THIRTY
It took almost an hour for Hamish and Aiden to convey everything they knew to their fellow Stealth Guardians and to answer their many questions.
“So what now?” Manus asked.
“Our highest priority is finding Zoltan and getting the pendant back. It’s well disguised as an ordinary necklace. I myself never suspected otherwise. And Leila said it’s not easy to open and figure out what’s inside, so he might not even know yet what he has in his hands,” Aiden announced, hoping he was right. “Pearce, you know what to do. Whoever tapped Leila’s parents’ phone must have set the dogs on us at the Thai massage parlor; and if somebody tampered with my phone, it should lead us to the traitor on the council. The traitor is our first priority. He’ll lead us to Zoltan.”
Pearce rose and walked to the door. “Let me get on that right away.”
“And you’re sure we’re looking for two different people?” Enya nudged forward on her seat.
Hamish answered in Aiden’s stead. “Yes. It makes no sense for the demons to want her dead, and clearly somebody has been making attempts on her life—”
“Which reminds me,” Aiden interrupted, turning to Manus. “Did you find anything out about the neighbor who delivered the bomb?”
“Jonathan? Well, I’m afraid he’s a dead end. I had a word with him, if you know what I mean. He almost peed in his pants.” Manus let out a bitter chuckle. “Turns out, some woman approached him and asked him to give the present to Leila.”
“Excuse me?” Enya asked. “What kind of dufus wouldn’t see through that thin veil?”
Manus shrugged. “Apparently, Jonathan is susceptible to sob stories. She told him that she was an old friend of Leila’s, and that they’d fallen out over some guy. And that she wanted to make up, but Leila would never take the present if she knew it was from her. Yada, yada, yada. The guy ate it up like Banana Cream Pie.”
“Idiot!” Aiden cursed. “Could he at least describe her?”
“Average height, average built—”
“—average looking.” Aiden knew the drill. It could have been anybody, probably just a human who’d been hired by a Stealth Guardian. There were plenty of them in their service. “So that’s not going to lead us to the guilty party. Anything else?”
“I’m still working on getting the right body to stage Leila’s death,” Manus answered.
“Hold off on that for now,” he instructed, an idea forming in his head. “Once Pearce has got some data for us, we’ll regroup. And I believe I don’t have to say this, but nobody outside these four walls can know that Hamish and I are back. Is that clear?”
“We’re not daft!” Enya rolled her eyes.
Then Aiden suddenly looked around the room. Shit, having concentrated on getting their friends up to speed had made him forget one thing. “Where the hell is Leila?”
Enya rose. “I think she threw up in the bathroom. Came out white like a sheet. So I put her in your quarters to lie down.”
Aiden shot up from his armchair. “You what?”
“I locked her in—”
Without listening to the rest, he charged toward the door and rushed into the corridor.
***
Leila dried her face with a towel that smelled like Aiden. It didn’t make her feel any better. At least her bout of nausea had passed: the terrifying attack by the demons and then the claustrophobic journey through the portal had caused that. The first time she’d used the portal, she hadn’t felt sick, but then again, Aiden had kissed her when he’d realized how frightening the prospect of hurtling through dark space was for her.
This time, however, he’d shunned her. She couldn’t even blame him. Everything he’d said was true: she’d lied to him, she’d kept the existence of the data hidden from him. But he didn’t really understand why she’d done it. He could never understand it: he wasn’t the one about to lose his parents. She would be all alone now. It would take her years to reconstruct the blueprint for the drug from memory. By then, her parents would be too far gone for her drug to be of any use.
She left the bathroom and walked back into the bedroom. There was no doubt about who this suite of rooms belonged to. Not only was Aiden’s masculine scent imprinted on the bed she’d briefly rested on, but there were pictures of him and his family. And a shrine of sorts, a special place over the fireplace, where the picture of a beautiful dark haired woman was framed. Dried white lilies surrounded the frame. She didn’t have to be a brain surgeon to figure out who this was. Clearly, he’d worshipped Julia and reminded himself daily of her death. Almost as if he wanted to keep the pain alive.
Her hand reached toward the picture, compelled to stroke the woman’s beautiful features, so much like Aiden, yet so much softer, mischief in her eyes, and a smile on her face.
“You shouldn’t be in here.”
Startled, Leila spun on her heels and faced Aiden. She hadn’t heard a door opening, but then again, he probably never used a door.
“Enya brought me—”
“She had no right!” Aiden glared at her, his eyes shifting to Julia’s picture behind her.
“I didn’t mean to invade your privacy. I’ll go then.” She took a couple of steps, but he blocked her exit by stepping into her path, his body only a foot away from hers.
“And where do you think you’re going?”
“Out of your way until you’ve calmed down.”
“Calmed down?” He narrowed his eyes and drew closer. “I’m calm, I’m very calm right now.”
Leila swallowed the lump in her throat. She might as well face the music now. There was no need to drag this out any longer. “Go ahead then. Tell me what you think of me: tell me how much you hate me for what I’ve done! I’ve got nothing more to lose. I’ll never get my parents back! Are you happy now?”
Aiden grabbed her shoulders. Instinctively, she took a couple of steps back, but he didn’t let go. Instead he pressed her against the nearest wall. “Happy? I wish I’d never met you! I wish I’d never known what it feels like to be betrayed like this.”
“What did you expect me to do?” she yelled back. “Hand over the last copy of my data so you could destroy it? So you could squash all my dreams of saving my parents? Of preserving my family? You of all people should understand that I couldn’t do that. You know what it’s like to lose someone.”
His head snapped to Julia’s picture over the mantle, then back to her. “Hamish!” he cursed. “He had no right to tell you!”
“I’m glad he did.”
“Julia is not up for discussion here. I won’t let a human—”
“So that’s what this is about: you hate me because I’m human, because I’m not as strong as she was.”
He pressed her harder against the wall, his fingers digging painfully into her flesh.
“I told you to keep Julia out of this. This is about you deceiving me.”
She was beyond fear now. Whatever he did to her, it didn’t matter anymore, but she wouldn’t go down without a fight. “Do you think she’d be happy knowing what you’re doing to yourself? How you keep blaming yourself day after day?”
A flash of pain sparked in his eyes, but a second later, he had himself under control again.
“You don’t know anything about me!”
Leila shook her head, remembering the glimpse of his soul she’d seen the night they’d made love. She understood him better than he thought. “I wish I didn’t. You know why? Because then I could just walk away and not care. But you’ve shown me too much of yourself. I can’t pretend not to feel your pain. I can’t pretend not to want to help you.”
“Help me?” He stared at her with incredulity. “You’re the one who’s in need of help, not I! I’m not the one the demons are after, I’m not the one who’s got a price on her head. And you want to help me? Get real, Dr. Cruickshank!”
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered, unable to yell any longer. “I wish I could make it all undone, Julia’s death, your hatred for humans, us meeting . . . ” She closed her eyes. Would she really want to wipe any memories of her time with Aiden from her mind if she could? It took only a second for her heart to find the answer. “No. I take that back. Us meeting, I wouldn’t undo that.”
When she opened her eyes, she collided with his heated gaze.
“God damn it!” he cursed and sank his lips onto hers.
She felt his anger in the way he kissed her, rough, hard, as if he wanted to punish her for what she’d said.
His hands let go of her shoulders, then went down to her jeans. He dug them into the waistband, but instead of simply opening the button and lowering the zipper, he tore at the fabric and shredded it like it was paper, making her aware that he could tear her body just as easily if he wished.
She gasped into his mouth, both shocked and excited at the same time. Cool air wafted against her naked skin before his hot hand was between her legs, sliding over her sex, just as he ripped his mouth from hers.
“I’ll tell you how you can help me. By spreading your legs for me.”
His eyes still held some of the anger in them that she’d seen there earlier, but now they were glazed with lust and desire, and she knew instinctively that he wouldn’t hurt her.
Without giving it a second thought, she unbuttoned his pants, lowered the zipper and pushed his jeans down to his thighs. Before she could do any more, he lifted her, spreading her legs wide.
Without a word, he plunged into her, his cock harder than ever.
***
As he thrust into her wet heat, Aiden knew what he needed now was to show her that he couldn’t be played with. He had to make it clear to her that she would be punished if she ever hurt him again.
When he looked at her face, he saw how she’d leaned her head back against the wall, her lips parted, her eyes half closed.
“More,” Leila panted.
She showed no sign of distress despite his rough handling of her. On the contrary. Her legs wrapped around his waist, urging him on to f*ck her harder, to go deeper, to take more of her.
Unable to resist, he took her lips again, this time with more passion and less anger. Gods, she tasted good—so good he couldn’t imagine ever giving this up, ever giving her up. Despite everything, despite the fact that she was human, she’d held her own when confronted with his fury. She hadn’t backed down, just as she didn’t flinch now as he drove even harder into her.
“I need you,” he mumbled against her lips before he delved his tongue back into her, thrusting it in the same rhythm as his cock.
He wasn’t lying this time: he needed her. She gave him the strength not only to face the demons that were after her, but his own personal demons, the ones that had been haunting him since Julia’s death.
Breathing hard, Aiden released her lips and trailed hot kisses along her neck.
“I want you, Aiden, I want you so much,” she let out, and it sounded like a sob.
He looked back at her eyes and saw a multitude of emotions brimming there. “You have me, baby,” he whispered back and gently captured her lips, stroking his tongue over them.
When she sighed contently, his entire body filled with a newfound sense of strength. His balls tightened at the same moment, and he felt his orgasm overwhelm him. Unable to hold it back, he brought his hand between them and rubbed against her * as he drove into her one last time. As his knees nearly buckled, waves of pleasure crashing over him, he wasn’t sure where his orgasm ended and hers began.
Breathing hard, his heart racing, he leaned his forehead against hers. “No more lies. I need the truth now.”
He felt her nod. “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
“Tell me why you did it. Tell me why you betrayed me after all we shared.”
“I love my parents, I love them so much. Like you loved Julia.” She sought his eyes, and it seemed as though she looked deep into him, where he couldn’t hide anymore.
“Julia was my twin. She was part of me. When I lost her, it felt like losing a part of myself.”
Leila pressed her hand against his heart. “I can’t even begin to imagine what you’ve been through. I never had a sister. I never had anybody but my parents. I feel responsible for them. It’s my duty to save them, to bring them back. When I met you . . . when you told me what was at stake . . . ”
“You didn’t believe me then, did you?”
She shook her head, regret evident in her face. “No. I didn’t. I doubted your words. But the more I saw, the more that happened . . . I started doubting myself, my own convictions. When you said you would destroy my research, I saw my dream slip away.”
Somehow, he understood her. “Not every dream will come true.”
“I know that now. I realized that the night at the farmhouse. I wanted to tell you then, but I was afraid of how you’d react. I wanted that one night with you, even if you would never touch me again after that. Just that one time, I wanted to do something selfish, something that was only for me, without having to think of my duty to my parents.”
She raised her lids and looked at him, open, vulnerable. She wasn’t hiding anything from him anymore.
And he was just as bare in front of her.
“What will you do now?” Leila asked.
He pulled his head back and smiled at her, letting a long look trail down her semi-nude body. “For starters, I’ll have to lend you a bathrobe.”
Then he released her. A minute later he wrapped her into an oversized bathrobe. But he wasn’t ready to sever his contact with her, so he lifted her into his arms and sat down on the couch, keeping her in his lap.
His hand tunneled under the robe, caressing her warm thighs.
“I wanted to tell you about the pendant this morning at the house, but I never got a chance.” Her fingers stroked over his parted lips.
“Even though you knew I wanted to destroy the data?”
“I hoped to convince you not to, but I know now that I was wrong.”
“How so?”
“Zoltan. When he attacked, I felt his thoughts in my head. He was trying to seduce me to his side, to give him what he wanted. He’ll never give up. And sooner or later he’ll find me.”
“I’ll make sure he won’t.”
“I know that.”
He gave her a surprised look. “How come you trust me now?”
“When you made love to me last night, I felt you.”
His heartbeat accelerated. “You felt me?”
“Yes, I saw a glimpse of your soul.”
Had he really opened himself up this much without realizing? “That’s impossible.”
Leila brushed her lips against his in a feather light kiss. “I felt you. I felt something so good and pure inside you, it made me feel so terrible about lying to you.”
Aiden slid his hand into her hair, cupping her nape, his thumb stroking her neck. “And I was taking advantage of you when we first met. But as much as I want to regret it, I can’t. If the fire hadn’t broken out in your apartment, I would have been in your bed, my mouth on your p-ssy. Believe me when I tell you that I’ve never touched any of my charges, but with you, it was different from the very start. When I saw you the first time, all I could think of was touching you when I knew I should stay away from you.”
“Because you might one day have to kill me?”
He flinched. How could he ever do that now when losing her would tear his heart out?
“You told me more than once,” she insisted, her gaze steady and without accusation, as if she’d accepted her fate.
“I can’t kill you. I know I said it. I know it’s expected of me should you ever . . . ” He couldn’t even say the words.
“ . . . if the demons get to me,” she finished his sentence.
“I can’t, Leila.”
“But you’ll have to. Promise me that if they get me, you’ll kill me.”
“NO!” He kissed her hard. “How can I hurt you after this? After last night? I’ve never shared virta with anybody.”
“Virta?” she asked.
“My power, my energy. I’ve never felt so complete in my life. I can’t let you go. Don’t you know that?”
She planted soft kisses on his cheek, then his eyes. “But the demons . . . if they get me, I won’t be the same . . . ”
“I won’t let them get you. Never. You hear me? Never.” He felt his heart pound.
A serious expression spread in her eyes. “You can’t always protect me. I have a life I have to return to eventually.”
“Your life is with me.” The words simply burst from him before he knew what he was saying.
“With you? You’re an immortal, Aiden. Have you forgotten that? Our lives are so different.”
An impatient knock at the door stopped him from answering.
“Aiden!” came Pearce’s insistent voice.
His friend has shitty timing. “Give me a moment!” he called out.
Releasing Leila, he gave her a tender kiss on her lips. “We’ll talk about it later.” He caressed her cheek with his knuckles. “Why don’t you take a shower while I talk to Pearce? I’ll arrange new jeans for you later.”
She nodded.
“I promise you, everything will work out for the best.” His decision was made. It had been made for him the moment he’d first seen her. He understood that now. He’d never had a chance against the forces that had brought them together. And he was glad for it. He would fight it no longer.
As Leila walked into the bathroom and shut the door behind her, he called out, “Come in, Pearce!”
A second later, he watched his fellow Stealth Guardian pass through the door and appear in his room. Pearce surveyed the room briefly, his eyes catching on something behind Aiden.
“Is your guest all right?” he asked.
“Why shouldn’t she be?”
Pearce motioned his head to a spot on the floor. Aiden turned and realized what he was looking at: Leila’s shredded jeans.
“She’s perfectly fine,” he insisted and turned his gaze back to his visitor, unable to even feel embarrassed about what he’d done.
“Good, good. Anyway, I wouldn’t have disturbed you, but I have a couple pieces of news.”
Aiden listened intently. “Don’t make me pull it out of your nose.”
“About Zoltan. The news just came through that the body of a Mr. Zoltan has been found. He’s been dead for days. The news station showed his picture, but Hamish said it’s not the demon who attacked you at the farmhouse.”
Aiden rubbed the back of his neck, contemplating the news. “He must have killed the real Zoltan and then taken his identity to infiltrate Inter Pharma.”
“I agree. Wouldn’t be a first that a demon is impersonating a real person to get what he wanted. Anyway, unfortunately that’s not gonna get us any closer to him.”
“You’re right. Anything about my phone?”
“Yep. Somebody uploaded a little program that made it possible to operate your GPS remotely, switching it on and off whenever they wanted.”
“Shit! How?”
“I’ll spare you the technical details, but the only way to have done that would be to physically have had possession of your phone. I’ve deactivated it now.” Pearce scratched his head.
Aiden furrowed his brows. “But who could have gotten hold of my phone?”
“Exactly. The only time you leave it lying around, is here in the compound.”
“You mean someone here could have done that?” He shook off the thought. No, that couldn’t be. If that was the case, he and Leila weren’t safe here.
“I mean, unless you’ve left it somewhere else for somebody to access it, but I can’t see how a council member—”
“That’s it. I know how they did it.” Why hadn’t he thought of that earlier?
“How?”
He ignored the question. There wasn’t the time now, because he’d just figured out how to trap the traitor on the council. “Can you replicate the software and upload it to other cell phones?”
“Sure, but aren’t you gonna tell me whose phones?”
“I’ll tell you when we get there.”
“Get where?”
“My father’s place.”