Bonds of Blood (7 page)

Ripping open his pants, he parted her with his fingers. He positioned his cock at the entrance of her still drenched pussy.  Keeping his grip on her hips firm, he drove into her.  She cried out at the intensity of his penetration as he began to move inside of her.  He went deep allowing no space between them.

His gaze was inevitably drawn to the oval mirror across the room.  Mina’s lips were parted her eyes squeezed shut, her head thrown back in abandon.  Her full breasts bounced with the violence of each thrust. 

Still, he wasn’t satisfied.

Parting the cheeks of her ass, he probed the hidden rosette of her ass with his finger.  Unable to resist, he pulled out and drove into her from behind.  Despite the natural resistance of her body, she didn’t pull away.  His power over her was complete.  After a few intense pushes, he was all the way inside of her ass.  He began to drive in and out, the muscles of her tight ass squeezing
the cum right out of him.

Yes, Mina had definitely pleased him tonight.

And she would continue to do so until he tired of her.

When he did, he would dispose of her just like he had the others.

By the end of the night, he had used her body in ways most people would never imagine.  Now, as she stood before him, her clothing and hair a mess, he took her by the arms.

“Tomorrow, you will call Kat.  You will tell her that you have a lead on the missing girls
, and you will bring her to the club,” he commanded.

“Bring her to the club,” she repeated with a mechanical nod.

“Don’t disappoint me,” he warned.

He watched her leave the room before turning to the window.  Looking out at the street below, he smiled.

Tomorrow, he would take care of the beautiful Katarina Montague.

Chapter 10

Alec followed her up the stairs to her loft apartment.  In truth, he wasn’t sure what he was going to say to her.  He had only agreed to this to get her out of the club. 
As he trailed behind her, he couldn’t help but watch the way her ass swayed back and forth with each step she took.  He squeezed his eyes shut as images of the other night assaulted him. 

The sound of the key turning in the lock made him open his eyes to watch her open the door.  He followed her inside gently closing the door behind him. 

As soon as it was shut, she spun on him her eyes flashing.  “So, we’re here.  Talk.”

He glanced around the small ro
om.  He had been here many times, but never through the front door.  He couldn’t help but be pleased at being invited, even if it was just to get answers he couldn’t give.  But when he looked into her eyes, he could see that she was definitely not enjoying the experience as much as he was. 

He shrugged. “I don’t know what you want me to say
.”

Her lips formed a thin line as she tossed her purse on the couch.  “I want you to tell me what happened the other night
.”

His eyebrows crowded together in mock confusion.  “I’m not sure I know what you mean
.”

She crossed her arms over her chest, her back straightening in a defiant stance.  “I think you know exactly what I mean
.”

He stared at her for a moment in silence. 

When he didn’t speak, she continued.  “Look, I don’t remember much about that night.  But I know that something happened between us.”

When he remained silent, she
asked, “Did you slip some sort of drug in my drink or something?”

“Of course not.”

She sighed heavily. 
“Then, what?  Fill in the blanks for me here…”  She shook her head as she looked away.  “God, I don’t even know your name.”

One corner of his mouth curved up.  “It’s Alec,” he offered.

Her eyes met his.  “Alec.  So, why were you at the club?  Are you a member?” she prodded.

“No
.”

Her eyes narrowed.  “Then, why were you there?”

“You could say that I watch the place,” he hedged.

“Watch for what?”

“There have been strange things happening there lately.  I thought I should check into it.”

“Are you a cop?” she asked.

He let out a low chuckle.  “No.”

“Okay…”

He took a step toward her.  “Let’s just say I’m someone who wants to help.”

She backed away.

“I’m not going to hurt you Kat.”

She lifted her chin slightly.  “What happened the other night?” she
repeated her tone firm.

He had to tread carefully with her.  With Damien setting his sights on her, it was very important that she trust him.

“We met at the club,” he began.

“That much I remember,” she replied sarcastically.

He ignored her barb as he continued.  “It was pretty clear that you were on something,” he explained.

Her jaw clenched.  “I don’t do drugs.  All I had that night was wine
.”

“Was it the house wine?”

“Yes,” she said.

He let out a heavy sigh.  “The house wine is laced with a mild aphrodisiac.”
             

Her gaze bounced around the room as what he was saying began to sink in.  “They’re drugging people?”

He gave a slight nod.

Her eyebrows drew together.  “Why would they need to drug people?”

When he didn’t answer her, she pinned him with a serious stare.  “It’s about the missing girls, isn’t it?”

****

The fact that he looked away let her know that her question had definitely hit the mark.  Even though, she had a million questions piling up, one was at the immediate forefront.

“How do you know all of this?”

“I’ve been investigating them for some time,” he explained.

Her eyes narrowed.  “Are you a private investigator or something?”

“No,” he said shaking his head.  “I just hear things.  Things that make me concerned.”

She tilted her head to the side, a frown forming on her face.  “And why exactly are you so concerned?  Did you know any of the missing girls?”

He stared at her for so long that she began to think he wouldn’t answer.  But then he spoke.

“One of the girls who
went missing is a friend of mine’s sister.  He asked for my help.”

“I’m sorry,” she managed.

He nodded, not making eye contact.

“So, that’s why you were at the Dragon’s Lair the night we met?”

He shrugged.  “I wanted to see it for myself, to see if I could get any information about what was going on.”

“And?”

“I saw you.”

Her breath caught in her throat.

“I could tell that you were under the influence, and I couldn’t watch it happen again.  Especially to you,” he said solemnly.

With that
answer, all of the air in her lungs seemed to evaporate.   The attraction between them seemed to smolder in the air.  It was undeniable, almost palpable as he looked at her, and there was no avoiding it.

“So, what do we do now?”

“You tell me.”

She walked across the room to stand before him.  “Since we’re both after the same thing, I say we start working together.  We’ll go to the club together tomorrow.  It’ll be safer that way
.”

His lips curved into a smile so sensuous she felt her entire body shudder with desire. 

Slowly, he reached out a hand to her, his gaze never leaving her face. “Partners?”

She placed her hand in his.  She couldn’t help but notice how his skin was cold to the touch.  It cooled her
hand, which seemed to be burning.

“Partners.”

The word sounded husky, like an erotic invitation.  She felt color creep into her cheeks as she heard the way it slid through the air as it left her mouth.  He must have heard it too because his eyes darkened. But before she could think of something else to say, he saved her the fight.

He placed his other hand on top of hers, trapping it between his. 

“Be safe, Katarina,” he murmured, as he let himself out the door.

Chapter 11

Alec stared up at Kat’s balcony.  They would be coming for her soon.  He was certain of that.  And once they learned her true identity they would never stop.  That is why he couldn’t leave this corner.  He had to protect her.  That fact was why he couldn’t watch her from a closer proximity.  He didn’t trust himself to be up there. 

Not after what happened the other night.

If he lost control again, he might do something that would change things forever.  He couldn’t betray the man who made him.  But knowing that didn’t mean it was easy to accept, especially when he caught a faint trace of her scent on the midnight breeze.  He had never wanted a woman more than he wanted her. 

Was it because she was different?

He didn’t know.

All he knew was that she was absolutely intoxicating
.  And she would be just as attractive to Damien.  He had already singled her out.  It was only a matter of time before he found out where she lived.  Then, Alec would have to take drastic measures to keep her safe. 

And he would. 

He would defend her with his life.  Not just for his maker.  But for her as well.  Watching her walk into that club was like watching a lamb being led to a slaughterhouse.  She had no idea of the kind of danger she was immersing herself in.  The Dragon’s Lair was a dangerous place for any ordinary human.  For her, it was a powder keg waiting for a match.  If she knew the true danger, she would never have set foot there. 

As much as he wanted to warn her, he was reluctant.  Telling her the truth would expose her to an entirely different world. 

A world where she was the most appetizing dish on the menu. 

Even if he told her
, she would likely just throw him out of the apartment because she would think he was a lunatic.  No, it was better to hide the truth and stay as close as he could to her.  It was the only way he could protect her. 

For now.
 

Soon enough she would learn the truth.  All he could hope for was that when that happened she turned
to
him and not away.

****

The next day as Kat stared at the clothes in her closet; she couldn’t help but wonder if she had made a big mistake by agreeing to work with Alec.  After all, she knew nothing about him.  And in the last few hours, she began to think that he might have been less than honest about his interest in the club and the girls who had gone missing there.

Her gaze traveled to her own reflection in the full
-length mirror to the right.

What was she doing?

If her hunch about the Dragon’s Lair club was right, it meant the owners were extremely dangerous.  They were not only dangerous, but they had already killed at least five girls.  It didn’t take a genius to realize that they wouldn’t balk at adding one more to the list.  And if they found out that she was planning to expose them, she would no doubt shoot to the top of it.

Was finding out what happened for a story
really worth risking her life?

She thought of the photos of the missing girls.  Fresh, young faces of girls with their entire lives in front of them. 
Girls who would never go home, never see their families again.  And the answer came with gut wrenching clarity.

Yes.

Yes, it was worth it.

She was too close to turn back now.  If she did, no one would ever know what happened.  If she did, snapshots of other girls would be added to that stack. 
Those girls deserved a voice.  They deserved to have their stories told.  And somehow she knew that if she didn’t tell them, no one else would.

A knock at the door made her jump.

She glanced at the clock on her nightstand.  Even though Alec was supposed to be picking her up, it was still two hours before the time they agreed.  She made her way into the living room and over to the front door. 

A glance out the
peephole proved that it wasn’t Alec waiting on the other side. 

She pulled the door open, a frown marring her features.  “Mina?  What’s wrong?”

Mina shifted her weight back and forth.  “Can I come in for a minute?”

The intense look on her face made Kat step back to allow her inside.  Closing the door, she turned to face her. 

Mina’s gaze shifted nervously around the room. 

Kat’s eyes narrowed.  “Mina, what is it?”

“Who have you told about the story you’re writing?”

Kat’s eyebrows drew together.  “What do you mean?”

How had she found out about Alec?

“Cut the crap, Kat.  I know you’ve been talking.  A man approached me the other night.  He said he wanted
to meet us both at the club tonight.  He said he had information for you about the missing girls.  Now, how would he know that you want that information if you hadn’t been opening your mouth?” she charged.

Kat drew in a steadying breath.  She couldn’t be talking about Alec.  Could she?  Why would he go to Mina when they had already agreed to be partners?

“What did he look like?”

Mina tilted her head to the side. 
“Blonde hair, blue eyes, tall.  Sound familiar?”

Kat’s gaze bounced around the room.  “No,” she answered honestly.  “It doesn’t sound familiar at all.”

Mina’s lips twisted into a cynical curl.  “Well, he’s definitely familiar with you…and your work.  If you haven’t been talking, and I know that I haven’t been talking, then I’d like to know how he knew?”

Kat shook her head.  “I honestly have no idea.”

Mina rolled her eyes as she fell onto the couch.  “Well, I guess we’ll both find out the answer when we meet him at the club in a half an hour.”

“Mina, I can’t go with you right now,” Kat replied.

Mina’s eyes widened.  “You’re kidding, right?”

“I’m supposed to be meeting someone in two hours
.”

“Who?”

Kat nervously wet her lips.  “He’s just…”

“A date?”

Knowing that the truth would definitely be worse than a lie, she chose the only option that made sense.  “Yes, a date.  I promised I would meet him in a couple of hours.”

Mina positioned herself on the edge of the couch.  “So, call him and tell him that you have to reschedule,” she ordered.

“I can’t.”

“Why not?”

Kat let out a huff of aggravation.  “Let’s just say it’s complicated.”

Mina’s lips formed a grim line.  “No, what
is complicated is you leaving me alone with a guy who obviously knows enough about what we’re doing to make things very dangerous for me.  Look Kat, you’re the one who got me into this mess and you’re the one who needs to get me out.”

Kat stared at her
knowing there was only one thing she could say, only one thing that made sense.

“You’re right,” she conceded.

“Thank you,” Mina agreed with a nod.

“I’ll come with you,” Kat offered.  “Where are we meeting him?”

“At the club,” Mina replied.

Kat’s eyes narrowed. 
“The Club?  Isn’t that a really, really bad idea?”

“Look, I didn’t pick the place.  He did.  Besides, I wasn’t exactly going to argue with a guy who could blow the lid off this whole thing,” Mina reminded.

Kat tilted her head to the side.  “Good point.”

“So, go get ready,” Mina ordered.  “And do you have anything to drink around here? I think we are definitely going to need some sustenance for this assignment.”

Kat headed toward the bedroom.  “I think there’s an old bottle of wine on top of the fridge.  Glasses are in the cupboard over the sink.  But I’m not really much of a drinker,” she confessed.

Kat stripped out of her jeans and t
-shirt opting for a skimpy black lace dress.  She was pulling it off the hanger when Mina came to stand in the doorway.  An unwelcome flush tinged her bare skin as she struggled to cover herself.

“I’ll be out in a sec,” Kat said.

Mina looked at her, her gaze traveling over the length of Kat’s body. 

Something about the look in her eyes made Kat pull the dress over her head a little bit faster than normal.

“No problem,” Mina answered as she continued to watch Kat get dressed.

Once Kat was done,
Mina handed her a full glass of wine. 

When Kat began to protest,
Mina stopped her.  “Look, we are going to need a little liquid courage to get through this tonight,” she reasoned.

“Still, I…”

Mina smiled.  “It’s not like you’re a designated driver or something.”

Kat reached for the glass with a nod.  “You’re right.  To liquid courage,” she said, lifting the glass.

After all, she was going to need all the courage she could get tonight.