Twilight War (17 page)

“By winning the
war.”

“The only way
to do that is by learning to trust each other.”

“See the
problem?” He gave her a spirited wink.

She drew a
calming breath and did her best to ignore his sexy wink, his
intoxicating scent, and extreme appeal. “You don’t trust me?”

“Do you trust
me?”

“I’m working on
it.”

He cocked his
head to one side with a curious look. “Are you okay? You
seem…distracted.”

“You smell
incredible. Like leather…wood.” She drew a sharp breath. “And
spice.”

Blue-green eyes
shimmered in the moonlight as they searched hers. “Twilight paid
you another visit, didn’t it?”

“Uh-huh.” Her
gaze drifted over him. Impeccably muscled chest and abs beneath a
clingy t-shirt and badass leather jacket, long lean legs once again
cloaked in skintight leather, nothing turned her on more than a
rebel rider in black leather. More so, he had the hair and eyes to
complete the look to ultimate perfection. Her focus moved back to
his strikingly handsome face. Those spellbinding eyes set
beautifully over a flawlessly masculine nose. She made an effort to
distract her lust with idle chat. “Your eyes are very unique. You
never did tell me why they are now that amazing aqua color.”

“They returned
to their original color after the evil realm used Cassie to bring
me back,” he said with a peculiar expression. “You look hungry,
babe.”

She
aggressively flattened one hand against his hard chest. “And you
look like a buffet of ecstasy.”

He arched both
brows and a hot look sparked in his eyes. “Whoa, baby, you’re on
fire.”

“Yeah…” she
muttered on a longing sigh, then took hold of the long black hair
hanging past his shoulders. “I need a cool rider to put out these
flames. Anyone come to mind?”

“Hell,” he
muttered while gripping her thighs and sweeping her off her feet.
“I’m your man, sugar.”

Her legs wound
around his waist. Their lips met as she buried her hands in his
thick mane of black silk. He carried her with ease down to the
beach. They kissed with urgent desire the entire time. Upon
reaching a secluded cove, Von laid her down in the sand.

“Bring back any
memories?” she teased.

“Only one.” He
peeled her clothes off while gazing into her with those devilishly
seductive eyes.

She watched
absorbedly as he shucked his clothes. “Damn,” she muttered and
exhaled. “I can’t tell you how hard it was for me to kill you when
you look this good.”

“Interesting
pillow talk, there, sugar,” he said with an easy laugh. “Only a
woman like you could get away with something like that.”

She offered him
a coy smile. “Just get on down here and show me how bad you really
are.”

His gaze swept
over her, openly taking her in with hungry eyes. She shivered
beneath his powerful allure. When his body meshed with hers, she
threw her head back and cried out, begging him to satisfy the
burning passion that raged inside.

He took her
hard, just as she expected a man like him to do. Everything about
him, the way he felt and tasted, went way beyond those secret
fantasies. The mystery of Von Calder continued to unravel and each
piece thrilled her more and more. To say he was well endowed was a
severe understatement—the man was purely gifted. Nor did he lack in
the art of pleasing a woman.

“Oh my god,”
she gasped as her body shuddered with release. “You are
magnificent.”

He lifted his
head from the curve of her neck and stared at her while spilling
his emission deep inside. She sucked in air through parted lips,
utterly rapt in his sensual expression. They groaned in soft unison
as their bodies crested the idyllic wave of euphoria together.
Muscles strained and flexed above her, rippling in the moonlight
and glistening with sweat.

“I’ve waited
forever for you to give yourself to me,” he purred in a voice that
made her want to swoon. “It was well worth the wait. You are
everything and more than I knew you would be.”

She reached up
and touched his face, brushing her hand along his cheek. He was
absolutely breathtaking, a superior male in every way. If not for
his past, he’d be highly sought after for breeding among her peers.
Yet deep in her soul, she was almost glad that he was the
Satellite. Only one woman had been predestined to join with
Twilight’s most powerful tool. Flame would never need worry about
Naami or any other sisterhood resident panting after Von. He would
always belong exclusively to her.

“You’ll need to
control your thoughts when we go into our next fight,” he told her
in a gentle voice. He closed his eyes, clearly enjoying her touch.
“Your mind is wide open to me, sugar.” He looked at her and smiled.
“I told you that we could help each other, remember?”

“Yes.”

“You’re my
destiny. I’ve always known it,” he paused to place a tender
lingering kiss on her lips then their eyes met again. “And now you
know it, too.”

“How can I be
in love with you?”

“How can you
pull me over if you’re not?”

“I’ve become my
mother’s child.”

“That is not a
bad thing, babe. She was an amazing woman.” His gaze moved over her
face while he stroked her hair. “The difference this time is that I
am nothing like the former Satellite. I know what I want and I’m
willing to do whatever it takes, even risk my soul, to get what I
want. I’ve finally broken the mind control Twilight had over me.
You gave me something to fight for. Because of you, I found my
humanity again.”

“Are you saying
that you’re ready to turn?”

“Only if I can
trust you.” He sounded sincere.

Everything in
her wanted to believe him. She’d fallen for this mysterious and
dangerous man. There was no turning back now. They either trusted
each other or the war would be lost. Raef’s soul would fall to the
evil realm and her elite and precious nation would eventually
succumb to Twilight’s lust for power.

“You can trust
me.” She kept her voice soft.

“Then I will
finish this with you. Tomorrow we’ll ride east and take out Aiden’s
family, then uncover just what he really is.”

“You think he’s
more than just an innocent bystander, don’t you?”

“Ian could not
see his aura. Aiden has been shrouded for some reason. I want to
know why.”

“I just want
them dead.”

“I can help you
with that.” He smiled the easy smile she’d already grown to love
and pulled her into a warm embrace. “Sleep, pretty baby. You’ll
need your strength.”

They rolled
onto their sides, facing each other. She glanced up at him before
snuggling against his chest. He wrapped himself around her,
shielding her naked body from the cool night zephyr coming in off
the tide. For the first time in weeks, she felt safe.

* * * *

Von laid awake
listening to the soft rhythmic sound of her breathing. Though she’d
managed to channel his energy via her blood-bond, he knew her
mortal body still needed rest for the hard ride east. She’d never
traveled the immortal way. This brave woman was in for the ride of
her life.

He hoped that
Ian would be able to carry out their plan and hide out just a bit
longer to keep the master looking the other way. Von knew once he
helped Flame kill the people who attacked her, that he’d win her
trust and they could take on Twilight together. Without his favored
tool, the evil ruler would have no power against them.

After retracing
the details in his mind, he closed his eyes to bask in her
sweetness, holding Flame securely next to him. This night had been
unreal. Her hunger for him was more gratifying than anything he
could imagine. Had he heeded the demands of the realm, which stole
his human life, he’d be lost forever. Surrendering to his feelings
for this fiery female was the best decision he’d ever made. Now if
only he could trust her.

Will her
love for Raef push her over the edge?
He could tell the
haunting mist had taken its toll. She was totally wired tonight.
Does she love me or is it lust? When she wakes, which path will
she choose?
Questions only she had the answers to.

He looked past
her to the pile of clothes lying on the sand nearby. She’d pulled
her daggers close before relaxing in his arms. He wondered. With a
sigh, he closed his eyes again and tried to rest.

Hours later,
Von felt Flame begin to stir. He didn’t move except to release her
and pretend he was still asleep when she quietly slid from his
arms. He heard her rustling with her clothes, zipping her jacket
and tugging on her pants. Her effort to do all these things without
making a sound amused him, yet he could not suppress his rising
anxiety. What he hoped would be a heavenly morning of afterglow
followed by more lovemaking seemed to be taking a disappointing
turn.

He could feel
her thinking, feel her sitting next to him in deep contemplation
but surprisingly she’d learned how to block her thoughts.
Apparently, another run in with the master’s tormenting mist had
strengthened the warrior woman. He waited in feigned sleep to see
what she would do. She let out a heavy sigh. Then he sensed her
presence hovering over him. He didn’t move.

Her long silky
hair brushed his cheeks as she lowered her head. He felt her lips
drawing closer, closer, until she touched them to his ever so
lightly. She pulled back just a little before kissing him again,
this time with unmistakable desire.

Will she
give in to her desire and accept her destiny with me? Or will she
seize the opportunity to kill me and bring back her boyfriend?
Von decided to risk it all. If he couldn’t trust her, then he
didn’t want her.
If she is hell bent on reuniting with her
previous love, then I’d rather her drive that dagger through my
heart.
It would hurt a lot less.

Her lips tasted
sweet. He waited in stoic silence for the inevitable betrayal,
something he’d grown used to over the years. She ended the kiss and
pulled away. Every muscle in his body wanted to grab her, shake
some sense into her, and make her see how much he loved her. Still,
he held back. He needed to know. For once in his life, he’d let go
of the reins.

She sighed
again. “You sleep pretty sound for someone who insinuated it might
be a hard thing to catch you doing.”

He opened his
eyes to find her gazing dreamily at him. “You’re not holding your
daggers.”

“I’m not
preparing to kill anyone at the moment,” she said with a pointed
look. Then an expression of clarity swept over her pretty face.
“You thought I was moving in for the kiss of death?”

“The thought
crossed my mind.”

She slanted him
a knowing look and half smiled. “You were testing me.”

“I had to.”

“I’m not a
black widow. I don’t mate then kill my lovers.” She gave a light
laugh.

“I know how
much you loved him. It ripped at my heart to see you so broken
up.”

She sat back on
her knees and released a deep breath. “I do love him, but I felt
what the curse is like. I realized that I couldn’t sentence Raef to
an eternity of hell. He’s way too sweet for that. What Twilight
does is maddening. I understand some of what you must have suffered
by no choice of your own and also how Ian succumbed to Cassie. I’ve
never experienced anything so compellingly evil.”

“You
are
the woman I thought you were.”

“Don’t put me
on a pedestal. I don’t deserve it.”

“You could’ve
killed me. I wouldn’t have stopped you.”

“I-I…” She
raked a hand over her hair.

“You can’t?”
His eyes searched hers for truth.

“Once was
enough.” She smiled in an attempt to cover her feelings, but he saw
the conflict.

“Can’t say it,
huh?”

“What? That
I’ve fallen in love with you?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m not making
this mistake again. I held back on telling Raef until it was too
late.” An indicative look flitted through her eyes. “The truth is…I
am in love with you.”

He reached for
her. “Then why did you get dressed?”

“Believe it or
not, I was cold. You really know how to put out a fire.”

“Well c’mere,
sugar, let me warm you up.” He pulled her close and smiled—thrilled
that he’d slaked her burning need and even more elated over her
words. “Just for the record, Flame, I’ve been in love with you
since the day we met. I just didn’t know how to bridge the
gap.”

She laid a
delicate hand on his bare chest then kissed his neck. “You’re
almost there. When I see you destroy Twilight’s evil fiends then
I’ll know you’ve sincerely turned.” She looked up at him with those
sincere blue eyes. “You still have a choice to make. I’ve already
made mine.”

“Oh believe me,
babe, I made my choice long ago. Now that I can trust you, I won’t
let you down. You’ll see just how bad I can be.”

Chapter
Eleven

“Ohhh shit,”
she muttered after retching alongside the road. “What the hell was
that?”

Von held her
hair with tenderness not expected from a man like him. Flame wiped
her mouth, then sipped bottled water.

“Sorry, babe.
Guess I could’ve given you a heads up on that.” He helped her up.
“We’re running out of time so I got you here the immortal way. Ian
will do his best to keep the master distracted. Twilight lost track
of me since the day I walked into Raef’s home. We decided to make
the most of this unexpected glitch.”

“That explains
the evil realm’s fury with me. He accused me of hiding you.” She
glanced around and noticed that they were only minutes from the
Kaminski residence—the place where her hell had begun. An icy chill
gripped her. “Why are we here so early in the morning?”