Finding Their Flame [Stone Passions 2] Read online

  She moaned and twisted. He gripped her hips, lifting her. She was so sensuous. Her inner muscles clenched, wrapping and squeezing his cock. A sharp spear jolted straight up his spine. His balls drew tight and an ache burned through him. He ground in circles against her. She had to come.

  He thrust against her. Moriah bucked up against him and screamed. Her nails sank into his back as she strained upward.

  He surged forward. Fire clawed at him, racing up his spine. He drove into her. The clamping spasms of her pussy wrenched away the last shred of control. He hauled her closer as he plunged deep. Tremors raced up his back before exploding. Fiery shards lanced through him, bathing him in heat and sweet bliss.

  For long moments, he held her tight to him. He drew in a deep breath, rising from the haze. She stiffened against him. Uh oh. Something definitely wasn’t right. She should be basking in the afterglow.

  He brushed her hair back from her face and dropped a kiss on her lips. “Is something wrong?”

  “We didn’t use a condom. I’ve never been that careless.” She stared up at him with wide eyes.

  “Don’t worry. First off, we don’t carry human venereal diseases, and second, you can’t get pregnant by us, yet.” He drew his other hand down her back. Maybe it would help comfort her.

  “Are you sure? About the pregnancy, I mean. I’m part human, too, and humans can get pregnant when they’re fertile. If I’m not wrong, this is a risky time in my cycle.” She worried her lower lip. “My cousin is proof of that.”

  “You’re not fertile right now. I don’t know if you’re more Branal, which can’t get pregnant by us until they’re changed, or more human.” He smiled and tapped his nose. She wasn’t at that time. “Relax, Moriah. The only result of tonight is the pleasure you’ve already experienced. When you are fertile, we’ll take precautions.”

  She relaxed and exhaled. “That was great, but I probably should have thought to ask before we actually had sex. That’s not like me.”

  His chest puffed up. Damn, she’d been so lost in desire that she hadn’t thought of the normal precautions. Maybe later he’d ask about her past relationships in the abstract. Specifics were out of the question. Possessiveness already raged through him.

  “Did you want to go for another round tonight?” Cael kissed her cheek. He tightened his arms. If he had his way, he’d hold her for a little longer, but she’d have to go home to rest at some point.

  She drew in a deep breath. “Much as I’d love to, I think I should probably get home.”

  He nodded. “Stay where you are. I’ll go get a rag to clean you, and then I’ll walk you to your car.”

  He stepped back, grimacing at the loss of her heat. Snuggling would be wonderful, but now was not the time to put any pressure on her. They had to get her to see them as men she wanted to live with. If he came on too fast, that wouldn’t happen. He pulled his pants up and fastened the button.

  He went to the bathroom and found some paper towels. Though they weren’t as soft as he’d like, they’d do. He wet them and came back.

  “You don’t have to…” She grabbed his hand, but he shook his head.

  “This is something I want to do.” He smiled.

  He wiped her clean and then stepped back. She hopped off the desk and started to get dressed. He put on his shirt and straightened his clothing.

  “I can get out to my car on my own. If you walk me out, you’ll have to go around the shopping center to get back to yours. I park out back.” She frowned at him.

  “Sunshine, that doesn’t matter to me. I can walk back if I have to.” He waited as she got her things together.

  “Well, thank you. I’ll drive you back around to your car.” She nodded.

  “I’d like to do so much more for you.” He put his arm around her and escorted her toward the back of the bakery.

  Chapter Five

  The college. Not the best place for an incident. Dante pulled into the parking spot. He pushed his door open and swept a quick look over the area. No crowds or police. He exhaled. Better than he expected.

  The message had been short. The young female Gargoyle reported an attack. That had been it. To top it off, they had to keep a low profile here. This was a public university.

  He strode to the building that housed the food court. If she followed orders, she would be there, safe and surrounded by people. The Gobel could still be in the area. Sometimes, they stayed around if they didn’t face a significant threat.

  After he entered, he searched the crowded area. Sandra sat in a cushioned seat near the edge of the dining area. Her red jacket was buttoned halfway up even though she was in a warm building. She clutched her arm close to her body, but didn’t seem to be in pain. Perhaps the attack made her uncomfortable or afraid. Dante paced over to her. She glanced up as he stopped beside her.

  He knelt next to the chair. “Are you all right?”

  “He scratched me, on my arm, and I’m feeling strange. My mind is fuzzy, and it’s getting worse.” She shifted in the chair.

  “We’ll get that taken care of.” Dante helped her to her feet. Poison. Damn, this time, they’d gone after a female. He shook his head. Hospital first. She couldn’t be here when the worst of the symptoms took hold. “Come on. We’ll go see someone who can help. On the way, you can tell me everything that happened.”

  Focusing on the details would help her remain calm. He guided her out of the food court and to his car. She stumbled a couple of times, but they made it there without further trouble. He opened the passenger door and helped her in. Once he closed the door, he exhaled. Now, to get to the hospital. He strode around to the driver’s side and got in.

  “Tell me about the attack.” He started the car.

  “I was walking to class. I’d just rounded the corner to head to my next class, and someone grabbed me. At first, I thought it was one of my friends.” She exhaled.

  “But it wasn’t a friend.” He clenched his hands on the steering wheel. This could have been so much worse.

  “No, at first, he looked like a normal person.” She bit her lip. “Then he hit me. I wrenched away or tried to. I couldn’t get free. That was when I realized he wasn’t the human he seemed to be. Then he smiled, and the glamor slipped.” She crossed her arms over her chest.

  He pulled out and guided the car out of the parking lot. “You got away. That’s all that matters.”

  “I had to use my strength. He knows I’m not human.” She glanced over at him.

  “Considering he attacked in broad daylight on a college campus where anyone could be, I think he already knew that you weren’t human. I can’t let you go back to live on campus, but for now, you can continue classes. I can assign a man to escort you.” Dante guided the car onto the highway.

  Right now, traffic wasn’t too bad. If it was possible, he’d pull every other female out and get them back to the community, but that wasn’t his decision. He’d have to talk with the Cim.

  “I am continuing classes.” Sandra straightened in her seat.

  “I’m not asking you to quit. As long as there’s a way to keep you safe, that won’t be necessary.” Dante shook his head. It wasn’t something they’d argue about. The Cim would decide if she needed to withdraw from school, but it would take more than a single attack.

  He drove her to the clinic and waited in the lobby. If she needed to be hospitalized, they’d take care of it. In this case, it probably wasn’t necessary. They could neutralize the toxin. She would need someone to watch over her until it completely cleared her system, but her parents lived here. She could stay with them.

  He pulled out his phone and sent off a quick text to both the Cim and Cael about what he’d found out. Both of them would probably take a little while to respond.

  He dialed Moriah’s number. It rang twice. He clenched his hand. Was she too busy to answer, or had something already gone wrong? If only he could bring her to the community. That wouldn’t happen until they got to know her more or she became a t
arget.

  “Sweet Things Bakery.” Moriah’s voice came over the line.

  “Hi, Moriah, Dante here.” Dante leaned back in the chair. Did she recognize his voice yet? They hadn’t been together much.

  “Hi, Dante, how are you?” Her voice softened.

  “I’m doing well. I wondered if you’d like to go out to eat with us.” Dante leaned forward. Maybe she’d go out with them. Her date with Cael had gone well.

  “That sounds great, but I can’t do it tonight. What about tomorrow or the next day if that’s better for you?” Moriah said and sighed.

  “Tomorrow will be good. We’ll pick you up at your home if that’s all right.” Dante smiled. Tension rolled from him. She was willing to go out with them. “Mind telling me why you agreed so easily?”

  “Some of the things Cael said when I was with him made sense. I need to get to know all of you, because I have to admit that I’m very attracted.” There was a slight hesitation.

  That admission probably wasn’t easy for her, but it was a step in the right direction. The door from the exam rooms opened, and Sandy was escorted out.

  “I like hearing that. Now, I have to get back to work. I want you to be careful. One of our females was attacked while on her way to classes at college.” Dante had to voice the caution. She wasn’t completely safe and needed to be aware.

  “I will be careful. I’ve watched more since that incident and will do that even more now.” Moriah exhaled. “I hope the woman’s all right. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  “Tomorrow night. I’ll call you again with the exact time.” Dante stood and disconnected the call.

  He strode over to Sandy. Time to get her home and go back to work. He’d tell Cael and Thane after work about their date with Moriah.

  Chapter Six

  Moriah brushed her hands over her dress. The turquoise color was one of her favorites. She turned. The skirt flared and swirled around her legs with every move.

  So, where were they taking her? Wear a pretty dress. We’ll pick you up at eight. What kind of help was that? Pretty formal, pretty semi-formal, or pretty casual? She’d gone for the second option.

  She swept the brush through her hair a final time. Some strappy heels and she was ready to go almost anywhere.

  The doorbell rang, and she turned. The only thing to worry about tonight was locking the door when she left. Her cousin decided to spend the night at the Gargoyle compound, getting to know some of the younger men there. He’d begun finding his way among them.

  That was better than her and the Branal. She was still an outsider in her classes. They seemed friendly enough, but there was a distance there. She frowned. What caused that? She’d never had a problem like this before. Was it because they didn’t know her? Perhaps they didn’t trust her. Maybe because she lived away from the group. The things happening around her and her cousin had occupied her thoughts a lot.

  She strode to the door. When she opened it, all three men waited.

  She swept her gaze over the three men. “Hi! You look absolutely gorgeous.”

  Dante wore a black shirt and black slacks. His black hair was combed back in a conservative style. Beside him, Cael looked much more casual in a green short-sleeved shirt and black jeans. His shoulder-length golden hair kicked up on the sides as if the wind had ruffled it. So damn sexy and that hair. If she knew him a little better, she’d comb her fingers through it. A white button-down shirt covered Thane’s broad chest, and black slacks hugged his hips. His blond hair spiked up at the top, appearing slightly darker than usual.

  “And you are beautiful.” Cael’s eyes swept down her body. “You might want to grab some sandals or something. I wouldn’t want you to turn your ankle on sand and grass tonight.”

  “That I can do. Give me a moment and I’ll be right back.” She smiled. Well, there was one clue. Did they plan to take her to a beach?

  She headed back to her room to get some flats. A pair of strappy white flats sat in the shoe rack. Those would do. She grabbed them and carried them out into the living room. She picked up her purse and turned.

  “Perfect. Now, let’s go. We’ll be driving for some time.” Dante held out his hand.

  “Where are we going? You never said.” She glanced over at him after she locked the door.

  “You’ll see.” Cael put his hand on her back. “I for one am looking forward to this.”

  “So am I, and you three know how to keep a girl curious.” She laced her fingers with Dante’s.

  “We just want to surprise you.” Thane paced behind them.

  “And that’s wonderful. I like surprises. I’ll just have to think of ways to do the same to you.” She blushed and clamped her lips together. Damn, that was jumping ahead a little. It was early days in their relationship. Why was thinking of a future with them so easy? On top of that, an unrelenting attraction to them pulled at her. It would be so easy to press her body against theirs and wrap her arms around them. It took effort to resist. The draw to another, even immediate lust, had never been this intense, much less for three men.

  How was that supposed to work? Would they get jealous? Would she come between their relationship? No matter what, that couldn’t happen.

  She’d leave before she let it. A pang shot through her, and an ache burned in her stomach. Why did they feel so important? She sat in the back seat with Thane.

  “So did you have a good day at work?” She bit her lip. Cael and Dante had mentioned a security company, but not what they did. Thane worked as a doctor. Did he work in the hospital, have a private practice, or maybe both?

  “I went out to work on a new contract. We’re setting up security for that company. It was a pretty standard day at work.” Cael turned in his seat.

  “Was in the office and meetings for a good portion of the day. Not a bad day overall, but there were times I’d love to get out.” Dante guided the car along the road.

  They headed out of Stone Cliff. She tilted her head. Where were they going? There wasn’t a restaurant outside of town along this road. At least, not until they reached Arbor Beach. Maybe they planned some type of beach-side picnic. She definitely wouldn’t mind that. It would give them time to talk without fear of anyone overhearing.

  “I spent some time at the hospital and worked at the clinic. I stopped in at my practice briefly, but couldn’t keep my mind on work when I wanted to get to you.” Thane smiled.

  Dante didn’t stop at any of beaches. He continued driving down the road that paralleled the ocean.

  “Do you have a specialty?” She turned in her seat a little. “I don’t think I asked before.”

  “I’m a pediatrician. There are two general practitioners, a couple of Gargoyle surgeons, and of course, the fertility specialists.” Thane reached over and squeezed her hand.

  “Why of course, fertility specialists? Is there something wrong with Gargoyle fertility?” She frowned. From what the Branal teachers had said, Gargoyles had a pretty sizable community in Stone Cliff.

  “No, there’s nothing wrong. I didn’t mean to give you that impression. Because Gargoyles live a long time, we don’t get pregnant as easily as humans do. Have they not spoken to you about that with your lessons in the Branal?” Thane turned slightly to face her. “There was a time when some groups didn’t mate with anyone other than Gargoyle females. It wasn’t enough to keep Gargoyle numbers up. Then there are battles with corrupt Gobel, the occasional mage, and the Appari they send. Our numbers were very low at one point, but now, they’re coming back nicely.”

  “Mated groups usually want children at some point, and sometimes, it’s not easy for them to have that occur. The specialists help with that.” Dante glanced back at her.

  “That does make sense.” She nodded. “No, we hadn’t gotten to anything about fertility. I wouldn’t have thought of it unless someone said something. I don’t think my mother dated my father very long.”

  They drove into the city of Arbor Beach and to a seafood restaurant. Yum, seafood
. Thane opened the door and stepped out. He extended his hand. She glided her palm over his and slid out of the car.

  “From the smile, I take it my information about you liking seafood was right.” Dante joined them.

  “I do. My cousin tell you that?” She raised a brow. It was the only place he could have gotten that tidbit.

  “Yes, he said it was one of your favorite things to eat out.” Dante nodded.

  “That’s right. I can do an okay grilled fish, but other things don’t come out quite right.” She shook her head. “So I let other people cook it for me.”

  “Well, let’s go eat, because I’ve got other things planned for tonight that I hope you enjoy.” Dante strode forward and opened the door to the restaurant.

  She followed, and they didn’t have to wait. A number of people sat in chairs near the hostess podium. Dante told the woman his name, and she immediately nodded and led them back to a table. Does he know the owner or something?

  Once they were seated, the waiter brought out a bottle of wine and poured into the long-stemmed glasses. She took a sip as she looked at the menu. After they’d ordered appetizers and their meal, she took a deep breath. Time to find out more about the other men in this group.

  “Mind if I ask a few questions?” She glanced at Dante.

  “We’d be disappointed if you didn’t want to get to know us. We have a few questions of our own that we’re going to throw into the mix.” Dante smiled.

  “I’ll be happy to tell you about it. My life isn’t that exciting though. In fact, it can be boringly routine.” She lifted a shoulder.

  Sometimes, after a hard day at work, she came home and fell into bed. Better to leave that until later. They’d learn about how much time the business took as they went along. Right now, they’d probably think she was a workaholic.

  “I feel the same way occasionally. There are days that I feel as if the paperwork will pile up until it buries me.” Dante reached over and put his hand on hers.