Dark Desires After Dusk (Immortals After Dark #6)(14)

No answer. The closest gas station was at least twenty-five miles away. He fished out his cell phone from his jacket.

Out of area, the screen read. “Bugger me.”

When he glanced back up, he caught sight of her farther along this deserted stretch of road, standing alone.

What the hell is she doing all the way out here by herself?

Their eyes met. At that moment, he caught her sultry, feminine scent.

The night began to feel dreamlike, surreal.

He started toward her, not bothering to retrieve his hat—with her otherworldly beauty, he could tell she was definitely one of the Lore.

Shining red hair curled down to her waist. As he neared, he saw that her eyes were dark as night. A gown of the palest blue silk clung to her lush curves. When he spied the outline of her hardened nipples, he ran a hand over his mouth.

He was fifteen hundred years old. Had he ever been so instantly and fiercely attracted to a female?

She began sauntering along the road away from him.

“No, wait! Are you all right?”

She turned to him but continued to step back.

“I won’t hurt you,” he called, following. “Do you have a car out here?”

“I need your help,” she said, her voice throaty.

“Of course.” What would she think of his battle-scarred face up close? He hadn’t cared much in the past, but with her . . . the idea of seeing her disgust made him hesitate. Until she turned and skipped down an embankment—farther away from him.

He hastened after her. “Do you live near here?”

“Need your help,” she said once more, ducking behind a willow by the water’s edge.

He joined her beneath the tree. “I have to get back to the city, but then I can come back to help you.” And get all your information so I can return for you once my duties are done.

As he gazed down at her face, he began to feel dizzy once more, on edge even. His reaction to her seemed too powerful, her looks too alluring to be real. She had high cheekbones and the most flawless pale skin he’d ever seen. Her pink lips were plump and glistening.

Just when he began to draw back, she said, “Help me now.” Grasping his hand in her two small ones, she kissed his palm with those smiling lips, then placed it over one of her full breasts.

Every muscle in his body tightened with want. Unable to stop himself, he kneaded her flesh with a low groan. The promise of pleasure blazed from her mesmerizing eyes, and he found himself lowering his defenses.

“This is what I need,” she murmured in a siren’s voice, arching to his hand.

“And the gods know that I want to give it to you, right after I’ve settled—”

“I need it”—she took his other hand and placed it high on her inner thigh—“now.”

Rydstrom tried to shake himself. He had responsibilities. But I’ve been so long without a woman.

He hissed out a breath when she raised her hands to his horns, boldly grasping them to tug him down to her. “Kiss me, demon.”

When a female steered a demon male like this . . . Rydstrom shuddered from the savage thrill, bowing his head as she bade him to with her sexual grip. Their lips met, and lust rocked him.

He felt a connection with her. Maybe even the connection.

With that thought in mind, he began taking her mouth hard. She was experienced, urging him on, meeting every thrust of his tongue, teasing him until his hands landed on her soft ass to rock her against his shaft.

Still, he somehow broke away from her. “I . . . can’t do this now. I have to meet someone. Much rides on this.”

“Make love to me,” she whispered, now sidling closer to him. “Here. Under this tree, in the moonlight. I’m aching for you.”

His horns were straightening, his cock throbbing. He could scarcely withstand the need to be inside her luscious body.

But he had to. The kingdom’s needs always come before the king’s. “No. I have obligations,” he bit out, hating those obligations for the first time. Resenting them.

When he backed away, her brows drew together. “Then you leave me no choice, Rydstrom.”

Just when he wondered how she knew his name, the road began disappearing, as though the earth had been draped, disguised. He twisted around.

An illusion all around him. Behind him, he heard a clang like the door of a jail cell slamming shut. As the chimera vanished, realization hit him.

“You’re Omort and Groot’s sister. Sabine, the Queen of Illusions.” She’d opened a portal into a dungeon, then disguised it as just a continuation of the road.

“Very good, Rydstrom.”

He’d warned Cade that their enemy would stop at nothing to thwart them in their quest to get that sword. Rydstrom hadn’t known the sorcerer’s sister was in league with Omort, or that she was this powerful in her own right.

And if the rumors were true . . .

Then she was even more treacherous than either of her brothers.

The most beautiful female Rydstrom had ever seen was the most evil. Or maybe this wasn’t her true likeness at all. She’d probably given him exactly what he needed to see to become spellbound. “Show me your real form.”

“This is.” She smoothed her palms over her breasts and lower. “I’m so pleased by how much it arouses you.”

Even now it did, and he despised her for it. “Why have you done this to me, Sabine?”