Desire the Banshee (6 page)

The loose dress she wore pooled about her waist, her legs spread apart and she relaxed back onto the cot, her chest rising and falling with rapid breaths. The pinpoints of her nipples visible through the thin cotton made his mouth water.

“Beautiful.” His garbled syllables pushed up and out of him, something he’d not done for years, speak without thought.

Her ankles palmed in a loose hold, he watched every flicker of expression and movement as he brought up one foot and licked the soft arch.

She groaned and writhed. Satisfaction, no other word for it, warmed his chest as he kept hold of her through the passionate thrashing. He sucked on the sensitive, soft and vulnerable spot. Her flesh, warm and satiny, tasted salty and earthy. Carefully freeing her other ankle, he skimmed down her calf, never going above her knee and enjoying the mewls from the only woman he’d ever really wanted.

To hear her make those sounds for him, for the first time, made him fierce, hard, eager to claim her now and forever.

“Please,” she begged, over and over, disrupting her humming that made his blood boil.

Taking his time, ruthlessly ignoring the raging hard-on that did its own begging, he suckled her toes, licked around her ankles and set a slow but deliberate course up her leg. He messaged and stroked both legs, alternating between her shins, her knees, her thighs.

With a smile against the soft skin of her inner thigh, he nipped her gently. She bucked her hips so hard he nearly fell back from his place kneeling between her legs.

She shook all over as he held her down. The connection between them zinged with life. Moans and begging solidified in a rope of want, tying them together with sounds. Her shattered defenses brought him keening pleasure like none before, and they hadn’t even gotten to the good stuff. His downtrodden ego, surety he couldn’t please a woman, slowly mended as his heart sang with pride that he tormented her with bliss.

Slowly—oh so slowly—he tracked his tongue to the spot where hip and leg joined. He languidly licked down toward his goal as she thrashed on the cot, pulling at his hair, trying to speed his descent. Ignoring the stinging yanks of his hair, he stroked the outside of her folds in one slow lap, drew back and blew on her.

She put a fist in her mouth to muffle her shriek. Her hum grew and grew, vibrating the cot.

Shhh. If you’re too loud, I’ll have to stop.

She panted loudly, out of breath, as if speaking was too difficult.
Don’t stop.

The hum dropped to a low frequency only he could sense.

She deserved a reward for that kind of control. He swirled his tongue in a teasing lick over her clit. With a groan, she dug her nails into his scalp, but he didn’t care.

His cock pulsed tightly against his zipper, and he reached down to carefully remove himself for the relief he needed. The cool air in the cabin didn’t help, only made him harder, with the wind the banshee’s noises had stirred surrounding him like a lover’s touch. With a firm grip, he grabbed the base of himself and stroked. With only one hand to hold her still, he ignored his needs and focused on her, to keep her splayed before him in acceptance. Acceptance. Yes, he needed that from her.

In his head, her chant filled him, taking him ever higher with her mental pleas.
Sean, Sean. Oh, Sean.

He rubbed his face between her legs and lapped at her in earnest. The tension in her thighs built, and she grew more and more rigid. Her hips bucked and moved to direct his tongue to where she needed it most.

He nipped at her clit and a strangled gasp filled the cottage. His balls drew up tight, and he’d never had such an urge to fuck until he couldn’t walk. It almost scared him out of the mood, but he couldn’t stop now. He yanked on his dick in ever-increasing strokes and swirled his tongue around her clit, determined to make her feel the same urgent need to claim.

White noise filled his head. Daisy bucked, then tensed, tightly arched, above the bed. Her climax blinded him with a bright flash. He pumped into his hand with a roar, muted against the flesh of her mound. His fingers and toes tingled as his body went limp. He sat heavily on the floor, his face cradled on her soft lower belly.

Long minutes later, he came to himself, off a cloud where he flew, to her fingers brushing through his hair and her soft litany of non-words. It was if she sang him a lullaby of nonsense.

At that precise moment, he knew his love was irrevocable, undeniable. What he’d had for her before didn’t compare to now. He’d never be the same again and he hadn’t even gotten his dick inside her.
Inside
, where he craved to be. His limp flesh stirred a bit in interest.

But his head cleared, even with the distracting and soothing ministrations of Daisy.

His position rushed in at him like a baseball bat to the head.

They were in imminent danger. Daisy would never be his and he’d fucked up royally. He never should have shackled a woman with his handicap, his morose moods and his inability to be human. He never should have allowed his needs to surface after burying them for decades.

What had he been thinking?

You were thinking you wanted a piece of that. Like they all do.

She pushed him away and wrenched her dress to cover herself. The scent of her clung to his face and he licked his lips. She glared at him.

Don’t worry. I won’t get all wishy-washy and clingy. I don’t do strings. Let’s forget it ever happened and get out of here. Now. I don’t care what happened to those people out there. I’m leaving.

Sean shook his head. Forget? If he lived hundreds of years—and connected to Daisy, he would—he’d never forget the first time he’d brought a woman to orgasm. He’d brought a woman to orgasm. His woman. The seconds of strange self-pity of moments ago evaporated. The topsy-turvy whirl of his emotions so like Daisy’s.

There was no way in hell he’d ever let her go.

Daisy stalked to the door to swing it open. He should’ve been trying to calm her, explain his few moments of self-doubt away and protect any potentially innocent rogues in the camp. Instead, he watched her firm ass as the dress clung to her, and fought back the urge to bend her over the cot.

Before he could rein himself in so he could help Daisy with her own tattered control, she flung the door open.

“Oh shit.” She stepped back into the cottage.

The tension zinged over their connection before she shoved him out, took a deep breath and opened her mouth.

Hell.
She was about to let loose her wail.

He lunged for her.

Chapter Six

Sean’s arms closed around Daisy and the tingle and warmth that flowed through her shocked the wail into submission. As alluring as the instinct to sink back into his wiry strength was, she straightened away from him to face down the danger in the doorway.

She stared down the end of a gun.

A fucking gun.

Her chin hitched in defiance. For as long as she’d gone out and taken in rogues taking advantage of others, or some who were simply lost, she’d never seen a handgun pointed at her.

Hell. She didn’t know what it was, if it was loaded or if he’d use it. Because the man holding the gun was none other than the CTF’s strategist, Vince Nelson, and in a split second, she saw the betrayal and seriousness in his expression. He’d use that gun on her. But that didn’t matter. She’d never cared what happened to her, but as soon as that weapon swung to aim at Sean standing behind her, Daisy ran out of options.

She snapped her mouth shut so hard she bit the inside of her cheek. The iron tang of blood filled her mouth. Her fingers shook as she reached up in reaction.

“Tsk-tsk. Stay still, banshee. Both of you. No moving. Tell the deaf boy not to do anything stupid, would you?”

Sean?

I hear him. Don’t give him any reason to know we’re partnered. It’s our secret.

Don’t want anyone to know you married a banshee?

Daze…

“Damn, you smell like sex.” Vince leered as he openly stared at her chest, where her dress didn’t really hide much. For the first time, she wished she wore something a bit more conservative. In all the times she’d seen Vince at CTF, he’d never looked at her like that before. Her banshee self liked this dress. It showed her stuff, while it flowed loosely and didn’t annoy her by being too tight, too scratchy or whatever. She always did what she could to lessen any annoyances. This man was definitely one of them.

In unfamiliar territory, she had to force the curve of her lip. She didn’t want this sinfully handsome man—the traitor. Tall and gorgeous in black slacks and a clinging gray silk button-down shirt. If it weren’t for the gun and her sudden lack of libido…

She held back a snort. She couldn’t lie to herself. Her libido had just taken a joyride. She shook herself and got her mind back on the clear danger in front of her.

The sun glinted off Vince’s still-black hair, and though he had to be over a hundred, his clear blue eyes were unlined and he sported a youthful, sexy amount of stubble. He frowned at her, shook his head and muttered. “Too bad.”

Vince sighed heavily. “The only reason this gun is here is so you won’t do anything hasty. I just need you to be calm and reasonable so we can talk. Nothing is going to happen to you.”

I don’t believe him.
Sean sent the thought to her, but for the first time, she’d sensed it before he mind-spoke and his concern for her came with it.
He’s turned rogue.

Big surprise. I don’t believe him either. We’ll hear him out though.

Don’t let him touch you.
She could practically hear the silent growl he sent her way with that warning.

Don’t plan on it.

“What are you doing here? With a gun pointed at your fellow task force members?” Daisy reached behind her and gripped Sean’s hand to pull him next to her. He threaded his fingers through hers and the contact sizzled up her arm to take away the chill.

“You must be cold. Come to the fire,” Vince said.

Not cold at all, not with Sean near. He squeezed her hand.

Vince lowered the gun, turned his back on them and strode to the fire as if they were no danger. He didn’t even look back as he explained. “When I recommended you be sent here, I planned on propositioning the always hard-to-handle banshee. You’re having an increasingly difficult time keeping it under control. I sent the others a safe distance into the mountains. Wouldn’t want you to feel threatened and hurt anyone, would we? But I think you want to let go, enjoy your powers without your handler keeping a lid on you.”

“Why would I want that?”

“Don’t you?” He pulled up a camp chair, brushed the seat and sat. The only place for them was on a log near the fire.

Sean helped her over the log—so gentlemanly—before he moved to sit close enough that the heat of his leg sank through the thin layer of her dress. Her leg rubbed against his of its own accord.

“Tell him not to get too comfortable. I’m extending an invitation to you, but he’s not invited. I’m starting my own group and I have no question where his allegiance lies. If he leaves now, no harm will come to him.” Vince appeared to be speaking in open candor, but the oily residue seemed to slither under the surface. She had to get Sean away from this guy. If Vince was gathering his own group, he wouldn’t let Sean go back and report him. But she had to take the chance Vince told the truth and get Sean out of here. Now. If Vince spoke more, gave away more, the less likely he’d let Sean leave.

“Give me a moment.” She stood on shaky legs. She worked alone anyway. She didn’t need Sean here.

Face white and gorgeous lips in a firm line, he peered at her.
You don’t work alone. I’m always with you
.

In spirit or somesuch. You don’t go with me physically. You shouldn’t be here. I don’t want to worry about keeping you safe. You’ve got to go.

No
. His jaw squared and he crossed his arms.

Daisy glanced at Vince, the differences in the two men striking. All polished good looks, Vince clearly spent time in front of his mirror after donning the expensive clothes he definitely didn’t buy off-rack. Sean was the opposite. He’d probably thrown on that tight black tee that rippled with his sleek movements. And his faded pair of jeans, white in all the right places, made her mouth water to get some of that. Even minutes after the most life-altering and amazing orgasm of her life, she wanted his cock inside her. And Daisy never, ever went back for a second fuck.

She bit her lip. Sean was simply the first man she’d ever wanted more than once. And the fear of losing that made her body go weak with mourning. Her knees wobbled and her ears rang.

Go. Now
. She nearly shrieked, barely holding on to her rising wail.

He shook his head and she clenched her fists in her dress.

I don’t want you. I never go back for seconds
. She sucked in a breath and used the ammunition she’d gleaned from being in his head. Her eyes teared as she pushed the last thought into him.
What woman would want someone so needy? A recluse? Such a grumpy old man who couldn’t please a woman with a map and directions? Go. I don’t want to see you again
.

You don’t mean that.

Yes. I do.
A tear escaped, but she ignored it, hoping neither man saw it. She turned from them and stared into the woods.

I’m not leaving. But I’ll let him think so. I’m going to call in Ray. I’ll circle around and keep an eye on Vince. Keep him busy.

Desperation clawed at her.
Why couldn’t he believe her? He knew her better than anyone, knew she didn
’t
have relationships.
The man was too stubborn for his own good.
No. Just go. I don’t want your help.

Their connection silent, Sean left. Not that she heard his movements, but his presence diminished.

She straightened and turned to Vince.

“What did you say to him? He looked like somebody kicked his puppy.”

A fine tremor ran over her, but she refused to think of Sean. Not now. This man in front of her needed her undivided attention. She circled around the log, careful to stay several feet away from him.

“Tell me, Vince, what is it you have to say to me? Why would I leave the Cinders to join you?”

“I know you feel gratitude to the Cinders, and they’ve done good work, helping lost talents, keeping the petty thieves and crooks from coming to the attention of the authorities. I want the same, to live in peace, to keep the public from learning of us. We’re a family. But recently I’ve decided my path was meant for something more.”

He leaned toward her with a concerned expression, but Daisy read the calculation underneath his solicitude.

“What is this something more?” Unease rippled over her, but she had the upper hand here. Vince’s talent was strategy. He could think his way out of a coffin buried ten feet under concrete, but he couldn’t outrun her wail.

“It’s time for a splinter group. There are more rogues than ever before. We need to broaden our reach, but Raymond won’t hear of it. How can he doubt my strategy?” He scowled with a slightly wild look to his eyes.

“I trust Ray. I thought you did too. Why don’t we go back and talk to him.” She’d never tried to reason with someone before. It was a strange new feeling. She’d changed in the past few hours.

“You’re coming with me.” He stood. A twinge pulled at her chest, drawing her straight up.

Something wasn’t right.

Hand stretched toward her, he leaned forward and licked his lips, greed and an insane glint filling his face briefly.

“Come with me and I’ll let you free your powers whenever you want.” He whispered and the tugging intensified. Not the sexual lure she usually heeded from Sean, but a powerful surge that compelled.

Before she could open her mouth to wail, a hand grabbed her from behind. A zap of static crackled over her gown. A lulling and peaceful heat washed over her and made her lethargic.

She groaned as she fell to her knees.

Someone still gripped her arm, but all she could see was the triumphant smile breaking across Vince’s face. He threw his head back and laughed as another man, electricity arching over his body, moved into the corner of her vision. She’d been distracted while an electro mage sneaked up on her and drained her. Not good.

She was so tired. Like wax held too close to the fire, her body wobbled as if she could no longer hold her own weight.

Black clouding her vision, she collapsed to the ground, the hand on her arm guiding her down. She screamed in her head.

Sean
.

A flash of concern touched her mind before she blacked out.