Out of Shadows Read online

  Out of Shadows

  He’d been restless his entire life, searching for something he’d never found. He’d been the same in the Shadow Realm. It was only now, with Dovina in his arms, that he’d gotten his first taste of peace and contentment.

  But it went even further than that. It was as though she completed him in some way. His eyes narrowed as he glared out into the woods. Human or otherworldly, it didn’t matter. He would not let anyone hurt her.

  “Hadeon?”

  He closed his eyes and swallowed hard. The sound of his name on her lips moved him to the depths of his tortured soul. He made no claims to being a good man. In his time, might had been right. He’d lived by the sword and ultimately died by it. But Dovina made him want to be something better. Something more than what he was. He jerked his eyes open when he felt her soft palm against his chin. She was chewing on her bottom lip. He reached up and used his thumb to smooth her lip away from her teeth. Leaning forward, he touched his mouth to hers. Her breath hitched, but she didn’t object. He stroked his tongue over her bottom lip and then her top one before testing the seam. She gasped and he slipped inside, teasing her tongue, tasting, learning what pleased her.

  She went to his head faster than a skin of wine. He turned her body, angling her head so he could deepen the kiss. She tasted like sex—hot and spicy and inviting. He growled as he devoured her, unable to get enough.

  He couldn’t have her. Not yet. Not here. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t have a taste. He liked the idea of giving her pleasure, making her come. The physical and sexual link would help bind her to him.

  He reluctantly broke the kiss. They were both breathing hard and Dovina looked slightly dazed. He skimmed his fingers through her hair, releasing it from the metal clip that held it prisoner. It sprang free, wild and alive. Just like the woman herself. Hadeon buried his face in the soft, springy mass, breathing in the sweet scent of woman. “I’m very real,” he murmured. He buried his face in the curve of her throat and nipped at the sensitive skin before soothing it with his tongue. Her hands clenched his shoulders, neither pushing him away nor pulling him closer. Simply holding him. He could sense her confusion and sought to ease it with physical touching. She would learn to trust him, to understand that he would never hurt her.

  He stoked his hand over her arm, across her collarbone and down to her breasts. He cupped one lush mound in his hand and squeezed. Dovina moaned and Hadeon felt his balls tighten.

  Every muscle in his body tensed in anticipation. “Let me touch you,” he whispered in her ear. Catching the tender lobe of her ear between his teeth, he tugged gently. Dovina moaned and squirmed in his lap. He swirled his tongue over the delicate whorls. “Let me taste you.”

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  Dovina couldn’t think, couldn’t do much of anything except breathe, and even that was difficult. One minute she’d been leaving, the next everything went black. She’d come back to her senses to find herself ensconced in the stranger’s lap. No, not a stranger. His name was Hadeon. She wasn’t certain if that was his first name or his last name. She only knew that she felt a connection to him unlike anything she’d ever experienced in her life.

  The rational part of her mind whispered that this was all a setup. Frighten the female tourist, let the one guy play hero and maybe he’ll get lucky. The instinctual part of her brain was urging her to grab on tight to Hadeon and never let go. It didn’t help matters that his kisses were intense and all-consuming. Like a powerful drug, she was afraid she was quickly becoming an addict. He kissed her with total concentration, as if there was nothing else in the world he’d rather do. It was heady for a woman who hadn’t had much male attention in her life. When his hand cupped her breast, she thought she’d come then and there. Her panties were already damp. The urge to clamp her legs together and squeeze was almost overwhelming. She resisted only because she didn’t want him to know just how far gone she was.

  She moaned when he tugged on her earlobe with his teeth, teased the sensitive skin beneath it with his tongue. And the things he said to her. The air might be chilly, but she was sweating.

  Never in her life had she felt so alive, so sexy, so womanly. There was something wild and untamed about Hadeon. Something primal that called to her on a primitive level. Whether it was his long hair, his strong features or the scar on his right cheek, she didn’t know. Maybe it was the way he’d stepped in front of her, protecting her, ready to fight. Maybe it was the way he tempered his strength, holding her securely, yet gently. Whatever it was, she wanted him with a need that bordered on pain.

  This wasn’t like her at all. She’d had two serious relationships in her lifetime. The last one had fizzled out almost a year ago. There had been no big fights, just the realization of two people headed in different directions in their lives. Heck, she was still friends with both her ex-boyfriends.

  But this man was different. She sensed, in some primitive part of her, that he had the ability to hurt her. Not physically. She truly believed he meant what he said when he’d told her he was there to protect her. But emotionally, he could devastate her. Whatever he felt for her at this moment wouldn’t last.

  He was wild and compelling and exciting. She was…well, ordinary. Still, it was a powerful feeling to have a man like this want her.

  Hadeon was obviously through with waiting. He tugged at the zipper of her coat, pulling the tab downward. The noise sounded loud and unnatural in the quiet of the woods. The buttons of her blouse were next. He had them undone before she could decide if she should let him.

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  Out of Shadows

  He cupped her breast through the thin fabric of her bra, his thumb teasing her engorged nipple. “You want me.”

  It wasn’t a question.

  Reality came crashing down on her. She was in the middle of the woods, allowing a stranger to touch her intimately. “No.” She shook her head and pushed away. Hadeon let her pull away slightly but kept his hand on her breast. He frowned down at her. “Why do you lie? Your body does not.”

  She shook her head and covered his hand with hers, tugging it away from her breast. “I might want you, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to do anything about it.”

  “Why?”

  She stared at him, unable to believe the ridiculousness of this conversation. “I don’t know you, for one. I’m certainly not in the habit of letting strange men touch me.”

  His frowned deepened and his eyes narrowed. “I didn’t think you did. And we’re not strangers. Not here.” He gently tugged his hand away from hers and placed it over her heart. “You know me.”

  He was confusing her totally. A part of her agreed with him. There was something about him that seemed almost familiar to her. Which was impossible considering they’d just met.

  “Let me touch you,” he coaxed. “Pleasure you.” He stroked his hand over her bare belly. “You can tell me to stop at any time.”

  She chewed on her bottom lip. As enticing as the offer was, she wasn’t a tease and she had no intention of sleeping with him. “That’s not fair to you.”

  He shrugged. “It is for me to decide if it is fair to me or not and I say it is.” He shifted his hand lower, burying it between her jean-clad thighs. The heat from his hand sank through the layers of fabric, heating her core. He pressed hard and the seam of her jeans and his fingers stimulated her clit, wringing a moan from her.

  “So much passion,” he murmured as he stroked his fingers over her. “Let me touch you.”

  Oh god, she was going to do this. She was crazy. She was… The thought disappeared when he captured her lips and kissed her again. This time there was no leisurely exploration. This was a claiming. He greedily ate at her lips and her mouth, delving, stroking, nipping.

  Dovina clung to his shoulders for support. Her head was whirling, her body on fire. He didn’t bother to undo her bra, simply shoved it up and out of his way. He tore his lips from hers and kissed a heated path down the curve o
f her throat, across her collarbone and lower.

  His mouth hovered over her breast. Her nipple puckered from a combination of the chilly air and anticipation. Hadeon lowered his head, catching the tight bud between his lips and flicking it with his tongue.

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  N.J. Walters

  She felt the caress between her thighs as though he’d licked her clit. Her hips arched upward, seeking relief. Hadeon tugged at the button of her jeans and then yanked down the zipper. His hand disappeared beneath the band of her lacy panties, delving into the hot cavern that waited for him.

  Her pussy clenched in anticipation. Cream slid from her core as one thick finger pressed inside her. She made a low keening sound and arched her hips. Hadeon lapped at her nipple, nuzzling her breast. “You’re so hot. So wet and ready.” He shoved a second finger in to join the first one, stretching her. It felt delicious. She squirmed, trying to get him deeper.

  He stroked his thumb over her swollen clit and she saw stars. “Yesss,” she groaned, bucking against his hand. Nothing had ever felt this good. Hadeon swore and captured her mouth again in a searing kiss. His hand worked between her thighs. Fingers pumping, pressing upward on each withdrawal. He touched a magic spot inside her that made her scream. Her entire body clenched in anticipation. She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t speak.

  Her orgasm ripped through her. It had been a long time for her and never had she had one this intense. Heat flooded her veins as her pussy clamped down tight on his fingers. He pressed his thumb against her swollen clit and another wave of pleasure washed over her.

  She trembled, her thighs quivering as he withdrew his hand from between her legs. She could hear him talking to her, words without meaning, meant to soothe. A bead of sweat rolled down her temple even as she shivered as a cool breeze touched her bare skin.

  Hadeon must have felt her shiver, because he pulled the edges of her coat over her bare breasts and tugged her closer to his broad chest. His heart was pounding and his erection was pulsing against her thigh. He was still very aroused. What had she done?

  She’d let a stranger touch her. Had sex with him. Not intercourse, but he’d touched her as intimately as a man could. Even as sexual lethargy threatened to lull her into a sense of false security, her brain kicked in. She needed to get away from this man. His power over her was frightening. This wasn’t like her. She didn’t do things like this. She jumped from his lap, stumbling as she yanked the zipper closed on her jeans. She pulled down her bra and zipped her coat, not bothering to button her blouse. Dovina was mortified even as her body hummed with the remnants of her blazing orgasm.

  He rose to his feet in one lithe movement. He towered over her, reminding her once again just how large he was. “Dovina?”

  She shook her head and took a step back. “I’m sorry. That shouldn’t have happened.” Anyone could have come along and seen them there. And what a scandal that would have been. She could see the headline now—Professor of English Lit Charged With Public Indecency. She shuddered to think about it. 22

  Out of Shadows

  His jaw tightened, but he said nothing. The hem of his long coat flapped in the breeze. She didn’t dare look below his waist. She knew he was aroused. His erection had been digging into her side the entire time he’d been touching her.

  “I need to go.” She patted her coat pocket, thankful her keys were still safely inside. What did you say to a man who just had his hands down your pants? Thanks for everything. She was obviously losing what little was left of her mind. She needed to regroup and think about everything that had happened.

  “I need to go,” she said again, backing away from him.

  “I will see you safely back to wherever you are staying.”

  Like that was going to happen. “No. That’s okay.”

  He shook his head and stalked toward her. Dovina took several steps toward the bridge. “I know the way back to my car.”

  Anger radiated from his body. “It is my mission to protect you.”

  Better to give in and get moving. “Only to my car.”

  Hadeon didn’t agree or disagree, he simply fell into step beside her. She glanced nervously at him several times, but he wasn’t paying any attention to her. His gaze was focused on the surrounding woods.

  They walked in silence, which grew deeper with each step. Dovina regretted the fact that she’d never see him again. But it was probably for the best. What had happened between them in the heat of the moment would probably seem awkward in the light of the day.

  She saw a light coming down the path toward them and glanced back at Hadeon. He tensed, but put one large hand on the small of her back, urging her forward. As they got closer, a man took shape. When he saw them, he angled his light away as he came closer. “Evening, folks. I’m Officer Evans.”

  As she came alongside him, she noted his uniform. He was a member of the local police. “Officer.” Dovina inclined her head. Hadeon was silent. The policeman studied Hadeon, who loomed large and menacing beside her.

  “Everything all right, ma’am?”

  She smiled, noting the way he addressed her, but kept his eyes on Hadeon.

  “Everything is fine. We were just checking out the bridge.”

  She hoped he couldn’t see the sword Hadeon was carrying. It was probably illegal to have a concealed weapon like a sword. Dovina hoped they got out of this situation without Hadeon ending up in trouble with the law. And why should she even care what happened to him? They were virtually strangers. Yet they weren’t. It was making her head hurt just thinking about it.

  “Too dark to see much this time of evening,” Officer Evans pointed out. He was a tall man with short, dark hair, broad shoulders and kind eyes. “You shouldn’t be out here without a light.”

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  N.J. Walters

  Dovina was sick of men telling her what she should and shouldn’t do tonight. As a result, her reply had a sharp edge. “I had a light, but it went dead.”

  Hadeon finally spoke up, his voice low and commanding. “I have excellent night vision. Dovina is safe with me.”

  “Glad to hear it,” the officer replied, a warning tone in his. “Wouldn’t want the lady to fall and hurt herself.”

  “I imagine that wouldn’t be good for tourism,” she quipped, to break the growing tension between the two men.

  The officer gave her a quick grin, the mood easing slightly. “No, ma’am. The board of tourism tends to frown on such things.”

  She laughed in spite of her unsettled emotions or maybe because of them.

  “Do you patrol the path often?” Hadeon inquired.

  “Often enough. And we step up foot patrols this time of year at all the major points of interest. Lots of tourists in town.”

  When Hadeon stayed silent, Dovina hurried to fill the void. “Well, I can’t wait to see everything. Starting tomorrow.”

  “I’m sure you’ll enjoy yourselves. You folks have a good evening now.” Officer Evans tipped his hat to her and then ambled off down the path, his light flashing in the darkness.

  Hadeon urged her onward. The silence lengthened as they stepped out onto the sidewalk and went down the road. She heaved a sigh of relief when her car came into sight. There were no other vehicles around hers, but she’d parked under a streetlight for safety’s sake. Hadeon was silent as she unlocked her car and climbed inside. He held the door, not letting her close it.

  Suddenly, he leaned down and kissed her. “This isn’t over, Dovina.” With those cryptic words, he slammed the door shut. “Lock it.” She heard his voice easily through the glass. She engaged the lock.

  She felt guilty for leaving him out there. Did he have a ride home? Where was home? It was none of her business. He’d gotten to the woods in the first place. He could take care of himself.

  Jamming the keys into the ignition, she started the car. She turned back to wave goodbye, but he was already gone. Tears pricked her eyes, but she blinked them back. Why she should feel bereft because he was gon
e, she didn’t know. He wasn’t anything to her.

  Liar. Something inside her protested as she pulled away and headed back toward her hotel. The miles passed quickly and she was soon parking in the lot. She headed into the building, digging out her room key as she went. She kept feeling as if someone were watching her.

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  Out of Shadows

  Dovina glanced over her shoulder several times, but saw nothing in the shadows. She kept a vigilant watch until she reached her room. When the door closed behind her, she locked it and slumped against it.

  It had been a hell of a night.

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  N.J. Walters

  Chapter Three

  Hadeon stood in a dark alcove just beyond the door to Dovina’s room. He’d ridden the shadows alongside her car and followed her to her room. There was no way he’d let her out of his sight until he was certain she was safe.

  He scrubbed his hand over his jaw and groaned. He could smell her on his fingers. Her essence was hot and spicy, like the woman herself. It went against every instinct he had not to go to her. He wanted to touch her soft flesh, tracing every curve, every hollow with his fingers, then his tongue. A muscle jumped beneath his eye and he forced himself to relax his hands, which were clenched into tight fists. Slowly, he loosened them and shook them by his sides.

  Knowing he shouldn’t, but unable to resist, he rode the shadows again, going from the hallway into her bedroom in the blink of an eye. He stood in a far corner, invisible to human sight, and watched as Dovina sat on the edge of the bed and rested her head in her hands. The urge to go to her and wrap his arm around her waist pounded through him. He wanted to…comfort her.

  That impulse was foreign to him. All throughout his life, he’d taken what he’d desired with little or no regard for what others wanted. It was just the way things worked back in those days. To show compassion was seen as a sign of weakness and the weak were always trampled into the dirt.