Thus the whole stealing the SUV bit, but why go in that loud, overpriced bar? A horn beeped as another car had to swerve to avoid a head-on collision with Maya.
She didn't even flinch, but she did flip off the other driver.
Then they were outside, pushing hard toward eighty and speeding away from the snarls of traffic.
"Interesting thing about Tim," she finally said, "the guy set me up to die a few years back."
His head jerked toward her as rage pumped through his veins. "And why," he asked softly, voice deadly, "in the hell did we just prance into the asshole's den?"
Her small nostrils flared. "Do you smell that? I swear it's like someone just opened a damn pack of matches in here and started a fire."
"Why'd we see him?" he demanded, ignoring her words. If he'd known the truth about Tim back when they'd been in that bar, he would have made certain to give the guy exactly what he deserved.
A slow, painful death.
Maya didn't speak for a moment, but he saw her fingers tighten just the briefest bit around the steering wheel. The streets and buildings passed them in a blur.
"Do you know," she shot him a quick glance, "just what Tim is doing right now?"
Probably screwing one of his scantily clad waitresses when he should have been bleeding all over the floor and begging for mercy.
"He got on the phone the minute we left, most likely with someone in the local wolf pack, and he offered to sell us out."
Bastard. "Nice ex you got there."
Her lips firmed. "There was probably some kind of tracking system on his car, and I imagine good old Tim is making arrangements to activate the GPS or at the very least, he's telling the pack to head for Mexico."
"Uh, we're not planning on traveling down to the border, are we?" He asked, feeling slow for not having recognized that fact sooner.
"No, we're not."
His anger kicked up another notch and he had to fight the urge to grab the woman. "Since we're talking about my niece's life here, do you mind telling me just where we're headed?" Or did the woman intend to keep leading him around in the dark? "The Mojave Desert, near Vegas. We're gonna stop by the safe house first, load up on weapons and gear, then start tracking."
Finally. "Are you sure she's there?"
"No."
His lips parted in surprise at her quick answer. "What?" Then why were they going to waste time driving out-
"Marie's sure, and that's good enough for me."
Marie. "The voodoo priestess? Is she always right?" He knew women like her had gifts, but he didn't want to take a chance with Cammie's life.
"Always?" Maya sighed then muttered, "I sure hope not."
He frowned.
"Relax. She's right about this." She braked for a traffic light. "We're going to find the girl."
And she'd better be alive.
But Maya didn't promise that, because he knew she couldn't promise that.
"Just get me to her," he said. If he could just find Cammie, shield her-"I'll take care of the rest."
"You and your army, huh?"
He didn't know what the woman was talking about. "What?"
"Forget it, Slick. Just sit back and enjoy the ride-because this party of ours is going to be heading straight to hell soon."
He'd thought they'd just left hell. Or had it been heaven? Hard to say about Tim's bar.
Nah, for him it had definitely been hell.
The bastard had been with Maya. Touched her. Tasted her.
His hands fisted.
Tried to kill her.
And she'd just casually walked up to the guy and let him put his hands on her again, his mouth.
The woman had ice in her veins. "I can't believe you're just letting him get away with it."
"Huh?"
"Tim." He snarled the word. "I can't believe that you're just gonna let that demon get away with trying to kill you."
She laughed them. A real, honest laugh that seemed to echo right in his heart. "Adam, I'm not letting him get away with anything." Another traffic light. Another quick brake. She flashed him a smile. "Just what do you think is gonna happen to our demon friend when the wolves find out that he can't deliver as promised?"
A soundless whistle slipped past his lips.
Her smile widened. "Tim didn't get away with a damn thing. I was just biding my time. Now his time, well, it's about to end."
And the guy had dug his own grave.
They drove until just before sunset, heading northeast along the long and empty interstate.
They'd stopped by the safe house only long enough to grab supplies and clothes and then they'd been on the road again.
Maya could feel the change in the air that always signaled the rise of the sun. The faint shift, the slow drain on her energy.
They'd made good time, though, and even now, she could see the glitter of the Vegas strip shining through the waning night.
"We'll get a room," she said, her hands gripping the steering wheel hard. "Get some sleep, and then-"
"We can go after them now!" Adam said. "The vampires will be weak, we can take them, get her-"
" I'm weak, and you have to be dead on your feet." The night had been hellishly long. They'd stopped twice along the route and switched license plates with other SUVs to make certain they didn't have to worry about the cops bothering them.
But with the wolf attack…
The car theft…
The driving…
They both needed to rest before they went up against a gang of vamps.
"Look," she told him, turning the SUV toward one of the small motels near the highway, a place that boasted a bright red vacancy sign. "We'll leave before dusk, before those guys have stirred, and we'll arrive just as they wake." And just as her full strength kicked in. "We'll get the girl. Trust me."
He gave a jerky nod.
He was not a happy camper, but there was no way they could go traipsing through the desert right then. If the vamps had any kind of guards out there-more wolf shifters or demons-she and Adam would be dead in seconds.
She'd never enjoyed being easy pickings.
They checked into the motel, made sure the SUV was parked out of sight, and then Maya pushed open the old wooden door to their room just as the first rays of the sun streaked across the sky.
Damn. It had definitely been one hell of a night.
She hoped her day was better.
Maya was in the bathroom. He could hear the faint spray of the shower through the paper thin walls.
Tension kept his body tight as he paced the small confines of their room.
The place was a piece of shit. Sagging bed. Carpet worn through in places. A nightstand that was missing a leg and in its place had a pile of three stacked phone books. An ugly armchair and a couch that sagged so low it touched the floor.
When Maya had seen the room, she'd just shrugged those thin shoulders of hers and muttered, "I've seen worse." Then she'd stripped-yanking off her T-shirt so that he caught a glimpse of the long, smooth line of her back as she'd walked into the bathroom-and slammed the door shut.
Now he was stuck with a hard-on, anger pumping through him, and the same desperate need he'd felt before.
Closing his eyes, he imagined her. Saw Maya standing under the rush of water. Watched the liquid pour over her nipples and trickle down between her thighs.
Shit.
He understood why they couldn't go after the vamps right then. The bastards would have hidden well during the daylight and no doubt set guards around their precious prize.
He'd need Maya's help to fight them, and if she wasn't at full strength-and he knew by the tightness around her mouth and the stiffness of her body that she'd been weakening-then they wouldn't have as good of a chance at saving Cammie.
Yeah, he understood waiting. He just didn't like it.
And the fact that he was horny as hell just pissed him off more.
What was it about Maya? Why did he want her so much? He'd always hated her kind.
But she wasn't like the others.
Wasn't like anyone he'd ever met before.
His eyes opened and he stared at the bathroom door. Such a weak barrier, really. He could hear every move she made behind that wooden door. Could catch the scent of soap, of woman.
Adam was at the door before he even realized his own intention. He lifted his hand, touched the wood.
She'd wanted him earlier. Had kissed him back with a hunger to match his.
They'd stopped because it hadn't been the time. Or the place.
The time was different now. So was the place. He had to get this damn desperate lust out of his system so that he could focus on the attack plans. He couldn't afford a distraction, not while his niece's life was in danger.
His hand dropped to rest on the doorknob. If she says no, I'll walk away. It'd be one of the hardest things he'd ever done, but he'd walk away.
If she says no.
But what if she said yes? His cock jerked in anticipation, and he opened the door.
Steam filled the small bathroom, fogging the mirror and drifting lazily in the air. Maya stood in the shower, a thin curtain both concealing and revealing her body. He could see the outline of her breasts. Firm, round. The flare of her hips. The sleek expanse of her thighs.
He wanted those thighs wrapped around him. Wanted his hands tight on her hips. And those breasts. He wanted to taste them. Wanted her pink nipples in his mouth, on his tongue.
Adam licked his lips, already tasting her.
"Are you gonna stand there all day?" Maya's mocking voice rang out as she pushed aside the curtain and met his stare with a raised brow. "Or are you planning to join me?"
Her nipples were tight, the pink tips hard and flushed. His gaze drifted over her, hungry for the sight of her flesh. Such sweet flesh. Flat stomach, round hips, a small thatch of dark hair shielding her core. He glimpsed the plump folds of her sex, flushed the same pink as her nipples.
He'd like to taste her there. Taste her cream and hear her moan.
Very slowly, never taking his gaze off her body, he jerked off his shirt. Threw it to the floor.
Kicked off his shoes and socks. Stripped off his jeans and the boxers he'd worn.
He felt her stare on his body. First on his chest. Then down, to the thick cock that sprang from the hair at his groin.
Damn, but he couldn't wait to drive inside her.
He took a step toward the shower. Saw the swift rise of her chest.
She had the prettiest nipples.
The water sprayed on her, dripping down her body, trickling onto the tiled floor.
He stood in front of Maya, waiting, fighting to hold onto the control that weakened with every breath he took. Because he could smell her arousal now. The rich, heady scent filled his nostrils and made the beast inside him desperate for release.
"I'm not going to stop this time," he told her, his voice a hard rumble of sound.
Her hand reached out toward him, touched the center of his chest. "I don't want you to stop."
Her gaze, bright blue, but occasionally starting to flicker black, met his. "I want you to fuck me."
Her words pumped a fire of need and lust through his veins. He stepped into the shower, grabbed her, and pushed her back against the tiled wall.
The water poured on his back. Hot.
His mouth locked on hers. His tongue drove deep as he tasted her. He loved the way she tasted.
Loved the wet, warm feel of her body against his. He held her hands chained to the wall, and her body twisted and pressed against his.
Her nipples raked across his chest. Her smooth thighs brushed against his.
Fuck.
He pushed her arms higher and used one hand to hold her wrists tight. He wanted to be the one to touch and play this time. He wanted the control.
He wanted her. Blind with pleasure, screaming his name.
His right hand slipped down her body as he kissed her. Found her breast, fondled the tight peak, squeezed. Maya moaned into his mouth and her hips shifted urgently against him.
Adam ripped his mouth from hers. Gazed down at her breasts. Then took one ripe mound into his mouth, laving his tongue over the sweet flesh and enjoying the shiver that worked its way over her body.
He sucked on her breast, drawing strongly on the nipple, then easing back to tease the peak with his tongue. He loved the sounds she was making. Low, husky moans. Panting breaths. He knew she could break free of his hold at any moment, knew, too, that she was enjoying the pleasure he was giving her-and because of that, she wouldn't break free, not yet.
His hand skimmed down her stomach and stopped at the juncture of her thighs. "Let me in," he breathed the words against her breast.
Her thighs parted, giving him perfect access to her core. His fingers eased between her spread legs. Her delicate folds were soft and slick from the shower and her own arousal. Adam touched her lightly at first, barely skimming his fingertips over the heated button of her need, then brushing the entrance of her sex.
"Don't play," Maya growled. "I'm not the light and easy type."
Neither was he. He had a stranglehold on the beast raging inside of him, but if Maya wanted fire and passion, he'd be more than happy to give it to her.
He pressed against her clit. Rubbed. Gently bit against the tender underside of her breast.
Then he drove one finger deep into her waiting sex.
Maya gasped, rising on her tiptoes.
The water pounded down over them.
His cock was swollen, heavy with the lust that poured through him. Her sex was tight around his finger, squeezing-so fucking good-and he couldn't wait to drive his shaft into her. Hard and deep.
