Temptation Rising (15 page)

Blood. Lots of blood. And pain, so much pain he’d wanted to roar with the stinging feeling himself. He’d run, as fast as he could, shifted into jaguar form and run through the streets, searching for them, needing to find them, to stop this from happening. Again.

And he’d failed.

Again.

His chest heaved; he couldn’t seem to inhale enough oxygen. He’d wanted to stop the pain his parents endured, wanted to prevent anyone from ever being murdered in such a vicious and senseless way again. The guilt hung on his shoulders like chains and his knees weakened.

They were still out there. The ones who’d killed his parents and possibly others that were after Kalina. They were killing for no reason but that they could. And Rome despised them, wanted to snap their necks and devour the carcasses the same way they did their victims. He wanted to hate as deeply as they did, to not give a damn about consequences or lives affected after the act.

But he couldn’t.

His fingers gripped the railing until his knuckles felt as if they’d rip the flesh from his hands. His claws extended, pressing into the other side of his palms. Inside, a growl emanated as his cat threatened to surface.

He lifted his head, opened his eyes to the sky with the peach-and-pink color of dawn.

There was no other choice. As much as he wanted to remain diplomatic, he knew that before this was all over he would become what he despised. He’d kill like they expected an animal to do. He would lose his human morals and act as if he were trapped in the forest, hunting like a killer.

He would be their worst nightmare.

Chapter 10

Rome liked dark colors. He always had. That’s why when he’d purchased this house he’d made a point of assisting the interior decorator himself. Of course he let Baxter have some say in his own sleeping quarters and the kitchen, but the rest of the house was Rome’s. And the one thing he’d insisted upon was dark—or as the decorator had called them, warm—colors.

The conference room was on the first level, past the living and dining rooms. It was large enough to fit an eight-foot-long table with black leather-backed chairs. The walls were a deep cranberry color, with ash-gray carpeting. Along the walls were paintings of the rain forest, of his home. They’d belonged to his parents and he’d put them in here so that he’d feel close to them. Besides, it helped when he was having a meeting such as this one—it reminded them all of where they were from.

Baxter made sure the coffee carafe was full. Pitchers of iced water sat beside it on the presentation tables that lined the walls.

On one side of the table with dour expressions were the guards: Eli, Ezra, and two other guards who lived in the DC area. Sitting opposite them were officers under Rome’s command, four jaguars who also blended into the community with jobs such as schoolteacher, store owner, and doctor. Rome took his seat at the head of the table, with his commanding officers, Nick and X, to his right and left. The other end of the table remained empty for whenever a member of the Assembly joined them for a meeting.

In the center of the table were two conference-call units. Each Faction Leader from each zone would be in on this meeting. What was happening concerned them all, and they needed to talk before next week’s scheduled Assembly meeting. The Elders would want to know what was going on and how they planned to deal with it, because even though they were miles away in the forest, what was going on here would eventually affect them, too.

“They’re gaining momentum,” a voice said from the call unit. It was Jace Maybon, the Pacific Zone Leader. “There’ve been some incidents here in LA that reek of Rogue activity.”

“It seems like they’re getting bolder,” Ezra commented. Eli and a couple other officers nodded in agreement.

“But what’s their goal? Once we figure that out we’ll know how to stop them,” X added.

“I think that’s simple—they want to rule. Just as they tried to do the forest, they want to rule in the States.”

This statement was from Sebastian Perry, the Mountain Zone Leader. Rome was inclined to agree with him.

“They want to rule, think they’re entitled to control.” Rome nodded, sitting back in his chair and rubbing his neatly barbered goatee. “We’re seeing movement here, there’s movement in LA. How about the other zones, anything strange going on there?”

Cole Linden, Central Zone Leader, spoke up first. “There’s a definite rise in gang violence here. Brutal killings are becoming an everyday occurrence.”

Sebastian chimed in. “We’ve had a few incidents that local authorities are baffled by. They don’t seem to have a real connection—a corporate bigwig was murdered, a congressman is missing, and some government-funded lab was broken into. I’ve been keeping my eye on the news for developments but so far there’s nothing connecting them to the Rogue activity.”

“You said a government lab?” X asked. “Which one?”

“Comastaz Laboratories. It’s in Sedona.”

X nodded. “I know that one. I’ll check it out and see what’s what with that. But it sounds to me like they’re gearing up for something. Getting everything in order for some grand play for power, and the United States is their battleground.”

“So who’s in control?” Rome asked. “One cat has to be leading them all. Find him and we deactivate the play.”

It sounded simple, but Rome knew it wouldn’t be. Finding the one Rogue that controlled possibly hundreds wasn’t going to be easy.

“Kill the bastard and they’ll all fall like dominoes,” Nick added.

“I’m with you on that one,” Jace said.

Ezra and the officers were nodding their agreement.

Rome was still hoping bloodshed could be kept to a minimum. “The ones we met up with last night seemed focused on one specific target.”

“Kalina,” Nick said, the sound of her name on his lips rubbing like an abrasive against Rome’s skin.

“What does she have to do with any of this?” Eli asked.

Guards were an important part of the commanding hierarchy among stateside shifters. They were next in line after the commanding officers and Faction Leaders. Their job was important—they were like the shifter Secret Service. Therefore, if a battle strategy was being laid out, they were an active part of the discussion.

“I watched her place all night and left one of the other guards with her so I could attend the meeting this morning, but I’ve been trying to connect her to this all night. I’m coming up blank.” Ezra shrugged.

And so was Rome. While he felt an extreme attraction to her, why the Rogues were hunting her he still had no idea. The fact that they were hunting her made his blood boil, so despite his hope for little bloodshed, he’d kill any one of them that dared to touch her.

“What do we know about her?” Eli asked.

“She started working for the firm a couple of weeks ago. Rome and I just met her a few days ago. I can check with HR get her file and see where she came from,” Nick said.

X nodded, rubbing a hand over his bald head. “I’ll run her name through the FBI database, see what I get, and report back to you,” he told Rome.

“In the meantime, I want somebody on her at all times. She is not to be anywhere alone. Does everyone understand that?” Rome was speaking specifically to the guards and officers but knew that Nick and X were taking note of his orders as well. “Until we figure out who is running the Rogues we’re all on alert. Exposure is still a priority. Rogues don’t give a shit where they shift or who sees them. We do. Keep your eyes open and keep a low profile. They’re out there and they’re waiting for us to fall into whatever trap they’re trying to lay. We’re smarter and we know our territories better than they do. Capturing and interrogating is the better option,” he said, looking from X to Nick. “But if the threat is too large, DTN.” Do The Necessary.

The meeting ended with everyone in agreement. The other Faction Leaders disconnected from the conference call. Baxter, who had quietly moved from the room once the meeting began, was back, clearing water glasses and coffee mugs from the table in silence.

Baxter was like that. With his tall, lanky frame and leathery coffee-brown skin, he moved about in silence but always seemed to be there. He was more knowledgeable about the shifters and the Gungi than anyone Rome knew, and he could swing his prized machete with quick and efficient strokes when need be. In addition, he was an intricate part of Rome’s life. He loved the man like a father.

“You think the leader may be here in DC?” Nick asked, coming to stand by Rome.

X came over to stand with them as the others filed out of the conference room.

“I don’t know. But I’m betting Kensington does,” he said.

“What makes you think that?” Nick asked.

“Jace said Kensington stank like a Rogue in LA earlier this year. Why would that be? He’s human.”

X nodded. “Unless he was in contact with them. Intimate contact.”

“That’s right,” Rome said. When humans were intimate with a shifter, they carried that shifter’s scent. In women it mingled with the scent of their lust, so it could be watered down a bit. But in human males, the female shifter’s scent encompassed them, giving a whole new meaning to the word
whipped.
For the time the male was sexually involved with the female shifter, he was consumed by her; his thoughts, his actions, everything revolved around that shifter. Kensington could have easily been seduced by a female Rogue, making him a tool for their using.

“Find out what’s going on in Kensington’s camp,” Rome told Nick. “I’ll get Kalina’s personnel file and I’ll make sure she’s properly protected.”

“Ezra will make sure he coordinates the officers to put a net around her, Rome. We need to focus on finding the leader,” Nick protested.

“You get us info on Kensington and that’ll give us a clue. X, you find out what the connection is with that lab. The absolute last thing we need is for the US government to find out about us.”

“Will do,” X said, nodding.

Rome was already moving to the door. He’d waited long enough to see her. The urge to move faster was building inside him, pounding against him.

“Where are you going?” Nick asked.

“To make sure Kalina’s safe,” he said curtly and kept walking.

When he was gone, X gave Nick a questioning look.

“Yeah, I’m thinking the same thing. Why don’t you do your digging on Ms. Harper, too? Find out everything you can on her. I’ve got a feeling she’s connected to this situation in more ways than we know.”

“And what about him?” X asked, referring to Rome.

“I’ll keep my eye on him. Rome’s not looking for a mate. He’s never wanted one. But there’s something about this woman that’s eating at him. I noticed it that first day at the office.”

X shrugged. “Could be lust. She’s a beautiful woman and you know our appetites.”

Nick nodded. “I know. She had my dick hard as stone the first day I met her, and her scent’s beyond intoxicating. That’s why I’m going to keep my eye on Rome. If she’s reeling him in, I want to make sure she’s on the level.”

“Rome’s too smart to fall for a setup, but I feel you. If he’s getting pulled in by the lust he might not be thinking straight,” X added. “I’ll get to the office and get started.”

“Hit me on my cell later with an update.”

“You got it. And watch your back.”

Nick grinned. “Always.”

They didn’t say it but both of them would be watching Rome’s. They’d been friends for far too long to miss the warning signs. Rome was distracted, and that wasn’t normal. More important, it wasn’t safe for them or the woman he seemed hell-bent on protecting.

*   *   *

He’d said it was only for her. But that was a lie. Nothing in Kalina’s life had been only for her. The parents she’d thought belonged to her had left her at an orphanage. The foster parents were only a loan and they gave her nothing but what the state required them to give. She had her job and her life but they weren’t really hers. She worked for the city, doing good for the people of the city, but what was in it for her? It was a depressing thought and countered all the pleasurable sensations left over from her dream. But it was life—real, uncut, and uncensored. She’d learned long ago to just deal with it.

She opened her eyes slowly, praying the words in her head would disappear. Instead they moved around the room. No, not that she was seeing things, but they were in the air, like a litany of sorts. Something else was in the air.

Her window was closed and yet her body still felt a breeze. A warm summer’s breeze that soothed the skin yet also flushed it with sweat. But she was sweaty and she was naked and between her legs was sticky.

It had been a dream.

A truly realistic, sexy-as-hell dream that had aroused her to painful proportions, she figured as she struggled to get out of bed.

Her body was as sore as if she’d really been fucked while standing at an open window. And the words in her head were now in his voice. The deep sexy voice that had seduced her into climax. The voice she recognized from her real-life sexcapade in a black Tahoe last night.

Rome’s voice.

Dammit! Running her fingers through her short tresses, she wondered if she really wanted to be crazy. What if she really wanted to hear voices and have weird dreams for the rest of her life? What if on some deranged level this was the only way she’d ever be able to get off?