Under the Moon (Goddesses Rising)

Chapter Sixteen

Goddesshood is a legacy, passed down for innumerable

generations, a gift to be cherished and honored. No matter how your source and abilities manifest, they will be a part of you forever. It is a goddess’s responsibility to handle her power with care, respecting what came before, what is now, and what will always be. Celebrate, because your life will never be the same.

—The Society for Goddess Education and Defense, Welcome Letter

…



“You leeched him?” Nick rose to his feet and winced, his hand on his side where he’d hit the desktop, no doubt the same ribs he’d bruised before.

“Mostly.” She could detect a tiny glimmer of power still in Anson. “He’s got enough to regret his loss. Not enough to do anything with it.”

Nick looked skeptical. He nudged Anson with his toe. The body rocked, but the man didn’t react.

“And he won’t be able to leech anyone again?” Sam asked. His arms tightened protectively around her. She ducked her head a bit and burrowed, not to get closer to Sam, but in an attempt to ground herself. She didn’t feel right. Her vision was crystal clear, yet colors seemed to swirl, not in front of her, but…behind her eyes? And inside her, deep, the place where she used to gather energy. Power swirled, but it was different. No longer the ability to draw energy by connecting with the moon, but power by itself. Filling her. Making her…whole. Her head swam, and when Sam said her name and she lifted her head, it seemed to take flight.

This must be what being high was like. She didn’t care for it, but when she tried to release the energy, let it flow through her and away, it did nothing but sink deeper, as if settling in.

Not exactly what she’d been hoping for.

She forced herself to remember Sam’s question. “No, he won’t be able to leech again. We’re safe now.” The “we” made her realize Marley wasn’t with them. “Where’s my sister?”

“She’s downstairs, guarding the goons.” Nick limped over to them and reached a hand down to help Quinn up. “I gave her a gun.”

Quinn took his hand, surprised when electric-like shock zinged up her arm and into her chest. Nick’s startled eyes met hers, then shuttered. He tugged, and she stood on wobbly legs. He let go of her and reached to help up Sam up.

As soon as Sam was on his feet, he put his arm around Quinn’s shoulders. “Can you handle him?” he asked Nick, already walking Quinn toward the stairs.

“Sure. He’s half your size.”

Nick grunted as he hefted Anson, and they made their way back downstairs. Marley leaned on her chair, Nick’s pistol held firmly and correctly, aimed at the still-unconscious men on the floor.

Nick dropped Anson on top of his goons with a sneer of disgust. Then he peeled off the flannel shirt he’d put on over his T-shirt and carried it to Quinn. “Put this on.” He blocked the others’ view of her while she turned her back and shrugged out of Anson’s coat. It seemed to take twenty pounds with it, and she felt a little more like herself.

Nick held his shirt while she put her arms in the sleeves. She couldn’t help herself—she wrapped the collar around her face and lifted it to her nose, inhaling deeply to replace Anson’s scent with Nick’s. He still smelled like bay rum.

“What do we do now?” Sam asked.

Quinn did up the buttons and turned around. Nick had moved away and taken the gun from Marley. The growing distance between them caused an ache in Quinn’s chest, different from all of today’s pains and weirdness.

She tried to shove it away. There was more to be done. She could deal with the emotional aftermath later, when all the important things were taken care of. But the ache wouldn’t go, and tears pricked at her eyes. When she drew a breath, her chin trembled.

Not now. She couldn’t fall apart. She spun and walked away to press her face against her arm propped on the wall. She held herself tightly, so tightly she’d break if someone touched her, and she didn’t breathe until she had to. Keep it together. She had hours before it would be safe to cry.

Finally, her muscles eased, and the tears receded. Resolve overtook the ache, though it hadn’t faded. She was just able to put it in the background now. She turned. Nick stood a few feet away. She wondered why he hadn’t come closer. But then she realized she’d set up a shield, without even thinking about it, to keep him from doing so. It had hurt him, she could tell by the look in his eyes, but she didn’t know how to apologize. He shook his head a little—she didn’t need to.

Gratitude threatened to drag her under again, so she dropped the shield and strode back to the group.

“Sam, call the Society and have them send their so-called security team over here. Marley—” She hesitated, then decided to damn the consequences. “You might want to leave or they’ll take you into custody, too.”

Marley sighed. “I need to face the charges. Don’t worry,” she added, seeing Quinn’s reaction. “I’ll be okay. This is my price to pay.”

“We’ll talk after. We need— I want to be your sister.” As she said the words, Quinn was certain of their truth. For the first time since she learned of Marley’s existence, she could think about her as family rather than a problem.

Sam snapped his phone closed. “They’re on their way.”

A few moments later the side door burst open, and the security team flooded in. Hostility came off them in waves. Quinn and her friends had accomplished in hours what the security people had been unable to do for weeks. Quinn raised her arms, ready to defend her friends, and the power inside her swirled excitedly. Her entire body began to buzz and she immediately shut down, frightened. This was so strange, so different from what she understood goddesshood to be. She created another shield, an easy task that took very little effort, and wrapped it around her center, closing it and sealing the energy inside. She could still sense it, even the different “flavors” that had come from the different goddesses, but now she didn’t fear bringing the building down on their heads.

As angry and resentful as the security team was, they did their jobs with efficiency and professionalism.

Then one of them approached Marley. “I’m sorry, Ms. Canton, but you’ll have to come in with me.”

“She’s been leeched,” Quinn protested, unable to help herself. “Isn’t that punishment enough?”

The man didn’t bother turning her way. “That’s not up to me.” He wrapped a zip tie around Marley’s hands and led her out the door.

The three unknown men and Anson had already been collected. The tall, dark-haired man who’d directed the team approached Quinn and handed her a card. “This is when the board expects to see you. Come alone.”

Quinn looked at the card. It was a simple appointment card, like you got at the doctor, but was embossed with the Society seal and the words “Hearing Date and Time.” Tomorrow morning, nine o’clock. Not even giving her Monday to rest.

“I’ll be there.”

“We’ve taken care of the police issue at the hotel.” He didn’t look happy about helping them. “It’s safe to return there tonight.”

“Thank you.”

A moment later, she was alone with Nick and Sam in the cavernous warehouse.

She couldn’t believe it was over. No more running or chasing. No more fear.

No more life the way it was before. In any way.

Her knees began to shake, then her thighs. They wouldn’t hold her. She started to collapse.

“Whoa, there.” Nick caught one side, Sam the other. She thought for a minute Nick would pick her up, but Sam somehow took control and lifted her into his arms. The world tilted in a few different directions, and her head swam. She couldn’t focus.

“Get the car door. No, the back.” The voice was muffled but she heard the door creak open and the seat squeak. Sam gently deposited her on the backseat, then slung himself in after her.

Nick hit the overhead door control before climbing into the driver’s seat. The metal clanked and screeched, the noise pounding in Quinn’s head.

“Take us back to the hotel,” Sam ordered. “She’s overtaxed. She needs rest. You got any water in here?”

Nick tossed back a half-empty bottle of water. Sam unscrewed the top and held it to her mouth.

She drank, but it wasn’t overtaxing that had sidelined her. She wasn’t drained like usual but buzzed, as if she’d had three shots on an empty stomach.

“What time is it?” she asked Sam, frowning. She should know.

“You’ve got to be exhausted to ask me that.” He glanced at his watch. Quinn noticed his strong wrist and fingers, lightly curled, and the cords of muscle in his forearm. Something twisted in her abdomen. Something physical and familiar. Oh, no.

“It’s a few minutes after midnight,” Sam said.

“Moon’s cresting,” she murmured, rolling her head across the seat. The back of Nick’s neck was exposed. She bared her teeth a little, remembering the taste of him, the texture of his skin under her mouth. Desire began a slow burn. She arched. Her nipples, unbound, abraded against Nick’s shirt and tingled. “Oh, god.”

“Quinn? What’s wrong?” Sam shifted closer to her and put his hand on the side of her head. “Are you hurt?” His examining gaze met her wild one, and he stilled. “Oh.”

“Sammy.” Quinn clenched her hand around his shirt, fighting not to pull him closer. He smelled familiar and felt strong. Her hands shook with the effort to keep them from roaming. She’d never experienced this before. She couldn’t think, struggled to get her body to obey.

“Quinn.” He tried to pry her hand off his shirt and ended up pulling it over his head so he could slide back across the seat, as far away from her as possible. “Nick, get us to that hotel, fast.”

“What the hell is going on back there?”

Quinn barely heard the exchange. All she could focus on was the desperate need filling her. It had never been so bad. Why was she holding Sam’s shirt? She squinted at his bare torso and almost flung herself across the car to attack him. A groan slid out of her throat. She pressed her feet to the floorboards, forcing herself back into the corner of the seat. She couldn’t do this. Sam wasn’t hers. But her body didn’t seem to care. The power surged behind its barrier, hunger cramping her insides.

“What the f*ck?” Nick slammed on the brakes at a light and spun around, his arm over the back of the seat. Quinn caught the fire in Nick’s eyes. She knew it was anger, but it fed hers anyway. She lunged for him, catching the back of his head with one hand and landing on his mouth in an open, carnal kiss. Her tongue dueled with his until someone behind them honked and he wrenched away.

“Jesus Christ. Get her under control.” He slid back into his seat and drove, weaving between cars to get down the street faster. Quinn stretched her arms over the seat and into his shirt, her palms rubbing over his nipples. She purred in the back of her throat.

“How?” Sam demanded. “She drew on a hell of a lot of power tonight, Nick. She’s always like this.”

“Always?” Nick’s voice went a little high. He squirmed but couldn’t get out of her reach.

“Not like this, this.” Sam tugged on Quinn’s arms and managed to pull her back. She slid on the slick seat until she was lying on her back, Sam somehow over her. Her hips lifted to rub against him. Her nails sliced into the leather seat under her, her grip so tight, trying to keep herself from grabbing Sam. He was a body—a hot, hard, familiar body that hers knew what to do with, and Quinn was losing the battle to stop it. The burning ache grew until she whimpered and rolled, trying to get to the floor, the only place away from Sam.

He cursed. “She gets horny,” he managed to say, holding her in place. “I always thought it was the moon, but it must be the amount of power she draws. She drew more power than usual. A lot more.”

It was so much more than that. He didn’t know the power was still there, inside her, craving. Demanding. It swelled, threatening to rip her apart if she didn’t feed it. Nick’s voice filled the car, profanity-laced frustration, but the growl burrowed deep into her. Quinn closed her eyes and rode the wave, so lost now she barely noticed when the Charger screeched to a halt at the hotel valet.

Nick leaped out, shoved his seat forward, and pulled Quinn out of Sam’s arms and into his. She sucked in air, desperate to force down the clawing need, but when Nick pulled her tight against him, no doubt to keep her in control, her tongue traced his collarbone. This time when he cursed, his voice was lower, more intimate. It slid inside, marking her. When she inhaled, it wasn’t exhaust-laden city air filling her lungs, but Nick’s scent. The desperation dimmed a little. This was okay. She didn’t have to fight so hard against this.

“She shredded my shirt!” Sam cried from inside the car. The valet stood at the driver’s door, staring at Quinn and Nick, then at Sam.

“Embrace your inner stud and let’s get her upstairs, dude.” Nick kept a tight grip on Quinn as they went inside. It made her hotter, but she couldn’t form words to tell him so.

They wrestled her to the elevator, casting a simultaneous “She’s drunk” look at the reception desk. She thought she should be annoyed at that but couldn’t think past the haze to care. If Nick wasn’t inside her soon, she’d scream.

As soon as the elevator door closed, she slammed Nick against the wall and plunged her tongue into his mouth again. He held her rigidly, but his erection was hot against her abdomen. In seconds, she had his belt unbuckled and was unbuttoning his jeans when he stopped her.

“God damn it!” she said.

Sam pulled her away from Nick. Quinn struggled and they fell sideways, against the other wall. Nick hit their floor button again, hard. His short hair stood on end, his mouth was swollen, and dear lord, Quinn wanted him. She reached out and snagged the collar of his shirt, pulling him off balance. His stagger sandwiched her between his hard body and the wall. The rail digging in to the back of her hips would leave bruises, but the pain sent a bolt of pleasure up her spine. She rubbed her body up against him.

The elevator dinged. Nick wrenched away as Sam leaned out to check the hall.

“Coast’s clear. Come on.” He ran down the hall and opened the suite door.

Nick maneuvered Quinn into the room. Sam slammed the door and slumped against it.

“What do we do?” Nick asked Sam. “Lock her in the bedroom?”

“We can’t leave her like this. It won’t abate. She needs to have sex. Besides, even if we could lock the door from the outside, it wouldn’t hold her. If we left her here, she’d find someone else.”

“She’s not goddamned having anyone else,” Nick growled. “I’ll take her to her room.”

Silence rang between them. Quinn managed to hold herself still, though she panted a little, held up to Nick’s chest by one solid arm. She couldn’t see either man’s face, but tension crackled, Sam’s unspoken protest a challenge in the air.

Then the tension disappeared. A door closed. Sam had gone into one of the bedrooms.

“Come on, sweetheart.” Nick maneuvered Quinn into the room she was supposed to share with Marley and closed the door. “What am I—”

But Quinn had stopped fighting, meager though her efforts had been up to now. She could have what she so desperately needed. Wanted. She bunched the soft cotton of Nick’s T-shirt in her palms and drew it up over his head. It drifted to the floor. Nick braced her hips between his hands while she dug hers into his hair and swept her mouth up over his neck to his ear.

“F*ck me, Nick.”

With a groan he pulled her tight against him, his feet spread wide as he plundered her mouth. She soared, but she was riding desperation, not pleasure. This wasn’t even close to enough. She yanked at the shirt Nick had given her, fabric tearing, then her jeans and his. Nick didn’t help, as if his slower movements could calm her. But her throat squeezed until she couldn’t swallow, only the taste of his skin under her open mouth easing the tightness. He lifted her and laid her on the bed, where she sank into the plush mattress, silky pillows supporting her head and shoulders. The fabric soothed her burning skin. She wriggled her body deeper and tilted her head back, gasping for air. She cried out, wordless begging, the ache tightening into a piercing pain. She couldn’t see again, everything a haze of swirling gold and white and pearlescent color, until she wasn’t sure what was real and outside of her, and what was inside, trying to force its way out.

Then Nick’s warm hands touched her thighs, giving her something to center herself with. His shoulders moved beneath her knees, and then his tongue was on her, gliding, stroking. She did scream then, ecstasy rocketing through her, gone too fast and leaving behind the same hunger, though now the world had solidified. He tongued her again, a long, hard finger sliding into her wetness at the same time, sending her up and over with a long, low moan. When the wave passed, her body had relaxed into the comforter, and Nick propped himself over her, his green eyes dark, intense.

“You okay?” he murmured.

Quinn managed a nod. She lifted her arms around him to stroke the skin of his back. “I’m sorry,” she whispered, but already the hunger had doubled again. She raised her head and bit down on his shoulder. He grunted and pulled away, but his cock had flexed against the inside of her thigh.

“Fill me, Nick.” She closed her hand around him and squeezed. Nick’s rough hand stroked her breast, and electric flame flickered into her. “God. I need— Nick, please. I need you. Now.”

“I need a condom.” He nuzzled her ear, her throat, and went lower to nip her other nipple with his teeth before rising back up and pressing her entire body into the bed. Quinn couldn’t get a grip on the meaning of his words. She wrapped her legs around his hips, pulled him harder onto her body, though he was already crushing her so she couldn’t breathe. His cock nudged her opening and she sobbed.

“Hold on, Quinn.”

He was gone only seconds, but the abandonment set loose the scream that had threatened since the lust took over. He landed on her, his mouth covering hers, tongue filling her mouth, taking the scream as he finally, finally pushed into her, so deep her body convulsed before loosening and drawing him in even farther. She tightened around his cock, her whole body tense beneath him. He rocked upward, pressing hard against her *, then rocked again. His hands clutched her head and he kissed her, his mouth clinging, devouring, hot and hungry.

The orgasm pierced Quinn but caught, going nowhere, imprisoning her. She ripped her mouth from Nick’s so she could tip her head back and arch. Her nails dug into his ass while he pulled out and stroked deep again, then again, harder and faster each time. The sweet agony tightened until Quinn couldn’t bear it any more. She clutched Nick’s shoulders, turned her head toward him, and whispered, “I love you.”

He’d just murmured the words back when Quinn exploded. In the fiery shower of light, she lost all sense of herself, all awareness of anything but the ecstasy pouring through her, endlessly throbbing, emotion and power intertwined and overcoming her entire being, until at last it cast her into darkness.