'I made a promise, too, Michael. I told the flame imps I would try to stop Cordell. I don't intend to back away from that promise now.'
'I'll fulfill your promise. This is what I do for a living. This is exactly what I don't want you involved in.'
'I was involved in this case before you came to see me in the office. I have to see the end of it—for
Jake, for Matthew, and for MacEwan.'
The trembling was growing, becoming a tide threatening to overload her senses. She rubbed harder, heard his response—a quick, sharp gasp. Could feel him quivering and knew he was battling for control.
'Matthew's dead,' he somehow ground out. 'And Rachel's receiving the help she needs. Your part in this has ended. Go home. Be safe.'
'I'm safe when you're safe, and I can't…' hold off any more. The tide washed over her. She gasped, grabbing his shoulders as the shuddering took hold. Needing him inside, she shifted, capturing him, thrusting him deep. Then she rode him fast and hard, until his tremors finally eased and they both were spent.
She leaned her cheek against his chest and sighed deeply. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her in place. Holding himself inside her. It felt good. Safe.
Which she knew they weren't.
After a while, he brushed a kiss across the top of her head. 'Whatever am I going to do with you?'
'Make love to me like that every day, and you're halfway to making me a very happy woman.'
His smile was something she felt deep inside. 'And what would it take to make you wholly happy?'
'Coffee. Lots of it. Preferably fed intravenously.'
His laughter rumbled through his chest, tickling her cheek. 'For someone in such desperate need of coffee, you didn't seem to drink a lot of it this morning.'
'I had other things on my mind.' She pushed upwards far enough to see his face. 'So what's our next move?'
He brushed the hair from her eyes, his face concerned. 'There's nothing I can say to make you go?'
She wrapped her arms around his neck and stared into his beautiful eyes. The sheer depth of love and understanding she saw there chased a shiver through her soul.
'No,' she said softly. 'And don't think you can force me—telepathically or physically. I'll fight you, with all my heart and all my energy. Neither of us can afford such a battle, with Cordell and Elizabeth so close.'
'It wouldn't be wise,' he agreed.
His hands cupped her rear, pulling her a little closer. Amazingly, she felt him stir deep inside. 'Good lord, are you kidding? Does becoming a vampire also give you an amazing rate of recovery after sex?'
He kissed her, his mouth gently demanding. 'No,' he said, after a while. 'The touch of a good woman does that.'
'Smooth, real smooth,' she said, laughing against his lips. 'What about Cordell and Elizabeth?'
'We can't do anything until Cordell is asleep. He's not that old in vampire years, so he will have no choice but to slumber. If we wait until noon, we should at least be safe from him.'
But not safe from Elizabeth, she suspected. Still, confronting them one at a time seemed a hell of a lot more sensible that confronting both of them together. 'We really should try to find Rodeman, as well.'
'Yes. Most of the other men who disappeared were gone a good week before they were found.
Rodeman only disappeared yesterday. Hopefully, Cordell hasn't had the time to fully begin work on him.'
'Sounds like a plan to me.' She grinned slightly. 'So what do you suggest we do in the meantime?
Partake in a wildflower tour? Go see some wildlife?'
His reply was little more than a growl. 'The only wildlife I'm currently interested in is the one sitting so snugly on my lap.'
He pressed his hands more firmly against her rear, then rose. She gasped slightly and wrapped her legs around his waist.
'Besides,' he added, his lustful look melting her insides. 'We are supposed to be newlyweds. The staff will suspect something is wrong if we get up too early.'
'Heaven forbid we do anything to destroy our cover,' she murmured. Even though little more than ten minutes had passed, she so desperately wanted him to touch her again—something she had never thought possible so soon after such fulfillment. 'I guess you'd better do the husbandly thing, then.'
'I guess I'd better.' He took her over to the bed and made her boneless again.
Nikki checked her flashlight. Water fogged the glass, but the light itself worked. Which was good.
Something told her this time she would need it.
She slipped it into her pocket then walked over to the table. Michael was unwrapping a small parcel.
'What's that?'
'Present from Seline.' He tore open the box and held up two braided rope bracelets. 'Charms to stop
Cordell doing to us what he did to Rachel and Ginger.'
He slipped one over her hand and pushed it up her arm so that even if she pushed up the sleeves of her cotton sweater, it wouldn't be seen. It felt like silk against her skin, despite the harsh look of the interwoven red, brown and gold cord. 'How is rope supposed to stop him?'
He slid the second charm up his arm until it was hidden under the sleeve of his shirt, then shrugged. 'I don't question her magic, I just let it protect me. And it always has.'
'Cool.' She'd have to meet this Seline one day. She sounded like an incredible woman. 'Which entrance are we using into the caverns?'
'I think they'd be watching the one we used last night. We'll have to risk the office entrance.'
She frowned. 'But that's alarmed.'
'Yes. I'll have to dismantle it first. But I also want to go past Cordell's office and act like we're going to break into it.' He ushered her toward the door.
She frowned. 'But his office is sure to be monitored.'
'Exactly. And it'll provide a nice distraction if he is still up and around.' He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, drawing her close as they strolled down the hall. 'See those security cameras?'
She glanced up. Little black boxes were evenly spaced along the ceiling. She hadn't even noticed them until now. 'What about them?'
'I want you to kinetically take out all the ones near Cordell's office.'
She frowned. 'Won't that bring security running?'
'Yes. When we get near his office, I want you to bust open his door. There'll be some sort of sensor in the frame—take that out, too.'
She raised an eyebrow. 'And maybe take out a computer or two as well? Give him something extra to worry about?'
He squeezed her shoulders. 'The more worried he is, the better it is for us.'
They were nearing Cordell's office. She looked up. Four cameras were trained on his door. The guy was definitely a nut case. Why would anyone in their right mind think they needed four cameras and an alarmed door? His office wasn't Fort Knox, for Christ's sake.
She shook her head and reached for kinetic energy. Glancing at the first camera, she ripped it sideways.
Plaster flew in a cloud, raining down on a couple coming the other way. The woman screamed and jumped backwards, her eyes wide as she stared up at the ceiling. Nikki quickly repeated the process, until all four cameras swung limply from their wiring.
She glanced at it sideways and pushed hard. The door flew off its hinges and smashed into two computers at the far end of the office. Sparks and glass flew everywhere. There was wiring running along one edge of the door frame. She ripped it free, tossing the strands back into the room with the door.
Men in blue suits came running from all directions. Power surged, burning her skin and spreading like a wave through the corridor. The other couple were grabbed by security, but no one came near them. It was as if they didn't exist.
She glanced at Michael. Maybe they didn't.
