He pulled her back out through the window and leaned against the building. She kept her eyes on his face, rather than look down this time. The sun was rising, softening the harsh lines of his face. He drew her near, hands on neck. “We can’t teleport in or out of the fortress. It’s magically protected to prevent it.”
So close she could taste him, Elena weaved on her feet as Nikolai chanted. Then, with a slam, she knew she had been teleported again. Eyes closed, she breathed deep through her nose, taking in the rich, coppery perfume of Nikolai’s blood, no concern as to where they were. Hell, they could be up on another wall for all she cared. It was as if his blood had rendered nothing else relevant. Her whole body hummed with the scent of him as she dropped the suitcase and wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him as close as possible.
A deep, masculine rumbling sound rolled through his chest, reverberating through her body as he reciprocated and ran his hands up her back, entwining his fingers in her hair. “Elena,” he whispered.
Yes. This was what she wanted. She lowered her hands and rubbed over the hard ridge in the front of his jeans, and he groaned again. She needed him with her, against her, in her. She needed to…bite him?
No!
She shoved as hard as she could against his chest, sending him sprawling in the snow.
No.
“What game is this?” he asked, rising to his feet.
Still shaking off the blood-induced trance, she took a step back. There was only an eerie hint of light slanting low through the trees, accenting the angular planes of his face. He’d never looked more beautiful to her—wild and angry, surrounded by the surreal beauty of the untouched forest.
What was happening to her? This was all wrong. She took several more steps back. This wasn’t like her at all. She was attracted to order and convenience. Security and predictability. Not some wild, primitive immortal death angel in the middle of a forest who knows where. A death angel who hated her.
It had to be his blood making her crazy. And every minute she was with him, she found herself more vulnerable. It’s only his blood, she assured herself. She could beat this.
Nikolai stood and brushed the snow off, then grabbed the bearskin and shook it. It was only his blood she craved, and for some reason that bugged the shit out of him. Why should he care at all? She was a vampire, and even though their souls met on the cord, he knew it would never work. Perhaps it was simply the rejection that burned. He’d never been denied by a female before, and it stung. Yes, that was it. It was only his pride. She meant nothing.
“We need to get moving,” he said, wrapping the bearskin over his shoulders, then grabbing the suitcase and tucking it under his arm. Fortunately, they were very close to the meeting place. “Come.”
He struck out for the destination but the cord jerked him to a stop.
“Come!” he repeated.
“I’m not a dog you can command.”
He could see the defiance in her eyes, and it aroused him. So strong. But as much as he admired her will, they didn’t have time for this right now. They could play who’s on top later.
“Elena. We must—”
The sound of motors cut him short. Shit. They’d been discovered, and teleporting again this soon was iffy, especially since there were two of them. Besides, he needed to take care of this because he couldn’t just let Aleksi teleport right into a trap or ambush. Best to face whatever was bearing down on them and hope it wasn’t Slayer Elite Forces.
“Listen to me well. You must not move no matter what you hear, do you understand?” She was mortal and could get hurt so easily.
She opened her mouth to speak, but he cut her off.
“If they see you, they’ll kill you. Get on your belly in the snow, now. Lay perfectly still no matter what.”
She nodded and dropped to her hands and knees. At least she was compliant when it was essential. Once she was flat, he spread the skin over her. He would need to stay in one place to be effective. If he were within their striking range, they’d be within his as well. He pulled the cord to give himself the most length possible. At least it wasn’t on his sword arm. He positioned himself over the skin, one foot on either side of her. No blade would find her. Not while he was alive.
The first of the snowmobiles crested the berm, and he almost shouted out with relief. The next two were no different. They were manned by wood elves, the easiest of the Underveil creatures to defeat. Why would they be defending the Slayer fortress?
Though equipped with rifles—probably to kill or injure Elena—the elves were also armed with swords. Bullets would do nothing to him, but a good slice with a blade would slow him down, though not kill him, even if forged by the light elves. He would have to be burned to ash or decapitated by a Slayer sword to be defeated, and the chance of a wood elf doing that was zilch. Still, they could kill Elena easily, which was his primary concern as the first snowmobile rocketed toward him.