Into the Darkness (25 page)

Slowly, he worked a finger inside her, stroking in as he thrust

his tongue into her pussy, until she was mindless, moaning

with pleasure. She undulated her hips, trying to deepen both

penetrations.

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When he drew away, she whimpered, but he centered his

cock between her folds and she quieted, breathing hard now.

As the thick, blunt head pressed into her, she reared back to

take him deeper.

His hips screwed his cock into her, twisting, stroking forward and back, building the heat and friction between his

cock and her inner walls. His hands smoothed over her back

and around to cup her breasts. His fingers flicked and pinched

her nipples.

Desire curled tighter in her belly, arousal winding tighter

and tighter until she squirmed on his cock, clenching her

inner muscles hard around his shaft. “I’m close. Jesus, Nic.

Fuck me harder!”

One hand left her breast and glided down her belly. His fingers delved through her hair to the top of her pussy, finding

her engorged clitoris. He pinched it while he pounded faster,

powering into her so hard each stroke drove the breath from

her lungs.

Just when her orgasm rushed up to capture her, he pulled

out.

“Noooo!” she keened, her head sinking to the mattress.

Her whole body quivered, and her pussy clasped wetly around

air.

His hands squeezed her buttocks and drew them apart.

Moisture dropped between them and a fingertip rubbed

it around her tight hole. Then the blunt head of his penis

pressed against her anus.

“Oh, God, no!” she cried out. But she really meant yes.

The painful pressure had her hands fisting in the bedding,

but she didn’t try to draw away. She braced herself, holding

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still, not breathing as his huge cock pressed hard and met resistance from the strong muscles guarding her entrance.

His thumbs pressed either side of the hole, opening her

slightly, and he pressed forward again. The pressure grew as he

continued to push forward, circling, prodding, until the tight

ring finally eased and just the head of his cock slipped inside.

“Dieu,”
he muttered, and his hands gripped her ass hard.

Chessa’s breath rushed out, chopped and jagged. She tried

not to move to keep him from driving deeper. She wasn’t

ready for this. She didn’t know if she’d ever be.

More moisture dropped, and he used his fingers to smear it

around her opening and pulled out slightly and pushed back

inside, this time deeper than before.

She burned. The tightness and pain didn’t relent. “I can’t

take it. I can’t, Nic,” she moaned.

“You will.” His fingers found her clitoris again and he

scraped it with a calloused finger, sending sparks of electric

shock that reignited her orgasm and had her squirming despite the painful fullness.

“Oh God, oh God!” She pressed her forehead against the

cool sheets. “Please. Christ, Nic?”

Nicolas leaned over her, his belly covering her back. “Yes,

Chessa,” he whispered in her ear. “Tell me.”

Chessa drew a harsh breath. “Move! Oh, God, please move.

Fuck meeeeeee!” she keened as he surged inside, gliding into

her, stroking deep, his fingers pinching her clit hard.

When the first powerful wave crested over her, his mouth

closed on her neck and his teeth sank deep, piercing the vein.

Her pussy spasmed, deep rolling convulsions that tightened

her asshole around him.

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He drew blood, a cool rush flowing from her head while

her orgasm shook her entire frame. She would have fallen to

the mattress but for the gentle hands that surrounded her,

supporting her while his hips continued to pump against her

bottom, and his lips suckled at her neck.

When he finished, slowly lapping the blood from her neck,

tears trickled down her cheeks to fall to the bed.

He slowly withdrew his cock and pulled her up until she

sat on his lap. As his breaths slowed, his hands caressed her

breasts and his cheek slid alongside hers, soothing her.

“I’ll miss you,” she whispered.

He kissed her cheek. “I’m a patient man, and we have time.

As much as you need. When you’re ready to return . . .”

“Why do you want me?” she asked, her voice cracking.

A soft snort gusted against her cheek. “In you, I find the

challenge I’ve been missing.”

“You only want to conquer me?”

“Partly,” he answered. “You excite me on so many fronts. You’re

very like me, Chessa. Lonely, alone—unwilling to compromise.”

“When I stop running, won’t you be bored?”

His soft, delicious laughter warmed her. “That will never

happen, Princess.”

A smile tugged at her lips. “What? You getting bored?”

“You standing still to let me catch you.”

“Maybe,” she drawled. “Until then?”

“I wait.”

When the door creaked open, Rene stiffened.

Natalie slipped inside and closed the door. She stood with

her hand around the knob, not turning.

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For a long moment, he stared at her bent head. “Did you

enjoy your meal?” he asked quietly, wondering at the low,

deadly anger that filled him.

Her shoulders straightened, and she glanced back, her gaze

falling short of his. “It took the edge off.”

She didn’t say of which hunger. Dammit, she’d filled both.

Rene closed his eyes. “I’m leaving. In the morning.”

“I heard,” she whispered.

“You’ll be okay here. Safe.”

“And if that isn’t enough?” She turned and leaned back

against the door. Her blue eyes were moist. Her mouth

tight.

Inside, Rene groaned. The way she looked at him, like he

was her sun and moon, made him even madder. “I can’t be

what you need. I won’t die for you.”

Her chin wobbled. “I’m not asking you to turn. I’m asking

you to be there for me and your child.”

Ice-cold shock stiffened his spine. “What?”

She pulled away from the door and walked toward him, a

scowl drawing her golden brows together. “Feeding my stomach wasn’t your purpose in coming here. Giving me a child

was. The bitch who owns this place seems to think I’m already pregnant.”

“It’s been one fucking day—”

“And night. Apparently, long enough for her to know.”

He raked a hand through his hair. “What does it matter if

you are?” Even while the words pushed through his lips, he

knew he sounded like a complete ass, but he felt like he was

strangling.

“You’d still leave me with them?”

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Her incredulous expression had him feeling even worse.

Still, his inner demon shouted for him to cut and run. “Will

you both be safe here?”

“What about the part where I’m supposed to be happy?”

“Well, that sure doesn’t have a damn thing to do with

me.”

She came closer. “I’m not staying,” she whispered. “If you

don’t take me back with you, I’ll walk. I’m not asking for you

to be with me. Just get me the hell away from here.”

Rene could empathize with that statement. The longer he

stayed the less of himself remained. Like a slow-working poison, the house and the inhabitants turned his insides out. “I

don’t know if I can help you,” he admitted, pitching his voice

low and hoping they didn’t have better sound equipment than

the vice squad. “Chessa has clearance to take me back.”

“Figure out a way to smuggle me out, too,” she whispered

back. “Take me back to New Orleans. Maybe Simon will help

me get away.”

“Simon?” Just the mention of the name struck a raw nerve.

“What exactly is he to you?”

“Just a friend, I thought.” Her eyebrows drew together in

a perplexed frown. “I’m not sure now. He’s mixed up in this,

too.”

Rene dragged in a deep breath. He couldn’t leave her here—

but he wasn’t ready to think too hard about why. He knew he

wasn’t ready to know. “When Chessa comes, we’ll figure out

a way,” he said, reluctance already making him itch. “If you

don’t want to stay, I won’t leave you here.”

“How long do we have?”

Rene shrugged and walked to the window. “I haven’t a

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clue,” he said, more loudly this time, not wanting the watchers to get too suspicious. “Maybe a couple of hours.” He

pulled back the curtain. Clouds obscured the moon and stars.

He wasn’t even sure he’d be able to tell when dawn arrived

because the cloud cover was so heavy.

Keeping his gaze on the trees, bending in the wind, he

asked, “Did you fuck him?”

She drew a deep breath then released it. “No. It went

pretty much the same way as with Gerard.”

He was glad she didn’t lie, but his body still rejected the

thought of her that hot and close to another man. “Did you

kill this one?” God help him, he hoped so.

Her footsteps drew close, stopping just behind him. “Not

even a little bit. I think I’m getting control.”

“Maybe next time you won’t have to get off with him,” he

growled.

Natalie’s arms encircled his waist, and she hugged him.

“I’m sorry about all this.”

“We’re getting out. It’ll all be over soon.” Only each step

he took away from her seemed to draw them closer. He had

the sinking feeling he’d never truly be free.

Her hands glided up his chest, and she snuggled closer to

his back. “We still have a little time together. Do you want

to . . . ?”

He closed his eyes. Hell, his cock was already rubbing

his belly button. “Yeah. Have to make sure the goon squad

doesn’t think anything’s up.”

chapter

15

ilence stretched between Nicolas and Chessa as

Sthey each dressed. Deep inside, a knot of some

emotion she wasn’t willing to acknowledge tightened her stomach. She closed the last button to her

blouse, rolled up the sleeves, and finally raised her

glance to meet his. “Guess this is it.”

Nicolas gave a sharp nod. “That storm’s going

to wreak hell all over this area. I need to get my

team organized. Make sure the compound is covered and get with The Mausoleum team.” His jaw

flexed. “You haven’t been to one of our briefings in

a long time. There are many new faces. Would you

like to come?”

Was he trying to draw out their parting?

She shook her head. “No, I need to get back to

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Rene. We have to get on the road soon so we can make New

Orleans before dawn.”

She felt awkward, unsure how this parting should go. She

cleared her throat—and then she had a thought. “You mentioned The Mausoleum. I need for you to do something for

me.”

He lifted an eyebrow.

She hesitated to voice her suspicion. One possible explanation for the bird attack was something so horrible she didn’t

want to say it out loud.

Chessa raked a hand through her hair. “Something odd

happened the day we picked Natalie up. I need to know if it’s

possible that small animals have access to the crypt. They

swarmed her. Attacked her. I want to make sure that our

‘guest’ isn’t causing problems.”

“We go over that thing with a fine-tooth comb on a regular

basis.” His dark brows drew together. “Of course, we aren’t

looking for things going in. I’ll check it myself.”

“Good enough.” She’d run out of things to say. “Well, I

guess this is it.”

“I think you said that before.” A lopsided smile curved the

corner of his lips.

“Yeah, I guess I did.” She lifted her gaze and didn’t attempt

to mask the longing she felt inside. “I don’t know how to say

good-bye. I’m not very good at it.”

“You don’t have to say anything.” He opened his arms.

When she walked to him, he gathered her close. His kiss was

soft, a soothing glide of firm lips that seemed to tug at hers

when he pulled away. “Just stay safe. And think about me

once in a while.”

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She lifted her hand to caress his cheek. It was crazy—they

had no chance for a future together—zippo, nada. But . . .

she felt like she was leaving part of herself behind. “I think

you’ve made it impossible for me to forget you,” she said

faintly.

“That was the plan,
chère
.”

The door creaked open and Natalie lifted her head from Rene’s

naked chest.

Chessa strode inside, dressed in her usual somber colors.

Natalie jiggled Rene’s shoulder. “Wake up. Chessa’s here.”

Rene stretched, his powerful arms bulging. He blinked

once before coming fully alert. “Cheech.” He pushed aside

Natalie’s arms, still draped over his chest, and sat up. But not

before he checked the sheet to make sure it covered his lap.

That seemed odd to Natalie considering the fact they’d

both paraded nude in front of his partner before—even if

only in defiance.

Chessa’s glance dropped momentarily, skimming the sheet,

and she gave one of her smart ass smirks. “You still want to

head back, partner?”

“Yeah, but we’ve got a slight change of plans.”

Chessa eyed him warily.