ShadowsofNight (3 page)

A week later, Emma returned from her dinner break in the lunchroom.
Her head hurt, so she decided to go for a walk. She needed a change of scenery
before she went batty. Staring at the same four walls every night was grating,
and being an executive assistant to the president of the company afforded her
no extra leverage. It was clear she would need to press her Network superiors
for permission to try a different tactic, because this one wasn’t working.

She was about to grab her coat to leave the building when
she noticed a package sitting on her desk with a note on it.

She walked over and picked up the piece of embossed
stationary.

Dear Ms. Parker,

Please deliver this package to Mr. Davies’ office on the thirty-second
floor. The contents are personal. Someone at reception will direct you to his
office.

Ms. Palmer

“They’re starting to relax the reigns a little? Hmm…” Emma
tapped her chin for a moment before picking up the package and heading for the
elevators. She pushed the Thirty-two button and a male voice came over the loudspeaker.

“May I help you?”

“I need to deliver a package to the thirty-second floor,
please.”

“You don’t have clearance to access that area, Miss Parker.”

I do now, asshole.
“I’ve been instructed to deliver a
package to Mr. Davies by Miss Palmer. Perhaps check your log?”

“One moment…”

A few seconds later, the elevator began its ascent. She
smiled as the doors opened and she entered another elegantly decorated reception
area.

Impressive…

More white marble, walls of glass, sculptures and artwork
greeted her. She wandered past reception and thought it was strange that no one
was sitting at the desk. It certainly gave her a good excuse if she got caught
wandering around up here.

She chose the long corridor to the left of the desk. When
she reached a set of double doors at the end, she quietly knocked. The whole
floor was eerily quiet and there were no other doors along the hall.

“Excuse me, Mr. Davies, it’s me, Emily. I’m here to deliver
a package.” She opened the door and stepped inside. The room was massive and elegantly
decorated. There was a huge cherrywood desk on one side of the room and a
sitting area on the other, with a large couch and an oversized flat-screen TV.

Emma marveled at the opulence as she wandered over to the
desk. She was just about to do a little snooping when she caught movement out
of the corner of her eye.

Holy shit!

Her mouth dropped open as she noticed an open door to the
right of the desk—and the heavily muscled male with his back to her, doing
pull-ups on a bar.

The guy had to be at least six-foot-five and weigh two-sixty,
if she had to take a guess. His hair was the color of night, cut short. Muscles
rippled and strained as he effortlessly pulled his massive frame up and down in
a slow, fluid motion. On his right upper arm and across part of a shoulder blade,
an extensive half-sleeve wrapped over the shoulder and, she presumed, continued
to his chest.

He dropped to the ground suddenly and spun around, as if
sensing her presence. He pulled the ear buds he was wearing from his ears as
his eyes traveled down the length of her body in an erotic, predatory gaze.

She inhaled sharply at the sight of the outrageously
handsome man who stood before her. “Damn…” Emma swallowed hard as a surge of
lust sliced through her body.

He had a square jawline, ruggedly handsome features, a
straight nose, high cheekbones and the most remarkable set of green eyes she’d
ever seen. His wide, muscled chest and broad shoulders was also covered with
the same beautifully etched tattoo that began on his back. Washboard abs
disappeared beneath black shorts that hung low on a tapered waist and partially
covered a pair of powerful legs. Her gaze ran over his massive frame and she
couldn’t help her immediate attraction to the guy.

He cocked his head as confusion creased his extraordinary
features. “Who let you up here?”

“Oh sorry, my mistake, wrong office.” She dropped the
package on the desk and started to back away.

“Hey, stop. I asked you a question.”

“I told you—I must’ve picked the wrong office. My mistake.”
She turned to leave. Why hadn’t she just told him why she was there? God, he
flustered the hell out of her. That wasn’t normal.

“You’re not leaving.” He was by her side instantly, grabbing
her arm.

“Let go of me.” She pushed him back.

“Human…” he mumbled under his breath and his eyes widened.

Oh this is not good. I’m not getting bitten.
In a
split second, she decided to react with force rather than take any chances. He
was too close for her comfort, and stepping closer. She blocked his advance
with a roundhouse kick to the jaw that sent him stumbling backward.

Licking blood from his split lip, he grinned—then moved like
a flash of light. Before she knew what hit her, he’d lifted her off the ground
and slammed her down on the desk.

“I’m not on the menu!” She cocked her fist back and belted
him in the jaw. How the hell had she allowed the situation to fall apart so
quickly?

“Bloody hell, woman, you fight like a goddamn man,” he
growled.

She gasped when he quickly captured both wrists and placed
them above her head.
Now what?

Think, assess your options, then act
, she tried to
tell herself, needing to regain control over the situation, but quite frankly,
she was pissed that he’d attacked her.

“What did you expect me to do, just stand there and let you
manhandle me? You haven’t even begun to see me fight back, asshole.” She tried
to shake him off but the bastard was too strong and held her easily. Her heart
pounded wildly. God, he was gorgeous though.

Why was she thinking that at a time like this?

“Is that so?” He leaned close to her ear, his voice a sexy
velvet purr. The smell of aftershave and male permeated the space between them.
“The next time you hit me, I’ll return the blow. Now, I’ll not ask you again.
How the hell did you get access to this floor?”

“Why don’t you ask Miss Palmer?” She glared at him.

“Believe me, I intend to do just that.” He looked at her
with lust in his eyes so intense, it caused her nipples to pearl. Pleasure
pooled in her core and a shiver passed through her. She wondered if he sensed
it when his lips parted in what seemed like surprise.

Her cheeks flushed. What was she doing? This was crazy. The
idiot just attacked her and she was getting all hot and bothered over it. Had
she lost her mind? More than likely, because she certainly wasn’t acting like a
highly trained operative at the moment.

Get a fucking grip, Hayes.
“Ms. Palmer left me a note
asking me to deliver a package to Mr. Davies—I clearly picked the wrong office.
Sorry.
” Her voice was laced with sarcasm.

“Where’s the package?” He started to relax a little but
still didn’t release her.

“I don’t know. It’s probably on the floor with the rest of
the crap you knocked off your desk.” Another shiver traveled up her spine as
she felt the swollen press of his cock along her inner thigh. The bastard
apparently wasn’t wearing underwear under those workout shorts. It appeared he
was a
big
motherfucker in more ways than one. His masculine scent
invaded her like a drug to the brain, promising a kind of passion that would be
hard to resist. She closed her eyes in the hopes that her sanity would return.

No luck. She opened them to find him staring at her with a
humorous expression.

“So it seems.” He glanced over his shoulder at the random
items he’d swept off the desk and chuckled, his tone dark and delicious.

“I’ve answered your question. Now will you please let me
up?” She struggled against his hold. There was something primal and raw about
him. She’d never experienced such longing for a man—and it terrified her,
because he
wasn’t
just some random guy who turned her on. He was
obviously a freaking vampire.

Instead of letting her up, he lowered his head to her ear
again. “Your name wouldn’t happen to be Miss Parker, now, would it?”

“As a matter of fact, it is.” This wasn’t funny anymore.
Usually she was the one in control of the situation, not the other way around.

“Why do I get the sense you’re not being truthful with me?”
He cocked his head as he scrutinized her more closely.

She tensed. “I have no reason to lie about who I am, sir.
Just because I fought back doesn’t mean I’m lying to you.”

“You fight with a skill most women don’t possess. Tell me
your real name and maybe then I’ll let you up.” He leaned forward and nuzzled
her neck. She sucked in air at the erotic sensations that engulfed her.

“W-what the…haven’t you heard the term ‘sexual harassment’,
asshole? Because that is exactly what you’re doing. I could press charges
against you, damn it.” Her words came out breathless as she tried to buck him
off. He didn’t budge, seemingly unfazed by her threat. It was empty anyway. But
he didn’t know that.

“And you’re well within your right to do so,” his expression
darkened, “but somehow I sense that isn’t going to happen, because whatever
you’re hiding is too important for you to risk exposure. Am I right?”

Shit.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she
panted.

“Really?” He leaned forward, using his teeth to tug at her
nipple through the fabric of her blouse. “Let’s test that theory.”

“Hey, s-stop that!” Another shiver rushed through her,
causing a hot, aching need between her legs.

“What? You mean this…?” He lowered his head again and gave
the other one a playful nip that sent a shot of pleasure straight to her clit.

“Oh damn.”
I’m in trouble.

She wanted a fucking vampire. Badly.

“Your real name—what is it?” He ran the tip of his nose
along her jawline.

“M-my name is Emily,” she gasped in outrage.

“I’ll accept that answer for now. That wasn’t so hard, was
it?”

A grin slowly spread across his face. Could he
be
any
sexier? What was it about this inhuman asshole? She wasn’t
that
easy,
was she?

Apparently she was.

Resist him. You can’t do this, for Christ’s sake.
“That
all depends on what you’re referring to as ‘hard’.” She narrowed her eyes.

“Don’t knock it until you try it.” He wedged his hips
between her legs and the skirt she was wearing easily rode up her thighs. She
gasped when the hard press of his arousal slowly slid over her silk panties in
a delirious friction that had her instantly writhing. Part of her wanted to
enjoy his touch, which pissed her off even more.

He continued to tease her clit with the head of his cock in
a slow rocking motion that was going to send her straight over the edge.

Sweet heaven, he’s going to make me come.
She bit her
lip to keep from moaning.

“Mm…you’re very tempting.” His voice was low and husky as he
continued to tease her swollen bud. She clenched her jaw and turned her face
away, caught up in an erotic wave that was impossible to resist.

“F-feeling is
not
mutual.” That was such a lie, and
they both knew it. Her mouth was suddenly dry and she licked her lips.
Oh
God, don’t come.

“Are you sure about that?” He chuckled.

“You smug, arrogant jerk. Don’t flatter yourself. I-I don’t
enjoy being attacked and held down against my will. But it appears
you
get off on overpowering women.”

He stilled and the look in his eyes almost made her regret
her words. “If my intent was to harm you it would’ve already happened.”

“That’s debatable.” She rolled her eyes.

“You’re a feisty thing. Maybe that’s why I’m so attracted to
you.” He muttered the last part under his breath and shook his head with a
heavy sigh.

“Look, mister, you’ve had your fun. If you let me up, I
promise I won’t report you to my superiors.”

“I
am
your superior.”

This can’t be…oh hell.

“W-what’s your name?” She swallowed hard.

“Christian Voss.” His lips twitched in amusement.

“You’re kidding me…?” Her blood ran cold at the thought. Her
target. And if there had been any lingering doubt in her mind about what he was,
there wasn’t anymore.

He leaned closer. “Kiss me.”

“What—no!” But everything about this guy filled her with a
desperate need to have him, no matter the consequences. Where was her cool
levelheadedness when she needed it? Apparently she’d lost it when she entered
this office and came face-to-face with a dark angel.

“I
smell
your heat. You can’t deny it with me.”

He captured her lips before she could respond. She let out a
gasp, surrendering to him as ripples of pleasure tore through her. His hot tongue
invaded, swirling and tasting. He released her wrists and without thinking, she
pulled him closer instead of pushing him away.

He groaned, deepening the punishing kiss. Her belly clenched
and she rolled her hips against his straining length in reckless abandon as the
ache between her legs grew to an unstoppable force that suffused all reason.

“Yesss…” she hissed as he licked the column of her throat. He
cupped her breasts, kneading them in his powerful hands. He pinched her nipples
and desire shot straight to her clit. She moaned loudly, clutching at his back
as he muffled a moan with another kiss.

“Your scent…it’s driving me crazy.” His voice deepened as he
stared down at her.

“We should stop.” She made one last feeble attempt to
resist.

“Ssshh…I won’t hurt you.” His warm breath tickled her heated
skin as he slowly kissed his way down her throat, ripping open her blouse and
sending buttons flying everywhere. He opened the clasp to her bra and ran his
fingers lightly over the full swells.