Eternally Bound: Paranormal Romance Boxed Set (35 page)

“My god, do you feel that?” she panted.

“Yes,” Rahn hissed in sync with the surge of lust thrumming down their bond. “Oh god, yes.”

Strong, slightly roughened fingers wrapped around the globes of her breasts and weighed and palmed them before gently pinching the diamond-hard nipples. A streak of pleasure-pain sent her pleasure streaking toward the rafters.

“Bite me, Rahn. Please.”

He sat up, grabbed her by the hips and raised her body up and down on his cock. At the same time, his lips closed over the sensitive spot where neck met shoulder and bit down.

Rahn’s fingers dug into her ass and hips, sending a sensuous zing down the back of her thighs as he pounded her pussy. Teeth and tongue claimed her. His other hand squeezed and teased her nipples. And the untamed feral heat of the spirit guides stampeded through the psychic connection.

Good lord, could she possibly take any more stimulation? Rahn bit down harder. All she could do was be swept along for the ride.

Chrys’ whole body stiffened as she came on a strangled cry.

* * * * *

With a receiver in his hand, Rahn moaned helplessly as the hot flick of a wet tongue tormented the base of his balls. That special spot just below his sac, but not quite to the pucker of his ass. Chrys found it during their earlier love play and was clearly determined to drive him out of his bloody mind every chance she got.

He lay on his back, shivering, trying to hold it together. One hand held a secure satellite phone tight to his ear, while the other buried itself down to the scalp of the head moving up and down between his legs.

“Yeah, lick it, baby.” The words slipped past his lips before he could catch them.

“Well, damn, I love you too,” echoed an amused voice through the earpiece. Shit, he’d been so distracted by the smooth glide of his woman’s tongue, he hadn’t realized he’d hit the speed dial, and was even less aware of the line ringing.

He covered up the phone and tried to extract his cock from his mate’s oh-so-lovely mouth.

“Chrys, baby, I can’t think when you do that.”

She opened wide, took both his balls into her mouth and gently suckled. Oh, damn.

“Chrys. God, woman, if you don’t stop, our boss is gonna hear me come.”

Stilling immediately, her lips fell open on a gasp and his sac fell heavy against the inside of his thigh. He’d never seen Chrysalyn blush such a lovely shade of red-infused caramel. If she hadn’t looked so mortified, he would have laughed.

With a final swipe of her tongue over the weeping head of his throbbing staff, she crawled up his body, sat up long enough to pull the covers over them, then settled down with her cheek pressed into the crook of his shoulder.

His arm automatically circled her body and pulled her closer until her short silky curls brushed his chest. It tickled. A satisfied sigh escaped her lungs as she settled in. Stray fingers plucked and played with his nipples. The sensation spread out from the taut nubbin across his pecs, only to dive-bomb for his cock. He closed his eyes and prayed.

Lord, please help me to not drop the phone and hump my woman senseless with our boss on the line.

Mahpiya’s subtle chuckle sounded in the recesses of his mind.

Geri’s amused words blared through the earpiece. “Well, are you back, Rahn?”

“Yeah, boss, I’m back. I’d like to put you on speaker so Chrys can hear too.”

“So that’s who has you moaning like a moose in heat, eh?”

Rahn hit the speakerphone button and the voice of the woman who’d been more friend than manager to both him and Chrys filled the room.

“Good morning, Chrysalyn.”

“Mornin’, Geri.”

“What’s up? How are you?” Geri asked. Even if Rahn had been both deaf and blind, it would have been hard to miss the cheeky sarcasm lacing her words.

“I’m fine. At least I’m not bored. As for what’s up…well, Rahn is.”

Rahn’s mouth fell open.

“Chrys!” Damned woman.

“What?” she queried, then had the nerve to cast him an innocent-as-a-new-kitty stare. “Well, I can’t help it if you’re sexy as hell.”

The two women giggled like schoolgirls at the mall on a boy-watching trip. Rahn felt his cheeks go up in flames. His mind’s eye filled with Adonei, who had no problem grinning at his expense. What was this, torment Rahn day or something?

With a gentle pinch to Chrys’ gorgeous round ass, he sucked up the embarrassment and chuckled along with the ladies. Besides, he was too damned sated and happy to stay upset over his woman bragging about his cock. There were certainly worse things she could have said.

Giggling up at him with a wicked waggle of her eyebrows, Chrys toyed with him as her hand traveled from his pecs and skated over his twitching abs on a clear path to his still-full rod. Rahn sucked in a wild breath as his stronger grip eased hers back to its semi-harmless position on his chest with a muttered curse.

“Enough, you two. Let’s get down to it. Rahn.” Geri’s tone was all business. “Report.”

“Captain Laurens accompanied me into Ibiza to see the local law dogs. And another body was found. Same profile as the others, same description of a possible suspect.”

“This is just awful,” Chrys whispered with genuine distress.

He met her gaze and frowned with a shake of his head. She wasn’t supposed to know anything about his mission. A certain protocol had to be followed to get what he wanted, regardless of the fact that they lay skin to skin.

Geri overheard her quiet anguish anyway.

“Chrys, what do you know about what Rahn is doing?”

“Well, the man constantly fusses at me for doing what I always do, which is take care of myself. Then there’s all the growling he does whenever I’m with my friend, this really good-looking man named Eden…”

Rahn’s entire body stiffened involuntarily. Mahpiya’s and Adonei’s growls joined his. Just the mention of the man’s name irked him. Irked all of them, except Chrys.

“Geri, with Chrys so close to danger, I request permission to brief her on my current case. She doesn’t need to take part in any of the activities or investigation, but I’d be much more comfortable if she were in the know.”

“I agree,” Geri replied.

Chrys pushed up on her elbow and glared at him. “Well, I don’t.”

“What?”

She narrowed her eyes and snapped, “I said, I don’t agree.”

The woman would choose now to be stubborn. Rahn gritted his teeth as she explained.

“I’m a trained professional with the same clearance as you. I’m on vacation, not inept.”

“Yes, and on vacation means no work. It’s my job to see to your safety, mate.”

“Mate?”

Geri’s question went ignored as Rahn’s irritation flared. Did the woman always have to be so difficult? A few choice curses colored the air and aura about them to a few shades of blue as she plowed on.

“Look, Rahn, you may as well stop trying to use this mate business to put me on lockdown. I’m not some soft flower that needs protecting any more than you are. I’ll walk and work by your side or not at all.”

“What?” Rahn’s brows snapped down into a frown. “Are you threatening me, woman?”

“Look, this isn’t up for debate,” Chrys continued.

Geri stepped into the fray with a chuckled sigh.

“Here’s the skinny, Chrys. For the past year, there’s been a murder near every port that ship has traveled to. All of the victims were similar in regard to their stations in life, though their physical profiles differed. The last four or five incidents, witnesses have provided a partial description of a possible suspect. Always the same, a man dressed in all black who walked with distinction and a certain presence. Medium height and build. Hell, could be anybody.”

“And,” Rahn chimed in, “just because this ship is full of nothing but privately owned, high-end, multimillion-dollar condos and wealthy people doesn’t mean the killer isn’t one of them.”

Surprisingly, Chrys didn’t say anything. But with every port they passed, the unsolved mystery brought with it a smothering oppression that sat heavy on Rahn’s shoulders. Made him wish he could skip this investigation all together, shadow Chrys off the ship and go back home to London. Even if he had to truss her up like a turkey and toss her into a sack to do it. But it simply wasn’t an option.

Last night the ship had moved back into open sea. In no time they’d be pulling into the port in Athens with only two more ports-of-call until they reached Alexandria. And for some reason he couldn’t quite fathom, the closer they got to Egypt, the more concerned he became.

Chapter Twelve

No fucking like bunnies—or in their case, lions—in the hot tub. No cuddly kisses and sweet words with breakfast in bed. Mr. Romance was nowhere to be found.

In his place was some tyrant Chrys wanted to skewer. Since when was Rahn all business this early in the damned morning? She was supposed to be on vacation, damn it. Not dragged out of bed in time to meet the sun coming up over the horizon. Even if the view was brilliant.

Chrys stood in her room at the glass doors, gazing toward Athens. Greece, garden of gods and kings. Ancient. Unique. Beautiful. And too fucking bright. The terra-cotta buildings plastered with sparkling white façades reflected the light of the sun so brightly it was like staring directly at the largest star in the solar system. Chrys closed her eyes and watched myriad orange-white sparkles dance against the black backdrop of her eyelids. Even if she did crawl back into bed, she’d never get back to sleep now.

Dragging herself away from the deck doors, she snatched the curtain closed and stomped into the oversized bathroom for a quick shower. Rahn hadn’t told her where they were going or what he was up to, only that they weren’t going ashore. So, if they weren’t going anywhere, why the hell did he wake her up so early? And why had he left workout clothes on the bed for her? And where the hell was the man, anyway?

It would have been so simple to ask Adonei. But she just didn’t feel like bothering with anything male, whether spiritual or logical, right now.

Dressed, and grumpy enough to growl obscenities at her hairbrush, Chrys pulled the hood of her sweatshirt up over her non-cooperating bed head, slipped on her tennis shoes and socks and headed for the kitchen. No Rahn, but the distant sound of running water and the steaming plate of food sitting on the dining room table answered at least a couple of her questions. He’d cooked breakfast for her before jumping in the shower. How sweet.

Didn’t do a damned thing for her mood.

Instead of the cholesterol-laden, high-fat meal she craved, there was a light breakfast of two slices—two little measly slices—of smoked bacon and a boiled egg. Her spirits lifted a bit when she spotted the wheat toast with a smattering of butter and her favorite peach preserves. One bite had her sighing with pleasure. That and a cup of gourmet coffee to die for, with just the right amount of cream and sugar.

Wait, back up. How did Rahn know she loved peach preserves?

*
Of course my Adonei told him. There isn’t much those two don’t discuss these days
,* came Mahpiya’s sultry voice floating into her head. An image of the regal cat appeared in her mind. Her golden fur shimmered, slightly translucent as Mah settled back on her haunches and licked a paw.

‘Those two sit up and talk about me?’ Chrys inwardly gawked around a bit of the heaven-covered toast.

Mahpiya’s lack of response, in addition to a “duh” expression, told Chrys all she needed to know.

Aloud, Chrys asked, “Well, what else do they say about me and how much detail are we talking here? So, Rahn knows I adore peach preserves. Does the man know the color of my favorite underwear too?”

*
My child, I would not be surprised if you found a few dozen new pair of said underwear in your size and your three most favorite colors. After all, Rahn has plans for each pair. Strange, each scheme seems to end with the scraps of cloth either in shreds or perched on top of his head…with you still in them. Hmm. His lack of finesse where you are concerned is somewhat comical
.*

Chrys sputtered and her coffee projected itself a foot across the top of the lovely lacquered table.

Sensing her distress through Mah, Rahn flew out of the room that had served as his former bedroom—these days all he kept in there were his clothes. In a few fleet steps, he was across the living room, through the kitchen and in the dining room, pounding her back with firm, effective whacks.

“Chrys, love, are you all right?”

She just nodded jerkily between lung-wrenching hacks as Mahpiya’s smug and totally self-satisfied image faded from behind her eyes.

*
Excuse me, young Chrys. Adonei is calling to me
.* With a wink, the damned cat was gone.

Chrys, on the other hand, blushed furiously. With a croaked “I’m all right”, she left a concerned Rahn staring after her and hurried to change her coffee-stained t-shirt.

* * * * *

Exactly thirty minutes after Chrys’ breakfast, Rahn took his still-grumbling woman down to the fitness area. He’d purposely avoided her questions last night when she’d asked him about heading into port. Most of the owners had gone ashore for an overnight excursion in Athens.

Vacation or not, she needed to keep her skills honed and sharp. The gym was usually reserved for basketball and volleyball, but today the place was all but deserted. They could spar and, if she wished, talk about the case with relative privacy.

Rahn looked her up and down. He loved the way her workout pants hugged her hips and that lovely, lush ass. The sweatshirt covered up just about everything else, but he knew good and well what was under it—a little gray sports bra. And nothing else.

Before his body could react to the thought of stripping her bare and nibbling on her candy nipples, he pushed the temptation away and focused on the task at hand—sparring.

He dragged her fully into the gym, dropped his gear bag by the nearest wall and squatted to unzip it. Chrys was a petite little thing, but strong in body and character. And he wouldn’t go easy on her, knowing the woman would go for blood from the second he signaled “go”.