Chapter 10
Ididn’t know if it was the Morrigan or the fact that I hadn’t had sex or masturbated in almost two years, but the moment Darius closed the bathroom door all I could do was think of him pinning me to bed and fucking me senseless.
How was I going to not climb him like a tree in my sleep? He was so warm, so firm and huge, everywhere. I loved how small and safe he made me feel just by standing next to me, and now I was facing five whole nights hoping I didn’t end up revealing way too much by snuggling up to him in my sleep?
“Okay, this is…this is a wrinkle, nothing more. Darius is a professional and I am…I am too young for him, and this is his job and…”
It was no use, every time I tried to come up with something to keep my heart from hoping he might feel the same way, I thought of our two kisses. The way he’d held me like I was a life raft in a storm, how his mouth had owned mine both times. I’d never been kissed like I was, at once, precious and a filthy dream.
I was half in love with him when I’d been kidnapped, and believing he would one day find me had kept me going when all I’d wanted to do was give up and die. Now, all the things that had kept us in our own little boxes had been stripped way. There were no boundaries anymore, no real excuses as to why we couldn’t be together. The only thing that remained seemed to be our fear, nothing more.
Although that’s still a pretty damn big barrier.
I closed my eyes and leaned on the wall, thinking of the things I’d seen in his blood. Darius had suffered so much. The loneliness, the loss of his family, both biological and found. Under that hard, tattooed exterior that had more in common with a member of the Bratva than a bodyguard, was a male who longed for connection.
Was that with me? And if so, was it merely his self-imposed solitude talking or something more? Did he want me or just a warm body?
And then there was the glimpse of the berserker that lurked inside of him. It was…incredible, feral, beastly. He wants me to be afraid of it, I knew that. Darius was terrified of that part of himself and I supposed it was for good reason. But I found myself more intrigued than fearful. I wanted to know that side of him, the one that I’d caught a glimpse of any time danger got too close to me. The side that clearly had helped him free me from that lab.
I wanted to hold that beast, to soothe his anger and show him that he was worthy of love just as much as Darius’ controlled side. I wanted to love those two parts of him back together and show him that he didn’t need to live in fear.
I shook my head and snorted.
“Apparently the torture didn’t damage my delusional romantic side, good to know. Darius will never let me get that close.”
It was true and it hurt like hell. Because I knew, if he’d just give me a chance, even though I was so much younger than him, even though we were so opposite, I knew that I could love him like he deserved.
The shower turned off and I scurried inside the closet to find a change of clothes.
I opened a drawer at the back of the closet and found a pair of soft gray leggings, a crop top and a comfy gray cardigan, along with white panties and a bra. I changed quickly, finding a pair of fluffy socks in the drawer too.
That is a neat spell, I wonder how Angelica got her hands on it.
The door to the bathroom opened just as I was walking out of the closet, and I skidded to a stop the second I saw Darius.
He was standing in the doorway, moisture rolling down his perfectly molded pecs and downright sinful six pack. I’d gotten a good look at the tats on his chest and stomach before, but there was something about them glistening wet, his green skin a bit darker from the heat of the water.
Then there was the towel.
It would cover me completely and then some. But on Darius?
He was holding it around himself with one hand, while the other ran over his head. The terry cloth molded to a half-hard cock that I swear stood a bit more to attention as I stared. A thick slab of his thigh peeked out from the open towel just beneath his left hip.
“I…uh…I’m just…” I tried. Then, because I apparently hadn’t embarrassed myself enough, “I got dressed.”
Darius smirked.
“Congratulations.”
Heat rushed to my face and I tried desperately not to smile. But then Darius approached me and I lost all capacity for speech as he towered over me, clad only in a towel that barely covered him. I stared up, lips parted and heart beating out a hard rhythm that my entire body felt.
“Nina?”
“Hmmm?”
“Can I get to the closet?”
“Oh!” I stumbled to the side, feet all tangled up, and I knew that I was about to fall flat on my ass when his hand darted out to steady me.
The hand that had been holding the towel.
My eyes widened to ridiculous sizes while I forced myself not to look anywhere but right at Darius’ face.
He swallowed hard.
I panted like I’d been running.
He cleared his throat.
I let out a squeak as I tried to say…something.
“This is…um,” he let out a sharp breath. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have come out in a towel, I just forgot to grab clothes and now...”
“It’s okay, I’m not looking if you want to get the towel, I’ll keep my eyes averted.”
It all came out in a breathless rush, my voice way too high, and I ended the whole thing on a nervous giggle.
Darius smirked.
“You won’t even be a little tempted? I think my ego is bruised.”
This time my laugh was a bit more normal.
“Why, Darius, are you flirting with me? How unprofessional!”
“I thought I wasn’t your bodyguard anymore?” he asked with a panty melting rumble in his voice.
“You aren’t.”
“Well, then…I guess you can look if you want then.”
“I guess I can.”
To my astonishment and delight, Darius didn’t even bother retrieving the towel.
Instead, he turned and walked to the closet as if I weren’t even there. And, because he had given me permission, and really, this probably my one shot at seeing his lower body, I stared until he disappeared into the closet.
Dear God, that ass!
Sorry Chris Evans, you do not have America’s ass, my bodyguard does.
It was that perfectly rounded kind of butt that looked like it was carved from stone. Unlike mine, it didn’t so much as bounce when he walked. Two gloriously thick legs followed below it, and I shivered. The sheer power in that body, the beauty of the shifting muscles, it made me wet just thinking of how it would feel above me.
“I guess Angelica was right,” he called from inside.
“Hmm? Right? About…um…huh?”
Oh my God, Nina! Get your shit together! Was it the best ass you’ve ever seen? Yes. Was there the barest hint of round balls and just the tip of an uncut green cock swinging between his thighs that I really want to lick like a damn lollipop? Yes…fucking yes…but, not helpful. Being non-verbal isn’t an option.
“About the clothes,” he said, walking out in a pair of perfectly fitting dark jeans and a black t-shirt that hugged his body like a lover.
He should only ever wear that.
“Yeah,” my voice was high, too high. I cleared my throat. “She totally was.”
And now it was too low.
What. The. Fuck?
“Are you okay?” he asked, eyes narrowing. “Did something happen?”
I let out a high, airy laugh.
Did something happen?
Did something happen?
Oh, just fuel for every fantasy I might have for the rest of my life, that’s all.
“No, just tired I guess. And hungry.”
“Yeah, that chicken is smelling good. You ready to go down to dinner with this band of thieves?”
The last part he said with a snarl and I chuckled at it, starting to sound halfway normal again, thank God.
“They don’t seem that bad.”
“You only met one.”
“Well, I’m optimistic. Everyone likes feeling like they’re interesting and important, it’s a key tactic when meeting any new person. And it usually helps break the ice. I doubt Angelica would assemble a team that wasn’t at least a little bit nice.”
His smile softened and my belly went all squishy.
“What?” I asked, wistfully.
“You’ve always been good at that. Meeting new people, getting them to like you.”
“Well, I had to make up for your suspicious glowering.”
“I don’t glower,” he said, opening the bedroom door.
“Oh, really?”
I did an impression of him as we descended the stairs and he huffed.
“That’s just the way I look.”
“Like you’re about to rip someone’s head off if they breathe on me too hard?”
“Yes, and…I just don’t like people.”
“Ouch, should I be offended?” Angelica asked as we approached the table.
“No, I actually do like you.”
“Oh, and to think, it only took five years.”
He snorted and shook his head at the offered glass of wine.
Trey set down a platter of gorgeously fried chicken and one very bloody steak on a separate plate. A large gray Werewolf snagged the steak and tore off a piece before plopping it down on his plate.
“Fuck yes,” said the Werewolf.
“Manners, you big beast,” Wanda said with an eye roll. “We should wait for everyone.”
“No one wants to watch him eat,” said a tall, beautiful Orc female.
The Werewolf glanced up and gave me a wide grin, a hint of red in his sharp canines.
“Well hello, you must be Nina, I’m Jack. There’s a seat next to me, gorgeous.”
I assumed these two were Jack and April. I was used to men and women flirting to get something from me. The motivations ran the gamut from sex all the way to introductions to my father’s business partners, or invites to club openings. I’d gotten really good at protecting myself with what the person wanted to hear without committing anything I didn’t want to. These instincts hadn’t been used in a while but they sprang to the forefront and I found myself giving this Werewolf my canned smile and fluttering eye lashes.
The difference was that, instead of the usual empty flirtations ensuing, the Werewolf looked over my shoulder and his smile quickly faded into something like fear mixed with frustration.
I glanced behind me and saw Darius staring the Werewolf down, his massive arms crossed, which only made them appear bigger and strained his already tight t-shirt. I probably should’ve looked away but I was mesmerized by the look on his face, the fire in those red eyes. I knew he’d watched over me whenever I’d gone out, I felt his presence no matter how far apart we were in any given room. But I’d never seen his face when someone approached me, never saw his face when someone was flirting or seducing me.
He was angry, frustrated and possessive, but it was all caged behind a persona that was more ‘threatening mountain’ than ‘warrior’, meant to intimidate and let them know that his size wasn’t just for show. I wondered if I was the only one could see how close to the surface his emotions were, how his hands clenched under his arms, and the tense set to his thighs.
The stare off only lasted a few seconds, but a clear line of ownership was set as Jack focused on his rare steak and didn’t look at me again.
I rolled my eyes and patted him on his very firm, very large bicep.
“Easy there, big guy,” I said, adding a kiss to his arm. “You’re the one I’m sleeping next to, remember?”
With one last glare at Jack, Darius took the seat next to him, forcing me to take the only one left between him and Angelica.
“So,” Angelica said, “Jack is our tech and weapons specialist. Wanda, as you already know is the expert on the layout of the place.”
“It’s nice to meet all of you and I’m guessing you all know who we are,” I said with a smile. “And since you’re the only one who hasn’t been introduced, that means you must be April.”
“Brilliant deduction,” the female Orc said, digging into her food.
“April is a top trainer at the International Academy of Witches,” Angelica clarified.
“I understand you’ll be working with me on the kinesis,” I said in my most friendly voice. “I’m looking forward to any insight you might have about how to attack the vault. The mechanisms look very intricate.”
“They are, but nothing my sister couldn’t handle if she wasn’t injured.”
“Yes, I heard, I’m so sorry.”
April’s frown deepened.
“Why? Is it your fault?” she growled.
“Of course not.”
“Then don’t apologize.”
I had a feeling that April would be won over by actions, not words, and hoped I was up for whatever challenges she’d devised for me during tomorrow’s training.
“Well, I’m curious about you,” Jack said, leaning over to try and catch my eye. Then Darius stared at him and Jack’s smile became nervous. “Both of you, I-I’m curious about both of you.”
“Well, he’s the jealous type, if you can’t tell,” I said with a chuckle, “and I’m—”
“A bored socialite that’s annoyingly upbeat,” April offered.
“That about sums it up,” I said.
The awareness of something metal shifting behind me entered my consciousness seconds before I felt it shooting through the air. My spatial awareness had never been this sharp and I wondered if it was the Morrigan enhancing what I already had.
I stopped the metal object seconds before it hit me in the back of the head. When I turned around, I was faced with a very sharp knife from the butcher block.
“What the fuck?” Darius demanded.
I snatched it out of the air and put a hand on his arm as Darius started to get to his feet.
“Darling, it’s alright.” I gave April a hard smile.
I may have been known as upbeat, but one thing I was not was a doormat. I had handled my fair share of mean girls with grace, but never had the desire to outright murder them been so strong.
Kill the bitch…she’s insulted us…kill her…shed the blood…see the battle scars…feel the passion…
It was the first time I could hear the Morrigan as more than mere instinct and it was unnerving in the extreme. Still, I also felt that it wanted to help me. So instead of rejecting it, I grabbed a strand of its dark power and twined it around mine. The trembling thread of my abilities stood straight and strong, and I was more sure than I’d ever been in my life that I could not only control my power, but make a statement with it.
“This is yours, I presume?” I floated it in the air between us, the end pointed at her this time. “Did you need it for your chicken?”
Then, in a show of control that shocked me to my core, I proceeded to use the knife to cut her food. When I was done, I floated the knife to the sink and placed it inside, while not once breaking eye contact with April.
A tiny bit of nausea wove through me when I let the power go, a whisper of something I once again couldn’t quite understand, and spots dotted my vision. If I passed out, my little show would be pointless, so I dug my fingernails into the palm of my hand under the table, took a sip of water and smiled.
“Now,” I said, looking around the table with a smile, “where were we?”