When her hands came up to touch him, Tegan was the one to tremble, shocked by the sensation of being held, astonished by how much he needed it--how much he needed her. It had been so long since he'd allowed himself this kind of intimacy. The centuries of solitude had been their own comfort to him, but this...

The craving for this woman seared him with its intensity. His gums throbbed with the emergence of his fangs. Even behind his closed eyelids he could tell his irises were throwing off amber light, evidence of his desire for Elise. His skin was tight, his dermaglyphs prickling with the sudden rush of blood that would deepen their color to vivid shades of indigo, burgundy, and gold. He knew she had to feel the hard ridge of his cock, which was wedged between their bodies, pushing against her abdomen.

Elise had to be aware of all his body's responses to her--she had to know what it meant-- yet she didn't shove him away. Her fingers curled deeper into his shoulders, holding him with an intensity he could hardly fathom.

He was the one to pull back, breaking contact on a low, muttered curse. When he glanced up at the mansion, he saw several faces near the glass, Elise's Darkhaven peers staring out at them in open disdain.

Elise saw them too. She followed his gaze up the frozen lawn and gardens, but when she turned back to Tegan, there wasn't so much as a trace of shame in her expression. Only soft regard, and the lingering heat of desire in her eyes.

Let them stare, she said, stroking his jaw before their disapproving audience. I don't care what they think.

You should. That's your world up there on the other side of that glass. She sure as hell couldn't stay out here with him any longer, not when their kiss was still setting fire to his blood. You should go back inside.

She glanced back up toward the golden light spilling out of the ballroom and slowly shook her head. I can't go back in there. I look at them and all I see is a beautiful cage. It makes me want to run before the trap closes on me again.

Tegan was surprised at the frank admission. You weren't happy in the Darkhaven?

It's all I've known. Quentin was all I'd known. His family took me in as a baby and raised me as one of their own soon after I arrived at the Darkhaven. I owe them everything for the life they afforded me.

Tegan grunted. That sounds like gratitude to me. Nothing wrong with it, but what I asked was if you were happy there.

She turned a thoughtful look on him. I was mostly, yes. Especially after Camden came along.

You said you felt caged.

She nodded lightly. I was never very strong, physically. My gift made it difficult for me to leave the Darkhavens for any length of time, and Quentin thought it unwise for me to go anywhere by myself. He only meant to protect me, I'm sure, but at times it was...stifling. Then there were all the Agency obligations and the impossible expectations that came with being a member of the Chase family. It was a fine line that had to be walked at all times--allegiance to the Agency no matter what, know your place and keep it, never dare to speak out of turn. I can't tell you how often I wanted to scream, just to prove to myself that I could. Most days, I still want to.

So, what's stopping you?

She threw him a frown over her shoulder. What?

Go ahead. Scream right now if you want to. I won't stop you.

Elise laughed. She glanced up at the mansion behind them. That would really make their tongues wag, wouldn't it? Can you imagine the tales they'd tell tomorrow about how you terrorized a defenseless civilian female? Your reputation would never recover.

He shrugged. All the more reason to do it, if you ask me.

Elise exhaled a long sigh, her breath steaming the chill air. When she turned back to look at him once more, there was a pleading light glimmering in her wide lavender eyes. I can't go back in there tonight. Will you stay with me out here, Tegan...just for a little while?

Marek's vision burned red with fury as he scanned the flight plan one of his Minions had procured from the Boston airport a few hours before. A private jet had scheduled a last minute evening trip to Berlin last night, carrying two passengers--one of which was certain to be a member of the Order.

Tegan, no doubt, based on the visual description provided by Marek's mole. But the female accompanying him was a mystery. Tegan was the consummate loner, and try as he might, Marek couldn't imagine what would compel the stoic, deadly warrior to tolerate a woman's presence for more than a few necessary minutes.

He hadn't always been like that, however. Marek recalled well the warrior's utter devotion to the female he'd taken as his mate--Jesus, could it be some five hundred years ago? She was pretty, Marek remembered, with dark gypsy looks and a sweet, trusting smile.

Tegan had been devoted to her. It had nearly destroyed him to lose her so savagely.

Pity it didn't take him all the way.

The fact that Tegan was in Berlin now was troubling news. Couple that with the journal Marek lost--a journal that had taken him a long time to find--and he was looking at a fucking disaster in the making. The Order had the journal now, Marek had no doubt.

How long would it take them to put all the pieces in place? He would have to work fast if he meant to stay ahead of them.

Unfortunately for him, it was daytime and unless he wanted to risk a lethal suntan at thirty thousand feet too close to the sun, he'd have to wait until dark before he could get overseas and take control of the situation personally.

Until then, he would have to call out a few Minion eyes and ears in his place.

Chapter Eighteen

Tegan opened the door of the stone-and- timber boathouse that hugged the shoreline of the lake and led Elise inside. She couldn't see well in the dark, but Tegan's hand was firm around hers, his steps sure where she walked gingerly over the wide plank floor in her high heels.

The space for a large boat was empty for the winter, the water partially frozen where it came into the base of the building.

There should be a loft up here, Tegan said, guiding her toward a wooden staircase.

How do you know?

This was the warden's cottage when I was here last. Guess there's not much need for gamekeepers anymore, so Reichen's had it converted to house one of his many toys.

Elise lifted the ends of her skirt and Tegan's oversized leather coat and climbed up the stairs with him. At the top of the steps he opened a door that revealed a wide post-and-beam space above. It was rustic, but welcoming. Moonlight poured in through an A-shaped window that overlooked the lake. Big leather club chairs flanked a sofa positioned for the best views of the water, and set into the eastern wall was a fireplace built out of thick stone.

Knowing Reichen, there's got to be electricity out here, Tegan said from somewhere behind her. A second later, a table lamp went on across the room, activated by his will.

Actually, if you don't mind, I think I prefer the dark. It's peaceful.

The light blinked off, replaced once more by the cool pale wash of moonglow. Elise felt Tegan's eyes on her as she walked toward the window and gazed out into the night. Her heels sank into a plush white rug--sheepskin, she realized, glancing down at the fluffy, irregular shape of the floor covering. On impulse, she kicked off the elegant sandals and let her toes burrow in the luxuriously thick pelt.

Some of her anxiety faded at once. She gave herself over to the tranquil movement of the water outside, and the quiet darkness of the loft. The stress of the reception was ebbing away, but her pulse still thrummed from Tegan's kiss. She hadn't expected him to be so tender with her, or to open up like he had and share any part of his past.

She hadn't expected his desire.

He wanted her, and she wanted him too.

The space around them practically throbbed with that awareness, the air thick with all that was unspoken between them.

This is a bad idea, Tegan murmured as he came up beside her, his low, growling voice setting off a vibration deep in her bones. You shouldn't be alone with me right now.

Elise turned to look at him and was struck to see the dim glow of amber in his eyes. It hadn't faded since their kiss outside. Nor had the heat of his body. She could feel it radiating toward her, permeating the leather of the coat that draped her.

Tegan bared his teeth and fangs in a pained- looking smile. In case you're not sure, that's your cue to make a quick retreat.

She didn't move. She had absolutely no wish to leave right now, even though she knew Tegan wouldn't be the type to allow second chances. Holding his intense gaze, she watched as he came toward her and drew the coat from her shoulders. He set it down on the chair behind her. As he straightened, he skimmed his fingers over the bare curve of her arm. His touch was searing hot and yet she trembled from it.

Desire coiled within her. She wanted him to touch her, needed it so badly it wrung a soft moan from her throat. Tegan scowled, his tawny brows lowering over the glowing embers of his eyes. He retracted his hand with a glare. No, he said thickly. No, this is a very bad idea. I'll take more from you than you're willing to give.

When he turned as if he meant to walk away, Elise moved toward him and lifted her hand to the side of his rigid jaw. Tegan, wait. I don't want you to go.

She went closer to him, until their bodies brushed together in the dark. She heard his sharp intake of breath hiss through his teeth and fangs as she rose up on her toes in front of him. She felt the rush of heat roll off every coiled muscle of his body in that instant before she pressed her lips to his. She tasted the ferocity of his hunger in the way he wrapped his arms around her and dragged her deeper into his embrace, his mouth demanding as he took her tentative kiss and turned it into something fevered and dark.

He groaned, and Elise felt the long tips of his fangs rasp against her lips as he traced his tongue along the seam of her mouth. She let him in, reveling in the erotic invasion, unable to bite back her mewled complaint when he abruptly drew back.

His chest was heaving with every rough breath he dragged into his lungs. He stared at her from under low brows, the green of his eyes swamped completely by amber light, his pupils thinned to slivers in the center of all that fiery gold. Even in the dark, shrouded by his black combat gear, she could see that he was fully aroused. She'd felt the thick ridge of his sex pressing insistently against her in that moment before he pulled away. She knew that if she peeled off his weapons and fitted black knit shirt, she'd see his Gen One dermaglyphs churning with livid color. He'd never looked more predatory than he did in that moment--a massive, powerful Breed male who could have her beneath him in an instant.

Faster than that, if he willed it.

Perhaps she should fear him, now more than ever. But it wasn't fear that was making her knees feel boneless under her. It wasn't fear sending her heart into a frantic drum in her breast.

Nor was it fear that made her fingers tremble as she slowly reached behind her to find the zipper of her confining bodice and begin to tug it down.

Before the tiny teeth had parted more than an inch, Tegan's large hand closed around hers, stilling her. He held her there, her arm gently trapped behind her as he brought his free hand up between their bodies. His fingers moved over the detail of her gown's low neckline, skimming the edge of dark silk that framed the tops of her breasts. There was a delicious possessiveness in his touch, in the way he restrained her while his other hand roamed freely over her body.

When he kissed her now, it was blatantly carnal, a deep claiming of her mouth that mimicked the hard thrust of his hips where they pressed against her. The hand at her back pulled her forward as his eyes snapped open on her stunned gaze, those twin amber coals commanding her to understand how close she was to the ledge of a very steep fall.

If she tumbled down with him now, there would be no coming back. He would take her body, and he would take her blood. There was no mistaking that feral promise in his eyes.

As if to drive home his point, Tegan smoothed the flat of his hand higher, up the slope of her throat. He bared her neck and bent down over her, dragging his tongue along the path of her carotid. His fangs were a subtle, but unmistakable, abrasion as his mouth moved to a tender spot just below her ear.

A tremor of uncertainty rippled through her at the thought of where this was heading, more swiftly than she'd been prepared for.

She really shouldn't be here.

Shouldn't be doing this...

Tegan's chuckle sounded cruel, darkly satisfied. He released her at once, practically pushing her out of his reach.

Go on, he said, his voice so deep she hardly recognized it. Get out of here before we do something we'll both regret.

She brought her hand up to the side of her neck, where she could still feel the lingering heat of his mouth. Her pulse was hammering now, so loud it was audible to her own ears. When she drew her fingers away from her neck, she saw that the tips bore trace stains of blood.

Dear God, had he been so close to biting her?

Tegan's hungry gaze tracked her every movement, and he looked savage enough to pounce if she hesitated so much as a second longer.

What are you waiting for? I said get the fuck out of here! he bellowed, the animal snarl jolting her into action.

Elise grabbed her sandals from the floor beside her and ran out of the boathouse as fast as her feet would carry her.

Tegan dropped into the nearest chair as soon as he heard the boathouse door bang shut on Elise's heels.

He was physically shaking from need of her, all of his Breed senses torqued off the charts with the depth of his hunger for the female. Jesus Christ, he'd been just a fraction of a second away from sinking his fangs into her.

That unintentional graze of her skin, which brought only the faintest taste of her blood to his tongue, had practically laid him out. He shuddered from the heather-and-roses sweetness that still lingered in his mouth. His fangs throbbed, along with another part of his anatomy, both equally ravenous. Both damning him for letting Elise get away.

The only thing that had snapped him back to his wits was her sudden flood of anxiety. Through the connection of touch, he felt the jolt of fear override her desire--and not a moment too soon. She'd been too pliant, too accepting, even when he was deliberately pushing, wanting her to understand just where he wanted to take things.