Kitabı oku: «The Enemy's Kiss», sayfa 2

Nicholas sighed. “I will be the one to tell him.” He sauntered back toward the hole in the skylight and peered up into it.

His eyes narrowed. The space was only large enough for a very slender form to pass through. He would’ve made mention of it, but a faint scent passed into his nostrils. He paused—it was barely present, a soft wisp of something pleasant.

Marius looked at him. “What is it?” he asked.

“There is a fragrance on the air.”

Marius inhaled softly. “I smell nothing.”

Nicholas realized that he was again tapping into the abilities he’d possessed as a gargoyle. He found it odd that Marius was unable to do the same.

“The air is laced with it,” he told him as he inhaled deeply.

Marius followed. “What does it smell like?”

Nicholas was silent for a moment then he turned to face his brother. “Like roses.”

Chapter 2

Drakon Castle, Romania

Nicholas flexed the thick and aching muscles of his neck. Obscured within the shadows of the large dining hall of his family’s estate, he waited. He’d been pacing the darkness as he’d contemplated all the possible motives for what had occurred, when a noise had alerted him. Silently, he’d made his way down the hall, slipping an eighteenth-century rapier from the wall in the process.

He’d arrived in Romania earlier that day and had relayed the incident of the stolen rune stone to his father. As expected, Lord Victor hadn’t taken the news well, and he’d summoned the elders of their clan to discuss the matter.

As Nicholas neared the main dining hall the scraping noise grew louder. He slipped within the shadows cast by the massive hearth whose jaws gaped with only slivers of a dying flame. From somewhere in the mansion a grandfather clock chorused the midnight hour. His eyes riveted to one of the tall rear windows and one thought invaded his mind—the Midnight Bandit had come to find the second rune.

A soft popping sound ensued and the window creaked open, the heavy drapes lifting as a gust of wind reached in to caress them. His muscles tensed. It had been a long time since he’d last had the privilege to engage in a worthwhile fight, and thus, he welcomed the inevitable confrontation with eagerness. He only hoped that his opponent was up to the challenge.

One black boot then another swung in through the opening. Nicholas would’ve advanced, but paused as two slender calves encased within skintight leather slipped in. Shapely thighs and hips followed. Dressed in a black, fitted shirt, leather pants and a mask, the figure landed in a silent crouch on the floor. His eyes narrowed on his new adversary. It seemed his assumption had been correct; the Midnight Bandit was female.

With feline grace, she crawled another few feet and she shot an assessing look about the room.

Nicholas remained as he was; still and without breath. He watched as she stood and began to saunter across the floor. She even took a moment to admire the room’s heavy oak table before advancing. Her figure was completely outlined as she moved past the dull glow of the hearth.

Nicholas’s gaze trailed the length of her as she drew nearer; lean and fit with full breasts and a slender waist. Her stride was bold and confident, that of one who had nothing to fear. It was obvious that she had no knowledge of the territory she’d chosen to invade.

He eased from the shadows then. “Five hundred years ago your crimes would have been punishable by death,” he said.

Her attention snapped to him and a look of surprise crossed her eyes but she quickly regained her composure.

“I guess that makes me fortunate to be living in the present, doesn’t it?”

One of Nicholas’s dark brows peaked slightly at her sharp retort. “You would be wise to return the Rune of Moloch to me and save yourself the unnecessary grief.”

Silence lapsed between them as she watched him. It was short-lived. “I have no intention of returning anything to you,” she said. “In fact, I intend to walk out of here with the second one.”

His eyes narrowed on her. A confrontation he’d anticipated, a fight he’d hoped for, but he hadn’t expected this: a recalcitrant hoyden whose tongue was sharper than the blade he held.

“And I intend to stop you.”

“It seems we have a conflict of interest.” She quickly slid one of the brass fire pokers from its rack and took a defensive martial arts stance.

“So it seems.” With fluid grace he raised his own weapon just in time to block her attack. Metal met metal in a deafening clash that initiated a fierce waltz. Her speed and agility both surprised and impressed him. She moved with the apparent effortlessness of one well schooled in the art. He found himself wondering who she was. The world had softened and its warriors had abandoned the ancient arts of physical combat. She was a rarity indeed.

She attacked again, slicing upward. Nicholas jumped backward, but not before the sharp point of the fire poker slipped up along the front of his billowed shirt. The material fell apart, gaping to reveal his midsection.

“If you intend to stop me you’d better try harder than that,” she said with a smirk in her voice.

Nicholas gripped his shirt and tore it from his body. If she wanted a fight she was going to get one. He charged forward, but she evaded his attack with a graceful backward flip. It seemed the bandit was also an accomplished gymnast.

She returned the favor with an attack of her own, swinging her weapon in a manner that would’ve disabled a man of lesser skill. But he was prepared for her this time. He evaded her assault and gripped the top of her ninja-style mask, stripping it from her head.

A wealth of inky tendrils fell about her face and shoulders like a cloud of hell-fire smoke. Eyes of the same haunting hue locked with his as she eased back a step.

Nicholas stared, his gaze unabashed and lustful, for the creature before him was more than beautiful. She was exotic and striking, an apparition of complete and utter perfection. Desire ignited within him. He’d never met a woman whose skill rivaled her beauty.

“Who are you?” he asked quietly.

For a moment he thought he would gain no response, and then she spoke. “Does it matter?”

He was given no time to respond for she came at him again, brandishing her weapon in a way that would’ve made her teacher proud. Nicholas matched her speed, but was careful to only block her attack. Although he relished the throes of battle, he didn’t believe in harming those weaker than himself. And this little delinquent, although well trained, was no match for his five centuries of ruthless grooming.

He ducked an attack then swept a foot beneath her. His sudden move was unexpected and she lost her balance, coming to land flat on her back. Nicholas marched toward her and quickly kicked the fire poker aside. She moved to sit up, but he crouched above her and placed a firm hand against her chest.

He watched her in the dim lighting. She lay still, her breathing coming in quick gasps. His gaze trailed her body, moving along the ripe curves of her breasts, down her flat abdomen to the tight and very suggestive molding of her pants. He found himself wondering what sort of undergarments, if any at all, could be worn beneath the skintight attire. A low groan escaped him and he was abruptly reminded of how long it had been since he’d last had a woman; nearly two days now. He was ravenous.

Daniela fought to catch her breath as she gazed up at the tall figure towering above her. Two days after the heist of the Rune of Moloch, she’d received word from Mai that the same buyer wanted an artifact that was identical to the first. He had only the assumption that the rune was hidden within Drakon Castle, which meant she was left with the daunting task of trying to locate it. But he was paying double; a fair enough arrangement in her books. She’d immediately left for Romania, leaving her sister Elaina, who was now fifteen, under Mai’s supervision.

She’d been waiting outside the castle for hours. She’d deduced that only one person was at the residence, and when all the lights had dimmed, she’d made her move. She hadn’t expected to find one of the Drakon brothers waiting for her in the darkness—and with a sword.

She’d played it off well and kept her cool, but even now her heart, along with her mind, raced. She’d never been caught before, and at this point the possibility of an escape seemed nonexistent. Time and time again she’d promised herself to give up stealing, but it was the only way of life she knew. Now it was too late. It seemed her rope had just come to an abrupt end.

The man responsible stood above her for what seemed an eternity, his transfixing green eyes piercing into her. Finally, he spoke.

“Where is the Rune of Moloch?” It was an unmistakable command.

Daniela, however, was determined not to convey exactly what she was feeling. “Sold by now, I would imagine.” She was also making a valiant effort to keep her eyes from flitting along the broad expanse of his well-muscled torso.

“Sold to whom?” he asked, his gaze unrelenting.

Daniela stared back. Did he honestly think she would just tell him what he wanted to know? She was already going to be imprisoned for her crimes. The last thing she needed was to have her name out on the street as the one who spilled her guts. She didn’t know the identity of the buyer, but the men who’d collected the item weren’t exactly prize citizens. They were the scourge of the criminal world, and she didn’t want to find out just how dirty they could get. If he wanted answers he was going to have to find them himself.

It seemed he read her stubborn resolve, for in a swift movement he sheathed his sword and reached down, pulling her to her feet.

“You will tell me what I wish to know and you will do so now,” he said as he spun her to face the wall.

With her hands pressed against the cool stone, Daniela steeled herself to remain still as he begun stripping her of her weapons and gadgets. “Why should I waste my time? The way I see it, I’ve got nothing left to lose.”

She could feel the intense heat of his powerful form as he reached around her to slip her phone from her waistband.

“Nay, girl,” his deep voice vibrated throughout her body and his warm breath invaded her ear. “There is much you have yet to lose.”

A large hand moved slowly up along the ripe curve of her hip as he felt the pockets there. Daniela clenched her teeth. She knew that it was more than obvious that she carried nothing there. The material was, after all, like a second skin.

His hand glided higher, up her slender waist and to her chest. She struck the offending member away. “I have nothing hidden there,” she gritted out.

Something resembling a snicker reverberated within his chest. “One can never tell with you women.” He braced an arm above her head and leaned over her. “You may begin your recount,” he told her.

Daniela cast him a brief look over her shoulder. She didn’t know what was worse, his pompous attitude or the scorching heat that was passing through the entire length of her back. She was determined to appear impassive. Her effort might’ve worked too, had he not turned on her cell phone.

The device chimed softly as the light flickered on. His attention was drawn to the image on the screen and she found that she was suddenly embarrassed. She’d uploaded the image a few days ago; it was of her and her sister at the orphanage’s Easter party.

He hovered above her, quiet and contemplative. Daniela lowered her forehead against the cool wall. She certainly wasn’t proud of the life she’d chosen to continue, especially when so many looked up to her. She didn’t know how she would ever face them all if she went to jail for burglary.

He snapped her phone off and slipped it into his pocket. “You can take your chances with me or with the authorities,” he told her, his tone incomprehensible.

Daniela knew within herself that there was nothing to consider. If she continued to resist he would call the police and have her arrested. But if she went along with him she could gain enough time to execute an escape.

“Fine,” she agreed. “What do you want to know?”

His free hand moved to the exposed skin between her fitted shirt and low-rise pants. Calloused fingers traced slowly along her skin. “Who are you employed under?”

Fighting the tingling sensation that was fast spreading from the spot where his fingers played, Daniela rationed the air within her lungs. “I work for no one.”

His fingers paused on her hip. “Then what compels you to steal?”

“Money, what else? I have responsibilities.”

His fingers began to move again, this time outlining the edge of her leather pants. “That is hardly an excuse.”

Her eyes narrowed and she bit down hard on her retort. What did he know of responsibilities? Born into such a wealthy family he’d no doubt had everything given to him. She despised his kind.

“Who have you sold the Rune to? And did he hire you to steal the second?” His finger encountered her slinky thong and he looped a finger into one of the straps, pulling it further to the surface.

She inhaled slowly. She wondered how he’d managed to assume that she’d taken the missing rune stone. She’d been careful to cover her tracks. Her heart began to race again. She wasn’t sure if it was due to the uncanny fact that this man knew far too much about her activities or to the warm sensations he was stirring within her.

When she provided no response, he looped his finger within the strap of her thong a second time, tightening the undergarment. “Answer me, girl.”

“I don’t know him,” she managed. “But yes, he wants the second rune.”

His deep groan echoed within his chest as he acknowledged her admission. “Now I will ask you again, who is this buyer? You steal upon his request. You must know something of him.”

“I’ve never seen him,” she breathed. “I only steal the items and they tell me where to make the drop-offs,” she blurted.

“Where?”

“About thirty minutes from here is an old monastery. I’m expected to deliver the second rune there tomorrow night.”

“You will take me there now.”

She tossed him a look over her shoulder, her brows drawn in a frown. “I don’t have the rune and there’s no way I’m going there without it.”

“You will lead me to this location, but not under the pretense of delivering the rune,” he told her. “I wish to see this drop-off point that you speak of.”

“I don’t think so,” she shook her head. “You don’t get it, do you? This isn’t some game of cops and robbers. These men will kill me if they even suspect that I’ve betrayed them.”

He leaned in closer, the heat of his body searing a hole through the clothes at her back. “There you are wrong. This is a game—one that you initiated and one you will see to its end.” He spoke evenly, but it was clear that he would abide no objections.

Daniela remained silent for a moment, definitely not liking the way things were progressing. Going to any drop-off unannounced and empty-handed was risky. She wouldn’t only be placing herself in danger, but also those closest to her. She knew all too well the kind of people she did business with. They were a dangerous group and were loyal only to the highest bidder. And when they were crossed they stopped at nothing, cutting down everything and anything in their paths until they got what they wanted. She would never forgive herself if anything ever happened to the people she loved.

Yet there was no way she was going to jail either. All in all, she had no easy way out of this. She would continue to go along with whatever he asked until she could make a run for it.

Daniela’s head fell against the cool stone wall and she sighed in resignation. “Fine, I’ll take you there.”

A deep groan rumbled within his chest as he acknowledged her acquiescence. It passed through her rib cage and slid up her spine. At that moment he slipped his finger from the binds of her thong and the strap retracted with a snap.

The heat of his body left her as he stepped back. Slowly, she turned to face him. He stepped to one side and motioned for her to lead the way out of the room, his eyes daring her to try something. Reluctantly, Daniela moved forward. Her heart was drumming. She steeled herself to remain calm, but something told her that this was going to be a very long night.

Chapter 3

Daniela pulled the motorcycle helmet off and exhaled a slow breath as she freed her hair. The ride to the drop-off point had been more than uncomfortable since she’d been forced to sit astride the sleek black motorcycle behind her captor. She’d been careful to avoid as much physical contact as possible, but with less than an inch between them that had proven to be an impossible task.

She slid from the rear of the motorcycle and turned her attention to the lights that could be seen flickering several yards beyond the trees. They were from the Branch-ovan Monastery. She’d scouted it earlier in the day, yet the ghastly structure still sent shivers coursing down her spine. Nestled at the base of a sloping hill, it was surrounded by a forest on one side and the lifeless expanse of a shadowy lake on the other. Centuries ago it had been a place of holy devotion, and now it served as a storage facility and exchange point for stolen goods.

Within the shrouding darkness of the trees, her captor’s silhouette appeared at her side. Nicholas, he’d said his name was. She’d given him her name, not that it mattered anyway. He’d returned the majority of her possessions to her, but kept her cell phone and she was certain his intent was to learn her true identity.

Ignoring the odd fluttering at the pit of her stomach as he drew nearer, she put on her night-vision binoculars. Several of the monastery’s windows were illuminated and she could see several men inside, stacking and moving crates around.

“I don’t know how you think you’re going to get in there. The place is crawling with security,” she told him.

Nicholas eased a branch aside and fixed his attention to the structure below. “By the design I feel safe to assume that it is more than several hundred years old. It was considered essential to have an alternate and hidden point of access as no one was exempt from the savage sieges that had plagued the land. Not even those of the cloth.” He let the branch fall back into place. “Come, we will find another entrance.”

Daniela fixed him with a questioning look. “We? I never agreed to go down there with you.”

His gaze fell over her. “You agreed to take me to the place you were instructed to deliver the rune.”

“And I did. Why do you think we’re here? For sightseeing?”

The delay in his response lingered a moment longer than it should have; with the darkness to obscure the emotion on his face, she wondered if she was crossing the line of his good graces.

“Should I so readily accept the words of a thief? One whom I found stealing her way into my family’s home?” He moved closer, swallowing any space between them. “We are going into the monastery. Please do not mistake this for a request.”

Daniela’s eyes narrowed on him as she fought the retort that was fast climbing within her throat. He towered above her, his face partially illuminated by a slanted bar of light that had stolen access through the trees. Emerald eyes flashed. He looked dangerous. Not one to be crossed.

Without waiting for her response, he moved toward his motorcycle and removed the keys then the huge crossbow that was strapped to one side. He stalked past her to begin the descent down the steep hill. Daniela glared after him, her temper mounting. Had she known he expected her to accompany him on whatever insane mission he had planned, she would’ve attempted an escape long before now. But it was too late. They were miles away from anything and with no vehicle at her disposal any such move would be foolish. She was here and would have to comply with his wishes. Reluctantly, she sighed and kept to the cover of the trees as she followed him.

It wasn’t long before they reached the back of the monastery. Surrounded by tall and ancient trees that yawned into the night and shrouded the towering walls, it was no less welcoming. The scent of earth, moist and decaying, hung about them. Daniela inhaled a shaky breath and blamed the racing of her heart on the steady pace of her descent.

Nicholas stood a few feet from her, his eyes combing the base of the wall as if they could penetrate the heavy shadows. He bent and brushed the leaves from a spot on the ground before scooping up a handful of soil.

“The land here is low,” he spoke quietly. “If there is a passage beneath the monastery it would no doubt be saturated by the lake.” He discarded the soil and moved to another spot.

Daniela watched with curiosity as he repeated this again. Despite herself, she couldn’t help but admire the easy grace with which he moved. Their confrontation was still burned within her mind and she found herself wondering where he’d acquired his skills. Of course he was of noble birth—that would explain his swordsmanship. There was no training money couldn’t buy, but there was something more about him that made her curious; something that hinted to a deviant or less than normal lifestyle. Whatever it was, she was certain it wasn’t done out of need. It was obvious that Nicholas Drakon hadn’t needed anything in his entire life, except maybe a good timeout.

“Here,” he said and beckoned her to him. “The soil is overly damp. There must be a passage that runs to the other side.”

Daniela knelt and tested the soil for herself. He was right. The soil was nearly mud. Even the leaves that were strewn above it left moisture on her fingertips.

He stood and headed toward the towering wall of the monastery. Daniela followed and watched as he began pulling aside the entanglement of vines and bushes that grew along the wall. She reached into her boot and pulled out a flashlight. As she approached him she heard the sound of decayed wood ripping away.

She switched on the light to aid him. With one heavy boot braced against the wall, he was ripping a hole through the planks of rotten wood that had been nailed to the structure. Beyond them she could see the entrance of a dark passage. Stale air poured out and the trickling sound of water could be heard.

Nicholas turned to face her. “This passage should take us inside.”

“I need a weapon,” she told him. When he only stared at her she continued. “If something happens in there I want to at least be able to defend myself.”

Nicholas watched her for a moment longer then slipped an item from his back pocket. He tossed it to her. Daniela caught it without effort then pinned him with an incredulous look.

“What the hell am I supposed to do with this?” she asked.

The pocket knife he’d given her was lovely with a silver handle that had been carved with various Celtic symbols. However, it was no more than four inches long.

What appeared to be humor crossed his face. “It is a weapon, is it not?”

Her attention moved to the large crossbow he’d just stripped from his back. “Looks more like a Christmas ornament,” she commented with sarcasm. “I can’t defend myself with this.”

He laughed then; a low, deep and very sensuous sound. He sauntered toward her and slipped the flashlight from her fingers. “Then you are just going to have to trust me to do it for you.”

Daniela could only stare at him. He certainly was a beautiful man. It was a pity he didn’t have a personality to match. She must’ve lingered too long without a response for he jerked his head toward the entrance.

With every effort to maintain a calm disposition, she moved and ducked into the passageway.

The small flashlight cast its light about the tunnel, revealing a gravel floor and concave brick walls that were laden with moss. A path of water lined the center of the ground beneath them, no doubt the seepage from the river.

In silence they walked for a few minutes. Daniela listened intently for any noise that would indicate they’d somehow been discovered. Her heart drummed within her chest as they advanced deeper into the shadows. If she got out of this one unscathed she was quitting her thieving ways for sure.

Nicholas paused and Daniela realized that the passage had narrowed to a crawl space that was a few feet off the ground. He angled the light and peered in. “This is the only way in,” he told her.

Daniela eyed the passage. They would have to crawl through, and the last thing she wanted was to be bent over in front of him. “And I suppose you expect me to go in first?”

A flash of humor registered in his eyes. “I do not trust you at my back so I would have it no other way.” He offered her a hand.

With an exasperated sigh she ignored him and gripped the edge of the passage, pulling herself up and inside. Kneeling, she turned and slipped her flashlight from his hand, glaring at him. The light revealed that the passage went on for at least another twenty feet. What lay beyond that she couldn’t tell.

A soft noise behind her told Daniela that Nicholas had joined her in the passage. His huge frame seemed to fill the entire space and she suddenly felt like a caged animal. She’d never been prone to claustrophobia, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to breathe. Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she focused on the path ahead and began to crawl forward.

They’d only gone a moderate distance when she felt a cooling draft teasing the stray locks of her hair that had managed to escape the confines of her ponytail. She brought the light up to see a rusty metal fence in front of her. Peering through the bars, she did a quick sweep of the room beyond. It was large and filled with unmarked wooden crates.

“Can you get through the gate?” Nicholas asked from behind her.

She turned the light to the fence, finding that its roots lay imbedded into the wall. “I’ll see.” She set the flashlight down and gripped the bars, applying her full weight against it, but it was in vain. The bars simply wouldn’t budge.

Repositioning slightly, she braced one boot against it and tried again. Flakes of brittle rust cracked away, but as before the bars held firm.

“Allow me to try,” Nicholas offered.

Daniela looked at him then at the space they were allotted. There was no way he was going to get around her. He must’ve realized their dilemma simultaneously for he backed up suddenly.

“Lie on your back,” he told her. “I will climb over you.”

She blinked at him. Could the night get any worse? As if being squeezed into the narrow passage with him wasn’t bad enough, now she would have to endure his very large and hard body sliding over her own. Reluctantly, she complied.

Nicholas moved over her and the heat of his body immediately assailed her as he came to a kneeling position just over her. He leaned forward, increasing her torment as his long hair spilled over his shoulders to tease the sensitive skin of her face. Never had she been this close to a man or in such a compromising position. She hated to admit it, but this pompous man had ignited a fire within her and she wanted nothing more than to stamp it out.

“Cover your eyes,” he told her as he gripped the bars.

With her eyes closed tightly, Daniela could feel the exact moment when the thick corded muscles of his thighs clenched, and seconds later a crumbling noise ensued. Opening her eyes slowly, she cast a look over her head to find that the metal fence had been completely ripped from the wall.

Nicholas had to lean forward a bit more so that he could allow the iron to carefully slide to the floor below. This action brought his face mere inches from her own. His very masculine scent engulfed her, slipping into her nostrils to toy with her imagination.

The metal fence scrapped its way down the wall and landed on the floor with a quiet clank. Nicholas’s eyes met and held her own and he watched her for a few seconds. In this lighting they looked black, but she remembered from their earlier encounter that they were a very transfixing green; the color of the Brazilian rain forest after a fresh rain. His gaze was contemplative as he watched her, assessing almost.

“From this point on you will obey me without question,” he told her quietly. “Is that understood?”

Daniela was silent for a moment. She’d never been inclined to take orders from anyone, and she certainly wasn’t appreciating his demanding nature. But in her present predicament she would have to contend with it. She nodded.

He acknowledged her compliance with a grunt then moved carefully over her and through the exit. Daniela remained motionless for a moment as she regained her composure, then she quickly followed. Nicholas was moving between the crates, scrolling the light over them.

Daniela moved to stand beside him. “I don’t think you’re going to find the rune anywhere in this monastery,” she told him. “These guys are just middlemen. They acquire the items for the buyers and I’m not sure what happens after that, but I don’t think they keep them lying about for too long.”

“You may be correct, but as you say they are middlemen and at present my only connection to the one who has the rune.”

He turned and headed toward a short flight of stone steps that lead to a doorway outlined by a dull orange glow. He gripped the door handle and it turned with ease.

Daniela moved up the steps to join him then waited as he pulled the door open a crack and peered through. He listened for a few seconds and when they were met with quiet, he pulled the door wider. Dull light poured in from the narrow passage that lay beyond. They entered quietly and moved toward another flight of steps. A wooden door stood at the top of the stairway. As before, Nicholas eased it open and they looked through.