Free Kiss Of Twilight by Loribelle Hunt Page A

she asked sweetly. Too sweetly. His guard went up. "Would you be forced to punish me?" One eyebrow arched and a sultry smile curled her lips. "What would that entail exactly?"
    He groaned as images cascaded through his mind. Kara. Lying naked on black sheets her skin would glow, her hair would shimmer like fire. She'd be open and wet and ready for him. He could take his time, explore every inch. Free to torment her as he would. He lurched forward and grabbed her by the nape of the neck, jerking her flush to him so he could lean down to nibble the tempting skin under her ear.
    "Don't push me, darlin'," he whispered between bites. "You won't like the results."
    Her whole body shivered. "Don't be so sure about that."
    Her voice was husky and inviting, her growing arousal giving it a timbre that seemed to stroke every nerve ending in his body. He shook with the force of his desire, and gently gripping her shoulders, pushed her away. The look she gave him was full of surprise and lust and it took every ounce of control he had not to kiss her senseless, not to pick her up, charge up the stairs to his room, and take her every way he could imagine. He took a deep breath, his good intentions almost tossed out the window when all that did was fill him with her scent. No. Not like this. Not out of control. But he would have her. There was no longer any question of that.
    He teleported away before she could continue the argument.

Chapter Eight
    Recruitment is not going well. Much as I hate it, the edict will have to be lifted.
    --Email from Winter Bennett to Gray Miller
    Winter considered following Dupree. She knew he was going to Mitchell's, the lupine alpha. The thought had hovered in the air the moment before he flashed away. She stared at the papers in her lap and clenched her teeth. Dupree was in trouble and there wasn't a damned thing she could do about it. If Gia was here maybe between the two of them they could talk to him--badger him really--into going for what his heart wanted and his soul needed. He wouldn't listen to her alone, though. God knew, she'd tried.
    Since the poisoning he hadn't been able to hide his deteriorating state from her, though no one else but Kara seemed aware of it. Winter didn't want to guess how long he had. Damn, but she wished Gia was here. Like she did half a dozen times a day, she closed her eyes and opened her mind, reaching for Gia's familiar energy. And as usual, didn't find a damned thing no matter how far she stretched.
    The air in the house crackled with the subtle energy of someone teleporting in. Footsteps came down the hall and she smiled, expecting Marcus. It slipped as her brother-in-law entered the room. He spared her a weary glance and walked to the sideboard where he poured a scotch. He carried it over and took the seat next to her. It was his fault Gia had taken off and Winter had been furious. They'd declared an uneasy peace for Marcus's sake, but it was wearing thin.
    "I had another dream," she said softly, watching his reaction.
    He was instantly alert. He sat the untouched glass down on the table next to him, as he leaned forward, elbows on his thighs, hands clutching his knees. "You were Gia?"
    She nodded. "Trapped. In the dark and powerless."
    A look of such pain filled his eyes she thought perhaps it was cruel to share the dream with him, but he was the only one who took them seriously. Not even Marcus really believed she was walking in Gia's dreams. It wasn't one of Winter's talents. But it was one of Gia's. Winter was convinced she was reaching out for help the only way she could.
    "Did you see anything that could help us find her? Any clue at all?"
    She sighed. As much as she relived it, there didn't seem to be anything helpful in the dream. "No. It's just darkness. No shapes. No ground."
    Luke sat back with a growl and covered his face with one hand. After a moment he reached for the glass and drank it down in one swallow, but he didn't move to refill it. She didn't need to