Dark Dichotomy 2: Mistress
Aubrey Ross
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Copyright ©2008 Aubrey Ross
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ISBN: 978-1-59596-841-8
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Editor: Maryam Salim
Cover Artist: Bryan Keller
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Dark Dichotomy 2: Mistress
Aubrey Ross
Determined to find her missing niece, Lark Emery follows the clues to Napa Valley.
Aidan finds the stunning blonde poking her nose into matters that don’t concern her
and decides to use her in his revenge plot against the Burton brothers. He
manipulates her perception with erotic dreams and false memories then sets her in
the path of Evan Burton.
Evan immediately senses deception in Lark. She’s desirable and willing, but
something holds him back. He’s unsettled, yet aroused, so he looks into her mind
and sees her locked in a passionate embrace with his enemy. Unsure if she is Aidan’s
willing spy or another of his victims, Evan takes her to his secluded estate for an
erotic interrogation.
Finally convinced of Lark’s innocence, Evan isn’t sure how to protect her without
revealing the secrets of his race. His obsessive attraction to her is a complication he
can’t afford with a Dark Dichotomy on the loose.
Chapter One
The brisk wind buffeting Aidan Nicholson’s face did little to cool his temper. He
looked around the parking lot and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket. The
apartment complex had no surveillance, but signs of life were everywhere. It wasn’t as
if he were trying to lure Lark down a dark alley. A cluster of children tossed around a
ball and the rumble of music came from inside one of the units.
“What’s the problem?” he grumbled, his gaze moving over her lovely face. She
was a classic Scandinavian beauty with high cheekbones and the biggest, bluest eyes
he’d ever seen. He wanted to watch those eyes cloud with desire and fear as he peeled
back layer after layer of her defenses.
“I don’t mean to be rude” -- Lark tried to soothe him with a smile -- “but in this
day and age a woman can’t be too careful.” She sat inside her car, as if the automobile
could protect her.
“What exactly do you think I’m going to do to you?” Speaking to her through a
half-open window was humiliating. He’d been polite and patient, tried to earn her trust
and ease her mind.
“Please don’t take this personally. I can’t help Holly if I become a victim myself.”
The statement made him smile. She had no idea how close she’d stumbled to the
truth. He wasn’t directly responsible for Holly’s disappearance, but he was very much
involved. And he had every intention of making Lark his next victim.
“All right.” He glanced into the distance as he composed his expression. “We
both want to search her apartment. What do you suggest?”
“You have a key.” She crossed her arms over her chest, obviously uncomfortable
despite her precautions. “Why don’t you go first? Take as long as you like. Just leave
the door unlocked when you leave.”
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Dark Dichotomy 2: Mistress
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“Fine by me.” Arguing with her was a waste of time. He had far more effective
ways of getting what he wanted.
He crossed the parking lot without a backward glance. Deep inside him Connell
surged, clawing at the confines of sleep state, rebelling against his imprisonment. It had
taken many years for Aidan to control his day-dwelling half. At first he’d influenced
Connell, coaxing and manipulating him through thoughts and emotions. He no longer
bothered with subtleties. He wore Connell like a costume, never allowing his
consciousness to fully emerge.
Opening the door with his key, Aidan slipped into the tiny apartment. Holly
only slept here when he hadn’t required her services and he seldom did without his
obedient whore. Did Lark realize her precious niece had become a prostitute?
He peeked through the blinds, curious to see how long his stubborn prey would
keep up this nonsense. This was Napa, not L.A.!
Lark hadn’t moved. She sat in her car, patiently waiting for him to finish his
search. Sunlight gleamed in her long blonde hair as she reached for something on the
passenger seat. A cell phone. She unfolded the device and Aidan tensed. He needed to
move fast with this one. She was too damned cautious.
A quick sweep of the apartment revealed nothing of importance. He’d only
wanted to make sure there was nothing here that could incriminate him. Lark would be
so disappointed when the apartment turned out to be another dead end.
He started for the door when a glossy brochure caught his eye. Nicole Fierbrose
was a brilliant young artist who was just starting to build a following. He’d taken Holly
to a gallery featuring her creations the last time they’d been in San Francisco. Nicole
knew the Burton brothers and he was interested in anyone who had a connection to his
enemies. According to the brochure, Nicole was having her first solo exhibition the
following Saturday night.
Inspiration swept through Aidan. His biggest challenge had been accessing the
Burtons during their nocturnal cycle. They pooled their resources and he was no match
for their combined strength. If he had a connection with someone inside their defenses,
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someone they trusted, perhaps even felt the need to protect… It might restore his best
advantage, the element of surprise.
He pictured Lark’s lovely face and voluptuous figure. What hot blooded male
wouldn’t be attracted to her? The exhibition was three days away. He could establish a
link with her subconscious and shape her perception with dreams and false memories.
He’d perfected the skills on Connell, but he had yet to test the full scope of his control
on anyone else.
Having her totally at his mercy held undeniable appeal. Still, nothing was more
important than repaying the Burtons for the injustices forced upon his family. If
postponing his play sessions with Lark would bring him closer to his ultimate goal, he
was willing to wait.
* * *
Lark glanced at the front window to Holly’s apartment in time to see the blinds
shift back into place. She was being paranoid. The hostess in the wine tasting room had
confirmed Connell’s story. Holly had been hired to work there just as he’d said and
she’d failed to show up as scheduled.
Lark wasn’t even sure how long Holly had been missing. They’d lost contact
three weeks ago, but the antique store owner had seen Holly only last week.
The door opened and Connell emerged. He flipped up his hood as he crossed to
her car. She had no real reason to mistrust him, but her instincts refused to relax. With a
tentative smile plastered on her face, she lowered her window.
“Any luck?” She tried not to sound as foolish as she felt.
“Actually, yes. I found this.” He passed her a tri-fold brochure.
Their fingers brushed and hot tingles zipped along her arm. The sensation
gained intensity as it crossed her shoulder and crawled up the side of her neck. Reality
blurred. Pain stabbed into her brain then abruptly diminished. Her temple throbbed
and her skin prickled. The brochure slipped from her fingers and she groaned.
“Are you all right?”
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Connell’s question echoed through the fog. She tried to speak but a soft moan
was the only sound that emerged.
“Lark?” He shook her shoulder and pain flared, burning away the momentary
stupor.
Reality refocused with each blink of her eyes until only a faint sense of confusion
remained. “That was… weird.”
“What happened?” His gaze bore into hers and he seemed reluctant to let go of
her shoulder. “You’re as pale as a ghost.”
“I’m not sure. Sometimes I get lightheaded when I don’t eat.” The excuse
sounded ridiculous, but his fingers released and he withdrew his hand.
“You’re feeling better now.”
She nodded, accepting the words as fact. “I feel much better now.”
“Good. Look at the brochure. Isn’t it interesting?”
The brochure had slipped to the floor of her car. She moved both legs to one side
so she could reach it. “Who is Nicole Fierbrose? I don’t know much about art.”
“Holly and Nicole… How long has it been since you saw Holly? She might have
changed more than you realize.”
“I know she was working as a call girl, if that’s what you’re getting at.” A knot
formed in the pit of her stomach each time she thought about what Holly’s life had
become. Holly had always been wild and a bit self-destructive, but Lark refused to give
up hope that Holly would ultimately turn things around.
“Nicole was the one who introduced Holly to ‘the life.’ They were both
determined to get out. Holly was only partially successful, but Nicole made a clean
break. It gave Holly hope that she could do the same, someday.”
Lark flipped through the brochure, fascinated by the illustrations. “Nicole’s first
solo exhibit opens Saturday night.” Lark wanted to go. Everything about the night
sounded… interesting.
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“This is a joint triumph. Without Holly’s emotional support, Nicole never would
have come this far. Holly will rearrange the world to be there to share this night with
Nicole.”
“If they’re that close, it’s likely Holly has contacted Nicole already.”
“I’m not so sure.” He sank deeper into the shadow of his hood. “Holly won’t do
anything to endanger her friend.”
“Won’t showing up at the exhibition endanger her?”
“Not if she’s one person in a sea of faces. She could make sure Nicole sees her
then melt into the crowd. If you ask Nicole about Holly, she’ll likely deny even
knowing her. Admitting she knows Holly forces Nicole to acknowledge her past.”
Tapping the folded brochure against her thigh, Lark realized the wisdom in his
thinking. But if she couldn’t ask Nicole about Holly, why go to San Francisco at all? “Is
it still worth checking out?”
“That’s why I gave you the brochure.”
Shouldn’t she stay in Napa and -- A twinge of pain cut off the thought and
redirected her thoughts. “Who was the last person to see Holly before she
disappeared?”
“Whichever Burton brother interviewed her for the job.”
She didn’t miss the dislike crackling in his tone. “You’re not a Burton fan, I take
it?”
“That’s an understatement. They’re ruthless and arrogant. They act like the
entire world is their due.”
“Is there any chance one of them lured Holly away from Aidan?”
His hood dropped to his shoulders and his gaze locked with hers. “I hadn’t
thought of that. Holly was so insistent that she was trying to get out. I presumed she
wouldn’t want another client.”
“It sounds like I need to have a chat with the Burton brothers.”
“You’ll never get past their security here, but at least one of them will be at the
art show. They’re silent sponsors of Nicole Fierbrose.”
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“Do they know about her previous vocation?”
“I’m pretty sure that’s how they met.”
“Then it’s possible they met Holly while she was still in San Francisco.”
He nodded, eyes narrowed and thoughtful. “It all fits together. I can’t believe I
didn’t see it sooner.”
She smiled, yet speculations filled her mind. “I suspect you’re too close to the
issue to see it clearly.” When he didn’t respond, she suggested, “Give me your phone
number and I’ll let you know what I find out.”
Lark entered his number in her phone; then he headed for his car. His shoulders
were slumped and he looked utterly defeated. She’d treated him like a criminal and
he’d been nothing but helpful.
“Thank you,” she called out as her guilt mounted.
He waved his hand without turning around.
* * *
Joseph Burton massaged his temples, waiting for the pain to recede. “He’s
getting bolder.”
“We’ve been all but useless in dealing with this bastard.” Torral’s tone was sharp
and impatient. “Why shouldn’t he be bold?”
“What did you see?” Daniel asked. “Did you get a sense of his location?”
Blinking away the pain, Joseph looked at his brothers. Afternoon sunlight bathed
the large country kitchen, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere. They were the day-
dwelling set, even tempered and less inclined to impulsive reactions than their
nocturnal twins.
“He was in the parking lot of an apartment complex,” Joseph said. “But I have no
idea where the complex is located. I still have little control of what the visions reveal.
It’s hard to master these skills when Ryan is only available two hours a day.”
Ryan was nocturnal and Joseph was a day-dweller, so they were only corporeal
at the same time during transition. “Ryan has been honing his skills for decades. This is
all new to me.”
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“Ryan is convinced you’re going to be amazing.” Torral offered an encouraging
smile. As Ryan’s day-dwelling twin, he knew Ryan’s thoughts and feelings almost as
well as his own. “Aidan knows Ryan can track him. He’s not nearly as careful during
the day.”
“What was Aidan doing?” Daniel refocused the conversation. “Is he staying in
one of the apartments?”
“The tag I used is activated by a surge in his energy. It’s basically an alarm that
lets me know whenever he’s using his abilities.”
“What set off the alarm?” Torral asked.
“He was implanting a compulsion in the mind of a blonde woman. I couldn’t
sense what the compulsion was, just that she was vulnerable to it. I tagged her as well.
If I did it right, I should be able to sense it whenever the compulsion modifies her
behavior.”
“Did you recognize the woman? Do you have any idea what he’s trying to
accomplish?” Determination hardened Torral’s expression. Aidan’s tendency to use
women in his plots to destroy their family infuriated them all, but Torral’s mate Kendra
had been Aidan’s last target.
“I didn’t recognize her and what he was trying to accomplish is anyone’s guess.”
Joseph pushed back from the table and crossed to the French doors, needing the
sunlight on his face. “Unfortunately, there’s not much we can do until the compulsion
kicks in. Let’s hope we can balance his influence or at least minimize the damage.”
Chapter Two
It had taken just over an hour to reach San Francisco from Napa. Aidan wasn’t
sure how much time Lark would waste searching Holly’s apartment, but he wanted to
be ready when she arrived. The art studio was in the Mission District, so Lark was
likely to find a hotel nearby.
He’d established a psychic tether with Lark and launched the first compulsion. If
she didn’t show up in San Francisco soon, he’d compel her toward the destination.
Some minds were more susceptible to compulsions than others. Still, he had three days
to wear her down.
Parking in the garage beneath his sister’s apartment building, Aidan prepared to
endure her ridicule. Brook felt it safer to avoid direct contact, but Aidan desperately
needed her assistance. He had never come near her while in Connell’s form, so he
hoped she’d forgive this one indiscretion.
She ran Exotic Escorts out of a luxury apartment with a fabulous view of the bay.
The girls were dispatched from all over the city and most had never seen Brook’s face.
Discretion was everything in her line of work.
Displeasure was obvious in her china blue eyes when she opened the door a few
minutes later. “Did you break her already? Holly likes it rough. I figured she’d be good
for a month or two.”
“May I come in? I’d rather not have this conversation in the hallway.”
Her gaze narrowed and she hesitated before allowing him inside. “I thought we
agreed never to meet face to face.” She closed the door, but remained in the foyer.
Dressed in jeans and a faded tee shirt, she looked more like a maid than a madam.
“Where is Holly? Several of her regulars were upset by her departure. If you’re here for
a new plaything, I want her back.”
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“The Burtons have Holly.” He held up his hand to deflect her angry rebuttal.
“Before you go off on me, Holly has no idea we’re related.”
“How did she end up with the Burtons?”
“I involved her in something I shouldn’t have and they capitalized on the
opportunity.”
A tense silence followed. She started to speak then shook her head. “I don’t want
to know the details. I’m sure they’ll only piss me off. Why are you here?”
“Another opportunity has presented itself, but I need your expertise.”
She arched her brow and amusement cooled her anger. “You must be really
desperate if you’re asking for my assistance.”
“Your lessons are invaluable. I never would have been able to trap Connell if it
weren’t for your guidance. Holly’s aunt showed up in Napa, determined to find her
wayward niece. I launched a compulsion, but I only have three days to reshape her
past.”
“Why does her past need to be reshaped?”
“So she can seduce one of the Burtons, of course. Their security has been
impenetrable since I tried to snatch Kendra. They’ll sense any direct assault, so I’ll be
creative.”
“Let’s sit down.” She nodded toward the living room. “I’ll admit I’m intrigued.
Explain exactly what you have in mind.”
* * *
Lark grabbed a sandwich at the sub shop around the corner from her hotel then
settled in her room for the night. Holly’s apartment hadn’t taken nearly as much time to
search as she’d anticipated. Sparsely furnished and all but abandoned, it had been
obvious Holly didn’t spend much time in the tiny cluster of rooms.
Knowing none of her clothing was appropriate for an art exhibition, Lark had
borrowed a black cocktail dress from Holly’s closet before heading to San Francisco. She
left a detailed message for her sister, updating her on what she’d learned and how she
intended to spend the rest of the week.
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The exhibition wasn’t until Saturday, but the Burtons were the best lead she’d
had so far. She kicked off her shoes and crawled onto the bed, stacking pillows behind
her so she could relax. Her eyelids drooped and she glanced out the window. The sun
hadn’t even started to descend. Why was she so sleepy? She set the timer on the
television, unable to resist the odd lethargy.
A surreal haze clouded her mind. Just when she thought she’d fought through
the muddle, it gathered again. Feather light sensations drifted through her body,
sending tingles dancing across her skin. Images twisted, moving in and out of focus
with no discernable pattern. This couldn’t be a dream, she wasn’t asleep. Was she?
How had --? What was --? She couldn’t hold a thought, could only feel. She was
drawn deeper, sucked into the scene as if by some mystical undertow.
“Oh, Lark, that’s so good.”
The male voice was familiar, yet she couldn’t quite identify the man. His image
separated itself from the haze enveloping her and tingles bounced across her nerve
endings. He stood at an angle to the bed, his features tight with desire. His chest was
bare, his pants bunched around his ankles as if he’d been too lust-crazed to fully
undress.
A woman knelt before him. Her long blonde hair swished as she vigorously
bobbed her head. She steadied herself against his hips and tilted her head to take him
deeper. He groaned, muscles flexing.
“Yes. Oh God, yes! Swallow me, take it all.”
Lark shivered. Her nipples rasped against her bra and melting heat spiraled
through her pussy. She could see little more than the woman’s back and the fall of her
golden hair.
“I don’t want to come in your mouth.” The man pulled out and braced his hands
on his knees. “You are way too good at that.” His cock swayed before him, massively
erect. The woman wrapped her fingers around his shaft and pumped him slowly,
cupping his balls with her other hand. “Turn around.”
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Without hesitation the woman pivoted and lowered her shoulders to the floor.
Again, Lark could only see the back of her head and the arch of her naked body.
“You make me so damned hot. I’ve never been this crazed before.” He knelt
behind her and thrust into her waiting pussy.
Tension swirled through Lark, creating tingling heat despite her confusion. He
grasped the woman’s hips and fucked her in earnest. His rhythm was less frantic now
that he was surrounded by her heat.
He opened his eyes and his gaze locked with Lark’s. The tension inside her
mounted. Desire flared with consuming intensity.
Lark, my love. His lips didn’t move, yet the words were just as clear. Feel me. Need
me. Crave me.
She watched the firm shuttle of his hips, unable to move, helpless against the
erotic torment. Her head swam and her body ached. Nothing felt right, yet she couldn’t
free herself from the illusion. She sank into the vision, merging with the blonde.
Lark felt his hands grasp her hips.
This wasn’t real! She didn’t know this man, had no desire to fuck him.
Pain burst behind her eyes. She cried out and clasped her head. Vivid images
streamed through her mind, fractured impressions of sexual abandon. Corresponding
sensations erupted in her body. She burned, desperate, needing, wanting.
Time suspended. Hours or days, she couldn’t tell. Darkness rose up to meet her
and she dove into the blissful void.
* * *
Infuriated by his helplessness, Joseph searched infinite strands of metaphysical
connection. Concentration was the key. His lessons with Ryan had taught him that
much. He had to filter out every signal but hers.
Aidan’s compulsion had stabbed into his mind, leaving him disoriented and
blind. She needed him. Ripples of desperation and fear cramped his stomach as he
reached out, stretching farther than he’d ever gone before.
Like the echo of a memory, he sensed her.
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Silence. Darkness. She was alone and afraid.
He poured energy into the strand linking his mind to hers. Her presence
intensified, but the darkness remained. He approached slowly, unwilling to add to her
fear.
He’s gone now. It’s all right. You’re not alone.
Her being surged and emotions sliced into his mind. He opened, absorbing her
terror as fast as their tenuous bond allowed.
I won’t hurt you. No one will hurt you as long as I’m here.
He felt her doubt and hesitation. She wanted to believe him, needed to believe,
but it was almost impossible for her to distinguish him from Aidan. Despite his
gentleness, he felt very much like his enemy.
Understanding her confusion, he wrapped her in tenderness and waited for her
to accept that he meant her no harm. She relaxed gradually, allowing him deeper.
Their embrace became tangible. He felt her soft body curled against his side. She
stroked his chest, her warm breath teasing his skin. He wasn’t sure why they were
naked. These were just psychic representations of their physical bodies; perhaps
everyone was naked on the metaphysical plane.
Who are you? Her question was thin and shaky.
My name is Joseph. Are you feeling better?
She moved restlessly, sliding against him. Why did he do this to me? Why can’t I
make it stop?
He left you desperate for release so you’ll be more manageable when he returns.
I can’t let that happen. She stopped fidgeting and determination flowed into him.
He’s evil. I can still feel him in my mind. I have to stop him.
Where are you, sweetheart? I’ll come to you in person and protect you.
How do I know you’re not working with him? I don’t know you any better than I know
him!
Refusing to be insulted, he rubbed her back and inhaled the sweet scent of her
hair. You said you could sense his nature. Can you sense mine?
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I can’t think. I need… I ache so badly nothing else seems real.
I won’t hurt you and I’ll do everything in my power to keep him from hurting you again.
He slowly increased their connection and her basic shape separated from the
darkness. If he pushed much harder Aidan was sure to sense the intrusion. He touched
her face and brushed her hair back from her brow.
I can help you combat these feelings, but you’ll have to trust me.
Her hand found his face, her fingers warm against his skin. You’re whatever he is,
but you’re not like him. I understand that much.
I’ll only touch you if you want me to. I have no desire to add to your fear.
Better you than him.
Joseph smiled. That’s a miserable place to start. I’m sure we can do better.
He brushed his lips over hers, inhaling her breath and memorizing her scent.
Desire curled through his metaphysical body and seeped into the physical realm. This
was more than protectiveness. He genuinely wanted this woman.
She was soft and pliant for a long time. Her lips parted and her fingers curved
around the back of his neck. She allowed his kiss, accepting the inevitability of the
contact. He nipped her lower lip. This would never do.
Kiss me, sweetheart. Use me to put out the fire.
Desire thrummed through Lark. She didn’t understand what was happening,
had stopped trying to rationalize the experience. She’d been terrified and alone and this
man appeared. Her body burned for fulfillment and he touched her.
She hesitated a moment longer then fit her mouth to his. His breath was warm
and inviting. She eased her tongue past his lips and pushed her fingers into his hair.
The darkness swirled, amplifying each sensation.
He rolled to his back, drawing her on top of him. She straddled his hips and kept
right on kissing him. Their lips clung and their tongues curled. He stroked her arms,
squeezed her shoulders, and then teased his way down her spine.
One of his hands insinuated itself between their bodies, while the other drifted
onto her ass. A moan escaped his lips as his fingers explored her flesh.
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I wish I could see you, he murmured. You feel amazing.
She rubbed against his erection, wiggling, trying to align his shaft with her clit.
His hands returned to her hips and held her steady, while he moved with more
precision. She shivered and clutched his shoulders as pleasure gathered within her.
They weren’t really kissing anymore. Still, she was reluctant to lose the intimacy
of his mouth.
Sit up. I want to touch you.
Long before she settled on her knees, his hands cupped her breasts. His
eagerness thrilled her as much as his touch. He squeezed gently then circled her nipples
with the pads of his thumbs, sending darts of sensation deep into her body. This was
good, so good, yet her body demanded more.
His cock pressed lengthwise against her cleft. Her folds parted to embrace him.
Her core clenched and the emptiness made her groan. If she lifted up and brought him
to her entrance would he thrust inside?
Before she could discover the answer, he rolled them back to their sides. His cock
slipped out of reach and she arched, trying to regain the pressure.
Relax, sweetheart. I’m here.
The assurance had never sounded sweeter.
His mouth returned to hers, while he positioned her lower body. He raised her
leg to his hip, but left room between them for his hand. She tilted her pelvis, bringing
her heated flesh into contact with his fingers.
Touch me, please, she pleaded. I need this.
He traced her crease, sliding easily in her cream. His middle finger circled her clit
then teased her opening. Like this?
No, inside me. I need you inside me.
Very slowly, he pushed his finger into her core. She tightened her inner muscles,
concentrating on the blessed penetration. He slid in and out, but it wasn’t enough to
dispel the brutal emptiness.
More.
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He added a second finger and finally a third. She moved with him and against
him, taking his fingers as deep as she could. It didn’t help.
With a boldness born of desperation, she reached down and grasped his cock. He
lifted her leg, making room for her to maneuver. Her leg settled around his waist and
her folds parted in the wake of his wide tip.
Inch by glorious inch, he sank into her heat. She closed her eyes and savored the
stretch, the utter bliss of being filled. When her clit rested against the base of his cock,
he stopped and clasped her to his chest.
This feels so damned good. I don’t want to move.
She smiled, the hair on his chest tickling her nose. Fine by me, as long as you stay
right where you are.
He tensed against her, then gently touched her face. I’ll stay as long as I can, but
I’m almost out of time.
They kissed while their desire simmered. Their hands wandered with bold
curiosity, memorizing texture and shape. He squeezed her butt and she squeezed his.
His caress turned to a playful pinch and her wiggling motivated his first thrust.
Abandoning foreplay entirely, he rolled her beneath him and draped her legs
over his arms. She arched into each forceful drive, relishing the slap and slide of his big
body. His tempo sped and sensation gathered, passing back and forth with the motion
of his hips.
You’re not alone. He punctuated the statement with a deep thrust, and pleasure
surged through her body. Regardless of what he says, you’re not alone.
Chapter Three
Aidan paced his sister’s living room, ignoring her amused expression. “There
must be a way to break Lark. I will not retreat!”
“Then you’ll shatter her mind.” Brook curled her legs to the side of her body and
snuggled into the plush sofa. “You’re trying to recreate her and that’s not possible in so
short a time. It took you years to control Connell completely. You need to adjust her
reality, change her perception just enough to align with our agenda.”
He faced her and shoved his hands into his pockets. “How the hell did she dispel
the sexual frenzy? That was the most powerful compulsion I’ve ever launched.”
“Do you really need to ask?”
“It couldn’t have been a Burton. I’ve remained silent after dark. There is no way
they could have tracked my energy.”
“Dichotomies are not the only beings capable of tracking psychic energy.”
He shook his head. “Vampires are nocturnal too.”
“Fairies aren’t.” She arched her brow, eyes shimmering with gathering menace.
“We can’t let the setback distract us. We’re running out of time.”
“She is hopelessly focused on finding Holly. Her determination erodes any
suggestion I implant.”
Brook pushed to her feet and approached him, a sly smile curving her lips. “So
we’ll use that determination to our advantage, increase it even. How far will Lark go to
uncover the mystery? We need an access point inside the Burton security. All we need
to do is suppress Lark’s inhibitions and let her go.”
* * *
Evan groaned as he emerged from sleep state. Twelve hours of life were
compressed into a few seconds each time his physical body materialized. But this was
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more than the expected confusion. Joseph’s emotions bombarded him like shotgun
blasts.
“It happened again?” Evan tried to focus through the lingering disorder. For the
past three days Joseph had done everything in his power to counteract the blonde
woman’s torment. “Is she all right?”
Joseph sat on the edge of their bed, head clasped in his hands. “We have to find
her.” His voice was barely a whisper. “They finally broke through.”
“Damn it. Did you get any sense of where she was? Did she tell you her name at
least?”
He shook his head and blew out a shaky breath. “Aidan heightened her
suspicion. She’ll barely acknowledge my existence now.”
“Ryan and Leos have tried to track her. They’re as frustrated as we are. Is there
any chance there’s more than one woman? Maybe that’s why we can’t pinpoint her
location.”
“No. It’s the same woman each time. I’m sure of it. What good is our connection
if I can’t stop them?” He lay on his back and draped his arm over his eyes. “I’ve never
felt so useless in my life.”
Nothing Evan could say would change the situation, so he let Joseph rest.
“I wanted to congratulate Nicole,” Joseph said without raising his arm from his
face. “But I don’t think I can hold on that long.”
“I’ll make sure she knows we’re all proud of what she’s accomplished.”
Joseph transitioned a few minutes later, leaving Evan alone with his thoughts.
Helplessness was a feeling he knew well. After years of watching his older
brothers flex their paranormal muscles, Evan had been thrilled when his own abilities
emerged. Nocturnal Dichotomies were dominant, and paranormal gifts were far more
common in the night crew than in their day-dwelling halves. Evan’s telepathic range
increased and he was able to scan a person’s thoughts without their feeling his mental
touch.
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These were very basic abilities and he was rather disappointed until one evening
he discovered his true gift. Tired and ready to relax, he’d stopped by a convenience
store to pick up a few items. As he waited for the incompetent clerk to take care of the
customer in front of him, the couple behind him engaged in a heated, extremely profane
argument. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and thought, Just shut the fuck up.
Immediately the couple fell silent.
Awareness unfurled within Evan. Leos was able to launch mild compulsions, so
he helped Evan expand his control and encouraged him to experiment with intensity.
Evan happily experimented on his brothers for the next few weeks until they threatened
violence if he didn’t stop.
The temptation was undeniable and controlling others became effortless. The
power was addictive and Evan found himself succumbing to the impulse with
horrifying regularity. He saw the potential for corruption within his own soul and it
terrified him.
He approached the elder council and asked them to bind the ability. When their
suggestions that he strengthen his self-control rather than sacrificing his gift fell on deaf
ears, they reluctantly agreed. He could still feel the power within him, like a tiny cancer
waiting to spread, but he had never tampered with the containment. He had no desire
to start the cycle over again.
He dispelled the mental tangent with a sigh and crossed to the closet. Joseph’s
awakening was unusual, but not unheard of. Evan had long since adjusted to life with
only minor paranormal abilities. If his day-dwelling twin was the vehicle through
which Aidan was brought down, he would be grateful. The important thing was
stopping Aidan.
Ryan refused to leave Kendra’s side and she was safest within the security of
their estate. Leos was determined to identify the blonde in Joseph’s visions, so that left
Evan to attend Nicole’s opening. He pulled his tuxedo out of the back of the closet and
started to dress.
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Nicole was one of the few humans who knew the secrets of the Dichotomy. After
the death of Evan’s mother, his father had taken a human lover. Some claimed the affair
began before his mother’s death, but Evan didn’t believe it. Nicole was the
granddaughter of his father’s lover. Evan smiled. Relationships become complicated
fast when the Dichotomy ventured outside their closed society.
His trip to San Francisco was uneventful. Finding a parking place in the Mission
District was another matter. The tiny lot behind the gallery was full and curbside
parking was taken as far as the eye could see. Finally scoring a space several blocks
from the gallery, Evan locked his car and glanced at his watch. The private party had
just begun. Nicole shouldn’t have had time to miss him.
No sooner had he stepped through the door of the gallery than Nicole rushed to
his side. Her ivory skin was flushed and panic shone in her wide green eyes.
“That’s not the expression I was expecting to see on your big night.” He gave her
a quick hug then held her at arm’s length. “You look wonderful and this is a fantastic
turnout, so what’s the matter?”
She hooked her arm through his and pulled him toward a quiet corner. “I have
no idea how they got invitations. I certainly didn’t send them. I anticipated all sorts of
complications, but this never crossed my mind.”
“What are you talking about? Did someone crash the party?”
“They didn’t crash.” She stepped closer, impatience creeping into her expression.
“Someone invited them.”
“So what’s the problem?”
“They’re… working girls!” She sounded horrified.
Evan did his best to hide his smile. Nicole was obviously upset. “Someone
invited hookers to your opening?” He looked beyond her, searching the crowd for
spandex and stilettos. “Where are they?”
“By the multimedia display. The brunette in red and the blonde in black.”
Evan followed the direction of her nod. “What makes you think they’re
professionals?” They looked more like swimsuit models than hookers.
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“Pierre, the gallery owner, is acquainted with the brunette.”
“Then he probably invited them.”
“He said he didn’t. But he just waved away my concern when I asked him to get
rid of them.”
Snatching a glass of champagne from a passing waiter, Evan asked, “Would you
like me to talk to them, make sure they’re only here to admire your work?”
“If they’re legitimate buyers, it’s none of my business how they make their
living. But I don’t want them conducting business on my dime.” She shook her head
and laughed. “I never realized I was such a prude.”
“You want this night to be perfect. No one will fault you for that.” He kissed her
on the cheek. “I’ll talk to them.”
“I have a call,” Joy said as she closed her phone. “Can I trust you here alone?”
“Of course.” Lark looked away from her companion, concealing her relief behind
a speculative expression. She would be thrilled to be rid of Brook’s watchdog. The
situation was complicated enough. “If this is a dead end, I’ll call a cab.”
“We all want to find Holly. Don’t waste this opportunity.”
As if she needed to be reminded. Lark turned to face the multilevel display as Joy
took off. Flowers scrolled from one screen to the next in a visually stunning swell of
color and motion. The wind’s whisper combined with subtle music, drawing her into
the tranquil meadow. A time-lapse thunderstorm followed, complete with brilliant
strikes of lightning and the rush of falling rain.
“Which scene better suits your mood?”
The hint of an accent added character to the deep male voice. Lark tried to
picture the man before she replied. Dark hair and night black eyes.
“The piece is unpredictable, rather like my moods,” she told him. “That’s why
it’s mesmerizing. Just when you think you have it figured out, it changes.” A sunset
darkened the scene and the man’s reflection became visible on the largest screen. If she
kicked off her heels, she’d fit neatly under his chin. Sunrise revealed his slashing
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cheekbones and firm jaw line. His eyes gleamed as he stared back at her, but she
couldn’t determine the color.
“Where did your friend go?”
Unable to resist her curiosity, she turned around. “I’m much more interesting
than my friend. You’ll never miss her, I promise.”
“Is that so? What makes you so interesting?” His eyes were dark, as she’d
imagined, but not brown. They were a deep, navy blue that shimmered when he tilted
his head just so.
He had a rugged appeal that seemed out of place in a tuxedo. She admired the
width of his shoulders then pictured herself peeling the formal jacket down his arms.
Attraction arced between them, making her lips tingle and her fingers long to wander.
“Did Nicole ask you to get rid of me?” That would be just her luck. She had yet
to identify her target and she was about to be escorted out the door. Did cocktail parties
have bouncers? The thought made her smile. “Nicole turned the most adorable shade of
pink when Pierre told her what I am.”
“What are you?”
“Thirsty.” Before he could find a waiter, she took his glass from his hand and
raised it to her lips. Their gazes locked as she took a sip and then slowly licked her lips.
“Very nice.”
His eyes narrowed as he focused on her mouth. “I know you had an invitation,
but I’d like to know why you decided to come.”
“I come as often as I can. Don’t you?”
His smile flashed and he took back the glass of champagne. “Are you in the
market for art or are you working?”
A silver-haired man clasped him on the shoulder, postponing her response.
“Evan, my boy, how have you been? I haven’t seen you in ages.”
“Busy, as always.”
“Are Ryan and Leos with you?”
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Each name sharpened Lark’s interest. Her mission would be considerably easier
if her target had just made first contact. When Brook suggested she pose as a call girl to
get near the Burton brothers, Lark hadn’t been opposed to the idea. She wasn’t as
certain they were responsible for Holly’s disappearance as Brook was, but it was worth
investigating.
“Nicole is going to be disappointed when she realizes I’m here alone, so be
evasive if she asks you about me.”
The older man chuckled. “You can count on me. We opened the cabernet
sauvignon last night and, my God, it was wonderful.”
Evan inclined his head, his lips bowed with the hint of a smile. “Thank you.”
“You’re a winemaker?” It would have seemed suspicious if she hadn’t asked.
“This is one of the Burton brothers, young lady. Their vineyards are some of the
finest in Napa Valley.”
“Please. This night is for Nicole. I won’t allow anything to distract from her
success.” His gaze returned to Lark with the last statement.
“Well, tell your brothers I said hello. I’m going to mingle.”
She watched the crowd swallow the visitor. Evan hadn’t felt it necessary to
introduce a hooker to his friend. His careless insult reinforced her determination.
“You’re Evan Burton? I’m impressed. I thought you worked for the gallery.”
“You know my name and occupation. Why don’t you reciprocate?”
“My name is Lark and I’m a professional mistress,” she stated without shame.
“How is that different from a call girl?”
“I interact with one client at a time.” Brook felt the compromise would be more
believable. “He’s responsible for all of my expenses in addition to my salary and I’m
available to him whenever and in whatever way he chooses.”
“I see.” He cleared his throat before he went on. “Are you currently employed?”
She looked into his eyes and smiled. “Are we negotiating?”
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Evan dragged his gaze away from Lark’s vivid blue eyes. God, she was beautiful.
Her golden hair had been swept up and away from her face, leaving her neck bare. He
wanted to lick his way from her ear to her collarbone. The black velvet dress hugged
her torso, accenting her lush breasts and the dramatic indentation of her waist.
“If you’re here for the party, you’re welcome to stay. If you’re trying to find a
new client, you’ll need to look somewhere else.”
She stepped closer and her warm, floral scent tantalized his nose. “I don’t have to
prowl parties for clients, Mr. Burton. Both my clients approached me.”
“Both? You’ve only had two clients?” Why the hell should he care? The question
was completely irrelevant.
“My past is none of your business.”
“You’re right. But you didn’t answer my original question. Is tonight work or
play?”
“I’ve obviously made Nicole uncomfortable and that wasn’t my intention.”
She sighed and his gaze gravitated toward her breasts. Were they as firm as they
looked? His cock hardened as his imagination provided tantalizing possibilities. He
pictured her with the dress lowered to her waist, arms trapped against her sides. The
soft mounds overflowed his fingers, warm and resilient.
“I’ll make you a deal.” Her purring tone drew his attention back to her face.
“I’m listening.”
“My friend was also my transportation. If you drive me to my hotel, I’ll remove
my taint from Nicole’s party.”
If she was legitimately interested in the exhibition, it wasn’t right to make her
leave. He glanced at Nicole and easily read the hope in her eyes. Lark was right. Nicole
didn’t want a prostitute tainting the party. “Where are you staying?”
“Embarcadero Center Hyatt.” He hesitated and she raised her chin. “If it’s too
much trouble, just call me a cab.”
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Her defensiveness compounded his guilt. People probably treated her like shit
on a daily basis. “It’s no trouble, but I had to park in Sausalito. Do you want to wait
while I get my car or walk with me?”
She looked around the room, then shook her head. “I think it’s best if I walk with
you.”
Chapter Four
A chilly breeze caressed Lark’s cheek and she shivered. She had to hustle to keep
up with Evan’s long strides.
“Are you cold?”
His concern surprised her. He hadn’t said a word since they left the gallery. “The
wind has a bite tonight.”
He slipped off his jacket and draped it around her shoulders. Still warm from his
body, the sturdy fabric settled around her like a lover’s embrace. Her role was designed
to test him. If he wasn’t interested in her services, it cast doubt on Brook’s theory. If he
accepted her offer, however, she would need to convince him she was not only willing,
but professional.
Brook believed Evan was the most likely suspect. Leos would do anything to
protect his brothers, but Brook doubted he would care enough about sex to pay for it.
Ryan was in a new relationship. He hadn’t had time to get bored. Which brought Lark
back to Evan.
She looked at his sculpted profile and heat cascaded through her body. At least
she wouldn’t have to pretend she was attracted to him. The man was sex personified.
He stopped without warning and he grasped the jacket with both hands. He
pulled her onto her toes and kissed her. His lips marauded and his tongue pillaged. Her
head spun, unprepared for his sudden aggression.
He turned toward the street and guided her back until she felt a car press against
her bottom. The kiss went on and on, stealing her breath and muddling her mind. Her
arms were trapped by his jacket and his knee pressed between her thighs, rubbing her
mound and making her squirm. She gasped, separating their mouths in the process.
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“I’ve never paid for sex and I have no intention of starting now,” he growled
against her damp lips. “But I want you so badly I can’t think straight.”
What was she supposed to do with that? She inhaled sharply and turned her face
aside. “I don’t have recreational sex. It’s too dangerous. My clients are screened and --”
He silenced her protest with another searing kiss. His fingers released the jacket.
One hand skimmed along her neck, while the other ventured between the lapels. She
waited for a demanding squeeze, but his hand teased her midriff instead.
Her nipples tightened, protesting their neglect. His knuckles grazed the
underside of her breast and she shifted restlessly. Her senses hummed, tantalized by
the temptation. Never before had her body ignited after just a few heated kisses.
His hand drifted down her side, over her hip, and along her thigh. He caught the
hem of her dress with his fingertips, bunching it up until he encountered skin.
“I want to touch you.” His breath wafted across her lips as he whispered, “I want
to feel your pussy melt all over my fingers then lick you until you scream.”
“Stop it.” She caught his wrist.
“If you’re not willing to fuck me, then let’s just play. Let’s crawl into the backseat
like a couple of teenagers and make out.”
She laughed, amused by the ridiculous suggestion. “I’m not going to -- make out
with you.”
“Then let’s go to your hotel room and cuddle.” He grinned, mischief gleaming in
his eyes.
“You’re not going anywhere near my hotel room.”
He pulled a remote from his pocket and unlocked the car. “You don’t know what
you’re missing.” His smile softened the boast and he opened the door with a gallant
flourish.
She handed his jacket back to him before she sat down. He tossed the jacket onto
the backseat and closed the door. She released her pent-up breath and pressed her hand
over her pounding heart. What the hell was she going to do? Fucking him now would
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serve no real purpose, other than banishing the ache between her thighs. He had no
problem coming on to a call girl. He just didn’t want to pay for it.
Throbbing pressure erupted in her head. She closed her eyes and rubbed her
temples. She couldn’t afford to get one of her headaches, not now. Dread washed over
her as the pain intensified.
“Are you all right?”
Why did he sound so far away?
Like the sting of a miniature arrow, sensation burst behind her eyes. You want
him. You’ll do anything to have him.
Desire unfurled within and she pressed her thighs together. “What did you do to
me? I’ve never ached like this.”
He ran his knuckles along her jaw line then turned her face toward him. “Tell me
exactly what you’re feeling.” She’d expected a smug smile or another playful boast.
Instead she saw real concern in his eyes.
“I want you inside me, right here, right now.”
With a strangled groan he glanced up and down the street. There was no one
about, but that could change in an instant. She parted her lips, anxious for his kiss. He
touched her knee and she parted her thighs. His fingers stroked her leg, the teasing
circles bringing him ever closer to the apex of her thighs.
“Please,” she whispered against his open mouth.
His fingers slipped inside her panties and traced her cream-slick cleft. “You are
so wet.”
“I want your fingers inside me when I come.”
The hushed confession sent lust stabbing into Evan’s soul. He pushed two
fingers into her waiting pussy, amazed by the heat and the strength of her inner
muscles. If she gripped his fingers this tightly, imagine how she’d feel around his cock.
He pulled back and thrust deeper. She cried out and arched her hips. His body
throbbed, demanding the sort of penetration she obviously craved. Stealing a quick
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orgasm in a heated rush was one thing. There was no way he was going to fuck her in a
car.
His thumb found her clit and rubbed the puffy little nub. She shook and clutched
his hand with her thighs. Her inner muscles fluttered with the start of her orgasm and
awareness jolted him.
Unsure what had caused the odd reaction, he scanned her mind.
Images rolled across their link. He wasn’t sure if they were fantasies or
memories. She sprawled on a bed, a dark-haired man thrusting between her thighs. Her
legs lightly circled his lean hips and her hands clutched his back. Her imagination
hadn’t produced an accurate image, but it was close enough.
Unless this wasn’t him.
Disconcerted by the thought, Evan started to withdraw when her lover threw
back his head and cried out in release. He’d never seen Aidan’s face before, but he
recognized the twisted pattern of his energy. Disgust and anger washed over him in icy
waves. Was Lark Aidan’s willing accomplice or one of his many victims?
He opened his eyes and moved his hand to her knee. She blinked and stretched,
unable to suppress a sleepy smile.
“Is that better?” He kissed the tip of her nose, unsure how he should proceed. If
she had a connection to Aidan, they needed to find out exactly what it was.
“For now.”
“Does this mean I get an encore?” Fucking her now was less appealing. Using
pleasure to motivate her cooperation, however, suited him just fine.
She lowered her lashes, shielding her expression. “I’m still deciding.”
He started the car. “Is there anything I can do to help you make up your mind?”
“If this isn’t work, I don’t want to go to my hotel room.”
The playroom in the basement of Burton House was the perfect place for what he
had in mind. “I live in Napa. Do you have any objection to going for a ride?”
She licked her lips and squeezed his thigh. “I’m counting on it.”
* * *
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Apprehension lodged firmly in the pit of Lark’s belly as Evan turned off the
paved road. “Do you live in a cabin or something?”
They’d left the city of Napa behind about twenty minutes ago. Was he taking her
to the estate? The Burton brothers guarded their privacy with obsessive intensity. She’d
presumed they were headed to one of the smaller houses.
“Not exactly a cabin.”
She heard amusement in his voice, but he said nothing more. Lark took a
moment to reinforce her role. A professional mistress wouldn’t know as much about the
Burtons as she knew. She couldn’t risk making him suspicious until she’d had the
opportunity to snoop around.
The gravel drive widened and curved in front of a stately stone mansion. Good
God! It was imposing. Moonlight gave the area an eerie charm. Lark couldn’t take it all
in before he pulled into one of six bays in the detached garage. She opened the car door
and walked out into the cool night, feeling rather dazed. Trees created a leafy perimeter
beyond an expansive lawn. Water shimmered in the distance. She tucked her clutch
under her arm and squinted through the darkness, trying to make out the details.
“Is that a lake?”
“A small one. Come on.” He took her hand and started toward the house.
A light turned on in one of the upstairs rooms and her steps faltered. “You don’t
live alone?”
“It’s a rather large house for one person.” He resumed his trek, but she pulled
her hand out of his light grasp. “What’s wrong?” He turned to face her.
“This is how girls like me end up dead.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier to kill you if we were alone?”
“Not if they’re going to help.” She made a bland gesture toward the house
looming before them.
“Do you have a cell phone?”
“Why?”
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“Call someone and tell them where you are. I’m much less likely to indulge my
murderous inclinations, if I can be directly implicated in your death.”
It wasn’t a bad idea. She opened her clutch and felt around for her phone. Who
could she call in front of him and not give herself away? Her sister would ask a million
questions she couldn’t answer and Brook… She didn’t want to talk to Brook right now.
“I must have left it in my hotel room,” she said. “I don’t mean to be a pain. This
just isn’t what I was expecting.”
He held out his hand, his gaze glinting in the moonlight. “Murder is the farthest
thing from my mind.” She hesitated another moment before taking his hand. She’d been
able to read his expressions all night, yet his features seemed impassive now.
They used a side entrance and took the staircase adjacent to a walk-in pantry. A
shiver skittered down her spine. Why was he taking her to the basement? They passed
through a storeroom and down a short hallway.
“Where are we going?” She tried not to sound as uncomfortable as she felt. Was
this retribution for her rude assumption? He opened a door and motioned her inside.
“After you,” she insisted and he chuckled. He stepped through the doorway and waited
for her to join him. She took a deep breath and followed. He shut the door, casting the
room into utter darkness. “This isn’t funny.” A row of recessed lights activated and she
gasped. “Holy shit. This better be a joke.”
The walls were stone like the exterior of the house, giving the room a medieval
ambiance. Restraints hung from chains secured to the exposed beams above her head.
They stood beside a padded bench about waist high with wrist and ankle cuffs. An
obscene chair stood in one corner of the room while another housed an apparatus so
odd Lark wasn’t even sure what to call it.
“You look shocked. Surely you aren’t that naive.”
You’re paid to fulfill men’s fantasies. Pull yourself together.
“If you’d given me some indication of what you intended, I wouldn’t have been
surprised.”
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“I just about fucked you against the side of my car in full view of passing traffic.”
He clasped his hands behind his back, his gaze boring into hers. “Wasn’t that indication
enough that I’m aggressive?”
“This isn’t just aggressive. This is a whole different… I’m not sure this is a good
idea.” Her heart pounded in her chest and her gaze couldn’t find anywhere to look that
didn’t send excitement zinging through her bloodstream. It would be irrational to let
him restrain her, yet she couldn’t deny being aroused by the idea.
“If you’ll be honest with me, I’ll let you choose how we spend the rest of our
time together.”
She swallowed past the lump in her throat and shifted her small purse from
hand to hand. “And if I lie to you?”
“You’ll be punished.”
What if I want to be punished? The naughty question formed in her mind and he
flashed a wolfish grin. Her eyes widened. “What made you smile?”
One of his eyebrows arched and his voice responded in her mind. Why ask
questions when you know the answers?
She backed toward the door, her hand outstretched to ward him off. He caught
her wrist and slowly reeled her in. Taking her clutch from her hand, he tossed it onto a
nearby chair and clasped her wrists as effectively as velvet lined manacles. Her tugging
went unnoticed as he stared into her eyes.
“What do you want from me?” Fear made her voice shrill.
“Honest answers. Can you handle that?”
“You brought me to a torture chamber to question me?”
He chuckled. “No one considers what happens here torture.”
She wasn’t about to debate the issue. He already suspected her inexperience and
she wasn’t going to prove him right. “Let’s go upstairs. Make a pot of coffee and we’ll
talk.”
“If you still want coffee after you’ve answered my questions, I’ll be happy to
oblige.”
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She needed to calm down. Her only weapon was her mind and panic was
counterproductive to clear thinking. “We could have had this conversation in San
Francisco. I have nothing to hide.” Her insides tensed as she realized the first words out
of her mouth were a lie.
“Whose face did you see when you came in my car?”
“Oh my God!” She jerked her hands free, but he grabbed her upper arms. “Is that
what this is about? For a fraction of a second I pictured an old lover. Are you that
insecure?” His only reaction was a scowl, so she went on, “Reading minds is rude.
Didn’t anyone ever tell you that?”
“Who is he?”
“I never knew his name. He insisted I call him sir. He was my first client and he
was a bona fide bastard. What else would you like to know?”
His grip eased but he didn’t let go. Could she have averted the fight so easily?
He didn’t seem angry anymore, just watchful. His lips parted and her gaze gravitated to
his mouth. Kissing him had left her weak, literally weak. She wanted to kiss him again,
to rekindle the fire he’d ignited in the car and stoke the flames until it consumed them.
But it didn’t make sense. Why would she want him now? He was treating her like a
criminal!
“If he was such a bastard, why did your orgasm bring back the memory?”
His gaze searched hers and she sensed a subtle disruption in her mind. He was
doing it again. She placed both hands on his chest and shoved. “You can either grill me
with questions or read my mind. You don’t get to do both!”
The shadow of a smile curved his lips. “How long were you with him?”
“I don’t discuss my clients with anyone. This conversation is over.”
He wrapped his arms around her, trapping one hand against her side and the
other between them. “I don’t know what game you’re playing, but you’re not a
prostitute.”
She kicked his shin and struggled against his hold, determined to free her arms.
“Have you known many prostitutes?”
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“I’ve never been desperate enough to pay for sex.” His gaze turned opaque.
“And you’re not desperate enough to sell your body to strangers. So, what were you
doing at the gallery?”
How had he seen through her so easily? It was more than the odd flash of
memory; he seemed to know her. She needed to distract him, steer him away from her
true purpose. “I’ve always found it ironic that society ostracizes women who are willing
to sell their bodies, yet no one thinks twice about the men who pay for pleasure.”
“Tell it to Oprah.”
She licked her lips and searched for a plausible excuse. He found the zipper at
the back of her dress and pulled it down. “What are you doing?”
“Getting you ready for punishment. Even now you’re concocting a story that is
anything but honest.” His arm banded her upper thighs, lifting her off the floor. She
kicked wildly and her shoes went flying. “Thank you.”
Her bare feet touched the cold cement floor and she gasped. Life gradually
returned to his gaze, desire mixed with amusement. The jerk was enjoying this! “Are
you going to spank me?”
“The thought had crossed my mind.” He gave her ass a firm squeeze, his fingers
lingering against her flesh. “Would you like that, song bird? Shall I warm these soft
cheeks before I fuck you? Have you ever felt heat sinking into your body, accenting the
pleasure, and making you wild?”
She pushed against his chest which only ground their lower bodies closer
together. The unmistakable ridge of his erection pressed into her belly. Restlessness
fluttered through her belly and possibilities teased her imagination. She could wrap her
legs around his waist while he impaled her with his cock or she could bend over the
padded bench and flip up her skirt. Heat pooled between her thighs, urging her to
choose.
“Do you want to fuck or do you want to talk?” She forced the words out though
her mouth had gone dry.
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His hand slipped under her skirt and cupped her bottom through her silk
panties. “I want to talk so we can fuck. Now answer the question.”
“I told you what I was doing at the gallery.”
“No, you agreed to leave which defused the situation.” His fingers found the
opening in her panties and pushed between her thighs. She wasn’t sure if he couldn’t
reach her from this angle or if he chose to frustrate her, but his touch feathered over her
folds, never venturing between. “You never told me why you were there.”
Hiding her mounting hunger behind a sarcastic smirk, she parted her thighs and
gave him better access. “I wanted to fuck one of the notorious Burton brothers. Does
that make me a wine groupie?”
Just as she’d suspected, he moved his hand away. It was a tease. He meant to
keep her simmering and never give her release until she told him everything he wanted
to know. She couldn’t trust him with the truth. Her only hope was to steal his thunder.
She’d revel in each caress, enjoy the sensations without expecting an orgasm to follow.
“We aren’t that notorious.” He pulled her arms to the small of her back and held
them there with one hand, while he lowered the front of her dress. Her bra surrendered
to one skillful flick of his fingers. He separated the cups and his breath hissed out. “You
have truly spectacular breasts.” He cupped one mound and then the other. She arched
into the touch. Her eagerness surprised him, yet he seemed reluctant to stop. He caught
her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, lightly pinching as he rolled the tender
peak. “When was the last time you saw your first client?”
“What?” Confusion cut through the pleasure just starting to build within her. She
twisted away, but his fingers didn’t release. The only way to minimize the pinch was to
remain still. “Months ago, perhaps a year or more.”
His eyes narrowed but his fingers loosened, caressing her again. “You believe
that, but I’m not sure it’s true.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” This might take longer than she’d thought.
Could she bear his careless stimulation over and over again?
His hand covered her breast, a warm apology. “Are you a call girl?”
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“I told you what I am.”
“I’m giving you the opportunity to come clean.” His fingers stroked her, soothed
her, and desire crept into his eyes. “Are you really a paid ‘mistress’?”
She wanted to tell him, confess everything and see how he reacted. But she
didn’t dare. Too much was at stake. He could be responsible for Holly’s disappearance
for all she knew. “I wasn’t at the party to find a new client. Is that straightforward
enough?”
Rather than rewarding her honesty, he swept her bra down her arms and tied it
around her elbows. The bunched material of her dress kept the makeshift restraint in
place. “You’ve sidestepped every question.” His voice was clipped and cold and his
gaze avoided hers. “I’m not even sure you know what’s true.”
“Didn’t I tell you? I’m a pathological liar. I lie just for the hell of it.”
He crowded her, propelling her back against the padded bench. “I want to
explore every inch of your body until I know you better than you know yourself.” His
hands grasped the bench on either side of her hips, caging her without actually
touching her. “I want to smell you and taste you and hear your sweet cries while I fuck
you senseless.”
His silken words were every bit as stimulating as his teasing caresses. Her
nipples tingled and she pressed her thighs together. “What’s stopping you?”
“You are.” He brushed his thumbs over her nipples, sending shivers down her
spine. “I want to suck these into my mouth and feel them bead against my tongue.”
“Stop teasing me!” She turned aside, dislodging his hands.
“I want nothing more. Tell me what’s really going on or open your mind and let
me find out for myself.”
“You don’t have to have my permission to enter my mind. I’ve felt you there
already.”
“Most people don’t feel such a superficial scan. I need to probe deeper and it can
be painful if the person resists.”
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She shuddered as vulnerability spread through her consciousness. She hadn’t
minded her partial nudity until he stopped touching her. “I’ll tell you what you want to
know. Stay out of my mind.”
He didn’t seem pleased by her decision, but he accepted her choice. “Have you
ever been hypnotized?”
“No. I don’t want you screwing with my mind.”
He folded his arms over his chest. “That’s not what I was proposing. I’d like to
try something else, though, and it might seem a bit unconventional.”
“Unconventional?” In a frantic series of movements, she yanked her arms free of
her tangled bra and covered her breasts with the front of her dress. “Why would
anything seem unconventional now?”
“Why did you become a hooker? You’re well spoken and intelligent. Was there
really no other option?”
“What makes you think prostitution was my only option?”
“Answering a question with a question is a tired evasion. I asked about you.
Why did you become a paid whore?”
“I… the money was too good to pass up.”
“Bullshit. Try again.”
She stared back at him in silent defiance. He knew she wasn’t a call girl. He
wasn’t going to accept anything but a confession. “A good friend of mine was a call
girl.”
“And?”
And she convinced me to give it a try. The words turned to ash in her mouth. Holly
had been destroyed by this life. There was nothing easy or glamorous about being
reduced to a receptacle for lust.
“She disappeared.” The words were out before Lark could stop them.
“Who disappeared?”
“My friend. I could never talk her into coming home, but she always called me to
let me know she was all right. I haven’t heard from her in three weeks.”
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His brow furrowed and compassion softened his expression. “Are you talking
about Holly?”
Her hands trembled and she pressed her lips together. Brook was right. There
was only one reason he would jump to that conclusion. He had played a part in Holly’s
disappearance.
She fought back the rush of accusation and asked, “Do you know where she is?”
“Did Brook send you to the gallery to hook up with one of us?”
“She said you’d suspect any of her regular girls.”
“She was right.”
Now he was evading the issue, so she went on the offensive. “Do you know
where Holly is?” She pulled the front of the dress back into place and struggled with
the zipper. “Is she all right? Why hasn’t she called me?”
“If you’re not a call girl then who was the man you pictured in my car?”
Shit! How could she explain what she didn’t understand? “He isn’t real. I’ve had
nightmares about him.”
He clasped her upper arms and leaned toward her, his gaze suddenly fever
bright. “Have you dreamed about someone else? Did another man touch your mind?”
“Other than you?” She shook her head. There had been another, but there was no
way she would confess what happened in that dream. It was a private and precious
memory. She would never betray her secret lover, her tender champion. “Why did you
change the subject? Is Holly still alive?”
“She’s alive and unharmed.”
“I want to see her or at least talk to her.” She twisted out of his grasp. “Where’s
my purse?”
“I thought you left your cell phone in your hotel room.”
“I lied! All right, I lied about everything. I’m not a hooker. I came to San
Francisco to find my niece.”
He laughed. “A minute ago she was your friend. This is getting us nowhere.”
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Lark covered her face with her hands. Images swam through her mind, one
reality swirling through the next. “I don’t understand. Things keep changing.”
“Let me help you. I can stabilize the --”
“No! Stay out!” Pain sliced through her, filling her with dread and
determination. She must not let him scan her mind. She must not let anyone… Why was
she so insistent? It didn’t make sense. If he thought he could help her, shouldn’t she let
him try? Another burst of pain drove the thought from her mind.
“Lark, this is important. Have you ever dreamed about a man named Joseph?
Did he try and protect you?”
Chapter Five
Lark backed away, trembling visibly. “You can’t know about Joseph. How can
you know about him?” She pressed the heels of her hands against her temples and
sobbed. “Why won’t the pain stop?”
Evan felt her distress with every fiber of his being. There could be no mistake,
this was Joseph’s blonde. He swept her into his arms and left the playroom without a
backward glance. This wasn’t the time for expanding her sexual horizons. They needed
to reassemble her mind.
He reached out to Ryan and Leos as he carried her up the back stairs. Leos had
just reached the foyer as Evan emerged through the dining room.
“Aidan’s handiwork is starting to unravel,” he told his older brother as he
crossed to the salon. “We have to help her now.”
With his customary calm, Leos accepted the directive. Evan placed her on the
sofa and knelt at her side. Ryan entered a moment later followed by a blurry eyed
Kendra.
“What’s going on?” Ryan asked.
“This is Joseph’s blonde,” Evan replied.
“How did you find her?”
“She found me.”
Ryan was by far the strongest psychic of the three. He moved farther into the
room and Lark screamed. She rolled off the sofa before Evan could stop her. He caught
her as she reached the doorway, but her struggles had just begun. She arched and
twisted, screaming and sobbing.
“What’s wrong with her?” Kendra asked.
“Aidan implanted compulsions protecting his work,” Leos explained.
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Evan sat on the sofa, with Lark clasped against his chest. Her struggles had
lessened, but not subsided. Without explaining his intentions, he kissed her. His mouth
moved over hers with soothing patience. He used the intimacy to help him focus.
Ryan, dismantle the shield. I need access to my gift.
Are you sure? I know how hard --
Now!
Pain seared through Evan’s brain. He embraced the sensation, waiting for the
inevitable rush of adrenaline. His heart pounded and power surged through his being,
dark and intoxicating. He shifted Lark into the crook of his arm and deepened the kiss.
Submit. A flicker of dread sparked within him as he launched the compulsion. He
had avoided his abilities for decades, terrified he would lose control again.
She shuddered against him, her mouth pliant and warm. Her mind remained
resistant even after the frenzy abated. He cupped the side of her face and tried again.
Open to me, Lark. Surrender.
A whimper escaped her as he separated their mouths. He pushed past her
mental shields and groaned. Her mind was a twisted clutter of fractured realities and
exhausted compulsions. How had she retained any sliver of sanity?
Sorrow welled within him for just a moment before fury burned through the
weaker emotion. Aidan would pay! If it was the last thing he ever did, he would make
Aidan pay for this abuse.
Evan gently controlled her, patiently combating each surge of panic, while his
brothers repaired the damage. Ryan meticulously rid her mind of each unnatural
strand. Leos stood sentry on the metaphysical plane and fed Ryan energy.
Hours passed and Evan felt the familiar tingle of transition. Shit! We’re out of time.
Cast her into sleep thrall until tomorrow night.
No. If she has time to accept what we’ve done, she won’t resist.
Ryan accepted his decision and carefully withdrew from her mind. Leos and
Kendra followed him from the room.
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Refusing to leave her vulnerable, Evan used the last of his energy to erect
concentric shields around her mind. Then he placed her on the sofa and rushed across
the foyer. Transition could be violent when his levels were depleted and he would let
nothing add to her pain.
Joseph’s energy emerged from inside him and his body solidified. Evan sank to
his knees, his legs too weak to support him.
“She’s here?” Joseph steadied him with both hands, but his gaze darted toward
the salon. “How did you find her?”
“She’ll have to explain. I -- need -- sleep.”
* * *
Lark floated in a surreal fog. Evan and the others were gone, yet she couldn’t say
when they had left or what had called them away. Fingers stroked through her hair,
drawing her back to reality.
“Am I dreaming?”
“No, sweetheart, this is real.” The voice was familiar. Excitement swept through
her, warming her insides and dissolving another layer of gossamer haze.
“I must be dreaming,” she whispered. “You only exist in dreams.”
His lips brushed over hers, his breath warm and caressing. “Are you sure about
that?”
Her lids felt heavy, but she forced them to open. Light pierced her brain and she
blinked repeatedly. Gradually his face came into focus. Her breath caught in her throat.
This was the first time she’d seen him. He’d touched her, made love to her with
exquisite care, but she’d never seen his face.
Golden strands threaded through his short brown hair. She traced his features
with her fingertips, thrilled, yet confused. She knew this face, had spent all night trying
to resist the appeal of these features. His sky blue eyes stared back at her and a gentle
smile parted his sensual lips.
“Welcome back.”
“Joseph?”
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His smile broadened. “Were you expecting someone else?”
She sat up and looked around. They were on an antique sofa in the front room of
a mansion. “Am I still at Burton House?”
He tried to draw her into his arms, but she resisted. “We never got around to a
full introduction. I’m Joseph Burton, and you are?”
“Evan is your brother?”
“Yes. How do you feel?”
Memories flooded her mind. She writhed on a bed while some unseen force
drilled into her mind. “Who… hurt me?”
“His name is Aidan. There is no way he’ll ever hurt you again. Evan constructed
shields around --”
“Where did Evan go?” Why did he leave me? Finally seeing Joseph was a
wonderful surprise, but something within her longed for Evan.
“He’s exhausted. After he gets some sleep he’ll be back.” He touched her hand
and waited until she looked into his eyes to speak again. “Sweetheart, I don’t know
your name.”
“Lark Emery.” She still felt oddly disconnected. Why couldn’t she focus her
thoughts?
“We were working like crazy to find you, but we couldn’t figure out where you
were. How did you end up with Evan?”
A dull throb erupted behind her eyes. She braced for the explosion of pain, but it
never came. False realities floated before her like mist. She saw through them this time
and latched on to the truth. “I came to Napa looking for my niece. She’s been missing
for several weeks.” With as little embellishment as she could muster, she explained
what had happened. “Evan knew something was wrong as soon as he read my mind,
but it took him a while to realize what it was.”
“You know Holly is okay, don’t you? Evan must have told you.”
“He did, but that’s about as far as we got. Why did she stop calling me?”
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“The only way to ensure her safety was to have her sever all contact with the
outside world until this is over.”
“That sounds rather ominous. Where did you take her?”
Joseph wanted to embrace her so badly his arms ached. She was repressing her
emotions and he suspected they were in for a deluge when she finally let go. “Holly is
on a private island. It’s called Chimera, but you won’t find it on any map. I talked to her
day before yesterday. She’s doing really well.”
“Can I talk to her?”
“I’ll see if I can arrange a satellite link. It might take a little while.” He stood and
she reached for his hand. His heart missed a beat as her warm fingers clasped his.
“Can I come with you?”
“Of course. In fact, I’d prefer you did.”
He led her to his bedroom and sent a message to the head of security on Chimera
Island. “He should respond shortly with a time.”
“I know Aidan was Holly’s client, but what is Connell’s connection to Aidan?
Some of the details are still blurry.”
“Aidan and Connell are brothers. Aidan is the driving force, but Connell is far
from innocent.”
“He led me to Aidan like a lamb to the slaughter.” She shuddered and tears
welled in her eyes. “How could I have been so foolish?”
When he pulled her toward him this time, she didn’t resist. She wrapped her
arms around his back and buried her face against his chest. “You did nothing wrong.
You were only trying to find Holly.”
She trembled, but her sobs were soundless. He stroked her hair, letting her
anguish wash over him in torrents. Only with Evan was he empathic, so why could he
sense her emotions?
He didn’t rush her or try to speak. Healing couldn’t begin until she drained the
wounds. Her knees buckled and he swept her up against his chest, carrying her to the
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bed. He held her on his lap like a child, cradled in his arms, and let her emotions run
their course.
“He twisted my mind, my memories. I didn’t even know who I was anymore.”
“But your love for Holly remained. He couldn’t erase your selfless nature.”
Her lips trembled as he brushed away her tears. She brought his hand to her
mouth and kissed his palm. “I want fresh memories, images untainted by him.”
He turned and laid her back across the bed. “You need to rest. You’ve been
through an incredible ordeal.”
“I want this.” She tried to pull his face down to hers. “I need this.”
He kissed her gently, a chaste brush of his lips over hers. She slid her hands into
his hair and refused to let go. Desire radiated off her in tormenting waves. He
understood her logic, but hesitated to take advantage of her emotional fragility.
“This isn’t a good idea.”
She swung her hand at his face, forcing him to grab her wrist or accept the slap.
Her other hand released his hair and swung for him as well. He pulled her arms above
her head and clasped them in one hand. Her breasts quivered beneath the dress, set in
motion by her ragged breathing.
“Evan will fuck me.” She watched him, waiting for his reaction. “Where is he?”
He couldn’t help but smile. If only she understood the irony of her strategy.
“Sorry, sweetheart, you’re stuck with me.”
“My name is Lark.”
She seemed to be calming down, so he just held her. “I remember, but sweetheart
suits you better.”
“I want to kiss you.”
The urgency had stabilized, but desire still simmered inside her. He bent his
head and kissed her again. His lips lingered this time, his tongue gently stroking.
“Better?”
“I’m going to put your cock in my mouth and there’s nothing you can do to stop
me.”
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Her gaze had grown limpid and calm, so her words shocked him. If he had
sensed any flicker of hysteria left in her, he would have remained true to his original
course. Instead she stared into his eyes, daring him to refuse her. She needed to regain
control and apparently he was the means she had chosen.
He crawled off the bed and took off his shirt. “Do you want me in chains or do
you trust me to submit to your wicked desires.”
She smiled, drawing her skirt up along her thighs. “I don’t have the patience to
return to the playroom. I’ll have to find other ways of controlling you.”
“Evan took you to the playroom?” Transition had been more bewildering than
usual because of Evan’s utter exhaustion.
“Does that bother you?” Skimming her hands up the sides of her body, she
cupped her breasts and bit down on her lower lip. “Would you like to see me spread-
eagled in that chair?”
Lust shone in her eyes now, and her pulse was racing. He could literally feel the
beating of her heart. He didn’t question the connection. It thrilled him, amplifying each
sensation like nothing he’d ever experienced before.
“Is that an inquiry or an offer?” He tugged off his boots and struggled out of his
pants.
“Maybe later.” She crawled to the edge of the bed. “I miss your mouth.”
He hadn’t forgotten what she’d promised to do with her mouth, but he was
happy to kiss her again. She was still mostly dressed and he was naked. Another power
imbalance she wasn’t willing to correct. He sucked on her tongue and nibbled her lips,
kissing her until she pulled back breathless and dazed.
Without a word, she spread out on her back and rested her head at the edge of
the mattress. Easily understanding what she had in mind, he moved forward. Before he
could tease her lips with the head of his cock, she sucked him into her mouth. The
sudden pressure bordered on pain and he gritted his teeth.
She cupped his balls with one hand and stroked his shaft with the other, her lips
hungrily sucking on the tip. He was paralyzed by pleasure. Fire licked up through his
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groin and burst in his chest, a sensory foreshadowing of his release. If he didn’t do
something fast, this was going to be over before it began.
He tried to pull out, but she wouldn’t release him. She grasped his hips with
both hands and pulled him deeper into her mouth. He slid against the flat of her tongue
while the snug grip of her lips moved up and down.
Desperate for a distraction, he pulled her dress up. Simple black panties covered
her mound, but her breasts were bare. “Oh God, you’re even more amazing than I
imagined.” He stroked her breasts, captivated by the heat and their abundance. She
rocked her hips, begging for his attention, but he wouldn’t be rushed. He worked her
nipples into tight rosy peaks then tugged with long, steady pulls. She groaned at the
elongated caress and gasped each time he let go.
She raised her bottom so he could slip off her panties. Her mouth continued its
mesmerizing slide. Damp with her rising excitement, her dark gold curls teased his
fingertips. He pushed one hand between her thighs then raised his fingers to his lips.
Her taste spread over his tongue, evocative and unique.
Unwilling to deny the impulse, he crawled onto the bed, directly over her. He
pulled her away from the edge of the bed, making room on either side for his knees. He
returned his cock to her mouth and focused his attention on her pussy.
He spread her legs, holding her open while his mouth covered her slit. Her scent
filled his head, and her heat warmed his lips. He parted her folds with his tongue,
pushing directly into the very heart of her. She whimpered around his cock, her body
suddenly tense. He wasn’t the only one teetering on the brink of release.
Determined to savor the exchange, he traced her cleft as he slid in and out. Her
mouth was wonderful; her pussy was heaven. He intentionally avoided her clit and
paid homage to the rest of her sex.
Her nails bit into his ass and she sucked hard on his ultra-sensitive tip. His balls
tingled and heat rushed up through his cock. Euphoria exploded in his mind, sending
his senses soaring. Unable to stave off his climax, he closed his lips around her clit and
took her with him.
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* * *
Trembling and replete, Lark dozed in Joseph’s arms. Safe. She had never felt as
safe as when she was with him. A sliver of guilt tainted her lethargy. Evan had risked
his life to save her. They all had, really, but Evan’s sacrifice had been more profound.
She’d sensed his pain and resignation, though she didn’t fully understand the cause.
There was so much she didn’t understand.
She was lying here naked in Joseph’s arms. His taste lingered in her mouth and
already her mind drifted on to Evan. What was wrong with her?
Pushing up on her elbow, she looked at Joseph’s peaceful face. His gaze was
warm and welcoming.
“Go ahead.” He smiled and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Ask whatever is
making you so restless. I could sense it the moment your mind started churning again.”
“That’s as good a place as any to start. I’ve always been leery of ‘psychics’ but
your entire family obviously has legitimate gifts. You visited me in dreams. Can you do
that with anyone?”
“You weren’t actually dreaming. I accessed you on the metaphysical plane. And I
don’t know if you’re the only one. I’d never done it before.”
“How did you know where to find me? For that matter, why were you looking?”
“I sensed what Aidan was doing to you. I had to protect you any way I could.”
Pain flashed in his eyes before he averted his gaze. “I wish I had been more skilled. If
Ryan had sensed you, he would have been able to keep Aidan from hurting you.”
“But Ryan didn’t sense my fear, you did. Do you know why it happened?”
“No, but the link is still very much alive.”
“You can sense my emotions?”
“Oh yes. It’s intoxicating.” He looked as if he meant to say more but he changed
the subject instead. “Aidan and Connell are distant members of our family. That’s why
they have the same sort of abilities we have.”
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She looked at his perfect features and listed all the abilities his family possessed:
empathy, telepathy, clairvoyance, astral projection, mental control… “Are you human?”
The question didn’t sound nearly as ridiculous as it should have.
“What do you think?”
“I think you’re an alien.”
He smiled. “As far as I know my species is indigenous to Earth. No one has been
able to produce compelling evidence to the contrary.”
“And what is your species?”
“We’re called the Dichotomy. I am Evan’s day-dwelling twin. He is corporeal at
night and exists in a state of pure energy during the day. I am on the opposite cycle.”
“He isn’t sleeping right now, he’s non-corporeal?”
“Yes. At dusk his body will materialize and I will go into sleep state. We are two
halves of the same being. I think that’s why Evan found you so easily. You were
destined to be with us.”
“Destined? What is that supposed to mean?”
“We’re able to sense our mates, especially when they’re human. So few humans
are compatible with our physiology, nature has made the connection almost impossible
to ignore.”
She scrambled off the bed and snatched her dress off the floor where she’d
dropped it a short time before. “I’ve been unbelievably horny for the past few days. I
thought it was one of Aidan’s commands.”
“The first time it was, but I think this is something else.”
“You think I’m your destined mate?”
He tossed a couple of pillows against the headboard and rested back against
them. “It’s easier for you to accept that you’ve had sex with another species than to
acknowledge that you’re our destined mate?”
“Ours? Yours and Evan’s?”
He arched his brow. “You can’t pretend that thought upsets you. I know better.”
She didn’t bother denying his claim. He could sense her emotions.
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Needing a few minutes alone to reestablish her bearings, she said, “I’m pretty
sure this museum has running water. Where can I take a shower?”
Chapter Six
The next three days passed in a blur. Lark called her boss and asked permission
to extend her vacation. He reluctantly agreed. After eight years with the company,
she’d earned a little leeway. Despite all the talk of destined mates and her unbelievable
attraction to Evan and Joseph, she refused to make any long-term decisions until the
crisis with Aidan was resolved.
True to his word Joseph arranged the video conference for Lark and Holly. Lark
was so relieved to interact with her niece that she didn’t begrudge Holly her glowing
tan. Lark called her sister and reported the happy news. She also explained that she was
entranced with Napa Valley and had decided to stay for a few more days.
Torral and Daniel drove to San Francisco and retrieved Lark’s luggage and her
car. She hadn’t given them permission to mess with her things, but she couldn’t fault
them for the kindness. They didn’t want her to leave until she recovered completely
and she couldn’t keep borrowing from Kendra.
Each evening the day-dwellers retreated to their respective bedrooms, leaving
Lark with their human housekeeper. Ruth was delightful, even-tempered, yet
surprisingly protective of “her boys.” About an hour later the nocturnal brothers
emerged. Lark was curious about the actual transformation, but she wasn’t sure it was
something she wanted to watch.
The nocturnal team spent several hours each night purging her mind of psychic
debris. Evan held her and stroked her face, easing her anxiety. It was the only time he
touched her and she found herself longing for the sessions. Sexual tension crackled
between them, but he stubbornly kept his distance. He used his brothers like
chaperones, making sure they were never alone.
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Joseph was frustratingly standoffish as well. They spent each day together, yet he
hadn’t so much as kissed her. Their casual activities felt like old fashioned courting.
Lark wasn’t sure she wanted to be courted. She missed Evan’s bold seduction and
Joseph’s sensual tenderness.
At night she tossed restlessly in one of the guest bedrooms, wishing they would
be less gallant. If she was truly their destined mate, why wouldn’t they touch her?
Kendra took her on a tour of the estate late one afternoon, ending with the
cottage she was restoring. Kendra was friendly and informative, undeterred by Lark’s
barrage of questions.
“You’ll have to send me pictures once you’ve finished the restoration,” Lark said
as they walked back toward the mansion.
Kendra cocked her head and smiled. “Didn’t Joseph say you’re his mate?”
“And saying it makes it so?”
“No, but they don’t say it unless it’s so. Denying it won’t change what’s already
happening.”
“I’m attracted to them. I won’t deny that, but I don’t believe in life mates.”
Kendra patted her shoulder, while amusement twinkled in her eyes. “Neither
did I.”
Lark didn’t argue. Kendra was obviously content with her life.
“So, what did you do before you stumbled into the middle of all this?”
“I work for a digital marketing firm. It’s not glamorous, but it pays the bills.”
“What would you do with your life if money were no longer a concern?”
“I have no idea.”
Kendra flashed a knowing smile. “You should probably start thinking about it.”
The nocturnal set had reappeared by the time they returned to the mansion. Lark
was shocked to find all six gorgeous Burtons congregated around the kitchen table. “I
thought they changed places at dawn and dusk.” She couldn’t imagine why Joseph
would make up such an outlandish lie, but here were Evan and Joseph side by side. She
looked at Kendra for clarification.
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“They’ve been revealing the specifics in stages so it’s easier for you to accept.
Both halves become physical during transition, which lasts about an hour.” She leaned
in close and whispered, “That’s when sex gets really interesting.”
Lark gasped and felt heat crawl up her throat. She searched Kendra’s gaze for
evidence of some elaborate practical joke, but her new friend was busy visually
undressing her mates.
Evan sneaked up behind Lark and wrapped his arm around her waist. “Hi there,
song bird. Did you miss me?”
He was touching her! His warm body pressed against her back and his breath
teased her ear. Excitement tripped down her spine, landing squarely between her legs.
“Song bird?” Joseph echoed as he approached. “I like that.”
“Ryan and Leos agree that you’re fully recovered.” Evan nipped her earlobe.
“How do you feel?”
As if on cue the others filed out of the kitchen. Kendra winked at her before she
departed, but she didn’t resist when Torral and Ryan rushed her toward the doorway.
“I feel… fine.”
“We’ll definitely have to work on that.” Joseph traced her lips with the tip of his
finger then pushed into her hair. “We want you to feel so much more than fine. Are you
ready for more, song bird? Are you tired of waiting?”
She couldn’t find her voice, could barely remain standing. There was no denying
she wanted them, but both at the same time?
Evan untucked her tee shirt and slipped his hand just inside the waistband of her
jeans. His fingertips grazed her skin with the teasing hint of a caress. “Do you realize
how hard it’s been to stay away? Every molecule in our bodies burns for our mate. Do
you understand how that feels? Do you ache like we ache?”
The rolling simmer inside her had begun boiling the moment their fingers made
contact with her skin. This is what she wanted, needed, more than breath. “I didn’t
understand why you’d given up on me.”
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“Never.” Joseph kissed the corners of her mouth then looked at Evan. “We better
take her upstairs or this is going to happen on the kitchen table.”
“I’d rather we take her downstairs. Her introduction to the playroom was
interrupted.”
Lark stiffened between them. The playroom? Did he mean that medieval
dungeon? “I’d rather go upstairs.”
“I didn’t ask you.” Before Lark could think to protest, Evan picked her up and
headed for the back stairs. A sense of self-preservation wrapped her arms around his
neck as he flew down the narrow steps. Joseph pushed open the door and turned on the
light as Evan maneuvered her through the doorway.
“I don’t think I’m in the mood to play.” Her stomach tensed as her gaze swept
the imposing room with all its strange amenities.
“Then we’ll keep trying until you are,” Joseph told her. If Evan had made the
claim she might have interpreted it as a sensual threat, but Joseph was giving and kind.
Evan sat her down and reached for the hem of her clingy tee shirt. “This material
is cruel.”
“I like this shirt.” She slapped his hand away.
“So do I.” Evan cupped her breast, effortlessly finding her nipple with his thumb.
“The longer you delay, the less time you’ll have with both of us.”
Evan entwined his fingers with hers and pulled her arms out to the side. Joseph
pressed in behind her and peeled the tee shirt up along her torso. Evan reached for the
front clasp of her bra an instant after Joseph gave him access. The tee shirt came off over
her head and the bra followed it to the floor.
“This isn’t fair,” Lark protested, but her body had already begun to melt in
anticipation of her lovers. Evan bent to her nipples, while Joseph removed her pants.
She’d kicked off her shoes by the front door, but Joseph took her socks, leaving her
completely naked.
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Joseph supported the swell of her breast as Evan suckled. The cooperation sent a
hot thrill through Lark. She would never have to worry about jealousy with these two.
They balanced each other, complemented one another, perfectly in tune.
“You are so soft,” Joseph whispered, his lips brushing the side of her neck. His
free hand stroked her belly, descending and caressing.
Evan’s mouth was warm and insistent. Joseph was already erect against her
back. Everything blurred and tumbled. She felt weak yet oddly empowered. Both of
these incredible men wanted her and her alone.
“What did you have in mind?” Joseph prompted. “She asked me if I’d like to see
her spread-eagled by the chair.”
Her wet nipple popped free of Evan’s mouth. “Tempting, but I think the sling
suits our purpose better.” He straightened and took her by the hand.
For a wild, breathless moment, Lark resisted, then the heat in his gaze and the
sheer eroticism of the situation burned away her hesitation. She took one step and then
another. Joseph caught her other hand and encouraged her with a smile.
Evan tugged off his shoes and tossed his shirt aside. Joseph unfastened a canvas
contraption from the nautical cleat on the wall. It swung free and unfolded. Lark looked
at the various straps and loops, still unable to figure out how the “sling” worked.
Joseph undressed while Evan adjusted the rope supports that threaded through
pulleys drilled into the ceiling beams. Evan took her hand again and positioned her in
the middle of the ropes. He brought a canvas seat into contact with her bottom and
motioned to the loops woven into two of the ropes.
“Hold on. I’m going to raise you off the floor.”
She slipped her hands through the loops and wrapped her fingers around the
ropes. The seat supported her ass as he hoisted her into the air. Joseph slipped another
loop around each leg and slid it up to mid-thigh. Evan adjusted a different set of ropes
and her legs were parted by the loops.
“This is obscene,” she said with a soft chuckle. Her back arched, thrusting her
breasts forward, and her legs were spread wide, inviting a more intimate exploration.
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Evan raised her to the desired height then tied off the ropes. “It’s not that we
mind holding you.” He stepped between her thighs. “It’s just that this frees our hands
for far more enjoyable pursuits.” He rolled her nipples then slipped to his knees with
obvious intent.
Joseph returned to his place behind her and continued Evan’s brief stimulation.
“Turn your head,” he coaxed. “I want to kiss you.”
She loved his kisses, so comforting yet wild. His mouth settled against her lips as
Evan’s pressed over her sex. The combination was so wonderfully carnal she felt the
first spasms of an orgasm flutter her inner walls.
Evan pulled back. “Not yet. Let the arousal build. We’re just getting started.”
She couldn’t decide if she was thrilled or terrified by the statement. Joseph licked
her lips and so did Evan. She wiggled, clutching the ropes until her knuckles turned
white. Joseph steadied her with his arm around her waist. Evan’s warm fingers parted
her folds so he had better access to her secrets. He pushed his tongue into her passage
and gently swirled. Joseph’s tongue made a similar maneuver and she went perfectly
still. Were they communicating telepathically or did they instinctively know what the
other was doing?
Joseph continued to pluck at her nipples while his tongue moved in her mouth.
She returned the kiss as best she could, but Evan was damned distracting. He flicked his
tongue over her clit and gently sucked on her folds, flitting from one place to another
with no discernable pattern. The inconsistent caresses built the sensations inside her to
staggering heights.
With his lips gently closed around her clit, Evan pushed two fingers into her
cunt. He worked her slowly for a moment, his lips teasing her sensitive little nub.
Joseph focused as well, his tongue curling around hers. Evan filled her with his fingers
and sucked hard on her clit.
Lark’s scream was muffled by Joseph’s mouth. Evan pulled his fingers out and
feasted on her cream. His thumb slid up to cover her clit, prolonging the rhythmic
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spasms with a gentle circular motion. She sagged against Joseph, her eyes closed,
muscles limp.
“You better leave some for me,” Joseph cautioned.
Evan reluctantly stood and they traded places. Joseph went right for her clit with
uncharacteristic urgency. She yelped and shivered as he stoked the simmering heat
back to blazing intensity. Evan’s kisses tasted like her pleasure. The realization made
her shiver again.
“Are you going to let me have that pretty mouth while Joseph fucks your
pussy?”
“I’d like that,” she whispered against his parted lips. Two men, two mouths, four
hands and two cocks, the possibilities were endless.
“Then let go.”
Her hands turned loose and she fell backward. Evan caught her and brought her
torso into alignment with the rest of her body. He stood beside not behind her. All she
had to do was turn her head to reach his cock. She opened her mouth and they thrust in
at exactly the same time.
Joseph drilled into her pussy and Evan slid into her mouth. Pleasure rolled from
her head to her toes in one sustained sensation. Nothing had ever felt like this. The two
halves would never compare to the whole.
She clutched Joseph’s shaft, caressing him the only way she could. Evan rocked
in and out of her mouth. She swirled her tongue and kept her lips tight against his
straining cock.
Open your mind, song bird. I want to share this with you.
Recognizing Joseph’s dear voice didn’t keep the shiver of fear from erupting. She
didn’t want to be afraid. She knew these two would never hurt her, but even the
healing sessions hadn’t completely eradicated her dread of psychic interaction.
“No one will ever hurt you again.” Evan pulled out of her mouth and moved
behind her. He pushed her upward then held her against him, his breath warm against
her cheek. “Look at him. Tell me what you see.”
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Joseph stared back at her, love shining from his eyes. Love? How could he
possibly love her? His features were almost too perfect to be real and his body was
every bit as amazing. “He’s beautiful.”
“How does he make you feel?”
He filled her with strong steady strokes.
“Safe.” That was true, but she felt so much more than safe. “Desirable. Adored.”
Evan’s arm tightened just a bit and he kissed her temple. Then trust him. Trust us
to protect and cherish you.
She reached for Joseph, opening for him, welcoming him inside her soul. Breath-
stealing pleasure swept into her with the first touch of his mind. This is how I make you
feel? She was humbled by the intensity.
Aroused beyond bearing by the metaphysical joining, Joseph drove fast and hard
into her softness. He threw back his head and shared his release with her, driven far
beyond words.
She felt his scalding climax as his cock bucked inside her body. Her own release
followed. Sensations rolled through her, into her, and out of her until a long, low cry
tore from her throat.
Joseph wrapped his arms around her hips, buried deep inside her. He smiled
into her eyes and whispered, “Now that was music to my ears.”
* * *
“God damn it!” Aidan threw his beer bottle, smashing it against Brook’s living
room wall. “I left a psychic minefield inside her mind. How the fuck did they work
through it?”
“Together.”
He glared at Brook. Her unflappable composure infuriated him. “We worked
together to reshape her memory. It should have been enough.”
“If you’re tired of storming the castle, perhaps you should think of ways to lure
one of the knights out from behind their defenses.”
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“Aren’t we poetic tonight?” He raked his hair with both hands, barely
suppressing his need for violence. He had spent months investigating the enemy,
meticulously identifying potential weaknesses. So how were they staying a step ahead
of him?
“Even with my help, you’re not strong enough to take them on en masse.
Separate them and pick them off one at a time.”
He didn’t doubt Brook’s dedication to destroying the Burtons. She had lost just
as much as he had. But her patience frustrated him. “I suppose you have a strategy all
planned out,” he grumbled.
“I thought you’d never ask.”
Chapter Seven
Evan felt transition grip him and knew stubbornness alone had held it off so
long. He quickly guided Lark’s hands to the ropes and stepped out from behind her.
Joseph groaned and trembled, unwilling to be separated from her. Light burst through
Joseph’s skin and his corporeal form dispersed into glittering sparks.
“Oh my God!” Lark swayed wildly in the sling. Color bled from her face and her
eyes shimmered with equal parts fear and wonder.
Evan closed his eyes and absorbed Joseph’s energy. He rolled his shoulders and
sighed. He was complete again.
Opening his eyes with a playful smile, he asked, “Any questions?” She just
stared at him, disbelief paralyzing her lovely features. “Descriptions never really
prepare anyone for seeing it live.”
“He… You are…” She shook away the stupor as color gradually returned to her
face. “That just happened to everyone in the house?”
“The fucking or transformation?”
She kicked out at him. “That’s not funny. How many Dichotomies are there?
Does the government know about you?”
“Me personally or the Dichotomy in general?”
“Stop being an ass. Who wouldn’t be freaked out by this?”
He moved between her legs and kissed her mouth. “I’m sorry. You’re right. You
have every right to be freaked out.” Her naked body was the ultimate distraction. Still,
he tried to assuage her curiosity. “We’ve had a longstanding alliance with the United
States government. We share medical and technological developments with them and
they leave us the hell alone. I’m not sure how many Dichotomies are currently alive.
There are clusters of us in various locations all over North America and Europe.”
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She looked at him, then past him, then back into his eyes. Her brow knitted and
she licked her lips. His pleasure was obviously going to have to wait. With a resigned
sigh, he freed her legs from the support loops and lowered her feet to the floor.
He tossed her his shirt and tugged on his jeans. After gathering the rest of their
clothing into untidy bundles, they crept up the back stairs and into his bedroom.
“Are Aidan and Connell one person?” she asked as he closed the door.
“Yes.” He dropped his bundle on the floor, anxious to have her back in his arms.
“Joseph said Aidan is part of your family.” He took her clothes out of her hands
and tossed them on top of his. “Did he mean a blood relative or just a Dichotomy?”
“Our grandfather was his father’s brother, so I’m not sure what that makes us.”
He sat on the edge of the bed and drew her between his thighs. His shirt barely reached
mid-thigh and her nipples were clearly visible through the fabric.
“He attacked me to get to you.”
Her voice was tremulous and uncertain, redirecting his hand as he reached for
her breast. He touched her face instead, brushing his thumb across the arch of her
cheekbone. “I know you came to Napa looking for Holly, but how did Aidan find you?”
“Connell found me snooping around their office and offered to help me look for
Holly. He seemed so nice, sad even, and the entire time he was zapping me with mental
commands.” She looked into his eyes and her voice dropped to barely a whisper. “You
can do it too, can’t you? You used the same sort of commands to combat what Aidan
did to me.”
His mouth went dry as guilt rushed up to meet him. “I just made an opening for
Ryan. I would never try to control you. I --”
“I’m not afraid of you, Evan.” She placed her hands on his shoulders, caressing
the nape of his neck. “You’re not like him. I knew that the moment you touched my
mind. Maybe even before that. I could sense it in your kiss.”
Her words were like a balm to his soul. Wrapping himself in the sentiment, he
released the tension that had gathered between his shoulders. He trailed his index
finger along her neck and hooked it in the front of his shirt. “Are we done talking?” He
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inhaled her scent and tingling heat curled through his abdomen. “I’d really like to fuck
you now.”
“Just one more question; then we’ll play. Why does Aidan hate you so much?”
He sighed, his hands sneaking under the shirt to cup her naked bottom. “It’s
complicated.”
“Then talk fast.”
“My grandfather immigrated to America from Ireland along with his two
brothers. Lucas was the oldest and his descendants settled on the east coast. I’m
descended from the middle brother, Mangus. The youngest was Nicholas and his mind
snapped around the turn of the century.”
“The turn of which century?”
He really didn’t want to get in to all this right now, but he saw no way around it.
“We age much slower than humans. Aidan is around a hundred and twenty years old.”
“How old are you?”
He smiled. “Older than I look. Don’t distract me. Nicholas raped and murdered
several women before he was apprehended by the elder council. His life was forfeit
because of his crimes and his children were taken to a safe house for observation.”
“Why? What had his children done wrong?”
“The mental illness that afflicted Nicholas is genetic and degenerative. All of his
children tested positive, but none had exhibited any symptoms at the time of their
father’s arrest.”
“How long were they kept at this safe house?”
“I don’t know exactly, but that’s only one of his points of contention. Aidan’s
main objection is that he was -- sterilized.” He stumbled over the last word, unsure how
she would react to the revelation.
“Had his condition deteriorated before that was done to him?”
“I don’t know. It was a reasonable precaution in any case. The genetic marker
was present in all of them. The council wasn’t willing to risk their passing it on to
another generation.”
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“All of the children were sterilized?” He nodded. “How many are there?”
“Three boys and two girls. The eldest was nearly as violent as Nicholas. Luckily
he was already in custody when he lost control. The remaining four escaped from the
safe house two years ago. The council has been searching for them ever since.”
“Brook runs an escort service in San Francisco. How hard could she be to find?”
“Brook’s behavior has been stable so far. They have no reason to apprehend her.”
“Running an escort service isn’t reason enough?”
“The legality of prostitution isn’t an issue the council is willing to take on.
However, Joseph suspects she was the one assisting Aidan. Can you verify her
involvement?”
“Not really. There was definitely more than one mind pummeling me, but I can’t
be sure it was Brook.”
“Damn.”
Lark pushed her fingers into his hair and swayed toward him. “I’m not sure if
knowing the forces that warped him makes this better or worse.”
“The important thing is we will find him. If Brook blinks wrong, we’ll take her
down too. No one else is going to suffer because of Aidan.”
She was quiet for a moment then she released a long breath and her gaze focused
on his mouth. “Enough about Aidan. I want you to fuck me now.”
“Thank God!” He stood, bringing his body flush with hers. After an urgent kiss,
he tore the shirt off over her head and turned her toward the bed.
Lark looked back at him, desire warming her gaze. “You don’t want me to finish
what I started in the playroom?”
He cupped her breasts and pressed against her back. “Bend over, love. I have
something else in mind.”
“Bend over?” She laughed, but obeyed. “How romantic.”
“I said ‘love’.” His hands moved boldly over her breasts and back. He squeezed
her nipples and moved her legs farther apart. His release had been postponed and
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postponed again. He wanted to slam his aching cock into her pussy and race to the
finish line. But that would never be acceptable for his precious song bird.
Impatiently shucking his jeans, he devoured her visually. Her body angled
toward the bed, her round ass thrust in the air. Long and sleek, her legs formed a
tantalizing V, accenting the delights between. Her folds were glossy and her tightly
puckered opening peeked out between the lush cheeks of her ass. Perfect.
His. Dominant hunger surged through him. He jerked open the nightstand and
grabbed a bottle of lubricant.
“What are you doing?” She glanced over her shoulder.
“Rest your forehead on your arms and don’t look up again.”
Rebellion flared through her gaze for a second then lust chased it away. “I’ve
never done that before,” she whispered.
“I know.” He stared into her eyes, commanding her obedience, needing her
surrender.
Another moment passed in tense silence then she positioned herself as he’d
directed, opening her body and her mind. Joy burst within him, a brilliant flash of
emotion that further tested his self-control.
He placed the lube on the floor and knelt behind her, running his hands up the
backs of her thighs. She made a muffled sound, part gasp, part cry, and he sensed the
depths of her excitement. Despite her uncertainty, she craved his aggression.
Shedding his civility like an unwanted costume, he parted her cheeks and circled
her anus with his tongue. She was his to conquer, devour, and pleasure until she
screamed his name.
Pushing two fingers into her cunt, he growled against her ass. She was hot and
slippery with the combined remains of her pleasure and Joseph’s cum. His fingers slid
in and out while he staked his claim on her other opening.
He drizzled lube into her crack with his other hand. She shivered, her ass flexing
restlessly. His fingers pushed deep and stayed buried inside her pussy, while he moved
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on to the next stage of preparation. Smearing the lube around and around, he worked
his middle finger into her virgin hole.
Her sphincter gave way and she gasped. Fuck, she was tight! “Relax, love. I
won’t take you until you’re ready.”
He withdrew his fingers from her pussy, focusing her attention on the new
sensations. Slow and steady, he aroused and trained her body. More lube and a second
finger sent shockwaves of pleasure zinging through her.
She accepted a third finger with a little yelp. Rotating his wrist, he stretched her
stubborn muscle, sliding easily on a generous layer of lube. He positioned himself
against her as he reached between her thighs. With his fingers lightly massaging her
clit, he breached her ass with the head of his cock.
Hot and unbearably tight, her back passage gripped him. Pleasure rolled into
pain and he groaned. He gently tugged on her clit, drawing the sensations back toward
pleasure. Rather than retreating from the sting, she absorbed the sensation, diffusing it
through her body. Another helpless groan tore from his throat. She was made for this,
made for him.
His fingers pulled on her clit as he drove deeper. She pushed out against him,
taking more than he’d intended to give. “Fuck.” He stroked her spine and continued his
gentle tugging, waiting for her body to adjust to his presence.
Her inner muscles echoed each pull on her clit, the rhythm shattering his good
intentions. He pulled nearly out then thrust deep, savoring her plaintive cries. Her ass
cheeks tensed and she rocked into his next thrust.
Unable to resist a moment longer, he surrendered to his savage need. He grasped
the back of her neck, holding her down while he pounded into her ass. She submitted
eagerly, pushing up against each forceful drive. He rubbed his fingers across her clit, no
longer composed enough for finesse.
Pleasure rushed up his inner thighs, swept through his balls, and shot down the
length of his cock. He threw back his head and shouted as wave after shuddering wave
pulsed through him. His cum blasted into her and her body throbbed in time with his.
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He braced himself against the bed, his body pressed snugly against her back.
Though he could feel her quiescence, he felt compelled to ask, “Are you all right?”
“That was… amazing.” She slowly raised her head. “I didn’t think women were
wired that way. I had no idea it could feel that good.”
He nipped her shoulder, then reluctantly separated their bodies. “Your body has
more nerve endings there than in the more conventional places. Besides doing
something ‘forbidden’ is always a turn on.”
She stretched like a contented cat, inadvertently drawing his gaze to her breasts.
“I need a bath.”
“No, we need a bath.” He took her hand and led her toward the adjoining
bathroom. “I have no intention of letting you out of my sight any time in the foreseeable
future.”
* * *
Lark lay in Evan’s arms, warm and replete. They had soaked in a bubble bath
until the water cooled. Drying him off, however, had proved too much of a temptation.
She’d pushed him against the wall and knelt on his damp towel. He’d tangled his
fingers in her hair, gasping his pleasure, while she licked him from knees to navel.
The memory made her smile and sent pings of desire bouncing through her
body. She’d left Seattle a well adjusted computer programmer and evolved into a
brazen hussy. She couldn’t seem to get enough of her mates. For the first time she didn’t
cringe at the phrase. If fate had seen fit to bring her more happiness than she ever
imagined, why should she resist? She rested her head on Evan’s shoulder and snuggled
against his side.
Sleep washed over her with insidious demand. She sank deeper and deeper,
lulled by fatigue and the velvet tranquility.
Help me. You’re my only hope. An echo down a long corridor, the voice sounded
within her mind.
Compassion stirred and she moved toward the sound. Where are you? I can barely
hear you. Curious, yet unwilling to make herself vulnerable, she reached for Evan’s
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mind. Their emotional link had been so vivid all night, why couldn’t she sense him
now?
A figure appeared at the end of the hallway. She could only make out his
silhouette. Don’t be afraid. If you leave, my life is over. He crept closer, gradually
separating from the darkness.
Lark shrank back as she recognized Connell’s features. No fucking way! I am not
playing these games again. She turned and ran.
Wait! That wasn’t me. Aidan is in control both night and day. I’m a prisoner in my own
body.
Fear and desperation blasted into her. The emotions were so familiar it took her a
moment to realize they were coming from him. She searched frantically for her link
with Evan. This couldn’t be happening. Ryan had shielded her mind! A door slammed
shut in her face and she screamed.
I’m not going to hurt you. I just want to talk.
How did you find me? She pressed her hands against the locked door as terror
welled within her.
Being trapped in sleep state for years on end has taught me how to navigate dreams. The
distraction kept me from giving up, but I’m incredibly weak. I can’t maintain this connection for
long.
Her hands clenched and unclenched. She would not be a victim again. If she had
to face him alone, so be it, but she would not give in without a fight. I understand a lot
more than I did before. I won’t let you hurt me.
I didn’t hurt you. Aidan did.
The calm sincerity in his tone made her turn around. What do you want from me?
If they will help free me, I will show them where he sleeps.
I don’t understand.
He has learned how to summon my body as well as his, but he must remain corporeal or
I’ll be set free. This drains his energy and forces him to sleep like a human sleeps. I can’t regain
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control without help and Aidan must be stopped. If the Burtons will agree to free me, I will show
you where he sleeps.
Why come to me?
The path to your mind is familiar. He glanced away from her face as regret crept
over his expression. I’m sorry he hurt you.
Chapter Eight
“It’s a trap,” Evan said emphatically. “Why are we even considering this?”
Lark sat at his side on the leather sofa in the living room. The conversation
swirled around her. The three nocturnal Burtons had been debating the proper response
to Connell’s offer for the past hour and a half. They were no closer to consensus than
when they’d begun.
“If Aidan is nocturnal, how was Joseph able to sense what he did to me?” It was
the first time she’d spoken since she and Evan came downstairs. The question focused
everyone’s attention on her.
“How much do you remember?” Compassion shone in Ryan’s dark eyes.
“The memory is muted, but I remember everything. And the person I just
encountered felt very different from the person who abused me.”
Leos rubbed his eyes with a weary sigh before adding his perspective. “If what
he told you is true, Connell is as much of a victim as any of the other people Aidan has
harmed. I think we need to help him.”
Evan shook his head. “I don’t like it. I sure as hell don’t want him back in her
mind.”
“Did Connell tell you when he’d contact you again?” Leos asked.
“No. The dream ended rather abruptly. I think he’s really weak.”
“Why didn’t Aidan sense what Connell was doing?” Ryan sounded curious not
accusatory.
“Aidan was likely sleeping,” Leos suggested.
“We don’t know that,” Evan snapped. “I’ll find Aidan on my own. There will be
no negotiation.”
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Lark squeezed his hand and waited until he looked at her to say, “Leos is right. If
Connell really is a victim, we have to help him.”
“And the only way to determine the truthfulness of Connell’s claim is to let him
contact her again.” Leos waved away Evan’s immediate objection. “I suggest you
strengthen your bond so you can be with her next time.”
* * *
Lark spent the next four days in a sensual haze. Fucking was the most efficient
way of strengthening the emotional bond, so she abandoned herself to greedy pleasure.
Each bout of lovemaking was unique yet spectacular. Evan was intense and
demanding, while Joseph tenderly teased until she was desperate for release. They
found creative ways of combining their efforts, but they hadn’t actually taken her at the
same time. The idea was a bit intimidating. Still, she longed for nothing more.
Joseph pressed against her back, gently stroking her breasts while Evan
devoured her pussy. It was rapidly becoming her favorite position. One of her legs
rested on Evan’s shoulder, opening her for his torrid kiss. He sucked on her folds and
flicked his tongue over her clit, ruthlessly driving her toward orgasm. She canted her
hips and rocked against his mouth, lost in the sensual storm.
“My turn.” Joseph lifted her into his arms, dragging her away from Evan before
her orgasm crested.
“Your timing sucks,” she muttered as he placed her sideways across the bed.
His only reply was a wicked smile as he pulled her hips to the edge of the
mattress. Hooking his hands behind her knees, he pushed her legs up and back. She
buried her fingers in his hair and brought his mouth to her folds. Evan crawled onto the
bed and firmly rolled her nipples. A few strokes of Joseph’s tongue was all it took for
her to forget her disappointment.
Joseph held her open with his thumbs while he focused entirely on her over
sensitized clit. Evan bent to her breast and matched his firm suckling to the motion of
Joseph’s mouth. She whimpered and shook, her orgasm sweeping through her in
rhythmic waves.
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“I want… I want both of you together,” she blurted before she lost the nerve.
Joseph raised his head and looked into her eyes. “If we fuck you like that, there’s
no turning back. Our bond becomes permanent.”
“As if either of us would be willing to part with her,” Evan muttered.
Their possessiveness made her insides quiver and ignited a new cycle of arousal.
“I’m ready. I know this is what I want.”
“How?” Evan sat beside her, his expression suddenly grim. “How do you know
this is what you want?”
Licking her lips, she searched her passion-muddled mind for the answer. “I’ve
never felt like I do when I’m with you. Life has never been more stressful, yet I’m
utterly content.”
“The rest of the world will believe you’re involved with two men,” Evan
persisted. “Are you prepared to deal with their misconceptions?”
“As long as you’re by my side, I can deal with anything.”
Finally pleased by her answer, Evan pulled her into his arms and kissed her
deeply. Joseph joined them on the bed and turned her face toward him. “You will want
for nothing,” Joseph whispered. “We will protect you and cherish you forever.”
“Forever,” Evan echoed.
She went back and forth between the two, growing dizzy with the pleasure.
Their hands slid across her skin, their fingers skillfully arousing. She relaxed against
them, secure in their embrace.
Joseph spread out on his back and she moved to straddle his hips. Evan opened
the nightstand and took out the bottle of lube. A hot shiver tingled down her spine as
she remembered the last time he’d used it.
“Put me inside you,” Joseph urged, his gaze caressing her face.
Lifting up, she guided him to her vaginal opening and slowly lowered herself
onto his straining cock. They sighed in unison as her body surrounded his. He pulled
her forward, holding her against his chest, while Evan knelt behind her.
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Joseph kissed her over and over as Evan prepared her for the ultimate joining.
His finger slid smoothly for a few minutes then he positioned himself against her ass.
They’d done this before. She had nothing to fear.
Evan’s wide tip spread her anus and she clenched Joseph so hard he moaned.
With his hands steadying her hips, Evan drove inward. She hadn’t realized it would
feel this much tighter. The pressure stopped just short of pain, but she trembled all the
same. Evan’s groin pressed against her ass, his full length now inside her. She released a
shaky breath and opened her eyes.
Joseph smiled at her, his gaze warm and caressing. Evan stroked her shoulders
and her back, waiting for her body to adjust to the new sensations. She shifted
restlessly, unable to bear the exquisite fullness.
Grasping her hips, Evan dragged her up, drawing her nearly off Joseph. His
hands remained firm as he lowered her back onto Joseph’s shaft, dragging his cock
outward in the process.
Pleasure spiraled through her body and kept right on going. She felt their
pleasure as sharply as her own and sensed their response to her abandon. They passed
her back and forth, sliding and filling, flowing through her body and her mind.
She gave and took, open and surrendered. Sensations swirled around them,
coalescing where their bodies joined. They moved faster, thrusting deeper. Her fingers
splayed against Joseph’s chest and she reached back, clasping Evan’s hip. They strained
against her and into her, and then climax ripped through reality.
Lights danced before her eyes and both men thrust inward. Together. Pleasure
exploded with enough force to make her scream. They clung to one another, shaking
helplessly as spasm after powerful spasm released.
Everything went black for just an instant; then Lark was standing in the
shadowed corridor. Connell sat against the wall with his legs drawn up to his chest.
Fatigue etched his features and his eyes looked flat and lifeless.
I don’t have much time. You must come to me now. I won’t survive another cycle.
Where are you? Is Aidan asleep?
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Yes, but there’s no telling how long it will last. Each time he suppresses my transition, I
grow weaker. Are they willing to help me or not?
What do you want us to do? Joseph stepped into view. Lark could feel Evan
watching, waiting, unwilling to reveal his presence to Connell.
Connell’s brows scrunched up over his nose and he awkwardly pushed to his
feet. She’s your mate?
Aidan’s actions are reprehensible regardless of who she is.
I agree. I was just surprised to see you.
Where does he sleep?
Will you help free me?
You appear to be the lesser of two evils.
Connell didn’t argue. He’s at the San Ramos Winery in Sonora. Come now. He’s alone.
The dream meld disengaged as abruptly as it had formed. Lark gasped and
shuddered, her physical body still tingling with powerful aftershocks.
“Get dressed. I’ll find the others.” Evan carefully separated their bodies, and
grabbed his jeans off the floor. He struggled into a tee shirt as he rushed out of the
bedroom.
Lark crawled off the bed, her legs wobbling beneath her. “Aren’t you too close to
transition to start this?”
“I’ll hold it off as long as I can.”
Everyone had gathered in the foyer by the time Joseph and Lark finished
dressing. Somewhere along the line Evan had found a pair of boots, Lark noticed as she
approached him.
“We’ll ride with Leos and Daniel,” Evan told her. “The access road brings us in
from the north. Ryan and Torral already left. They’re going to swing around the
property and approach from the south.”
“How do you know so much about this other winery?” she asked.
“We bought it four years ago,” Leos said. “Our first crop will harvest this year.”
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“There are three buildings on the property. None are inhabited,” Evan explained.
“One is little more than a ruin. We’ll have to check the other two.”
Kendra and Ruth had deserted the men for the evening as they checked out a
friend’s restaurant in Napa. Neither Evan nor Joseph was happy bringing Lark with
them, but it seemed wiser than leaving her alone and unprotected. Every indication
pointed toward Connell’s innocence. Still, they hadn’t ruled out some sort of trap.
Lark sat between Joseph and Evan in the back seat of Leos’ car. They flew down
the rolling two-lane highway at breakneck speed. “It’s a good thing you know where
you’re going.” Leos ignored a stop sign as he made a sharp right and she cringed.
“He’s actually a very good driver,” Evan said with a wry smile.
“I heard that,” Leos muttered.
The sun hovered on the horizon. They were racing transformation as much as the
possibility of Aidan awaking too soon. Joseph looked tense and Daniel was
conspicuously quiet. Each brother had unique gifts. They didn’t know what it would
take to save Connell.
“Won’t Aidan die if Connell dies?” she asked after a few minutes of silence.
“We don’t know.” Daniel looked back at her. “We’re creatures of balance and
contrast. No Dichotomy has ever done the things Connell described. It’s unthinkable to
attack the other half of oneself.”
Ryan and Torral had already checked the smaller of the two houses by the time
they arrived. They parked a short distance from the larger house and paused to
strategize. A car had been parked haphazardly behind the house. There were no lights
or other indications that anyone was inside.
They split up, one set of brothers taking each of the three entrances.
“Lark should wait in the car,” Evan said. “There’s no reason for her to be put in
any more danger.”
“Aidan could make a run for it while you stumble around inside the house. If I’m
alone in the car, I’d make a mighty convenient hostage.”
“She has a point,” Joseph said. “I’d rather keep her where I can see her.”
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Lark crept along behind Evan and Joseph as they searched the house room by
room. Mildew burned her nose and the dusty air stung her eyes. She didn’t complain
and did her best to stay out of their way.
Back here! We found him. The voice was so excited, Lark wasn’t sure if it was
Daniel or Leos.
They rushed to the back corner of the house. The small room was part cellar, part
bedroom. Aidan lay on a cot, arms folded lightly on his belly.
“Does somebody have a wooden stake?” Lark couldn’t help herself.
Ryan knelt beside the cot and framed Aidan’s face with his hands. Aidan’s eyes
flew open and he grabbed Ryan’s wrists.
“You will not move.” Evan’s voice snapped with authority. Aidan’s eyes
widened and Lark realized he couldn’t move. For a long time Aidan stared up at Ryan,
paralyzed by Evan’s command. “You will release Connell.”
Aidan laughed. “I don’t think so.”
The Burtons closed ranks around the narrow cot. Lark could sense power
flowing between them. Ryan’s thumbs pressed over Aidan’s eyes, keeping him still.
“Open your mind.” Evan’s tone was so cold it made her shiver.
“Stop it!” Aidan tossed his head, trying to shake off Ryan’s hold.
“Open.”
Aidan screamed, his fingernails digging into Ryan’s wrists. He kicked and
arched, twisting violently as the Burtons moved through his mind. Lark could almost
see them. They ventured deeper and Aidan fought harder, body flailing on the cot.
Suddenly he collapsed, still as death. No one moved. No one spoke. Then Ryan
removed his hands and Aidan opened his eyes.
“I’m in the wrong body, but I’ll take it.” Connell sounded rather stunned.
“Where is Aidan?” Lark wasn’t sure she cared, but curiosity demanded she ask.
“Trapped in sleep state,” Connell told her. “Thank you. Thank you all.”
“Don’t thank us yet.” Joseph reached up under his shirt and withdrew a gun
from the back of his pants. “The elder council will decide what to do with you.”
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Lark hadn’t realized he had the weapon. Leos produced a set of handcuffs and
advanced toward Connell.
“I’ve done nothing wrong,” Connell protested.
“We have only your word on that.” Leos pulled Connell to his feet and snapped
the handcuffs onto one wrist.
Connell shouldered Leos like a linebacker, then turned on Joseph, swinging the
dangling cuff like a medieval mace. The cuff hit Joseph’s hand and the gun went off.
Connell’s body rocked with the impact and he collapsed on the cement floor. Blood
saturated his shirt and spread out from beneath him, scarlet rivulets curling through the
grime.
“Is he dead?” Lark whispered.
Evan felt for a pulse then nodded.
“I didn’t mean to shoot him.” Joseph handed the gun to Evan, staggering a bit as
transformation claimed him. His body disappeared in a flash of sparkling light, far
more abruptly than usual. Lark blinked against the brightness, unnerved by the rapid-
fire events. When her eyes adjusted to the dim room again, Torral and Daniel had
transitioned too.
* * *
Lark handed Joseph an official looking message a few days later. “Daniel said it’s
from the elder council.”
Joseph broke the seal and pulled out the message, unfolding the page so he could
read. “The actions of both Leos and I have been deemed unavoidable.”
“Does this mean you’ll stop sulking?”
“I’d never killed anyone before,” he muttered. “Pardon me for feeling guilty.”
“I didn’t mean to insult you, love. I just miss your smile.” She slipped her arm
around his shoulders and kissed him on the cheek. “That’s a long message. What else
does it say?”
“Aidan might have gotten the better of Connell toward the end, but Connell was
no innocent. The council has reports of violence and misdeeds involving them both.”
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“What about Brook? Are they going to take action against her?”
“It doesn’t say. I’ll ask around next time I’m online.” He paused, worry creasing
his brow. “The council might have exonerated us, but I doubt Brook will be so
forgiving.” He set the letter aside and managed to smile. “Holly’s on her way back from
Chimera Island. It didn’t sound like she wanted to leave.”
“No one can blame her for wanting to bask in the sun after all she’s been
through.”
“You’ve been through a lot too.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her
softly, his characteristic tenderness returning at last. “What would you like to do?”
“I’d like to walk around the lake hand-in-hand while we enjoy the sunset.” She
stood and pulled him to his feet. “Then, when Evan returns, I want to go to the
playroom and be restrained in that wicked looking chair.”
Joseph smiled and kissed the palm of her hand. “Gotta love a woman who
knows what she wants.” He pulled her against him and kissed her again.
Epilogue
Brook snapped her phone closed and tossed it on the countertop. The anger
boiling within her was almost enough to distract her from the pain.
“That wasn’t good news, I take it?”
She glared at Jason. He meant well, but she wasn’t in the mood to indulge his
sense of humor. “I asked Ashley to give me a call once the council made their decision.”
“And?”
“Both Ryan and Leos were exonerated. Their actions were ‘justified’.”
He crossed the kitchen and wrapped his arms around her waist. “You didn’t
really expect any other outcome, did you? The Burtons have had the council in their
back pocket for years.”
“My brother is dead.” She clutched the front of his shirt as tears swam before her
eyes. “They hunted Aidan down like a dog and the council blithely turns a blind eye.
It’s intolerable.”
“What are we going to do about it?” He brushed her cheek with the back of his
fingers.
Irritated by his tenderness, she twisted out of his embrace. “I’m going to take my
own advice. I told Aidan to target one brother at a time. Separate and conquer.”
He crossed his arms over his chest, obviously annoyed by her retreat. “Which
brother did you have in mind? How will you lure him away from the others?”
“There’s a local artist named Nicole Fierbrose.”
“I’ve seen her stuff. She’s really good.”
“Her talent is irrelevant,” she snapped. “Her connection to the Burtons is what
interests me.”
“What’s her connection?”
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Determination spread through her being, muting her anger and dulling the pain.
She licked her lips and reached for the zipper at the front of Jason’s jeans. “That’s what
you’re going to find out.”
Aubrey Ross
Aubrey Ross writes an eclectic assortment of erotic fiction. From power struggles
between futuristic clans, to adventurous Mystic Keepers, her stories are filled with
passion and imagination. Some of her recent awards include an EPPIE finalist, two
Passionate Plume finalists, and a CAPA nomination from The Romance Studio.
With a pampered cat curled on the corner of her desk, Aubrey dreams of
fascinating worlds and larger than life adventures -- and wouldn’t have it any other
way! Visit her website at www.aubreyross.com or join Aubrey’s newsletter group at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Anything-but-Ordinary/.