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  God, he wanted her naked. He reached for her blouse, fumbling with several buttons. He needed this. He needed her. No more fighting. His body called in a way he couldn’t seem to fight. His mind was a hazy fog of desire.

  He shoved the silk over her shoulders. “Take this off.”

  She leaned back, lips swollen from his kisses, eyes dark with passion. No fear, no hesitation, she let the shirt drop down her arms and then fall to the floor.

  He couldn’t wait for the bra to be gone. He needed to taste her. His hands slid around her back and his mouth pressed against the vee between her breasts. She had gorgeous, full breasts, which overflowed from the lace of her bra. Her plump, red nipples showed through the lace, delicious enticements begging him to taste.

  He buried his face between her breasts, absorbing her smell, so soft, like flowers. But there was another scent, one that made him burn with pure lust. Arousal. He’d never known a smell like this one. It was as if it called to him.

  The rumble of something animalistic, primal and hot began to rise.

  A low groan escaped his lips as one of his hands laced into her hair, pulling her mouth to his. His other hand pushed her downward, pressing her hips against his aching cock. Yes, his mind and body said, as he felt her closer. God, how he yearned to be inside her.

  To feel the warmth of her body slide around him, wet and tight.

  Her hands were in his hair and he looked up at her only to find her mouth on his. Kissing her was nothing like kissing other woman. It did something to him. Ignited a deeper hunger.

  But then, abruptly, he felt something. He froze, his hands going to her wrists. Alert, but still fighting the rage of his body.

  Awareness of another kind crept into his mind, unwanted, but clear, invasive and unpreventable.

  “What is it?” Holly asked urgently, her breathing a bit erratic.

  Mason rested his forehead against hers, tormented by what had just happened. Knowing it was over now. They had company and it had been wrong in the first place. Yet it still took great will to resist the urge to run his hands along her bare thighs.

  Just one more time.

  He sighed. “You have company.”

  She pulled back to look into his eyes. “That’s crazy. It’s almost eleven.”

  A knock sounded on the door and her eyes went wide in shock. “How did you know?”

  “It’s Roger,” he said, fixing her in an unblinking stare. “I told you we needed to talk. There are things about me you don’t know.”

  A knock sounded again. “Holly, open up.” It was Roger’s voice.

  Holly’s eyes never left Mason’s. “Coming,” she yelled loudly. It was Mason’s turn to be shocked. She bent her head and brushed her lips across his. “Whatever it is you need to tell me it doesn’t change the fact that I still want you.”

  His hands went to hers. “You have no idea what you are dealing with here.”

  “I’m a scientist, Mason.” Her voice was clear and determined but her eyes were still heavy with desire. “I don’t scare easily.”

  “Maybe you should,” he replied, meaning it on many levels.

  Her voice purred with a taunt and a challenge wrapped together as one. “That would make things much easier for you, wouldn’t it?”

  “Holly!” Roger’s voice called.

  Mason released her hands. “You better go deal with him.”

  Her lips curved into a seductive smile. “And then I’m dealing with you,” she said in a voice as silky and full of promise as the hand she trailed down his jaw.

  And then she got up, grabbed her shirt and tugged it over her shoulders. Moving away from him, her expression hidden, she sashayed across the room with what he knew was an intentional seductive sway of her hips.

  And damn if his cock wasn’t still standing at attention and begging for her return.

  * * * * *

  As Holly approached the front door, her fingers worked quickly on her buttons as she tried to shake the haze of need dancing along the nerves of her body.

  Mason had her wound tight with desire.

  She stood at the door and took several breaths, hearing Roger call out to her yet again. “Just a minute,” she said with a hint of irritation creeping into her voice.

  She needed a moment to compose herself. Resting her palms against the door, she considered what she had just learned about Mason.

  He was different. What that meant exactly, she wasn’t sure. Perhaps he should frighten her but the bottom line was—he didn’t. Where Mason was concerned, her feelings weren’t logical. Her normal fact-based decisions simply didn’t apply where he was concerned.

  Obviously, Mason had some special gifts. Physic abilities didn’t make him dangerous. It simply made him unique. She almost laughed out loud as realization washed over her. The scientist in her was hard at work trying to make her reasoning about Mason logical rather than emotional.

  She sighed.

  Right now she simply wanted to get rid of Roger and get back to Mason.

  Flipping on the light switch, she groaned as she remembered it was broken. She pulled open the door to find Roger looking frazzled and upset. She cracked the door, no intention of inviting him in. “What in the world are you doing here at this time of night?”

  “I can’t take us being so strained.” His frown deepened. “Can I come in a minute?”

  “Roger.” She hesitated, trying to figure out what to do. Clearly he was upset but letting him in while Mason was there wasn’t going to help matters. “It’s late. Let’s talk tomorrow. How about we meet up early for coffee?”

  “Just a minute,” he pressed. “Please.”

  Holly sighed with resignation. What option did she have without being totally rude? She stepped backward waving Roger forward. How had her life become suddenly so complicated?

  She turned and started walking, wanting to turn on the light in the living room before Roger made his way behind her. Task complete, she turned as Roger entered, preparing herself for his reaction. He wasn’t going to like Mason’s presence but this was her home and she wasn’t hiding anything. Crossing her arms in front of her body, she waited.

  Roger started talking as he entered the room. “Holly, I can’t stop thinking about…” He stopped mid-sentence when his eyes settled on Mason. “What’s he doing here?”

  “Roger,” Holly said through clenched teeth. Her voice held a warning, as did her expression. “You know Mason and I are friends. Just like you and I are friends.”

  He let out a bitter laugh. “We aren’t the same kind of friends.”

  Holly exchanged a quick look with Mason and then planted her hands on her hips. “What is your problem Roger?”

  Roger tipped his chin toward Mason. “He’s my problem.”

  Holly’s mouth dropped open but, before she could speak, Mason pushed to his feet. “Why don’t I give you two a minute alone?”

  “No,” Holly said firmly moving around the coffee table to stand beside Mason and placing her hand on his arm. “Roger, I think you better leave.”

  Roger’s eyes went wide. “You hardly know this guy and you’re kicking me out over him?” He made a disgusted sound. “I can’t believe you.”

  Holly stared at Roger, baffled. Who was this person standing in her living room? It certainly wasn’t the Roger she knew. “I’ll walk you out, Roger.”

  “Fine,” he said and turned toward the door.

  Holly looked up at Mason. “Sorry about this.”

  Mason reached down and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Not a problem.”

  The gesture was so tender it made Holly’s breath catch in her throat. It was amazing how his touch made her tingle all over. For just a moment, she searched his eyes but his expression was carefully guarded.

  Holly swallowed. “I’ll, um, I’ll be right back.”

  Roger was leaning on the porch railing when Holly stepped through her front door, leaving it opened so that they had some light. Silently, she curse
d the burned-out circuit.

  “You’re mad at me,” Roger said. “I can see it in your eyes.”

  Holly frowned. “I’m not mad but I’m more than a little confused by your crazy behavior.”

  “It’s just… I thought… Oh, hell.” He ran a rough hand through his hair. “I always thought we’d end up, you know—”

  Holly decided it was best to confront this and get it over. “Dating?”

  “Exactly,” he said, expelling a breath as he said the word.

  “Roger,” Holly said gently. “You’re a dear friend and a trusted research partner. To add a romantic element could be terminal. I would prefer to keep things as they are and I’m sure, if you take a step backward and look at things objectively, you will too.”

  Roger stared at her, his expression blank.

  Holly stared at him, hoping for some form of response. She got none.

  Okay. Now what?

  * * * * *

  Mason paced the living room feeling as if he was a caged animal. The sexual tension Holly had evoked in him was still raw and far too consuming. Try as he might, both in words and actions, resisting her was no easy task.

  Something deep, carnal and wholly possessive urged him to take her, to make her his in some unexplained way. Raking a hand through his hair, he closed his eyes as he felt the intruding vibrations of a dark awareness.

  Arion presence.

  More than one.

  Mason’s eyes popped open. Holly. In a matter of seconds, he stepped onto the porch behind Holly, resting his hands on her shoulders. Above her head he met Roger’s gaze.

  Sidestepping Holly, Mason held Roger’s gaze and walked toward him, his eyes placing Roger in a trance like state. “Roger, are you listening to me?”

  Roger nodded. “Yes, I’m listening.”

  “Mason?” Holly said from behind him.

  Mason ignored her, keeping his eyes tuned to Roger’s. “When I tell you to, I want you to walk to your car as quickly as possible. Do not run. Get inside, lock the doors and drive away. Do you understand?”

  “Yes, I understand,” Roger said nodding, his face expressionless.

  “Good. I’ll walk with you. Wait until I say go. Shut your eyes now.” Roger shut his eyes. “When I say go, open your eyes and do as I have instructed. You understand?”

  “I understand.”

  Mason turned and looked at Holly. She looked confused and more than a little apprehensive. “You’re scaring me, Mason.”

  The wind picked up around them alerting Mason as to how near to showing themselves the Arions really were. “Everything will be fine but I need you to go inside and lock the door.”

  “Mason—”

  He fixed her in his gaze. “Just do as I say, Holly. I trust you to have sense and listen. Roger is another story. He won’t listen and, for his own safety, I need to get him out of here. Now go inside.” He paused. “I need you to call for help.” He gave her Sterling’s cell phone number, repeating it two times so he could be sure she got it memorized. “His name is Sterling. Tell him I told you to call. Do you have the number down?”

  The wind lifted her hair from her shoulders, making her look as if she was a part of the force building around them. He could see the torment in her eyes even on the dark porch. “Yes, but I should call the police—”

  “No police,” he said, cutting her off. “Go inside, lock the door and call Sterling.”

  “But—”

  “Now,” he said in a curt command. “Right now.”

  Holly’s eyes widened and then she whirled around and went inside her house, shutting the door and leaving him and Roger in complete darkness. Mason waited until he heard the door lock before turning to Roger. “Go now,” he said.

  Chapter Six

  The minute Roger started backing out of the driveway, Mason walked toward a cluster of trees, where the Arions lurked, watching and waiting. Preferring an offensive stance, Mason moved toward their location. This was one of those times he was thankful for his enhanced night vision. He, like the Arions, wasn’t limited by the night.

  He drew to a halt in the center of the trees, standing in the middle of the greenery. Three Arions stepped from the woods. They formed a triangle to his position, trying to cage him.

  He knew the one in the middle. Tad Benson was a ten-year special Operations veteran and an old friend. Now Tad was his brother’s right arm man and his enemy.

  The odds were not in his favor at three-to-one considering these were Arions he was dealing with. His mind raced with different battle strategies. He had a weapon but it wouldn’t be much help against three Arions. He needed to buy time until Sterling arrived and evened the score a bit.

  And he was betting Tad had an agenda or he would have already attacked. “What do you want, Tad?”

  “You know what I want,” Tad said in an irritated voice. “Or should I say what your brother wants?”

  “Yeah, well,” Mason said bitterly, “tell David to go to hell.”

  “Join us, Mason,” Tad returned quickly. “He wants you by his side. You won’t regret the choice.”

  “You apparently have defective hearing, so let me repeat myself. Go to hell, Tad, and take David with you.”

  Tad shook his head. “I told David you would be foolish.”

  The two men on either side of Tad exchanged a look and then Tad gave a curt nod. They started toward Mason.

  A voice from behind said, “Not a very fair fight.” Sterling stepped to Mason’s side.

  “In the nick of time,” Mason said without taking his eyes off the Arions.

  “I aim to please,” Sterling said and then, true to his nickname, ”Renegade”, he added, “Let’s get this party started.”

  Mason was damn glad to have Sterling by his side. The man loved to fight and was truly fearless in battle. It was as if he lived for the high of combat victory.

  Without warning, Sterling planted a blade in the chest of the Arion standing to the left of Tad. Mason watched the enemy yank it from his chest, growling as he started forward.

  Mason’s own form of trouble, the Arion to Tad’s right, stalked toward him, swinging his big paw of a hand. Mason ducked and jabbed his attacker with a right hook to the stomach. The Arion hardly flinched. Punches and kicks were exchanged, blow for blow.

  He was acutely aware of Tad’s absence from the fight. And he worried for Holly. He managed to catch a glimpse of Sterling going one-on-one with the other Arion but he couldn’t see Tad.

  Fear for Holly quickly turned into anger. That part of him he didn’t fully understand began to take control. He kicked the Arion with newfound strength, successfully knocking him to the ground. “Where’s Tad?” Mason yelled, hoping Sterling knew.

  “I don’t know,” Sterling said, with a grunt as he landed a punch.

  Mason did a visual sweep of the area and, in doing so, made a grave mistake. The Arion was on his feet with lightning speed and launching himself at Mason. This time, with a razor sharp claw extended.

  Mason saw it just before it actually made contact. Shit. Only a select group of Arions even had the damn things, yet he always managed to fight the ones that did. He jumped backwards, trying to dodge the thrash of his attacker’s hand but it was too late. The claw sliced through his shirt and straight through his side, with surgeon-like precision.

  “Enough!” Tad yelled angrily.

  The pain radiated through Mason’s body like liquid fire. An Arion had cut him only once before. Judging from the level of pain, this time was a hell of a lot worse. Forcing himself to manage the pain, he looked toward Tad’s voice.

  He found Sterling pressed against a tree trunk with Tad’s long claw at his throat. Mason’s eyes met Sterling’s. He saw no fear in his friend’s eyes. Not that he expected he would.

  “I have a message for you, Mason.” Tad’s voice held a gloat.

  “I’m listening,” Mason said quietly, buying time as he mentally tried to redirect his pain. Stickiness, wet and plentiful
, clung to his shirt and dripped down his body.

  He couldn’t stop the blood flow, but he could shut down the worst of the pain. Had to. Sterling’s life, and maybe Holly’s, might just count on him performing.

  “Consider this a warning,” Tad said sharply. “We could kill Sterling now and we could kill the woman.” He surprised Mason by stepping away from Sterling. “Consider this a gift from David. A show of his allegiance to you.” He paused and then added, “He expects it returned.”

  “He knows my position on this,” Mason said without hesitation as Sterling moved to his side. “I will not join David. Not now. Not ever.”

  The three Arions moved to stand side by side. “He won’t remain patient,” Tad said. “Especially not with the woman involved. She will join our cause or she will die.”

  Mason’s exterior was calm and cool but inside he was already urgently planning a way to hide Holly. “If anything happens to Holly Heart, I will come calling. Tell David she has my protection.”

  “Don’t be foolish,” Tad said. “You can’t beat David. This is the end of the road for you and Holly Heart. Time is up.” He paused, and motioned with his chin towards Sterling. “And your friend lives only because your brother forbid me to anger you. Mark my word, he’d be dead otherwise.”

  Without giving Mason time to respond, the three Arions turned toward the woods. The wind lifted the dirt around them, blowing leaves as if a storm was suddenly upon them. Then, as if it had never occurred, everything stilled and the Arions were gone.

  Sterling took a good, hard look at Mason’s side. “You’re going to need lots of sleep to heal, man.”

  “There isn’t time,” Mason said. “You heard what Tad said. I have to hide Holly.” But he was getting weaker by the moment and he knew it.

  “You’re no good to her dead.”” Sterling looked at Mason’s pale face and moved to help him. Mason leaned into him without question.

  “Let’s get you inside,” Sterling said, concern barely concealed in his voice.

  “David won’t give up,” Mason mumbled half to himself.