Free Into the Darkness by Delilah Devlin

pointing outward
    into the darkness
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    to find a large male figure silhouetted by streetlight between
    the open doors. Not Rene’s thickly muscled frame. This man
    was taller and leaner, with midnight hair that brushed the
    tops of his broad shoulders. His clothing was crisp edged—a
    long-sleeved shirt covered with a thickly padded vest, topping military style pants and boots. A holster rode along the
    side of one masculine thigh.
    With her finger poised on the trigger, she drew a shaky
    breath. “You really should have tried the front door.”
    His head canted, and she realized that while his features
    were hidden in darkness, her pale skin was a beacon.
    “I seem to have you at a disadvantage,” he replied, French
    undertones cloaking his voice in silk. His tone was amused,
    his posture disturbingly relaxed.
    “So, I’m naked,” she blurted, “but I’m the one with the
    gun in my hand.”
    A soft snort indicated laughter, which only heightened her
    fear. “Even if you managed to hit where you’re aiming, you
    can’t win this battle, Natalie.”
    A shiver racked her body. “I’ll manage just fine, but you
    might have a little problem finding me without a head attached to your shoulders.”
    This time the laughter sifted around her like a soft dusting
    of confectioner’s sugar—delicious, light, tempting.
    And before she could pull back on the 5.5-pound trigger,
    he was beside her, his hand wrapping around hers on the
    weapon. “Let go.”
    She whimpered from fear and a sudden, dampening thrill.
    “How?” she croaked, as curious about the speed with which
    he’d moved as she was afraid and aroused.
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    “I’m not going to hurt you, mon enfant .” He stepped closer
    and wrapped an arm around her back, then leaned down to
    nuzzle her cheek. “Just let go.”
    Her body betrayed her. But unlike the powerful lust that
    had driven her to take Rene past his good intentions, a strange,
    enervating lassitude had her leaning into his solid chest.
    Had he done this to her with just his voice?
    He tipped the nozzle of her weapon down and dragged it
    from her nerveless fingers. “There,” he said, “no fuss. You’re
    a brave girl.” His chest rose beneath her cheek as he drew a
    deep breath. “And a naughty one, it seems. Good for you.”
    Was this how her friend Vicki had felt the moment before
    her throat had been ripped open? Resigned, relieved— willing
    to let death come without so much as a whimper?
    But she wasn’t ready to die. Not tonight.
    With one last attempt to resist, she rallied her dulled wits
    and shoved at his chest, lifting one knee to ram between his
    legs.
    He easily sidestepped her attack, then slipped a hard thigh
    between hers and pushed her against the wall, trapping her
    hands against his chest. One large hand gently cradled the
    back of her head; the other still held her weapon. He drew
    the cold metal slowly up her naked side, over her hip, letting
    it bump against each rib, one by one, and then follow the outside curve of her breast.
    Natalie drew a ragged breath, knowing she was entirely
    at his mercy. The odd thing was all she could concentrate on
    was the rasp of the coarse fabric that clothed the muscled
    thigh pressed against her sensitive, heated flesh and the freshwashed scent of the man holding her. “What have you done
    into the darkness
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    to me?” she asked, recognizing the familiarity of the words.
    Now she knew how Rene had felt. Compelled beyond his will
    to respond.
    She sensed his smile against her cheek. “Just a trick. One I
    promise to teach you . . . if you’re good.”
    The teasing note in his voice calmed her. His hand gripped
    her hair and he tilted her head to kiss her lips, then he released her hair.
    She heard the rasp of Velcro opening and felt the sting of
    something sharp stabbing into her neck. She whimpered, but
    curved her fingertips into the stiff vest cloaking his chest and
    clung to him as darkness closed around