Sins of the Undead Patriot (25 page)

She reached her arms around the other side of his head.

“I only know how to show you my feelings when our bodies are connected.” He kissed the corner of her mouth. “When you are filled with me.”

She shuddered against him. Tears streamed down her cheeks from her closed eyelids, and her lips met his. Soft kisses. Slow deliberate strokes. She opened her mouth, accepting his tongue while he muffled her pleas.

Coated in her wetness, his fingers pressed her pulsating clit.

She bucked her hips. “Rowley.” The tight opening clenched around his width as she cried out from between gritted teeth. Her eyelids flew open, and her dark gaze was simmering in bliss.

Fast, deep thrusts drew the waves of his release. “I love you, Lee-lee.” His seed emptied into her, and he slowed his movement. In the light cast from the street, sweat shimmered on her body. He withdrew from her, picked her up and laid her next to him.

Silent, she turned away from him, but when he wrapped his arm around her waist, her breathing slowed. A buzzing came from the nightstand. He flipped open the phone.

A text message from Devin.
You missed a great barbecue. Hope you can make the next one.

So did he.

Chapter 28

Vaihan shifted on the bench in the corridor outside the president’s office. Fatigue burned his eyes as he tugged the collar of his shirt.

The flat screen TV showed images of firefighters putting out a blaze. A number of undead community centers had been set aflame at four AM in what appeared like coordinated attacks against his kind. Reporters speculated it was in retaliation to Vaihan’s involvement with Leera Waltz, and that Rowley McKie, suspected leader of the Army of the Living, fueled the aggression. Thankfully, none one had been injured.

What he needed was a shower, but he wouldn’t leave until he spoke with the president. He rubbed his eyes. The conversation wouldn’t be pleasant. That much was clear. A group of aids rushed by and darted looks at him then away.

He got it. He’d screwed up. It wasn’t like it had been intentional, but he’d let things get out of hand with Leera. The pain in her eyes... He couldn’t think of her.

With his elbows on his knees, he buried his face in his hands. What kind of heart must he have, if he was able to leave Leera at the hospital? She’d left him no choice. No matter what he did, he couldn’t fix her. She was messed up long before he ever came along.

“The president will see you now.” The young man wore a black suit today. Hemline minutely off. Bad tailor, or something different about one side of his body. He’d yet to find an answer.

Vaihan rose, closed his jacket, and followed. Stillness hung in the air. His only hope was to be honest. He walked past the threshold.

The president sat at her desk wearing a scowl, the delicate lines of her face hardened from her displeasure.

“In this very office, you promised me squeaky clean.” She pointed to the leather sofa. “Shit, you were one of the biggest opponents of legalizing Z-Luv, so this is right out of left field.”

There wasn’t a defense for his involvement. “The last thing I wanted to do was expose her to the toxin.” Not even working on the case would negate his responsibility for his actions. He’d willfully directed the relationship down a sexual path. Though he might defend that by saying it was to deepen the bond, he knew it wasn’t true. He wanted her to convince him. It didn’t take much. “I’m sorry that I have let my people and you down.” The doors closed behind him.

“I don’t understand how you could let this happen. Do you understand what kind of position this puts me in? Do you?”

“An unpleasant one.”

“You have a knack for understating the situation, like ‘untoward’ and now ‘unpleasant.’ If this costs us the Bill, you only have yourself to blame.” She slammed her palms on the desk. “My goddamned legacy out the fucking window.” Lifting the papers from the glass surface, she tossed the sheets in the air.

“It’s not lost. I might have sunk my career, but you will recover.” He might even have to step down from the International Network of Undead Rights. Decades of building the organization’s reputation, gone.

“I won’t let my legacy crumble in front of my very eyes.”

Whatever she may think of his actions, she couldn’t think he’d done this to hurt her or Leera. “Kirsten, I would never compromise you. The last thing on earth I would do is betray you, but I can refuse her nothing.” Since Kirsten had taken office, his people were finally making headway with getting rights.

She huffed out a laugh. “I should have known. Nothing else makes sense. You are in love with her.”

He hung his head. “Yes.”

“I hope she is worth everything this fiasco has cost you–us.” She flicked her fingers between them. “You have no idea how little I want to do what I’m going to have to do.”

“I implore you to do as you must for you and the Bill.” He lowered his head. “I’m sorry.”

“Not as much as I am. I’m suspending you.” She strode passed him. “I want you to stand in the background. You aren’t to speak to the press.”

“Yes, President Yamaguchi.”

She shoved the doors open. Her heels sunk into the lush carpet as she walked. He followed a few steps behind, and with each step, a person joined them as they headed out into the pressroom.

Flashes sparked as they went onto the stage and she continued to the podium.

The president adjusted the microphone. “I will make this statement brief. I’ve suspended Vaihan Louchian as my advisor, without pay, until he rectifies to the people of our nation his lapse in judgment. Effective immediately.” Kirsten turned and strode out of the room.

A single file of staff, security and interns fell in line behind her.

Vaihan walked into the hall and headed for the exit.

Chapter 29

Leera’s every muscle ached. Rowley held her to his chest, and they were naked, flesh to flesh. Sunlight beamed onto her from the gaps in the blinds. Her head pounded at a constant rhythm. The aftereffects of the drug were hideous. She lifted her hand to her clammy forehead, her curls still damp from the shower Rowley had insisted she take.

“You need to keep your fluids up.” As he spoke, the muscles of his chest flexed against her nipples, rousing them to an erect state. He rolled to his back.

Wouldn’t he just love that. She reached over and downed a large glass of water he’d put there after their encounter. What else could she call the sex? Love hadn’t been involved for her. Comfort, in an odd sense, yes, but she didn’t want to dig too deep to understand. Relief and release were also big parts of what had happened between them.

Still, her mouth felt dry. She tossed off the covers.

With a large hand, Rowley pulled her back. “Where are you going?”

Last night meant their relationship had changed, whether she liked it or not. “To get more water.”

“I’ll get some for you. It will take you forever to find the kitchen in this place.” He kissed her shoulder. “Anything else, while I’m out there?”

She pointed to the spot between her eyebrows. “I wouldn’t mind something for my aching head.”

He nodded and rose from the bed, still semierect. The man was insatiable. What would he expect from her? Her stomach cramped. No less than her soul. She’d settle into this with him. This was what the feds wanted.

Rowley still wanted her, despite what she’d done. Vaihan wanted nothing to do with her. She’d ruined him publicly and politically. He’d never forgive her. Could she blame him? The way he’d touched her and possessed her body was like heaven. All he’d wanted was to keep the bad part of himself far away from her, but she hadn’t let him. Her mind wasn’t right. Never had been. Rowley thought she was into playing dangerous games and maybe he was right.

“You were thinking about the creature, weren’t you?” Rowley sighed as he set down the glass and held out another green pill.

She could argue with him, but what good would that do? If she lied, he’d know. “Do you want us to have this conversation?” With a quick motion, she popped the medication in her mouth and downed the water.

“Yes.” He pushed back the curls from her face. “Tell me what you were thinking.”

Did Rowley believe himself better than Vaihan? Both had damaged her body. Vaihan hadn’t plotted to do so in order to keep her trapped in a relationship, though. “The creature” had tried everything in his power to protect her from the dark part of him that could hurt her.

“I was thinking about how I’ve ruined my chance with Vaihan.” No need to bother him with the details of her worries about him.

The vein in his neck grew visible. “I wish with all my heart that were true.” He kissed her mouth.

Leera withdrew from the embrace. “Why would you say a thing like that? I care about him.”

“You asked me to give you the truth. I agreed to provide you those truths that are mine alone to give. We must both adjust to what that much honesty between us will mean.” He passed his thumb beneath the contour of her eye. “Your color is returning.”

Leera rolled away from him. The faded tone of her skin had come as a surprise to her when she’d seen her reflection at the hospital.

“I know you weren’t ready last night for us to make love, but I’d be lying if I said I was sorry or that I regret what we shared.” He scooted next to her on the bed.

“Is that what you called what happened? Making love? At best, I’d say you fucked me.” Physical relief helped calm the edge in the air around them. Emotionally, the exchange had felt empty.

“Love isn’t always pretty. Sometimes it hurts.” He made contact with her spine, trailed a line with his index finger downward. “Last night, your life changed and there is no going back to how things were. I won’t let you.” Warm fingers slid over her bottom and he climbed in behind her. “Soon, I’m going to change the tide back in our favor, not the undead.” He kissed the back of her head while his other hand cupped her breast. His hard cock against her thigh told her where this was going. “Spread your legs for me.”

Not that she minded if doing so meant they didn’t need to speak. Leera lay on her back and parted her thighs.

Like a beast, he rose on all fours. He lowered his face to her folds and his tongue made contact with her clit. Electric shock shot through her body, and she raised her hips for more.

His erection pressed to his stomach above her. The smell of his arousal filled her breath. He pushed his tongue into her opening. The one thing she couldn’t take away from him was his abilities in bed. Unlike her, Rowley had many lovers at a young age, older women–desperate women, women in need of love. She didn’t want to think, just feel the way his body responded to the need of hers.

Precum beaded the tip of his penis. She took the shaft in hand and popped the head into her mouth. He groaned. A swirl of her tongue had him lifting her while rolling onto his back. Now on top, she glided her mouth along the length, taking him to the back of her throat.

Two thick fingers pressed to her labia, spreading her open. He suckled her clit. As she moved up and down, he moved in and out. Grunts, gasps, and moans bounced in the room.

As he sucked, slid in and out of and teased her sex, she lifted her hips in search of more. He pumped his cock into her mouth at an increased speed, drawing more fluid to the tip. One sharp grunt followed another. His hot breath blew on her folds. A gush of hot, salty cum spilled into her mouth, and she swallowed his release.

“Lee-lee,” he whispered to her pussy. The last of his orgasm filled her. “You always did have talented lips.” He kissed the tender flesh between her thighs. “I can’t remember the last time I was able to come that fast.”

Guess he was done.

Rowley reached over to his pants. “The doctor said you aren’t on birth control because of your condition.”

Sadness was a heavy lump in her throat. Jean never took issue withdrawing, despite having to finish himself off.

She nodded.

From his back pocket, Rowley removed a condom. “I won’t risk your health.” He kissed her temple, and removed the rubber from the packet.

Up until this very moment, she wouldn’t have thought he cared about what anyone else needed.

He rolled the latex down his shaft. “Are you going to rub your clit for me?” The head of his cock pressed to her opening, then with a few sharp pumps, he’d worked himself deep into her.

“Are you too spent to do the work?” she challenged.

“No. I find watching a woman touch her body sexually while I’m inside her an added turn-on. If you prefer to pinch and tease your nipples for me, I can stimulate your clit. I’m open to either.” He grinned. “Kiss me, I want to taste my cum on your lips.”

If he kept talking to her this way, she’d climax in no time.

He met her tongue and licked. “Mmm, we make a good mix.” He stopped mid stroke. His eyes held so much pain. “What?”

“I was just wondering about our child.”

A well of tears pooled, blurring her view. She pushed against his chest. “Get off me.”

Rowley grabbed hold of her wrists, stretched her arms overhead and pinned her beneath him. “I’m not allowed to think about the life we created? You’ve had fifteen years to come to grips with what happened, I only recently found out. You are being unreasonable.” With a sharp pump, he thrust his cock deep into her.