Fear the Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #9)(35)

“You can locate her now?” Dolf growled, his eyes glowing crimson.

“Don’t be any more of an idiot than you have to be, cur,” Gaius snapped.

The stupid creature scowled. “What?”

Gaius waved a hand to slam shut the heavy shutters over the window. “It’s nearly dawn.”

“So . . .” Realization at last managed to penetrate his thick skull. “Oh.”

“Precisely.” Dismissing the fool, Gaius turned his attention to the witch, moving with blinding speed to grab her by the throat and lift her off the floor. “You will perform this scrying at nightfall,” he commanded, his glare warning that he would rip out her heart if she tried to find the prophet while he was imprisoned by daylight. “Not a moment before, capisce?”

She struggled to breathe, her eyes wide with fear. “Of course.”

His eyes narrowed. “Oh, and I’ll need a new female. Order one off the computer.”

“It’s not that—” She squeaked as his fingers tightened, a fraction from crushing her windpipe. “Yes, fine. I’ll have one here by dusk.”

“Good.” He released his grip, watching her crumple on the floor before turning back to the curs. “Dolf.”

The cur lowered his head, flinching as if he expected a blow. “Yes, Commander?”

“Get rid of the body upstairs.”

“Yeah.” The cur hissed a sigh of relief. “No problem.”

Feeling the heavy press of dawn begin to sap what little energy he had left, Gaius turned to leave the room. The night had been a debacle. For now he just wanted to lock himself in his private rooms and drift into oblivion. He’d reached the doorway when Ingrid foolishly halted his retreat.

“What about me?”

Gaius threw a jaundiced glare over his shoulder. “Try not to burn down the house while I’m sleeping.”

Caine stood between Cassie’s legs, gliding his fingers up and down her throat as he studied the faint color that stained her cheeks. The wolf inside him remained edgy, needing the comfort of holding this woman in his arms to reassure himself that she was safe. The man . . .

He needed something far more primitive.

“You are so beautiful,” he breathed.

She brushed the hair from his brow, her smile oddly uncertain. “Do you truly think so?”

He frowned. Was it possible she didn’t realize she was the most gorgeous creature ever to walk the earth? “You’ve looked in a mirror, haven’t you?”

“Not often. My appearance has never mattered to me.” She shrugged. “Not until now.”

His thumbs slid beneath her chin, tilting back her head to meet his curious gaze. “Why should it matter now?”

“I want you to find me attractive.”

He growled, his hands cupping her face as his body ached to show her just how damned attractive he found her.

“You are exquisite,” he assured her, his voice thick with the need pulsing through his veins. “But it’s not the shimmer of silver in your hair, or the stunning emerald of your eyes that has bewitched me.” His gaze slid downward. “It’s not even your hot little body, although that has given me more than one sleepless night.”

She leaned forward to nip the lobe of his ear. “Then what?”

Pleasure jolted through him at the tiny bite, his erection so hard that the mere brush of the ridiculous apron was painful. Christ, he felt like he was going to explode.

Don’t pounce, Caine. Do. Not. Pounce.

Gritting his teeth, he instead lowered his hand to press his palm over her rapidly beating heart. “This.”

Her brows lifted. “My heart?”

“Yes.”

“Oh.” Her arms wrapped around his neck as her eyes melted into pools of emerald. “I don’t know much about these things, but I believe that was the perfect thing to say.”

He flashed a smug smile. “Was it?”

She stroked her lips along the line of his jaw. “Hmmm.”

Caine went rigid, a groan wrenched from his throat. “I try.”

“Yes.” She found a particularly erotic spot just below his jaw, using her tongue to drive him mad with need. “You certainly do.”

He muttered a curse, reaching his breaking point. There was more than one way of sharing pleasure.

“I could try better if you had on fewer clothes.”

Without missing a beat, Cassie leaned back to hook her hands beneath the bottom of her top and peel it off. “Like this?”

His breath escaped him on a hiss as she tossed the shirt on the floor, his gaze locked on the sight of her mouthwatering br**sts barely concealed by the black lace bra. “It’s a start,” he managed to choke out.

“More?”

Oh. He wanted so much more.

“Let me help,” he rasped, reaching to pop the button and unzip her jeans before dropping to his knees.

Ignoring her protests, he gently removed her tennis shoes and tugged off her socks. He lifted her foot to stroke his lips along the line of her arch.

She gasped, the scent of her arousal spicing the air. “That tickles.”

He chuckled, nipping the tips of her toes. “Such sweet little toes.”

“Oh . . . Lord.”

Grasping the hem of her jeans, he pulled them ruthlessly downward. They dropped on the tiled floor as his hands lifted to worship the pale alabaster skin of her calves.