Free Talon/Xavier (Bayou Heat) by Alexandra Ivy, Laura Wright Page B

with mixing my tattoo inks with different materials,” she murmured, seemingly unaware she’d completely domesticated him. “And the voodoo priestess who helped train me in creating my spells and potions encouraged me to use malachite. She was the one who introduced me to my first Pantera. Others followed.”
    Talon latched onto the obvious connection. “Was the voodoo priestess called Lady Cerise?”
    “No.” She stared at him, genuine fear flashing through her eyes. “How do you know that name?”
    His hand lifted to cup her nape, gently rubbing his thumb along the side of her neck. “Your friend Derek was approached by her,” he said. “That’s how he ended up in your shop.”
    Her breath tangled in her throat, her eyes wide. “Shit.”
    Concern clenched his heart. Isi clearly felt threatened by the woman.
    “Who is she?”
    Isi shivered. “She first approached me in Baton Rouge. I was already a student of Esme, but Lady Cerise continued to come into the voodoo shop where I was working, claiming that she could teach me magic that would be far more powerful than my potions.”
    “You weren’t interested?”
    “There was something…evil about her.” She narrowed her gaze, determinedly remembering his stupid reaction to her birthmark. “Truly evil.”
    With a deliberate motion he dipped his head down to stroke his lips over the dark mark on her collarbone, silently apologizing for having hurt her.
    “So you declined her offer?” he murmured, his lips brushing her skin.
    She heaved a rueful sigh, accepting that he wasn’t going to let her keep him at a distance. Instead, she threaded her fingers through his hair as his lips moved to the fascinating spot where her shoulder met her neck.
    “More than that,” she said, her tone growing distracted. “I fled Baton Rouge when she took an apartment in the same building where I was living, and moved to New Orleans. She was seriously creeping me out.”
    “She followed you?” Talon demanded, grabbing her hand and lowering it toward the aching length of his cock.
    Without further urging she wrapped her fingers around his hard length, stroking down to his heavy sack.
    A smug smile touched her lips at his tortured groan.
    “Yes, but she kept her distance so I did my best to ignore her.”
    “There must be something that she wants from you,” Talon said, trying to put together the pieces of the dangerous puzzle.
    He now knew that the enemy had been keeping track of Isi, and that they were searching for someone who was obviously important to their cause. He’d also made certain that the Suits had eyes on Derek who would eventually lead them to the warehouse where Lon and his crew were hopefully hidden.
    Later he would send someone to New Orleans to search for the mysterious Lady Cerise.
    Those were all steps in the right direction.
    For now, he intended to concentrate on his new mate.
    Her fingers began to pump up and down his erection with a steady pace, and he made a raw sound of approval.
    “Lady Cerise isn’t the only one to want something from me,” she muttered.
    With a strangled groan, Talon rolled so he was perched on top of her slender body, framing her face in his hands.
    “All I want is your happiness,” he swore, holding her wary gaze so she couldn’t mistake his sincerity. “And I promise, no matter what it takes, that’s what I’ll give you.”
    Her lips parted, her expression a mix between wariness and a grudging hope.
    “Talon.”
    “You know you’re mine. You feel it here.” He lowered his head to press his lips directly over her thundering heart. “And here.” He moved to lick the tip of one tightly clenched nipple before spreading his kisses down the flat plane of her stomach. “And here.”
    “Oh god,” she moaned, her legs instinctively spreading as he licked through the warm, delectable sweetness.
    “And most definitely here,” he rasped, thrusting his tongue deep into her body. She gasped, her body arching as she