After Dark (Between the Veils Series, Book One) Read online

  “I’d be happy if he just released you. At least then I could send you somewhere safe.”

  Temperance shook her head. “I’m going to ignore that last comment and chalk it up to fatigue. After all, I think I held my own pretty well yesterday.”

  “This isn’t about whether you’re capable of handling yourself and all about me not losing my mind worrying about whether that demon might actually get you next time.”

  “Need I remind you who’s next on his list?”

  Avery held her stare. “If he kills you, I’ll go willingly.”

  “If he gets you, humanity is at stake.”

  “I don’t care about humanity, darling. I’m not in love with it.”

  His words silenced her. Had he really just implied he was in love with her? After so short a time? She forced herself to swallow past the lump lodged in her throat, when Avery pressed a finger across her lips.

  “Don’t. Don’t say anything. And yes, I just told you I’m in love with you.” He removed his hand but his expression never wavered. “We’ll discuss your side of the equation later. Now I believe I promised you a shower.”

  Chapter Nine

  Temperance gasped when he scooped her into his arms, holding her close as he headed for the bathroom. She’d never been carried before, and the gesture only tightened the feeling in her chest. There was no denying it. She’d fallen for him…hard.

  Avery stepped into the bathroom, setting her down in front of the glass shower. He gave her a sly smile as he reached in and twisted on the water, testing it before turning to her. “I’m thinking I’ll need my shirt back.”

  “Of course.”

  She held his hungry stare as she grabbed the bottom and eased it up her thighs, stopping when it reached her sex. She wiggled the bottom, giving him fleeting glances of her pussy before inching it higher, pausing again at her breasts. Avery growled and moved toward her, cupping her waist as if silently ordering her to finish the job. She relented, pulling it over her head as she draped it across his arm.

  His gaze slid down her body, the intensity like a physical caress. “So damn beautiful.”

  He leaned in, brushing his lips over hers, giving her one frantic heartbeat to prepare before he claimed her mouth. She opened willingly for him, battling him for dominance as the sound of cascading water played in the background. Steam curled around them, adding to the already thick air, as he finally pulled back, his eyes dark, his breathing erratic.

  “Shower. Now, darling.”

  His tone was the same as it’d been last night when he’d instructed her to roll over. And she suspected his control was just as edgy.

  He tugged off his pants, and she accepted his hand, stepping into the cubical and turning her back to the spray of water. Avery followed her in, still holding her hand. She waited until he’d closed the door before sinking to her knees, placing her mouth at the perfect height to appreciate his shaft.

  Avery groaned and tugged on her hand. “Temperance.”

  “Don’t even start with how it’s still your turn. I’ve allowed you that concession twice and either you submit to my desires or…”

  He raised his brow. “Or?”

  “Or I’ll have to tie you up first.”

  He chuckled, running his fingers through her wet hair, holding the strands back from her face. “Hard to argue with that. I just don’t want you to think—”

  “What? That you don’t like blowjobs?”

  “Fuck, no. Actually, I’ve fantasized about having you wrap that pretty little mouth around me since you first knocked on my door, but…” He sighed. “I didn’t want you to think I was only in this for me.”

  “I believe you’ve more than proven otherwise, so stop worrying and enjoy.”

  She watched as he settled his shoulders against the tiles, his chest rising harshly as his breathing increased. She looked back at her prize, still amazed by the sheer size of him. If he wasn’t already established as a ghost hunter, lord knows he could double as a porn star.

  “Darling. Thoughts like that aren’t going to help me keep my cool.”

  “Then get out of my head.”

  “Killjoy.”

  She ignored the small huff of protest, knowing he’d keep invading her thoughts until she’d learned how to shield herself. But she didn’t mind. There was something oddly seductive about being able to excite him with only an image in her head.

  She leaned in, inhaling his earthy aroma. He’d obviously already showered, the hint of floral soap still lingering on his skin. She watched as the water beaded on his thighs, hovering for a moment before falling to the floor.

  She moved forward, tasting his skin, licking at the droplets as she rained kisses along his abdomen, skillfully avoiding his straining cock. His hold on her hair tightened, the slight sting only increasing her arousal. She could smell her own scent wafting in the humid air, swirling around them like a sensual cloud.

  “Darling. While I appreciate your dedication to detail, I’m about a heartbeat away from lifting you up and impaling you.”

  “Patience, baby.”

  He growled as she threw his words back at him. Payback was a bitch. She smiled at the thought, knowing he’d heard her, as she finally relented and brushed her tongue across the tip of his cock. His body jerked in response, flaring the thick head as she made another pass, harder than before, her teeth scraping across the sensitive hood. A mumbled moan sounded above the water, the guttural resonance like a caress to her body.

  She squeezed her thighs together, banishing the empty feeling, as she nipped him this time. He grunted her name, holding more of her hair back as she wrapped her lips around the head, and took him slowly to the back of her throat.

  “Fuck. You’re even hotter than I’d imagined.” His hips pressed forward, sinking him slightly deeper. “God, Temperance.”

  She hummed her reply, loving how the small vibrations made his thighs tremble. She retraced her motion, lapping more liquid from the thin slit as she kissed the tip, quickly taking him deep again. His hips pumped this time, matching her movement, fucking her mouth with only a trace of control. She didn’t try to stop him, knowing he was too raw. Though she’d fully intended on teasing him as shamelessly as he’d teased her, she just couldn’t deny the way he gave himself over to her, allowing her to see him at his most vulnerable moment.

  Temperance hollowed her cheeks, keeping the pressure constant as she slid along his length, rubbing her tongue along the thick vein lining his shaft. His voice sounded above her and she knew he was getting close.

  “Okay, darling, you’ve had your fun. Now it’s my turn.”

  She looked up at him, keeping him lodged deep for a moment so he could see every inch of his cock emerge from between her lips as she pulled back, dropping a kiss on the top. “I haven’t finished.”

  His jaw clenched. “While I want nothing more than to come inside those wicked lips of yours, I need to make love to you more.” His gaze locked on hers. “Please.”

  The single word pooled tears in her eyes and she smiled up at him, kissing his shaft one more time before accepting his hand and rising to her feet. Water pelted her skin, the prickling feeling a complete opposite to the smooth glide of his hands across her back. She moved into his embrace, kissing his mouth, tasting the hint of flavored coffee on his tongue.

  Avery slipped his hands beneath her thighs, lifting her up as he pressed her against the wall. She inhaled as the cold tiles shocked her warm skin, but the sensation faded as Avery crushed his body against hers, the hard tip of his shaft probing her entrance.

  Avery’s mouth nuzzled her neck, his lips caressing her earlobe. “I know what you’re thinking, but the position doesn’t dictate whether it’s sex or making love, darling.” He eased away just enough she could focus on his eyes. “It’s who’s involved that determines that. And as far as I’m concerned, it’s never been just sex.”

  The tears she’d battled to keep at bay fell, joined by the drops of water c
ascading down her body. Avery smiled and kissed her cheeks, reclaiming his spot against her neck as he inched his way in, slowly merging his body with hers.

  Her walls convulsed, fighting to adjust to his width as he hilted himself inside, his cock sending wicked tendrils of heat swirling through her sex. She tried to deny the love blossoming in her chest, a part of her still scared it was nothing more than a convenient fling, when he whispered her name, the gravelly sound breaking through her final barriers.

  Temperance pressed her head back, releasing the emotions she’d kept in check, allowing Avery access to a part of her she’d never shared. His breath hissed along her neck, his fingers tightening around her thighs.

  “God, Temperance. Darling.”

  He bit the soft hollow beneath her shoulder, reasserting his claim, as he slowly pulled out his shaft, waiting one agonizing second before thrusting back in, stealing her breath as he lodged himself deep inside.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck, urging him closer, needing to feel every inch of their bodies touching. He complied, rubbing his chest across her nipples, tilting her hips so his pelvis glanced over her clit. Sparks prickled along her skin, blurring her vision as the coil spiraling inside her core spun faster, pulling in on itself in an ever decreasing circle. Her lungs labored to draw enough air as Avery increased the pace, taking her channel in smooth, slick strokes.

  “I love that you’re fighting it, but I won’t last much longer. Come for me, Temperance. Let me feel you shatter in my arms.”

  She broke, his words the last weapon in his seduction.

  “Ah, fuck. Yeah, darling. That’s it.”

  He pounded into her, thrusting and retreating in a blinding haze. His hips collided with hers, his mouth hot and hungry against her skin as he pumped through her release, sending her over again once the first orgasm had started to wane. She screamed his name, the word mixing with the steady beat of the water and the billowing cloud of steam. He kept moving, his entire body flexing in her arms until his muscles clenched tight and he stiffened, his cock pulsing inside her.

  Hot jets of semen splashed against her walls, inflaming her already sensitive tissues. The feel of his release sparked another quivering response, and she buried her head in the crook of his shoulder as she sobbed in his arms, hoping for nothing more than to breathe.

  Avery held her close, his ragged pants matching hers. He didn’t talk, just ran his hand down her hair, smoothing the wet strands back from her face. He smiled when she finally had the nerve to meet his gaze, praying he didn’t think her a complete fool.

  He teased her lips with a feather-light kiss. “Never.”

  She chuckled. “I think you need to show me how to shield, before you spoil every surprise we might have.”

  “Surprises are highly overrated.”

  “Wasn’t I a surprise?”

  “More of an answered prayer.”

  “See? Charming.”

  “Let’s get you washed up and out of here before we run out of warm water, though the prospect of warming you up is intriguing.”

  Temperance batted at his arm, shaking her head. “And impossible.”

  Avery sighed, clenching his jaw as he pulled free of the firm clasp of her pussy, his body immediately missing the intimate contact. Truth was, she had surprised him. He hadn’t expected her to drop her barriers, not completely, and feeling her respond to him on a soul-deep level had been his undoing. He’d tried to stay gentle, to show her his feelings for her weren’t a passing phase. But then she’d opened herself, and he’d lost control, pushing her from one orgasm into another until she’d barely had the strength to hold on. Now she stood inside the circle of his arms, her body trembling, her legs looking as if they might give out at any second. She couldn’t have been more beautiful.

  “Should I carry you to the bed?”

  Her lips quirked ever so slightly. “Only if you plan on picking up where you left off in there.”

  He shook a finger at her. “You are truly wicked.” Then he pulled her tight to his chest, cupping one side of her ass. “Though if given the chance…”

  A blare of music interrupted their embrace and he looked toward the bedroom, his lips turned down in the beginnings of a frown. “Only Blake would be calling my cell today. God, I hope the damn truck didn’t break down.”

  Temperance followed him into the other room, wrapping a towel around her body as she all but collapsed on the bed. He paused when he saw the dark smudges beneath her eyes and how her fatigue hunched her shoulders. While he didn’t mind being the cause of her sleepless night and overabundance of exercise, he didn’t like the thought that he’d kept her from some much-needed rest, especially after all she’d done for him the previous day.

  He sighed. He’d talk with Blake then insist she get some sleep while he got them some food. By the time she woke up, he’d have everything he needed to have a perfectly sinful dinner using her body as his plate.

  The thought sent more blood rushing to his cock, and he cursed as the damn thing thickened. Temperance must have caught him staring because she glanced over him, her eyebrow arching when her gaze slid to his groin. The naughty smile she flashed him almost made him forget about the phone blaring in the background.

  “I’ll deal with that look in a minute, darling. Be certain of it.”

  He grabbed his cell, touching the screen as he answered the call. “Bloody hell, Blake, what’s wrong now? Did a ghost steal one of your toys?”

  A heavy rasp sounded on the other end, sending a cold shiver down his spine. He drew a sharp breath, wishing he’d checked the damn call ID before picking up. “Who is this?”

  Something akin to a scream echoed in the distance, as more breathing grated against his ear. “Avery?”

  He stilled at the disjointed rattle of his name, not sure if he’d actually heard someone speak or if he’d simply wanted to get a response. “Blake?”

  The voice coughed, a gurgling sound that made Avery’s stomach heave. He cupped the phone, feeling Temperance’s arms encircle his waist.

  “It’s Darrin.”

  “Darrin? What the hell’s going on? Where’s Blake, and was that a scream I heard in the background?”

  “I don’t have time to explain, it’s…it’s here. Some…creature. It keeps bellowing your name. Blake said he was calling you for help, but he never returned. Avery, you have to come, this things it’s…no!”

  The line went dead, the eerie silence like a knife in his gut. He pulled the phone away, staring at the screen as if it held the answers. Temperance called his name, but he held up a finger, dialing Blake’s number, cursing when the damn thing went directly to voicemail. Blake never put his phone on voicemail. He loved interfacing with technology too much to miss any opportunity to use it.

  He lowered the phone, cradling it in his hand, not sure whether to try again or toss the useless thing across the room.

  “Avery. Talk to me. Is Blake okay?”

  He shifted his gaze to her face, some of his terror lifting at the compassion staring back at him. He shook his head, darting into the bathroom to grab his clothes, before rushing out. “I don’t know. That was Darrin. He says there’s a creature there, bellowing my name. He can’t find Blake.”

  Her breath caught in her throat as she yanked off the towel and grabbed her pants, shuffling them on almost as quickly as he had. “Do you think it’s the demon?”

  “I don’t know what to think, I mean…hell, does it even know my name?”

  “It knew you had unusual powers…and it said that you were its next target, but…it never called you by name.” She ran a hand through her hair before sitting on the bed and pulling on some socks. “That doesn’t mean it couldn’t find out, I guess. We learned its name.”

  He nodded, not sure what to believe. “But why would it be searching for me? You’re still marked. Wouldn’t it call for you first?”

  “Maybe it knows we’re together, or maybe it heard some of the other investigators ta
lking. Hell, maybe it’s just a fucking demon that has more abilities then we could ever dream of, like being able to drain more than one person’s energy at a time. Maybe these marks won’t fade even if it releases me. I don’t have the answers. I just know that we’re wasting time worrying about what it might be, when we should be thinking about how quickly we can get there.”

  Avery grabbed her shoulders when she stood and tried to move to the door. “Slow down, Temperance. It won’t do anyone any good if we storm out of here without taking the necessary equipment. Let’s just take a deep breath and figure a few things out.”

  “You mean like how you’re going to convince me to stay here and not go to the Myrtles Plantation with you?”

  “How…” He cursed, forcing in a deep breath. Damn, she was good. “Now who’s reading minds?”

  “I don’t have to be psychic to see what’s clearly written on your face.”

  “And I don’t have to be rational about keeping the woman I’ve discovered I’m in love with, safe.”

  “And what about me? Don’t my feelings for you count?”

  He glanced away, hating the pained look in her eyes. Now was not the time for her to confess her love.

  The small press of her fingers on his jaw drew him back. “Avery. I’m not saying I don’t want you to protect my ass. Hell, I’m all for that. But you have to allow me the same privilege. I never thought I’d ever really fall in love, especially with a playboy-media hound like you, but…I have, and I won’t have my feelings trampled because you’re scared. I’m scared, too.” She brushed her thumb across his cheek, giving him a genuine smile. “Now, let’s grab our shit and go save your brother’s adorable ass.”

  He held her firm. “On one condition.”

  She arched a brow.

  “You stop reminding me how hot you think Blake’s ass is. I’d hate to have to kill him after we go through the trouble of saving him.”