She smiled. 'So where was this rat hole?'
'Near the old reservoir.' His voice was distracted as he slid a little further down her body and began to trace the outline of her breasts with a soft fingertip.
'Near where he was hiding in the bushes?'
The look in his eyes set her pulse racing again. 'You don't miss much.'
Neither did he. Especially when it came to getting her aroused. His touch was moving in on her breasts in ever tightening circles, sending goose bumps fleeing excitedly across her skin. 'No.'
It came out breathlessly, and he chuckled—a throaty sound as seductive and as arousing as his touch.
'You may have started this, woman, but I intend to finish it—and a lot more leisurely this time.'
She had no problem at all with that, and normally she would have been right there with him. But there was the situation and the spell to consider as well. 'Stinking like a bonfire? That's not at all seductive, you know.'
His breath was warm on her skin as he dropped a kiss on a nipple. 'Didn't seem to bother you a few moments ago.'
'That's because my sense of smell was still half asleep.'
'So what will it take to get you concentrating on the business at hand?'
'A bath.' She grinned. 'We can share, if you like.'
'I like.' He shifted back up, kissed her fiercely then rolled out of bed. 'I shall go prepare it.'
'And I'll get the soap and the salve for your shoulder.'
'Hah,' he said, as he walked out. 'I knew there was an ulterior motive.'
'Yep. I went to all the trouble of seducing you just so I can tend to your wound.'
'I wouldn't be at all surprised.'
Grinning at the dry edge to his voice, she climbed out of bed and grabbed the second of her packs. The salve for wounds was there, but the soap Camille had given her to help wash the symbols off Michael's skin was gone. She swore softly. When he'd gone through her things, Kinnard must have recognized what it was and stolen it.
'And if you intend treating all my wounds with seduction first,' Michael continued, the sound of running water almost smothering his voice, 'then I might be tempted to get wounded a little more.'
She grabbed the salve, some clothes, a towel and a washcloth, and headed for the bathroom. Steam was beginning to fill the room, and she reached for the small window, intending to open it.
'Don't.' He caught her hand and pulled her close against him. His body was warm and hard against hers, and he was more than ready to play again. She couldn't help smiling. Vampires certainly had great stamina. And, thanks to the fact she now shared his life force, so did she.
'Keep your windows and blinds closed at all times,' he continued softly. 'I don't want Kinnard spying on you.'
She kissed him, then reached passed him, opening the small cabinet above the hand basin. Sitting right beside the toothpaste and toothbrush was a cake of soap. She grabbed it and tossed it into the water. It was better than nothing. 'If you don't turn it off soon, that water is going to overflow.'
'The water has bad timing.' He turned off the water and stepped into the bath. 'What about your wound?'
'It wasn't bad, and I heal fast.' She unwound the bandage, and shifted her leg so he could see there was little more than a pink scar on her thigh.
'Unusually fast,' he commented and offered her a hand. 'Coming in?'
She tossed the washcloth into the water, placed her fingers in his and stepped in carefully. The water was almost too hot. She eased down, sighing softly as the water lapped at her breasts and began to relax her muscles.
He pulled her back against him, then grabbed the soap and began washing her breasts and belly. When she could stand the tortuous pleasure no more, she grabbed the soap and cloth from him and turned around.
'Your turn,' she said, and made a swiveling motion with her fingers. 'Back first.'
The black markings on his back were thick and ugly, and more intricate than what she'd been told to expect. And the wound on his shoulder was red and angry looking. She took care of that first, easing away the scab, washing away the infection. Though he didn't say anything, he flinched a number of times, indicating the wound was sorer than he'd admitted. Once both ends of the wound were clean, she began working on his back, carefully scrubbing at the drawings.
He didn't give her long enough, though. Maybe it was the spell protecting itself and forcing him to move out of her reach, or maybe it was just desire. Either way, he turned around and took the soap from her, putting it on the edge of the bath. Then he grabbed her legs and slid her forward until she was sitting between his thighs.
She wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. 'This is nice,' she said with a grin.
'Not as nice as this,' he murmured, placing his hands against her butt and pushing her forward just a little more.
The heat of him slipped deep inside, and from that moment on, there was no more talk. He loved her long, stroking deep as he caressed and nipped and kissed. The pressure began to build low in her stomach, fanning through the rest of her in waves as warm as the bath water, until it become a molten force that flowed across her skin. It was a heat far warmer than the turbulent water, a heat that made her tremble, twitch and groan.
His breathing became harsh, his tempo more urgent. His fierceness pushed into her, into that place where only sensation existed, and then he pushed her beyond it.
He came with her, his lips capturing hers, kissing her urgently as his warmth spilled into her and his body went rigid against hers.
For a moment, neither of them moved. Then he sighed and kissed her neck. 'Ah, Nikki,' he murmured.
'Eternity may come and go, but I will never be able get enough of you.
She froze, holding on tight to the elation that wanted to race through her soul. 'What did you just say?'
Even as she asked the question, energy stirred, tingling across her skin where they still touched. The spell enforcing itself once more. Obviously, Dunleavy had set the spell to react to certain words, and maybe even certain thoughts.
He pulled back, blinking slightly. 'As much as I am enjoying myself, I am here to catch a killer. I really should be going.'
Damn, damn, damn . 'Not until I put some salve on that wound.'
'I'm a vampire. It'll heal.' He climbed out of the bath and grabbed a towel.
'That wound was caused by silver. The salve will help with the infection the silver caused.'
'And how would you know the wound was caused by silver?'
She followed him out of the water and began drying herself. 'I'm a witch. We know these things.'
He cupped a hand to her cheek, his fingers warm against her skin. 'You're a witch all right. I'm just not sure you're the kind that performs real magic.'
She turned her face, pressing a kiss into his palm. 'No?'
'No,' he agreed softly. 'Though I'm tempted to think there's something close to magic happening between us.'
'That's not magic. That's something far stronger.'
He raised an eyebrow. 'And what might that be?'
'Love.'
'Love?' A smile touched his lips. 'Woman, I barely even know you.'
'You've known me far longer than you think. And why can't you remember my name?'
He frowned, and dropped his hand. 'I told you, it doesn't sound right.'
'It sounds a hell of a lot better than being called woman all the time.'
'This conversation is getting ridiculous. And I have a killer to hunt down before the sun gets too high.'
He began to dress.
She snatched up her shirt. ' Wehave a killer to hunt, you mean.'
'You cannot—' 'I will not be left behind.' She thrust her hands on her hips and glared at him. And damn if it didn't feel like old times. 'No matter what you do or say, I'm going, so quit arguing and just accept the fact.'
Something flashed in his eyes. Anger perhaps. Or maybe even recognition. They'd certainly had this
