Rome struggled to keep from ramming his fist into the wall. His beast had torn through the mental cage and was ready to tear Conlin's throat out with his bear teeth. Only after he felt the warm slide of blood down his throat could he rest.
Soft hands cupped his cheeks and a gentle voice slowly brought him back from the darkness. That familiar sound lulled his beast back into its cage, closed the door, and then he was looking down into a pretty face with black rimmed glasses and straight bangs.
"Baby, don't do that to me again," she said, climbing further into his lap and wrapping her arms around him in a fierce hug. With each breath, Rome felt calmer, the red haze of rage dissipating like a breeze.
"I'm going to kill him, Alison." His arms tightened around her.
"No, you can't! Listen, he'll slip up sometime and then we'll have more evidence to present to the Justicars. Everything will be fine, baby." She was talking quick, panic sinking in. Her hands ran soothing passages over his back, his face, his hair.
It took more control than he knew he had, but he finally forced the anger back. It was several minutes before the beast stopped pacing the small cage. He didn't relax, but he had control over the rage now. As much as anyone could control such a volatile emotion. It was like saying he had a handle on the ticking time bomb in his hand with only sixty seconds left on the clock.
When he finally spoke, his words were serious, his voice eerily calm. "I can't let you go Alison. I don't think I can ever let you go."
Her heart stopped beating. Her mind raced, working a million miles a minute. She knew what it was she felt. Hope, joy, love, bat-shit insanity. Oh God, this wasn't supposed to happen.
"Just don't say anything. I can see that you're not ready for that, Ali, but I am. So just let me know." Abruptly he stood and set her aside on the bed. "I've got to get going."
Alison watched, not knowing what to say as he pulled on his clothes. He looked over at her and smiled. It wasn't all there, not quite reaching his eyes, but it was warm.
"I'm leaving a cell phone on the table downstairs, my number is programmed into it. Call me if you need anything."
Alison followed him down the stairs, a smile twisting her lips. "What if I need a kiss."
She trailed his chuckling form as he grabbed his keys off the side table. He turned so suddenly, snatching her hard against his body, plastering her to his body like paint. "Then I guess I'll just have to give you one now." Alison oomphed as his mouth caught hers. He held her tight, his tongue plundering her mouth, tongues dueling and caressing.
Alison pulled back, gasping for breath. "Don't tease me. Not when you have to go."
A dark growl and then his mouth were on hers again, his hands clasping her bottom and squeezing the flesh in pulses. Arousal flooded her, dampening her panties, making her heart thump hard.
He pulled away and her lips followed. He chuckled at her flushed face. "I'll be back." And then he was out the door.
Son of a bitch, she thought. Her stupid grin wouldn’t go, even after his car pulled away.
Alison sighed then dunked her head one last time under the hot sudsy water. Her muscles were loose and her skin warm. She felt great, better than she had in a long time. Lifting the plug with her toe, the water preceded to drain in slow spinning pulls. Alison walked wet footed to the towel rack and dried off. Grabbing her rounded brush, she set to styling her bangs and hair.
Dressing, she went downstairs ready to spend the next five hours relaxing and watching movies until Rome returned. He promised her he'd make dinner tonight and she was a little excited to see what he'd cook up. Grilled cheese, bbq? Giggling, she just put in the first movie when the cell phone Rome left her trilled from the coffee table.
Running over to it, she answered quickly.
Warm happiness bubbled out of her. "Hey baby, how you doing? I just wanted to call and make sure things are fine."
"I'm excellent. I took a bath and was just about to watch one of your DVDs. I’ve wanted to see that Twilight move forever. I can’t believe you own it.” Her voice dropped to a husky whisper. “I'm glad you called.”
He groaned on the other end. "Tell me you haven't dressed yet and you're standing there wet, dripping, and naked."
"No, I'm afraid not," she said laughing.
"I just got to work, but are you sure I can't call Sarina to come visit with you while I'm gone? I'm sure she wouldn't mind."
"Thank you, baby, but I don't think so. I'm going to enjoy these next few hours of solitude with your epic vampire/werewolf collection."
His rich laughter filled the line. "Those are courtesy of Vera for my birthday, so enjoy, babe. Remember, if you change your mind, if you need anything, just call." He sounded so concerned, so unlike his usual cool self, she couldn't help but laugh.
"I'm fiiine, go to work. Now." He said goodbye and hung up. Sighing blissfully, she hit play from the DVD menu and curled up on his luscious sofa that even smelled like him.
The picture quality of the TV was amazing. She'd only had a small, thirty-something inch from ten years ago back at the apartment. His looked brand new, top of the line with shiny black trim and a neat little stand.
The movie started and the cell went off again. Grinning, she answered with a perky, "Hellooo?"
"Alison. Are you ready to come see me?" Alison dropped the phone, her gut clenching in icy fear as her lungs struggled to breath.
The front door flew open, slamming into the wall with a loud crack as several men came rushing in. Everything happened in slow motion. Alison screamed and took off running towards the kitchen.
Eyes wide, heart pumping, lykaen sprinting out of the cage, she made it four steps before a heavy body took her hard down to the ground. Her nose slammed into the ground. She winced at the pain, tears springing to her eyes.
She screamed until her throat burned, her arms were dragged behind her and tied tight, and then a cloth was forced over her mouth. It smelled foul like gasoline. She struggled not to breathe, knew that whatever that smell was dangerous.
A hard fist slammed into to her lower back and she gasped in pain accidentally sucking in the toxic smell.
She wanted to cry, to run. But she couldn't do any of those things. Darkness exploded over her like an eclipse and then she was out.
Chapter 13
Flashes of white light flipped on and off.
With each blink, her eyes absorbed more light, more images. Her head felt like a dozen bowling balls were shoved inside it. Surely if she tried to lift her head, her neck would snap like a twig trying to lift a car. Memories arrived to her in fragmented slides. The pieces didn't make sense. They were out of order. Struggling to open her eyes against the bright white light, she forced her sluggish mind to work.
Why was it that when one needed their body to work at maximum capacity, it utterly failed?
The puzzle pieces were there but she couldn't line the right ones up. Men breaking in, a phone call with Rome, a cruel cold voice, the sharp pain to her gut that woke her, the smell of gasoline against her nostrils.
"How much did you give her?" a nasty voice said. "Get the fuck up already, bitch." Alison forced her eyelids open. Dark, blurry figures above her.
A deadly calm enveloped her. She knew that voice as clearly as if it were her own. That voice had haunted her nightmares for two long years.
"Conlin," she croaked, her voice dry and scratchy. Her entreaty sounded nothing like the scathing snarl she wanted it to. A dark figure came closer and knelt next to her. She could feel the heat radiating off his body.