Rune (12 page)

She shuffled and turned over, her hand slapped out, and her eyes flicked open. Searching for him. Relief washed over her features, and she pushed her hair back. “Morning.”

He sat on the edge of the bed, leaned over, and welcomed her with a bruising kiss. Her head fell back, and her arm curled around his neck, fetching him closer.

“I need to go out, stay here and don’t go wandering, understand?” He drew back, tilting her chin. “Answer me.”

§§§

“Do I look as if I’ve got a hearing impediment?”
Oh fuck, why did she say that?
One glance at his face, the harshness of the planes, told her he was pissed with her. The blissful night was as if it had never existed.

“When I’m out, I will think of a suitable punishment.” His palm cupped her breast and squeezed her nipple. “Now, answer me.”

“Yes, I understand.” At his questionable glare, added, “sir.”

“I preferred it when you called me master.” Rune rose and, in long loping strides, crossed the room. “I’m not locking the door, I trust you to listen to my orders.”

“Anytime, master!” She hurled the words as he closed it behind him. Rolling onto her back, a wicked smile tugged at her lips. Jess thought back to the night and what he’d done with her; now, that was magic, she decided.

She just wished his personality was as passionate and willing to please as his body and cock.

A flush coloured her face, recalling how she’d tasted herself on his lips and decided she loved a muff dive. It had been unbelievable what he’d achieved with his tongue. And a wicked ache grew between her legs. She hoped to God there’d be more of that before she left.

Throwing the sheet back, Jess rose and noticed a few dark bruises on the inside of her thigh; she guessed there’d be some more elsewhere after their bedroom acrobatics. Jess hadn’t realized there were so many sexual positions. He took no prisoners, and she adored the way he made love: hard, rough, and with the force of a tsunami.

An hour later, she was showered, dressed, and bored. Her attention flicked to the door, he wouldn’t know, one quick sortie that’s all. And it was daylight, not that anyone was intent on killing her, for Pete’s sake. Rune had a vivid imagination that’s all it was, and he shouldn’t try to scare her.

Again, the image of grey eyes rose and she gave herself a pep talk.
They were a film cast
, idiot,
not a crowd of murdering vampires. Vampires don’t exist.
She felt like kicking herself at the sheer panic that had invaded her. One that she’d allowed to rise and suffocate all common sense.

Gripping the handle, she slipped out of the room and made her way down the stairs.

§§§

Rune’s black Lamborghini pulled up outside the police headquarters. He wanted to know as much as possible about the killings because he was convinced that Jess had witnessed it. The image of grey eyes had shuddered over him before she blanked his probing. Yet he couldn’t ask her outright in case she hadn’t, and Rune was aware he dare not take the risk of revealing any information. So far, they had managed to keep the murders under wraps. Somehow, he had to get her to speak about what had happened, why she was being chased prior to the crash, and played with a variety of ideas on how he’d fetch it up.

He strode past the duty desk and pushed the door open to Jim’s office unannounced. As usual, he was propped behind his desk. He held a steaming coffee in one hand and a cheeseburger in the other. Rune noticed he hadn’t wasted much time in finding another fast food outlet.

Jim indicated to take a seat, his jaws clamped around the roll, he chomped and swallowed. Rune poured himself a coffee, and dropped down into the chair; he watched and waited.

“So, what brings you back so soon?” Crumbs blew out of his mouth, and he scrubbed his mouth with the back of his hand.

“I need to know if you’ve got any more details.”

“You could have rang for that.” He slurped his coffee; a dark brown drizzle dripped over his chin.

“Could have, but I was kind of hoping that Phillips would be around.”

“What is it between you two?”

“Personality clash,” said Rune and hitched one heavy thigh across his leg. “So, what about leads? Anyone see anything?”

“No, by the time Phillips arrived, nearly every one of them was dead. The only person alive couldn’t speak; it was the young waitress and she died soon after.”

Rune unfurled himself and rose; he shifted around the room, a tenseness radiated in each step. “Yet there were no other cars, no customers?”

“Well, if there were, I reckon they’d be dead.”

“Let me have a copy of the report. I need to read it, the account, time everything.”

Jim pressed an intercom button. “Marnie, print off the information on the last killing; yeah the one at the diner.” He raised his brows, large, squiggly, grey caterpillars that hedged over his eyes. “Shit, she’s hard work.” He glanced up to Rune and pressed the intercom continuing to speak. “How many diners have had a slaughter taking place? Yeah, it’s for Rune.” He disconnected the call. “Christ, but that woman is a fucking nightmare.”

“Just a shame you married her then,” winked Rune.

Jim scrubbed a hand over his eyes. “Tell me about it.”

§§§

Jess tiptoed down the quiet hall and paused; somewhere she could hear the steady thump of weights. The clang of metal rang out, and she moved towards it.

Pushing at the door, she discovered herself in a gym, and LeBron lay on a bench pushing at weights. He wore a snug pair of grey pants and an indecently tight T-shirt. His huge biceps bulged and glistened beneath the sheer exertion. Jess trod forward, determined she was going to make it clear he needed to see Kitty.

She could see how wary he was, how his expression instantly charged with distrust. Did she dive in or use feminine wiles and play to his softer side? Jess nibbled thoughtfully on her lower lip; he slammed the weights down and, rising, moved towards her. He had the same snake hipped rolling stride as Rune but without that sexy edge. The one that so turned her on.

“What do you want?” Animosity bled through his words, and he challenged her with a heated glare. Taking a short towel, LeBron rubbed at the sweat trickling down his neck.

“I was just wondering who was working out.” she hedged, drawing him in. “How come you’re here at this time of day?”

“I live at Caprice. My quarters are at the other end of the house.” He continued to swipe the towel over his face. “A few of us find it convenient to stay here.”

“So, how long have you worked for Rune?” Jess tried to work out how to have a go without seriously pissing him off. She hadn’t forgotten his quick temper.

“A while.” He paused and studied her. “And now how about you tell me what you really want.”

“For you to face the truth? She’s hurting LeBron.” Jess crossed her arms in front of her and stared through him.

“Leave it the hell alone. Kitty is better off without me.” He picked up a bottle of water and drizzled the contents down his throat.

She sucked in a low hiss of anger,
heck, but he was a stubborn critter
. Then recalled how he was worried, if she were ill. “She’s dying.”

LeBron spun around, fear and horror on his face. “She can’t be.” He stepped close; taking her arms, he shook her, hard. “Tell me what’s wrong with her!”

Shit, she’d underestimated his emotions, what he felt for Kitty, and still couldn’t work out why he wouldn’t go to her.

“She’s pining away for you,” she cried and wished he’d let her go, her arm tingled with a growing numbness.

“Stop lying to me.” Suddenly, he released her and she fell back, hitting the floor.

Her ass stung at the snap on hard tiles.

Shit, this match making wasn’t easy.
“I’m not, I live with her, and every night, I hear her crying. She’s crying for you. LeBron, please go to her?”

A shock of confusion rolled over his face. He hesitated. “You don’t know what I am.”

“I don’t care, and neither does Kitty. She loves you, LeBron, you!”

His dark brown eyes softened to molten chocolate. “She does?”

“Yes, you big lummox! Hell you might have a shed full of muscles, but jeez, upstairs is an empty vacuum.”

“Thanks.” Holding a hand out, LeBron clutched hers and pulled her to her feet. “Do you think she’ll mind if I call over?”

“Trust me, she’ll be delighted, and as I’m not there, no time like the present, you’ve got the place to yourselves.” Jess flashed him a wink. “And as to what or who you are, you really don’t know Kit if you think it will make any difference.”

Hesitation and hope lit on his face.

Jess pushed, sensing him weaken. “If you don’t go now, you’ll regret if for the rest of your life. What you could have, given a chance.”

LeBron hesitated and gave a short nod. His lips curved into a wicked smile, and she all but crumpled; hell, if it wasn’t for Rune, she knew who she’d be rooting for. That cute dimple dipped in and she had a crazy urge to lick at it. Then tamped it down, he was Kitty’s man. She had her own, for all of what, another twelve hours or so?

“Thank you.” He leaned forward and gave her a kiss, a soft chaste touch on her lips. There was no zing, no bazoom, nothing, accept a sweet gentleness.

Until she heard the words.

“LeBron, get your fucking hands off her now.”

She leapt back as if she’d been burned and turned to a raging Rune.

He towered over them, a muscle ticked in a taut jaw; he bunched his fists and took a step forward. An intense fury radiated from his body as he glared at LeBron with pure malevolence.

“Look, it’s not what you think.” Lebron didn’t move back and faced him.

“You’ve got your lips all over her? What the fuck am I supposed to think?” His chest rose in a powerful surge and his anger sparked across Jess.

She reached out and gripped his arm, the steely tension, the roll of muscles taut beneath her fingers. “He was thanking me.”

“For what, for fucking him?” he snarled and took another step, his intention clear.

Jess whipped her hand out and slapped him hard across the face.
Oh shit, I shouldn’t have done that.
The loud crack blasted through the room. A look of astonishment crossed his features. LeBron closed his eyes, the disbelief obvious on his shocked face.

“If I want to fuck him, then it’s no one’s business bar mine.” Her temper ignited at his unfair insult. She jabbed a finger into his chest and gained the advantage at the stupor on his face. “But I was trying to get him to visit Kitty because my
best
friend just so happens to be in love with him.”

He glanced to LeBron for confirmation, at his nod.

“It’s true; she made me realize that I need to see Kit, to explain a few things.”

Jess felt his muscles relax, the visible anger melting. Then, he turned to her, his golden eyes glinted harsh. And she knew he still wasn’t over his mood. He took her arm and left the gym, all but dragging her. “You weren’t supposed to have left the room. Jessalyn, you will be punished for your disobedience.”

Jess tripped up the stairs, would have fallen except Rune picked her up and threw her over his shoulders. At her shriek, his hand came back and swiped her hard across her ass. His heavy muscles bulged carrying her; he kicked the door open and threw her on the bed.

His fury tangible, it soldered across each wall, and in silence he left. Without a word, neither of chastisement or anger, the key clunked in the lock.

She propped herself up on her elbows, yep he was a moody bastard. Jess looked forward to his return with mixed reservations. Because this time she guessed he’d really punish her.

The door downstairs slammed, and Jess crossed to the window, she just about made out his tawny head disappearing into the trees that edged Caprice. She wondered where he was going, and if it were to meet the tart Storm. A surge of jealous anger ripped over her. Like hell he’d go to her. Kitty had paid for his services till tomorrow. And no way was he fucking someone else as an aperitif in between.

Jess tugged at the handle on the window, pushing the sash up. She peered out, it was a long way down, and chewed her lip, trying to work out how she could manage the descent. Then noticed how the roof dipped to a lower one. If she could make it to that one, it should be easy, at least she hoped. Making her decision, she crawled out onto the ledge and slithered over the tiles.

§§§

Rune thundered down the meandering path; he was livid about the fact he’d caught her with LeBron. He couldn’t stand to see another man touch her, even if it had been, as it’d been explained, ‘a thank you’.

Next time, LeBron could send her a fucking note. Because he wouldn’t tolerate it again, and shook his head, what was he talking about? She’d be leaving tomorrow, their Dom-sub relationship at an end.

But neither could he understand the incredible fury that had exploded, the burst of territorial rage that had almost made him turn. He’d so wanted to tear LeBrons throat out. Dropping down, he changed form, the huge sable wolf loped through the woods. Rune knew he daren’t see her yet, that he needed to curb his urge to throttle her, and then make hard love.

But first, he had to calm down, soothe his emotions, and take control, and then he’d return to Jessalyn. Fired up, he was too volatile and knew he’d act out of character, riled on a molten lava of sensations he wasn’t used to.

Yet regardless, he had to ensure her safety, from him.

Chapter Eleven

Jess whimpered and gripped the down pipe that saved her from crashing to the concrete below. She was stuck, couldn’t go up even though common sense urged her and was scared at dropping down. Her heart thumped and she gazed around for an easier route, but there was none; somehow, the lower roof she’d spied was a good ten foot sheer drop. And she needed to jump onto it. Gathering her nerve, she closed her eyes and leapt into space.

Shit!
A blast of pain tore through her and her knee split open as she hit the tiles. The woods that Rune had disappeared into were merely a short distance away; if she wanted to catch up, she knew she’d better hurry. Dangling over the edge, her fingers clung onto the guttering and she prayed it wouldn’t break. Finally dropping down to the ground below, Jess landed with a crumpled thud.