Zoey Avenger (Incubatti Series Book 2) (36 page)

“I know.” One of her hands went to her stomach then away fast, as if she hadn’t yet come to terms with her pregnancy. Zoey rose and pulled on a shirt.

“I’ll do everything I can to help you,” he added. “Do you have a plan?”

She shot him a look.

“It’s what I do, remember?” Swinging his legs over the bed, he climbed out.

Her eyes went to his arousal again, and she licked her lips. “You’re trying to distract me.”

“No.” He rested his hands on her shoulders and leaned his hips into hers. “Just showing you what’s waiting for you tonight.”

“I want you already,” she said with a sigh. Wrapping her arms around him, she molded her warm frame against his. Declan squeezed her and breathed in the scent of their lovemaking that permeated the air, her hair, his skin. “I think I want what you do, Declan. I’m just not sure how it’ll work out. Someone has to stop Olivia and the Cambions.”

The reminder of her danger made his innate need to protect her roar to life. Declan suppressed it with effort, knowing that the fastest way to lose her was to try to control what she did. It went against his instincts, his heart and his own better judgment.

He had a plan of his own, one he knew would net him what he wanted in every area of his life: his soul-mate by his side, watching his son grow up, ridding the world of the monsters that stood between him and Zoey. He just didn’t know how long it would take and how much worse Zoey’s danger would become.

“When this is over, Zoey, we’re having a talk,” he said firmly. “I believe in you and what you’re doing, but you won’t be putting yourself in this kind of danger anymore.”

“You don’t get to tell me what to do,” she said, looking up at him with a flash of defiance.

“I do,” he replied, tracing his thumb across her lips. “I think I proved that last night.”

Her breath caught.

“You will be in my bed, at my side, in the shower, wherever I am,” he said with a faint smile. “We’ll play tag, and I’ll fuck you into submission as many times as it takes.”

She laughed. “I’d like that.” The whisper was almost too soft to hear.

“Then don’t get killed.” He kissed her lightly on the lips. “I’ve got more to show you.”

“Will you wear your mask?” she teased.

“No, but I’ll blindfold you.”

She groaned and sagged against him. “You’re killing me here!”

He restrained his sex energy, knowing she’d drop her clothes if he asked but aware they had to resolve the Olivia issue before he’d be able to take a few weeks off to spend with her in bed the way he planned.

“We also need to pick out a name for our son,” he added.

“Daughter!” she snapped, pushing away from him. “We’re having a girl, Declan.”

He snagged her arms and hauled her against him, kissing her deep and long. Her hunger was clear, and he licked, nipped and kissed her with fervor, until the tension left her frame and she was pliant in his arms once more. One of her hands found his dick, and she squeezed and stroked hard. Declan’s hands went up her shirt. He freed one breast and rolled the tip of one between his fingers before letting his hand slide down her pants.

He twirled her so that her back was to him and pressed his erection into her firm ass. “You want me to touch you once more before you go?” he whispered, nipping her earlobe.

“Yes!”

He slid his hand between her thighs and fingered her through the material of her pants, palming her and stroking.

“Show me you want it,” he directed softly, one arm looped beneath her breasts to steady her.

She shifted against him, rubbing her ass into his dick before she strained to increase the pressure, to rub her swollen nether lips against his hand. Zoey braced one leg against the wall to give him access, her inner thighs already trembling from the night in bed. He growled softly and bit her neck.

“Please,” she murmured hoarsely.

Declan complied and slipped his hand between her pants and the skin of her stomach, letting his fingers meander down her belly while listening to her breathing grow faster.

“You’re so responsive,” he said and pressed his lips against her neck. “You have no idea what I have planned for you tonight.”

Zoey groan as one of his fingers slid between her nether lips and brushed her clit. Dipping into her core, Declan traced the path from her pussy to her clit, his expert strokes firm yet gentle as he circled the sensitive button and released more of his magic into her.

“I love it when you moan like that,” he said.

Within seconds, she was clawing at him, wriggling and struggling, pleading with him to end the torture and let her come. He admired her jiggling breasts as he worked her pussy and clit with one hand, unable to shake how incredible it felt to let her magic, her cries, her panting fill his senses and flow over him. Her body was growing tense from the building climax, her clit hard and her pussy clenching around his fingers.

“You’re mine, kitten. Don’t ever forget that,” he said. “When this is over, you will be in my bed until I let you go and every night after, I will fuck you hard enough that we both sleep like angels. Do you understand?”

“Oh … god yes!” She arched against him.

“Then come for me, my little Zoey.”

Her body convulsed, and she cried his name one more time. Declan held her shaking frame as waves of pleasure broke over her, enjoying the way her tight pussy gripped his fingers while his thumb remained beneath her clit, refusing to let the orgasm die. He gradually restrained the magic, nudging her head away with his while breathing in the scent of her arousal. She breathed hard, incapable of standing on her own yet.

Pulling his fingers free, he licked them and then hugged her against him.

“You’re incredible,” she murmured.

“When we have time, I’ll make sure you’re too sore to walk.”

Zoey laughed breathlessly.

He turned her and steadied her. Her expression was dazed, sweet, vulnerable. Happy. “I love seeing you like this, Zoey.” He kissed her nose. “Swear to me that no matter what happens, you will come back to me alive.”

She took his cheeks in her hands and kissed him. “I swear, Declan.”

“Then go, before I change my mind and lock you up where you can’t get hurt.” He stepped away. “Or just keep you in my bed for a week or two straight.”

“Definite rain check on that,” she said. Gaze lingering on him, she took a step, wobbled, then made it to her gear.

Declan watched, turned on yet aware they had a war standing between them and another night in bed. Zoey finished and went to the bedroom door. “We can name her Sienna, after your mom.”

His smile faded, and he studied her. She was earnest, the warm words a peace offering he recognized as a sign she truly did intend to return. Whatever reluctance he sensed that remained from the incident was gone. She was willing to give them a second try, and his thoughts raced to what it’d take for the Incubatti to take her off their most wanted list so it was possible.

The solution they’d circled back to more than once: Olivia. His options were limited until the IAB chief was out of the way.

“If that’s cool,” Zoey added at his silence, searching his gaze.

“It is,” he agreed. “And Alexander if it’s a boy.”

“Yeah. I like that.”

“Contact me when you’re somewhere safe. I’ll have Olivia’s travel schedule, in addition to whatever else you need to execute,” he said.

Zoey lingered in the doorway, her features hard to read for once. “Okay, Declan. We’ll do this your way. Just this once.” A spark of fire lit her gaze, and she grinned mischievously. “See you ‘round.”

“Tonight.”

Ignoring him, she swiped his car keys and left.

Declan smiled. Their connection was stronger this morning, her attempts to block him gone, and his absolute loss of control last night chiseling away at any barriers on his end he wasn’t aware of. This time, when she put on the band, she didn’t disappear from his senses as she had before. Her energy was dampened but still present, an indication of how much stronger their bond was.

Reaching for his cell, he dialed.

“Wes.”

“Hey. How’s Lydia?”

“Recovering.” Wes released a sigh. “Had a couple scares, but she’ll be okay. We called in Mom’s old doctor. She’ll be on her feet in a day or two.”

“Good.” Declan privately shared the relief in his brother’s voice. “I need an appointment with Eleanor.”

“Councilmember Eleanor?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll arrange it.” There was a note of curiosity in Wes’s voice. “Should Dad know about this?”

“No, and neither should anyone else, not her secretary, not Olivia.”

“Interesting. I’ll talk to Tommy. You coming in soon?”

Declan glanced at the clock next to the disheveled bed. He was two hours late. It was nearly seven. “Yeah. Got some decent sleep last night for once.”

“Right.”

“I’m on my way.” Declan hung up and got dressed. His mood grew somber as he recalled the mass grave they’d seen last night and what that meant he had to do today.

An hour and a half later, he strode into Site Z, more alert and aware than he’d been in months. He checked in with the command center before heading to the dorm area for the Councilmembers. He knocked on his father’s door and waited.

Ethan opened it. The gleam in his eye told Declan he was almost recovered, though his pallor was not quite as golden as usual. Ethan stepped away from the door and went to the living area, where a cup of coffee sat on the table in front of the muted television. His walk was slower than normal, too.

“How you feeling, Dad?” Declan asked, sitting on the ottoman near him.

“Not as good as you.”

“Got some sleep last night.”

“Sleep don’t make you glow, son.”

Declan chuckled. He felt good, and it showed. “You healing up okay?”

“Getting old,” Ethan complained. “It never used to take this long.”

“You’re not old. Olivia jacked you up.”

“Hmph.” Ethan stretched for his coffee cup and crossed his ankles on the ottoman. “What brings you by?”

“A couple of things.” Declan explained the mass grave, Zoey’s plan to take out Olivia and how he’d offered his support.

Ethan lowered his feet and leaned forward, listening intently. When Declan finished, his father immediately asked, “What’re you thinking?”

“Officially, that we need to put some distance between the societies while the Sucubatti work out their internal differences. I’ve had a chat or two with Chandler that leads me to believe that pretty much everyone is aware of the ongoing struggle between us. How hard would it be for you – or me – to convince the Council that it’s in their benefit to watch?”

“You want to sideline the Cambions.”

“I want to make it a crime punishable by death to interfere with what’s going to happen,” Declan clarified.

“The Council won’t condone murder. They may give you permission to handle as you see fit, should anyone get involved,” Ethan said thoughtfully. “I don’t see a problem with this approach. I can foresee a lot of questions as to how we’re certain it was the Sucubatti murdering their own and not the Cambions.”

“I’m willing to vouch for the Cambions as to the fact they didn’t do this,” Declan offered with distaste. “I’m sure Paul will appreciate that.”

“No doubt. You think this is a better approach than pinning this on the Cambions?”

“Yeah.” Declan didn’t hesitate. “Now, for part two, I’m talking to you son-to-father, okay?”

Ethan nodded.

“I want to isolate Olivia. We cut her off from the Cambions, and Zoey has a better chance to take her out. I know very well that what’s going on within the Sucubatti concerns our council. They don’t like Olivia anymore than we do, and I’ve been told by Chandler, discreetly, to take care of her without involving the Council or anyone else.”

By the smile on his father’s face, Ethan had heard this before.

“We figured out that Olivia’s plan is to destroy anyone who doesn’t buy into her dream of a world of succubae and Cambions, a world probably ruled by her.”