Hunted (5 page)

She was barefoot and holding the hem of the dress up in her hands so she could run better when she heard her name. She scanned the edge of the beach, having thought she was alone.

A man with an easy smile stepped out of the shadows and relief surged through her.

Jared.

He was barefoot, wearing jeans with a Hawaiian shirt that hung open to display his chest. Shara nearly salivated at the sight—his picture hadn’t done him justice.

“I didn’t expect to see you before tomorrow,” he said, his friendly tone putting her immediately at ease. “Wow, you look even better with short hair. Great choice.”

“Thanks.” Shara tried to catch her breath, and found her gaze straying to the point where the path emerged on to the beach.

“Are you okay?”

“Just an encounter gone wrong,” she said with a smile.

“Consider me your knight in shining armor,” he said, offering his hand. “How about I escort you back to your room, so you can get some sleep? Morning is going to come early.”

“Thanks. That’s a great idea.” Shara put her hand in his, reassured that she’d found a haven. She couldn’t imagine that she’d sleep anytime soon, but being back in her room with the door locked sounded like a great idea.

If Damon caught her, she had a feeling she wouldn’t sleep at all.

Maybe that was his plan, to keep her from sleeping so she was easily caught.

Jared smiled down at her, his eyes twinkling as his hand closed securely over hers. Then she saw him take a breath and knew he’d smelled either the cream or her wet puss. His gaze brightened when he glanced down the front of her dress and she saw his erection strain the front of his jeans. His grip tightened on her hand and his voice dropped low. “Did your encounter come to a conclusion, or can I help guarantee that you sleep well?”

“All part of the chivalrous offer?”

“It’s a code of honor,” he said, reaching to spear his fingers through her short hair. His hand was broad and strong, the way he cupped her nape making Shara feel small and precious. He tugged her closer and she went willingly. “A sacred vow to ensure the pleasure of women.”

“Everywhere?” Shara couldn’t help but ask, and he smiled a little.

“Just wherever I am,” he whispered, then bent to capture her mouth beneath his own.

His kiss was different than Damon’s. Not better, not worse, just different. Jared seemed more determined to coax her response than to claim her with a kiss. It was the kind of kiss Shara would have been happy to share after a date, the kind of kiss that would have encouraged her to meet with him again.

But it wasn’t the kiss of a conquering hero, the kind of kiss she’d come to this island to experience. She enjoyed it, but knew he wouldn’t be able to vanquish the desire Damon awakened in her.

He lifted his head and smiled at her. “Come dance with me,” he invited, lacing their fingers together. “You’re all dressed up already.”

“She’s going to be undressed instead,” Damon said, his confidence in that prediction clear.

He was standing several steps away, and Shara was shocked he’d moved so closely so silently. He was still dressed as Zorro, and she swallowed at the sight of her shoes hanging from his belt. He caught her looking and smiled a smile that made her shiver.

“Look, I don’t know who you are, but the lady and I…” Jared began to protest.

Damon pulled the drawstring from Shara’s dress from his pocket and dangled it before her. She didn’t doubt he’d reclaimed every one of the items she’d discarded.

In a way, his attention to detail was exciting.

“It’s Damon, one of the other hunters,” Shara said quickly. “He started the hunt early.”

“As Zorro?” Jared’s surprise was enough to make Shara laugh.

She didn’t, though, because Damon seized her and bound her hands behind her back again. He was ruthless and quick, and she squirmed too late.

“Hey, you can’t do that!” Jared protested.

“I just did,” Damon replied, his voice low and dark. He took a step backward, tugging Shara with him. “Are you going to try to steal my prize?”

“Hell, yes!” Jared leaped toward Damon, but Damon moved quickly. He spun Shara and tripped her so that she fell to the soft sand, with the dress knotted around her legs. She struggled to get up, but all that silky black fabric conspired against her. Meanwhile Damon decked Jared, who fell backward. Jared raised one hand to his bleeding nose, obviously incredulous.

“Mine,” Damon said with thrilling finality even as she struggled. “You can’t escape me now,” he murmured, then a soft cloth was pressed to her face.

It smelled sweet and she took a breath, realizing immediately it was making her dizzy.

“Just one breath,” he said and removed the cloth. Shara was woozy and unable to fight him anymore. Her eyes drifted closed, even as she struggled to keep them open.

“That’s not fair!” Jared protested.

“Funny. I didn’t get a copy of any rules. Don’t blame me for your own failure to plan.” There was a pause, as if the men were staring each other down, then Damon swung Shara into his arms. It felt good to be in his embrace, safe and stable when everything was swimming around her. He strode down the beach, probably heading back to the resort.

“Hey!” Jared shouted behind them, but Damon didn’t even acknowledge his cry. “Hey!” he called again, but his voice had already faded.

“What are you going to do to me?” Shara had to ask, though she hated how slurred her words sounded. He’d done a perfect job of ensuring she had enough of the drug to be unable to fight him, but not enough that she was unconscious. She was pliant and just as helpless as if she’d been trussed from head to toe.

He’d done this before.

His voice was low and dark, his words enough to fill her with both anticipation and dread. “Anything I want.” She heard his tone change to amusement. “Isn’t that the point of capturing the prize?” She felt his mouth graze hers, a kiss that managed to make her blood simmer in her current state. “Don’t worry, Shara. It’ll wear off within moments. I want you to enjoy this night as much as I will.”

Her heart stopped, then raced again.

He
was
going to ensure she didn’t sleep.

And she had a feeling she wasn’t going to regret that one bit.

* * *

It was going to kill Damon to keep from taking Shara.

But satisfaction wasn’t the point of the exercise.

The tease was. And it was a double-edged sword, because the tease would torment him every bit as much as it did Shara.

Maybe more.

He had her stripped and bound to the leather massage table in his suite before she shook off the sedative. She fought it hard, and struggled to come out of it, which he admired, but he’d planned the dose perfectly. In fact, it was exciting that she’d had exactly the right amount to be aware of her situation, and she fought him as well as she could.

When he was done, Shara was naked on her stomach, her wrists stretched above her head and bound with black shackles secured to the table. Her ankles were similarly shackled, her legs spread and bound. The dress and mask were on a chair in the corner, along with her shoes. Damon was securing her waist to the table with a wide leather belt when she finally was able to struggle with vigor.

“Too late,” he whispered, running a fingertip down her spine. Her skin looked as pale as moonlight against the black leather, softer than down.

“You planned it that way,” she accused, her eyes flashing.

“Of course. I plan everything.”

“I knew it. I knew it as soon as I saw your picture.” She struggled against her bonds, but he knew she had to verify that she was helpless.

“So, why did you choose me?” He asked because he was curious how he ended up participating in the fantasy of the woman who was
his
fantasy. It still seemed too good to be true—even if it had been his hope. He’d seen Shara with an envelope from The Phoenix back in California, checked it out and applied himself. When he’d realized how big the club was, he’d assumed they’d never be connected.

Then he’d been invited to be part of her fantasy. Just like that.

Shara glared at him. “Because I thought I would like that you plan everything.”

“Do you?”

She gritted her teeth. “You already know I do.”

Damon laughed, liking that they were in agreement about the scene. “How did you find me?” he insisted. “There must have been dozens of guys to choose from.”

She nodded, her gaze turning wary. “I picked three hot guys, but they said one wasn’t available. The Phoenix suggested you instead.”

So, he had friends in high places. Damon liked that. He ran a fingertip down the length of her. “You know what they say about being second choice?”

“It means you have to try harder.”

Damon grinned. “Exactly.” He stood back, arms folded across his chest, and watched her wriggle. “Helpless?” he asked when her struggling subsided.

“Yes, and you know it.” A glint of humor lit her eyes. “Because you planned it that way. I’ll bet you planned what time I get to orgasm.”

“If I planned for you to,” he said, liking how dismayed she looked. “We did talk about punishment if you disobeyed, and I’d have to say that running away counts as disobedience.”

“You’re wicked.”

“No, I’m very, very good.” Damon bent down and kissed her ear before he whispered. “And you counted on that, too.”

Shara almost smiled. “I did, but this is more than I expected.”

“Too much?”

“Almost.”

She was flushed and her eyes were bright, as if she were a bit freaked out. Damon noted she was still surreptitiously fighting her bonds. “Would a blindfold make it easier?”

Her gaze darted around the room. “I don’t know. I’ve only fantasized about this. The real thing is a bit intense.”

“It’s supposed to be.”

She nodded agreement and swallowed.

“A blindfold helps some people surrender to the moment.”

Shara eyed him with new interest. “How often have you done this?”

“Often enough to anticipate your reactions.”

“Okay.” She took a couple of breaths, as if to steady herself. “I’ll try it because this is freaking me out a bit.”

“We could stop.”

Shara shook her head so quickly he was pleased. “Oh no. You’re not doing this much to me then stopping. I have to know.” She almost laughed. “The thing is that being out of control is a little bit different in real life.”

“Maybe you want to be overwhelmed. To fight back a bit, but lose in the end.”

She nibbled her bottom lip and the sight excited him. “I think you’re right.”

“Tell me what you liked so far.”

“So you can fine tune your future plan?”

Damon grinned. “Exactly. Mutual pleasure is the point.”

That seemed to reassure her. She smiled at him. “I liked the sedative. I liked the feel of your hand behind the cloth, holding me down.” She shivered. “I liked your hand on me in the bar, the leather of your gloves soft on my puss, but your grip firm.”

“I did, too,” Damon admitted, knowing his excitement showed. “All of it.” Shara didn’t flinch but held his gaze, a flush rising on her cheeks. “I like this, too.”

“Yes,” she said, struggling again then exhaling. “So do I.” She eyed him for a moment, then frowned a little. “But do I know you from somewhere?”

“No.” Damon picked up a length of black cloth and wound it over his hands. “How about this for a blindfold? It’s soft and thick, knots easily and can be tugged tight.”

“Sounds perfect.” She was breathless, and the scent of her puss was filling the room.

Doman let her watch him play with the length of cloth and saw her gaze brighten in anticipation. He moved toward her with deliberate steps, stalking her even though she was bound, and she struggled once more.

“Let’s see if you like the feel of it,” he purred, then slid the cloth against her mouth. She rubbed her skin against it, her eyes sparkling with desire.

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Then kiss it,” he commanded. She did, the sight of those lips pursing to make the gesture sending heat stabbing through Damon. “And beg,” he added.

“Please blindfold me,” she whispered, her voice husky. “Please ensure that I’m a helpless possession.” She swallowed, her throat working. “Make me captive, Damon, then do whatever you want to me.”

“There’s an invitation I can’t refuse.” He blindfolded her with decisive gestures, winding the cloth several times around her head and knotting it securely at the back. Her mouth worked in silence, then her lips relaxed, the lack of sight soothing her.

“Look at that mouth,” he said, rubbing his thumb roughly across her lips. “You
do
like the blindfold.”

“Oh yes,” Shara whispered. This time, when her hips moved against the table, it was a move of desire. “It’s kind of mysterious, not knowing what you’re going to do to me. I don’t think I’ve ever been so wet.”

Damon could help with that. Shara continued to squirm, rubbing herself against the leather in a futile effort to relieve the tension. “Go ahead and prove to yourself that you’re helpless,” he invited, entranced when she did just that. She struggled and jerked, fighting her bonds, trying to flail.