Demonically Tempted (Frostbite) (4 page)

“And do what?” I couldn’t help but ask.

Dane’s intense stare shifted to mine. “Find missing bodies, much as you do. I channel the ghost’s presence at the murder scene and sense clues about how I can help solve their murder.” At my eager expression for more since that answered jack-shit of my questions, he added, “I tap into energy and get feelings off that energy.”

“Oh,” was my response.

Dane leaned in, rested his open hand on the table, and gestured toward it. “Let me have a look to see what I’m dealing with.”

Kipp grunted. “Touch him, Tess, and I swear I’ll lose it.”

I peeked sideways at Kipp. Tension radiated off him, and his lips were in a firm line. I had no intention in pissing off the man I loved. “Sorry. Not going to happen.”

“Tess,” Max chastised.

Dane’s brow furrowed. “I’m here to help you, nothing more.” He folded his arms. “What’s the problem?”

I glanced at Kipp awaiting his answer since I wasn’t the one with the problem. Sure, I had no idea what Dane wanted to look for, but I couldn’t deny that Max was right. Having more answers about my ability did intrigue me, and finding another person who was like me was a relief. Could someone truly understand what I went through?

After a long pause, and Kipp’s on-going stare-down of Dane, as if he wanted to poltergeist him, I waved him on. “Well…”

Kipp glowered. “I don’t want him to touch you.”

I rolled my eyes. Instead of continuing with the ball-bashing, I focused on Dane and sought answers. “Why do you want to hold hands, anyway?”

He shrugged. “Discover more about you, is all. My abilities are stronger through touch, so I’ll sense things in you that would take a very long time to explain with words.”

I nibbled my bottom lip. “What exactly do you want to
sense
?”

“Your gifts,” he replied, cool and collected.

“I have no idea what your problem is, Kipp,” Max interjected. “But I went to great lengths to get Dane to come here and talk to her.” He looked hard at the chair that Kipp sat in. “You will allow her to do anything he wants.” He sent that look Dane’s way. “Within reason, of course.” His glare returned to Kipp, tone lowered. “He’s here to help her and that, is a direct order.”

Kipp sighed, so deep, his jaw clenching. “I don’t like him.”

I studied Dane, who looked bored, and couldn’t see what the problem was. Was Kipp jealous? Dane might be attractive, but I had my own sexy beast of a man. Had I shown an attraction to Dane? I didn’t think so. And Dane hadn’t shown any to me either. His only interest seemed to be all about helping me. Nothing more than that.

Regardless of Kipp’s hesitation, an order was an order. Dane held his hand out, and I placed mine in it. The second Dane closed his hand, my eyes fluttered closed, and Kipp cursed.

A surge of energy soared from my arm and sent tingles right down to my toes. It sped through me so fast, my breath whooshed out, and I shivered.

I snatched my hand away. “What was that?”

“What was what?” Max asked.

I rubbed my hand, willing the sensation away, but shivered. “He made me tingle.”

Zach’s eyes widened.

Before he could either laugh at how that sounded, or be pissed off for Kipp, I added, “Don’t go there. I didn’t mean it in how you’re taking it, pervert. I meant like a weird buzz in my body.”

Dane smiled and dropped his hand onto his lap, but stretched his fingers out as if the feeling affected him too. “It’s a joining of energy, that’s all. If you were more aware, you’d know this.”

I scowled at the curtness of his tone. “Excuse me?”

Kipp stood from his chair in a flash, strode over to Dane, and glared at him. “Yes, explain yourself.”

Dane snorted, clearly not seeing him, but the little smile that quirked up his lip indicated he felt Kipp’s disdain. “All I’m saying is that my being here is important. You are remarkably gifted, and yet you know nothing of the abilities you hold. It’s a waste.”

Kipp leaned away. “This guy is a fucking asshole.”

I turned to Kipp and nodded in agreement before looking at Dane. “You can tell me more about my gifts?”

A twinkle hit Dane’s gaze. “There are reasons you have these gifts that are more important than your ability to talk to and…” He paused, his nostrils flaring, and something else crossed his features I couldn’t quite identify. “Whatever else you are doing with them.” All that tension fled and he carried on, “It will help you have a better understanding of ghosts, and the Netherworld, so you know what you’re up against.”

My mouth—once again—dropped open. Max wore a similar bewildered look to mine, even Zach and Eddie appeared dumbfounded. “The what world?”

Dane snorted, as if annoyed with my lack of knowledge. “I’d imagine it’s what you think of as the ghost world. The place they go between here and there. It’s known as the Netherworld.”

“And you can help me learn about all this?”

“It’s why I’m here,” he replied in a flat tone. “I’ve been aware of my abilities since a young age and have had mentors over the years to assist me, like you should have had.”

I peeked at Kipp. He looked curiously at Dane. Maybe he realized now the importance of having him here since he didn’t give him a death stare. “What do you think of all this?” I asked him.

He hesitated, then finally turned his head. “There’s something about him I don’t trust. And it’s not that I’m jealous of him, which I can tell you’re thinking. I feel bad intentions around him.”

I scanned over Dane and couldn’t deny there was something surrounding him. Maybe his harsh tones or that darkness in his features that did set off warning bells. I nodded at Kipp, but didn’t want to say as much aloud.

“But Max is right, though,” Kipp continued. “You need to learn these things. If it means helping you with the cold cases, then I will allow it.”

I restrained my laughter since in all actuality Kipp was dead, and really didn’t have a say in too much in
this
world. “When do I start this…err…training?”

Max shook his head, as if clearing himself from the shock of hearing about another world. “Not today.” He glanced at his watch. “It’s nearly five o’clock now, and our shift is over.” His expression firmed. “I will set boundaries so you’re not overworked. Go home and rest.”

I smiled, unable to stop myself. Max could be tough, but he did care. Then my good mood fled as he continued, “You can start tomorrow after y’all go the prison.”

“To the
what
?”

Max’s brow furrowed. “I do believe I already mentioned that you were going to see Hector at the prison so I have no idea why you’re surprised.”

“Um, no, you said Zach was going to the prison,” I corrected. “I’m not going to talk with a criminal.”

“He’s incarcerated, Tess.” Kipp chuckled. “What can he do?”

I narrowed my eyes on my sexy ghost. “I don’t give a flying flip if he’s incarcerated. I’m not going.”

“You’re going,” Max said.

I huffed, folded my arms, staring him down. And the jerk laughed. “That look has worn off. It’s not going to work. You might see something there that could help us.”

“He’s right.” Dane stood, his chair scrapping against the floor. “I’ll come along too. It’ll help me see into Tess a little more and maybe I can offer some insight on this case.”

Max nodded. “That’ll work.”

I scowled at each and every man—ghost—in the room, including the laughing Eddie. “I hope you all realize that I hate you right now.”

Max tucked the file under his arm and strode toward the door. “Too bad you’re stuck with us, so the point is moot.”

I sighed. “What did I do to deserve to be brought into this hell?”

Dane followed behind Max and glanced over his shoulder. “This isn’t Hell, I assure you.”

Chapter Four

A tickle started at my toe and sped toward my ankle. Kipp’s lips traveled the path as he made his way up my leg, lightly brushing his lips against my skin. His body, though, resting over me as my stomach pressed into the bed, never touched mine.

He stilled over my bottom and nibbled at the fleshy part of my rump. I sighed into the pillow. The heat racing in my blood was nearly unmanageable to contain. He continued on his travels, his tongue now paving a way up my spine. Slowly moving upward, as if he had all the time in the world, and wanted to do nothing else but touch me like this.

“You’re killing me,” I whispered.

Kipp’s chuckle sent a wave of warm breath to wash across my skin. “Good. Maybe you’ll sympathize with how I feel.”

He kissed along my shoulder, biting, and I shivered. The dampness between my thighs stole over my coherent thoughts. He slid his arms beneath mine over my head, his biceps so thick and flexing, while he dropped a kiss on my cheek. His warm body pressed down onto my back. I sighed, relishing in the weight of him.

I lifted my bottom, offering myself, yet he didn’t oblige me. He rubbed his thick erection against the seam of my bottom and groaned.

He slid his warm hands into mine and I laced my fingers through his, as he kissed my neck. His hips lifted and his erection pressed against my entrance. I didn’t give him the time to make the decision. I pushed against him and he dipped inside of me, causing all sorts of tingles to soar through me.

I moaned.

He grunted.

I circled my hips beneath him, but he never thrust in. Never pounded me, as I’d like him to, and merely allowed me to tease us both. I savored in the way his warm body blanketed mine. How the weight of him, the hard lines of his body, made me understand the differences in our bodies. And proved he was all male…every last hard bit of him.

He pushed further into my warmth and my eyes fluttered closed. Exactly what I needed, stretched by him, filled by him. Rocking his hips, he moved ever so slowly. I reciprocated by pressing against him. He cursed, and his hot breath spread along my neck. I shivered, my body responding to him being so deep inside of me, clenching around him.

“You drive me crazy,” Kipp said huskily in my ear. A promise of pleasure. A whisper of adoration. A show of his own need.

I moved all the way back, taking all of him, and wiggled my bottom against him. “Then stop playing and prove how crazy I make you.”

In one second, he was off me, lifting my hips high and spread my legs while my head remained on the pillow. I expected his erection to fill me once again, but gasped when warm, wetness slid against my sensitive flesh.

He buried his face between my thighs, and I gripped the sheets. Hanging on to survive the pleasure he forced upon me. A mix of light flicks, followed by harder movements to stir me, and oh, it stirred me far crazier than I thought I could endure.

I arched my back, pleading—begging—for more from his wicked tongue. I panted, not hiding the level of insanity he brought me to. Then, his mouth was replaced by his hard erection. Pushing through the needy flesh and driving me to a place I never wanted to wake up from. He gripped my hips, digging his fingers into my skin telling me he was as overwhelmed as I.

I reached between my legs, finding my source of pleasure, and swirled the little nub in times with his thrusts. My body strangled his erection, and his answering grunt spoke of his impending release.

Somehow, in the midst of my building pleasure, he ended up beneath me, while I straddled over him. I sank down on him, needing to find that brink of satisfaction that had lost at the change in position, but he held my hips.

“Don’t move,” he practically growled.

He thrust upward, so slowly, it could have killed me. That is, if pleasure didn’t rock into every molecule of my body. But the position frustrated me. I needed more. “Let me go.”

His hand tightened around my hips. “Don’t. You. Dare. Move.”

Without a moment to argue, he rocked himself up into me. I reached back, placed my hands on his thighs, as he thrust in rapid movements. Each one moving faster. Filling me deeper. Becoming harder.

I gritted my teeth. Pleasure making my focus over anything else impossible. My muscles tightened. The pressure within mixed with a sensation I had no control over. The hard thrusts he delivered had my back arching. My breath all but lost. I screamed for him to hear what he did to me. For him to see how wild he made me. For him to know that no one but him could bring forth such desire.

He increased his force and a loud shout from my mouth sounded before my voice cut off. The swell of pleasure overtook my mind. Skin slapping against skin. Hardness driving me to sweet satisfaction. And with a roar of release from him, I followed right behind, and succumbed to my own euphoria.

Not until a cold breeze swept along my stomach, did I return from the lingering effects of my release. I was reminded that I wasn’t straddling him, but in fact laying on my back.

I opened my eyes and blinked. The fantasy now faded from my mind. It took some time to get used it, but Kipp and I were quite good at ghost sex. He’d talk. I’d imagine. We’d both get off.

It still seemed odd he could masturbate as a ghost, but he could and I always reaped the rewards. So who was I to question it?

I raised my head, glanced at Kipp who knelt between my thighs. His sedated expression, hooded eyes, and damn delicious smile greeted me. I drew in a long breath, dropped down on the pillow, and allowed myself the right to recover.

Once my breathing returned to a normal pace, and my heart no longer pounded, I jumped off the bed. “I’ll be right back.”

I bee-lined it for the bathroom to wash my hands. Kipp might not need to wash up after since as a ghost he could masturbate, but never had any of the mess, I wasn’t a ghost. Once I dried them in the hand towel, I returned to him in a jiffy.

I soared onto the bed and it bounced beneath me. Of course Kipp stayed perfectly still since in all actuality he floated on the bed, not really touching it. I lay on my side, facing him, and he trailed his icy finger along my thigh. A shiver eased my heated, spent flesh.