The Satellite Read online

  He made a grab for her blades.

  She leapt aside. “You caught me off guard the first time. I’m not dropping these this time.”

  A determined look traversed his face. In two steps he was upon her again with strong arms wrapped around her upper body, pinning her arms to her sides. “I must have you. You’re the warrior woman with the gift I need.”

  “No.” She fought with all her strength against him but he didn’t budge.

  Raef was now directly behind Von. She admired his bravery and feared for his life. No ordinary human could defeat an immortal with super human abilities. She couldn’t even bear the thought of him perishing to this incubus who sought to mate her.

  Using every ounce of strength she could muster, she managed to get one hand on a dagger and curl her fingers around the grip.

  “Stop fighting me. I don’t want to hurt you.” He relaxed his hold just a bit and turned to look at Raef. She felt him using his telepathic power to get into Raef’s head.

  In that one moment of distraction, she slid the blade from its holster and rotated it so that the shaft pointed up. Then with a sharp upward thrust, she drove the dagger into Von as close to his heart as she could get.

  His body jerked away and he muttered obscenities. He seemed momentarily stunned and torn over whom to control, her or Raef.

  “Now you’ve done nothing more than piss me off.” He stalked toward her as she backed away. “And I thought we had struck a common bond.”

  Flame continued stepping backward until trapped between Von and the fire pit. She cast a quick glance at Raef, who appeared dazed.

  “What were you going to do to him?” Terror rose in her heart.

  “Don’t worry. I wasn’t going to kill your pretty boy lover. I’m not a killer, I’m a lover.” A slow seductive smile touched his lips. “He’ll be back to normal in a few hours. Now you, you’re a different story. We have unfinished business.”

  She stumbled against something with her boot. The tin of lighter fluid! Her thoughts quickly came together as the fog he’d induced lifted briefly.

  “You wanted the Satellite,” he said with a devilish grin. “Here I am, sugar, all yours. Do you think your mind is strong enough to resist me a second time?”

  Realizing that the game of seduction had begun again, she willed her thoughts to hold together. Using the skills she’d been taught, she assumed her role to fight this battle the only way she knew how. She stopped backing away.

  “Better.” He took hold of her waist then gently removed the dagger from her hand and dropped it on the sand.

  Even now his long slender fingers felt titillating on her bare midriff. The power in his soul was mind-blowing. Fully aware of who and what he was, her body still ached for him. The lust for this imposing male surged through her at an all-time high. She practically writhed in her clothes beneath his penetrating stare. He was literally seducing her with his mind.

  She closed her eyes when he lowered his head. Their lips met for another scorching hot kiss and her thoughts blurred together in a jumbled mess again. He did not tease this time but came on hot and heavy. If only he wasn’t a monster. Strange sorrow swept through her, wanting a man she must kill.

  He unzipped her jacket and pushed it off her shoulders. His lips trailed over her bare skin, nipping and tantalizing her every nerve into heated frenzy. A wave of heat washed over her as their bodies pressed tightly together. The hard bulge in his jeans sent an unbearable ache to her core, making her almost beg him to penetrate her.

  She resisted the best she could. However, when he grabbed her thighs and hoisted her off the ground, she nearly lost control. His mouth dropped to her breasts. A frenzied cry rose in her throat as he sucked hungrily at each one. A rush of warmth pooled between her thighs. She needed just one break to make her move, if only she could hold out long enough. His skill as a lover lacked nothing so far. They hadn’t even undone their pants and she was a puddle of desire in his arms.

  “Flame,” he purred while laying her down beside the fire. “We can help each other.”

  She tried not to look into his eyes but he was determined. What she saw in those dark depths confused her. He seemed sincere. I must keep my wits. Tears misted her eyes from the overwhelming sensations taking her down. I cannot let him mate with me. She gasped when his fingers slipped below the low waist of her pants.

  “I can pleasure you in ways you’ve never known.” His gaze held hers as he stroked between her legs. “Ah, sugar, you want me…we want each other. Don’t torture yourself.” He gently took her hand and guided it to his waist. “Touch me, babe.”

  She couldn’t have denied his softly spoken plea for anything. Her body, her mind, her actions—defied her. He was just that irresistible. After undoing the snap to his jeans and tugging the zipper down, his hard length sprang free into her hand. He released a heavy sigh. A charming smile spread over his face. She was losing ground and fast. His sex was huge and perfect. Images of him filling her flashed through her mind. She struggled against the raging desire.

  “Your touch is sweet.” He kissed her lips. “I love your gentle way. Make love to me, Flame.” He slid two fingers deep into her sex and stroked with incredible skill. “It’s okay to enjoy this,” he murmured. “Allow yourself to come. There is no shame. I will please you again and again if you just let me.”

  Moaning and writhing beneath him, she nodded her consent and prayed she’d have the strength to carry out the only plan she could devise. Suddenly her body succumbed to his touch and shuddered in wild release. Shockwaves raced through her as spasm after spasm rocketed her into a state of ecstasy.

  “Mm, sugar, so sweet…” He smiled down at her. “Imagine the pleasure you will receive when I am inside you.”

  “Ohhh…” she moaned, flooded with doubt over her ability to pull this off.

  “Yes?” he asked in a voice so heavy with sensuality it induced another climax.

  She gave a slight nod, sucking in air through parted lips. “Yes…”

  “Perfect.” In smooth movements, he pushed to his feet and began to remove his clothes.

  For a few moments frozen in time, she gazed at his magnificent body as he dropped the long leather coat on the ground then peeled off the clingy t-shirt. His long arms were muscled to perfection and his hard chest merged to the most impressive display of six-pack abs she’d ever seen. He reached for the waist of his jeans and proceeded to slide them down those long lean, sexy legs.

  He looked away from her for a second to remove his black boots and a flash of clarity came upon her all of a sudden. She rolled onto her side and grabbed the dagger in one move. His head turned sharply as she seized the tin of lighter fluid. Hopping frantically to free himself of the jeans wrapped around his calves, he stared at her with openly mixed emotions.

  They raced against each other. Flame squirted accelerant down the length of the blade then jumped to her feet. Von was still wrestling with his jeans when she touched the dagger to the dying flames in the pit. Instantly flames shot up the shaft of her Sai.

  “You’ve been caught with your pants down.” She stepped toward him.

  “Flame…no…please…you’re making a huge mistake.” His eyes brimmed with emotion.

  She wanted to believe him, oh how she wanted to. Destroying a male such as this seemed like a total waste of humanity. He had the body of a god and carried more sensuality in just a mere glance than most men possessed in their entire soul.

  Forcing herself to avoid looking at his magnificently endowed form and ignoring the clutter in her mind, she thrust the dagger straight into his chest.

  To her surprise, he didn’t burst into fire or self-combust as the creepers had done. No foul smelling bluish smoke or screaming—simply a strikingly handsome and seductive man fading before her eyes.

  She stepped closer as he lay on the ground. He stared up at her with haunting eyes she’d never forget. He opened his mouth to speak, which was clearly painful for him.

&n
bsp; “Flame…you killed the wrong…” His voice faltered and began to fade. “Hatch…Flame what have you done…” was the last sound he made before he died.

  After poking his clothes with the tip of her dagger, she dropped to her knees beside a small outline of ash. A fierce gust of wind howled off the sea, spawning a dust devil over Von’s clothes. She jumped back and landed on her butt, watching wide-eyed as the rotating column of wind whisked what was left of the Satellite away.

  She crawled around in search of her jacket then slipped it on and zipped it.

  Unexpected sorrow washed over her and sudden loneliness settled into the pit of her soul. She fought back the silly tears forming in her eyes. I’m just having post battle letdown. I felt nothing for this man but lust. And, I killed the Satellite. Everyone is safe again. She understood the after effects that came with her calling. When in fight mode the adrenaline peaked and afterward it was quite normal to experience sadness or even weep after an intense fight. That’s all I’m feeling. After all, this was a wicked fight.

  “Flame? Are you all right?” Raef appeared at her side out of nowhere. “I saw you fighting with that prick but lost sight of you.”

  “He was the Satellite,” she stated in a voice that sounded foreign to her, troubled by her lack of excitement over the victory.

  “Calder was the Satellite?”

  “Didn’t you hear me when you first saw us?”

  “No. I saw you fighting and I tried to reach you but you vanished into a strange ocean fog. I’ve been walking the beach for over an hour looking for you.”

  “Is that all you saw?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Of the struggle between me and Von, how much did you see before we disappeared?”

  Raef thought for a moment. “I remember Von walking toward me then suddenly he turned around and headed back for you. I saw you reach for your daggers and him grabbing you.”

  “That’s all?”

  “Yeah, what happened? How did you overpower him?”

  Realizing that Von had blinded Raef to most of what happened baffled her. Yet a sense of relief ensued knowing that Raef wouldn’t have to bear the horrid memory of the ugly details.

  “I waited for an opening, then I struck. Not sure why a creature who knows how he can be killed was so careless about fire and lighter fluid.”

  “Guess he wasn’t prepared for such a tough fight.” Raef wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Come on, let’s tell the guys. How did you find him and why didn’t you tell us?”

  “I don’t know, really. He approached me, told me he could lead me to the Satellite but only if I went alone. I had to make a split-second decision. I had no idea Von was the Satellite when he caught me coming out of the ladies’ room.”

  “You took a lot of risk, but I won’t be like Hatch and question your judgment or whine because you did it alone. You were a warrior long before we knew you.”

  She leaned her head against his shoulder as they strolled down the beach. “Thank you.”

  “Ian is going to be one happy dude. He can finally bring Cassie home.”

  “I’m glad. How are you feeling?”

  He furrowed puzzled brows and smiled. “I’m fine, angel. I’m not the one who just came out of a nightmare. Surely that was not an easy fight for you.”

  “No…it wasn’t. I’d have to admit that going into battle with the Satellite was the toughest one I’ve had to do thus far.”

  “And you won. I’m so proud of you.” He paused to give her a tender kiss. “What’s next for you, Flame with-no-last-name?”

  She smiled at his comment and it felt good to smile. The weight began to lift. “I must meet with the Supreme Lioness. Would you like to come with me?”

  “You’re inviting me into your secret world?”

  “Yeah…you’re the only one I trust and you deserve the experience.” She reached up with one hand to stroke his silky blond hair. “I adore you.”

  A dazzling smile swept over his gorgeous face. “I’d love to come with you. When do you need to leave?”

  “Tomorrow. Is that too soon?”

  “No way. I think we can all use a break and I’d love to spend time alone with you. Ian will be settling in with Cassie. Hopefully Hatch will fly back to New York and we can all get about our lives.”

  “Sounds wonderful. I guess you’ll give me a ride back to my bike?”

  Raef nodded and they resumed walking. “Strange he only took you this far. We’re only about a half an hour from the rest stop.”

  “We must have ridden right into his nest. I wonder if all the creepers died with him.”

  “I’m sure Coop will let us know if they haven’t.” He laughed.

  Flame woke from a restless night’s sleep. Sweat soaked the t-shirt she’d slept in. Glancing to her side, she saw Raef still in blissful slumber. She smiled while brushing tossed hair from his face. He is so sweet and gorgeous. She sighed while gazing at him. If anything made sense in her life today it was him. Her nightmare had been intense. Von haunted her thoughts, much to her distress.

  Quietly, she slipped into the bathroom to prepare for her day, relieved that Raef did not seem to be suffering any ill effects from whatever spell Von had cast. After washing her hair and enjoying a long cool shower, she wrapped herself in a large fluffy towel and returned to the bedroom.

  “I must be dreaming,” Raef said from the bed, looking up with amazing bedroom eyes. “To awake with an angel in my room.”

  “Oh, I’m no angel.” She laughed.

  “You are to me. C’mon over here.”

  With a flattered smile she slid onto the bed and into his open arms. “Did you sleep well?”

  “Very. Knowing that this fight is over and that you are safe, here with me, I couldn’t be better.”

  “The trip to my village is about sixteen hours. Do you want to ride straight through with small breaks or do a two-day stretch with an overnight stay along the way?”

  “Whatever works for you is fine by me.”

  “Are you always this easy going?” She rolled over and lay on top of him, staring down.

  “Usually.”

  “And you don’t talk about yourself much.”

  “I learn more about people by listening. Besides, what’s to tell? I work in a band, live in this great house on the beach, and have a stunning vixen in my arms.”

  “What about your past? You never speak of it.”

  A modest smile touched his lips. “Let’s just say I’ve had my share of shallow women and I was not very lucky in long-term relationships.”

  “I find it hard to believe that you are still single and have been since we met. You were married at least once, if I recall.”

  “Once.”

  “And?” She made a beckoning motion with one hand. “This is like pulling teeth.”

  He laughed. His eyes shimmered mischievously. “Must we go there?”

  “Yes, we must.”

  “Do you always get your way?”

  “Usually,” she teased with a wink, making him laugh again.

  “There’s a reason why I live on the west coast.”

  “Why?”

  “Because Hatch lives on the east coast.”

  She slanted him a knowing look. “I see. He had something to do with your ex-wife?”

  “You could say that.” Raef paused as if unsure he wanted to say more. His eyes searched hers for a few moments then he continued. “I caught them in bed together.”

  Flame gasped. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to bring up painful memories.”

  He placed a finger to her lips. “No, it’s okay. That happened years ago and I’m over it. I just prefer to keep a comfortable distance from him when we aren’t touring. He’s a bit of a womanizer.”

  “I can’t believe I was engaged to him. I feel like a fool.”

  “Hatch has an unexplainable way with women but he can’t keep them very long. Don’t feel bad. I’ve seen plenty of unsuspecting femal
es fall under his spell.”

  “Now I understand why you had no problem flirting with me when I was with him.” Her thoughts churned. “Is that what this is? Payback to Hatch?”

  “No way.” He grabbed her waist and rolled her over. “From the first day Hatch showed up with you on his arm, I knew he’d found my perfect woman.”

  “Nobody’s perfect, baby.”

  “You’re damn close.”

  “I don’t want you to be disappointed when you truly get to know me. Sisterhood warriors are a breed all our own.”

  “I look forward to knowing more about you.”

  “Same here.” She pulled him down for a kiss.

  He slid one hand into her still damp hair and the other behind the small of her back. Only a terrycloth towel separated their naked bodies. The ache inside still burned from the previous night. She’d barely resisted Von and two cold showers had done nothing to douse the flames. She wanted a man and she wanted one now.

  Raef lifted his head just far enough so that their eyes met. He didn’t say a word. The hard length nestled between her thighs gave every indication of wanting relief. With an easy shift of her hips she had him in perfect position. An expression of sheer desire washed over his face as he slid deep inside.

  His eyes became as heavy as hers felt but they didn’t break eye contact. They gazed at one another with undeniable passion. Slowly, he released the towel from her breasts and pushed it aside. Skin met skin. He thrust deeper while staring at her through half-closed eyes. She gasped and threw her head back as pleasure shot through her.

  “Ah-ah, angel, I want to watch your face as we make love.” He laid a gentle hand on her cheek and guided her eyes back toward his. “I want to look into your soul when I come inside your fiery body and I long to see that euphoria sweep you away.”

  “Ohhh…” she said on a sigh. “You feel so good that I’m already there.”

  Chapter Ten

  The two day road trip had been enjoyable and much to Raef’s relief, uneventful for Flame’s sake. Hatch departed for New York before they embarked on their journey, but Raef sensed the man would return.