Fallen Star (8 page)

“Stop,” she gasped, trembling on the verge
of orgasm.

“What’s wrong?” His fingers remained against
her thigh, but the energy pulses halted.

“I can’t…” She sat up, panting harshly. “I
just need a break.”

He steadied her with one hand, but moved the
other away from her inner thigh. “Was I hurting you?”

“No.” Too embarrassed to face the truth, she
looked away from his expressive eyes.

His warm fingers cupped her chin and turned
her face back around. “Did it feel a little too good?”

“Yes,” she admitted with a nervous
laugh.

“It’s not unusual and it’s nothing to be
ashamed of. I’m flooding your body with energy and your nervous
system doesn’t know what to do with it. I’ve had patients break
down in tears and others can’t stop laughing. Your body is just
trying to vent the excess energy.”

She was his patient, not a potential lover.
She couldn’t let herself forget. “I’ll be fine. I just need to
catch my breath.”

“It’s better if you don’t fight it and I
won’t take it personally. I’m aware that the reaction is beyond
your control.” He punctuated the claim with a gentle smile that
made her feel even more self-conscious. Having his patients come
while he healed them might be commonplace for him, but orgasms were
intensely personal for her.

She lay back and closed her eyes, determined
to ignore the arousing sensations. From an early age, her mother
had warned her that men were only after one thing.

They’ll say anything and do anything to
get inside your pants, then they’ll forget you as soon as they’ve
had you.
Her mother’s embittered warning echoed through her
memory.
Women have needs too. They’re natural and you don’t need
to be ashamed of them. But we’re perfectly capable of taking care
of them without the complication of a selfish man.

Jillian’s first lover had been a high school
crush. Every teenage boy thought of nothing but sex, so she hadn’t
held it against him. Her second lover hadn’t come along until
college. Physical attraction had been the primary draw, but he
hadn’t been the sex-crazed monster her mother described.

After graduation, Jillian dedicated herself
body and soul to her career, leaving little time or energy for
romance. There had been one final affair, but that’s all it had
been, a quick, hot flirtation. Sex had been the driving force
behind each of Jillian’s relationships and each relationship had
failed. She didn’t blame it all on the men. She had been an active
participant. Still, it saddened her that she’d been unable to prove
her mother wrong.

Odintar returned to the spot high on her
inner thigh. The pulses seemed more concentrated this time. Was he
trying to minimize the side effect for her?

Though she appreciated his effort, it didn’t
help. Heat spread through her abdomen and her core contracted in
rippling spasms, each slow clench pushing her closer to the
inevitable end. She resisted, breathing deeply and relaxing muscles
as quickly as she felt the urge to tighten them.

She held perfectly still, staring into the
blackness created by her lowered lids. Then images formed within
the darkness, sensual glimpses of what her body craved. She saw
Odintar crawl onto the couch and kneel between her spread thighs.
He arched over her and kissed her. His chest brushed her sensitive
nipples while his mouth caressed hers.

Fighting back a helpless moan, she
surrendered to the fantasy. Their clothes dissolved, first hers
then his. His body felt warm and solid as it rocked against hers.
Skin against skin, they pressed and slid. His kiss turned hungry,
consuming, and his touch became more focused. He cupped her breast,
his thumb teasing the nipple. She wanted his mouth there, sucking,
nibbling, but she needed his kiss more.

In her mind, she wrapped her legs around his
hips and felt his cock press against her aching mound. He was
incredibly hard, more than ready to fill her. The emptiness
intensified. She needed him inside her, moving over and into her.
She needed him now!

She cried out softly and her eyes flew open
as her orgasm suddenly crested. Her gaze locked with his and she
trembled. His objective calm was gone, replaced by predatory fire.
The blue rings in his eyes burned brightly and his features had
sharpened.

He turned toward her, bracing his hand on
the armrest beside her. His head descended slowly and she ducked
beneath his arm, scrambling off the sofa and out of reach. She was
halfway across the room when her panicked mind registered that she
was walking.

Her steps faltered then she stopped and took
stock of her body. “There’s hardly any pain,” she whispered without
turning around. “You did it.”

“Sex makes a damn good distraction.”

The growl in his voice made her tense then
slowly turn around. “You said you wouldn’t take it personally.” He
was sitting now and the rings had disappeared. Still, his features
looked more angular and hunger simmered in his gaze.

“It would have been easier to keep my
promise if you hadn’t filled my mind with sexual images.”

She gasped. “I didn’t mean to.”

“I know.” A smile parted his lips and he
shook his head. “I’m not blaming you. I’m trying to explain my less
than professional reaction.” He raised his hand then motioned with
his fingers. “Come back here, but take it slowly. Without the rush
of adrenaline, things might feel different.”

She returned to the couch with measured
steps, focusing on the flex of her muscles and the movement of her
joints. “There’s no pain.” She looked down as wonder unfurled
within her soul. “Even the bruises are fading.” She looked at him
and smiled as tears blurred her vision. “This is amazing.
You’re
amazing.”

Her praise pleased Odintar more than it
should have. Everything about her affected him more powerfully than
it should have. When her resistance melted away, he knew how she
was distracting herself. Still, he hadn’t allowed himself to be
drawn into the sensuality crackling around them. He had a job to do
and the sooner he did it the sooner they could move on to the next
challenge. Then her mind inadvertently reached for his and shared
the images rolling through her imagination. His body was still hard
and achy thanks to those images.

It wasn’t just her beauty, though he found
her appearance more than pleasing. He sensed an intriguing
combination of strength and vulnerability in his little dancer
that… He pulled back from the thought. She wasn’t
his
little
anything. They barely knew each other.

“You should still take it easy for a while,”
he told her. “I’m confident your recovery will be complete, but the
regeneration is ongoing.” He’d used her distraction to explain why
he’d been able to heal her so quickly. Unfortunately, the truth was
more complicated. Ever since he was injected with nanites, his
abilities had been amplified. He was able to do more and do it
faster than before the controversial procedure. There was another
possibility, of course. She could be a potential mate. He dismissed
the notion before it took root in his mind. He didn’t want to think
about the fallout from such a development. They were here to
protect human females from aggressive predators not join the
hunt.

“I understand.” She sat down beside him and
squeezed his forearm. “Thank you. You have no idea what this means
to me.”

The simple contact sent heat curling up his
arm while restless need cascaded through his body. Discipline alone
kept him from pressing her back into the sofa and exploring her
entire body with his hands and his mouth. It had been far too long
since he sought the comfort of a willing female and this particular
female tempted him more than any he’d encountered before. He
cleared his throat and focused on the subject at hand. “It means
you have decisions to make. I hate to put more pressure on you, but
we can’t stay here indefinitely.”

She shifted her hand to her lap with a sigh.
“Are we still in Nevada?”

“We are, but I won’t be more specific. We
can’t risk Nazerel finding this place.” He pivoted toward her and
she did the same, only she also scooted back against the armrest,
putting distance between them. Was she still grappling with the
surreal situation or could she sense the hunger smoldering just
below the surface? He didn’t react outwardly to her retreat, but
determination surged, compounding his restlessness.

“Will you finally admit you want to use me
as bait for Nazerel?” Her brows arched and challenge ignited inside
her eyes.

“I never denied it. But you won’t be forced
to do anything.” He wasn’t sure why she insisted on giving him an
ulterior motive. Apparently events in her past had taught her to be
wary. Instead of allowing her attitude to frustrate him, again, he
presented her with choices. “If you want me to take you off world
until this thing is over, I will. However, every female in the
notebook remains in danger until all of the Shadow Assassins are
apprehended.”

“I’ve already decided to help you, so you
don’t need to sound so defensive.”

He started to object then realized his
response would prove her point. Instead, he inclined his head and
said, “Welcome to the team.”

Her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes, but
some of the tension eased from her shoulders. “What’s our next
move?”

“I hate to admit it, but I’m exhausted.” He
raked his sweat-dampened hair with his fingers. “I think we should
both get some sleep and we’ll start on your abilities in the
morning.”

“Do you have a phone? I’d like to call
Tori.”

“Cell signals can’t penetrate the shields
and telepathic communication is risky.” The hope in her gaze made
him cringe. She had to feel isolated and overwhelmed, yet she’d
remained remarkably calm and cooperative. A candid conversation
with her best friend really wasn’t too much to ask. “There’s
another way, but it requires a mind-to-mind connection.”

“You say that like it’s painful or
dangerous.” She drew her uninjured leg up toward her chest then
wrapped her arms around her knee. Another subtle barrier between
them.

“It shouldn’t be either, but you’ve fought
against even the lightest mental touch. Your resistance could prove
challenging.”

“I’m not trying to resist you.” There was an
almost defiant cry in her voice. “Humans are programmed for fight
or flight. Some part of me must still perceive you as a
threat.”

“The connection will help with that, but
first we have to form the link.”

He no longer needed a physical touch to
initiate this sort of link. Still, it often soothed the person with
whom he was connecting. Making each movement slow and obvious, he
lifted her injured leg and draped it across his thighs as he
scooted closer. She released her uninjured knee and angled her leg,
making room between her thighs.

She watched him closely. Obviously aware of
the intimate position, yet unsure if she should protest. “Now
what?” Her tone became husky and soft.

Slowly pushing his fingers into her loose
hair, he pressed his thumb against her temple. “Close your eyes and
try not to fight me. I’ll go as slowly as I can.”

Her mental shields were amazingly strong,
considering that they were instinctive. He spread his energy across
the surface of her shields, absorbing the rhythm, trying to emulate
the pattern. His energy melded with hers and for just a moment
their patterns were in sync. Then her shields adjusted and her
rhythm changed. Remarkable. The modulation might not have been
conscious, but it was undeniably effective.

All right, if stealth wouldn’t defeat her
defenses, he’d have to try distraction.

He eased his fingers from her hair and slid
his hand downward. His thumb pushed across the crest of her cheek
then traced her petal-soft lips. She made a nervous sound and her
eyelashes fluttered, yet her lids remained lowered.

Warning her of his intention would
compromise the distraction, so he wrapped his hand around the back
of her neck and covered her mouth with his. She gasped as his
tongue parted her lips and shivered when he ventured deeper. She
tasted sweet and her breath made his lips tingle. He wanted to
revel in the kiss, to enjoy the sensual slide of their lips and
tongues, but her surprise wouldn’t last long. So he found a subtle
weakness in her shields and drove into her mind.

She arched beneath him, smacking his chest
with her fists and kicking out with her legs. His position between
her thighs saved him from her feet, but he grasped her wrists and
pinned them to the sofa’s armrest.
I’m almost finished. Calm
down.

He wasn’t really kissing her now, though
he’d yet to separate their mouths. She remained tense and
unresponsive as he firmly anchored the link. Fear and resentment
shoved into his mind, blocking his access to any other emotion. He
was inside her shields, but she remained guarded. Finally, he
pushed up, his face hovering over hers.

“It’s done,” he assured her.

“Why did you kiss me?” She sounded
indignant, but her cheeks were deeply flushed.

“Would you rather I slapped you?”

Her brows drew together. “Those were the
only two options?”

“I needed to distract you.” He couldn’t
stand the hypocrisy of his own words, so he admitted, “And I’ve
wanted to do that ever since I first saw you in your hospital room
two weeks ago.”

She pulled her hands free from his light
grasp, but remained against the armrest, more or less pinned
beneath him. “What were you doing in my hospital room?”

“Guarding you without terrifying you. There
was no reason for you to know about us if Nazerel targeted someone
else.”

“But he didn’t.”

It wasn’t a question. Still, he felt
compelled to clarify. “All indications point to you still being his
primary target.”