DH 05 Kiss Of The Night (23 page)

She sighed. “When I was a little girl, I used to try and bring sunshine to my mother. I felt so bad that she had never real y seen or felt it. So I would try and catch it in jars. When that failed, I captured jars and jars of lightning bugs and told her that if we could catch enough of them, then it would look like the sun. She’d laugh, hug me, and then set them free and tel me that nothing should have to live its life in a cage.” Wulf smiled. He could just imagine her bringing her jars to her mother. “I’m sure it pleased her.” She ran her hand over his forearm, raising chil s on his entire body as she idly stroked his skin. “My older sister was like her. She couldn’t tolerate the sun at al . If she was in it any more than three minutes, she would burn to a crisp.”

“I’m sorry.”

The two of them fel silent while Wulf closed his eyes and let her scent of roses permeate him. She was so soft against him. Her curves lush and ful from her pregnancy.

Al he wanted was to taste her.

“Do you think dying hurts?” she asked, her voice nothing more than a breathless whisper.

Pain lacerated him at the thought. “Baby, why do you do this to yourself?”

“I try not to,” she whispered. “I real y do, but I can’t seem to stop myself from thinking about the fact that in seven months I wil never see the sunshine again.” She looked up at him with her eyes bright and shining from unshed tears. “Never see you. Kat. This ratty old cel ar.”

“My rooms are not ratty.”

She gave him a bittersweet, winsome smile. “I know. I guess I should count my blessings. At least I have the benefit of knowing when I’l die. This way I can put everything in order.” No, she couldn’t, because as he spent more and more time with her, he was drawn closer to her.

These last three weeks had been so incredible. He’d learned to feel almost normal. It was so nice to walk upstairs and not have to introduce himself to her and Kat.

To wake up at dusk and find her lying beside him, knowing him, his touch…

Sighing, she pushed herself out of his lap and headed toward the bed.

She took a step and stumbled.

Wulf moved with lightning speed to scoop her up into his arms before she fel . “You okay?”

“Dizzy spel .”

She’d been having those for the last week. “Do I need to send for blood?”

“No. I think that one was pregnancy related.”

He carried her to the bed and laid her down gently.

Cassandra smiled at the sight of her Viking warrior and his care. Whatever she needed or wanted, he sent someone for it or he went and got it himself.

As he started to pul away, she kissed his lips. His reaction startled her as he kissed her back desperately.

He was like a wild animal as he explored every inch of her mouth. His tongue danced with hers, and when she brushed against his fangs, she shivered.

She felt the predator inside him, the barbarian. He tasted of bloodlust and mercy. Growling, he lifted her shirt up so that he could cup her breast in his hand.

Cassandra sighed at his demanding touch. He was normal y so tender but tonight his touch was feral. He pul ed her pants and panties off together so quickly that she barely felt the denim and silk leave her.

He didn’t even bother removing his pants al the way. Instead, he shoved them down just below his hips, enough so that he could enter her.

Cassandra moaned as he fil ed her with such sweet bliss that she wanted to weep. He was so wild as he thrust himself against her, and she took delight in every deep, penetrating stroke.

Wulf couldn’t breathe. He had no business with her. No business letting her inside his defenses when he had no choice except to let her go, but he couldn’t help himself.

He needed to feel her in his arms. Needed to feel her body under him.

She sank her nails into his skin as she arched her back and came for him. He waited until she had finished shuddering before he joined her in that blissful place.

He laid himself careful y down over her body so as not to hurt her or the baby. Al he wanted was to feel her entwined with him, her bare legs cradling his body.

“Are you al right?” she asked quietly. “It’s not like you to be in such a hurry.” Wulf closed his eyes as her words tore through him.

Only Cassandra had ever known him. His habits. His likes and dislikes. And she remembered them. In al these centuries, she was the only lover who had learned those things.

What was he going to do without her?

A knock sounded on the door.

“Hey, Cass?” Chris cal ed. “If you’re stil up, I ordered a pizza for you since you said you wanted one. It should be here in a few minutes.”

She giggled at that as Wulf frowned at her. Their bodies were stil joined. “I told him after you came down here that I would kil for one slice of pepperoni pizza,” she explained. Raising her voice, she said, “Thanks, Chris. I’l be back up in a few minutes.”

Wulf’s frown deepened. “If you need to rest…”

“Are you kidding? I meant it when I said I’d kil for pizza.”

“You should have said something earlier. Chris would have had the cook make you one.”

“I know, but by the time I went upstairs, Marie had already started on the chicken and I didn’t want to hurt her feelings. She’s a real y nice lady.”

“I know.”

She saw the stricken look on Wulf’s face.

Marie had been working there for almost eight years and she mistakenly thought Chris was her boss.

Marie had given Cassandra the whole story of how Chris’s father had hired her and then three years ago, after Chris’s father’s heart attack in the living room, Chris’s mother had moved to a new home across town so that she wouldn’t have to relive her husband’s death every time she walked through the house.

His mother had tried to get Chris to leave as wel , but for an obvious reason, he’d stayed behind with Wulf.

The house had been left in trust to Chris by his father, so Chris’s mother couldn’t sel it and force him to move.

There was no tel ing how many times in the last eight years Wulf had met Marie.

“I’m sorry, Wulf.”

“Don’t be, I’m used to it.”

He withdrew from her and dressed, then helped her back into her clothes. But he wouldn’t let her walk back up the stairs for fear of her stumbling.

Instead, he carried her to the sofa and made her lie down while he fetched a pil ow and blanket for her.

Cassandra smiled at his kindness as he returned and tucked the blanket around her, then snatched the remote from Chris.

“Hey!” Chris snapped indignantly.

“You’re not pregnant, Chris.” He handed it to Cassandra.

“Fine,” Chris said sul enly. “See if I ever have a baby for you.”

“Yeah, right. By the time you get around to it, my child wil have grandchildren.” Chris was aghast. “Oh, oh, oh, I don’t want to hear it from you, hornhead.” That was a familiar insult Chris used to nettle Wulf. Cassandra hadn’t understood it until Chris explained that it stemmed from the mistaken belief that Vikings wore horned helmets in the Middle Ages.

“That’s it,” Chris continued, “I’m switching schools to Stanford. I’m tired of al this snow anyway. I might not get laid there either, but at least the women in class won’t be dressed in parkas.” Kat entered the room and rol ed her eyes. “Is it just me or do these two argue like two little kids every time they get together?”

“They argue like kids,” Cassandra said. “I think they’re trying to make needling other people an Olympic sport.”

Chris opened his mouth at the same time the door buzzed. “Pizza,” he said, getting up.

A strange tremor went through Cassandra. Rubbing the back of her neck, she looked around.

“You okay?” Kat asked.

“I think so.” She just felt… odd…

She leaned her head back against the sofa to see Chris with the pizza in his hand and the delivery guy outside. Chris paid him.

“Hey,” the guy said as Chris pul ed back. “Do you mind if I come in for a sec and use the phone? I need to cal the store about the next delivery.”

Chris cocked his head. “How about I bring you a cel phone for the porch?”

“C’mon, man, it’s cold out here. Can’t I come in to make a cal ?” Wulf was on his feet, quickly heading for the door, as Chris pul ed back even more.

“Sorry, dude,” Chris said more sternly. “No one unknown comes into this house,
capische
?”

“Chris,” Wulf snapped, his voice low and steely. “Get back.” For once Chris didn’t argue.

Wulf grabbed a sword from the wal at the same time the Daimon on the porch pul ed two huge daggers out from the insulated pizza bag.

The Daimon tossed one dagger at Chris, then turned to engage Wulf. Chris staggered back, his face pale as he fel to the floor.

Cassandra was on her feet headed for Chris when Kat caught her. “Think of the baby. Stay put.” She nodded as Kat jumped the couch to go help Chris.

Cassandra grabbed another sword off the wal , ready for battle, just in case.

Luckily, Chris was back on his feet unharmed by the time Kat reached him. The pizza, on the other hand, was DOA. Thank God the box had deflected the dagger.

Wulf and the Daimon continued to fight on the porch.

“Holy shit,” Chris breathed, running toward Cassandra with Kat behind him. “There are a shitload more of them headed for the house.”

“What?” Cassandra asked, her knees going weak with the thought of it.

Wulf kil ed the one on the porch and slammed the door shut.

“Dammit to hel , Chris, are you al right?”

Chris nodded.

Wulf crossed the room and inspected him anyway, then pul ed him into his arms and held him fiercely.

“Hey, get off me, you homo.” Chris bristled. “You’re grossing me out. If you want to hug something, hug Cassandra.”

She saw Wulf clench his teeth an instant before he mostly let go. He kept one hand fiercely locked on Chris’s shoulder as he lowered himself to look the boy eye to eye. “You
ever
answer that door again, Christopher Lars Eriksson, and I’l rip your fool head off.” He shoved Chris toward the hal way. “Go lower the shields.”

“What is this, the
Enterprise
!” Kat asked as Chris sprinted to do Wulf’s bidding.

“No, we have bul etproof metal security shutters. I don’t know what the Daimons are up to, but I don’t want them to be able to toss a Molotov cocktail or anything else through a window.”

“Good thinking,” Kat breathed.

The whole house shook as Chris lowered the steel shutters.

Wulf was quaking in anger as he cal ed security to check on them.

“Hel o?” The voice was not only unfamiliar, but heavily accented. Granted, the guards never remembered him, but Wulf knew each member of the security force that the Council had sent to protect Chris.

Wulf had a bad feeling. “Who is this?”

“Who do you think it is, Dark-Hunter? My compliments to whomever sent out for pizza. We enjoyed the midnight snack.”

Wulf tightened his grip on the phone. “Where are my guards?”

“Oh, one is right here, but he’s not feeling very talkative. Death has a way of making even the chattiest of people rather quiet. As for the other… he’s… oh, wait, dead now. My boys just finished him off!”

“You are going to pay for that.”

“Wel , then, why don’t you come out here and hand me the bil ?”

“I’m on my way.” Wulf hung up and headed for the door, intent on skewering Stryker.

Kat caught him before he could reach the door. “What do you think you’re doing?” she asked indignantly.

He glared angrily at her. “I’m going to finish this.”

She gave him an arch look. “You can’t. He’l kil you the minute you leave here.”

“Then what do you want me to do?”

“Guard Chris and Cassandra. I’l be right back.”

Kat flashed out of the house.

Kat honed into Stryker’s energy and found him in the guardhouse. She winced as she saw the two dead men on the floor. There were at least a dozen Daimons outside, opening boxes and preparing for an attack.

Only four Daimons were inside the guardhouse. Stryker, Urian, Icarus, and Trates.

Trates looked up from the monitors and went pale.

“How did you get in here?” Kat demanded.

Stryker turned slowly, methodical y, around to face her with a sardonic grin. There was no fear in him, only wry amusement. “The guards came outside when we ate the pizza deliveryman and tried to stop us. We dragged them inside after they were dead.”

His words and lack of regard for what they’d done sickened her, but not half as much as when she caught sight of the ceredon with them on one of the monitors.

So Apol ymi had changed the rules on her. Damn.

“You are so evil,” she said between clenched teeth.

He smiled as if her words complimented him. “Thank you, love, I pride myself on that.” Kat opened the portal back to Kalosis. “It’s time for you to al go home.” Stryker looked at the opening, then laughed. ” ‘Fraid not, sweetie. Mama likes me better at the moment.

So you can shove that portal up your very attractive ass. Me and my boys have work to do. Either join us or leave.”

For the first time in her life, Kat felt a tremor of fear. “You
have
to go. Those are the rules. The portal opens and you have to walk through it.”

Stryker came forward, his eyes sinister and cold. “No, we don’t.” The portal closed.

She gasped as realization dawned. The Destroyer had given him a key, too, and placed him in control.

Stryker stood so close to her that it sent a shiver over her. He cupped her face with his hand. “It’s a pity she protects you so. Otherwise I would have had a taste of you centuries ago.” She glared at him in fury. “Get your hand off me or lose it.” To her surprise, he obeyed, but not before he kissed her rudely.

Kat shrieked and slapped him.

He laughed. “Go home, little girl. If you stay here, you might get hurt.” Her body shaking, Kat flashed back into the house. Cassandra was in the center of the living room while Wulf was arming himself from a cabinet against the wal .

“What do you have that I can use?” Kat asked, joining him at the armoire.

Wulf looked at her drol y. “I take it things didn’t go wel .”