Eternal Temptation (13 page)

Anger and desperation blinded her, had her clawing at his back and biting his lip. He pulled back to look at her with stunned, wide eyes. His hand caressed her thigh gently, up and down. She hated it. He wanted her for one thing, and if there was no love for her than how dare he treat her so sweetly. He’d leave her with only the bittersweet memories of his touch if she let him.

“Take me,” she growled between tight lips.

His smile was slow, sure..., and sexy as hell. He reached down to cup an ass cheek in one big hand and open her up further with the hand on her thigh. He was spreading her, making her open and submissive to him.

She sighed blissfully as he started to move again, but now his thrusts were even slower, dragging through her sensitive flesh until she was sweating. Her hips rocked against his, urging him to move faster, to take her. In and out. In and out.

Somehow his touch was so much more intense this way. He started moving harder inside her, letting each thrust pound against her. He growled and nuzzled her hair away from her neck, then his teeth claimed her, locking her in place.

Cassie’s pleasure exploded out of her. She tried to scream, but her throat closed up and all she could do was gasp in chunks of air.

His teeth sank further into her and for a moment she thought he’d break the skin and taste blood. The thought made her wild, had her setting her nails into his back and scratching at him as the waves of her orgasm rippled through her.

His thrusts turned urgent in a second. He hammered into her, taking her with a savagery that curled her toes and sent moans out from her throat. His hands squeezed her hips so tight she knew he’d leave marks.

He took her with a ferocity that threw her into another orgasm. She couldn’t believe it, but he tunneled through her wet flesh so fast, each stroke hitting against her aching clit, and she exploded again. She wrapped her legs tightly around his thighs as her cries echoed off the bathroom wall.

His cries joined hers as he took her in rough thrusts. He landed deep inside, his hips jerking against hers as his cock jetted his release into her. It was hot and thick and dripped out of her as he pulled himself out of her.

He held her for minutes, then methodically soaped and washed her from her hands to feet, even though she’d done it already. It was so sweet, so like him that it broke her heart. He cleaned himself quickly and then carried her back to bed.

The only thing she could think as he set her down was that she loved him. She loved him so damned much. And she could never have him.

Chapter 11

“I need to tell you something,” Cassie said after they were dressed. Darien turned to her with a sharp look in his eyes. He nodded, giving her permission.

“I’m ready to talk about Daniel.” I’m ready because I won’t be here much longer. She hated that she had to lie and keep that part from him, but she couldn’t risk his life, or the Kategan’s, any more than she already had. The only chance Darien had now was if she ran and didn’t stop.

Darien took the seat across from her and just looked at her. His eyes didn’t judge, he simply waited. Patient, gentle.

She thought of the a thousand different places where she could start her story, but couldn’t choose one. Finally she shrugged and said, “I don’t know where to start.”

“Tell me who hurt you and why you went running the day I found you.” Okay. Deep breaths.

“Daniel, his name is Daniel. I guess he hurt me because I made him mad again. It wasn’t the first time and—” she nearly finished, and it won’t be the last but she caught herself at the last second, “he’s always had a temper like that. Ever since I can remember.”

She looked up at him, wanting to see his reaction. His body was still, his hand rested neatly on his thighs. His eyes gave him away. They held anger so potent and terrifying, she’d only ever seen one person come close to it...Daniel.

“How do you know him?” She squeezed her eyes shut. This was going to be much harder than she thought. She’d never talked to anyone about Daniel, because the only people she knew were members of his clan. And all of them knew how he was.

“I’ve known him since I was four.”

“Are you his family?” You can do it, Cassie. Do it because you won’t have any other chance. He spilled his guts to you about his past, the most you can do is share yours. It was easy to give herself a pep talk, but it was much harder to actually make the words come out of her mouth.

“I guess there’s no other way for me to say it, but to come right out and do it. I’m Daniel’s fiancé.”

Darien exploded from his seat and. She couldn’t help but cringe and look away. She never should have come into his life, then her heart wouldn’t be breaking and the man whom she loved wouldn’t be in danger.

“Continue,” he growled, stalking in front of her like a caged lion.

Somehow the words just came. “I have no living family, so when my father died, what happened to me was left to the eldest of the clan--Daniel. It also didn’t help that dad left a mission that stated Daniel and me had his blessing to mate when I turned twenty-five, which I just did two weeks ago.”

“Daniel was his closest friend. I was raised by nurses through Daniel’s care, and when I turned eighteen he brought me to live with him.”

His eyes cut to hers, filled with barely contained anger. “Did he touch you?” Her cheeks grew how under his gaze.

“Yes, but not how you think. If I made him mad...well he’s always had a heavy hand.”

Before Darien could growl or hit something, a knock sounded at the front door. Darien stormed to it and threw it open.

“Oh hey, Darien.” Alison bounced on her toes with a cute smile on her face. Suddenly she turned and spoke to someone behind her. “When’s his birthday? He needs a Twilight hoody or something. I could totally see him wearing that.”

“Oh, good call.” Cassie recognized that voice as Vane’s mate—Sarina. What were they doing here so early? Surely when they asked her to hang out with them, they didn’t mean at ten in the morning.

She heard a commotion at the door, then Vera was pushing her way past the two girls. “Listen big bro, we’re here to take Cassie. And we’re not leaving until she comes with us.” She turned behind her to the girls and said, “What do you think would be a good size for him an XXL?”

Darien gripped the doorframe and it groaned in protest. “Cassie and I are busy right now. Come back later.”

“No can do, bro. She may be your woman, but she’s already been promised to us for the day. Sorry, but we have dibs.”

“And who the hell gave you permission to have her for the day?”

Alison poked her arm in and pointed at Cassie. “She did.”

Darien turned to give her a withering glare. She laughed, she couldn’t help it; it just came out of her. His eyes flickered then narrowed on her again.

“They’re right. I did.” She shrugged as if to say sorry. She wasn’t.

“You can’t have her yet. We’re in the middle of a conversation.”

“Well have it later. We’ll bring her back in one piece...we think,” Sarina said.

Throwing up his hands he said, “Fine.”

Poor lykaen. Cassie sidled up to him, and even with all three gals watching on, she reached way up and pulled him down for a kiss.

She heard several
bow chica bow bows
and some clapping in the background so she pulled away from his soft lips and smiled at him.

“Bye,” she said.

“You’ll be back later.” He said it almost as a question.

“Of course.” She was fairly certain that was a lie, too.

“Come on Cassie we have some awesome girl time to get to,” Vera said and tugged her out the cabin.

Now that Cassie was away from Darien, she actually felt both excited and overwhelmed at the prospect of hanging out with these women. She’d never done anything like this. She honestly didn’t even know what girls did in a situation like this.

She was thankful though—boy wasn’t that the understatement of the year—that she didn’t have to share the nastiest part of her life with Darien. At least not yet. She didn’t want to do that. She didn’t want to mar the beauty between them. Well perhaps beauty was too strong a word. What was between them was a mess of problems, layered with anxiety, and topped with a dollop of crap.

They piled into a bright red sedan. “Where are we going?”

“First we’re going to get a bite to eat at Alison’s cafe.” At once, everyone stopped buckling their seatbelts and turned to her.

“Wait, you don’t eat food, right?” Alison asked, a blush creeping over her face. Vera elbowed her in the side and rolled her eyes.

“No she doesn’t eat food. She drinks blood.” Vera turned to look back at Cassie from the driver’s seat. “Listen, is it cool if we eat and you watch? If you want something before we go, then I’ll get Darien for you.”

Wow. Cassie felt her cheeks heating with a blush. “Uh, no, that’s okay. I’m fine really. I’d like to see your café, Alison.”

Alison smiled big and melted back against the seat. “She’s after my heart you guys. Let’s go!”

The drive to the cafe was one of the best experiences of Cassie’s life. Alison had cranked up the radio and all three of the girls started singing loudly, and mostly horribly, to some song with a catchy beat. Cassie had no idea what song it was, but the girls managed to make her feel accepted and welcome.

She put on a smile as they entered a lovely and cozy little cafe. There were tables outside with big maroon umbrellas to block the sun and inside the café, the tables were simple and neat. They were covered in a draping white cloth with a little maroon vase in the center of the table with fresh flowers in them.

It was lovely, and she could easily see Darien eating here. Her gut clenched with sadness. And of course across from him would be some lovely, non-vampire, woman who could actually eat with him. Not once in her life had she ever wished to be anything else. Sure she wished to still have her parents and to not be living under Daniel’s rule, but she’d never wished to be human or lykaen.

Cassie followed the women into the kitchen. They all got to watch Alison work, which was really a sight to see. How she managed to plan and make meals for the three of them, at the same time, was incredible. When she was done, the food was hot and perfect. Cassie had never seen a chef actually work aside from some Food Network shows she caught on TV. It took a lot of skill. However the smells were completely unappetizing to her vampire senses.

They took a seat at a table and while the girl’s ate, Cassie silently made her plans. After her nightmare last night, she was thinking Daniel was on to something. She didn’t have to go running back to him. She could just keep running. Something she should have done from the beginning. Of course passing out near Darien’s hadn’t been planned. She should have just left when he wanted. Then at least her heart wouldn’t be breaking.

“So Cassie, we’ve been dying to know...” Cassie looked up from the empty spot on the table in front of her and realized that all the girls were looking right at her with eager eyes.

“What,” she asked hesitantly.

Vera and Sarina both asked questions at the same time. “How did you meet?” “Is he amazing in bed?”

Vera turned a disgusted glare at Sarina. “Gross. He’s my brother.” Sarina smiled and shrugged.

“But he’s not mine,” Sarina snorted.

“Shut up and let her answer,” Alison said. All eyes turned on her again. She smiled, she couldn’t help it. She was falling in love with more of the Kategans. They must be contagious or something.

“I met him in the woods.”

“What do you mean? Were you like hiking? None of us even know where Darien was staying. He left to go on a journey to figure out his life and problems or whatever, but I figured he was in Siberia or something,” Vera said.

Cassie bit her lip, unsure how much she should tell them. She opened her mouth to lie, but found that she couldn’t do it. Her shoulders sagged in defeat. She really couldn’t do it. And they didn’t deserve a lie.

“My fiancé had beaten me again. I swore that it would be the last time. I ran and didn’t stop until I collapsed. I guess I was exhausted. Apparently that was somewhere near Darien. He said I was on his own land.” She shrugged. “I don’t know much more about his cabin than that.” She sighed a huge exhalation of air. The weight on her shoulders lessened so that she could actually stand up straight. It felt good to say that. Really good. Except she knew it wouldn’t be so easy to tell Darien that.

“You have a fiancé?” The girl’s expressions were a mixture of confusion, shock, and anger. She only hoped it was anger about the beating and not about the fact that she’d technically cheated on her unwanted fiancé.

“Yes, I do. I was raised by my father until he committed suicide when I was four. I have no living relatives, so what happened to me was left in his will and up to the judgment of the clan’s elder. I was to be to be mated to Daniel, a good friend of my father’s, and when I turned twenty-five, I’d have to mate with him.”

Sarina looked angry enough to chew nails. “Your own father gave you over to an abusive man? I’m sorry, but that’s horrendous.” A flicker of pain cross her eyes.