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  He can’t be tiring of me if his dick is already prodding unexplored territory. Oh no, he is not going there!

  Then his lips closed on her earlobe and nipped it.

  “Ouch!”

  “Stop thinking so much.”

  “Can’t help it. I didn’t know I could come like a roller coaster. You’ve barely let me catch my breath.”

  “Are you complaining?”

  “No…course not. Just…” She wished he’d stop talking, asking questions that drummed up feelings she was too uncomfortable to acknowledge.

  “Afraid?”

  “A little,” she admitted, cringing inside.

  “Of me?”

  Of how much I feel. “No,” she snapped. You keep kicking the door open on my heart every time I think I can close it. “Shouldn’t you be scared?”

  “Of what? That I might discover you’ve a woman’s heart after all?” He kissed her shoulder, and then rubbed his cheek against her.

  She nodded, her throat thickening. “I might want to cling. I don’t do it very well. I get whiny.”

  “You’ve done it a lot?” he asked, his caresses growing still.

  “Once. It was pretty ugly.” She tried for humor to mask her pain. “I got all splotchy-faced and soggy-nosed. I think I might have broken a dish or two over his head, too. Sixteen stitches—or so the emergency room bill stated.”

  “Were you badly hurt?”

  His voice was so soft and deep it felt another kind of caress—one that had her wishing she were a different kind of girl. Softer, needier—the kind a man wanted to protect. “No. I sucker punched him—he never had a chance.”

  “Such a little warrior,” he murmured. “But I meant, did he hurt your heart?”

  “Just my pride. I caught him screwing my best friend. I didn’t love him. I just wanted to know I was loveable, I guess. But I found out I didn’t need him or his loving after all.”

  “Are you sure about that?”

  She stayed silent, not wanting to lie.

  Navarro kissed the side of her face.

  Sidney turned to meet his lips. For the first time, their kiss was soft and exploring.

  His lips released hers. “I can’t promise you forever, Sidney, but for however long we need each other—I won’t share you. And I won’t bring another to my bed.”

  He looked so serious, her heart nearly broke. I can’t do this. “No more Moses?” she asked, lifting an eyebrow, telling him silently all she wanted was the sex. Please don’t let him see the lie!

  He stared for a long moment, then his lips quirked. “Threaten me with Moses one more time, and I’ll spank you.”

  Glad that at last he was relenting in his pursuit of her inner feelings, Sidney relaxed. “Since I’m in a vulnerable position at the moment, I’ll refrain.”

  “See how easy it is to do my bidding?” He abruptly slid down her body. “Now, no more whining.”

  Sidney relaxed until his hands plumped the pillow beneath her, adding height to her ass.

  Navarro took his time arranging her for his pleasure, spreading her legs wide, tilting her bottom to give him greater access.

  Her breath hissed out when his tongue rimmed her pussy. It was all she could do not to squirm with delight. When he settled in to lick and stroke her sex, paying special attention to her clitoris, Sidney sighed and arched higher.

  “Like that, do you?”

  “Mmm-hmm,” she moaned, clutching at the bedding. Already her vagina melted, oozing moisture which he lapped and spread over her swollen lips.

  “Can you take my fingers, love?”

  “Please, I’m so wet…it won’t hurt.”

  Two fingers penetrated her vagina, gliding past her entrance. Sidney squeezed her inner muscles to keep them there, causing a soft slurping sound. She widened her legs a little more, and raised her bottom higher still, all embarrassment over her exposure to his wicked gaze gone as he pumped his fingers and sucked on her clit.

  Navarro murmured, a rough unintelligible sound, and withdrew his fingers. His hands parted her buttocks, and Sidney froze. She was past protesting—whatever he did at this point had to be pleasurable. He hadn’t disappointed yet. She yielded for several heart stopping moments while his tongue traced her crease, skipping over her the little hole.

  Sidney didn’t know whether to be relieved or disappointed. This was a new experience. Her bottom seemed to have its own ideas and quivered.

  “Nervous?”

  “Just get on with it—the wait’s killing me.”

  His laughter, deep and deliciously masculine, muffled as he licked a fine line back down until he grazed her anus.

  Sidney gasped and held herself rigid for a moment. Then she pressed her face into the bedding. “Please, Navarro,” she whispered, sure he wouldn’t hear her muffled plea.

  A wet point targeted the center of her asshole and flickered.

  Sidney jerked, and before she thought about her reaction, she reared back, demanding more. More of his slippery kisses, more…penetration!

  The flat of his tongue stroked her asshole, again and again, until she rocked to the rhythm of his strokes—delight and heady trepidation, mixing with an excitement so lush she thought she’d come from just the wicked glides—there.

  Wicked, nasty sex. That’s what she’d wanted, and she was getting it in spades! This was the ultimate pleasure…almost. “Navarro, I need more,” she moaned.

  “I thought you might.” The rascal sounded amused, even smug.

  Sidney smiled, not caring, just wanting more of the exquisite sensations.

  “I’ll numb you a bit, love,” he murmured, and his tongue lapped over her again. “That ought to do it.” Then a finger was sliding past the tightly furled nether lips, stroking into her ass.

  “Ohmigod!” she cried out. She felt discomfort, but no real pain, and a burning that only excited her more.

  He pumped his finger, twisting to ease the muscles clamping around him. Sidney tried to relax. She wanted more. Her bottom pulsed, encouraging him, dragging on his finger to increase the sensation.

  More moisture fell and another finger slid inside. So tight! Jeez, I’m gonna pop! Sidney’s breaths grew harsher the longer the deliciously painful, lava-hot probing went on. “Navarro, I need something more. I wanna come. Pleeease!”

  His mouth and chin ground into her pussy while his fingers continued their wicked stroking above. Just when she started shooting over the edge, he clamped his lips around her clitoris and sucked hard.

  Sidney gave a startled, strangled scream and lurched backward, rocking on her knees, almost dislodging his mouth. But he continued to draw, continued to twist his fingers inside her ass, until her whole body shuddered into orgasm.

  Boneless, she collapsed against the bed, enjoying the drugging throb of her last inner convulsions.

  Navarro tugged the pillow from beneath her and pulled the blanket up to cover her. He kissed her mouth, his breath scented with her pleasure.

  Beyond thought, Sidney sighed and slept.

  *

  Deep beneath the house in the security room, Navarro awaited the arrival of the team he’d assembled to address the new menace. Although in the past, he’d preferred his privacy and kept a pulse on council interests from afar, this time he’d decided to direct efforts himself.

  Zachary Powell and his disturbing interest in the GenTech fellows left him feeling as though a dark, ominous cloud obscured an imminent evil. That he couldn’t yet give the threat a name increased his unease.

  He glanced at the monitor with the view into the guest bedroom.

  Sidney still lay beneath the blankets where he’d left her.

  Navarro would have preferred climbing back into bed beside her to wake her slowly and drink of her passion again. He’d been surprised when she’d continued sleeping, snoring softly as he showered and dressed. But it did make things easier—she’d have tried following him down here. Now, she’d never make it past the basement door without the key
code.

  “Well, that answers one of my questions.”

  He glanced back at Moses Brown as he stepped into the room, eyeing the monitor.

  “She’s still in one piece,” Moses said. He lifted one dark brow. “Although I’ve never known Sid to sleep so soundly.”

  Navarro felt a smug grin stretch his lips. “The lady’s exhausted.”

  Moses’s mouth twitched before breaking into an answering smile. “I guess I should feel a little insulted, like my manhood’s been called into question. But the thought of the hoops that woman must have put you through kinda blunts the blow.”

  Navarro nodded and turned off the monitor. He straightened when the rest of the team poured into the room.

  Moses perched on the edge of the console, eyeing the vampires with a guarded expression. “Now, why am I feeling like the buffet?”

  Joe Garcia, newly arrived from southern Florida, slumped against a wall, hands in his pockets. “You don’t have to worry about me. I stick strictly to the blood banks.”

  “Nice to know,” Moses muttered. He lifted his chin toward Dr. Deats and his associates. “But Larry, Curly, and Moe still haven’t gotten past the ‘look at me, Dad’ stage.”

  The scientists stood in a half-circle as they morphed their faces back and forth, exchanging muffled laughs.

  Navarro’s gaze slid to Dylan O’Hara, also fresh off the private jet. “Is Emmy keeping an eye on business above stairs?”

  The Irishman grinned. “She’s ordering pizza. She has penchant for delivery boys, says the smell of pepperoni adds spice to her meal. But she won’t let your yummy-snack sneak past her.”

  “Yummy-snack?” Navarro’s eyes narrowed. “Emmy’s a bad influence.”

  “Yes, Emmy’s very bad,” Dylan agreed, but his smile was pure satisfied male.

  The last man to enter the room had Dylan stiffening like a hound scenting prey.

  “Viper,” Navarro said, nodding to the vampire. “So glad you could join us.” To Dylan, he said, “Viper, here, is one of our undercover operatives.”

  Dylan stepped in front of the new arrival, his fists clenched at his sides. “Was that before or after he lent Nicky his den to try to lay a trap to murder Quentin, Emmy, and myself?”

  Viper tossed back his long dark hair. His Latin features remained shuttered. “How was I to know he intended to drain her? Rotten luck.” He shrugged. “Although, by the look of her upstairs, things didn’t end too badly.”

  Dylan leaned forward like he might take a swing. “I predict they’ll end badly for you, you bastard!”

  Navarro rose from his seat and stepped between the two vampires. “Dylan, you can’t kill him now. Viper is here because he’s needed.”

  Dylan took a deep breath and stepped back. “Later,” he said, lifting his chin to Viper.

  Viper’s gaze narrowed, but he didn’t respond.

  “Let’s begin,” Navarro said, casting his glance around the room. “You have to be wondering about this summons and the presence of our new brethren.” He tilted his head toward the scientists. “We have a mystery to solve, and an old enemy appears to be at the center of it.” He turned to Dylan. “Did you ever discover what drew Nicky Powell to Vero Beach?”

  Dylan shrugged, his smoldering gaze still glued to Viper. “Other than drug trafficking, no. We had heard a rumor he was joining his brother there, but we haven’t found a trace of Zachary.”

  Navarro nodded. “It appears Zachary never left Seattle. I think he has larger plans than creating a new drug cartel. Dr. Deats,” he said, leveling his stare on the man who appeared oblivious to the somber mood inside the room. “The vampires who attacked you—they made no mention of their intentions?”

  The doctor’s shoulders shuddered. “None. It was over so quickly, I may have missed any conversation.”

  “Your research—explain briefly to the group what you were working on.”

  Dr. Deats straightened his shoulders. “We’re just one of several research facilities around the world working on cloning—not humans, naturally, but mammals.”

  “I would think it’s pretty safe to say that the drugs in Vero were just the means to an end,” Navarro said. “Zachary sent Nicky to set up the operation and funnel money back. If Zachary is interested in setting up his own laboratory, he would need a lot of money.”

  “Nicky wasn’t in business long enough to fund an operation like that,” Dylan said.

  “I doubt seriously that Nicky’s efforts were the only illicit activities Zachary had an interest in. And if he was ready to put Dr. Deats and his associates to work, I’d say he’s got a very sophisticated network.” Navarro turned next to Joe Garcia.

  The Cuban cop straightened, his chin jutting in defiance. “Don’t know what the hell I’m doing here.”

  “I think you have an inkling,” Navarro murmured. “The operative I sent last to Florida didn’t complete her mission. Pia was to report on rumors that a breeder is inside your compound. I believe that breeder is your wife.”

  Joe’s body went rigid. “My wife doesn’t enter into this conversation. The subject is strictly none of your damn business.”

  “You think I don’t already know?” Navarro asked silkily. “She’s pregnant. Carrying your get.”

  Dylan and Joe exchanged a charged glance. Dylan turned to Navarro. “Why is she important to this discussion?”

  “If there’s a possibility Joe’s bred a litter of born vampires, I think Zachary is already aware. He may make an attempt to take the children in order to use their DNA for a little gene splicing.”

  Joe Garcia’s olive skin blanched pale. “Then what the hell am I doing here? I shouldn’t have left Lily alone.”

  “Relax,” Navarro said. “I sent a security team to augment your SU force. Your woman is safe. I thought you might like to be part of the trap I’m setting.”

  “You’re going after Zachary Powell, then?” Dylan asked.

  “No. I’m waiting for him to come here. I have everything he wants,” he said, staring at the three bemused geneticists.

  Dr. Deats cleared his throat. “Are we the bait?”

  “I’m afraid so.”

  “Well,” he said, straightening his stooped shoulders, “life certainly takes odd twists. Just days ago, I complained to Brad here that I needed a little excitement in my life. What do you want us to do?”

  “For now, play bridge,” Navarro said with a small smile. “We have to wait for Zachary and his children to make their move.”

  “If we’ve got trouble headin’ our way,” Moses said, “then why are you keepin’ Sidney?”

  Although irritated by the man’s continued interest in his houseguest, Navarro nodded his agreement. “You’re right. She isn’t safe here. I want you to take her, keep her hidden. Zachary already knows of my interest in her.”

  Moses nodded. “You mean, the punk at the morgue.”

  “Yes.”

  “Sure you trust me with her?” Moses asked, his mouth curving in a sly smile.

  “Of course not.” Navarro gave him a withering glance. “But I’m willing to take the chance of losing her…affections. I would rather she live. Wait until daylight to take her out of here.”

  “That’s a long time to wait,” Moses said.

  “I guess you’ll have to ask Dr. Deats to switch his game to poker.”

  “What makes you think they won’t strike tonight?” Dylan asked.

  “I don’t know that they won’t. I’d like the three of you,” Navarro said, nodding to Dylan, Joe, and Viper, “to keep watch on the grounds.”

  Dylan’s lips drew into a snarl as he stared at Viper. “Sure you can trust me not to dust this asshole?”

  Navarro’s eyes narrowed. “You won’t touch him because I’m asking you to set aside your animosity until this is over.”

  “You still haven’t explained what Viper’s role will be in all this,” Dylan said, his tone still surly.

  “His work is mostly done. He told Zachary Po
well how to get inside this place.”

  Chapter Nine

  ‡

  Sidney’s stomach gurgled loudly, waking her up. She sniffed the air. What is that smell?

  “’Bout time,” came a cheerful feminine voice. “It’s way past sunset, and I’ve already eaten half the pizza by myself.”

  Sidney stared at the woman sitting cross-legged on her bed through the one eye not mashed against the pillow. “Who the hell are you?” she asked, rolling onto her back.

  Strangely, she wasn’t alarmed to find a complete stranger sitting beside her. It must have had something to do with the woman’s beatific smile as she chomped happily on her gooey slice.

  The woman wiped her mouth with a napkin. “Emmy O’Hara. I’d shake your hand, but I’ve got bits of mozzarella stuck to my fingers. You gonna tell me why I’m supposed to keep you out of trouble?”

  Sidney blinked, trying to gather her scattered wits. So, the beautiful, plump, blonde-haired woman was supposed to keep her out of trouble? Navarro!

  “He’s got some kind of hush-hush meeting going on downstairs. Probably doesn’t want me to hear what’s going on anyway—everyone thinks I can’t keep a secret. So, I decided to come up and see who the troublemaker is.”

  “He?”

  “Master Navarro. Your new honey.”

  “How’d you know he’s my…honey?” she asked, just now realizing the covers were around her waist. She hitched up the blanket to cover her breasts.

  “I can smell him—even over the pepperoni and anchovies. Want a piece?”

  That was the odor. Sidney sighed, relieved she’d discovered the source of the fishy smell. She had initially worried she might be in really bad need of a bath. Then she realized what the woman just said. “You can smell him? You’re a vampire?”

  Emmy O’Hara nodded. “Yup. Don’t worry. I won’t try to bite. I already had Jeff.”

  “Jeff?” Sidney asked, feeling faintly sick.

  “The pizza delivery boy. Nice kid. Lovely Type B.”

  Sidney shivered and pulled the covers up around her neck.

  “Oh!” Emmy’s eyes rounded, and she held out a hand. “I just drank a little. He was quite happy to share. The young ones take less than a minute to come.”