Kiss of the Beast (A Classic Paranormal Romance) Read online

  Chapter 14

  He could see, feel, her shaking, shaking from head to toe. His inner smile was grim. For all the lessons that Eva had taught him, Urich deemed her in need of one herself.

  She had awakened the beast within and he was restless. But fortunately for Eva, her confession had wooed reason and the leash still held. Barely. Had she continued with her little tortures, he would have snapped. It was imperative that she realized the price attached to inflicting such womanly wiles upon him.

  Next time she might not be so lucky.

  "The wolf is near," he told her as he came closer. "You taunted him to come and he's hungry for more than a bite."

  Urich snapped his teeth and he could hear her tight swallow. "Call to the lioness, Eva. You'll need her to fight the beast you bring out in me. But he'll win and you'll need her even more to survive his possessing."

  "I belong to myself," she said with admirable bravado.

  He leaned over her and slid a palm up her dress. Cupping her as she had him, he squeezed. But his squeezing was a seductive grip and release, grip and release. Feeling her in his hand, so warm and moist, hearing her moan, he knew his never-ending need to possess her had to be appeased.

  But he couldn't force that ultimate decision. He could only coax her closer to the line he had drawn and they were destined to cross. Wooing her body with a gentle persuasion, he carefully chose the words that would lead to the end of their beginning and begin the journey to their ultimate end.

  "Yes, Eva, you do belong to yourself—just like we belong together. Never doubt it. But most of all, never doubt your power over my body, even my soul. You did and that's why you doubted me. To be all that we can be, you have to tell me your true feelings instead of letting them fester and wedge us apart. Promise you won't do that again."

  "Promise," she said, pulling him down beside her and moving into the grip of his hand.

  His free one reached for hers. "Yours is the only hand I've ever held. Your breasts the only breasts I've ever touched. And your lips the only ones I've kissed. I don't need any others, Eva, and never would I want them. It's the nature of the beast and that much of him will always remain. But he demands an equal fidelity from his mate for as long as he lives, and should you ever wander... the penalty's severe. The instinct for absolute possession is stronger in me than any amount of humanity I could ever acquire. It's a binding decision I'm after and one for you to think hard about."

  Think? How was she supposed to think with his pants open just far enough to realize he had no underwear on, luxurious soft hair playing in counterpoint to the hard ridge of his pubis rubbing against her thigh.

  "Is—is this a 'till death do us part and you're dead if you ever cheat on me' pop of the question?"

  His gaze was as steely as the concealed arousal he pressed hard against her leg. "Human vows aren't as binding as those I'd have you take with me. Never to be parted once paired, cleave to another and I'll unman him while you watch."

  "That's brutal!"

  "A brutally fit punishment for an even crueler crime against your mate. We don't take infidelity lightly—which is why it simply doesn't happen with my kind. The same goes for treason. The penalty for that is death."

  "But you said your people weren't violent."

  "They aren't. They're much too civilized to do any killing of another. But honor can demand that one kill himself. Honor, Eva, is as entrenched in me as fidelity."

  Flash of silver in his eyes. She saw it as she had the first time she'd stepped through the looking glass of his gaze. Valor was the color silver. Black was death and she glimpsed that too.

  "Who died besides your mother, Urich?"

  "Many have died, few remain."

  Searching his eyes she saw once more: Red as rage. Blue as a livid bruise, a heartache to rival her own.

  "You've loved someone and lost them, haven't you?"

  Slowly, he shook his head. "Only you, Eva. Only you."

  "But you haven't lost me."

  "I pray I never do." And then he murmured, "The future can, and does, change."

  Urich had seen the future and his cryptic remark left her floundering, clutching at him with fear of what it was that he had seen. She opened her mouth to demand he tell her but his palm came down, muffling her frantic words.

  "Have you forgotten all that you've learned? Get rid of your fear, Eva. It's a poison that weakens and erodes your inner power, your strength. You'll need both and so will I to overcome the obstacles we have ahead."

  He removed his hand and she struggled to tamp down her fear and find the courage to hear whatever he would tell her.

  "And just what are these obstacles?"

  "The Tribunal stands between us. They'll want me back, along with the use of my powers, to serve as Raven's next-in-command. Raven's sympathetic, and begrudging of it, but he can be trusted for now. I'm hoping the woman I found for him will secure his interest in helping me. He's very powerful, second only to my—our ruler."

  His gaze seared into her and she saw the shade of his passion, full moon eclipsed by a consuming sun.

  "You're mine, Eva. Mine. And I'll die before ever giving you up." Suddenly, he delved beneath her hose and with a single fingertip, touched her cleft.

  Eva nearly came off the bed. A thousand tiny vibrators were centered on that small pinnacle of flesh. Her immediate climax was jolting, the sensation so intense that she screamed. Screamed and screamed until she pleaded for him to stop before he killed her with ecstasy.

  Removing his hand, he laid flush atop her. Long ebony hair streaming over her face, he swept it away with a toss of his head, like an animal shaking his mane.

  And like an animal just finished with a fresh feast, he licked his fingertip then smacked his lips. Unsparingly sensual lips that curved into a cunning smile.

  "I'd never stray. And neither would you. Not even before our inevitable mating." He raised a lofty brow. "Now where were you going that I wasn't invited, and with whom were you planning to meet?"

  The phone rang. Oh no, oh no, not now.

  "I'll get it." Urich's hand shot out, intercepting her. "Hello?" he politely answered, holding the earpiece close enough for her to listen in.

  "Sorry, I must have the wrong number. This isn't..."

  While he recited her number, Eva whispered, "Give me that. It's Ethan."

  "Yes, I know," Urich whispered back. Then to Ethan he replied, "you must be calling for Eva."

  "Well... yeah." And who the hell are you?

  Why, the stinker! Urich wasn't content with the phone, he was telegraphing Ethan's private thoughts to her.

  "I'm Urich. And you're Ethan, right? Eva's assistant."

  Oh, so you're Urich. Move over, bud, no more Mr. Nice Guy, I'm putting the move on her tonight.

  How did he know Urich's name? Had Ethan been snooping in her desk? Urich confirmed that suspicion with a nod.

  "I'm not her assistant. I'm her associate. And you?"

  "Why don't you ask Eva? I'll put her on." His deadly look didn't mesh with his pleasant, "nice talking to you. I look forward to meeting... soon?"

  He gave her the phone with a gloating smile. Eva wasn't sure who she wanted to smack the most—Urich for his sneaky revelations or Ethan for the snooping she couldn't confront him with. To hell with them both, she wasn't up to either.

  Her shaky, "Hi, Ethan. Sorry I'm—late!" coincided with Urich's thrust between her legs.

  "Sounds like you have company."

  "Urich. He's—he's..." He was nipping at her palm. "He's a special friend." His frown said that wasn't good enough. "An old companion." Still not good enough. "A mentor?" So-so, implied his shrug. "Let's just say that our relationship's unique and Urich would like to meet you." Big nod. "He's from out of town. Way out of town."

  "If you'd told me when you called, I would have made an extra reservation." Not. "As it is, they're really crowded and I'm waiting at the bar. Our table's supposed to be ready in about thirty minutes but I'll
tell them to give it to someone else. We'll take what's available after you get here."

  No way out of the predicament she'd gotten herself into, Eva agreed and hung up with a groan.

  Urich was looking a mite too superior for her liking as he said, "so it goes when one acts before considering the consequences of a decision made out of passion or spite." Off the bed, feet bracing the floor, he gestured to his open fly. Thick whorls of gleaming black hair enticed her for a closer inspection of what it led to. But when she reached to touch, he stepped back and slid up his zipper.

  "Take off your pants," she demanded.

  "Another time—when passion leads me to act on that decision before I fully consider the consequences of it."

  "You're being coy," she accused.

  "And you're curious." He laughed darkly. "As well you should be. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait. Ethan's waiting and you're late."

  "But I don't want to go!"

  "You're the one who called him," was his nose-rubbing reminder. "Here, let me help you along. The sooner you go, the sooner you'll be back. And if I'm feeling generous, then maybe I'll let you appease your curiosity. But I wouldn't count on it since generous is the last thing I'm feeling."

  "Damn you, Urich! You're baiting me and—" He cut her off with a wave of his hand. Whoosh. Whoosh. Eva gaped at the sexy outfit she'd selected to spite him earlier that was now poured over her, breasts spilling out.

  "The hair should go up and the make-up on to suit the rest." The rest was waterfall rhinestone earrings, a matching choker; stockings with black seams up the back, and the stiletto high-heels she'd bought on a whim but had lacked the nerve to wear.

  "Stop this!" she yelled, stamping a decadent heel.

  "Just the finishing touches and I'll be done." He finished with a flourish and gave her a little push towards the mirror. "What do you think?"

  What she thought was that she looked like Scarlett Johansson turning tricks for more money than she got paid to act.

  Eva glared at him. "The mole has to go."

  He pinched her cheek. "I like it. So will Ethan."

  "You're being mean."

  "Yes," he agreed, patting her rear. "But at least I'm honest about it. If you'd been honest with me, all of this could have been avoided."

  "I promised to talk to you the next time instead of jumping to conclusions, didn't I? What else do you want?"

  He toyed with a strand of hair cascading from her temple. A soft kiss came unexpectedly before he said with a quiet passion, "I want to make love to you like a man. I want to hump you like the animal I can be. I want you to think of me, of us, every second you're with him. And I want you to know that I trust you implicitly—even dressed like this."

  "Of course you can trust me. But Ethan... he'll get the wrong idea and he's got enough wrong ideas already."

  "But I want to taunt him. He'll have to look at what he wants but can't have. I won't be able to look but I'll know he's looking at what I will have. A fair exchange of mutual misery, don't you think?"

  Eva cupped his cheek and he pressed his lips into her palm. "Misery does like company, Urich. But that doesn't make it right. This isn't right."

  Scowling, he appeared to consider what she had said. And finally, he sighed. "Life isn't always fair."

  "No. It's like that waitress you helped out, who you said was a really good person but life hadn't been so good to her. You can't change everyone's life who's gotten a raw deal because we all get raw deals along the way. The color of life isn't black and white, Urich. It's one big shade of gray and we make it the best we can. And the best any of us can do is simply to try to do the right thing."

  "You make it sound so simple."

  "It's not simple at all. If it was, I wouldn't be dreading a dinner I've got no one but myself to blame for, Ethan wouldn't be picking my lock and nursing false hope for something that's not going to happen, and you wouldn't be wanting your pound of flesh for being wronged." She pecked his cheek then glanced at her watch. "I really hate it, but I have to go. If it'll make you feel better, I'll wear this so you can take some satisfaction in getting your just deserts."

  She picked up the sequined purse and black silk shawl that had appeared on her dresser and made her way to the door.

  "Eva."

  "Yes?" She turned and he took her in from head to toe with a lustful yearning, heating and tantalizing her in places unseen.

  "You look ravishing." He touched his chest where his heart beat. Then sweeping the air, he bowed to her.

  "Thank you, Urich." Eva laid her palm over her breast, her own heart beating for him, only for him. The power suit she now wore was just what she needed to set Ethan straight with the confidence she felt in herself. And in Urich. Beaming at him, she said, "you did the right thing. You should feel proud of yourself."

  "I do. But even more, I feel... horny." With a wicked grin, he flicked his fly. "Hurry home, honey."

  Chapter 15

  Urich glowered at the television screen, waxing impatient for Eva to get home.

  He trusted her. Ethan, he did not.

  Was she on her way? Or was Ethan putting the move on as intended while Eva rebuked his advances?

  She wouldn't like him checking up on her, but there was no reason she had to know. He'd simply do a little astral projecting and assure himself of her safety.

  Closing his eyes, Urich scanned the city for some sign of Eva. He spied her in a dimly lit parking lot. Ethan was reaching for her and she was shaking her head, reaching for the car door.

  Honing in on their conversation, he heard Eva say, "Look, Ethan, we've worked together for years and it's been great. Let's not make things weird at work with more than a hand-shake goodnight."

  "I need more than a handshake for once, Eva. Yeah, I've admitted it, I have gone through your desk. But only because it was as close as I could get to you."

  "You're getting a little too close for comfort."

  Ethan gripped her shoulders, pinned her against the car. "I say we're not close enough. What are you afraid of? That if I kiss you, you just might decide that you like it enough to do some experimenting together that doesn't have a damn thing to do with work?"

  "I'm saying goodnight now, Ethan. When I see you at work on Monday, we'll pretend we didn't have this conversation."

  "I'm through pretending, Eva." He gripped her tighter when she tried to break free. "Kiss me." His mouth going to the cheek she turned, he demanded, "Damn it, kiss me!"

  A snap later, Urich tapped Ethan's shoulder.

  "Huh?" Ethan turned his head, glared up at him. "I don't know who you are, but this is between me and the lady."

  "Let her go."

  "I'm not going to hurt her if that's what you're worried about. We've just got something to settle and you're not needed." Ethan turned back to Eva, who looked both grateful for and furious at Urich.

  He tapped again. Hard enough to leave tiny bruises on the shoulders which bunched in angry reflex.

  "I said, let her go. If you don't, I'll hurt you."

  "He means it, Ethan." She glanced sharply at Urich, warning him off. Before she could introduce them or make excuses for his intrusion or diffuse the brewing fight—all of which he perceived she was about to do—Ethan whirled around.

  He did some hard tapping himself at the massive chest he came shoulder-level to. "I don't know who you think you are, but I've had it with you. The lady's with me, understand?"

  "What I understand is that she doesn't want you and if you value your body in one piece, then you'll say good-night like she asked." He gritted out his final offering for Ethan to leave, only Eva's presence staying him from launching the attack Ethan courted with a raised fist.

  "No one's saying good-night but you!"

  Urich gripped his fist, squeezed. "No one dares lay a hand on my—oof." The punch to his stomach knocked the reason out of him and kicked in his instincts full throttle. Seizing Ethan, Urich raised him over his head with a primal snarl.

>   "Help!" Ethan yelped. "Help!"

  "Urich! Urich, put him down!" Eva cried while Ethan flailed like a speared fish in the hands held high in the air, poised to smash him to the pavement.

  Eva's pleas cut through Urich's blinding rage and he grappled for the control he'd lost until Ethan's shouts of "HELP!" mingled with a siren's scream.

  "Oh shit, oh shit, not the police," Eva moaned as Ethan panted, "The police, thank God the police..."

  Urich quickly returned Ethan to his feet—which buckled, his knees hitting ground—then said, "I'm sorry, Eva."

  "Not half as sorry as you're gonna be once we're alone. Now zap yourself out of here. I'll handle the mess."

  "It's my mess, not yours. I'm staying."

  The slam of two doors saved him an argument.

  "What's going on here?" An officer demanded, partner in tow. "We got a call from someone who said there was a fight that was getting ugly."

  "Man, am I glad to see you. He—he—"

  "He was just trying to protect me, officer." Eva's quick defense won Ethan's dropped jaw and Urich's thin smile.

  "Sounds like we need to have a little talk about this. On your feet, sir."

  "But I... I... he—he..."

  "It was a misunderstanding," Urich interjected as the officer helped Ethan to his feet. "I thought she was in danger and stepped in. But as it turned out he meant her no harm and my getting involved was a mistake."

  "Ma'am? Is this true?"

  "Yes, yes it is. Everything's fine." She turned a pleading gaze on Ethan who was leaning against her car for support. "Right, Ethan?"

  He darted a glance at the officer whose protection had turned in the favor of the monster he'd needed protection from. "Uh... right. There's no problem here."

  "In that case, we'll leave and let the three of you do the same. But we'd better not get another call."

  "You won't," Urich assured them and offered his hand to Ethan who hesitated before chancing the grip. Satisfied, the police left the three of them alone.

  Hands on hips, Eva seethed, "Both of you should be ashamed of yourselves, making a scene like that!"

  "Me? What'd I do besides try to kiss you before this—this freak nearly gave me a heart attack before he could splatter my guts on the ground?"