“Do I have a choice? I’m kind of trapped here for now.”
“I didn’t take you from your life,” he reminded her. “I just accepted you into mine. Decker might have either killed you if I hadn’t brought you here, or used you in some other horrible way to gain something he wanted. He and Lord Abotorus were very similar. A bloodline means nothing and if you aren’t useful to them, they seem to think you don’t deserve to live.”
She took a deep breath and blew it out. “I took some self-defense classes because I was raised in some bad neighborhoods.” She studied him from head to foot. Aveoth was a big man with a seriously buff body. Then she glanced at the hard floor. “Don’t you guys use mats when you tussle?” She met his gaze. “I can’t harden my body to protect myself from breaking bones if I slam into something solid. I’m assuming that’s what you plan to do with me?”
“I’m going to come at you but I won’t let you fall. Try to avoid me grabbing you.”
It was the only warning she got as he lunged forward and tried to snag her around her waist as he bent a little. She threw out an arm and knocked one of his hands away, twisting to the side and kicking out the way she’d learned. Her shoe made contact with his pants just above his knee.
The hit to his thigh actually made him take a step back and he straightened. He arched one eyebrow.
“What? I wasn’t going for your nuts.”
“Thank you.”
He lunged again but faster.
She gasped as his arms wrapped around her and she was lifted right off her feet. He had her in a bear hug with her side pressed up against his chest. It put their faces very close together. His skin was hot and a little damp. Whatever cologne he wore smelled amazing. She actually had to fight the urge to lick him to see if he tasted as good as he smelled.
He smiled. “I have you. You need to do better.”
She was grateful he spoke; it forced her to stop thinking about running her tongue over his skin. “I didn’t even see you move.”
“You aren’t completely human. Stop acting as if you are.” He lowered her to her feet and let her go, taking steps back to put a little space between them. “You’ve got some Vampire blood. We need to discover what advantages it gives you. I’m going to come at you again and this time, avoid me. Ready?”
“No.” She put more space between them, glanced at the hard surface of the floor again, then back at him. “Put down mats and then we’ll do this. I know if one of us ends up on their ass, it’s going to be me. I don’t want to break my tailbone or something.”
“We don’t use them here at the cliffs.”
The door to the hallway opened and Kelzeb stepped inside. “I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation. May I make a suggestion?”
Aveoth appeared irritated. “What?”
“You have guest bedrooms in the lower section of your quarters. I’d remove the mattresses from the beds and use them to cushion the floor. I think your lower hosting room would be big enough to place them down if we moved the furniture against the walls.” Kelzeb grinned. “I’ll help you prepare the space, and then leave you two alone.”
Aveoth suddenly smiled. “That would work.”
Jill glanced between the two men and noticed that both of them looked amused. The idea of her and Aveoth on what amounted to one large bed in some room made her leery. “Maybe we could just not do this.”
Aveoth held her gaze. “You wanted mats. It’s the best we can do.” He strode over to his shirt and put it on. He strapped on his sword next, then approached her. “Let’s go, Jill.”
“Shit,” she muttered. She had walked right into that and it was her own fault.
Aveoth just grinned and took her hand, pinning it between his arm and chest. He led her out of the room and back to his home.
Once they got there, she excused herself to use the restroom upstairs. Mostly, she just wanted to hide as both men went to put mattresses down on the floor.
* * * * *
“Your Jill watched you closely,” Kelzeb whispered, leaning the mattress against a wall. He pushed the couches and tables to the side of the room, out of the way.
Aveoth frowned. “She didn’t scent of arousal. So much for pheromones and sweating for her.”
“This is a much smaller space, and she may have felt uncomfortable in the judging chambers. It’s cozy here.”
“It is,” he agreed.
Kelzeb put his mattress down first and shoved it into place. “You should just carry her to your bed, tie her down, and seduce her.”
Aveoth dumped the other mattress on the floor and held his friend’s gaze. “Did you get that advice from a Gargoyle?”
Kelzeb cringed. “True enough. I can’t imagine how difficult it’s going to be to persuade a distrustful human to let you get between her thighs.”
Aveoth checked the mattresses, making sure that they lay close together with no gaps between the side seams. “I want Jill, but I’m not willing to push her too fast. She might resent that, and she’s already angry that I’m keeping her here.”
“She asked me to fly her home.”
“What did you tell her?”
“No.”
Aveoth sighed and stared at the stairwell. “She’s probably barricading herself inside her room. Go. I’ll secure the doors so no one can get in. I’ll call you later.”
“I’ll take the meeting with the scouts and go over the lists for winter supplies with our stores this afternoon. That will leave your day free. Just keep your phone within hearing range. I’ll call if an emergency arises.”
“Damn. I’d forgotten both were scheduled for later.”
“You have a lot on your mind.” Kelzeb walked over to him and reached out, gripping his shoulder. “I have you covered. It’s my honor as your friend to take whatever burdens I can from you.” He smirked. “Just focus on getting laid. You really need that.”
Aveoth snorted and shook his head. “That’s the Lycan side of you. Sex doesn’t fix every problem.”
“It would be nice if it could though. I know it would improve my mood most days.”
“You need to look for a mate.”
“The timing isn’t right yet. Women need a lot of attention, which I don’t have to give. The price would be her unhappiness.” Kelzeb released him and waved. “I’ll call if I need you. I won’t interrupt unless it’s very important. Good luck.”
Aveoth followed him to the exit and secured the door. He ran upstairs and went to his bedroom first, closing off the balcony. The reminder of how close Jill had come to falling to her death had already made him secure all the lower-floor cliff openings. They were now safely sealed. He heard sounds in her bedroom and walked through the connecting bathroom to knock on the closed door.
“Are you ready, Jill?” He tried the handle and found the door unlocked.
She stood by the bed and turned when he stepped inside. “These aren’t really the right clothes for workouts.”
That reminded him that she needed outfits. “They will do for now. After we see what you can do, I’ll have Renna come measure you. You’re welcome to wear anything in my wardrobe until she’s made you gowns.”
“Gowns?”
“We aren’t in your world anymore,” he gently reminded her. “We dress a certain way here at the cliffs.”
“Are we talking a ton of material that goes from the shoulders to my feet?”
“Yes.”
“I’m not leaving your fancy cave again if that’s true. No way am I going to put on some getup from the eighteen-hundreds.”
He didn’t blame her. She was a modern woman, used to wearing the clothing of one. “Luckily for you, we’re just going downstairs into another part of my home right now. Let’s go.”
“Why are you so determined to kick my ass?”
“I’m not. I just want to see how you can defend yourself and if you have any traits you weren’t aware of before. We need to test your skills.”
“You mean like if I ha
ve any super-secret kickass things I can do? I don’t.”
“You didn’t know what your bloodlines were before.”
“I’ve gotten into plenty of fights in my lifetime, Aveoth. Nothing weird ever happened.”
“You were around humans. Now you’re not. Let’s go, Jill.”
Her gaze flashed down his body, then she stared into his eyes again. He watched her swallow hard but she walked toward him. “Fine. Let’s get this over with. After you.”
He crossed her bedroom and opened the door to the hallway, more than aware that she kept close behind him as he took the stairs to the lower level and entered the living room. The two large king-size mattresses were squared together in the center of the room. He paused, then took a seat on the floor to remove his boots.
“Why are you doing that?”
“Take off your shoes.”
She sat far from him and removed them. It surprised him when she didn’t argue. He stood, unbuckled his sword belt, and then stripped out of his shirt. Jill kept glancing at him, but she said nothing. She got up and hesitated near the edge of the mattresses. He didn’t. He walked to the center of them and pointed at the space in front of him.
She came over and stopped two feet away, a frown firmly on her attractive face. He thought she was incredibly cute. He rolled his shoulders, relaxing.
“Show me something you’ve learned with this self-defense you spoke of.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Okay.” She turned and pressed against him, her back fusing to his front. It stunned him. She turned her head, looked up at him, and smiled. “No bear hugs, but wrap your arms around my shoulders like you’ve just come up behind me to mug me or something.”
He gently wrapped his arms around her…but then remembered what she’d said earlier. “Don’t hit me in the nuts, Jill. I won’t be amused by that.”
“I won’t.”
She looked away from him to peer straight ahead—and suddenly reached up.
One of her hands gripped his forearm and the other clasped the curve of his shoulder. She bent suddenly, kind of twisted her upper body to one side, yanking on him.
He hadn’t expected that, and it knocked him off balance. Surprise held him still while he stared at her from his back on the mattress.
She’d flipped him.
Jill straightened up. “It worked! I thought you might be too heavy.”
He stayed down, staring up at her. Part of him was amused, another impressed. She looked pleased with herself. It turned him on more. He sat up and got to his knees, twisting around to face her.
He tackled her a heartbeat later, taking her down flat on the other mattress.
He was careful to do it gently and not crush her under him when he pinned her flat to her back. He crawled up a little so they were face to face. She felt fragile under him, so he braced his arms more and took some of his weight off her.
Her eyes widened and her breathing increased as she gazed up at him.
He grinned. “Get free.”
Her hands pressed against his chest and she pushed. It tickled a little. She stopped. “I’d have to hit you, and then you’d hit me back. No thanks.”
“I doubt you could hurt me unless you went for my groin. Don’t.”
She licked her lips and his focus lowered to her pink tongue. Desire shot through him and his dick reacted. Blood surged south. He wanted to kiss her.
“Your eyes are doing that weird thing where they’re reminding me of a lightning ball.”
He stared into hers. “A what?”
“Never mind. Your eyes are amazing and scary at the same time. What causes that? Silver bolts are flashing inside them right now, and the blue is moving around as though it’s liquid being poured around your irises, then disappearing behind all the silver.”
“I’m part Gargoyle. The colors can swirl with my emotions. I’m not hiding mine from you. Vampire eyes brighten to an almost neon color when they want to control a human’s mind or when they’re sexually aroused.”
“Good thing you’re not a Vampire because I’m still not having your bat babies. You can’t mess with my head and change my mind.”
He was tempted to confess his real heritage to her, but it was too dangerous. It would probably make her fear him more. He imagined her pregnant with his youngling and longed for it. He’d been alone all of his life. With Jill, he’d create a family, and they’d form tight bonds together. “Would it be such a bad thing?”
Her lips parted, then closed. She pushed against his chest again. “Get off. I thought you wanted to fight with me.”
He’d rather fuck her. He lifted up though and got to his feet. He bent, offering her a hand. She ignored it, rolled over, and got up on her own. They faced off against each other.
“What kind of cologne are you wearing?”
“I’m not.”
She inhaled. “That’s just you I’m smelling?”
“I apologize for sweating earlier. Is it offensive? We do use deodorant.” He tried to contain his excitement. Kelzeb might have been right about them excreting pheromones that would attack sexual interest. He got closer, making it easier for her to inhale his scent. “Do I smell horrible to you?”
“You don’t stink. It’s actually the opposite.”
He needed to keep her close. “You’re stalling.”
“I am,” she admitted.
He lunged at her again and wrapped his arms around her. “Get free from me. Show me what you’ve got, Jill.”
She put her hands on his shoulders, staring into his eyes. “You’re really strong. You’re holding me off my feet like it’s easy as pie.”
“You are very light.”
“Could you tell that to my doctor? He recommended I lose twenty pounds the last time I went in for my annual checkup.”
That pissed him off. Humans were idiots. “You’re perfect. This doctor was incompetent.”
Her lips parted again but she didn’t say a word. That was rare for her.
Her hands slid over his skin, and the sensation felt so good. He liked her touching him…a hell of a lot. So did his dick as it stiffened inside his pants. He’d have adjusted it but he held her in his arms, her body against his.
Her eyes widened. “Put me down, Wings.”
“You’re supposed to break free from me.”
Panic showed in her eyes. “Please?”
He lowered her to the mattress so she stood on her feet and released her. “There’s no reason to be afraid.”
She lowered her gaze, staring at the front of his pants. She backed away from him, then lifted her chin, staring into his eyes. “We aren’t going to do this.”
“We need to discover if you have any defensive traits you weren’t aware of.”
“The only thing I’ve learned is you have a huge bulge in your pants and touching me seems to be the cause. I’m not having your bat babies. Wrestling around with you isn’t going to change my mind. You never fed me. I’m hungry.” She cleared her throat. “For food, to be clear. I’d like a shower, too.”
Regret surfaced. He’d forgotten to feed her. His desire to get her into bed had been foremost on his mind. She’d seen through his plot, too. That’s what he got for listening to Kelzeb. His friend spent way too much time with full-blooded Gargoyles. “I’ll fix you something now. You can shower after that. Let’s go upstairs.” He led the way.
She followed him to the upper level of his home. “Thank you.”
He turned away from her and crossed the room to his kitchen. “Eggs, bacon, and toast okay?”
“Sounds perfect. I would have been happy with a bowl of cereal.”
He smiled. She wasn’t like any other woman he’d ever known. The possibilities intrigued him.
Chapter Eight
Jill felt a lot better after a shower. The cave had hot water. Aveoth had told her a bit about the cliffs as she’d eaten. It amazed her that a small city had been built inside a mountain. She dried off her skin and used another towel to scrub at
her dripping hair.
Aveoth had laid essentials out on the counter that included shampoo, conditioner, plastic razors, body wash, and a new toothbrush. They were all brands she normally couldn’t afford. He’d even thought of deodorant. She put some on and hesitated. Would Aveoth be waiting outside the door? He’d promised to leave her something clean to wear on the bed she’d slept in the night before.
“I can’t stay in here forever,” she muttered and opened the door. The bedroom was empty but there was a robe laying on the bed. It was a silky black material and looked skimpy. It was a reminder that Aveoth expected her to have sex with him. “Shit.”
“Is there a problem?”
Aveoth’s deep voice startled her, and she spun as the door to the hallway opened. He strode in as if he owned the place, which he did. She clutched at the towel. “I was hoping for a real outfit. You know. Pants. A shirt. Underwear. Maybe a bra.”
He kept about four feet of space between them. “I apologize. I didn’t have time to prepare for your arrival. Decker called minutes before I flew to that landing strip to pick you up. It was the first I was told of your existence. I’ve asked my mother to send Renna here. She’ll measure you and have garments made.”
She eyed his outfit. He’d put on a black pirate shirt and matching loose pants that could be described as breaches. His feet were bare. “I’m almost afraid to see what those will be. Do I get to look like a pirate too?”
He glanced down and frowned. “This is casual wear.”
“Sure. If the year were seventeen-fifty, maybe.”
“I see your point. You’re going to dislike the dresses our women wear. They are formal gowns.”
“How formal?”
“Long gowns that cover women’s legs to the ankles.”
“That’s a joke, right?”
“No.”
“I refuse.” She held his gaze as she clutched at her towel, making sure she didn’t flash him. “I’d prefer to dress like a wench. Those at least look comfy. You’re not getting me into a some gown. No way, no how. I wore one once for a Halloween party. Can you say miserable? I did, about a million times in the course of four hours. It was bulky and I kept tripping on the skirt.”