The 13th Guest (4 page)

“I am.” She nodded and smiled. “I assume this eliminates me as a suspect in whatever danger is coming?”

Cyrus sighed loudly. “I’m afraid until we know more about what’s going on, we have to reserve judgment. Myron isn’t usually this vague in her predictions. Please, bear with us. Damek will stay with you until we know.”

“Absolutely.” She nodded and walked toward the Haus.

Damek turned toward Cyrus. “They were firing at her. She’s not the bad guy.”

“Unless the whole thing was faked.”

Damek wanted to argue, but Cyrus continued.

“If you’d seen what I’ve seen, you wouldn’t discount that idea. I want to believe she’s free from blame too. She was desperate to get here, and perhaps we can help her find solace from her pain. That’s what I want. But our first priority is safety.”

“Right.”

Damek understood Cyrus’s point. However, his only objective from that moment forward was keeping Amelia alive so he could do something about his new feelings. Cyrus and Rekkus could worry about everyone else. Amelia belonged to him. His cock hardened at the thought.

He’d already let one woman down. It wouldn’t happen again.

Dinner tasted delicious, but all Damek could focus on was the way food traveled from the fork into Amelia’s mouth. Then her lips closed around the instrument, and for three brief seconds they pursed.

Wow. He rubbed his forehead. When had she become an obsession?

“Not eating?” Rekkus sat down next to him. “What’s the matter with the vegan stew tonight? Too salty?”

“Is it vegan?” He looked down. He hadn’t taken a bite, not even one.

Rekkus looked between the tables, following Damek’s gaze to where Amelia sat with the other humans. “You have it hard up.”

“I do.” Why hide it? Everyone would figure it out soon enough. Understanding and reading people was what they did.

“Maybe I need to assign someone else to watch her since you’re losing perspective.”

“You can go ahead and do that.” He took a bite of the vegan stew. It actually tasted wonderful, and he sat up straighter in his seat. This was all going to work out. He narrowed his gaze when Amelia laughed at something the man next to her said. The woman had just been through an ordeal. She didn’t need some creep hitting on her. He clenched his fists and reminded himself that he specialized in herbs and captaining boats, not combat.

“I can?” Rekkus raised an eyebrow.

“Sure. And he or she can watch me watching her too.” He wouldn’t leave her side until they found the perp. Why hadn’t they found the guy yet?

“Shouldn’t you be out there looking? Are you taking some kind of food break?”

Rekkus snorted. “I’m guarding all of you.”

“Thanks.” Damek didn’t feel particularly watched over. More like Rekkus had come to torment him.

He stared at the other man. Why was Rekkus spending so much time harassing him?

“You’re up to something.”

Rekkus answered quickly. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Seriously. What are you doing?”

“Nope.” He stood. “I’m not going to point out that giving you a hard time brings you out of a slump faster than anything else. Except for maybe a brunette who you can’t take your eyes off of.”

“Hell, Rekkus. You’ve been on this island too long. Are you…healing me?” The idea seemed ludicrous. Yet that’s just what had happened.

“Nope. I have no idea what you mean.
None
.”

Rekkus tore off, and Damek returned his gaze to Amelia. He wanted her. Damn it, he was going to have her. His body heated.

Chapter Four

A
melia didn’t know what a breathing class entailed, but now she would recommend to her patients that they take some time to breathe. So when Sage handed her a card telling her to see someone named Trixie, she went.

When Damek took the mat next to her, she could have groaned. Sitting on a cliff overlooking the ocean, with the sun going down around them, she should have been reveling in the romance of the whole thing.

Next to her sat a man she wanted more than she’d ever desired another person—and he did not want her back. A crick in the back of her neck made her wish Sage had given her a massage for the evening instead of a breathing seminar. Damn. Maybe being shot at had scrambled her brains. Why didn’t it bother her more than it did?

She rubbed at her neck where it hurt. Shock remained the most reliable answer. All through dinner she’d waited for the proper reaction to a near death experience to overtake her. Yet it never came. Maybe the reaction had been delayed. Only she doubted that. Truth was, she hadn’t been afraid because Damek had been with her. Somehow, she’d known she was safe in his embrace.

Which made her not only delusional but dumb to boot.

Damek’s hand covered hers, and he took over the rubbing of her neck. She should stop him. All his touching made her want him more.

She pushed his hand away. If he noticed her discomfort, he didn’t comment. Instead he turned when the instructor, Trixie, moved to the front of the group. Amelia stared straight ahead at the beautiful, ethereal woman with long silver hair.

Focusing on the woman’s instructions was difficult with Damek sitting so close to her. How could a person give off so much warmth? Had he bathed in the rays of the sun?

She closed her eyes. Somehow she had to pretend he wasn’t there. In and out she breathed, paying attention to Trixie’s instructions. In through her nose, out through her mouth.

“Feel the rhythms of the earth,” Trixie said.

Witches could do that, or so she’d heard many times in therapy sessions. But Amelia had no such ability. No matter how much she tried, she wouldn’t be able to feel the rhythms of anything. She opened her eyes and looked at Damek.

His eyes were closed. He breathed in deeply, his chest expanding. He would be able to feel the earth moving; he could probably hear a bird tweeting half a mile away.

How had she thought that she could have him? Even for a night? Besides, nothing lasted very long. She knew that, had understood it since the night the babysitter had woken her saying her parents would not be returning from their dinner out. Who should she call to come and stay with her? Amelia wrung her hands together. How was an eight-year-old supposed to know what to do when her parents’ car fell off a cliff?

Despite the pleasant temperature outside, she shivered. This wasn’t going to work for her.

She stood. “I’m sorry, Trixie. I can’t do this.” Her heart raced. “I have to go. So sorry.”

Damek’s eyes flew open. “What’s wrong?”

Amelia wanted to say it was him—that being so close to him was too much on her senses. But that would be a lie.

She could not sit and breathe because they faced a cliff, and although she often encouraged people to jump off emotional ones, she couldn’t sit—figuratively or literally—next to one. Not since the night her parents had plummeted, propelled by black ice, off one. Never to be seen again.

Trixie smiled at her, kindness radiating in her eyes. “Have a good evening.”

With a nod, Amelia turned and headed for, well, she didn’t know where she intended to go. If she headed south, she would eventually hit the cabins.

She’d barely crossed the tree line when Damek grabbed her arm. “What’s the matter?”

“Please let go.” She didn’t want to explain to Damek why she had to get away from the cliff. He could go ahead and call her a hypocrite like everyone else.

He did as she asked, but his eyes remained fixed on her face. “Tell me what’s going on.”

“I had a panic attack. It happens. To a lot of people. No need to make such a big deal. I just want to be myself for a while.”

Damek jerked his neck, a strand of his brown eyes falling into his eyes. “No.”

“Excuse me?”
No?
Who did he think he was? People didn’t order her around.

“You can’t be alone. Have you forgotten you were shot at earlier tonight?”

She rubbed at her eyes. “Yes. I guess I did.”

Damek laughed at her. “How did you manage that?”

“Well”—she put her hands on her hips—“I’m clearly going through something and not in my right mind.”

“That much is obvious.” He held out his hand. “You want to go back to the cabin? I’ll take you there.”

She stared at his outstretched fingers. For a man who didn’t want her, he certainly spent a lot of time trying to touch her. Could he be wavering? Her heart fluttered.

“What are you going to do? Stop a bullet for me? We got lucky earlier. I don’t want to be responsible for you getting hurt.”

He took her hand in his own, not giving her a choice but to hold his hand. “I’m much more likely to hear something before you will. Besides, don’t slam a guy’s ego. I’m pulling hero duty here.”

She rolled her eyes but couldn’t help smiling. “Look, I have some issues. I don’t properly deal with them. And sometimes they flare up like they just did before.”

Damek led her forward. Her sense of direction hadn’t totally failed her. The way she’d been feeling, she could have ended up on the other side of the island.

Although they didn’t speak, the quiet did not come across as strained. If anything, Damek seemed comfortable with silence. A twig snapped behind them. Damek shoved her away just as two pale individuals stepped into their path. One of them nodded to Damek, and the two men passed without remark.

Her heart rate increased while they waited for the others to depart. “Vampires?”

“Yes. Those two look okay. I don’t think they were interested in eating us.”

Together, they started moving again. “Should I be concerned about that? Does that mean they recently…fed?”

“The Rowans keep it under control here. I can guarantee they didn’t suck someone dry.”

She hoped he spoke the truth. She’d love to catalog the types of paranormal people she’d encountered while at the Wiccan Haus. Maybe she could expand her business to—

All thought fled as Damek pushed her up against a tree. “You’re driving me crazy.”

She swallowed, absorbed by the heat radiating from his gaze. “In what way?”

“All I can think about is doing this.” He kissed her, a warm hot smacking together of their lips.

She sucked in her breath when he deepened the caress of his lips. Nothing about Damek was gentle. He was all hard angles and tough skin, yet he made her feel more protected than any other man she’d ever shared a moment with.

Pulling back, she tried to catch her breath. He needed to explain. She couldn’t open herself up again to be shot down. “I thought you didn’t want this. I can’t be kissing you and then have you decide you’re guilt ridden. Or that I somehow forced you into doing it.”

“Stop over thinking this. I never do anything I don’t want to do.”

He kissed her again, pushing her tighter up against the tree. The bark drove into her back, but she didn’t care. Damek’s hands roamed the front of her body while he made love to her with his mouth. He tweaked her nipple through her shirt. She gasped.

“So responsive.” He bit her lip. “I like.”

“Not to be the one to bring this down.” She wanted nothing less. God, her body ached for him, and she squirmed to press tighter against his hard abs. “But we are out in the open here and as you pointed out—”

“The gunman.” With a shudder, he pulled back. “Come with me. We’ll finish this back at the cabin.”

“Finish?” She didn’t like the thought. Going on and on was preferable.

“Bad choice of words. You’re the type of woman I won’t be able to get enough of.”

His words should have been flattering, but she’d listened to enough people say things they didn’t mean in her practice to know he hadn’t meant it that way—he’d been complaining.

Damek wanted to hoist her over his shoulder and drag her off where they could be alone. The island wasn’t that big, yet every second it took to reach their cabin felt like an eternity.

He took the steps two at a time, dragging the hot sexy woman behind him. She squealed when he finally gave into the urge and carried her over the threshold of the cabin. He was already erect, and they hadn’t done anything yet.

The symbolism of the gesture did not go unnoted. But at that moment his cock wouldn’t let him think about anything except getting inside of Amelia.

They crossed the living area and were in her bedroom in three seconds. He’d never been so grateful for his long legs. Kissing her sweet lips before he dropped her down on the bed, he knew that he’d never forget this night for as long as he lived. In fact, if the Rowans wouldn’t object to their constant absence, he’d keep her in the bed the rest of her trip.

She tugged at his shirt. “Hurry.”

He moved over her. “There’s no reason to rush, beautiful. I want this. So do you. We have all night.”

She moaned when he kissed her again. Beneath him, her body vibrated. Amelia’s body with all her lush curves a man could hold onto had been made for sex. He couldn’t wait to explore every inch of it.

Slowly, he peeled away their clothes, her eyes watching every movement he made. The moment felt charged with importance, and he intended to enjoy every second of it.

“It’s been a long time for me.” Her voice was low, husky.
Her bedroom voice
.

“For me, as well.” No one since Zoe.

She stroked the side of his face. “What made you change your mind about this?”

“There wasn’t a chance, not really, since I pulled you out of the cargo hold that I was ever going to resist you.”

He kissed her forehead, inhaling the coconut scent of her hair when he did. He wished he could bottle it so he could have it all the time.

Damek wanted to make her smile all the time.

Circling her belly button with his thumb, he let his gaze roam her body. Her breasts were more than a handful, but perfect for her tall frame. Her stomach, flat with just a touch of curve around her hips. She made his mouth water. He wanted his tongue where his thumb played.

Bending over, he licked her. She tasted sweet and salty, his favorite combination, like cherries and salt-water taffy at the same time. She giggled, and he lifted his head.

“Something funny?” Laughter had not been what he had been going for.

She pinched his shoulder. “You tickled me.”

“Oh. You’re ticklish.” He grinned, he’d have to remember that. Later. For now, he wanted her moaning and begging, not squirming away from him.

“Yes. I can’t help it.”

“That’ll be good to know.” He rolled her over, exposing her ass. He bent over and bit it.

“Oh!” Her voice sounded breathy. “You’re bad, aren’t you?”

“I’m just playing with you, sweetheart. As I told you, this is going to go on for a while. I can touch as much of your body as I want. For as long as I want.”

She shivered. He grinned. He pulled her back up against his stomach and trailed his finger from her chin to her pussy. Heat radiated from her core as he slipped one finger inside of her. He was so hard he might explode just from wanting her. Elation warred with control, making him shake. “You understand that I’m going to bring you to the brink of coming several times, don’t you?”

“You are?” Her voice sounded hoarse.

“Yes.” When her muscles clenched around his hand, he shuddered. Pleasuring her the way he wanted proved difficult. His cock jumped to attention, and he wanted to plunge inside of her until he spilled himself over and over again.

“Damek.” His name sounded like a prayer on her lips.

With a flick of his fingers, he moved from inside her pussy to her clit. The small bundle of nerves swelled to attention. He stroked gently at first but rapidly picked up his pace until she panted, her head coming to rest on his shoulder as if her neck could no longer support its weight. Yes, this was what he wanted, what he needed.

“You like it, don’t you? You want me to stroke you like that.”

She nodded. “More please. But you can’t be getting anything out of this.”

He took her hand and placed it on his cock. “Feel what I’m getting from it.”

Amelia squeezed the top of his shaft.

He hissed in his breath. “Do that again, and I won’t be able to wait until I get inside of you.”

He tweaked her clit and her knees buckled.

She closed her eyes. “You are a bad, bad man.”

“And you crave it.”

He bit down on her shoulder. He wanted to mark her all over her body. Heat flooded his blood. That way when he looked at her tomorrow he would see evidence that this really happened on her skin. Markings for everyone else to take note of.

He stroked and pulled until she quivered around him. Finally, she called out his name, warm liquid surging around his hand while he played with her clit. Tears sprang from her eyes. He leaned over to kiss them away. Her eyes were half-lidded, a flush over her skin. He’d never forget the site.

His cock throbbed and his balls hardened to the point of pain. Damek pulled her into his arms. Her eyes were dazed, and she smiled up at him.

“I can’t believe I came that hard, just around your hand.”

“That’s nothing, beautiful.” He positioned himself to enter her. Reaching over, he opened the drawer next to the bed. As he’d suspected, fate, or Myron, hadn’t let him down. A box of condoms awaited him. He pulled one out and rolled it on. “I’m going to get you so hot that you come over and over again. By the end of tonight, that first one will be a distant memory.”

“You know, I think with most men that would be an exaggeration, but with you I actually believe you mean it.”

He grinned. Later on, he wanted to sit and listen to her speak for hours. She had a low voice he found soothing and addictive. But now he wanted to bury himself balls deep inside her until he forgot everything but the sounds their bodies made together.

Damek pushed himself inside of her. She cried out. He forced himself to remain still. She’d said it had been a while, and he wouldn’t hurt her, even a little bit, for the world.

She shuddered beneath him. “Why did you stop?”

Pushing her hair out of her eyes, he found the power to speak. “Did I hurt you?”

“Not even a little.” She raised her head to kiss him, and he captured her lips with his own.

“Good.” Because he had to move, needed to relieve the ache inside of him that begged to be relieved inside her hot pussy.

Movement helped. He plunged inside of her and pulled out, her hips rising to meet him with each thrust. Amelia’s muscles clenched around his cock, milking him, stirring him forward to reach release.

But not until she came, not before he felt certain of her pleasure. He pinched her clit before letting go to surge back inside her.

Amelia’s back arched, her eyes closed, and she called out his name while her body pulsed. She soaked his dick with her moisture, and he moaned. Amelia didn’t hold back. Tears sprang from her eyes, and his own orgasm overtook him.
She was magnificen
t.