There was no amusement on his face as he watched her now, moving with her around the cave. His footsteps didn’t make a sound on the rock floor; she felt like an elephant in comparison as she bumped into things, tripped over her own feet, and threw punches at the air.
He caught hold of her fist and held it within his hand. She kicked out at him, grazing the inside of his thigh when he jumped back. “And now my manhood thanks me for avoiding that one.” She laughed and tugged her hand out of his grasp. “Would you like a break?” he inquired.
“Yes.” She walked over to stand against the wall.
She watched him as he tossed another log onto the fire and pulled the canteen full of water off it. He gestured toward her with the bottle and she nodded, a chance to clean herself up sounded wonderful. So did a fresh set of clothes, but that would have to wait until they could finally be free of this cave.
She took the warm water from him and walked down the more narrow section of the cave to a small hollow. The caves stretched on for another hundred feet before dead ending. Pulling off her clothing, she wet a rag and sponged herself off with the warm water before dressing again and returning to the main part of the cave.
William glanced at her from where he sat against the wall when she handed him the canteen. “You’re getting better at protecting yourself, faster,” he said.
“I’m ready to kick some ass.”
“Not so sure about that, but you’ll definitely put up one hell of a fight.”
“That’s something I guess.”
“That’s a lot,” he said as he rose to his feet. “There’s no telling what we’ll discover in your town.”
Her mouth clamped together as her thoughts turned to the children and Pallas. “I wish the storm would break,” she murmured.
And at the same time she dreaded the easing of the storm. She had no idea what awaited them out there, what he would do if he saw Kane again, what would become of them both. In this cave they’d been given a reprieve from the horrors she knew waited for them out there. In here she could almost pretend the rest of the world didn’t exist.
He rested his hand on her arm, drawing her attention to him. His eyes were full of concern as he squeezed her arm. “The children will be fine.”
She couldn’t stop her lower lip from trembling when she spoke, “I know.”
He stepped closer to her, enveloping her in a hug that stole all her reason. At first, she remained rigid, uncertain what it was he wanted from her, but when he continued to hold her, rocking her a tiny bit in his grasp, she relaxed against him. Her cheek turned into his chest; a sound of content escaped her as she inhaled the scent of fire clinging to his clothes. His hands ran over her hair, smoothing it back from her face when he pulled back to look at her.
I will not stare at his mouth, she told herself. “Will you be ok?” she asked. “If you see Kane?”
The mere mention of his name caused the warm man to vanish instantly. His eyes hardened; his jaw clenched. He never said a word, he didn’t have to; she’d already gotten her answer from his reaction. Her hands dug into his back, trying to keep him from withdrawing, but it was already too late for that.
“I’ll be fine,” he replied tersely. Tempest’s hands slid down to her side; a lump wedged in her throat when he stepped away from her. “I’m going to clean up.”
Her heart ached as she watched him slip away into the back of the cave. She didn’t want to care for him. She was petrified he’d get himself killed if he went after Kane, but watching his back fade away into the shadows, she knew it was too late for her; she already cared for him more than she should.
- CHAPTER 16 -
Tempest woke to the muffled sounds coming from behind her. She rolled over to face William. He was turned toward her, one hand beneath his head and the other on the ground. His foot kicked out suddenly, nearly connecting with her before it jerked back. His forehead creased, his mouth pursed. In the flickering light of the fire, she could see the glistening tip of one of his fangs over his bottom lip.
“No,” he murmured. His fist lifted and hit the floor. His body jerked as if he’d been stabbed, which he had. That must have been what the nightmare was about, she realized. “Dad.”
Her throat clogged with tears as his face scrunched further in anguish. Sorrow radiated from him as his foot kicked out again, and his upper lip skimmed back to reveal his fangs. She reached out with the purpose of waking him, but the second her hand fell upon his skin, the lines smoothed from his face, his hands unfurled and his mouth relaxed.
Tempest stared at him in amazement, her hand running over the solid flesh beneath her. The bristly hairs lining his arms tickled her palm; she’d never experienced the sensation before and found it extremely pleasing. He looked so young and vulnerable, so unlike the man she’d come to know. He almost appeared his age in the flickering light of the fire.
She brushed back a strand of his auburn hair and ran her fingers lightly over his face before resting her hand on his arm again. She lay for a long time, listening to the crackle of the fire and watching him in peaceful rest before sleep finally claimed her again.
***
Tempest had fallen back asleep with more distance than she would have liked separating them, but she woke with his arms securely wrapped around her and her nose pressed into his chest. She stared at his tanned skin and the dark sprinkle of hair she could see because the top three buttons of his shirt had come undone. His cloak remained draped around him, but sometime during the night, she’d become entangled within it, or he had wrapped her in it too.
After witnessing his nightmare last night, she doubted he got much sleep. It wouldn’t surprise her if he’d woken and wrapped his cloak around her. The scent of him tickled her nostrils; her fingers involuntarily curled into his shirt where they pressed against his upper abdomen. She should feel embarrassed to find herself so close to him, but she found herself pressing closer.
Her eyes drifted to his full mouth, so inviting and tempting. If she lifted her head a little, she could press her mouth to his and finally ease her curiosity over what it would feel like to taste him. Excitement pulsed to life in her body.
The only thing she could think about right now was kissing this enticing man only inches away from her lips. All he wanted was to kill someone, she reminded herself. Some of her desire fizzled away at the reminder, but her eyes remained latched on his mouth. What was she doing? What was she thinking? He may have been human, he may be younger than she was, but he was stronger than her, and he was determined to see Kane die.
She didn’t know if his strength was because the king, the eldest and strongest of their kind, had turned his sister, then his sister had shared some of that blood with him, perhaps passing on the king’s power. It could also be because he’d done nothing but drive himself to become stronger since being turned. The fact there’d been possible vampire DNA within him before being changed had probably added to his strength.
Whatever it was, he was stronger than she was. She could see it in the way he moved, in the speed and vitality he exhibited when he worked with her. She could feel it in the ripples of power running through him.
He may be stronger than her, as well as many of the other vampires who resided in her town, but he wasn’t stronger than Kane. She’d met them both; she knew the power and ability each of the men possessed. Her hands tensed on his shirt. She couldn’t lose him. They hadn’t known each other for long, but she’d spent more time with him in the past few days than she had with most everyone else over the past three years.
She liked him. He was severe and unrelenting sometimes, but also kind and caring. He made her laugh; she enjoyed his easygoing smile and the sound of his deep, resonating laugh. She’d only heard him laugh a couple of times, but when he did, she couldn’t help but smile in response.
She didn’t have to lift her eyes to know he was awake, she’d somehow become attuned to reading the subtle differences in his body and movements. There had been a
faint flex of his muscles when his eyes had fluttered open. She could feel his eyes on her; she half expected him to release her, but he didn’t move away.
“Do you really have to go after him?” Her voice sounded choked as she tried to get the words out around the lump in her throat.
He didn’t bother to ask who. “Yes.”
She closed her eyes, but they flew open again when his fingers brushed over her cheek. He pushed aside the strands of hair that had fallen over her face during the night. She lifted her eyes to his. In the dim light of the cave, the startling sapphire of his eyes was vibrant. They robbed her of any ability to reason as she stared into their swirling blue depths.
Pinned by his stare, she found she couldn’t move away from the heat enveloping her. He would protect her from anything, except from himself, she realized. He was on a one-way mission, and if she kept allowing herself to get closer to him, she would end up being the one hurt in the end.
Even knowing that, she found herself unable to move away from him. Unable to resist his tender fingers on her cheek. His eyes searched her face; his lips hovered inches away from hers as if he were waiting for her to protest. She simply couldn’t tell him no, not when her body craved the taste of him more than she craved blood.
Ever so slowly, he bent his head closer. A jolt went through her, her whole body jerked toward him when his lips descended upon hers in a tender graze that left her shaken and begging for more. She thought he would pull away, but the fingers resting against her cheek slid into her hair and clasped the back of her head.
Pulling her head back, his mouth slanted firmly over hers, taking possession of her. His thick beard rubbed her skin, it was an unfamiliar, bristly sensation, but she found she enjoyed the feel of it. Tempest’s fingers dug more firmly into his shirt as he pulled her head back and moved so he leaned over top of her.
She gasped at the tender probing of his tongue against her lips. Unable to resist, she opened her mouth to him. His tongue swept in to taste her in deep penetrating thrusts that turned her legs to mush and caused her entire body to quake. She clutched at his shirt as she hesitatingly met the demanding thrusts penetrating deep into her soul.
He growled low in his throat, a sound of possession and need that only escalated her yearning for him. His hands tightened in her hair as he pushed her further back onto the thick cloak lining the floor. Her arms wrapped around his back. She clung to him as she lost herself to his touch. She’d never known anything could feel so astonishing; never known she could be so heated in the middle of a blizzard. She half-feared they’d melt the snow wall they’d created, but she didn’t care if they did. All she wanted was more.
His other hand slid down to rest against her stomach. Pushing aside her cloak, he slipped free a few of the buttons on her shirt. The friction of his calloused palm against her skin when he slid it upward caused goose bumps to erupt over her skin. It was the most delicious sensation as he continued to stroke over her and his tongue brushed sensuously over hers.
She moved her hands up his back and entangled them in his thick auburn hair, drawing him closer as he settled his heavy weight over top of hers. His thigh slid between her legs; his mouth slipped away from hers to brush over her throat. Her body arched into him when he moved further up to run his tongue over her ear before pressing a tender kiss against her cheek.
She didn’t realize it at first, but small, excited cries escaped her. The feelings he aroused in her were almost more than she could stand; her body clamored for more and more of him. “Tempest,” he groaned against her ear.
She turned her head into his powerful shoulder as his heated mouth left a trail of kisses against her flesh. She didn’t think she could ever let go of him; she might fall apart if she did. She was afraid once he left this cave, he would go after Kane. The realization she couldn’t lose him, hit her so hard it knocked away all the passion he’d stoked so undeniably within her. If this went any further, she’d be left broken-hearted and shattered, if he didn’t survive his battle with Kane.
And they would battle each other. She knew that as surely as she knew the storm outside would eventually end, and they would return to Badwin. In here, they were safe and secure, she could pretend the real world didn’t exist, but it did, and she couldn’t be so childish as to deny that. The heat of his mouth pressed against her cheek; it would be so easy to turn her mouth to his, to give herself over to him and forget it all. It would be the most challenging thing she’d ever do to let him go and watch him walk away to meet what may end up being his death.
“I can’t,” she whispered. “William, stop.”
She didn’t know what she’d expected of him, but he pressed a tender kiss against her cheek and rolled with her to the side. He kept his arms wrapped around her as he rested her on top of his chest. “Do you mind if I hold you?” he inquired.
Unexpected tears burned her eyes, she should distance herself from him, but she found herself melting in his embrace. “No,” she whispered as he settled his chin on top of her head. She could stay like this forever, she decided as the scent and warmth of him lulled her into a peaceful sleep.
***
The fire had completely burned out by the time William woke again, but he found he didn’t care as he held Tempest. Her hair tickled his nostrils, but he didn’t bother to wipe it away. He found he enjoyed the sensation and relished her scent. Her fingers curled into his shirt as she slept.
His hands pressed more firmly into the small of her back. What he wouldn’t give to wake her and finish what had started between them earlier, but he couldn’t do that. She was right to put a stop to it, right to keep him at a distance. He had a goal, and he knew there was a chance he wouldn’t survive it.
His concern about physically harming her had abated after finally kissing her. He’d felt completely out of control around her, consumed by the lust she aroused in him, yet he’d somehow also felt completely in control. It had been the strangest, most unsettling sensation, but he’d remained restrained and he’d kept himself from taking more than she was willing to give.
No, he wouldn’t hurt her physically, but he could emotionally. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he most likely would if this thing between them progressed much further. He wasn’t good, especially not for her. He wasn’t sure he’d ever been good for anyone. He’d always liked to go his own way, do his own thing. Daniel was the stable, sensible one. He and Aria had always been more temperamental and unforgiving.
Women had always come and gone from his life. That was the way he liked it. He had to be free to move about with ease when he’d lived in the forest. After his rebel days, he’d spent most of his time traveling from town to town with Jack.
He’d never liked a girl enough to consider trying to settle down anyway, but then Aria and Daniel had been the same way. Aria had never really shown an interest in anyone before Braith; he knew she’d had a crush on Max at one time, but it had never been more than that. He’d rarely seen Daniel with a girl as his brother had always been more content with his drawings and blue prints for the traps he designed.
Now, he found himself wondering what it would be like if things could have been different for him. But then, he wouldn’t have been here if the things had been different. He never would have met her if he’d still been human, and if he had, who knew if anything would have happened between them. He couldn’t change the past; he could only accept what already was.
He turned his face into her hair, relishing the silken feel of it against his cheeks. He was so absorbed in her, he didn’t realize the whipping of the wind had ceased until almost another half-an-hour passed. Another reason to keep his distance, she distracted him and made him lower his guard.
She stirred and snuggled instinctively closer. He’d been planning to release her; instead, he found himself sucking in a breath and his arms clamping around her. Her head lifted, her lips brushed briefly across his Adam’s apple as her lashes fluttered against his skin. William remained motionl
ess, unwilling to let her go.
“The storm stopped,” he told her as he brushed the hair back from her face.
Her mouth slid away from his flesh as she turned her head to listen better. “It did,” she murmured.
They lay for a minute before he reluctantly slid his arms away from her and she sat up. William stared at the ceiling, torn between grabbing her and pulling her back down and moving on, as they should. There was more than Kane at stake now, he reminded himself. There were thousands of lives, including Tempest’s loved ones and his family.
With a groan, he forced himself into a sitting position and met her eyes in the gloom. He never would have been able to see the color of them if he’d still been human, but his vampire vision picked up flecks of light he never would have seen before. Light that made the deep brown of her eyes almost luminescent.
“Time to tear down the wall,” he said and shoved himself to his feet. He felt his eyes on her as he moved around the cave, adjusting his cloak and gathering his bow and quiver. He slung them over his back and bent to grab his crossbow. He secured it to his waist again before lifting the saddlebags with the extra stakes in them. “Make sure to wear your cloak with the stakes inside.”
She stared at him through the darkness, her skin paling at his words. She shrugged out of the cloak she’d been sleeping under and tugged his on. With steady hands, she clasped the brooch at her neck and followed him down the cave to the wall of snow. Achilles was lying in the middle of the tunnel. He lifted his head when they approached, but dropped it back down after they’d passed.
Taking out a stake, he began to chisel his way through the compacted snow that had become more like ice throughout the storm. Tempest worked beside him, diligently chipping away at the wall. Light from the sun beat against the snow, turning it the color of blue ice.
After a half hour, the top of the wall broke away. Achilles decided to get up to explore when enough sunlight spilled in. Another half an hour passed before they managed to take down half the wall to reveal the world of white beyond. The sun beat down upon the snow in a blinding array. Turning away, he closed his eyes against the brilliant blanket of blinding white snow.