Marked by Hades (4 page)

Chapter Eight

Every instinct to protect and care for this stranger named Yvonne fired in Justin so intensely he thought his insides would liquefy.

Yet she didn’t bear his Mark. It always showed on the left shoulder, and he’d checked both several times. Nothing other than a faded bruise.

He felt his Mate near, though. Nothing made sense. He knew this Mate shit was jacked up.

And if Yvonne licked that lip ring one more time, he might not be able to restrain himself.

Shrugging through the blast of wind, he repositioned the bag of remaining food to his other hand, searching for something to talk about.

So badly he wanted to ask about how she’d turned that guy assaulting her to dust, but as skittish as she was, he didn’t dare. The need to wrap his arms around her and learn what that lip ring felt like in his mouth hammered at his resolve.

Ever since his Mate’s Mark had awakened, he hadn’t been attracted to any female he’d encountered. And now, because of this beauty in front of him, he couldn’t shut off his body. It was warm and ready for her. He sensed her arousal, too, but fear tainted the heady scent.

He wanted to ask her so many things. Instead, he walked beside her, trying not to stare. But she wore his jacket so well, and the leather pants hugged her ass perfectly…

His body perked to life, and he shoved his hand in his pocket to cover that obvious fact.

“Can I have another bar?”

He dug through the bag and handed her the last of three bars. It must have been days since she’d eaten. What could have brought her to the point of homelessness and starvation?

“You’re at a hotel?” She glanced at him.

“Passing through town.”

“And helping homeless chicks?”

He laughed. “Kind of fell into that one.”

“I’m not going to…um…well, don’t expect—”

“Don’t worry, Yvonne. I’m not a psycho who’s going to try to jump your bones.” He nudged her shoulder. All the tension he’d been feeling about his situation eased away. He’d even cracked a smile, and it wasn’t one to lure anyone in or dazzle someone into a trance. It was just a plain, relaxed smile.

Finding his Mate didn’t seem important at the moment, but taking care of Yvonne sure did. Such a tough woman, obviously powerful to have dusted that human as she had, but she seemed vulnerable, too.

Broken.

He pointed to his right. “Room 115.”

Hugging the jacket closer to her, she slowed. Indecision flitted across her face, but he couldn’t blame her. She must really be in need to accept help from a stranger, or maybe she, too, felt the connection he did.

Not possible.
No connection.
He stepped in front of her and opened the door, then eased aside to let her pass.

“You go first.”

Keeping her in the edge of his vision, he made his way in and flipped on the lights. “It’s not much, but it’s warm, and the beds are pretty soft.”

She looked around the small room as she slowly made her way in. “Nice.”

“Two beds. Like I said.” He set the bag of food on the tiny fridge that sat atop the TV stand. “Feel free to clean up if you want. I’ll just put the food away.”

She didn’t move.

He reached into the bag and grabbed the bathroom supplies he’d snagged. “Here. I got these just in case you might need them.” He held out his hand. On it sat a travel toothbrush and toothpaste, a comb, and some floss. “There’s soap in there already, and you can use whatever else of mine you need.”

Her green eyes went wide.

“It’s okay.” He extended his offering further.

“Why…?”

He was asking himself the same question, but so far he hadn’t answered himself, so he said, “I haven’t quite figured that out yet, but I just know I’m supposed to take care of you.”

…

Sizzling water slid down her body, taking the stink of two days with it as jets massaged her neck free of the knotted muscles. The park bench wasn’t even in the same stratosphere as comfortable, and coupled with the cold nights, more than her neck needed the massaging pulses.

A modest hotel room, considering the wad of cash she’d seen in Justin’s wallet, yet it fit him. Rough with a touch of class. She’d almost melted into a puddle of goo when he’d handed her the bathroom supplies. But what crushed through her defenses was when he said he’d take care of her.

His aura pulsed with the truth of that. He did want to take care of her. Should she tell him everything? He’d seen her dust that guy, but should she tell him about waking up on a bench and killing that nice man who’d helped her?

No. She couldn’t tell him that, but maybe the other stuff about not knowing who she was. He might be able to help.

She hopped out of the shower and dried off. Thankfully the jacket would cover the mark since she didn’t have any makeup. Already tempted beyond reason to touch him, she needed the thick layer for a barrier, anyway.

Holding her breath, she listened at the door but heard nothing from the other side. Easing it open, she found him sitting on the edge of the far bed, leaning forward, hands clasped before him. The room was dark except for the light from the muted TV.

He moved at the creak of the door but didn’t say anything.

She crawled onto the empty bed and sat near the pillows, legs crossed. Picking at her now-clean fingernails, she weighed her options. Should she tell? Shouldn’t she?

“Still cold?” he asked.

“I’m okay.”

“The jacket looks nice on you.” He stood and hiked his shirt over his head. “Sleep well, Yvonne.”

He plopped onto his bed, still in his jeans, back to her, and jammed a pillow over his head.

Her fingers ached to touch all that glorious skin. Never before had she wanted to rip off her gloves more and dive right into that sea of smooth, pale flesh.

To be so close to someone and not able to touch him was torture. Pure torture.

She opened her mouth to ask his help with finding out who—and what—she was, but she clamped it shut. No. Just a good night’s sleep, then she should leave.

If she stayed, she’d probably kill him.

Chapter Nine

A sound yanked Justin from a deep sleep. He flopped onto his back and looked to the other bed. Still wearing his jacket, Yvonne curled into herself. Soft whimpers emanated from her, and she twitched.

His heart ached. This woman wasn’t marked with the Ahavah, so how could he feel so strongly for her? Other than her having a wicked power and being the sexiest woman he’d ever seen, he knew absolutely nothing about her. Instinct demanded he watch over her, but something this intense should happen only with his Mate.

He scrubbed his face with his hands. He did
not
need this right now. Not with Theo and Sadie on the verge of finding the location of the Thata. Not when he had to deal with finding his so-called Mate and figuring a way out of it.

Damn it!
Already the emotional chaos had begun. The very thing Justin
hated
about taking a Mate. He’d never wanted one, and here he was pining after a woman who wasn’t even marked for him.

Maybe it was a good thing he couldn’t find his Mate. The very fact that he felt so strongly about Yvonne had to mean something. Yes. Maybe if he sated his need with her, that’d prove to everyone, including The Great One, that there wasn’t just
one
woman for him.

No, that didn’t feel right, either.
Shit!

Since Justin was a Companion to the Gatekeeper, he wouldn’t die without his Mate as Theo would have, but still. He hadn’t even met his Ahavah, and yet he felt so strongly about Yvonne. How would meeting his Mate make him feel?

He turned onto his side and propped his head on his palm to watch the tiny female. Her long black hair covered most of her face, and her clasped, gloved hands were tucked neatly under her cheek.

He could see one eye through her blanket of hair, and it was squeezed tight. What had she been through? She couldn’t be more than twenty, maybe twenty-one.

And all that leather. Protecting her. Covering her.

Was she badly scarred?

Heat stormed through him, igniting a desire to lay with her, to touch her body and make her feel good.

Whoa! That was new. He’d only been with women to find
his
release. Didn’t matter much about theirs.

An ache clenched his stomach. He’d been so selfish.

He hopped up from the bed and ambled to the shower. He needed a cold one.
Ice cold
. Rubbing his bare chest right over his heart, he still sensed his Mate nearby, but he shoved it down. Evidently he was meant to help Yvonne first. For whatever reason, The Great One had their paths cross for a purpose.

He hurried through a cold shower, willing his body into submission. In a few hours it’d be light, but he had no idea what he would do with Yvonne. Take her to a homeless shelter?

No. What if she accidentally touched someone? Or maybe she could control it. That guy he’d seen her dust was probably hurting her. She might have been defending herself.

Yet she seemed so meek. Confused. And that just brought out his protective nature even more. But it wasn’t brotherly as it was with Sadie’s best friend, Dasha, either. This was way more intense.

He shook out his damp hair and pulled his shirt and jeans on. Breakfast. He’d start with breakfast and maybe probe with a few questions to test the waters.

Then, he should continue seeking out his Mate…

Justin.
Theo’s commanding voice entered his thoughts.

Please, yell louder, it’s not like you’re in my head or anything.

Halena and Sadie found the site. We leave tonight.

Where is it?

Theo laughed.
Hades, of course.

Great, a sea of demons and more burning granite.
I’ll be ready.

See you in six hours. I’ll be sure to knock even if there isn’t a sock on the doorknob…

After nine centuries, finally he learns.

Justin stepped out of the bathroom and into the dim hotel room. Yvonne had shifted to her back. The front of his jacket opened, revealing her ample chest. Tight black leather hid most of her flesh from his view, but it outlined every curve and dip. The zipper stopped at the juncture between her breasts, and ivory flesh spilled over. She was breathing heavily, panting.

So much for the cold shower he’d just taken.

“No. I won’t,” she said. “Can’t.” She thrashed as if clawing at someone. “Don’t hurt her. I’ll do it.”

“Yvonne?”

“Take me instead!” She kicked at the covers, and they flew off to the floor.

He sat on the side of her bed and shook her by the shoulder. “Yvonne.”

She fisted her hand and took a swing. He cuffed her wrist before contact was made, and her eyes popped open. With her free hand, she cupped his cheek, eyes furious with anger. “Don’t.”

After a few deep breaths, she shook her head as if waking from a stupor. She looked at her hand touching his face and recoiled, but he held fast to her wrist.

“Let go,” she said, working to scoot away from him. “Please.”

He didn’t. Couldn’t. Sweat beaded along her temple, and her nostrils flared with each deep breath. The heady scent of desire blanketed the sharp scent of fear he detected.

“I don’t want to hurt you.” Her voice cracked.

“What were you dreaming?” he asked, loosening his hold but not letting go.

“Don’t remember.” Her jaw clenched, and she averted her eyes.

She was lying.

“What time is it?” she asked.

“Two in the morning. You should sleep some more.”

“Yeah. That’ll happen.” She looked at his hand around hers. “Please let me go. I’m scared I’ll hurt you.”

Even though she said the words, he heard no conviction behind them, and she made no further movement to get out from beneath his touch.

So lonely.

“I saw what happened to that man in the alley.” He edged closer to her. “So, you can’t control it? Is that why you wear leather?”

Tears welled along the bottoms of her eyes, and she slowly nodded. The leather provided protection to those around her. That explained a lot.

“Any slight touch and the person turns to ash?” Still he moved closer, the bed sagging beneath his weight. The overwhelming urge to draw her into a hug flooded through him.

“Please don’t. Let me go.” Her voice was stronger, and she moved. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

He released her wrist. “Tell me how you got this ability.”

“I don’t know.” A tear trekked a path down her cheek, but she batted it away and cleared her throat.

He grazed his hand along her leg to her knee, and her eyes slid shut as if reveling in the touch. How long had she been isolated or touched for reasons other than violence?

He continued to rub his hand up and down her thigh, and she sank into the bed with a sigh, her eyes still closed.

If only he could touch her bare skin. He was immortal for the most part; maybe he could survive the touch. If anyone could, it would be him, and he sure as hell wanted to. It’d been more than a week since he’d last been with a woman.

Did he dare chance it hours before he was off to find the Thata and whatever Artifacts Aggie had stockpiled?

Need stampeded through his body, though, and sent his hand shaking. That never happened. When it came to women, he was more confident and sure than tentative and tender. What was this woman doing to him? He hated how out-of-control he felt around her and hated even more how much he needed to touch her.

He gave her knee a squeeze, then lay down beside her.

“What are you doing?” She tensed and went to roll away.

He grabbed her by the hip and turned her to face him. “Just relax.”

Inches separated their bodies. The creak of her leather garb punctuated the small distance between them. Warm breath dusted his face, and her gaze drifted down. Whether she realized it or not, her tongue sneaked out and moistened her lips and teased that damned lip ring again.

That was the sexiest thing ever.

His hand traced the contours of her hip, then down to her thigh. She wiggled closer. Black pupils ate up her sage irises, and her chest expanded with a deep breath until her breasts nearly touched him.

They were fully clothed, so maybe…

Her hand traced up his chest to his neck, and she tapped his bottom lip with her forefinger. “If only I could touch you,” she whispered as she tunneled her fingers through his hair.

“You are.” Even through her gloves, the warmth radiated. He leaned into her, wedging his leg between hers.

She hissed in a deep breath and fisted her hand in his hair, tugging some strands. Her jaw clenched, and she leaned up as if to kiss him, but then settled against the pillows again. “Justin. We shouldn’t do this.”

“Shhh.” Shifting more of his weight against her core, he said, “Let me take care of you.”

Over the leather hugging every curve of her, his hands grazed, starting where they were joined to her stomach. He gripped her waist tight, his thumb brushing the bottom of her breast. Her back arched, and her hand went out to the side as if to open herself to him.

“That’s it, just relax. I’ve got you.”

He followed the curve of her breast until his fingers were only millimeters from her exposed flesh. “Careful,” she said. “Can’t touch my skin.”

The urge to part her legs and dive into her vibrated through him with such a force his chest ached. “Feel good?”

“Amazing.” Her eyes were still closed, and she drew in her bottom lip, that silver hoop disappearing into her mouth. Maybe she was imagining them as he was, naked and making love.

“I really want to taste that lip ring. The way you keep playing with it…” He snaked his hand around to her behind and squeezed tight.

“Believe me, I wish you could.” She hooked her ankles at the base of his spine and started moving with him.

Oh, God that was hot.

Desperate to feel every detail of her body through the leather, he slowly worked his way back to her chest. Her hand groped at him as if doing the same, and he felt her longing to be close. To touch flesh.

A fierce need stampeded through his gut, and he couldn’t stop from rolling her beneath him. So badly he wanted to devour her lips. Suck her earlobe. Nip at her neck.

Instead, he tented himself over her upper half as he ground against her, seeking the pressure to sate his need. To sate hers.

Her hands traced over his chest, to his back, touching every spot she could, and it got him going even more.

She clamped her legs around him, moaning out his name. She needed this as much as he did. And at this moment, he’d give her anything.

“Take it,
szép
,” he whispered as he shifted his weight between her legs.

Her body arched beneath his as she tensed. Picking up the pace to keep her on the edge, he sought out his release. Caressing her through the leather, he imagined the barrier gone. Touching her smooth skin, kissing it. What would it taste like?

What would she taste like?

She grabbed his ass, pulling him impossibly closer, and her eyes shot wide. “Justin!” Her mouth opened, and she let out a contented sigh as she skyrocketed off the ledge.

He followed right after her into the euphoric bliss that had eluded him since the night he’d felt the Ahavah.