Caress of Flame (4 page)

“What do you want with me?” she asked again and was pleased that this time there was no tremor in her voice.

“Many things,” he told her enigmatically, setting her gently away from him so that their faces were no longer a breath apart.

Isis didn’t like that answer at all. “Who are you?” she asked, to cover up her discomfiture.

“I am Flare,” he said.

Isis frowned. “What kind of a name is that?”

“My father named me thus after my first flame.”

“I’m not even going to pretend to know what the hell you’re talking about,” she told him from behind pursed lips.

“Why do you dance nude before the eyes of strange men?” he asked suddenly, and there was a heat, an anger, in his voice that Isis couldn’t ignore.

“Because it’s good money,” she told him simply.

“Do you need money so badly then?” He crossed his arms over his chest and Isis had a hard time ignoring the enormous bulge of his muscles.

“Everybody needs money badly,” she scoffed. “Don’t you?”

“We have no need for money here.”

“‘We’?” she asked. “Who is ‘we’?”

He studied her for a long, silent moment. Isis was glad for the silence because his voice made her want to just jump his bones and have done with it. He seemed to come to some silent decision and motioned elegantly for her to take a seat. She did, simply because she didn’t know what else to do, and he sat in a chair opposite her.

“I have been watching you,” he said.

“Tell me something I don’t know,” she said flippantly.

He shook his head. “No. I have been watching you for two weeks now.”

Isis choked on a gasp. “That’s impossible. I would have known,” she said disbelievingly.

“I thought so too. Your mind is open and I had to be very careful not to alert you. If not for last night, you would have never known I was there.”

“Last night you killed a man,” she accused in a hard voice.

“No. I killed a creature. What we call a Daemon. He was probably after
you
, actually, when I met up with him.”

1“You keep opening your mouth and saying words but they mean nothing to me,”

she scoffed. “Try talking in English.”

“I thought I was,” he said with a frown. “Perhaps my English is not that good. I don’t know—I have never really tried it before.”

“There you go again, making absolutely no sense. What do you mean you’ve never tried it before? You’re speaking it aren’t you—or trying to anyway. It would take a helluva lot of practice for you to speak so well if English is your second language.”

“Actually I can speak any language on Earth. Somewhat,” he said, his glowing eyes meeting hers, penetrating to her core. “I am sorry. I need to start over. I mean you no harm,” he said soothingly, holding his hand out in a show of peace, which only served to remind her how he’d thrown the bouncers about like pixie sticks. “I vow it. I am pledged to protect you.”

“Just tell me what the fuck is going on,” she said breathlessly. His voice was getting to her again. “Start at the beginning or whatever. Enlighten me, if you’re so eager to

‘protect’ me.” She was proud that she managed to sound scathing and unafraid.

He studied her again with that still and powerful gaze of his. Then he shook his head and sighed. “I can tell by your pupil dilation and the rhythm of your breathing that you’re still stressed,” he said gently as if to not stress her any further. “You are tired. You don’t sleep nearly enough, Isis. I think it best if we continue this conversation after you’ve had some rest.”

“How do you know my name?” she demanded vehemently, forgetting for the moment that she was introduced on the stage each night for all to hear.

Flare rose in stoic silence and she followed. He went to the bedroom—God, even his most casual movements were sexy—and motioned toward the bed. “You can sleep there. I’ll be close, just outside this door.” He motioned to the sitting room entrance.

Isis hesitated. No way was she getting on that bed. Right? Damn. Her libido and her good judgment hadn’t exactly reached an agreement on that yet. Not wanting to argue any further, she decided to trust him—whatever that meant—and approached the bed.

Flare grabbed her upper arm and turned her to face him. “You will never show your body to another man from this moment forth,” he said firmly.

“Whatever,” she snapped, hating being commanded by him. Because that was what it was—a command. And one he obviously fully expected her to obey. “I’ll do whatever I want.”

His grip tightened and he seemed to hesitate. Then he appeared to come to some decision and he jerked her to him. Before she could muster a complaint at being manhandled, Flare’s lips slanted over hers and she lost all traces of any coherent thought.

The kiss burned her from head to toe. His lips were physically hot—all of him was, pressed up against her so domineeringly. Her breasts were crushed to his chest and he had dipped his head—he was so tall—his hair falling over them both like a curtain. It 2seemed to have a life all its own, tangling with hers so that they were joined even in the most basic of ways.

The pressure of Flare’s lips demanded that she open her mouth. She did so and received the hot candy of his tongue as it stroked deeply beyond her lips to tangle and dance with her own. He had a flavor that was so unique she couldn’t place it. He was spicy and sweet at the same time, like cinnamon or clove, and yet nothing at all like either.

Flare sucked her tongue into his mouth, inviting her to explore. She did, hesitantly at first, then with uncontrollable mounting desire. This was the first time she had ever willingly kissed a man and it was everything she could have hoped it would be and more. Flare knew how to take total possession of her mouth and did so unhesitatingly.

The thick muscles of his arms crushed her to him so that their bodies touched from her breasts to her knees. Isis haltingly lifted her arms to pull him even closer when he grabbed them and forcefully put both her hands behind his neck. His hair was so soft, so silky, it sifted through her fingers deliciously as she clutched at him in desperation.

The heat of his kiss intensified and her mouth burned from it. Before she could stop him he had lifted her dress and his hands were on her bare breasts. Fear took hold and she tried to pull free from him, but he would not let her go. He ate at her mouth expertly, sensually, and she forgot her fear for the moment, enjoying the strange new sensations that were washing over and through her.

He backed her up to the massive bed. When Isis felt the mattress press against her bottom she panicked. Once more she tried to pull away and once more he would not let her. His fingers plucked delicately at her very erect nipples and her knees went liquid with desire. All thought of struggle was forgotten and Isis brazenly suckled on his tongue as it penetrated deep within her eager mouth, and her hands tightened around his neck, bringing him even closer.

As he kissed her, one of his hands left her breast and he reached up to take her hand. His fingers rested against her pulse and Isis knew with a certainty that it was deliberate. He wanted to feel her heart race. And oh how it
was
racing.

She pulled her hand away and put it back behind his head, fingers tangling in his luxurious hair as if they belonged there. Flare’s lips nibbled at hers, more gently now, and his free hand slowly moved down to cup her sex. He had to feel how wet she was—

her panties were no barrier to his touch. Flare stroked the lips of her pussy through the lace of her thong then unerringly zeroed in on her clit. His fingertips stroked and squeezed the nubbin of her clit until she was nearly crying with need.

He pushed her back onto the bed and she let him. She was mindless to anything but the amazing sensations that were flooding through her being. Flare’s fingers caught in the lace of her panties and he ripped it from her body with a forceful tug that only inflamed her more. His fingers were slippery in her wetness, rubbing in all the right places, until they penetrated her, sliding deep and stretching her.

2Panic assailed her once more. She jerked her mouth away from his and shrieked.

She kicked him off her with one violent recoil of her legs and rolled swiftly off the bed, away from him.

“Don’t come near me,” she yelled as he approached her, hands outstretched, reaching for her. “Stay away.”

“What have I done to make you fear me so?” he asked with a frown that did nothing to disguise the rampant desire still written in the lines of his face.

Isis took deep, gulping breaths and tried to slow the panicked beat of her heart.

Flare put his hands down and studied her, his strange eyes missing nothing.

“You’ve been hurt by someone,” he said with certainty.

Isis glared at him. “Shut up. Just go. Leave me alone,” she demanded.

“I should not leave you like this,” he said.

“I said leave me the fuck alone,” she screamed, trembling fists clenching at her sides.

He watched her for another long, silent moment. Finally he nodded and headed for the door, careful to skirt around her so as not to cause alarm. “I will do as you wish,” he said. “But you cannot ignore what is between us, Isis. Something has happened and we are both in this together.”

“I can do whatever the hell I want,” she panted. “
Leave
,” she yelled with the last of her waning strength.

Flare did so, closing the door quietly behind him. Isis rushed to the other door that led out of the room and found it was locked, as she’d suspected it would be. She looked about the room in frustration, trying to keep her riotous emotions at bay and failing miserably.

With a last desperate breath she felt the tears begin to fall. She leaned against the door and when her knees gave out, slid to the floor. Isis cried silently, as she’d learned to do at a young age.

Her heart felt like it had been torn apart. After all these years she still couldn’t accept a man’s touch. It was embarrassing, alarming and hopeless. “Fuck,” she whispered under her breath as the tears continued to fall onto her clasped hands held firmly in her lap to still their trembling.

Isis had long since thought she’d become numb to the pain. To the fear. But she had been wrong. Isis had cut herself off from any real human contact and now she was paying the price. There was no way she could have known that she would still react in such a way when a man touched her. She had avoided any scenario that would put her in that situation for just that reason.

The most beautiful man she’d ever seen had tried to seduce her and she had faltered, letting the fear consume her in a way she had vowed never to allow again. Isis banged her head back against the door and the tears continued to flow unchecked down her cheeks, dripping off her chin and jaw. She did it again, harder, and saw a 2burst of stars. Again and again she banged her head against the stone door until she felt strong arms scoop her up and away from her self-inflicted punishment.

“You are not well,” Flare said gently. “I am sorry that I caused this pain in you.”

Isis felt the tears continue to fall but refused to wipe them away. She’d never cried in front of anybody, but for some reason she didn’t feel like hiding them from this man.

“It’s not your fault,” she managed to say at last.

“It is,” he said, laying her gently down upon the bed.

Her head hurt, but she welcomed the pain. Any other pain was welcome if it made her forget the pain in her heart. “No it isn’t. I promise, it’s not your fault. It’s me,” she painfully admitted.

“I have seen you. You cut yourself off from the world. You are totally alone. It hurts my heart to know that you suffer so.”

Isis hid behind the fall of her hair but Flare would have nothing of it and he tucked her hair behind her ear with the gentlest touch.

“Don’t worry about it,” she said, fighting her tears. “I’ll get over it.”

“But what will happen when we come together again?” he asked softly.

Isis gritted her teeth. “We won’t.”

“We will,” he insisted.

She realized that, in this situation, he was right. Wherever she was now, she was at his mercy. And what was more, she liked it. He was the first man she’d desired in so many years. And she
did
desire him. Fiercely. If she stayed near him it was inevitable that they would embrace again. What would she do then? Cower and let him have her, hating every moment? She couldn’t have that—she had far too much pride. Besides, she didn’t think Flare was the kind of man who would let his woman cower in bed.

“Tell me why you fear me,” he said softly then smiled. “Besides the fact that I sort of kidnapped you,” he joked lightly.

“You
did
kidnap me,” she sniffed.

“Okay, so I did. But it was to protect you. No.” He shook his head. “That’s not true.

I just could not bear the thought of other men seeing your body. I wanted to be the only one to see such a precious gift as the beauty of your bare skin.”

Isis had never heard anything so beautiful and naked as his admission. Flare hid nothing of his feelings toward her and it made her desire him all the more.

Isis hated herself for her weakness. It wasn’t that she didn’t want Flare—God how she lusted after him, even after such a short time together—it was just that she couldn’t get past her own tormented memories. They ate at her, drove her, warped her into something that wasn’t entirely human but something baser, like a wounded beast caught in a trap. She was her own worst enemy and there was nothing she could think of that could change it.

Flare stroked his finger down her wet cheek. “Why do you weep so?”

2“B-because I’m a failure,” she admitted hesitantly.

“How are you a failure?” he asked.

“I can’t be a woman. Not for you, not for anybody. Something’s dead inside me and I can’t do it. I just can’t.”

Flare stroked a hand over her hair. “You are strong, Isis. So strong. You do not even know the depths of your own will. You
are
a woman, Isis. And you are powerful, even though I can see that you think you are weak.”

“Look at me.” Isis held out her hands, the palms of which had bloody half moons tattooed into the flesh from her clenched nails digging mercilessly into the skin. “I’m a mess and all you did was kiss me and fondle me a little bit. God I’m pathetic.” She put her hands on either side of her head and squeezed as if the motion would expel all of her demons.