Touch of Temptation (28 page)

T
HEY DIDN’T TALK
as he carried her into the bathroom, his breath coming as fast and as jagged as hers. He left her propped against the wall in his private bathroom as he reached into the shower and set the water on full heat, then turned back and stripped off the T-shirt she’d been wearing and his clothes. With a wicked smile, he carried her into the water with him, holding her tight as the jets pulsed down on them, the spray feeling wonderful on her aching muscles, while the air filled with warm, sensual steam. Though Chloe could sense how close he was to losing control, he took his time soaping her body, delighting over her in a way that made her heart pound. She no longer felt self-conscious about her figure, the heat in his eyes burning her insecurities to ash.

She knew she wasn’t the most beautiful woman in the world, but in Kellan’s eyes, she was…and that was all that mattered.

“What do you want, Kell? What will make you happy? After everything you’ve been through, you deserve that.”

The corner of his mouth twitched, his deep voice thick with hunger as he said, “I want so much with you, Chloe. I want to build a life with you. Sit around and watch football. Play cheesy board games. Go on picnics. Cook breakfast.” With a mischievous grin, he waggled his brows, saying, “Get you on some sunny Caribbean beach for our honeymoon in nothing but a string bikini.”

“A bikini?” she groaned. “Can I at least stop by Cara’s on the way and get a bigger set of boobs first?”

“Absolutely not,” he argued, sliding his soapy hands possessively over her chest. “No way in hell are you messing with these beauties. They are world-class perfection, and they’re
mine
.”

“Jeez, you
must
love me,” she drawled, snuffling a soft burst of laughter. “I thought guys always went for the hefty tatas.”

“I couldn’t care less about other tatas,” he rumbled, her toes curling as he stroked his thumbs over her sensitive nipples. “I only care about these.”

“Like I said, it must be love.”

He gave her a quick, devastating kiss, then drew back, the look in his eyes making her melt. “You know what I want? I want to enjoy you, Chloe. Everything about you, for the rest of my life. Learn all the miracles that make you who you are. Be your best friend, your lover, your everything. I’ll worship you, protect you and love you till the day I die. And then I’ll defy whatever higher powers are out there to try and keep me away from you, because I won’t even let death come between us.”

“Wow,” she whispered, completely dazzled.

“And you’re going to marry me.”

Her eyes went wide. “I am?”

“Oh, yeah,” he breathed out, wrapping one arm around her waist and pulling her so close she had to tilt her head back to see his face. His eyes burned, glowing with a primal, possessive fire as he stroked a hand down the side of her throat and over her shoulder. “We’ll get married as soon as possible, but first I want to mark you as mine. Bind you to me in a way that can never be undone.”

She licked her lips. “I want that, too, Kell.”

His voice dropped to a deep, husky rasp. “And there’s something else I want,” he told her, and she smiled, knowing from the breathtaking look in his eyes that it was going to be good. “I want to come inside you when I make my bite. You okay with that?”

Chloe’s heart beat so hard, she was surprised it stayed inside her chest, excitement and happiness churning together into a strange, exhilarating rush that seared her veins, and she clung to his arms for support, her head spinning. “I’m more than okay with it. But…I could get pregnant. You know I’m not on the Pill.”

He kissed the water droplets from her cheek, and with a tremor of emotion in his dark words, he said, “I know, honey. We could make a baby. Right here. Right now.”

“And you wouldn’t mind?” she whispered, her pulse roaring in her ears like a heavy rain.

He drew back his head just far enough that he could stare into her eyes, his hands stroking over her bottom. “To be honest, I can’t think of anything more incredible than creating a family with you. I never would have thought that I could be so lucky, but I’m done fighting fate, Chloe. From now on, I’m going to enjoy what it gives me.”

“No more guilt?” she asked, looping her arms around his powerful neck, her nipples pressed against the heavy muscles of his chest.

His eyes tightened a little, but then he shook his head as he said, “I’ll always feel bad about the way I lived before you. But what’s important is the man I’ve become. Because of you. With you by my side, I can hold my head high for the rest of my life.”

“I love you,” she told him, pressing a tender kiss to
his mouth…his chin…the masculine edge of his jaw. “I love you so much.”

“I love you more,” he groaned, lifting her off the floor as he pinned her against the wall of the shower. Chloe eagerly wrapped her legs around his waist, and he took her mouth with a raw, demanding kiss as he pushed deep inside the tight, cushiony depths of her body. She came instantly, the dark, devastating pleasure tearing through her with stunning force, and he swallowed the sound of her screams before ripping his mouth from hers.

“You feel so fucking good,” he growled, shunting deeper, until it felt like he was sinking into the hot glow of bliss burning inside her. She’d never seen him look so feral in his human form as he did in that moment, with his fangs dropping beneath his upper lip, his glowing eyes heavy-lidded with lust as he cut a hungry look toward the side of her throat. The primal Merrick inside her rose up, purring with anticipation as Chloe tilted her head to the side, offering him what he wanted. He made a thick animal kind of sound in the back of his throat, before nuzzling his face against the curve of her shoulder. She felt him draw in a slow, shuddering breath, his tongue flicking against her skin, and then he sank his fangs deep, burying them into her sensitive flesh and making the primal bite.

Chloe had expected pain, and it was there. But there was so much pleasure that the sharp burn didn’t matter, and she screamed again as she arched against him, telling him how much she loved him and needed him and wanted him. He shook with a violent tremor, his claws digging into the warm tiles, shattering them, and then he was coming inside her with so much force, she could feel the explosive burst of heat deep inside her. Kellan
growled against her throat, then pulled his fangs free, his hips shoving against her with deep, hammering thrusts as his head fell back, a guttural roar of satisfaction tearing from his chest, and they lost themselves in that thundering, pleasure-drenched storm, battered by the blistering waves of sensation, holding on to one another as tightly as they could.

When they were finally able to move again, Kellan dried her off with a soft towel and they collapsed into bed together—the distant, sultry sound of Aiden playing blues on his piano drifting through the halls of the house. In a deep, dark rasp, Kellan told her how mouthwatering she’d tasted…how much he’d loved sinking his fangs into her…coming deep inside her, and what began as a long, lazy kiss turned into fire and passion. Needing everything he could give her, Chloe sank her fangs into his strong throat, feeding from his vein as he sent her into another long, scalding orgasm that left her melting in a warm, soothing darkness. Minutes later, when she’d finally come back to this world, she found herself lying in his arms, her face close to his as they shared a pillow, the backs of his fingers rubbing possessive circles into her stomach, as if there was already life growing inside her.

In a voice that was husky from her passionate cries, she said, “I still can’t believe that I’m here with you, and that we made it through, Kell. If it weren’t for the horror of what happened, losing one of your friends, everything would be…perfect.”

“I’ll make things perfect for you, Chloe. I promise.”

“I don’t need perfection. All I need is you. Because I can’t be whole without you,” she told him, reaching
out and tucking a damp, auburn strand of hair behind his ear. When she caught his bemused expression, she asked, “What is it?”

“I was just thinking that I set out to rescue you, but you’re the one who’s rescued me. I thought I needed to go to the Wasteland to make a difference. To change the way my family and friends saw me. But really, what I needed was
you
.”

“Kellan,” she whispered.

“Yeah.”

“In case you hadn’t noticed, you’ve got me.”

With a deliciously deep, husky rumble of happiness, he pulled her tighter against him, touching his mouth to the warm pulse of the bite mark he’d left at her throat, his lips tender and soft against her skin. “And I’ll be keeping you, my beautiful little witch. Forever.”

With a smile of pure, incandescent joy, Chloe wrapped her arms around him, holding him to her…determined to never let him go. “Lycan, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

for the Primal Instinct Series

The Ancient Clans
: Nonhuman races whose existence has been kept secret from the majority of humans for thousands of years, their abilities differing as widely as their physiology. Some only partially alter when in their primal forms, like the Merrick. Others fully transform, able to take the shape of an animal, similar to those who compose the Watchmen.

These are but a few of the various ancient clans that remain in existence today:

The Merrick
: One of the most powerful of the ancient clans, the Merrick were forced to mate with humans after years of war against the Casus had decimated their numbers. Their bloodlines eventually became dormant, dwelling within their human descendants, until the return of the Casus and the time of their awakening. In order to feed the primal parts of their nature, the newly awakened Merrick must consume blood whilst having sex. Characteristics: When in Merrick form, the males have fangs, talons, flattened noses and massive, heavily muscled physiques. The females have fangs and talons.

The Awakenings
: Each time a Casus shade returns to this world, it causes the primal blood within one of the
Merrick descendants to rise within them, or awaken, so that they might battle against their ancient enemy.

The Buchanans
: One of the strongest Merrick bloodlines, the Buchanans were not only the first of the Merrick to awaken, but they also each possess an unusual power or “gift.” Ian has a strange sense of premonition that comes to him in dreams, Saige can “hear” things from physical objects when she touches them and Riley’s telekinetic powers enable him to control physical objects with his mind.

The Casus
: Meaning
violent death,
the Casus are an immortal race of preternatural monsters who were imprisoned by the Merrick and the Consortium over a thousand years ago for their mindless killing sprees. Recently, however, they have begun escaping from their holding ground, returning to this world and taking over the bodies of “human hosts” who have dormant Casus blood running through their veins. The escaped Casus now prey upon the newly awakened Merrick, feeding on their flesh for power, as well as revenge. Characteristics: When in Casus form, they have muzzled faces, wolf-shaped heads, leathery gray skin, ridged backs and long, curved claws. The males have ice-blue eyes, while the females have eyes that are pale green.

Meridian
: The metaphysical holding ground where the Casus were imprisoned for their crimes against the other clans…as well as humanity. Although it was created by the original Consortium, no one knows how to find it until a journal is discovered that claims the Dark
Markers are not only the keys that will open the gate to Meridian, but that they will also form a map that leads to the prison’s hidden location.

Shades
: Because of their immortality, the Casus can’t die in Meridian. They have simply wasted away to “shades” of the powerful creatures they once were, which is why they’re forced to take human hosts when they return to this world.

The Deschanel
: Also known as vampires, the Deschanel are one of the most powerful of the ancient clans, rivaling the strength of the Merrick and the shape-shifters. Although duality is a common feature among many of the clans, the trait is especially strong within the Deschanel, whose very natures are a dichotomy of opposites—of both darkness and light—which makes them complex friends…and dangerous enemies. Characteristics: Pale, pure gray eyes that glow after they’ve taken a blood feeding. Despite their power and strength, they move with a smooth, effortless grace that is uncommon among human males of their size. They also have incredibly long life-spans, until such time as they finally take a mate.

The Burning
: The body of an unmated Deschanel male runs cold until he finds his mate. The phenomenon is referred to as being “in heat” or “burning,” since his body begins warming from the moment he finds her.

The
Förmyndares: As the Protectors of the Deschanel, it is the duty of these warriors to destroy any threats to the vampire clans.

Nesting Grounds
: Ancient, sprawling castlelike communities where Deschanel family units, or nests, live for security, which are protected by powerful magic that keeps them hidden from the outside world. The grounds are located throughout Scandinavia and other parts of Europe.

The Witches
: Although there are many witch clans still in existence, their powers vary greatly from one clan to another.

The Boudreaux
: A carefree clan of witches whose specialty is beauty spells.

The Mallory
: A powerful clan of witches whose diverse powers were bound by a curse. Because of the centuries-old curse, they now magnify the emotions of those in their presence to extreme levels.

The Reavess
: A clan of witches who can communicate mentally with those in their families. They access their considerable power through the use of spells, and will bond their true loves to them through sex. They are also able to assume the traits possessed by their mates during “joining.”

The Saville
: A snobbish clan of witches who have little power.

The Regan
: An aggressive clan responsible for hunting several rival clans to near extinction. Characteristics: long noses, pointed ears and deeply cleft chins.

The Kenly
: A mountain-dwelling clan nearly hunted to extinction by the Regan. Characteristics: short statures and large, doelike eyes.

The Feardacha
: One of several ancient clans that reside in Ireland. They are extremely superstitious, believing that the dead should never go unchecked. As a precaution, they tattoo pagan symbols on their hands and arms, believing the symbols will draw to them any evil souls that manage to escape from hell, so that they might kill them once again. Characteristics: tattoos, mocha-colored skin and pale green eyes.

The Vassayre
: One of the more reclusive clans, they seldom come out of the underground caves where they dwell. Characteristics: dark markings around their sunken eyes.

The Deuchar
: One of the most violent of the ancient clans, they are the mortal enemy of the Shaevan.

The Shaevan
: One of several ancient clans that reside in France.

The Shape-shifters
: A richly diverse, powerful collection of clans whose members can take either the complete or partial shape of a beast.

The Prime Predators
: Consisting of the most dangerous, predatory animal species, they are the most aggressive breeds of shape-shifters, well-known for their legendary sex drives and their unquestionable devotion
to their mates. In order to claim a mate, a Prime must bite the one who holds their heart, marking them with their fangs while taking their blood into their bodies. They are also known for their incomparable skill as warriors and their strong healing abilities. Examples: the tigers, jaguars and lycanthropes.

The Lycanthropes
: Also known as werewolves, they are formidable warriors who can actually change humans to their species with the power of their bite if they are in wolf form. However, in order to mark their mates, they must make a bite with their fangs whilst still in human form.

The Raptors
: One of the rarest breeds of shifters, the Raptors are known for being ruthless warriors and possessive, utterly devoted lovers. Although they do not completely shift form, they are able to release powerful wings from their backs that enable them to fly, as well as sharp talons from their fingertips for fighting.

The Charteris
: Dragon shape-shifters who possess the ability to control fire, and whose bodies burn with a dangerous heat when making love to a woman who holds their heart. It is believed that no pure-blooded Charteris are still in existence.

The Archives
: The records that belonged to the original Consortium which are believed to hold vital information about the ancient clans. Though the new Consortium has spent years searching for them, the archives have fallen into the hands of the Collective Army.

The Collective Army
: A militant organization of human mercenaries devoted to purging the world of all preternatural life. In an ironic twist, the Collective Army now finds itself partnered with the Kraven and the Casus, in exchange for information that they believe will enable them to exterminate the remaining nonhuman species.

The Consortium
: A body of officials comprised of representatives from each of the remaining ancient clans, the Consortium is a sort of preternatural United Nations. Their purpose is to settle disputes and keep peace among the differing species, while working to hide the existence of the remaining clans from the human world. Over a thousand years ago, the original Consortium helped the Merrick imprison the Casus, after the Casus’s relentless killing of humans threatened to expose the existence of the nonhuman races. The council fashioned the Dark Markers in order to destroy the immortal killers, only to be murdered by the newly created Collective Army before they could complete the task. Years later, the Consortium re-formed, but by then its original archives had been lost…all traces of the Dark Markers supposedly destroyed during the Collective’s merciless raids, which nearly led to the destruction of the clans.

The Dark Markers
: Metal crosses of enormous power that were mysteriously created by the original Consortium, they are the only known weapons capable of killing a Casus, sending its soul directly to hell. They also work as a talisman for those who wear them, offering protection from the Casus. Although it is unknown how many Dark Markers are in existence, there is a set of encrypted
maps that lead to their locations. The Watchmen and the Buchanans are using these maps to help them find the Markers before they fall into enemy hands.

“Arm of Fire”
: Weapon mode for a Dark Marker. When held against the palm, a Dark Marker holds the power to change one’s arm into an “Arm of Fire.” When the cross is placed against the back of a Casus’s neck, the flame-covered arm will sink into the monster’s body, burning it from the inside out.

The Encrypted Maps
: When Saige Buchanan discovered the first Dark Marker in Italy, she found a set of encrypted maps buried alongside the cross. The maps, which lead to the hidden locations of the Dark Markers, had been wrapped in oilcloth and preserved by some kind of spell.

The Death-Walkers
: The demented souls of clansmen and -women who were sent to hell for their sadistic crimes, and who are now managing to return to our world. It is unknown how to kill them, but they can be burned by a combination of holy water and salt. Driven mad by their time in hell, they are a formidable force of evil, seeking to create chaos and war among the remaining clans simply because they want to watch the world bleed. Characteristics: Although they retain certain traits from their original species, each of the Death-Walkers has cadaverously white skin and small horns that protrude from their temples, as well as deadly fangs and claws.

“The Eve Effect”
: A phenomenon that affects various
breeds of shape-shifters, causing them to be drawn to certain females who touch the primal hungers of both the man and the beast. If a male falls in love with one of these females and bites her, she will be bonded to him as his mate for the rest of their lives.

The Infettato
: Humans who have been infected by the bite of a Death-Walker. Once turned, they become the “walking dead” and it is impossible for them to regain their humanity. They live only to consume flesh, tracking their prey by scent and blindly obeying the orders of those who made them. As they feed, they become stronger, and they can only be killed when their hearts are removed from their chests and burned. Characteristics: Mottled, yellowish skin, gaunt faces and sunken eyes. Black skin that looks as if it has been burned surrounds their eyes and mouths.

The Kraven
: The offspring of female Deschanel vampires who were raped by Casus males prior to their imprisonment. Treated little better than slaves and considered an embarrassing symbol of weakness, the Kraven have been such a closely guarded secret within the Deschanel clan that the Watchmen have only recently become aware of their existence. Although their motivation is still unclear, the Kraven are working to facilitate the return of the Casus. Characteristics: They are believed to have long life-spans, and their fangs can be released only at night, causing their eyes to glow a deep, blood-red crimson. They can also easily pass for human, but can only be killed when a wooden stake is driven through their heart.

The Wasteland
: A cold, desolate, dangerous region that
was created by powerful magic, where exiled Deschanel “nests” or family units are forced to live once the Consortium has passed judgment against them. Protected by spells that make it invisible to humans, this vast region “shares” physical space with the Scandinavian forests surrounding it.

The Watchmen
: An organization of shape-shifters whose job it is to watch over the remaining ancient clans, they are considered the “eyes and ears” of the Consortium. They monitor the various nonhuman species, as well as the bloodlines of those clans that have become dormant. Prior to the recent Merrick awakenings, the most powerful Merrick bloodlines had been under Watchmen supervision. There are Watchmen compounds situated around the world, with each unit consisting of four to six warriors. Characteristics: Physical traits vary according to the specific breed of shape-shifter.