S.A. Price (32 page)

"Paint me?"

She grinned. "Ummm... Yep... or rather your essence... You’ll see love. Gods you feel good."

"Mmm... So do you." He glanced up at the clock wincing. "But it'll have to wait till we get to that custom bed of yours. Think you can last?" He grinned his challenge up at her.

"I can if you can baby, though that plane ride is going to be mighty interesting." she stretched under him. "And I suppose I should get dressed. Can’t board the plane in my underwear."

He smirked, "Don’t see why not."

"So you really wanna parade me in front of Merrick and the pilot?" she grinned

"Maybe not but there’s nothing to stop you from wearing one of those long trench coats and boots," he groaned at the thought grinding himself into her. "Thigh high boots covering those stunning legs."

"If I had it I would, though something tells me that’s the makings of a very naughty fantasy."

"One I intend to see fulfilled." He sat up laying a kiss on her forehead. "You get dressed. I'm going to go and try my best not get killed by a giant snake."

~130~

"If you do, I’ll avenge you, if I have to live in this world without my man, so does she."

He laughed, "You know some men would pay to see you fight with Kira. Thankfully I don’t think it'll come to that, Sage seems to be on his best behavior lately. I think he's got a tummy ache from the last person he ate."

"Either way, he might be happy you’re not going to be around. But still a fight with Kira? Baby I adore you, but that bitch would not survive."

He laughed. "Kira is an expert in her field, love. As for fighting, she grew up in Trent's happy assassin club just the same as I did. Don’t underestimate her and you'll do just fine, she's got one hell of a right hook."

"I wouldn’t and it wouldn’t ever come to it. She might be your sister, but you’re my lover, and I take what’s mine very seriously. As long as her pet doesn’t mess with you, I don’t mess with her."

He chuckled, "You're so good to me."

"I know a good thing when I have it, and you’re the best thing."

"Most certainly." He kissed her again standing. "Now get dressed, I'll meet you downstairs ok?"

"Yep. Good luck." She swung her legs off the bed and grabbed her jeans slipping into them. "Be quick."

"On this occasion only." He winked at her sliding out of the room and off to talk to Kira. She wasn't going to take it well but Merrick's orders were to stay with Myra, he had to obey them. Kira didn’t appeal to most people first appearing standoffish and rude. The truth was that she, like him, had her problems. Kira’s issues lay more with abandonment and trust; something he knew today wasn’t about to help. She hated to give anything of herself, which made making friends always somewhat difficult let alone accepting new family members. She was still his little sister though, always would be.

Up until he met Myra, she and Merrick were all that he had. Sighing he crossed the corridor and made his way to his sister’s room, with a bit of luck she would be in a good mood.

~131~

THIRTY

There was little Merrick could do to ease the nervous feeling worming its way through his gut.

He’d done all he could for his plan, everything was set up, and the rest would be up to Elise. Things would either work out or they wouldn’t. There was nothing left to do but surprise her and hope she would follow. Aiden had light heartedly suggested drugging her but that wasn’t the type of surprise he was going for and it wasn’t as easy as it used to be carrying a drugged woman onto a plane. The trick was to keep her from going back to her nest in Knossos.

The type he was going for was the kind where he whisked her away to an exotic destination and catered to her every whim and a few of his own. It had been such a struggle these past few days having her so close and willing but unable to follow through on both their bodies’ desires. He’d stayed with her sleeping with her but holding back on sex, not that they both hadn’t had their fun he was always careful to stop it before it got to far. He knew how disappointed Elise was with the arrangement but he’d promised her it would be special and he was man of his word. After all this time it had to be special.

The car ride to the airport was awkward; he’d deliberately sat himself with Aiden and Kira just so he would be in a position to intervene if they started fighting. Elise was meeting them there having driven to the airport with Geraldine to see her and the other Archon’s off. Evelyn and the “action man”, as Aiden had dubbed him, were staying a little while longer to give her shoulder some more time to heal. The two of them were getting along better than Merrick liked but there wasn’t much more he could do about the situation.

Unpredictably they made it to the airport without anything more serious than an argument over who got to sit next to the window. Kira won with Myra sitting at the other side. He sat opposite them forced to spectate as Aiden and Myra sat whispering to each other as Kira stared sullenly out of the window. She had taken the news of her brother’s move rather well shrugging and wishing him luck.

Mer wasn’t so sure of how she would handle living by herself or away from Aiden, as far as he knew, the two of them had never been apart for more than a few days at a time. He wasn’t too worried about them though; Kira was the levelheaded one and bound to cope well on her own.

Merrick had spoken to her about possibly moving over herself, she refused bluntly stating that she was accepting a job offer as soon as she got back home and Sage wouldn’t like the change. He couldn’t help but agree although recently the giant thing had been acting much tamer even letting him crate it without so much as a half hearted snap. He couldn’t help but feel proud at her mention of a job; Kira had never worked an honest day in her life rarely using her talents unless she really had to. Her work, when she chose to do it, took her dangerously close to police and other such authorities and he just hoped she could hold her act together. If she could he knew the experience would do her a world of good. He’d mused earlier it wasn’t easy carrying a drugged woman on a plane. Airports were probably the safest places to be nowadays.

Moving swiftly through the crowd he quickly spied Elise sitting in the lounge. He took a second to watch her, she looked so perfect sitting unaware of him. Her long hair was hanging loose cascading over her shoulders, dark and rich. He could instantly pick up her sweet scent despite the hundreds of

~132~

people surrounding her. He moved up to her quickly wrapping his arms around her and laying a soft kiss on her neck. “Mmm, you smell so good Lise. They all gone?”

Elise tensed, then relaxed into the ring of his arms, leaning back in the chair and laid her head on his shoulder. "Yes. Geraldine is going to watch your girls for a while take them to the Mobile nest as her compound is bigger than mine and she has the clinic and all. Ramona is not a happy camper though. Everything ok with the kids? Sage take a chunk outta you?"

"Actually no. He was most docile for a change, as was his owner. I think they're both growing up."

"We can hope. And Aiden and Myra? He decide to come back to New York with us?"

Merrick nodded, "He's decided to go back to New York with Myra, not exactly with us though." He kissed her again.

"You knew what I meant. He will be good for her, it’s nice to see her happy and sharing her life with someone, she’s gotten more withdrawn as of late."

"They're good for each other." He agreed.

"I think so. Myra deserves happiness." She looked up at the clock and sighed. "Dustin said we are taking off at three, it’s nearly there, we should probably head for the hanger don’t you think?"

"The hanger yes, but I was thinking we could delay the trip back home. Give the kids some time by themselves," His hands tightened on her waist pulling her back closer to him so he could whisper in her ear, "Give us some time by ourselves. I have something... special planned. If you’re game."

"Merrick there’s a lot to do..." she said quietly. He could see the indecision in her demeanor; she always bit her bottom lip when she was unsure of something.

Taking it as a good sign he turned her looking down into her eyes. "You're right, there is a lot to do and a lot to make up for. It'll only be for a few days and the kids can take care of themselves for a little while longer. The danger's past Elise..."

"I hope so, I really do. I couldn’t do this and have something happen."

"It won't," he promised, "And we'll have the jet there, on standby, so we can leave anytime you wish."

"Just a few days?" she asked and then blushed. "A few days might not be enough, but we will have to make it count. Where to, Druis?"

"It’s a secret," he smirked winking at her, "And, as I said, we can leave whenever you want. We can go back whenever you want to."

"And what If I don’t want to? You know having you all to myself has been a fantasy of mine for so many years John."

He chuckled at her, "Mine too and I trust your judgment on the matter."

"Then take me, before the more responsible part of my brain takes over."

"Perfect idea."

Taking her hand in his he lead her out past everyone and to the security check. After a few words and a metal detector they moved swiftly out to the hanger and the waiting jet. The recently acquired jet was luxury itself and the crew and pilots were delighted when they got his call. Deep down Merrick knew it was because if they were working for him then they wouldn't be trafficking Trent off to some lethal backwater destination where they would no doubt be under fire and have to clean wounds.

They seemed to go through more people that way. It was one of the reasons their people were all highly skilled and trained in several useful things. You never knew what was going to happen on one of Trent's missions. He let her go first onto the jet moving closely behind her to gage her reaction Elise looked about and smiled. "Nicer than the Knossos jet. I’m thinking you could afford that black hawk if you wanted."

He could afford more than one. "Maybe but I would have nowhere to put one and they're just a tad impractical."

"True, but I saw your eyes when Marcus mentioned his." She walked over to a leather couchette and sat, and he helped her down slowly. "So wherever we are going, we are riding in style."

~133~

"The only way to go anywhere." Smiling he moved to the side, "Now what would you like to drink?" he asked shooing away one of the cabin crew, the girls were over worked as it was, he could get his own drinks.

"What do you recommend?" she asked with a shy grin.

"Hmm..." He mumbled opening up the bar area and having a look. "It's freshly stocked so what ever takes your fancy. Maybe avoiding spirits, I'd hate to be accused of getting you drunk. How about some champagne? There are a few excellent vintages here. Are you hungry?"

"Champagne is wonderful, and no, I’m not, but a nibble might be nice." she grinned. "Though I’m not sure the nibble would be food."

"My love you can nibble on anything you like." He grinned at her lifting the bottle of chilled Dom and setting it in the ice bucket. He lifted it along with two glasses and a box of strawberries carrying it back over to their seats.

"That hasn’t been your tune the past few days, has it?"

"No." he felt his smile turn sheepish. "Then it’s been a hard few days. I want things to be special."

He popped the bottle pouring two glasses and handing it to her as the pilot, Mark Ellis formerly one of the air force’s best before they'd poached him, announced his take off plans and promised not make any trick flight moves. It had taken him a few times for it to sink in that he couldn’t fly this jet upside down, more to the point he could but it destroyed most of the inside and normally sent Trent's scotch flying over him. The knowledge didn't always stop him, but he was on good behavior today.

"And you’re a man that gets what he wants, so whatever you have planned will be special, and I can’t wait. This has been a long time coming."

"A very long time..." he held his glass out in a toast. "To what lies ahead."

She raised her glass and nodded. "To what lies ahead, and letting the past rest."

He clinked them together. "With a bit of luck we'll have a clear run for a while."

"I hope so. I would like to have the man I love back with me."

"I'm not going anywhere," He reassured patting her hand as the plane took off smoothly. "Not without you."

She smiled and took another sip of her champagne, watching him. She moved closer, taking off her seat belt and slipped into his lap facing him. Taking both their glasses she placed them on the side table. Seconds later her arms were around his neck, playing with the peppery hair at his temples.

"And definitely not with you doing that," he all but purred leaning into her soft warm hands.

She giggled and settled, a knee on each side of his hips. "Darling I have barely touched you, though I really like this. You get better with age, at least looks wise."

"You think?" He asked, it had been playing on his mind. He just wasn't as young as he used to be, things had changed his hair being one of them.

"Umm hmm. You're still drool worthy Merrick."

"That's a relief." He leaned forward and kissed her gently.

She moaned softly and closed her eyes, her hands going to the nape of his neck. She stroked the skin there slowly, and rolled her hips on his lap in a sweet suggestive manner. The top two buttons of her fitted shirt were open giving him a very clear line down to her cleavage. He took it gratefully sucking and nibbling a slow hot line down to the tops of her breasts.

"Ummm that’s nice... god that mouth is criminal you know that?"