His cat understood it was her power play. She needed to feel as if she was in control of the encounter.
He hid a smile, willing to let her play as he planted his knees on each side of her hips. At least for now.
His brief spurt of amusement was lost as she spread the tormenting kisses, heading ever lower.
Rage clenched his teeth. Oh, hell. He was already close to the edge. He moaned, his desperation to toss her back on the mattress and enter her with one thrust tempered by the fierce pleasure of her maddening kisses.
Clearly enjoying her power over his body, Lucie used the tip of her tongue to trace a path from his bellybutton down to his balls. A groan was wrenched from his throat as she sucked them into her mouth, driving him to the edge of madness before she turned her attention to his aching cock.
“No more,” he rasped as she slipped the tip between her lips. He reached down to grab her shoulders and pulled her up.
She flashed a smug smile before he was abruptly turning her around and leaning her forward, so she was on her hands and knees. Then he grasped her hips, pulling her into the perfect position.
“Rage?” Her eyes widened with shocked pleasure as he thrust forward, and with one smooth motion, impaled himself in her damp heat. “Oh, hell.”
Smoothing his lips up her back, Rage sank his teeth into her shoulder, savoring her low moan of pleasure. Her pussy clenched around him, making him shudder with sheer bliss.
“Shit, Lucie,” he rasped. “I’m not sure how long I can last.”
Tightening his hold on her hips, Rage withdrew to the very tip before slowly sinking back into her welcoming heat. She rolled her hips at the same time and Rage muttered a curse, waging war against his looming orgasm.
Dammit. There was no way he was going to embarrass himself by coming before his female.
Quickening his pace, he reached around her body to stroke his fingers over her tender clit. The air was perfumed with her arousal, her slender body bowing beneath him as she tipped back her head and moaned in pleasure.
“Faster,” she choked out, her voice harsh as her climax neared.
Rage used his free hand to grasp her hair, turning her face so he could kiss her with savage pleasure at the same time he pumped into her with an insistent rhythm.
“Whatever you desire, Lucie,” he swore against her lips.
He plunged his tongue into her mouth, their bodies moving together with a perfect tempo. Then, with a burst of relief, he felt Lucie stiffen, her sharp cry of release echoing through the room.
Rage hissed as her climax gripped his cock, his hips pistoning as he at last gave into the wild hunger of his cat. He gave a shout of satisfaction as his orgasm exploded through him, a tidal wave of rapture rippling through his body.
* * * *
Lucie collapsed on the bed, too sated to protest when Rage stretched out beside her and possessively tugged her into his arms.
Okay. That’d been…
Stunning. Beautiful. Life altering.
And overall, terrifying.
She liked her sex straightforward and uncomplicated. No weird emotional attachments or expectations. But even as a voice in the back of her mind was urging her to panic, her body was happily snuggling against his hard body, her cat purring in utter contentment.
She would panic later, she promised herself.
After Rage had left her to return to his home.
Lost in her thoughts, Lucie didn’t realize that Rage had lifted his head to study her with a brooding gaze. Not until he broke the thick silence.
“Why did you steal my diary?”
Lucie blinked. Wow. That was not at all what she’d been expecting.
She didn’t want to talk about the childish stunt. Not because it’d been embarrassing for him. He’d only become more popular with the females after they’d decided his private musings about his lovers somehow enhanced their reputations as desirable mates. Idiots. But because it revealed how desperately obsessed she’d been.
And still was, for that matter.
Acutely aware of his deepening curiosity, she forced herself to shrug. “I was a brat,” she said in light tones.
“No.” His fingers brushed through her hair, his touch achingly tender. “You were hurt and striking out. I’m just not sure why I was singled out for public humiliation.”
“Because…” The words stuck in her throat.
“Lucie?”
She heaved a resigned sigh. He wasn’t going to let it go. Not until he coerced her into revealing the painful truth.
“Because I had a crush on you,” she grudgingly muttered.
The violet eyes shimmered with flecks of gold as the dawning sun splashed through the windows.
“A crush?”
She grimaced. She might as well confess the rest. If she were being honest, she probably owed him.
“Don’t act surprised. You had to sense that I watched you from the trees.”
“I thought you were plotting my death.”
“I was young and impressionable, and I was fascinated.” Her gaze ran over his lean, perfect features. “You were so gorgeous.”
“True.” He grunted as she elbowed him in the gut. “Ow.”
“But it was more than that,” she finished her confession. “You had a…kindness that I desperately wanted for myself.”
His teasing expression melted to one of regret, his fingers sliding over the curve of her shoulder.
“I would happily have been kind to you if you hadn’t bolted whenever I got near you,” he murmured.
She believed him. Rage might have been spoiled, but he’d never been deliberately cruel. His nature was to protect the weak and vulnerable.
“I didn’t know how to tell you,” she admitted with a wry smile. “So instead I struck out.”
His fingers drifted down her collarbone, his enticing musk scenting the air. “From now on, I have a better way for you to express your feelings for me.”
She instantly stiffened. It was one thing to confess her feelings when she’d been an idiotic youth. There was no way she was going to share the fact he’d never left her dreams.
“Who said I still have feelings for you?” she belligerently demanded, ignoring the fact that she was lying naked in his arms. “That was a long time ago.”
He chuckled, not fooled for a second. Damn him.
“Fine, then I’ll show you how I feel,” he murmured, lowering his head to brand a path of tiny kisses over her brow and down the length of her nose. Then, at last reaching her mouth, he nibbled at her bottom lip. “In fact, I intend to show you how I feel several times a night for a very, very long time to come.”
His words were no doubt the empty promises he made to every woman. We’ll be together forever, blah, blah, blah.
But they didn’t feel empty.
They felt like a pledge that resonated deep in her heart.
Instinctively, she lifted her hands to press them against his chest. “Rage.”
He raised his head, staring down at her with a fierce determination. “Do I frighten you?”
“Yes,” she admitted without hesitation. “This is all happening too fast.”
She caught a glimpse of his cat lurking in his eyes…hungry, possessive. Then, with a visible effort, he gained command of his animal.
A rueful smile touched his lips. “I know.”
“I need to check the trace.” Lucie muttered a curse, slipping out of bed and heading into the shower.
A charming Rage was as lethal as a possessive Rage.
Twenty minutes later she was scrubbed clean, with her hair braided and wearing her usual uniform of jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt. Adding a pair of jogging shoes, she returned to the bedroom to discover that Rage had used the guest shower and was already dressed and waiting for her.
His beautiful face was carefully bland as he folded his arms over his chest. Smart male. The intimacy of the night had left her feeling raw and unnervingly vulnerable. One smartass comme
nt and she would have him tossed out of her house.
Without a word, she left the bedroom and headed back to her hidden computer office. Acutely aware of the male prowling a few inches behind her, she slid into her chair and forced herself to concentrate on the computer screen that was blinking with success.
“I have a hit,” she murmured, resisting the urge to give her trusty computer a pat.
Not everyone understood her habit of treating her equipment like they were old friends.
Leaning over her shoulder, Rage surrounded her in his warm, male musk. “You found the bastard?”
“I located the computer that is running the auction,” she cautioned. “Whether or not the person who’s ultimately responsible for setting it up is physically there…” She shrugged. “That’s impossible to say.”
He nodded. “Where is the computer?”
“Bossier City.”
“Damn.” Rage abruptly straightened, pacing from one end to the other of the long, narrow room. “That’s where Locke was setting up the military lab.”
Lucie grimaced, easily understanding his frustration. Stanton Locke had been the human who’d been experimenting with Pantera blood and intending to share it with a military contractor. If the computer was in the same spot, it couldn’t be a coincidence.
“So the mystery man might actually have the research notes.” She spoke his fears out loud.
“Yep,” he growled.
Lucie hit a button on the keypad, then reached to the side as the printer spit out a paper with the information she’d located. Rising to her feet, she handed the printout to Rage.
“Here’s the address.”
Folding the paper, he shoved it in the back pocket of his jeans, moving to stand directly in front of her.
“The Pantera is in your debt,” he assured her, his fingers lightly tracing her jaw.
A tiny shiver raced through her. God. She loved the heat of his touch. It felt as if she’d been branded. Claimed.
So dangerous…
“I’ll come up with a payment plan,” she muttered.
Without warning, he leaned to press a light kiss to her lips. “I have to deal with this, but I swear I’ll be back.”
Lucie stepped back, her brows lifting in surprise at his words.
Did he think that she was just going to sit home like a good little girl while he had all the fun?
“I’m coming with you.”
Rage stiffened, his eyes narrowing. “No way.”
She folded her arms over her chest, not for the first time wishing she wasn’t so tiny. It was hard to be intimidating when she was a foot shorter than everyone.
“I wasn’t asking permission,” she informed him.
“You’re a Geek, not a Hunter,” he growled.
She rolled her eyes. “I’m aware of that.”
He leaned down until they were nose to nose, the power of his cat pulsing through the air.
“You’ve done your job. Now it’s my turn.”
Her animal prowled beneath her skin, instinctively wanting to back down beneath the stronger male, but Lucie refused to be intimidated. Not just because she was stubborn and overly independent, but because there was no way in hell she was going to let this male walk into danger alone.
That was unacceptable.
“You need me,” she told him, meeting him glare for glare.
Taking advantage of their proximity, he swiped his rough tongue over her bottom lip. Such a cat.
“That’s true,” he agreed in husky tones. “But first I have to put an end to this threat.”
She pulled back, resisting the urge to do a little licking of her own.
Later…
“I mean, you need to me to stop the auction,” she insisted. “Unless you’ve become a computer expert?”
His brooding gaze lingered on her lips. “With enough encouragement, I can force the bastard to end it.”
She didn’t doubt that. For all of Rage’s easy charm, he was a ruthless predator who would do whatever was necessary to get the information the Pantera needed.
A knowledge that she intended to use to force him to take her along.
“And if he won’t? Or if he manages to escape?” she demanded. “Or you accidentally kill him?” She held up her hand as his lips parted to assure her that he could take care of the enemy. “The auction is set on a timer. It’s going to happen unless I can gain physical access to his computer and stop it.”
His lips snapped together at her indisputable logic.
They both knew that right now, nothing mattered but halting the sell of the technology that would use Pantera blood as some sort of weapon.
“Dammit.” Reaching into his pocket, he yanked out his cellphone. “I need to call Parish.”
Knowing she’d won, Lucie turned and headed forward to the door. “I’ll wait for you in the garage.”
Chapter 5
Rage completed his call to Parish and then took a few minutes to regain control of his temper.
Damn, Lucie. She was supposed to be in her beautiful home, doing whatever it was she did on her fancy computer system. She wasn’t supposed to be directly confronting their enemy and putting herself in danger.
Unfortunately, he couldn’t deny her logic.
They knew nothing about the person responsible for setting up the auction. Or even if they were still in Bossier City It was only reasonable to have a backup plan to make sure they could prevent the information from being spread to some unknown buyer.
Once he’d managed to gain command of his anger, he followed the scent of primroses to the narrow flight of stairs that led to the garage. Entering the small space, his brows lifted at the sight of the Harley-Davidson Sportster motorcycle.
It was a sleek, fast work of art.
Just like his Lucie.
“Why am I not surprised?” he murmured.
Tossing him a helmet, she tugged on her own before she straddled the bike and started the engine with a throaty roar.
“Get on,” she commanded.
Rage put on his helmet. It wasn’t that he was afraid of an accident. Pantera could take one hell of a beating. But they didn’t have time to be stopped by the local police.
Crossing the floor, he studied the female who was impatiently waiting to leave. “Why can’t I drive?”
She sent him a wry glance. “You got to drive in bed.”
Heat streaked through him at the vivid memory of her bent in front of him as he took her from behind. Instantly, he was hard.
“True,” he murmured.
She flipped down her visor, revving the engine. “Are you coming or not?”
Swinging his leg over the bike, he settled in close behind her, wrapping his arms tightly around her waist.
“This gives me ideas,” he said, rubbing his erection against her lower back.
“Stop that,” she chided, trying to pretend her arousal wasn’t scenting the air. They just had to be in the same room for desire to combust between them.
She pressed a small device that was mounted on the front of the bike, opening the narrow door of the garage, then gunning the engine, they shot onto the narrow side street that was thankfully empty at the early hour.
Rage gave a low chuckle. If he couldn’t keep Lucie tucked safely at home, then he was going to enjoy their time together.
Keeping his chin planted against her shoulder, he held on tight as they headed out of New Orleans. The morning air was edged with a sharp chill as they hit the highway and headed north, but neither noticed. Instead, they silently appreciated the close press of their bodies.
Finally, it was Lucie who broke the silence, speaking through the Bluetooth that was built into their helmets.
“What did Parish say?”
Rage grimaced. The leader of the Hunters hadn’t been any happier than he was at the thought of Lucie being exposed to their enemy.
“That he would slice off my balls if you got hurt,” he admitted, his ears still ringing from t
he older male’s angry warnings. Then, unable to resist his primitive instincts, he asked the question that was gnawing at him. “Are you going to tell me what’s up between the two of you?”
“Nothing’s up.” She easily weaved through the thickening traffic, clearly as at ease on the bike as she was behind her computer. Her skill was oddly erotic. “Parish is my friend.”
He believed her. Parish was not only happily mated, but if he’d wanted this female, then nothing on this earth would have kept him from her side.
“Why him?” he demanded.
She snorted. “Because he’s a pushy pain in the ass who refuses to take no for an answer.”
“That sounds like Parish,” he swiftly agreed. “What did he do?”
“He came to me after my grandfather died.”
Rage clenched his teeth. Christ, he wished he’d known what her grandfather had been doing. He’d have given the bastard a taste of his own medicine.
“Is that when you burned down the cabin?” he asked.
“Yes.” He felt her shiver and he tightened his arms, trying to offer her comfort. It was too late to do any good, but it was all he had. “I had to destroy the memories of that place.”
“I don’t blame you.”
She shrugged. “Maybe someday I’ll be able to accept that it was the sickness that made him so cruel, but not yet.”
He hoped she did find some peace in the memory of her grandfather. Bitterness would only eat away at her soul.
“Did Parish help you leave the Wildlands?” he inquired.
She nodded. “Once Xavier told me that I was no longer allowed to work on the computers, he offered me an apartment and gave me some money. I think he was afraid I might do something crazy.”
Rage gave a short laugh. Like she hadn’t been doing crazy shit before then?
Of course, he wasn’t stupid enough to point out her habit of striking out without warning.
“I’m glad that Parish was there for you,” he said instead, ignoring his cat’s growl in protest.
His animal might be convinced that he was the one who was supposed to protect her, but at the time he hadn’t given her what she needed. Thank the goddess, Parish had.