and locking the door, then put her hands over her mouth to keep from making any sound.

Like that mattered. She’d just slammed the door.
Idiot.
How could she have been so damn dumb? She should have been quieter. Not that it would have done any good. He’d seen her running into her—oh God.

The knob turned right, then left, just as it did in all the slasher films she’d seen. The guard’s wheezing breath sounded too loud, definitely too close. When he couldn’t open the door, he butted his body against it, making the wood shimmy and groan.

Staci backed up so fast, she ran into the nightstand. Her lamp crashed to the floor. She looked at the window, wondering if she’d have time to open it and scramble out.

To go where?

That maniac would follow her through the streets of Seattle, unless he returned to the kitchen so he and the other psycho could kill Teeko. Or take him back to E4 as an offering to the rulers who’d amuse themselves with his torture.

Uh-uh. Wasn’t going to happen.

The guard slammed his body against the door again. Although it held, the sickening sound of wood splitting filled the air.

Staci ran from one corner of her room to the other, searching for something to use as a weapon. Her science book was huge, her lamp made of brass. With the items in her hands, she turned.

Her door burst open, slamming into the wall.

The guard stumbled inside. His bulky shoulders pumped with his harsh breathing. He regarded the lamp and book she held, then made an angry sound like something from hell. Incomprehensible words poured from him, sounding enraged.

He stomped toward her, both hands tightened on his weapon.

Staci swung her lamp at him.

He halted, but only for a moment.

From the kitchen, the other guard yelled something in his language, then screamed.

Why? Had Teeko regained consciousness and transformed?
Please. Please. Please.
Staci pictured him ripping the jerk apart, chewing him to shreds, tossing him into the portal on the way to E3, where he’d be for all of eternity.

On his next scream, the guard facing her looked over his shoulder, hearing what she had. Footfalls pounding in the hall. More than one set. How was that possible? Those agonized screams hadn’t come from anyone who could still walk, much less run. Had more guards come through the portal?

Crap, not that. Please not—

Staci flinched as Gwen burst into her room, blonde wig askew, the instrument Nikoli had given her in her hand.

“Duck!” Staci hollered.

Just in time, Gwen did. The guard’s dart zipped past her face. It hit the hallway wall and fell to the floor.

Naked, Kuma stepped over it and entered the room.

The guard fired repeatedly, but no more darts came out of his weapon. He threw it at Kuma. With the grace of a wild animal, Kuma ducked, not bothering to watch the gun sail past him into the hall. He reserved his full attention, all of his rage for the guard. The creep shouted something at Kuma. Kuma answered in a low, menacing growl.

“What are they saying?” Staci cried.

“I don’t know,” Gwen shouted. “I don’t understand—oh shit.”

The guard made a whimpering sound as Kuma’s body began to compress, his limbs growing shorter, his body hair darker, coarse and long.

“No!” Gwen shouted at him. She moved toward the guard.

Kuma stared at her. He pulled back his lips, showing his teeth.

Gwen hollered, “You’re not hurting yourself by transforming again, and you sure are hell are not messing up my house with this piece of crap.” She pointed the device at the guard.

Behind the prick, a portal formed. He glanced over and immediately stepped away, trying to protect himself.

Think again.
Staci swung her lamp, the base hitting his knee. His bone made a nauseating crack. He bellowed.

Gwen shoved her foot into his groin, cutting off the sound as she pushed him into the gateway. He stumbled backward, trying to right himself, unable to do so. His mouth opened in a terrorized scream as the portal sucked him to E3.

Gasping, Gwen sealed the opening and shouted, “You okay?”

Staci nodded, then shook her head. “Teeko.” She ran into the hall.

Gwen called out from behind. “He’s okay. We already got rid of the other guard. We…”

Staci didn’t hear the rest. Her feet pounded the floor as she ran into the kitchen. Teeko was alone in the room, standing, the last of the tranquilizer wearing off. The syringe Gwen had used on him lay on the floor.

Staci threw herself into his arms.

Gwen sagged against the jamb and met Kuma’s glare.

He hunched his shoulders for added emphasis.

Didn’t impress or cow her. Here, they were equals. He’d better get used to her risking everything for him, even her life. However, a little sugar might go a long way to soothing his inner beast. “I’ve been a bad girl,” she admitted, feigning contriteness.

He paced back and forth, fully human now, totally male. His stiffened cock swung with each of his steps, his balls luscious enough to eat. Gwen considered falling to her knees and tending to his carnal appetite, but figured he might not be quite ready for that.

“Want to spank me?” she asked.

He halted.

“Because I’ve been so bad,” she added, tucking in her chin, trying to look remorseful and submissive. Anything to get him with the program. Right now, Gwen figured a little BDSM might be nice.

Kuma went to the left of her, the right, his manner deliberately intimidating.

Little did he know how much that excited her, though he’d soon find out. They both would. She unbuttoned her jeans and pulled down the fly. “I have a belt you can use to punish me…unless you prefer your hand.”

Turning her back to Kuma, Gwen slid her jeans and panties over her buttocks, displaying them to him, making herself oh-so-accessible and deliciously vulnerable.

He stared at her naked skin, then moved faster than she believed possible, slamming the bedroom door shut, sweeping her into his arms. When he had Gwen on the mattress, he lay on top, his weight trapping her.

No way could she fight him. Nor would she be free of his hunger for hours. His rigid shaft pressed against her thigh. His beautiful eyes flared with ruthless desire.

“Do me hard,” she murmured. “Do me so fucking good I won’t be able to breathe.”

“Or defy me.”

She arched one brow.

“Or talk and talk and talk,” he growled.