relaxed, she went wild in his arms. She came alive, plunging her tongue into his mouth, moaning her demands, fisting her hands in his hair and fueling his own response.
The air around them sizzled and that sizzle simmered in his blood. Her body pressed to his, her lithe curves a perfect fit. He'd gladly sprint to his death if only to die with her taste in his mouth. He reveled in her flavor, sweet and guileless, like the purest ocean, and unlike any female he'd ever tasted.
With a groan, he gripped her by the waist, clenching the fabric of her sheer gown in his hands. He settled her on top of him. He didn't care if cameras watched them. He didn't care that she was wrong for him. His need for her was too great. He deepened the kiss, exploring more of her mouth, running his tongue over her teeth. He allowed his fingers to trace a path down her spine, allowed them to cup her bottom and anchor her snugly against his growing erection.
She gasped his name, and the moment she did, she seemed to snap out of her haste. She tore her face from him. Their gazes locked, all hot and needy; their ragged exhalations blended. He fought the urge to tug her back down.
'Alex?' she said on a fragile catch of breath.
His hands shook as he smoothed pale strands of hair out of her face. 'Yes, Teira.' God, yes. His voice sounded slow and slurred, yet it had nothing to do with drugs and everything to do with the woman in his arms. His need for her surpassed any he'd ever known.
She caught her bottom lip between her teeth, and he watched as its plumpness tugged free. His shaft jerked in response. Then she leaned down, placing her lips next to his ear. 'I can take us to freedom.'
He paused, absorbing her words. 'How?' he whispered fiercely, his arms tightening around her.
The corners of her lips turned up in a wry grin. 'I stole a medallion.'
Alex's smile matched hers. He laughed. They just might be able to escape. Which meant he could feed this woman real food-then spend the next few days with her in bed.
CHAPTER 14
Darius gazed at the sights around him.
Buildings towered as far as the eye could see, stretching toward the skyline-a skyline that was wide and open, cloudy, not filled with crystal and water. Colors, so many colors. They glowed from signs; they blurred together as masses of people strode past him. Even the sun shone brightly of yellow, orange and gold. What struck him most of all, however, was the multitude of scents that intermingled and cloyed the air.
The overload to his senses was strangely welcoming.
This place did not offer the lush, green foliage of his home, yet New York was beguiling and lovely in its own right. A place that called out to the beast within him-just as Grace did.
When this was over, he would-No, he could not think that way. He could not allow himself to envision Grace in his future. He must finish this.
Some of his men were surrounding Javar's palace, preventing the humans from spreading their violence further. Still… his fists clenched. The fact that they lived offended him.
And he did not like to be offended.
Beside him, Grace skirted around a table overflowing with photos. 'We'll be there soon,' she said, glancing up at him. 'Are you okay? You look pale.'
She had changed into new clothing after her bath. She looked edible. Pale blue pants clung to her legs and a sea-green shirt molded itself to her breasts. She was like an ocean wave, utterly captivating. He could have drowned in her and died happy. 'Do not concern yourself with me.'
'You could whisk us to Argonauts and save us the walk,' she said. 'I'm anxious to question them again.'
Darius, too, was anxious to question them, but he couldn't whisk about in this city. To do so, he had to visualize his target. He knew nothing of this area, he thought, letting his gaze scan. A trickle of sweat dripped into his eyes, and he wiped it away.
The sun continued to beat down upon him, growing hotter with every step he took. Usually his body embraced heat. Now he fought a deepening lassitude. He stumbled when his foot caught on a rock. One corner of his lips lifted in a scowl as he steadied himself. He despised frailty of any kind, especially his own.
'You're not okay,' Grace said, her concern more concentrated. She clasped his arm and tried to pull him aside.
He shook off her hold and kept walking in the direction she'd given him earlier. A woman's concern was not something he knew how to deal with. This woman's concern was something he couldn't deal with.
I'm going to bed and kill you before I leave , he almost shouted. Don't waste what's left of your life caring for me .
Scowl solidifying, he stepped out onto the street. He wanted his peaceful, emotionless existence back. No more of this I-want-her I-can't-hurt-her nonsense.
No more!
Pain suddenly flashed through his head. A pain more intense than anything he'd ever experienced. He doubled over with it, cursing the gods all the while.
'Darius!' Grace shouted, grabbing him by the arm and jerking him toward her. 'Look out.'
A honk sounded. A whiz. Cars swerved out of the way.
Fear halted Grace's heartbeat as a taxi nearly clipped Darius's side. The organ kicked back into gear only when she had ushered him to the safety of the sidewalk. Along the way, she accidentally bumped into a young woman headed in the opposite direction. 'I'm sorry,' she said, jumping out of the way to avoid the coffee spilling from the girl's cup.
'Watch where you're going,' the girl fumed, never actually slowing.
'Darius, talk to me. Tell me what's wrong.' Too afraid to release him, she clenched his hand and faced him. 'We're not moving from this spot until you do.'
'My time here is running out,' he said.
She studied him. His sculpted features were taut, his lips tight, and the fine lines around his eyes strained. 'You've said that before. What happens if you stay too long?'
He shrugged. One minute ticked into another, but he didn't move. Didn't speak. Didn't acknowledge her again in any other way. He simply watched as men, women and children continued to skip past them, some talking and laughing. Some arguing.
Maybe he thought she would use the knowledge against him. She didn't know, but was determined to help him. 'Look at me, Darius. Please look at me.'
His gaze descended gradually, falling from the building tops, to the neon signs, and finally to her. When their gazes connected, her jaw dropped slightly. As she looked at him, she saw many things. Heart wrenching things. She saw pain in his eyes, as well as traces of guilt and sadness. And, beneath it all, was the slightest glimmer of… hopelessness?
'When we returned from the cave,' she said, 'you were weak and pale, but after you drank the lemonade you felt better. If you'll wait here, I'll buy you something to eat.'
The guilt in his eyes increased, and she wondered at its origin. But he nodded slowly, and her concern for him overrode everything else. 'I will wait,' he said.
She raced inside the bakery. Fresh ground coffee beans, with a hint of vanilla, and a mouthwatering array of muffins fragranced the air. She claimed a place in line. When her turn arrived, she ordered a bottled water and raisin granola bar for herself. For Darius, she ordered a sinfully rich chocolate éclair and espresso.
With sack and beverages in hand, she rejoined Darius. He hadn't moved from the spot where she'd left him, and he was still too pale.
'Here,' she said, handing him the éclair and coffee. Her gaze lingered lovingly on the chocolate. How long since she'd had such a treat? Too long. She and Alex used to spend their allowance on box after box of éclairs. They'd eat as many as their stomachs could hold, and sometimes more.
She blinked away the memory, her determination to find him growing.
