TangledIndulgence (5 page)

And her gaze held his captive. She was not interested in
anyone else, but completely focused on him.

His heart was about to burst free of his chest.

Mal loosened his grip on her hips and gently rubbed his
finger across her clit. Adira hissed and her nails dug into his chest, but the
rush of moisture following his touch allowed him to sink even deeper.

They both moaned. Her inner muscles bore down on him again.
He repeated his touch over the bundle of nerves. She tensed but then relaxed
enough for him to sink all the way inside her tight, wet cunt. When his balls
rubbed against her ass they both groaned.

She closed her eyes and bowed her back. Mal lifted his hands
and curved his fingers around her breasts, tweaked her nipples with a firm
touch.

Adira moved, experimented by shifting up, down and in
mind-bending circles, and at all times her inner muscles clung to him like a
tight fist, massaging him, driving him crazy.

As her movements became more forceful, more demanding, he
pushed up as she came down. Their bodies moved like well-oiled machines,
driving closer and closer to the edge of the abyss.

He pushed up hard enough for his hips to rise off the bed
and suddenly he felt his dick rub along Adira’s inner nerve endings, felt how
he powered through the tight grip of her.

He was in her head.

Just as quickly as the connection had sprung up it vanished
again, but experiencing both sides of their encounter nearly broke his control.

“What was that?” Adira stopped moving, making him clench his
teeth.

Mal growled, gripped her hips and thrust up. No way in hell
was he in any state of mind to dodge questions right now.

For a second she remained stiff, but when he pushed in deep
and angled himself so he rubbed against her clit she responded.

Adira leaned back until her hands curved around his ankles,
tilting herself in such a way each move slid against her sweet spot. They both
groaned when he sped up. Sweat dripped into his eyes. He wiped it away, his
attention focused on Adira, the pleasure, the passion on her exotic face. On
how her breasts shook with every hard move, how her nails dug into his ankles.

The sharp slapping of his hips against hers echoed through
the room. She pushed back into each thrust, ensuring that despite his speed he
plunged deep inside her. His balls drew up. Mal knew he couldn’t cling to
control much longer.

He unclenched one hand from her hip, never losing his
rhythm, and found her clit with the pad of his finger.

Adira hissed and tightened her grip on his cock. He thought
it would be the end, but continued to manipulate her sensitive button. She
screamed as she exploded. For a moment her pleasure shot through every part of
his body, catapulting him over the edge. She squeezed him like a fist as he
pumped inside her.

Panting, he supported her as she rose from her backward
position and held her against his chest.

She was it.

He had no need to look around. The rainbow-colored
connection shone like a star between them.

Adira was his lifemate.

Now he had only to make her understand and agree to the
bond, while discovering why their connection did not follow the path that had
been explained to him all those years ago.

They weren’t supposed to connect mentally until they’d both
agreed to the bond. But he knew if he opened the door he would know her
thoughts and feelings.

How was that possible?

Chapter Five

Adira slumped against Mal’s sweaty chest, her eyes closed.
Her muscles had turned to mush and she wasn’t certain if she had any brain
cells left.

His hand followed the line of her back up and down. She
wanted to purr and lean into the caress, but the more the sexual euphoria
faded, the more her gut churned. Something other than amazing sex went on here.

She just wasn’t sure what.

Or if she wanted to know.

As impossible as it sounded, for moments throughout the
night she’d felt as if she was in Mal’s head.

Unless he was using some sort of Vampire hocus-pocus.

She frowned. She’d never seen him use Vampire magic in an
overt way.

Adira opened her eyes and froze.

Instead of Mal she saw herself leaning against Mal’s chest.
“What the Jade?”

She blinked a few times and watched herself doing so, her
hair clinging to her forehead and neck. Then his emotions flooded her.

She felt his lust and low arousal, which still hummed
beneath the surface. His delight in holding her in his arms, his need to love
her again. And a more encompassing need for her, Adira, to be with him.

As suddenly as the floodgates had opened they slammed shut
again. Her vision returned and she stared at Mal’s wide chest. “What just
happened?” Her voice croaked when she asked the question.

Pure bafflement shone in his eyes. “I have no fucking clue.”

She scowled and followed the shimmering link between them.
“That’s not true. You have an idea.” She rose, hissing when his half-hard cock
slid out of her. Adira grabbed a sheet and wrapped it around herself. For some
reason she wanted a barrier.

Mal pulled on his trousers and sat at the edge of the bed,
rubbing his eyes. His chest gleamed in the low light and a defeated edge had
snuck into his body language.

I’ve never seen him like this.
She clenched her
fingers into the sheet, certain she would not like what he had to share with
her.

He snorted. “I never imagined this would be how I tell you.”

“Tell me what?” Her heartbeat increased and her gut churned.
She looked inward. Worry and elation battled inside her. Why the hell would she
be excited?

“You are my lifemate, my other half. Sometimes also called a
soul mate.”

The world around her disappeared. “Excuse me?”

He exhaled. “Legend has it that every Vampire used to be
born at the same time as his or her other half, in the same place, never far
away, ensuring the couple would always find each other. Then the Vampire
Council did something so evil it tore apart the connection between the
lifemates, scattering them across the universe.

“Now we are very lucky to find our other half. Many Vampires
don’t, meaning they may have a good life, but there is always something
missing.”

Adira gathered the sheet tighter around her, trying to pull
her whirling emotions together. This was insane, but it was clear that Mal
believed every word. “So…I’m your lifemate? How long have you known?”

He studied her. “For sure?”

She nodded.

“Since we’ve made love.”

A shiver flashed through her at the memories of his touch.
With effort she shook it off. “How does this work? Why can I see through your
eyes, experience some of your emotions?”

“We are now linked. Through our connection we can speak
mentally as well as share feelings.” He shrugged. “Lifemates don’t tend to have
any secrets from each other. The link is always open.”

Adira swallowed. “You can read my thoughts right now?” She
didn’t like the idea that her head was no longer private, that another being
monitored her thoughts and feelings.

Mal shook his head. “No. The bond between us is different—”

A thought occurred to her and she interrupted him. “You knew
us sleeping together would result in this, didn’t you? Did it ever cross your
mind to maybe ask if I wanted someone in my head? How do we break this link?”

He flinched. He blinked and when he opened his eyes again a
wall had come down. “You don’t want our connection?” He rose and crossed his
arms over his chest.

Adira was about to give him her mind when something inside
her dragged her to a screeching halt.

Do I want to be linked to Mal?

In theory being able to share everything with another being,
to know you always had someone to rely on and be there for you, sounded
amazing. Adira just wasn’t sure she could do it in practice. Especially with
her at the arse of the universe.

But what if she could stay here and be with him? What if
they didn’t have to split up and be apart? Would she have wanted the link then?

She studied his brawny body, his tanned skin shimmering a
little with the sweat they’d just racked up. The vulnerability in his eyes
behind the wall he’d pulled up. His touch, his care and concentration on her
pleasure. His determination she was with him or ahead of him every step of the
way.

“Adira?”

She exhaled and her shoulders drooped. “No…yes…I don’t
know…dammit, Mal, you dropped this on me with no warning.” She sank onto the
edge of the bed. “I never imagined a relationship where I can’t keep secrets.
They are a big part of my life.”

He moved beside her. “I know that. I had an idea you could
be my lifemate, but I wasn’t sure. Normally we discover our mate after sex and
then ask the partner if they agree to the link. I don’t know why the connection
came to life without either of us making a conscious decision.”

Adira snorted and rested her head against his broad
shoulder. “Not very confidence-inspiring that you don’t know how your own
Vampire mojo works.”

He put his arm around her and pulled her closer. “Tell me
about it.”

They sat in silence, but it wasn’t tense or uncomfortable.

She relaxed more and more, sinking against him, enjoying his
heat and strength surrounding her. As the tension drained out of her, her
vision stopped jumping between Mal and herself. She was back in her own head.

Mal kissed her forehead. “How is it going?”

“Better. How come you’re not head-hopping?”

“I’m clinging to my control and keeping the door between us
mostly closed.” He massaged her neck with his big hand. She groaned in delight
and more of the stress slipped away.

She still had no idea how she felt about being bound to Mal
or how it would change her future, but right now he was next to her and she
only had so many more hours left before she had to leave.

Adira leaned back in his arms. “How do you feel ab—”

A scream rent the air.

They both jumped to their feet. Adira pulled on panties and
trousers, Mal stepped up to the blacked-out window leading to the empty room
beside theirs. With a few clicks he overrode the protection and cleared the
glass on their side, ensuring they could look out but no one could look in. She
threw him his shirt and struggled into hers. “What’s up?”

“Appears someone wants to take one of the waitresses against
her will.”

Adira snapped on her weapon and captured the scene with one
look. Two men held a young, pretty woman dressed in back pants and shirt. The
black clothes clearly identified her as serving staff of the club. She
struggled against their grip, but the man who’d grabbed her was twice her size.

The other man was Jim.

A growl escaped Adira. “Bastard. I’ll pound him into the
ground.” She whirled around, but Mal grabbed her wrist before she could take
more than two steps.

“Hang on, if they are who I think they are I’ve been waiting
to get my hands on them for weeks.”

She twisted her wrist out of his grip and rested a hand on
her weapon. “What are you talking about?”

He didn’t reply, but strode to her and unsnapped her
InvisoHol. She just managed to save her weapon from falling to the floor he
moved so fast.

“Adira, we don’t have time for long explanations. I need you
to look like a woman who’d just had sex and is drunk enough not to see the
reality of the situation in the other room.”

She slapped his hands away as he tried to undo her trousers.
“Stop it.”

“Adira!” He grabbed her shoulders and forced her to meet his
eyes. He was no longer the tender lover or the sexy friend, but all business.
Suddenly images flared in her head.

Mal led a team investigating disappearances in the club. He
wanted to use the waitress as bait and follow her via a tracker. Everything
inside her protested the use of an innocent, but he flooded her with more
information. Capturing Jim would only remove a cog in a much bigger wheel.
Taking down everyone he worked with would make at least a small dent into their
operation.

She still struggled with the means, but her own training
asserted itself. With a quick nod she pulled off her trousers again and
unfastened the shirt so only two buttons across her breasts held it closed. Mal
grabbed a bottle of high-priced Baijiu. “Drink, your breath needs to stink of
alcohol.”

“It won’t be enough.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll increase the power of the scent.”

The Baijiu burned her throat on its way down. She dropped
the bottle and bent over, tangling her hair until it looked just-tumbled. When
she looked back up he’d pulled a tiny pipe out of his bag. “You’ve gotta be
kidding me!”

Mal didn’t even look up, just lit the pipe and waved it
around her. The stink of JWH-19 surrounded her and sank into her clothes.
“Jade, I can’t work if I’m doped out of my head.”

“You metaphorically kicked Jim in the balls not three hours
ago. No way he’ll believe you not recognizing him without drugs. And this is a
special formula that only seeps into fabric. It won’t affect your responses
other than slightly dilating your pupils.”

They would have a long conversation after this was over on
where he got his toys.

“Where’s the tracker?”

He pulled a small metal box out of his pocket, then dropped
his trousers.

Adira’s eyes widened. The tracker looked like a piece of
silver lint. Indeed, a very long conversation.

“It’ll change color as soon as you attach it.”

“Okay.” She was about to stride to the door when he pulled
her back and kissed her.

The kiss didn’t last long but it took her at least three
seconds before her mind cleared again. She shook her head. “Get into bed. Look
convincing.”

She didn’t turn back but knew he’d draped himself in the
tangled sheets. Just in case the kidnappers knew how to override the privacy
screens as well. Adira exhaled. It was a good plan, but using a civilian as
bait killed her.

She pushed the door open and leaned into the room. “Thank
goodness, finally someone who can restock the bar.” She tottered down the two
steps, purposely not looking at the fear-filled eyes of the waitress. Big Guy
held her against his chest, a meaty paw over her mouth, while Jim had torn open
her shirt and now mauled the girl’s breasts.

Rage thrummed through Adira. She made herself stumble and
slammed into Jim hard enough to push him away from the girl. “Sweetie, you
really should wait until after your shift before you play.” Her slurred words
took some of the tension out of the two men.

Adira patted the girl’s shoulder, attaching the tracker. It
immediately turned black. “Be a good one and tell me where I can get more
Baijiu.” She waved her arms and accidentally on purpose rammed her elbow into
Jim’s side. “Then you can have all the fun you want.”

Jim grabbed her upper arm, his nails digging into her skin even
through the shirt. She allowed it, just giving him a slurry smile and a vacant
look. “Do I know you?” His gaze narrowed and his grip tightened.

She blinked a couple of times, then pinched his cheeks and
pulled them up. “No, you just remind me of my uncle.” Adira twisted out of his
grip and stumbled to the well-stocked bar in the corner. She giggled when her
legs gave out and she nearly fell to her knees.

“We’ll take her too,” Jim said to Big Guy. “I have a score
to settle with the bitch.”

Adira pulled two bottles of Baijiu out of the fridge.
“Gotcha.” Before she could slam one bottle into Jim’s face Mal appeared in the
doorway.

Stark naked.

And holding his tiny pipe. A cloud of JWH-19 surrounded him.
“You got more booze, darling?”

She waved the two bottles around and tottered back to him.
Jim grasped her arm as she came by him.

Mal stomped down the two steps and waved his pipe at Jim. “I
don’t share, mate. You’ve got your girl and I have mine. I’m keeping the
windows blacked out and you can do the same. No peeking in on me and my
darling.”

He took one bottle from Adira, grabbed her hand and jerked
her out of Jim’s grip. His Vampire strength was no match for the human, even
with Jim’s enhancements. Adira just wished she wasn’t dragged between the two
men like a chew toy.

Mal ignored the human and pulled her behind him. Adira
followed, but kept her focus on Jim and Big Guy, ready to respond should they
make a grab for her.

They didn’t.

At the bottom of the steps Mal threw his arm around her and
grabbed her bottom.
Giggle.

His voice in her head made her shiver. She managed a
convincing giggle. They stumbled up the steps and slammed the door behind them.
Mal had blacked the windows, pretending they hadn’t seen anything. A chime
sounded, alerting them that Jim had attempted to look into their room.

“I said no,” Mal bellowed.

Silence.

Then the sound of a door slamming shut.

Adira slammed the remaining bottle onto the table and
whirled to Mal. “Who are you? You only told me—showed me—that girls are
disappearing and Jackson hired you to find out who’s using his club as an
all-you-can-eat buffet. Why you?”

Mal dressed, his eyes glued to a small comp. She followed
his example and pulled on her pants. “My team and I help when Sentinels can’t
or won’t help.”