Threshold of Pleasure (Mills & Boon Nocturne Cravings) (7 page)

“My name is Bael.”

“Okay, that’s your name, but
who
are you?”

He chuckled and leaned back in his chair. “That’s what I’ve always liked about you, Eden. You’re always so to the point.”

She flinched a little at his use of her name in such a familiar way. “You talk as if we know each other.”

“We may not have met in person, but we certainly do know each other. I’ve been with you,” he tapped his head, “for months.”

“So you’re saying you are a figment of my imagination?”

One perfectly sculpted eyebrow rose at that. “Don’t be obtuse, Eden. You know perfectly well I’m real. And you also know perfectly well where you know me from.”

She sighed, not wanting to accept the truth. “My dreams,” she finally breathed.

He nodded, satisfied, then drank from his cup again. A server took that moment to enter the room with their food. Steam rose from the covered trays and a delectable scent wafted to her nose.

The server set a covered plate in front of her, then with a flourish unveiled it. On the plate was a thick piece of meat—wonderfully bloody, just the way she liked it—vegetables and some kind of rice mixture. It smelled and looked delicious. Her stomach rumbled in agreement.

Bael waved his hand toward the meal. “Eat, and you can tell me why you are here.”

She picked up the fork and knife and cut into her meat. It was like slicing butter. She put it in her mouth and groaned as it literally melted in her mouth. She’d never tasted anything like it.

“Good Lord, that’s an amazing piece of meat.”

Bael smiled. “I’m sure he would thank you for that, but I’m pretty sure the Lord had nothing to do with it.”

She didn’t know what to say to that, so she continued eating, moaning every so often at the deliciousness of the meal. She couldn’t help it. It was like having sex. But in her mouth.

As she thought that, more sordid images flashed in her mind.

She on her knees in front of him, his engorged cock in her hand. She was licking the length of it and sucking eagerly on the knob.

She shook her head to clear the image. The ache between her legs intensified, and she squirmed a little on her chair to ease the discomfort.

He was watching her when she did this as if he’d known what she’d seen in her mind. As if he’d sent her the thought.

With the steak finished, she picked at the vegetables and watched Bael as he ate. She watched the movement of his mouth and found it mesmerizing and arousing. He had full lips and they looked soft. She couldn’t help but wonder what they would feel like on her skin.

The second that thought crossed her mind, he smiled, and his gaze lifted to meet hers. The look in his eyes slammed her right in the gut and threatened to venture lower. She crossed her legs to try and stop it.

“I’m looking for someone,” she said, trying to get her mind off how devastating he was and back on the reason she’d come to this place.

He lifted that eyebrow again. “Who?”

“A woman named Lilith Grae.”

She watched his face, looking for signs of recognition. There weren’t any, but that didn’t necessarily mean anything. He could be an accomplished liar. She’d met many before.

“What makes you think she came to Threshold?”

“Instinct,” she said. “And I followed that big, dumb stonehead out here from a club that I believe she frequented. Plus, he mentioned her, and the fact that I should forget about it.”

“So naturally that made you even more curious.”

“Naturally.”

He smiled at that, then leaned back in his chair. “What does she look like, this woman?”

Eden took out a folded picture of Lilith from her pocket and slid it across the table to him. He didn’t look at it, but said, “Leave it with me, and if I see this girl or hear of her, I’ll get in contact with you.”

“Thank you.”

He inclined his head. “Of course. Do you know where you are staying?”

She shook her head. “No.”

“Well, if you are so inclined, I have an empty room in my home. You’d be more than welcome to stay.”

There was a little gleam in his eyes that came with the invitation and it made her belly and thighs tense again. He was potent, this man. More potent than any person she’d met before. It was obvious that he’d had a lot of practice in seduction and in the act itself. It rippled around him like an aura, taunting her, tempting her.

“That’s kind of you. I’ll think about it.”

“I’m sure you will.”

Eden took that as a cue to leave. She stood, her knees weak, and set her napkin on the table. “Thank you for the meal.”

He inclined his head. “It was my pleasure.”

She turned to go, then paused and glanced over her shoulder. “If you see her...”

“I will find you, be certain of that.”

She nodded her thanks, but put a hand on her gut where it churned and rolled unpleasantly. She didn’t like his last statement one bit. It was a veiled threat—she was certain of that. It scared her a little. And aroused her at the same time.

Bael wasn’t a man to be trifled with, that was obvious. He’d been warm and pleasant and seemingly helpful to her, and she had to admit she found him extremely attractive, but she instinctively knew he was bad news. Especially for her. And that just made her desire him all the more.

Durt was at her side the second she stepped out of the other room. “I thought you was a dead woman.”

“Don’t worry. I’m good at taking care of myself.” Eden looked around and noticed that the tavern was empty, save for the barkeep wiping down the counter and putting up the bar stools.
Closing time already?
She didn’t think she’d been having supper for that long.

Durt tsked at her. “That may be, but Lord Bael is one bad dude. If he wants to talk to you alone, that usually means you is dead.”

Eden gestured to the empty bar. “What’s happening here?”

“Time to go, it is.”

“But I have more questions to ask.”

“Will have to wait until morning.” Durt grabbed her arm and escorted her toward the door.

“Where am I supposed to go until then?” she asked as the little goblin pushed open the wooden door and hustled her out.

“I find you a place. Cheap but safe.”

She stepped out into the chilly night. Durt came out behind her, chatting incessantly about the place where he was going to take her.

“Good place, don’t you worry.”

She hadn’t taken but four steps when an imposing figure stepped out of the shadows in front of her.

“I told you to leave this alone.”

He grabbed her before she could protest. By the time she took in a breath to scream, she was being carried through the streets by a large, hairy white wolf.

Chapter Eight

Eden dropped to the gravel in a back alley. This time, though, she didn’t land on her ass. The second her feet touched ground she was swinging at her kidnapper. But she twisted the wrong way and turned her ankle. Pain seared up her calf but she didn’t let it stop her from attacking.

“You son of a bitch!”

He dodged her foot easily, dancing just out of reach of her leg. She tried again, but the animal was too nimble. He regarded her with those pale eyes as if he wanted to play. She shook her head and turned to limp away.

“Screw you.”

“I warned you, Eden.”

She whirled around and stared at the gorgeous, naked man.

“What are you?” she asked, having difficulty not staring at his impressive manly parts.

“What do you think?”

“A werewolf,” she said.

“I’m a shape-shifter.”

“There’s a difference?”

“Of course.”

He said it with a look as if he was appalled that she’d suggested otherwise. She turned away, still having a hard time not looking directly at his endowment.

“Could you put some clothes on?” she asked.

“Why? Does it bother you?”

“I’m just having a difficult time not talking directly to your penis.”

He guffawed unexpectedly and the sound sent a rush of shivers over her body. There was no discounting the surge of heat between her thighs. She was still achy from her encounter with Bael, and now sexy, naked shape-shifter had to come along and ramp things up again. Images of her sex dream with him flashed in her mind and liquid heat pooled between her legs.

“What do you want? Why did you kidnap me again?”

“I know you think you are doing the right thing by looking for the girl, but you put her in more danger by being here.”

“So she is here?”

“Talking with Bael just proves my point about the danger.” His jaw tightened.

“He seemed nice enough. At least he was willing to talk to me.”

The shape-shifter quirked an eyebrow. “Nice? You think Bael is nice?” He shook his head in disgust. “What is wrong with you?”

“Where do I start?” She laughed, then wiped a sweaty hand through her tousled hair. “Tell me your name.”

“Why?”

“Because I asked nicely. And I want to know who I’m being threatened by.”

He stared at her for a long beat, then tilted up his chin. “Mikhail.”

“Okay, Mikhail, I take it this Bael is what?”

“A vampire.”

She laughed. “You mean like Count Dracula? I’ve come to suck your blood?” she said in an accent.

“No, like a vicious, soulless seducer of the night who will rip out your throat and drink your insides, then ring for tea.”

She shuddered at the thought. But deep down she’d known he was something like that. The dark allure of him, the seduction, the fiery flare in his beautiful eyes.

“He’s not to be trifled with.”

“He offered to help me find Lilith.”

Mikhail smiled, and it was cold and calculating. “Of course he did. That is what he does. He makes offers—offers a person can’t refuse. Then he owns you for eternity.”

“I didn’t sell him my soul, if that’s what you’re insinuating.”

“Not yet you haven’t.”

“Do you really believe I am that awful, that ruined?”

He moved toward her. Eden had a raging urge to retreat, but she stood her ground. She didn’t want him to know how afraid she was of him.

“
Damaged
would be a better word. Your soul has holes punched through it. It’s torn and ragged, in need of repair. I fear that you will trust in the wrong person to do the mending.”

The hair on her arms stood to attention as he neared. There was an electric current in the air and it sizzled over her skin. His presence was almost too intense, too powerful, as if she should drop her gaze and not look upon him.

“I didn’t realize I needed saving.” Her voice was not as steady as she’d hoped.

He took another step closer. “You are a strong woman, Eden. There is no doubt. But this is a fight you cannot win, a fight you shouldn’t even be involved in.”

“It’s too late for that now. I’m involved. The girl called me, Mikhail. Do you understand? She called
me.
”

He sighed, and it was the first real sign of humanity that she’d seen in him. “I understand.”

She met his gaze and kept it. “So you’ll tell me where the girl is?”

“No, I won’t.”

“But I thought...”

“You thought wrong.” He crossed the last few feet between them and took her arm. “But I will take you to a safe place for the night, and afterward you can find a portal back to your home.”

“I’m not going home. You can’t force me to.”

“We’ll see about that.”

He came toward her and instantly transformed into the wolf. With one step he was a man, and the next he was a majestic animal. Eden couldn’t wrap her head around it.

And she didn’t have time to before he grabbed her, tossed her onto his back and bounded down the alley. She had to wrap her hands in his fur to hang on or be thrown off. The thought of letting go did cross her mind but the inevitable painful tumble she’d take on the cement changed her mind.

As Mikhail ran through the streets, Eden tried to keep note of the twists and turns and landmarks along the way in case she needed to get back in a hurry and on her own. However, she wasn’t too keen on maneuvering the dangerous creature-filled streets on her own. If the little goblin hadn’t found her to begin with, she wasn’t sure she would’ve made it past the first city block unscathed.

After a fifteen-minute ride, Mikhail stopped in front of a dilapidated housing complex. The place reminded her of the stacking-box-like structures in the poor districts of Jakarta, Indonesia, when she’d visited years ago. The smells and the sounds were very similar, as well. Not that she minded. She’d felt at home in Jakarta, so this was a bit like a welcome back.

Mikhail nudged her off his back and returned to his human form. As Eden followed him, her attention was drawn to one balcony where a couple were having sex. Loudly and in public view. But the odd thing was they were both catlike. Their skin was spotted and their faces triangular with luminous eyes and whiskers. She tried not to watch, but it was fascinating and a little bit arousing.

Once inside the building, Mikhail directed her up a flight of broken-down stairs to the second level. There he led her to a door painted blue and opened it. He gestured for her to enter. She did, although with reservations.

Once Eden was inside, he shut and locked the door, with several dead bolts and a metal slide bar. Nothing was coming through that door unless it was a giant. And she didn’t rule that out considering where she was.

Eden took in the small apartment, noticing the sparseness of it. It reminded her a little of her own place. There were three rooms: a small kitchen, a bathroom, and an area with a bed along one wall and a sofa and table along the other. There were no other comforts such as a TV or computer. Maybe such things were pointless here.

“This is where you live?”

“Sometimes. It’s not my main abode but I use it for emergencies.” He pointed to the bed. “You can sleep there. I will use the sofa.”

“Can I shower first? I feel like I’ve rolled down rabbit holes.”

“Of course.” He turned on the light in the bathroom for her. “Then I’ll tend to your ankle.”

She nodded and limped into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. After all that had happened she’d almost forgotten about the pain radiating from her ankle. But now that the adrenaline had ceased racing through her bloodstream, the throb had intensified.