Midnight's Captive (Dark Warriors) (12 page)

Loving her.

It didn’t matter that she now knew part of his secret. Laura was mixed up in the mess, so it was only fair she knew why. Yet, there was nothing that could convince Charon to tell her what he was.

Her pale green eyes were filled with passion and need. She gazed at him as if he were the only thing she wanted. It was how he wanted to keep it.

Nothing—and no one—would ever make him tell her he was a Warrior. He would do anything and everything it took to keep that information from her.

He gently laid her on the bed before he straightened to kick off his shoes and hurry out of his jeans. His hands itched to feel more of her silky skin and know the weight of her breasts once more.

She had been a temptation he resisted, but now he didn’t know why. All those wasted months he could have been enjoying her body and her amazing lips.

Charon put one knee on the bed, his body demanding he take her now. But he wanted to go slow, to savor every second.

He knew Phelan would guard the building, but in the back of his mind, he comprehended that he couldn’t dally as he yearned. Yet there was no way he could walk away from what Laura offered. Not when he craved her as he did.

“Charon,” she whispered, and rose up on her knees as if she knew his indecision. “Leave tomorrow for the rising of the sun. Let us have now.”

He moaned when her hand came to rest on his chest and slowly caressed downward until her long, slim fingers closed around his cock.

She gave a slight squeeze, sending his already inflamed blood to boiling. Charon wrapped one arm around her while his other hand cupped her breast.

Her head dropped back and the ends of her hair teased his thigh. He wanted all that glorious hair draped around him like a curtain as she leaned over him, riding him hard.

His cock jumped at the mere thought of it.

Charon claimed her mouth again. He couldn’t get enough of her and her soft moans as he teased her nipple. He wanted more.

He wanted all of her.

Laura moved her hand up and down the hard, thick length of Charon’s arousal. She loved the feel of his rod in her hands, loved the sounds he made in the back of his throat as she continued to stroke him.

But he was laying an assault on her senses with his kisses and fondling her breasts. His hands were everywhere. Touching, caressing. Learning.

Then his mouth moved down her throat once more. A soft cry fell from her lips as his lips closed over a turgid peak. He ran his tongue back and forth over her nipple, sending desire shooting straight to her sex.

Laura rocked her hips, seeking anything to ease the need within her. It tightened with each caress, each kiss … each lick.

She gasped when he cupped her sex, the heel of his hand putting pressure against her clitoris.

Charon shifted his mouth to her other breast, craving more of her. His fingers parted her curls to feel the dampness between her legs, and he groaned in response.

He pushed a finger inside her, her cry of pleasure made his god preen. Slowly, he moved his finger in and out of her, wringing more sounds of satisfaction.

It was just what he needed to ease the yearning inside him. Every sound that fell from her lips made him burn hotter. He wanted to lay her back, spread her legs, and bury himself within her tight folds.

Somehow he held back because he wanted to give Laura more than that. He wanted … He didn’t know what he wanted anymore. His mind was too full of the beautiful woman in his arms, his body too full of desire to think of anything but Laura.

Seductive, irresistible, all too alluring.

Laura
.

Her hand on his cock was driving him wild. If she didn’t halt, he was going to spill.

He leaned forward, which sent her tumbling onto her back. For a moment, he simply gazed at her. The dark strands of her hair were spread around her, disheveled and wild.

It was her lips, swollen from his kisses and parted that made his balls tighten. But her eyes, those beautiful pale green eyes beckoned him to sample more of her.

Charon leaned over her with hands on either side of her head. He lightly kissed her before moving down her body, stopping to nip each of her breasts for a second. Then he continued over her stomach to her hips, and then to the glorious triangle of black curls between her legs.

He shifted his shoulders beneath her legs and parted her folds.

Laura fisted the covers in her hands as Charon’s tongue touched her. She arched her back, the pleasure almost too intense to handle.

Then he found her clitoris, swirling his tongue around the tiny nub until she shook with the ecstasy filling her. He held her hips steady, refusing to allow her to move.

He licked, laved, stroked.

Her body was not her own. He commanded her, and she was helpless to do anything but follow, giving him everything and more.

The desire tightened until she thought she would burst from it. She was on the edge of an orgasm—so close it was within reach. Laura craved the release, but the more she moved toward it, the more Charon pushed her higher.

Charon opened his eyes to see Laura tossing her head side to side, her body tight as a bow. He knew he could give her the release she sought with one lick, but not yet.

He gave one final kiss to the inside of her thigh before he reached up and grasped her breasts. He squeezed her nipples, wringing a cry from her.

His attention focused on her lovely breasts gave her a slight reprieve. He lifted himself up and over her, his gaze on her sex spread beneath him, open and inviting. Her hips moved, seeking him.

His cock jumped in response, and suddenly Charon couldn’t hold back anymore. He guided his aching arousal to her core, and then thrust.

Charon buried himself to the hilt in one smooth push. She was tighter than he imagined, and so incredibly hot. He held still, holding back the tide of his own climax, but Laura had other ideas.

She began to move beneath him, her hands at his waist urging him to join her. He met her gaze and couldn’t deny her. With a hand braced beside her head, he shifted his hips.

Laura couldn’t look away from Charon’s dark gaze. He opened himself to her, allowed her to see into his soul for a heartbeat, but in that moment she knew he was a man she couldn’t walk away from.

Ever.

Her legs wrapped around his waist, her ankles locked at his buttocks as his tempo increased. Her already primed body began to tremble with this new pleasure.

With her breaths coming in great gasps, she met him thrust for thrust. Body to body, heart to heart they gave in to their desires.

The longing within her was filled, her need met by a man who was much more than he admitted. The world ceased to exist. There was only the two of them, locked in a dance as old as time.

Each time Charon plunged within her, he went deeper, harder, faster. Her skin was drawn tightly over her bones as the pleasure coalesced into a fiery ball within her.

The orgasm hit her like a tidal wave. She was swept away and over into an abyss of pleasure so intense, so amazing she lost herself in it.

Just when she thought it might end, Charon continued to move and prolong her bliss until she screamed his name, the second climax taking her before the first was finished.

Laura held on to him, refusing to let go for fear that she might not come back to herself. The muscles beneath her hands moved and bunched as he continued to thrust.

He pumped mercilessly within her, until he plunged deep and gave a shout as he climaxed.

She didn’t know how long they lay there before she felt him pull out of her, and then tuck her against his body. She didn’t want to think of what was coming, but reality was quickly crashing down around them. Whatever time they had, she would take it and cherish it always.

A smile formed when Charon’s arms tightened around her. It made her feel special, something she hadn’t ever experienced before. But then again, just being with Charon had always made her feel like she truly belonged.

She knew he was awake by the way his fingers played along her skin, as if he couldn’t stop touching her. Laura squeezed his arms and saw the room begin to lighten from the coming dawn.

“There’s more to the story, isn’t there,” she whispered. She didn’t want to bring it up, but she had to know.

Charon’s fingers paused before he said, “Aye.”

“It’s a part you don’t want to tell me, why?”

“Because of what you’ll think of me.”

His honesty brought tears to her eyes. “I know what I think of you already. That won’t change.”

“I doona wish to test your theory.”

She sighed when he kissed her neck. “Our time is at an end, isn’t it?”

“Unfortunately.”

“It wasn’t long enough.”

“I fear an eternity wouldna be long enough for me to explore your body.”

Laura sat up and faced him. His words gave her the courage she needed to tackle what was coming. “I’ll go to the MacLeods, but I expect to see you there. Promise me you’ll be there, and I’ll go.”

The wicked grin he gave her sent chills along her body. “I’ll be there once I’m finished with Jason Wallace.”

“No,” she said with a frown. “I don’t want you going after him by yourself. He isn’t alone. He’ll have people with him. I’ll go to the MacLeods, just keep Phelan here with you.”

“Laura—” he began.

She gave a shake of her head, refusing to give in. “That’s the only way I’ll go to the MacLeods.”

He blew out a loud breath as he came up on his elbow. He stared at her before he nodded. “All right. Get dressed. We’ll gather a few things from your flat while I contact Fallon.”

It was good enough for her. She jumped from the bed and hurried into the bathroom where she had discarded her clothes when she took her shower. She glanced over her shoulder to see Charon getting dressed as well.

Laura finished putting on her bra and panties and grabbed another shirt from Charon’s closet when Phelan was suddenly standing in the doorway.

“We need to move. Now!” Phelan shouted as he tossed a bag at her.

Charon didn’t hesitate to find his boots and quickly put them on.

Laura opened the bag to find jeans, hiking boots, and a shirt from her flat. She dressed in record time with her heart thumping wildly in her chest.

“Did you call Fallon?” Charon asked Phelan as he grabbed her hand and dragged her out of the bedroom.

She fought to keep her balance as fear began to course through her. “What’s going on?”

Phelan gave a vicious shake of his head. “The damn mobile phones willna work. I tried the phone in the office and pub, but the lines have been cut. I wanted to get you and Laura on the road before I tried to find another phone.”

Laura collided with Charon as he came to an abrupt halt. Charon’s face was filled with fury. She’d never seen him so angry, and she almost felt sorry for anyone who would dare to challenge such a man.

“We willna be going on the road,” Charon said as he went still as death.

“What?” Laura and Phelan asked in unison.

Charon glanced out the opened sliding glass door and then to Laura. “We’re going into the woods. No one knows this forest like I do. There’s a place we can hide until the others arrive.”

“Charon,” Phelan said, his voice low with uncertainty.

“If we get on the road, I guarantee Wallace will have something waiting for us,” Charon said. “He expects that I’ll take Laura to the MacLeods.”

She watched the two men stare at each other for several long tense minutes.

“Fuck,” Phelan ground out as he turned away. After a moment he faced them again. His face was set in grim lines. “I’ll get the others as quick as I can. Just make sure you doona let Wallace find you.”

“He willna,” Charon promised.

Laura then found Charon staring at her. She tried to smile, but the growing apprehension wouldn’t let her.

“Do you trust me?” he asked.

“Implicitly.”

With a nod to Phelan, Charon once more dragged her after him. They ran down to the second floor, and then out of the building and down the stairs.

Just before they reached the woods, Laura glanced back, but Phelan was already gone. An ominous feeling overtook her, one that said very bad things were coming.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Charon kept his pace slow. He knew it would be easier to pick Laura up and use the speed his god gave him to get them to safety, but then that would open up questions he didn’t want to answer.

But was her life worth those questions?

“Shite,” he said as he came to a halt.

Laura was already gasping from running over the rough, ragged terrain, and they hadn’t gone quite a mile yet.

“What is it?” she asked, leaning over with her hands on her knees.

Charon looked back the way they had come. He could already feel the sickening, cloying feel of
drough
magic. It turned his stomach.

The forest was vast, but was it big enough to escape Jason Wallace? Charon looked at Laura. She was an innocent, targeted because of her association with him.

What a fool he’d been to waste those precious few hours making love to her instead of getting her safely to MacLeod Castle. That lost time could well seal her death.

“He wants me,” Charon said. “If you run while I lead them away, you might have a chance.”

She slowly straightened, her forehead creased in a frown. “You’re leaving me?”

“To save your life.” He hated the accusation in her voice, but perhaps that’s because he didn’t want to leave her. He wanted to stand beside her, to feel her body next to his.

“I’ll be safer with you.”

Charon raked a hand through his hair as his frustration mounted. “I’m powerless against a Druid, Laura. Once he finds me, it’s over. If you’re near, your life could well be forfeit.”

“We have a head start.”

Charon wasn’t sure how quickly Phelan could get ahold of the MacLeods. Would it be in time to save Laura? He was certain it wouldn’t be in time to save him.

After so many centuries, his death had finally arrived. He had to die, but Laura didn’t. And she wouldn’t. He’d make sure of that.