CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Callan held Merinus for a long while after she fell into a deep sleep. Her body curved close to his, soft and tempting. His hands smoothed over the curve of her back, his eyes closing in pain. He should have walked away from her the moment she came into town. He should have packed and disappeared as he meant to do. Instead, he had given into the temptation of brown eyes filled with laughter, and a temptingly curved body that hardened his cock in seconds. And then, he had thrown her life into chaos.
He grimaced, knowing the past week had been more than hard on her. The demands her body was making on her had to be confusing, frightening, but she never gave into it. She had still laughed, she had still fought with him, tempted him. She had given him her body willingly, even during moments when the
‘frenzy’ was not upon her. Her passion burned him alive then. What had happened less than an hour before terrified him.
He couldn’t find a reason why he had suddenly demanded her submission. The scent of her lust had struck him like a bat to heat, triggering some primal instinct inside him. It had become imperative that she submit and accept that she was his, and she had refused. He had to hear her admit she belonged to him, and she had refused. For a while. And her refusal had broken his control.
He grimaced, remembering the exhilaration, the pleasure of releasing the beast inside him. It pounded through his blood, his cock, his heart and soul. The climax had been so intense he thought his head would explode as well as his cock. And she had loved every minute of it. There was no mistaking the mask of ecstasy that had covered her face. Her pleas for more. Her desperate, strangled screams of release.
Damn her. She had bound him to her. Taken his will to walk away from her. He was tied to her now, with no hope of escape, and no hope of safety. He couldn’t run far enough, or hide long enough now to keep the Council from taking her eventually. There was only one choice, one chance to save what he had found with her.
He moved away from Merinus carefully, tucking the blankets around her, touching her hair regretfully. It would never be as easy as she wanted it to be. He could never give her peace, or true safety.
Pulling on a pair of shorts, Callan left the bedroom and returned downstairs. The computer was still running, his mail program logging his messages in. He saw he had the reply from Sherra that he had been expecting. She was still with Kane and his family. An army themselves, she assured him. She trusted them. But she didn’t trust Dayan. Callan rubbed his hands over his face. The truth was finally sinking in and he hated it. Sherra was waiting with Kane for a call from him. As Merinus had said, the cells were secured and Kane would know if they were being hacked.
He had slipped the phone out of his pack earlier. It lay on his desk now. He glanced at it, sighing wearily. Picking up, he keyed a secured number in, watching the indicator at the back. It stayed green, positive for a secure line.
“Merinus?” The line was answered quickly by a very irate brother.
“She’s sleeping.” Callan wanted this first conversation just between the two of them. “Where is Sherra?”
“Right here,” Kane answered. “Tell us where to meet you, Callan. The shit is getting deep now, we have to get you to D.C. fast.”
“Let me talk to Sherra first. Then I’ll talk with you.” Callan would know by her voice if the man was to be trusted.
There was a pause, the sound of a low feminine voice.
“Callan,” she spoke quietly. “Kane isn’t lying to you. We have major problems here.” Callan breathed roughly, both in relief and in aggravation. At least she was safe.
“Where’s Dayan?” Callan asked her coldly.
There was silence.
“Sherra?” he asked her carefully.
“He’s disappeared, Callan. Taber and Tanner are tracking him, but he’s staying just out of reach.”
“What happened?” Something had, Callan knew, or the others wouldn’t be after him.
“He attacked Dawn.”
Callan was silent, feeling rage work through him, over him. After the horrors Sherra and Dawn had both faced, he had dared to hurt her.
“How bad is she?” he asked her carefully, fighting his fury.
“Bad enough. But she’ll live through it,” Sherra sighed. “We have her in the safe house with Doc now.
He’ll take care of her. Taber and Tanner will take care of Dayan. We have to get you and Merinus to New York. Kane’s setup is as secure as it gets, Callan. He has all the evidence in place, all we have to do is get you to the Senate meetings this week on genetic engineering in D.C.” Callan grimaced. He would have to stand before the world and claim he wasn’t quite human, not quite animal. Sickness burned in his stomach. The only thing worse would be what would happen to Merinus if they got hold of her.
“Are you at the location I gave you?” he asked her, referring to his coded directions in the email he sent.
“I’m here, as are Merinus’ brothers and her father. Tell us what to do, Callan.”
/>
“Put Kane on.”