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  Training took over, and she shot her feet to his hips, kicking up. He flew over her head, and she followed, landing on his chest, her forearm against his neck.

  His eyes widened.

  She’d surprised him. Moving fluidly, she grasped his arm, levered up, and began to roll him over to his face.

  The plan was good, and the execution flawless. Yet he countered, one hand gripping her thigh and the other wrapping around her ribs. He pivoted, and she landed face-first on the floor with him straddling her back.

  Rapid-fire words ripped from him, the sound angry and magical. Gaelic? His knees hit the floor on either side of her, he levered up, and tossed her onto her back. She struggled, and he lowered his weight, both hands pressing down on her shoulders.

  “You’re under arrest,” she managed to gasp.

  Frowning, he grabbed her belt and partially pulled her up off the floor to reach around and confiscate his weapon. “Blast it.”

  She took advantage of his movement to punch him square in the gut. Pain ricocheted through her fist and up her entire arm. The guy had iron in his ripped abs.

  He sighed. “I’d forgotten the weapons were in the storage area.” Regret darkened his eyes.

  She blinked. Perhaps he’d also forgotten about the drugs. If so, she had one chance to get out of there. “Are you going to try and kill me?”

  Both his brows lifted. “Of course not.”

  “Good. Then get off me.”

  He nodded. “Fine. But no more pointing weapons at me.” Graceful as any jungle cat, he stretched to his feet and pulled her up.

  “No problem.” She had one chance, and she needed to get free to call for backup. “Shall we sit and talk?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good.” Turning, she made to move toward the sofa. At the last second, she pivoted, jumped, and kicked high. Her boot caught him under the chin, and he went down.

  She turned and ran for the door.

  Chapter 16

  Lex shoved outside and leaped across the porch into the swirling storm. Her heart beat hard against her ribs and her lungs compressed to contain oxygen. Fight or flight kicked in, and she barreled away.

  Kell shouted her name behind her, crashing through the door.

  She lowered her head against the wind, tucked close, and ran as hard as she could for the tree line. Pinecones whipped around her and pine needles slammed down. The rain pummeled her, matting her hair to her head.

  She dodged between two cottonwoods and headed closer to the river. Mud coated her boots, and she angled away, wanting the shelter of trees to hide her.

  A stick cracked behind her, and she pushed herself harder into the forest. Once she lost Kell, she’d find her way to cell service. Unarmed and becoming winded, she needed to get free before he found her.

  The man could fight, and he’d kept his gun.

  She ran around a century old spruce and smacked hard into his broad chest. She bounced off, and only Kell’s hands manacling her biceps kept her from falling on her ass. He turned, lifted her, and shoved her back into the trunk of a pine.

  Not hard enough to hurt, but definitely not gentle.

  Rain dripped from his thick hair, running in a rivulet down his cut face. He lowered his head toward hers. “What in the blazes are you doing?”

  She gasped, struggling to breathe, trying to keep focused. “The guns. You have the ones that shoot fire.” Her breath panting out, she tried not to notice how easily he held her a foot off the ground. “I saw the drugs, Kellach. The vials. You bastard.”

  He frowned. “Damn it, Alexandra.” Slowly, as if to show her how much control he was exerting, he lowered her to the ground and drew out his weapon.

  She gasped, the tree to her back, death to her front.

  He turned and fired at a cottonwood. A green laser shot from the gun and impacted with the tree, blowing out the middle. Bark disintegrated, and the tree toppled down, hitting several others on the way.

  She gaped and shoved water from her eyes. “What the hell?”

  “Laser not fire.” Kellach grabbed her hand and slammed the gun into it. “It’s treason for me to even show you this.” Lifting her arm, he aimed the weapon at another cottonwood. “Go for it.”

  She lowered her chin, curiosity tingling her hand, and gently squeezed the trigger. A green beam shot out, exploded against the tree, and took out about a foot of trunk. Leaves and branches rained down as the tree toppled.

  She swallowed. “I don’t understand.”

  “Proprietary weaponry that turns lasers into bullets. No fire, you feisty pain in the ass.” Putting his hand over hers, he retook his weapon. “Not what you’ve been searching for, but apparently what you found.”

  Oops. She lifted her head, her heart rate slowing. “What about the vials?”

  He tucked the gun in the back of his jeans and took a step back. “My guess? Apollo.”

  She straightened. “Guess?”

  He wiped water off his forehead. “Aye. My brothers and I all use the cabin. Adam has been conducting research to figure the crap out. My guess is that he did some out here and left the vials, since he couldn’t keep them in our known residences.”

  “Oh.”

  Kell turned and gripped her lapels, pushing her against the tree. “We are not manufacturing, distributing, or selling Apollo, and we definitely want it off the street more than you do.”

  Well, since he put it that way.

  “What about Duck? You bailed him out,” she said.

  Kell’s jaw hardened in a way that revealed a vein in his neck, making him appear more than a little pissed off. “Pyro told me to bail out his useless nephew, and as part of Fire, I did it. But I dropped the prick at home and moved on.”

  She swallowed. “Oh.”

  “Believe me, I wouldn’t waste time killing someone like him.” Kell’s voice lowered, and his gaze wandered her face. “You’re all wet.”

  That quickly, with three words, her system shot from red alert to inferno. Every ounce of adrenaline coursing through her veins heated, turning from action to passion. He hadn’t lied to her, and his weapon definitely wasn’t the one she sought. “So are you,” she replied thickly, relief flushing through her that he wasn’t the bad guy.

  Thunder rolled high above, rain splattered dirt into mud, and the river rushed furiously, but the boughs protected their heads.

  She shivered.

  He wiped water from her cheek, tracing down to her jaw, her neck, and the center of her chest, his fingers warm. His eyes, already so dark, deepened. His chin lifted, and the power of Kell overcame the energy of the storm.

  “Kell—”

  “Here and now, Alexandra.” He grasped the bottom of her shirt. “Aye?”

  The fury of the moment gripped her, and after her mad dash, all she could do was feel. “Yes,” she whispered.

  He tugged off her shirt and tossed it, following up with her bra. The sound he made upon revealing her breasts rumbled through the storm and right under her skin. Demanding and pleased.

  He pressed her back and then frowned. “Damn.” He let her slide down his body, feeling every hard angle and impressive muscle. When she’d regained her feet, he removed the rest of her clothing, leaving her nude and him fully clothed.

  Vulnerability flushed through her on the heels of need.

  He grinned. Shrugging out of his jacket, he gently placed her arms through.

  She shook her head. “Ah—”

  Quick as a whip, he lifted her and shoved her against the tree again. The leather protected her back, while the open jacket left her bare to him. His head dropped, and his lava-hot mouth engulfed one nipple.

  She cried out and arched into him, her fingers curling over his shoulders. Almost frantic, she reached down and tugged his shirt over his head, forcing him up.

  Perfection. Even ready to combust, she took the time to marvel and caress his sculpted chest and unbelievable abs. “How are you even real?” she murmured, her voice barely dis
cernible in the raging storm.

  His mouth possessed hers. All passion, all intent, all male. No questioning, no teasing—he took and took hard.

  Fire lashed to her core, and her thighs dampened.

  He lifted her higher. “Hold on.”

  Her legs gripped around his ribs, and he reached to shove down his jeans. Then both hands clamped on her ass, and he lowered her down. “Stand on my boots.”

  Her toes felt leather, and she regained her balance.

  He took her hand and slapped a condom wrapper into her palm. “You wanted condoms—you put it on.”

  She grinned, desire destroying her mind. A quick bite of her teeth opened the foil and she tossed the wrapper near her shirt. She turned and bit back a moan.

  Huge. Fully erect, thick and long, Kellach Dunne had been gifted by the gods. She gingerly placed the condom on him, wondering quickly if it would fit. She unrolled the rubber as far as she could. Good enough.

  Then she glanced up and smiled.

  His head jerked. A low growl—a real fucking growl—billowed up from his chest. Then he was everywhere. Mouth, lips, tongue, hands . . . he was all over her. Laving her breasts, fingering her clit, pressing against her G-spot. He took her over, showing the storm who was really boss.

  She gyrated against him, her hands roaming, her hands massaging muscle and exploring strength. The ache inside her blossomed into an edgy need, desperation increasing her caresses.

  His mouth plundered hers, his tongue dueling, his lips overwhelming her. He grabbed her ass and lifted her against the tree, her thighs on either side of his. Finally.

  She struggled to get closer, ready to implode.

  He held her aloft, kissing her, taking what he wanted. Her moan slid into his mouth, and he increased the pressure.

  She shook her head free. “Now, Kell. Now.”

  He eyed her. Fierce, nearly animalistic, the expression on his face would follow her into forever. Slowly, with amazing strength, he lowered her onto him.

  She gasped as just the head of his cock stretched her. Erotic pain buzzed her nerves, and she tried to go faster. To take more of him in.

  He kept hold, moving her at his leisure, rendering her powerless in a way too erotic to define. Or admit. She gripped the strong cords of his neck, feeling the veins between her fingers, enjoying the pounding of his blood. Fierce. For her. She smiled and then bit his lip.

  The sizzle of blood trickled on her mouth. Empowering.

  “Alexandra,” he growled, yanking down and thrusting up in one smooth motion.

  She cried out, throwing back her head, pain and pleasure mixing into a craving powerful enough to destroy.

  Oh God, Oh God, Oh God.

  He was too much. Way too much. Yet her body took over, her hands gripping him, her hips tilting. Taking even more of him, pumping against him, as much as he’d allow.

  He held still, his chest panting, his muscles a rigid line of control.

  Going on instinct, she rolled her hips.

  His head shot up. One arm slammed against the tree above her head, while his free hand manacled her hip.

  She held on, the jacket protecting her back, his body keeping her aloft.

  His shoulders undulated. A wild animal barely tamed, trying so hard to stay contained.

  She met his gaze and deliberately clenched her internal walls around his pulsing shaft.

  He snapped.

  His fingers tightened hard enough to leave bruises. Leaning heavily on his arm, he thrust to the hilt.

  She gasped, electricity careening through her, overwhelming all thought.

  Hard, powerful, fully free, he pounded into her, the hand at her hip protecting her from the rough bark, the one above her head allowing him to thrust harder, using the tree for balance.

  She bit back another cry and held on, powerless to do anything but feel.

  Raw and feral, he hammered into her, filling parts of her she hadn’t known existed, taking her beyond the moment, beyond herself. Beyond them both.

  Energy uncoiled inside her, dangerous and hot, too much to keep. She detonated on a silent scream, her body going rigid, her nails digging into his skin.

  He pounded harder, faster, deeper into her, holding her tight, prolonging the waves battering her into a world of pleasure. His mouth enclosed her neck, his teeth sinking into tender flesh.

  Another orgasm slammed through her, lighting her with so much heat, she could swear she saw fire. The air crackled and lava burned her hip, sinking deep and taking hold.

  He growled her name, his teeth still embedded as he came, his cock jerking inside her.

  Finally, he stilled.

  Her chest panted against his, her heart thundered, her body lax. They stood like that for several moments, safe in the eye of the storm as nature bellowed all around them.

  Suddenly, small pains made themselves known.

  He licked her shoulder, his own stiffening as he leaned back. She had one moment to appreciate the lazy satiation crossing his face before awareness lightened his eyes. “I bit you,” he murmured.

  She made a sound of agreement, words beyond her abilities.

  His mouth opened and then closed. One broad hand swept across her ribs and down over her hip.

  Pain lashed out. She winced.

  He ducked his head, his breath whispering across her hip, right where he’d held her. “I burned you.” Slowly, he rose back up.

  “What?” she asked, her amazing post-orgasmic glow starting to fade. “Huh?”

  He wiped a hand over his wet brow. “Your hip.”

  Her feet safely on the outside of the boots he still wore, she twisted her torso to glance at her hip. A perfect Celtic knot reddened and then, under her very gaze, turned white, like an old scar.

  She blinked. “I don’t understand.”

  He zipped up the jacket engulfing her and reached for her jeans, helping her into the wet cotton. Then he yanked up his own jeans, failing to button the top. A ragged sound emerged from him as he raked a hand through his hair. “I burned you.” His gaze slashed to her smarting shoulder. “And I bit you.”

  The bite she could understand, but not the burn. “I don’t understand.”

  He stepped away, bare chested, shaking his head. Emotion swirled through his dark eyes and tension choked the oxygen around them. “But how? You’re not enhanced. I woulda given you a choice. You have to believe that. If I’d known, if I’d even suspected, I woulda given you the choice.”

  She shook her head, her focus narrowing. What the hell was going on?

  Wait a second. He hadn’t stopped to remove the condom.

  “Did the condom break?”

  “No,” he choked out. “The condom burned away. That’s not the issue here.”

  Had the man just experienced a mental break?

  She reached out, tentatively, trying to understand. “What’s going on, Kell?”

  “You must be enhanced, but I can’t sense it. Why can’t I sense it?” He took a deep breath. “I bit and burned you, darlin’. That means something. Forever, actually.”

  He’d lost it. The man had lost his mind.

  She dropped her hand. “Ah, okay.”

  “Watch.” His chin dropped while he held his hands out from his bare chest and drew in a deep breath. Blue and then green danced along his arms and over his torso, morphing and cascading, finally licking into flames. Real flames.

  Her mouth dropped open and her breath whooshed out. She shook her head against the illusion. “No.” Surely, the man was not on fire in front of her.

  “The weapon that throws fire?” he rumbled.

  “Y-yeah?” she asked

  He flipped over his hand, and a ball of electricity danced on his palm. With a flick of his wrist, the ball slammed into a nearby spruce, igniting the bark. The rain quickly quenched the fire, steam billowing around. “It’s me.”

  Her mouth opened again and then closed. How? Why? “I don’t understand.”

  “Well darlin�
��, there are a couple facts you need to come to terms with right now.” The surprise left his expression, leaving a determination that gave her pause. “First, and this is a tough one, I’m a witch. From Ireland. One of the Dunnes, an enforcer for the Coven Nine.”

  She shook her head. A witch? God. There had to be a rational explanation. She just needed some time to figure things out. Figure out how he’d made fire, and why he was messing with her. Was that accelerant on him? If so, was it now on her, too? She didn’t smell anything.

  Her voice wavered. “The second?”

  “The second?” He stood in the rain, a powerful man, one she couldn’t figure out. “With the bite and the burn? I’ve mated you, baby. Welcome to immortality.”

  Chapter 17

  Kell kept his gaze set on the pale woman, hiding the turmoil boiling his blood beneath his skin. He’d actually mated her. As in mated, mated. For witches, hell, for most immortals, one didn’t just accidentally mate. Some believed in fate, some believed in love—even at first sight. But Kell? He believed in intellect, plans, and passion. In that order. Plus, and this was a big fucking plus, he hadn’t sensed one bit of enhancement in the sexy cop. Only enhanced humans, thought to be distant cousins to witches, could mate an immortal.

  He hadn’t even given the idea a thought. She was not enhanced. But she had to be. He relaxed his body, tuning in his senses, and still couldn’t feel any vibrations of enhancement from her.

  “You’re crazy,” she whispered.

  Actually, he did feel the edge of insanity tottering nearer than usual. “I don’t believe in fate, Alexandra.” He sighed. “I also don’t believe in coincidence.” Was it possible? Was the feisty garda his perfect match? He’d been drawn to her from the beginning, not just intellectually or physically. Somehow deeper. Of course, he’d jumped right into exploring that by fucking her up against a tree. He had to figure out why she didn’t seem enhanced.

  Her hands trembled and clenched together in front of the engulfing leather jacket. “Witches are women.” She shook her head almost violently. “I mean, there’s no such thing as witches. Not magical ones. Sure, there’s the religion and all of that . . . but not bewitched witches. Not—”