Текст книги "Dark Awakening"
Автор книги: T. A. Grey
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Chapter 12
The Kategan family took up more room in the tiny one bedroom cabin than was available. It looked like some scene out of a Disney movie, Alison thought.
"So DNA results are back from our guys at the lab. The bedsheet from the apartment is a match to Conlin. Ninety-nine percent accurate,” said Sarina.
"What did they match it against?" asked Rome.
"Conlin's DNA was already in the system from four years ago. The lab guys couldn't tell me what it was for though."
A hard knock interrupted the conversation. Rome was closest to the door and opened it.
"Hey, it's about time you showed up. You need to work on your punctuality man. Something happen?" Rome stepped aside so a tall male with a short military-style haircut could come through. He didn’t just look around the room, he searched it. Alison had a feeling he was taking in everything in that one look. His eyes lingered on Rome's sister Vera for a second longer than necessary.
"I got held up at the office, sorry."
Nodding, Rome turned back to the room. "Vane, Darien, you've met my old comrade in arms, Jackson." The men came forward to shake hands. "Jacks, I don't believe you've met Vane's mate Sarina." She came forward, welcoming him with a smile and a handshake. "The lounger over there is my sister Vera and this is Alison, the reason I called you here."
The man—the very human man—stayed near the front door. The man didn't just stand, he looked ready to move at a moment's notice. His eyes seemed to see everything. He was quite unusual for a human. Alison wondered if he stayed near the front door as an emergency exit and if he didn’t it knowingly. He reminded her of a man who’d been through war.
"We were just catching up on the latest details of the situation," Rome said to Jacks. Turning back to the room he said, "I asked Jacks here because he's the best investigator I know, and more importantly, I trust the bastard. We got the DNA results back and it's a positive match to Conlin."
"Sarina also told me there was an interesting run in with a woman today," Vane added.
Alison stiffened, but Vera smiled at her and that somehow made her feel stronger.
Rome broke the new tension. "It was my ex Sandra. Right before she left she said Conlin wants Alison back."
"So she's working with him then." Jacks didn't ask a question, merely stated the information as cold fact.
Rome nodded and said, "Yeah, a man like Conlin has a lot of power, a lot of money, and too much charm.”
“How do we know the woman wasn't just saying that to cause some chaos?" Jacks asked.
"It doesn’t fit. She didn't even know I was seeing someone else. She had no idea I was with Alison until she came in the cafe," Rome said.
Alison turned to face Rome, confused. "How did she know you were there anyways? Was she following you?"
Big shoulders shrugged. "Probably, she's called nearly once a day since I ended things."
"And when was that?" It was Vera who asked. Her soft, husky voice was soothing. Alison could easily see her having a great seeing voice. Bluesy and jazzy music thick like a humid night.
"Four weeks ago."
"So she sought out Conlin just to, what, sabotage us?" Alison nearly blushed at the connotation of us. Though Rome didn't seem to notice the slip.
Rome took a seat next to her. "My guess is he found her. He has cops, lawyers, all kinds of people who can gather him information. He found her to use against us is my bets." Alison wrung her hands together, wishing that if she just squeezed tight enough all of this would go away. These people didn't deserve to be cleaning up her problem.
"The bigger problem is Conlin. If he actually said that he's going to take her back then he's going to try and find a way to do it," Vane said looking everything the military commander with his knees spread and elbows resting on them.
"There's no way he's coming back on Kategan lands, and we have extra guards lined up and watching the perimeter," Sarina said, shaking her head.
The human was shaking his head no. "If he wants her, he'll find a way and he'll get her. The best you can do is have a personal guard on her at all times and have some kind of alarm planned that can be triggered when he finally attempts."
"How can you be so certain?" Vera's voice was no longer soft but cutting and cold. She stared at the human like she wanted to see his insides.
He stared right back at her. "Because it's my job to find people like this."
"Lay off, Vera. He's the best, that's why I brought him here." Rome turned to his friend. "I want you on Conlin. We need eyes on him at all times, can you do that for me."
"Done," the human said.
Alison spoke up with a question that had been nagging her. "Can't we just go to the Justicar's now that we have evidence?"
"The only thing they're going to do is tell him to back off. The Justicar's restraint orders are as useless as human's restraining orders. They're bullshit." Alison had never seen Rome speak so violently, like he was having a hard time suppressing his anger.
Vera pointed a long-nailed finger into the air. "No, no, no. She definitely needs to make a report with the Justicars. We need to keep building evidence against the bastard."
"She's right," Darien said, speaking up for the first time. His body shadowed the corner like a statue. "Rome should stay with her."
Alison protested immediately. She had enough problems on her hands and some of them were due to the handsome lykaen. The last thing she needed was to have him permanently at her side. Hell, she'd already slept with him way too much.
"I think after today's warning that's our best option right now," Rome agreed.
"I can stick around too," Vera offered. "I have some vacay time I can use from work. I can even bunker down in the spare cabin so I'm close."
"It would be better if Darien occupied the guest cabin instead," Jacks said, his arms crossing across his big chest.
Alison's mouth fell open at Vera's thunderous expression. She leaned forward from her slacked position, her hands straddling her thighs. "Are you saying I'm not as strong or capable as my brother, human?"
The man didn't flinch at her icy tone. "That's exactly what I'm saying." She growled, a loud vibrating sound in the cabin.
"Vera can take the cabin, Darien will stay near just in case," Vane ordered, all alpha in his voice.
Alison watched the human tense but then his shoulders relaxed. He cut his eyes away from Vera.
"Don't worry, we're going to make sure he never gets his hands on you again," Rome said.
Alison's gut tightened. A throbbing pain was beating at her temples like it was trying to get out. She just wanted to be alone. She didn't want to think about Conlin or Sandra or her life or anything at all.
Sarina caught her gaze from across the room and gave her a soft nod. "Baby, are we done here? I'm feeling tired." Instantly the male looked concerned. Vane grabbed her hand and practically hauled her to the door.
Rome laughed and Vera snorted and rolled her eyes; Darien just stared at Vane and his mate, a peculiar look in his eye.
Rome hollered before everyone was out of earshot. "If anyone gets news of any kind you pick up the phone and call me."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, Roman. We know the drill." Vera lifted off from the chair, the move fluid and graceful. She swooped down and gave Alison a quick, startling hug before heading to the front door. The male Jacks didn't move as she stared at him. They stayed in that staring contest for a few more seconds before she finally puffed out a sigh and sauntered out of the cabin. Jacks gave a nod to Rome and left after the fuming female.
Alison breathed a deep sigh when everyone was gone. Rome came up and leaned down over her, his hands braced on the arms of the seat. Her heart beat faster. Only he could do that to her. It scared the shit out of her.
He cocked his head at her, studying her, taking everything in. From the frown of her mouth to the stressed furrow of her brow and her now rapid pulse beating against the thin skin of her neck. Yup, she was definitely stupid.
She'd been hurt so bad once. It wasn't the physical pain of the beating that Conlin gave her that scarred her. It ran much deeper than that. It festered and bled inside her. She'd actually loved him. The sickness in her gut permeated throughout her body making her body feel heavy and sick. Who could love someone like that? Why couldn’t she see it then?
"Hey, stop it." His voice wasn't gentle. It was hard and heated. He cupped her chin in his hand and gave her a bruising, punishing kiss. "Don't think about it, don't think about him. He doesn't deserve to be in your thoughts." His words surprised her and brought her back from the sick feeling. It was still there but it was only simmering inside her.
Stupid, stupid, that's what she was. She'd made the mistake of loving someone like him before and look where that had ended up.
Life had a cruel way of circling in on her.
"Tell me what's wrong." It was a command spoken from an Alpha. She was helpless to answer it. He gave her another punishing kiss before she could breathe again.
"I'm afraid of trusting you. Even though I know you're different, you're not him. I can't help it. The fear is there, no matter how irrational it is. I'm terrified that one of these days I'll make you mad and then..." her quick words trembled unevenly until finally she tore her face free of his hands and brushed past him. He moved out of the way, letting her escape. Only after she was in the kitchen could she breathe freely again.
He followed her, his intoxicating scent filling the room. She wanted to roll around in it, lick his naked body everywhere. He'd let her too, but then when she came out of her sexual haze the fear would be back. The fucking insecurities. She hated it. She hated herself. So fucking weak. Somehow those angry thoughts fueled her, had her turning towards him, and saying something she'd never expected to say.
"More than anything else I'm scared that after all this is over, I'll be just like Sandra. Bitter and angry...sad that you're gone from my life. That I was temporary to you. Just the girl you spent two months with. "
He took a step forward, but stopped when she held her palm out to him. "You are not temporary to me."
She let out a harsh, semi-hysterical laugh. "Oh really Rome? And just what did you plan on doing with me after we have enough evidence to give to the Justicars? What were you going to 'date' me? Come and pick me up at whatever apartment I can afford."
She could see that her words had struck a chord . He tensed, his eyes sparkling like a roaring fire. A hard knot of pain formed in her chest, making it hard to breathe. The look spoke clearly, as if he'd written it down and shown it to her– he hadn't thought ahead with her. Not at all.
Before he could see the wetness in her eyes, she turned and busied herself with making tea. Through shear will, she managed to erect a wall around her, mostly around her heart. She had to, or she didn't know what would happen.
She heard his words from behind her, but they sounded muted like he was speaking through a filter. She wanted to tune him out all the way but a part of her craved to know what he'd say.
"I'm not a planner, Alison. I'm sorry for that. But I'm not sorry for being with you. I might not have a plan but I did have expectations. Expectations that you'd stay here with me, that we had something good here. I hope I'm not wrong." And with those numbing words he left, the cabin door shutting quietly behind him.
Chapter 13
The past two days were the longest ones of her life. When Rome finally came back that first night, it was late. He didn't say a word to her. He kept downstairs and slept on the couch. Seeing him so angry with her tore like bullets through her heart. Each moment of silence from him, of not seeing his smile ate at her like a virus.
She came to him yesterday night, found him in his study, and apologized. She'd meant the whispered words, they came from deep in her heart. He hadn't even looked at her, just nodded, and said okay. She'd left with tears in her eyes. It wasn't until she reached the shower that she let them fall. She wept quietly, her arms wrapped around her.
She couldn't even fault him for his crude attitude. Not really. Not when she’d been pushing him away this whole time. And not when she tried to ask him for some kind of commitment.
Even though a part of her didn’t understand his reaction towards her, on the outside level, she did. When she had questioned his feelings toward her, their relationship, she had questioned his honor. Lykaen men prided themselves on their duty and honor, especially towards women.
Once again, she wished she'd just kept her mouth shut. If she hadn't said anything, everything would be fine again. For two days, she had time to wallow in her thoughts, her feelings. He came and went, but ignored her attempts at conversation and intimacy. And yet during his silence she had realized something else. He would not be so angry if he didn't care. For two years, she'd lived alone and scared. Scared Conlin would decide to come after her again, scared to date other men. But her lykaen had felt inside of Rome and it told her he was safe. He was welcome.
She had apologized, that only left her bereft and in pain, so now she knew what she had to do. In the kitchen, she dressed the table with a flowing white cloth and set two place settings with a large and small plate, a bowl, and in the middle placed a thick maroon candle from the bathroom. When she'd called Sarina to ask her about what had happened between her and Rome, her friend was more than understanding. And more than eager to help. So she'd read a grocery list of items off to Sarina and a guard had them bought and brought to her within two hours.
Checking on the bread and dinner, she made sure everything was perfect. It had to be perfect for tonight. She might be crazy but she was ready to take a chance...on him.
She ran upstairs and jumped into the shower. She washed quickly, not sure when he was going to be back. She was just pulling on that empire waist black dress that Sarina lent her when she heard the cabin door below open. He was here.
Nerves driving her moves, she slipped on the black heels with shaking hands. Checking on her reflection one last time she made her way down the stairs. Maybe her heels weren't such a good idea after all. They clicked loudly, screaming her presence to the whole cabin. She found him at the entrance to the kitchen, his back ramrod straight.
Shit. She had planned everything up until this point. She was at a loss for words. He turned around slowly and looked at her. His eyes were cold, but as his eyes dropped down her body taking in her dress, her legs, his eyes flamed with heat. The look was gone a moment later, extinguished like a bucket of water on a match. Still, it gave her hope.
She took a few steps forward then stopped at tight expression. "I made dinner for you. Would you care to eat with me?" Her voice was steady but unfamiliar. She sounded like a stranger even to her own ears.
His lips flattened into a hard line. He turned back to look at the elaborate setup on the table then back at her. "I don't think so Alison." His words still held that layer of anger, but it wasn't as strong as it was before. God, she only hoped so.
Steeling herself, she walked up to him like she was approaching a wounded animal. She stopped just when she could feel the heat of his body. It felt so good to be this close to him. She'd missed him so much these past two days. She'd never thought that would be possible. But she did seem doomed to repeat her past mistakes.
Her mother had always told her honesty was the best course of action, so she tried it. "I miss you, Roman. I miss you so much it hurts." Tears pooled in her eyes and she fought to push them away. She didn't need them right now. They might only push him away further. "I'm so sorry for what I said, but I was wrong. I just can't help my fears. You make me feel so good, but...so did he Rome. Don't you see that?"
Her lips trembled and she looked away, all the fight taken out of her. When he didn't move away, she felt a pulse of hope inside her. Minutes passed, then finally he spoke.
"I will forgive you on one condition."
"What's that?" she asked, hope and fear flooding through her.
"You will trust me. No more doubts, no more thinking I'm like him. If you can't already see that I'm not, then we're done here."
Alison swallowed the lump in her throat. Oh God, what he was asking her... She didn't know if she could do it. But her heart was telling her to do whatever it takes to keep him.
"Ok, I will." She looked up at him, her eyes with and hopeful. "I can't promise I won't doubt sometimes or fear, but I will try."
His eyes softened, but only a little. "Why are you even bothering with me, baby? You're cycle is over, you don't need me. But I feel this thing, this whatever it is between us. I like it, Alison. I like it a lot, and I don't know if I could let it go. Ever."
She couldn't stop herself, she leapt at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and held him tight. She buried her neck and inhaled his masculine scent. God, he felt so good, so right. His arms came around her automatically and she sighed at the sensation.
"I don't want to stay away from you. I don't know if I could. I just know that I want you here...with me." Her quiet words, spoken into the heat of his neck had him tightening his hold on her with a groan.
A strong hand cupped her bottom. A gentle, reassuring touch nonetheless made her heart beat faster. Another hand in her hair, and then she was facing him and his mouth was on hers. The kiss was gentle but no less strong.
Lips swept across lips, teeth plucked her lip then licked the soft flesh. His kiss was possession. She was wrapped up in his scent, his body, his taste and never wanted to feel anything else.
He pulled away and smiled down at her. The first smile she'd seen in days. Instantly the heaviness over her chest was lifted and she could breathe right. She smiled back. He squeezed her bottom in a teasing caress then grabbed her hand and went into the kitchen.
"Feed me, baby. I'm hungry." Like that the tension between them was gone.
Alison laughed and served him her dinner. She sat across from him, not even bothering to hide her eagerness at his reaction. At his first taste he groaned, his eyes closing.
"You need to package your skills and sell them. You'd make a fortune," he said over a bite of broccoli covered in a cream sauce.
Dinner went so much better than expected. They laughed and teased each other, and he complimented each bite he took as if it was ambrosia. After their plates were cleaned and he finished the extra bites left off her plate, she moved to clear the dishes. He stopped her and did the task himself, loading the dishwasher.
Alison poured a glass of champagne that Sarina had added to the grocery list. The tingly bubbles popped over her tongue, tickling her. But the sweet after taste was worth the party in her mouth. Rome turned back around, his eyes darkened with sensual heat. Alison bit her lip and set her glass down, then picked it back up so she had something with which to keep her hands busy.
He had her trapped by his stormy gray gaze. He stalked to her. That was the only way to describe it. His legs ate up the distance between them, and then he was before his, his scent wrapping around her like warm velvet. Hands at her waist lifted her onto the sturdy wood table, rucking the white cloth up.
He fitted himself between her legs and pressed her most intimate heat against him. The hard press of his cock had a flood of wet heat gushing out of her.
"I'll have my dessert now," he said, his voice deeper, huskier as it always was when he was aroused. She loved that she knew that about him, even as his hands cupped her breasts through her dress and plumped the globes until her nipples peaked and hardened.
"I made dessert," she stuttered, even as she clenched her thighs over his hips. He smiled down at her but it was pure sin.
A hot hand touched her knee then pressed up her thigh, the fabric of her dress moved with him until her lace black panties were bare to his gaze.
"The only dessert I'll be having is right in front of me." He licked his lips at the sight of her panties, and her heart kicked into overdrive. She wanted him bad, couldn't wait another moment. His hands ran in long caresses up and down her body. Trailing over her breasts and aching nipples, over her throat, down her thighs, squeezing her hips. The sensations swirled around her until a cool breeze fell over her heated skin. Looking down she realized he'd pulled her dress off. It dangled precariously over her ankle before falling to the floor.
He cupped her breasts again as his mouth came down to feast on one hungry nipple. He growled around her breast and she felt the press of teeth. He squeezed her other globe, the flesh pressing through his spread fingers as his tongue sucked and lapped her hard but like a delicious treat. Her hips jerked towards his, asking silently for what she craved. Her hands cupped his hair, freed it of its tie and blonde locks spilled down his shoulders.
He pulled back from her breast with a feral growl before diving down to her mouth. His tongue slid in and devoured her, pleasured her with thick thrusts that mimicked something she wanted far more.
He pulled back to press hot kisses down her throat, across her collarbone and said, "I've been mad for you for days. I wanted nothing more than to come crawling back into that bed with you." More kisses passing down over the mound of her breast, down her rounded stomach. His words fueled the already waging fire inside her. She unconsciously opened her thighs further, seeking him out.
"Take off your clothes," she whispered, her voice a mere croak.
He pulled back and stripped in a matter of seconds, and then he was back on her, kiss over her belly button, dipping over her skin with his tongue. Then he nuzzled her dark curls and his tongue snaked through to her needy core.
"Rome!" she cried out, her head shooting back, her hands clinging to the locks of loose, beautiful golden hair. He pushed her thighs further apart with a bruising grip. His head bent low and then his tongue found her swollen, hard clitoris and licked it with a speed no human tongue could possibly make. Her hips jacked up against his greedy mouth and noises formed from her throat she'd never made before. She came hard, her body tightening like a bow against his mouth as pleasure shattered through her.
She panted, tried to find her bearings. His lips pressed kisses down each of her thighs, especially where he'd held her open with his hands.
"Rome. I need you now, please," she whispered, her eyes fluttering open to stare at the predator between her legs. His eyes were feral, glowing with the lykaen that preened at the surface. To know that her pleasure had pushed him so far sent a thrill shivering through her.
"Not yet," he said and dipped back down to her creamy sex. One heavy arm fell across her hips. She tried to move against it but learned quickly that it was impossible, his strength incredible. Long, flat licks stroked over her pussy stoking the fire still burning within her. Soon she was moaning, her head tossing side to side. He licked her again and again, never applying pressure, never focusing on the part she needed the most.
"God dammit, do something now!" she cried to the ceiling. Only then did he. A long finger pushed inside her with striking easiness as his mouth latched on to her throbbing clit. "There, there, yes!"
His finger didn't fill her nearly like she craved. He seemed to know this and used it to tease her empty channel while his tongue swirled and flicked over her bud.
He tore his head away from her, his eyes wild and said, "Christ woman. Your pussy needs my cock so bad. I can feel you sucking on my finger, aching to be filled."
"Yes, yes!" Her cries went unanswered though as his head fell back to her, and if she thought his tongue was moving fast before, she was wrong. He wiggled his velvety tongue across her clit with remarkable speed, building her up so quickly; she came in a few flicks, his finger still thrusting inside her. She cried out as waves of pleasure shot from her womb to her toes curling the small digits.
He leaned back from her sex, a sheen of sweat covering his brow. "God, how you grip me.” He looked pained as he pulled his finger from her.
Her body was liquid pleasure. Her limbs lose, her core painfully empty and in need. He stood up before her like a towering devil, his cock a heavy, straight mass standing out from his hips. She moaned at the sight of the precum dripping from his cock and licked her lips wishing she could taste him.
"I'm going to feel you come apart again, with my cock buried deep inside your sweet pussy." His voice was feral, so deep the words were no longer human. The hair on her arms stood on end a second before he slid in on one hard thrust.
He moved in her then with all the passion and ferocity of the lykaen inside him. Her butt scooted up on the table with his hammering thrusts. She didn't care. Her pussy wept with hot cream, tightened over him again and again, craving the seed he'd spill into her.
When the table started to move with his hard thrusts, he growled and pulled out of her. She moaned at the loss, but was quickly turned and bent over the table. Hard gripping hands grabbed her hips and then he slammed back in with a dark curse.
He pounded into her tight heat like a wild rutting animal. Only after she came two more times did he let himself go. Her pussy still milking him from her fading orgasm, he gripped her ass cheeks in both hands and couldn't hold it anymore.
He pushed in one last time and actually shouted as his cock spewed his seed deep inside her. He was pushing, little shoves of his softening cock into her as if to make the tremendous sensations last. But they didn't and as he pulled out of her, his cock semi-hard, he saw her ass cheeks pink from his grip and grew to complete hardness again.
He turned her over, kissed her, and tasted her wet silken heat. She moaned into his mouth and positioned his hips, found her creamy sheathe and thrust back in again.
Her eyes widened with surprise, but then her hips rocked up into his, her clit pressing against his groin. He took her again in long, slow strokes that built both of them to a beautiful, intense high. She gripped his back; her breasts mashed against the crisp hairs of his chest and cried out, shuddering with her orgasm.
Rome kissed her, pushed into her as far as he could go, and jetted his sweet release into her.
