Love Beyond Expectations (11 page)

Not fair
.

With her right hand, she reached out to stroke his erect cock. He shook his head, grabbing her hand. "No. Won't make it."

Christophe grabbed her arms and held them over her head. Her core, which had just stopped throbbing, immediately perked up again.

"This okay?"

She nodded, unable to form words.

"I want to keep you safe in my arms, protected where I can feel you. I have to know that you're okay at all times."

Whatever he wanted or needed. She craved it, too. To belong to him, to know they would always be together after being apart for so long.

He positioned his cock at the edge of her core and with a swift move pushed inside of her. Her muscles clenched around him. He was so large, how on earth would he ever get all of him in her? But he slid slowly, breaking through her barrier as he pushed. She'd thought it would hurt, but it really felt like more of a pinch. Immediately, the pain left, and she quickly forgot it.

Inch by inch, her body stretched to meet him.

"
Merde
. So tight. So perfect."

Slowly, he began to move. With each thrust of his body, he tightened his grip on her wrists. She'd never have imagined she would like the sensation of being held down but she really,
really
did. Her hips moved to meet his every press.

When she'd exploded on his tongue, it had felt like the world shattered around her. But now? With him inside of her, joined as close as they ever could be, instead she couldn't get over the rightness of it.

The same pressure that had pushed her forward began again in her womb. But this time she knew she wasn't alone in it. Every gasp she made, Christophe countered. She loved the way his eyes devoured her face. He bit down on his lip. She raised her head until she could nip at it herself.

His eyes widened, and then he grinned, driving into her even harder. She cried out as his thick cock rubbed against her clit in just the right way. The world spun around her, and only Christophe remained solid in the storm.

She gripped onto him for dear life, their bodies moving fast together. Sweat slid down her arms.

"Tell me you're mine
, mon coeur
. Give me your words."

"Yours. Always. Forever," she said from the depths of her heart, from the place where she hid her most sacred truths. The part of her that had always known she was an Outsider; that the destiny she'd lived so far hadn't been the right one because it hadn't included Christophe.

Colors spread in front of her eyes while she came apart. Over and over again, her pussy wept and her muscles clenched. He called out her name, and she felt the hot surge of his semen entering her body. She knew she couldn't get pregnant, but in that moment, she wouldn't have cared if she had, she might even have liked it. Anything created out of their joining would only be fantastic.

She panted, holding him close to her when he collapsed. Her hands, now free, stroked his back. She could feel where her fingernails had dug into him earlier and she winced. If their lovemaking was always going to be like that, she was going to have to file the nails down.

He rolled her over on top of him, pulling her into his embrace until her head pressed against his chest. She raised her eyes to look at him and found his lids sealed shut. His breathing sounded strong and even. She grinned, unable to stop the giddy feeling from surging inside of her. Christophe had passed out. She'd really worn the man out.

Adjusting herself until she felt more comfortable, she lay quietly, listening to him breathe. He didn't seem to be a snorer, which would be a real gift to their relationship. The rain hit the top of the mansion, drumming steadily.

When he woke up, there would be decisions to make. As much as she wanted that stick from the preacher, there seemed little question now that they had to go get Colin. Christophe's brother could not be allowed to languish in some torture chamber. Not now that she knew that together, she and Christophe could manipulate their powers.

Her eyes drifted shut. When they woke up, they'd figure something out. Her eyes closed all the way. She couldn't remember when she'd ever been so tired, but then again she'd been waiting to sleep next to him her entire life

Chapter Nine

Sebastian stared down at the unmoving body of Drew Dubowski. In sleep, the man actually appeared pleasant. But Sebastian knew that to be the furthest thing from the truth. He'd lived with the man for three years.

Drew could spit bullets when he wanted to.

Drew had been his first attempt to turn an Outsider. Years before he'd made any real effort on Gabriel and Alexa, he'd tried with Drew. Of course, that hadn't turned out as he'd hoped, but it did seem to have stopped him from taking his soul mate, which made Sebastian smile.

The Outsiders would never have the power to overtake him until they'd all given into their destinies.

Sebastian staggered backward as a pain in his chest almost brought him to his knees.
Damn it
. He'd lost another one. Two more of the Outsiders had managed to mate.

He shook his head, scanning the ones he still had left to communicate with. Drew—who lay in front of him on a hospital bed, machines that would never be able to fix him even as they beeped away—hadn't mated. Marina and Drew still stayed apart. Zane hadn't paired up with anyone. Leonardo remained mateless and would always be that way since Alexa loved Sebastian so thoroughly. Zane hadn't yet met Raquel and likely never would. Even though they were both criminals, they ran in very different circles. Leonardo would never find either of them. Even if he did, they'd both laugh in his face before following him home.

Colin, stuck in Sebastian's torture chamber, hadn't met Gia. As long as he could keep him strung up that would never take place either. Sebastian nodded to himself. The last possible mating had taken place. So what? It wouldn't matter in the long run.

Now all he needed was Drew to be where Colin was. He blinked, throwing the man forward on to the floor of his chamber. Colin looked up at the noise. He stared down at his new companion.

"No." Colin shook his head back and forth. "This has to be stopped."

Drew's eyes opened, and Sebastian laughed. "You don't wake up in a hospital but a torture chamber brings you right around. You're so predictable."

One of his biggest nemeses out of the group, Drew sat up slowly. He blinked rapidly, obvious confusion dancing on his face. "Marina?" His throat sounded dry. If Sebastian gave a shit, he'd get the man a glass of water. Better he should suffer. That was, after all, what this place was about.

"No, sorry." Sebastian formed a body just long enough to shove Drew into an identical machine to the one Colin resided in. "Marina isn't with you. She's dead."

Drew jolted at the lie. Sebastian had long ago learned how to tell a lie so completely that no one had the slightest idea he'd not told the truth. Not even Drew with all of his powers.

"She can't be dead." Drew's eyes breathed fire at him. "I would know it."

Sebastian leaned over him. "Would you? You're not even mated because you're such a coward. Can you reach her telepathically? You and Isabelle can do that with your mates. Tell me the truth. Is Marina anywhere you can find her?"

Drew closed his eyes. He'd never be able to talk to Marina from their location. Sebastian's people had designed this place to be Outsider proof. Once Outsiders came in, they could not power their way out.

He turned on the machine, and Drew screamed. Not a manly yell or a grunt to show he withstood the torture. No, the constant thorn in his side let out a howl that made Sebastian cackle with glee.

Colin winced. "Torturing a man who is clearly injured is kind of cheating, don't you think, demon?"

This was not his first round with Colin either. Colin had stolen his spell book when he'd been twelve years old.

Before Sebastian had come into his full powers, he'd been robbed.

Sebastian stroked the side of Colin's face. "Not so tough now, are you? Now that we're full grown."

Colin ignored him, which made Sebastian grit his teeth.

"Hey, pal," Colin said to Drew. "What's your name? I'm Colin Knight."

Drew winced, the pain still spiraling through his body. Sebastian loved these devices. The next world he took over, he'd bring them with him. It could be adapted for so many fun uses.

"Colin." Drew exhaled. "Drew Dubowski. Are you an Outsider or just some human that Sebastian is torturing? Usually, I can tell but my mate is dead and I think it's done something to my powers."

"I'm an Outsider." Colin smiled. "Any chance you met my brother?"

"Brother?" Drew drooled, some of the adrenaline wearing off. "Christophe said he had a brother. Is that you?"

"It is. He's okay?"

"Last I saw him, he disappeared into thin air. But he seemed fine before that."

Colin smiled. "He'll do that."

This had gotten way to chummy for Sebastian's taste. More screaming needed to happen. Right away.

He turned up the machine. Hollering never sounded so sweet.

* * * *

Alexa got off the plane in Portland and stretched her arms over her head. The airport was quiet. She'd had to change planes in Atlanta to go directly into Portland. New Orleans International had been busy, Atlanta extraordinarily crowded, and Portland, Maine downright quiet in comparison.

Gabriel had never answered her e-mail, which had made her want to throw the computer out of the window. Instead, she'd broken a vase. Shaking her head, she walked toward baggage claim wheeling her carry-on behind her.

She'd opened her power, the one that let her find all the members of the cult, and felt for Gabriel. With the exception of one person who was, ironically, in New Orleans down the road from her, the others had all congregated in Maine. So she'd boarded a plane and went on her way.

Gabriel would be seeing her whether he wanted to or not. He had to get her in so she could destroy them.

She smiled at a woman and then stopped abruptly. She didn't look right. Alexa could see colors around her head. Alexa rubbed at her eyes. She'd never seen auras before. Was she having some kind of headache? Looking to the left, she saw it on another woman, only her aura didn't have greens and blues, but rather she was almost black.

Turning toward Alexa, the woman smiled.

"Welcome, Alexa. The battle has been waiting for you."

Alexa shrieked, grabbing her bag and running down toward the baggage claim. How had that woman known her, and why did she have black all around her head? Everyone she looked at just seemed…wrong.

She shook her head. Hell, she'd bang her head against the wall if it would make it stop. Finally, things started to right themselves. The halos around everyone's head faded until they vanished completely.

Her breathing regulated itself, and she stuck her hands in her pockets. What had just happened? People stared as they walked by. She couldn't blame them. If she saw someone acting like she did in an airport, she'd stare too.

"Sebastian," she said aloud, "I'm a big giant mess without you." And not a hot mess, either. A huge disgusting version.

With her head held high, even as her soul felt like it might drop down to her feet, she kept walking toward the baggage claim. She had a plan; she needed to stick to it.

The cult members needed to die. She could lose her mind after that.

* * * *

Zane stared at Gia as he sipped his beer. They'd been hanging out together now for the better part of a day. He still hadn't told her what he was doing in Portland, and she hadn't asked.

Why couldn't he want to fuck this woman? She was hot. He just didn't care.

"So, I came to Portland because a voice told me to. I've been sort of constantly harassed by voices since an old woman told me I was something weird, something other than human." He took a large pull at the beer. "Are you wanting to run away now?"

"No." She drummed her fingers on the table. "Come with me."

He stood up, following her from the room.

Hopefully, she wasn't going to take him to either the loony bin or anywhere where she expected to have sex. He wasn't drunk enough and didn't know if he could bring to mind the image of his fantasy woman. The one he'd made up in his mind, the only one who could get him hard. His perfect girl, who was engulfed in flames.

If the Outsider crap proved true then he had a soul mate. Maybe he'd be able to get it up for her too. A guy could dream.

Gia took him up the back stairs of the bar into an apartment above it. "You live up here?"

She nodded. "When I came to town, I told the owner to give it to me. He moved the current tenants out, and I moved right in."

"How did you manage that?" In Zane's case, he would have called on his
voice
to make it happen. The special talent he tried not to use.

"I let him touch my arm. After that he did whatever I wanted. In your case, I let you look at my boobs. But that didn't seem to work on you."

"Nope. Sorry." She walked toward her bedroom, and he halted. "Look, I have this problem. You're a really beautiful woman, hot as hell, but I'm not interested. It's very difficult for me to perform. And it's really all about me and nothing about you."

She turned to smile at him, her eyes sad. "I hate sex."

"You do?" No one had ever said that to him before.

"It's awful. I try to avoid it at all costs. So you can count on the fact that I'm not bringing you in here to sleep with you."

"Okay." He moved toward her. "Then lead away."

She brought him into her bedroom where paintings covered the wall, ceiling to floor. All sorts of images, mostly in black and white, of scenes that looked like they'd come out of a fantasy novel.

A man stood on a hill, his arm raised with a staff pointed toward the sky. In another picture, babies floated through the air propelled somewhere off in the distance, a mother and father wept as they watched. A third picture showed a man carrying three babies in his arms as he ran from some unseen foe.