IK3 (12 page)

slender thighs wrapped around him as he teased her with slow, lazy

thrusts—Gavin jerked himself out of that fantasy to find Morgan’s eyes lit

with pure lust. He realized he must have let his mask slip and desire show.

It wasn’t like him to do that and he had no intentions of taking her to his

bed. Still, he knew he had to taste Morgan’s blood to discover the source of

her darkness. What better time than the present? They were alone in the

dining room and Chloe was out. Gavin turned his dark eyes on Morgan,

beginning the mesmerization. “Kiss me.”

She smiled slightly and sidled up against him, her large breasts pressing

firmly against his chest. Her mouth opened over his, her tongue greedily

sucking at his. Gavin fisted a handful of her hair, pulling her head back

slowly, exposing her neck as he broke the contact. He stared into her eyes

until the familiar glaze came over them. His mouth drifted down to the

throbbing vein in her neck and he nipped sharply. She shuddered. He licked

tiny droplets and then sealed the slight wound.

Instantly, darkness swirled around him and he was back on the field of

Camlann. A serpent hissed and the demon rose laughing at Gavin, its red

eyes shooting sparks that threatened to engulf him in the hellish nightmare

he thought had been over. He heard men scream and Arthur loomed in front

of him, clutching the sword that had skewered his body, his grey eyes wide

with shock. And, to Gavin’s horror, the nightmare became worse, for it was

he who was holding the hilt of that sword.

Trembling, he used preternatural strength to break the spell and stared at

the woman who still looked enthralled. Who in the hell was Morgan and how

did she have knowledge of the demon who’d killed Arthur?

“A late breakfast/brunch is available in the dining room,” Benton said as he

opened the door for Chloe and took her light jacket.

“Thanks,” she said, realizing that her stomach was rumbling. She’d grabbed

a granola bar earlier when she went to see Jake’s widow, Rita, and help her

pick a tombstone. It had not been an easy task, but thankfully the kids had

been at school.

What had been even more discouraging was not having any news to share

regarding Jake’s killer. Captain Johnson was not quite ready to admit

publicly that a dragon was the culprit, but both Jake and the prostitute had

been mauled in the same manner. According to Gavin, there had been no

new leads coming in either.

She heard Morgan’s low, throaty laugh as she headed toward the dining

room. Why that woman was still here she didn’t know. Only two or three

reporters still lingered in their cars on the street and none of them had even

questioned her when she drove in. Chloe plastered a smile on her face as

she neared the door. No way was she going to let Morgan know how

irritating she found her.

The smile froze as did the rest of her when she entered the room. Morgan

and Gavin were entwined in each other’s arms, kissing. Full, open-mouth,

tonsil-cleansing action on Morgan’s part, but Gavin wasn’t protesting. Chloe

willed her feet to move, but her body was not responding to her mind. Or

maybe her brain wasn’t working. She stood rooted to the ground as Gavin

trailed his mouth down Morgan’s neck, nuzzling and then taking what looked

like a bite. Morgan’s body trembled in lustful response and she moaned.

Ohmygod! Fascinated and repulsed, Chloe’s body unfroze and she spun,

arms flailing and knocked over a vase as ran from the room.

Chloe fled through the kitchen, nearly bumping into one of the servants and

collecting stares from the cooks, but she continued out the backdoor into the

gardens. Thankfully, this was Dallas and the shrubs and trees had not shed

their leaves. She found refuge in the small gazebo behind a massive rose

trellis and sank unto the stone bench inside. Hugging herself, she blinked

back tears. What a stupid fool she’d been, thinking she could somehow get

Gavin into her bed.

At least, now she knew why Morgan was still here.

****

wheeling around the corner. When had she returned? And how much had

she seen? Damn it, he’d thought this was the one time it was safe to make

his move and taste Morgan’s blood. Of course, the discovery of the demon

had closed him off to anything taking place in real time or he would have

sensed Chloe long before she got to the door.

“Mmmm,” Morgan murmured as her mind cleared from his mesmerization

and she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Whoever said Englishmen

weren’t sexy? I want more—much, much more. And I’ll show you what a

good lover I can be.”

He tried not to look disgusted. The last thing he would be was Morgan’s

lover—ever. He pried her arms off, remembering to be gentle since he

couldn’t afford to drive her completely away—not when she’d had contact

with the demon who’d killed Arthur. After all these centuries, Gavin had not

thought to find that monster again. Now he had a chance to avenge that

horrible, bloody day at Camlann. He just had to find out what kind of a

human body the demon was using.

****

Morgan as the car crunched to a stop on the caleche road that led to a small

ranch house nestled in the rocky outcrops of Palo Pinto County.

“Hardly,” she said as they got out of the car. “This place is Sara’s. She liked

to get away from the city. I was here once in the summer and it was hotter

than hell.”

Lucifer’s eyebrow rose. “Really?”

“Never mind that,” Balor said as he joined them. “Do you really think Sigurd

is here?”

Morgan shrugged. “Well, he hasn’t been seen around Smith’s. I thought he

might be using one of the caves among those boulders. The Pendragon did

from what Sophie told Michael.” Bile swept up her throat at the reminder

that Michael had preferred that plain-looking frump to her. She didn’t even

want to think about the fact that the two of them had disappeared together.

“Still have the hots for the warlock?” Lucifer asked with a grin.

“Who said I ever had the hots for him?”

He laughed. “You’re hot for any man, sweetheart. Not that it’s a bad thing. I

like the way you screw. In fact—”

“Not now.” Balor glared at him. “Let’s get on with this so we can leave this

god-forsaken country.”

“You want to bring a god into this?” Lucifer asked mildly.

Balor ignored him and turned to Morgan. “Go on. Cast your spell.”

She walked toward the center of the small yard that had been cleared of

sage and mesquite and raised her face to the sun. Normally witches worked

better at night, but dragons were elements of the sun’s fire, so the link

would be stronger during the day. She unbuttoned the light coat she wore

and let it drop to the ground, allowing the sun to shine on her nakedness.

“I like the way you work,” Lucifer called out.

Giving him a quick glance, she raised her arms and closed her eyes, trying

to sense the dragon. Her scrying glass had shown her this terrain last night.

She began a summoning chant and then went still as Sigurd appeared in her

mind.

“What do you wish, lovely witch?”

“Make yourself known. Come to me.”

“Your Master wishes to cage me.”

“I have no Master.”

Sigurd tilted his large head, his ruby eye studying her. “Perhaps you do not,

but I wish to keep my freedom.”

Morgan willed herself deeper into her trance. “You are more powerful that

two men.”

Sigurd chuckled. “I am more powerful that an army of men. Those you deal

with are not human, little witch.”

“Not human? What are they, then?”

“I cannot say.”

She tried a different tactic. “Do you remember how much you like my

stroking you, Sigurd?”

He puffed smoke and rattled his scales. “Do you think to tempt me into

coming to you?”

Morgan smiled. “Yes, Sigurd, I do.”

She opened her eyes and gestured to Lucifer. Grinning in understanding, he

ripped off his clothes and was beside her in seconds. Grabbing her waist, he

tilted her upside down. She caught his ankles with her hands as he wrapped

her legs around his waist and thrust his cock into her, pounding hard.

“Do you wish to see another man enjoying me, Sigurd?”

“You think to tempt me?”

“You know how much I like to please a man who pleases me. Do you want to

watch me with Lucien? Or would you like for me to pleasure you, dragon?”

Thunder rumbled and the earth trembled as huge rocks splintered in the air.

Sigurd’s leathery wings flapped, flattening nearby scrub oak. His huge form

settled in the dust as he belched fire.

“Enough!” Balor roared.

Lucifer gave a final deep thrust and leaned over Morgan’s shoulder, nipping

her as she peaked. Almost as quickly, he dropped her on the ground and

jerked away.

Sigurd pawed the ground, his spiked neck scales rising. “Do not drop my

woman like that again.”

Dazed, Morgan sat up and reached for her dress. The side of her throat hurt,

but not in the place that Lucien had nipped. She rose to her feet.

“We’re glad we found you, Sigurd,” Balor said affably. “I can arrange for a

truck to pick you up and bring you to the warehouse—”

“No.”

Balor continued as if he hadn’t been interrupted. “You will be more

comfortable there out of these elements. I will see your every need—” He

gave Morgan a curious glance. “—provided for.”

“I will not come.”

Balor started to lift his eye patch, but Lucifer stopped him. “I think it’s safer

to leave him out here, bro.”

Balor frowned. “Why?”

“It’d be hard to explain a dragon in Dallas, dude. Think about it. If Morgan

can summon him whenever we need him—” Lucifer looked at Sigurd. “—that

would work, wouldn’t it?”

The dragon raked back his lips in what might have been a grin of sorts. “I

will obey the little witch.”

“Thank you,” Morgan said as she went to him and petted his large muzzle.

“You won’t regret it.” She leaned up to whisper in his ear. “Later.”

“Well, then,” Lucifer said. “We need another favor of you.”

Sigurd carefully brushed a claw against Morgan’s breast and inclined his

head toward Lucifer. “What is it?”

“We need another body deposited on Smith’s lawn.”

“I don’t want more bodies found,” Balor hissed.

“Bro. The media’s losing interest. Nothing’s turned up on the platter. We

need to keep Morgan at the mansion. Follow my drift?”

Balor stared at Lucifer for a good moment. “Unfortunately, I do.”

“No problem then. I’ll pick up another hooker and when I’m finished with

her, Sigurd can do his thing.” Lucifer turned to the dragon. “Can you meet

me tomorrow night?”

“Only if the little witch summons me.”

“I will,” Morgan said kissing his leather cheek and stepping back. “I’ll look

forward to it.”

“Tomorrow night then,” Sigurd said and rose in a puff of smoke. He flapped

his great wings and soared from sight.

“That’s settled then,” Balor said. “Now let’s get the hell back to civilization.”

As they walked back to the car, Morgan put her hand to her neck where the

pain had been. That spot was sore, but for the life of her, she didn’t know

why.

****

swirled the after-dinner brandy Mr. Smith had poured for all of them in the

library and wished he were able to put a healthy doze of synthetic blood in

it.

Dinner had been excruciatingly long. Caldwell was invited to stay and, for

some reason, Chloe seemed to hang onto his every word as though he were

some rock star that had dropped in.

Gavin had wanted to follow her outside yesterday when she’d run out of the

room, sunlight be damned. Yet—what could he say to her? She’d caught him

in what looked like a passionate embrace, but he could hardly tell her it was

because he needed to taste Morgan’s blood.

And then there was Morgan. She was gone for the day by the time he’d risen

and when she returned, she smelled of sex. Not that he cared about that,

but his sharpened senses detected demon-scent as well. He’d have to start

tailing her which would only make Chloe think he was actually interested in

Morgan.

But then, he wasn’t sure Chloe even cared. She seemed totally enthralled

with Caldwell.

Women were definitely trouble.

“Did you have an enjoyable afternoon?” he asked Morgan.

She slanted a look at him through her lashes. “Did you miss me?”

He gave her a careful smile, aware that Chloe had stopped talking to

Caldwell. To his relief, Mr. Smith jumped in before he had to answer.

“Of course we did, my dear! We’ve become accustomed to your presence.”

“Where did you go?” Caldwell asked almost too casually.

Morgan hesitated before she answered and Gavin wondered about the look

she exchanged with Caldwell. “I had some business to attend to out in the

country.”

“The country?” Alan and Gavin asked in unison.

Morgan thrust her lower lip out in a pout. “You needn’t act so surprised. It