Wicked Memories (CASTLE OF DARK DREAMS) (22 page)

Thorn began talking. Everyone stilled. “Back on Earth at last. You don’t know why the aliens decided to free you. You’re just thankful that you’ll be able to see friends and family again. The aliens sank your vessel. You lost consciousness. When you woke, you were on their ship high above Earth. It was huge, black, and triangular shaped. You can’t remember much that happened to you. They must’ve wiped most of your memories before returning you to Galveston. You don’t even remember what they looked like. They did experiments, but they didn’t hurt you. You can’t recall what kinds of experiments. Before they sent you from their ship, they told you they were going to Australia next. You were allowed to keep that memory. They weren’t worried about you telling the authorities this because humans haven’t developed the aircraft capable of catching them. Escaping human detection seemed like a game to them. You’re on the beach now waiting to be rescued by the police. You’re calm and quiet, thinking about all you’ve experienced, wondering if anyone will believe you.”

The rescued people who had been standing sat down on the deck. All of them remained unmoving, staring at nothing.

Thorn turned from them. “They won’t hear anything we say. Once we dock, use the vans we came in to drop them off on the beach. Then someone can make an anonymous call to the police reporting a bunch of people sitting on the sand in the middle of the night.

Zane shook his head. “I might still want to punch you, but that was an awesome display of power.”

Sparkle zeroed in on Loki. “What happened? I was prepared for a big battle and nothing happened.” Her captain persona looked a little droopy.

“Aegir is more of a coward than I ever imagined.” Loki sneered. “As soon as he saw me, he fled with Ran and her daughters. He won’t have the courage to ever come back here again.” Now that he had routed Aegir, Loki looked as though he wanted to leave as soon as possible.

“Thanks for what you did, Loki. I guess. Since I really don’t
know
what you did.” Sparkle sighed and motioned for Loki to get the ship moving. “What a waste of an incredible adrenaline high.”

Thorn sat on the deck next to Kayla on the way back. Other than his first disastrous foray into mass persuasion, he’d never used this much power at one time before. Tomorrow and the days after it would be hell. He glanced at Kayla. Dangerous too. The compulsion to use his persuasion again combined with the agony of withdrawal could make him a risk to those around him. He’d stay at his beach house until he came out of it. Sparkle would have to make sure Kayla didn’t come anywhere near him.

“You’re awfully quiet.” She reached over and clasped his hand. “Alien abductions?” She shook her head in mock sadness. “That was just plain mean. All of those poor people will have to face the Men in Black. They might even end up at Area 51.”

Thorn knew his smile looked anemic. “Yes, well it was better than the alternative. The police would cart them to the nearest mental health facility if they claimed to have been kidnapped by a sea god and kept prisoner in his underwater kingdom.”

“You have a point.” She remained quiet for a few minutes. “Will anything happen to you because you used your power?”

Thorn didn’t even hesitate. He lied. “A headache. That’s about it. I’ll take a few painkillers, and I’ll be fine.”

He could feel her relief. Thorn only wished this hadn’t come along just when he’d found her. Talk about crappy timing. He wanted to shine in her eyes. By tomorrow night, he’d need a hell of a lot of buffing to get rid of the tarnish. Maybe if he could stay isolated in the beach house she’d never have to know. Nah, his luck didn’t run that way.

Once Loki docked the ship, everything moved quickly. The rescued humans were left on the beach and the call to the police was made. Klepoth hung around to make sure they stayed safe until the authorities arrived. And Loki disappeared.

Thorn stood with Kayla while they waited for a car to take them home. He said the words before he could overthink them. “I want you to stay with me at Nirvana for the rest of the night.”

There. He couldn’t call the words back. A considerate man would have suggested she go back to the castle and get some rest, but he was selfish. He refused to feel guilty. This might be his last chance to be with her. He would’ve held his breath if he’d had any breath to hold.

“There’s nowhere else I want to be.” She stood on her toes to kiss his cheek.

“Good.” How was that for a romantic statement? One thing was sure, the only time he could create magic with his words was when he was weaving his persuasion.

Once at his pier, he guided her to his apartment. Their footsteps sounded loud in the stillness. He still moved silently when alone, but tonight he wanted to
sound
human. For her.

Grim had left only Kel as security tonight. After all, Galveston was almost deserted except for the police and federal agents, and the threat from the Gulf was over.

He held the door open for her to enter. When he stepped inside behind her, he tried to see his place through her eyes. Pretty pathetic. “Hey, maybe I could take our picture together before we go to sleep.” Hah, sleep? Not likely.

She threw him a questioning glance.

“I don’t have any pictures on the wall.” Was that embarrassment he felt? “I thought I’d put up a few. Make the place feel more homey.” Great. A homey vampire lair. Next he’d be crocheting doilies for the place. His friends would laugh their asses off.

Her eyes brightened, and she smiled. “I’d love that. Where’s your camera?” Then she seemed to think of something. “I thought you guys didn’t show up in pictures?”

“Some do, some don’t. I do.” He’d never figured that out.

He found the camera, set it up so it would catch both of them, and then took the picture.

“Umm, no one was there to click the camera. How did it take the photo?”

“Since I’ve already used my major power tonight, I didn’t see any reason not to use my other ones.” He wouldn’t add to his suffering with this little display. “I can manipulate things remotely.”

Kayla’s eyes grew wide with surprise. Her expression reminded him that he was distancing himself from her with everything he did that emphasized how
not
human he was.

Why hadn’t he thought first? Thorn regretted taking the photo.

But she didn’t move away from him. She merely looked up and smiled.

“I’m impressed, vampire. And I think you should use every power you can cram into tonight. It’s like when I break my diet. Since I’ve already eaten the pizza, I may as well gorge on the ice cream. I mean, the damage is done. You can start over tomorrow.”

He raised one brow. “Well, that’s one way of looking at it.” He searched his mind for something to distract her from his powers. “Want to take a shower?”

She nodded. “I should’ve stopped at the castle and picked up a few things.”

“You can borrow my robe.” What else? “I’ll fix something for you to eat while you’re in the shower.”
And I’ll be picturing your bare sexy body with warm water streaming over it with every sandwich I make.

“That’s okay. I can make myself a sandwich. I’m not really that hungry.” Her eyes gleamed with curiosity.

Thorn could read all of her expressions. This one said, “I want an excuse to see the blood in your fridge.”

He went to the closet near his bed and pulled out the robe. “Feel free to scope out my fridge. Yes, I warm the packets of blood. Yes, I drink from humans for the occasional treat. And, yes, I keep human food in the fridge for visitors.” In this case, he’d stocked his fridge in the hope that she’d be spending some time here.

Thorn stood holding the robe as she took him up on his offer. She opened his fridge, stared inside, and then closed the door. He held the robe in a death grip while he waited for her reaction. You never knew what would set humans off.

Kayla walked over and pulled the robe from him. “That was underwhelming. I thought I’d feel horrified shivers when I saw the blood. I didn’t. Everything is in nice neat packets.” She headed toward his bathroom. “I’ll be out in a few minutes. I’d like to try your wine. Sparkle seemed to enjoy it.”

He listened to the water running as he made her sandwich. The urge to dump the damn sandwich and join her in the shower almost overwhelmed him. Thorn closed his eyes and imagined.

He’d press himself against her back, feeling every curve of her sweet behind. Wrapping his arms around her, he’d slide his hands over her warm, wet skin. Her nipples would harden as he rolled them between his fingers. She’d spread her legs as his hands moved lower and lower. Then . . .

Then nothing. It had been a rough night for her. She hadn’t hinted that she wanted him to share her shower. Maybe she needed a few minutes of alone time. There would be other showers. He smiled at the thought.

He opened his eyes and finished the sandwich. Kayla had said she didn’t want him to do this, but making the sandwich was a human act. Thorn needed to regain that feeling after everything he’d done tonight. After he poured her wine, he heated up some blood for himself. He drank it before she came out of the shower.

How many centuries had it been since he’d cared so much about what a woman thought of him? Try never. Sure, he’d wanted Sparkle to love him, but his had been an immature love. He’d equated sex with caring. He also hadn’t realized you could lose the ones you loved. All of his hard lessons about love, loss, and betrayal had come at once. He’d remembered them until now. Until Kayla.

He had a feeling he was about to put himself out there in a big way tonight. Thorn had given Kayla power over him. A mistake? He hoped not.

The water stopped running and then he heard the hair dryer. A few minutes later Kayla stepped out of the bathroom wearing his robe. She joined him at the counter.

“Looks good. Thanks.” She picked up the plate and glass. “I’ll meet you in bed.”

She hadn’t tied the robe tightly. He could see the swell of her breasts and a glimpse of long bare leg.

He watched her put her plate and glass on the nightstand next to Vince and then climb into bed with her robe still on. She picked up the TV remote.

“I’ll watch the news while you’re in the shower. Sparkle’s worried about Ganymede. He’s cutting a swathe through the country. The public is panicked. I’m nervous about what he’ll do to the caldera under Yellowstone.” She frowned. “I’ve been so concerned about Aegir that I haven’t kept up with him.”

Thorn didn’t want to think about Ganymede now. He was just thankful the cat wasn’t cutting a swathe through him. He’d worry about the chaos maker tomorrow night.

It was tough to leave her looking beautiful and sensual in his bed, but he needed that shower. He kept the temperature cooler than was comfortable, but the water didn’t do a thing to cool his fever for Kayla.

When he came out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his hips, the TV was off and she was lying with the covers pulled up to her chin. Her robe lay on the floor. The small lamp beside her was still on. For the first time he sensed tension in her.

“Ganymede has taken his act to Egypt. Water geysers are shooting out the top of the three Giza pyramids. Then he must’ve ambled over to Italy. The Leaning Tower of Pisa collapsed tonight. Scientists are blaming a small earthquake for it. Luckily no one was hurt.”

Her tone was light, but he could see the worry in her eyes.

“People are pulling out the old end-times and apocalypse explanations. Scientists are blaming climate change. Sparkle must be terrified.”

Everyone should feel terrified. A cosmic troublemaker with Ganymede’s power could do a hell of a lot of damage if he lost control. And from what Kayla said, the cat was way beyond out of control.

But why the hell were they talking about Ganymede? Thorn had a whole other subject in mind. He had to put an end to this conversation now.

“Sparkle will calm him down as soon she finds him. From what I saw, he loves her. She has to tell him in person that she loves
him
, make him accept that she didn’t mean what she said. He needs to hear the words.” He stopped beside the bed and dropped his towel.

He needs to hear the words
. Maybe Thorn should take his own advice. He was pretty sure what he felt was love. He’d just have to find the right moment to tell her and hope she didn’t splatter his heart all over the pier.

Climbing into bed beside her, he watched while she turned off the light. Then he reached for her.

18

Why had she spent precious minutes with Thorn babbling about Ganymede? From the moment he’d come out of the bathroom with that towel hanging low around his waist, she’d lost control of her mouth.

But while her tongue couldn’t keep on task, her eyes had stayed totally focused on the goal. He was hard muscle sheathed in smooth skin. His movements were lithe and all-male swagger. She had lowered her gaze by increments. First, the tousled dark hair, brilliant blue eyes ringed by a thick fringe of lashes, straight nose, and sensual lips. Next, the broad shoulders tapering down to a ridged stomach and even farther to . . . the towel. Below the towel were strong thighs and legs. The scenic tour had exhausted her, so she hadn’t spent any time on his feet. Kayla had felt sure they were as spectacular as the rest of him.

Then he’d dropped the towel, and her brain had refused to form any new words.

She had automatically turned off the light. But darkness didn’t stop her mouth. It kept right on going. Her brain was still searching for words to describe what she’d seen beneath his towel—the length and breadth of him, the awesome manifestation of his need—so it was no help at all to her mouth. Her mouth didn’t do well without direction.

It wasn’t as though she hadn’t seen his bared body before, made love with him before. What was different tonight?
You’ve had time to think about who and what he is
. And she’d had time to grow nervous.

Kayla knew he was about to touch her. She
wanted
him to touch her. So why not keep quiet and immerse herself in his amazing tactile talents?

But there was something about the absolute blackness of the room that freed her tongue. Without her permission, it blurted out a random thought that had been hanging around in the back of her mind for a while now.

“I was thinking about why the concept of ‘vampire’ terrifies people.” What the hell had she just said?

Beside her, Thorn stilled. He didn’t say anything.

No, no, I didn’t mean that it scared
me. Even if it did, a little, when she thought hard about it. What if he took what she’d said the wrong way? Of course he would. She had to clarify her thought. And now that she needed her mouth, it failed her.

Kayla lay on her back staring up at where she knew the ceiling was. She couldn’t see it. She couldn’t see anything. The darkness coiled around her, binding her in ties of primal fear. She had forgotten that Thorn’s apartment didn’t have windows. She couldn’t remember ever being somewhere with a complete absence of light. Then there was the silence. He didn’t move, didn’t breathe, and if his heart was beating, she couldn’t hear it because hers was a drumroll of terror.

She had the childish urge to pull the covers over her head and cocoon herself in warmth and the illusion of safety against . . . Against what?

The man beside her was the same one she’d made love with beneath the sea, the same one she’d kissed on the Ferris wheel, the same one she’d wanted to protect tonight. Then
what
?

“The
concept
of ‘vampire’?” His words were clipped, controlled.

His voice was the key. She felt something loosen inside her, and her fear drained away. But he’d asked her a question. “For a moment I couldn’t feel you beside me. You were just this big dark word, ‘VAMPIRE,’ in my mind. It freaked me out.” That was a really crappy explanation.

“I’ll always be a vampire, Kayla. Is that a problem?” He sounded cool, no emotion in his voice.

But she still sensed hurt. She rushed into another explanation. “No, this had nothing to do with you the real man. It just meant that for a moment, in the dark, I realized that a vampire lay beside me. And the thought scared the heck out of my primitive self because the concept of vampire is—”

“A bloodsucking fiend,” he supplied.

“Exactly. But stereotypes are everywhere. I mean, what do you think of when I say ‘lawyer’?”

“It’s not the same, Kayla.”

“Close enough.” She knew lots of people who thought lawyers were bloodsucking fiends. He should just ask a few of her father’s friends.

“So you were afraid of me?”

“My primitive self feared the
word
. Then you spoke, and everything was fine.” More than fine.

“You’re sure?” She heard him move, propping himself up on his elbow. “Because we can—”

“We can make love because that’s what I want.” She reached out and switched on the light. “And I want to see the person I’m with. Besides, I don’t like total darkness.”

He watched her from eyes that shone with desire and, yes, hunger. That only added to the need clogging her throat and causing her body to feel heavy, empty.

“I don’t know what you include in your concept of vampires, but I can go against stereotype.” He leaned down to tug on her earlobe with his teeth. “I’ll make it slow and gentle.”

She widened her eyes. Slow and gentle? No! She was looking forward to fast and
not
gentle. Kayla certainly didn’t intend to be gentle. She’d stored up a lot of energy for the battle with Aegir, and she hadn’t used any of it. “I—”

“Shh. I have a request before I make mind-numbingly slow and drearily gentle love to you.” There was laughter in his voice. “I want you to turn over your concept-of-vampire thought and see what’s printed on the other side.”

“What?”

“Do it. I’ll wait.” He shifted beside her.

Thorn obviously wasn’t going to make any kind of love with her until she did what he asked. She heaved an exaggerated sigh to let him know how annoying his request was and then she tried to focus.

Kayla closed her eyes, blocked his sensual presence out as much as possible, and pictured a card with her first thought printed on one side. Then she mentally turned it over. There was a question on the other side.

Her eyes popped open. “What does it feel like to
be
a vampire?” The question touched something deep inside her. “Why would I want to know that?”

He curled a lock of her hair around his finger. “Your mind, your question. I suppose you’ll have to figure it out yourself.”

Thorn leaned even closer until she could feel his lips moving against her ear. Goose bumps popped up along various body parts.

“But I can
tell
you what it’s like.” His fingers moved down her body, lingering on her breasts, stomach, and skimming up her inner thigh. “If you’ll open your mind to me.”

She clenched around the promise of those fingers. “How?” Why did she want to know this so badly? But the answer was too new for her to face right now.

“Open your mind to me in the same way you open your body.
Want
me there.”

He had no idea the many places he was welcome in—her body, her mind, her life. She nodded. “I’ll try. But can’t you get into my mind even without my consent?”

“I wouldn’t do that to you.” He kissed the hollow of her throat. “Do you want to know the
complete
vampire experience?”

Considering where his lips were, Kayla had an idea what the word “complete” referred to. Was she ready? She didn’t have to think about it for long. “Yes.”

“Focus on your senses. What do they tell you about me?”

Kayla turned onto her side facing him. Exploring her senses with Thorn was foreplay at its best. She smiled.

He reached out to trace the shape of her smile with his fingertip. “If you expect me to maintain my legendary iron control, you’ll have to stop doing this.”

She pasted on a mock scowl. “Better?” Kayla didn’t wait for his answer. She leaned close, breathing him in. “Your scent has eluded me since the day I met you. But that’s good, because it belongs only to you. I could close my eyes and recognize you anywhere. I’ll always remember it
here
.” She drew a line with her finger from the tip of her nose to her heart.

Thorn smoothed her hair away from her face. “So I don’t have to worry about you cozying up to a vanilla bean thinking it’s me.”

She laughed. “No, you’ll never be a vanilla bean.”

He grew serious. “All of a vampire’s senses are enhanced. For example: your scent is layered. Right now you smell of my soap and shampoo. But beneath that . . .” Leaning close, he buried his face in her hair. “You smell of apples and lilacs and arousal.”

“Apples? I love them. I had one yesterday.” His closeness quickened her breathing. “And lilacs are my favorite flowers. I fill my place with them when they’re in bloom. They smell of home.” She’d just decided not to touch the arousal part of his scent checklist when she actually smelled the faint scent of lilacs and apples along with that certain something she associated with wanting him. “How did you know about the apples and lilacs? And how did I smell them too?”

Thorn shrugged. “It’s as though our sense of smell carries with it a ‘knowing.’ Your scent tells me not only what you wear on your skin now, but what you’ve brought with you from other places and times. I simply connected with your mind and shared. Don’t ask me how the ‘knowing’ works. Not a clue.”

“Why don’t you give me the CliffsNotes versions of sight and hearing? I want to get to the good stuff.” Just the words “taste” and “touch” would probably have him fanning away her arousal fumes.

His smile touched every inch of her as he raked his gaze over her body. There was nothing slow or gentle in that look.

“I see all of you, Kayla. This part . . .” He touched the tip of his finger to each nipple. “This part . . .” His finger trailed down her stomach. “And definitely this part . . .” That marauding finger slipped between her legs and touched a part that was all too ready for him. “And even here . . .” He touched her forehead.

Thankfully, he didn’t pass on any mental pictures. “Maybe I’m wrong, but I could swear that came under touching.”
Please touch me again. Everywhere.

His smile turned sly. “Touch is a crossover sense.” His gaze grew intense. “I see the face you show now and all the faces you keep hidden. I see
you
, Kayla.”

She swallowed hard. That couldn’t be good. Maybe she didn’t want him to have such great eyesight. “What about hearing?”

He shrugged. “I can hear the grass grow.”

“Really?” She knew her eyes were wide.

Thorn laughed. “No. Just seeing what you’d believe. But I can hear your heartbeat.” His laughter faded. “I’d know your heart. Always.” His smile returned. “Now we’re ready for the ‘good stuff.’”

“Taste first.” Once again she was five years old as her mother asked her what flavor ice cream she wanted in her cone. “Chocolate. Rich, creamy, decadent chocolate.”

“What? I taste like chocolate?”

She put her hand flat against his chest and pushed. He complied by flopping onto his back.

“Not actually
like
chocolate. You embody the
spirit
of chocolate. Tasting you is that first burst of flavor, the slide of orgasmic pleasure, and then the satisfying afterglow.” She held up her hand to keep him from replying. “Wait. I have to refresh my taste just to make sure you’re not Rocky Road or butter pecan.”

She could see him biting his lip to keep from laughing. And when he released that lip, she swooped down to slide the tip of her tongue across it. Then she covered his mouth with hers and savored his warm richness.

Finally, she abandoned his mouth to test-taste elsewhere. Kayla thought she should explain her method to him. “When I taste for overall flavor, I have to do a lot of samplings from different areas to make sure the quality is consistent throughout.”

“Makes sense to me.” His voice was low and raspy.

By the time she’d licked her way across his hard male nipples down to where his cock rose thick and long, she was sure he was chocolate. She decided not to tell him, though. “Just one more little nibble and I’ll be done.”

“Me too.”

His pained mutter was tough to understand.

“What?”

“Nothing.”

She’d left the best for last. With way too much relish, she slowly licked his staff in a spiral pattern. When Kayla reached the head, she nibbled her way around it until, with a harsh oath, he gripped her hair to pull her away from him.

“I’m not done.”

“Yes. You. Are.” He bit off every word as though it might be his last.

Kayla tried to look mildly puzzled, but couldn’t quite achieve that innocent an expression. Her lips kept tipping up in a wicked grin. “You passed, by the way. So, tell me about how vampires experience taste. I suppose blood figures into this.” Somehow the thought didn’t horrify her.

“I can’t remember. You’ve erased my mind.” His words were almost a groan. “Let’s go right to touch.”

Suddenly, she found herself on her back while he loomed over her. “And I’ll handle this lesson.”

“Oh.” Well, she supposed it was only fair that he get a turn. Her heart ker-thumped its approval.

“Touch, Ms. Taste-tester, is highly erotic for a vampire. Our fingertips are supersensitized.”

He demonstrated by smoothing his fingers over every aroused inch of her body. But when he spread her legs, put his mouth on her
there
, and used his tongue to torture her very own super-sensitized pleasure nub, she had to say something.

Kayla tried twice before her mouth would form any sounds other than moans and cries. “That’s not fair. You’re using your tongue. That’s—” Ohmigod, ohmigod! “That’s.
Taste
.”

His answer was low and guttural. “It is what I say it is.”

She forgot then—what they were talking about, where she was, even
who
she was. Kayla was nothing but one giant nerve ending, and every touch lit her up.

“Quick. Now, before I burn out and you have to change the bulb.”

Thorn didn’t ask what she meant, but he evidently got the message. He straddled her, slid his hands beneath her and lifted. Kayla wrapped her legs around him. She could feel the nudge as his cock pressed between her legs. Everything inside her opened to him.

Even as the heaviness low in her stomach grew, she knew there was one last thing she had to say. “Remember. Total experience.”

He didn’t answer. Slowly, he slid into her. She felt herself stretching then tightening around him just in case he was thinking about sneaking away. Kayla gasped as he buried himself completely inside her.