Deep Kiss of Winter (37 page)

Her stomach clenched, but she forced herself to say, “I don't know you, I don't like you. Of course I deny us both.”

“Very well.” He popped to his feet, dragging her with him. He was scowling. “In time you will learn about me, and you will like me. That's a command.”

“I haven't obeyed you once.” Or maybe she had. The details were as foggy as her mind. “What makes you think I'll start now?”

He peered down at her, one golden brow arched.
“I'm halfway there already. Your nipples are still hard.”

“So?” Cheeks flushing, she fought the urge to cover herself. “It's still cold out here.”

“You begged for me.”

That was not something she needed to be reminded of; she remembered, both hating and loving herself for it. Hating because of all the baggage that came with the pleasure, and loving because, well, it had felt so damn good. But just as soon as she'd spent a few minutes alone, she'd love herself to earth-shattering completion and could hate him without this pesky need being in the way.

“Temporary insanity. I also told you to stop.”

Clearly frustrated, he tangled a hand through his hair. “Do you have an answer for everything?”

“Yes.”

His tongue swiped over his teeth. She'd tasted that tongue, almost bitten that tongue.

Never again,
she told herself. Enough stalling. It was time to act. She pictured Macy in her mind and felt her body respond accordingly. Her hair shortened, as did her legs. Her boobs grew—a lot. Much better. This was her shield. Her armor against the world. And now against Breean.

He scowled at her but didn't comment. “Come. There is much to do and I've wasted enough time chasing you.”

Yes, she'd made sure of that. But still the backup agents hadn't shown. Aleaha prayed nothing had happened to them. With the bleak turn this night
had already taken, however, she doubted the prayer would be heeded.

Breean's warriors had gathered the AIR agents, as ordered, and started for the underground holding cell they'd hurriedly constructed on one of their trips here. It had taken him fifteen minutes to catch up with them and their human cargo, Aleaha tossed over his shoulder, and then another five to reach the dilapidated house they'd confiscated on the outskirts of the city; it was the perfect hideout, since the area was seemingly forgotten by Earth's inhabitants. Maybe because there was no vegetation or animals, the air drier than dirt, stinging the nostrils as though acid were being inhaled. It was still cold here, but there was none of that beautiful white snow.

Breean left Aleaha locked up in one of the bedrooms, comfortable and fed, yet separated from her people, for an entire Earth week. She tried to escape at least twice a day, but he caught her each time, attuned to her in a way he didn't understand.

He'd hoped to develop a resistance to her while he saw to the defenses of his true home in the city. He'd hoped to develop a resistance to her while the days passed.

Despite his best efforts, Aleaha never left his mind. His only hope now was that time had softened her dislike of him, that she craved another of his kisses. The first had nearly burned him alive. No woman had ever tasted so sweet or felt so perfect against him. And, yes, others had clutched him with utter abandon, moaning their pleasure, desperate for more, but none had ever affected him like this. Why, he didn't know.

No longer could he delude himself, even slightly, into thinking that any other woman would have done. It was her he wanted. Her specifically. Aleaha. The fierce glow in her eyes, the sharpness of her wit. The challenge of winning so strong a prize. What would she look like when she smiled? How carefree would her laughter sound?

He had to know.

Finally, it was time to move everyone into the permanent home. It had better security and was in a livable location. Yes, they would be more easily spotted by AIR, which had, thank the blessed sea, failed to find his hideaway on the outskirts, but it was worth the risk. He planned to contact them soon anyway, and start the bargaining process at last.

By the time the prisoners were taken care of, night had fallen. Breean returned to the wasteland with half of his forces. He couldn't contain his eagerness as he entered the house and walked down the crumbling hallway to gather Aleaha. What would he find? The blond goddess or the dark-haired vixen? Eagerness to match his own or anger?

He was actually shaking with anticipation as he unlocked Aleaha's door.
I won't bed her until she begs for it,
he vowed. After what she'd already given him, nothing else would be acceptable. The hinges creaked open, and he stepped inside. She stood in front of the bed, watching him warily, pale hair dancing around her shoulders.

His heart thundered in his chest. In arousal, yes, but also in disappointment. He'd wanted the vixen.

She wore the T-shirt and jeans he'd brought her, and the material hugged her body nicely.

“Nothing to say?” he asked, feeling tongue-tied himself. Never had he wanted something so badly. Never had he had to tread so carefully.

She arched a brow, as stubborn as ever. “What about, and stop me if you've heard this one, let me go. Let my friends go.”

So. She still meant to resist him. He revealed no hint of his frustration. “You will stay with me. Your friends . . . maybe.”

“Why keep us? You're going to destroy us anyway. That's why you're here, right?”

He frowned. “What do you mean, I plan to destroy you?”

“Why else would you be here?” Every word was layered with disgust. “I've been thinking about it, since that's the only thing to do here, and I've decided you're here to prepare the way for that stupid queen.”

“What are you talking about? I have no queen.” Not anymore. Apparently, the Rakan queen had been
one of the first females to succumb to the disease. She had killed her own husband. Her own children.

Aleaha studied him, her expression pensive. “I know you're not ill since I bit you and haven't exhibited any symptoms, and I know you're Rakan rather than Schön, but why else would you have come to Earth if not to help the Schön queen? An alien was interrogated recently and revealed that warriors would be arriving that night in the forest with the sole desire of clearing a path for the Schön queen. Then boom, you arrive. You take out AIR. What's that if not clearing a path?”

Everything inside him locked down. First in panic—not again, he couldn't put his men through that again—and then in rage. “Schön? You expected those vile Schön?”

“Yes. We'd already killed a few of them, and you and yours won't be any different.”

“We would
never
help them. We hate them.” Mouth suddenly dry, he pivoted on his heel, exited the room, and locked the door behind him. He was trembling again, but this time it had nothing to do with desire.

“Hey,” he heard her call. “If we were mistaken about your race, it's possible we were mistaken about you following the Schön queen. Come back! I'm not saying I believe you, I'm just saying we can talk about this.”

Breean quickly called together all of the men who had accompanied him. They filled the living room, spilling out into the hallway. As he told them what
he had just learned, they reacted first with panic, as he had. And then the rage set in.

“Bastards.”

“Murderers!”

A couple jumped up to pace, bumping into everyone around them.

“I will leave the decision up to you,” he said. “If you want to leave, we will leave. If you want to stay, we will stay.” Either way, Breean wasn't letting Aleaha go. He wouldn't leave her here to face the deadly Schön on her own. Because she was female, she would be one of the first to fall. But knowing her as he thought he did, she would not go easily.

The debate began.

“We've worked so hard, finally found a home. We can't just abandon it now.”

“Yes, we can. We deserve peace.”

“Will we ever truly know peace? We are outsiders wherever we go. Here, at least, otherworlders aren't killed on sight.”

“I can't watch another home be destroyed.”

“And what happens when the Schön ruin this planet?” Talon, his second in command, scrubbed a hand down his tired face. “They will move on to another, perhaps the next one we have chosen. We need to destroy them. Now. Finally.”

Breean agreed. “At least here we know there are medications and technology to combat such a loathsome enemy. That's why we chose it. Besides, my female told me that AIR defeated the first diseased warriors who came here.”

“Think of it. We can kill the Schön, as we've dreamed for so long,” Talon added. “For what they did to us. For what they did to our loved ones.”

“How are we to kill them? They can make themselves invisible. As we well know, it's impossible to fight an unseen enemy.”

That cast a gloomy shadow over the men, memories consuming them.

“AIR obviously knows how to fight them, and there are ways to get the information from them. So tell me.” Breean eyed them one by one. “Leave? Or stay?”

In the end, it was unanimous. They would stay. They would fight. Or try to. If they died in the process, at least they would die as the soldiers they'd become.

“I am proud of you,” he told them. “Surrender is unacceptable. Once we are established in our new home, we will figure out a plan of action. As for tonight, we have much to do. Go about your duties. I will meet you outside.”

As they strode off, Breean returned to Aleaha's room. This time, she was seated at the edge of the bed. Still blond. But, damn, if she didn't make his heart stop. “Come.” He waved her over.

“Don't you want to talk?”

“No.”

She stood on shaky legs. “Well. Are you sure you're not going to take off again, leaving me here?”

“I'm sure.”

“Why did you rush off like that?”

“You mentioned my greatest enemy.” He saw no
reason to lie. Not when he might gain information. “My men needed to know what they will soon be up against.”

“Oh. So you really do hate the Schön?”

“Yes.” Guess they would talk, after all. “Does AIR have any idea what those bastards can do? I know you told me some were killed, but I just want to make sure you understand the danger.”

“Yes. They are infected with a disease that turns people into cannibals.”

“That disease destroyed my planet. That disease is the reason we are here.”

“Oh,” she said again. “I'm—I'm sorry. You aren't . . . infected, are you? I mean, I know we've had this conversation and I know I bit you and tasted your blood and I haven't experienced any unusual symptoms, but you've got me worried.”

“No, I'm not infected. You would be able to tell if I were. The skin turns gray, the eyes sink into the skull.
I
would have been the one to bite
you
that night in the forest.”

She gulped, but that was her only response.

“How did your people defeat them?” he asked.

“I don't know. I wasn't working for them at the time.”

He was glad. Though he wanted the information, badly, he didn't like the thought of Aleaha engaging such fierce creatures. At least there was hope, a way to win. He would like to work with AIR and increase the chance for victory, but he didn't think they'd welcome him.

“All I know,” she continued, “is what I've already told you. Several warriors came here. They were crushed, and now their queen, the most powerful of them, is on her way.”

Oh, yes. The queen was indeed the most powerful. She was also heartless, selfish, determined, and irresistible.

“Come,” he said again. For the moment, there was nothing else to say on the subject.

“Are you taking me to my friends?”

Rather than start a debate—because no, he wasn't taking her to her friends—he remained silent as he escorted her out of the home and into the backyard, keeping her beside him with an arm draped around the feminine dip of her waist. She didn't try to escape. Perhaps she'd realized there was no place to go, nothing around them. Perhaps, as concerned as she was about her fellow agents, she didn't want to leave without them.

Or perhaps he wasn't giving her enough credit. Maybe she meant to bide her time and kill him while he slept. If he was lucky, she stayed because she wanted another kiss. Had she thought of him at all while inside that room? Dreamed of him the way he'd dreamed of her?

“The air,” she said, nose wrinkling in distaste as her eyes scanned the darkness.

“Cold?” He removed his jacket and placed it around her shoulders.

“Yes, but also pungent.”

“You become used to it.” He peered down at her,
hungry. “Change for me. Please. No one will see.” There were no trees offering solace, but there was a tall iron fence surrounding the barren yard. Plus, there were no other homes nearby. They'd all collapsed.

She didn't pretend to misunderstand. “I will if you'll tell me where the agents are. I never heard them, and I'm trying not to go crazy, imagining them d-dead.” There at the end, her voice shook.

“They were underground, in a cell not far from where we are standing.” Truth. He didn't mind telling her since they had already been moved to the new home. “I swear to you, they are alive and well and will remain so. They are also angry as hell that you are not with them.”

“I-I believe you. That sounds like them. Thank you.” Her relief was palpable. “And now for my part of the bargain.” Again, she glanced around. When she saw that they were alone, she began to grow several inches, becoming leaner. Her long dark hair fell over his wrist, and he basked in the silkiness of it. Her eyes were so deep a green he would have sworn he was standing in a lush, dewy meadow every time he peered into them. Her skin was translucent, smooth, and, as easily as she'd responded to him, probably sensitive. She might be able to come with only a caress.