"You happy?" he asked into the crown of her head as he kissed it.
"This is gorgeous," she murmured, closing her eyes. "At this height you almost feel like you're wind, part of it, as though you can fly."
"You can," he said, chuckling deeper in his throat, but was slightly disappointed when she shook her head no.
"You sure?" he asked, baiting her.
"This place can make you lose focus," she said wisely, but snuggled against him nonetheless.
"Ahhh... the mission," he said, his tone amused. "Maybe I was too hasty when I said I didn't want to be distracted by you while here, mi tentacion."
She chuckled low and sexy. "It was the security check that made me remember."
Carlos glanced back at the bed. "Yeah," he said on a long sigh. "Oh, man..."
"This joint ain't no joke, Carlos," she said very quietly, her tone cautious, breaking the mood as her body tensed. "It's built like a fortress."
He laughed, letting her go. "It is a fortress, baby. That's what I'd been telling you. All primary master lairs are. They're set up for battle." He turned her around, cradling the sides of her face so they could more easily transmit thoughts. Nuit's lairs were nothing by comparison - because he'd lost favor, was rogue, and on the run.
When she nodded, he dropped his hands to her shoulders. The familiar embrace which always led to a kiss was definitely why he called her his temptation. There was so much more he'd wanted to say, but didn't dare chance it - especially not when she straightened his tie, and brushed a piece of invisible lint off his lapel, then touched his cheek.
The warmth of her palm radiated through his skin, and her eyes were so deep, dark, intense as she opened her gaze and sent back a quiet message. I feel it, too... but I'm worried for you, baby. These bastards will try to kill you. I'm not trying to lose you on my watch.
He smiled and kissed the inside of her palm, electrified by her protective instinct regarding him. He nodded. Indeed they would try to assassinate him. But it would sure be worth it. No telepathy needed. She smiled, gently removed her hand, and began walking back into the room. When she looked over her shoulder, he wasn't sure how to read the all-feminine message. Was that a yeah, okay? Or a yeah, I hear you, but no, not tonight? She shook her head then chuckled at the faint disappointment that threaded through him.
"You hungry?" he said, trying to sound casual.
"Pulling out all the stops, Mr. Councilman?"
He had to laugh at himself. "Aw'ight. I'll stop." He went up to her and traced her cheek. You like this, don't you?
She smiled, which was enough of an answer. He watched her sit down on the side of the bed, sinking into the soft feathered oasis, then run her hand over the plush linens, luxuriating in the feel of the textures. He wanted to touch her like that. To pleasure her the way only one of his kind could. Surely she didn't want to give all that up... and not tonight?
Vaguely he remembered that the Aussie would be waiting for him down in the study. If he weren't a head of state, he would have made the bastard wait. But Damali needed to stop playing with him, because he wasn't about to go downstairs with an oral erection. The fact that she'd chuckled let him know she knew exactly what she was doing.
"You ain't right, woman," he said, smiling and running his tongue over his teeth.
"It's the castle," she murmured. "The energy here is so dark, so all-consuming," she murmured. "Makes it hard to concentrate..."
Her comment snapped him back to awareness. "Yeah," he said, on guard. He closed his eyes and held out his arms, sensing their environment with total concentration. Just as he'd expected, every stone in the place was charmed down to the mortar, designed to protect the residing master at all times. Some stairs weren't real stairs, no rooms were impenetrable to the castle's owner, no seal was solid, unless McGuire wanted it that way.
It was having a drugging affect on Damali. Getting her high, sedating her survival instincts, making her so looped that she'd draw him into a sure seduction - that's what he'd felt coming from her in the halls! Normally Damali wouldn't care a damn about a gilded cage - wasn't her style. It would definitely make her open to another master's pull, just like it had f**ked with his confidence as he walked the long corridors.
"Get up off the bed. Now," Carlos said, becoming further enraged as Damali looked up, dazed, unzipped the back of her dress and stared up at him.
"I'm impressed," he said to the nothingness. "But you're pissing me off." Dark energy concentrated within him, making the tips of his fingers and center of his palms burn as he spun slowly, sealing the lair with his own power against power, will against will, his council-level strength discharged with a crackling streak of fury that scorched the walls, the ceiling, the doors and terrace. The dogs bayed and howled while he released his protective seal around his temporary lair and all of those within it.
Every wall and surface instantly blackened, then normalized. Immediately he felt the sensual pull lift and the energy in the room calibrate to his command. He began walking the perimeter of the room as Damali stood on wobbly legs and zipped up her dress.
"What the hell just happened?" she whispered, her voice tense and her eyes cleared of the seductive haze.
"I'm gonna address it later," he said. "But the room was charged, every carnal act ever performed in here left a residue." Carlos smiled. "That's cool. I'm gonna assume that our host did this to make our stay more comfortable," he said, going to her and holding her face. But you and I know that sonofabitch did it to set me up, to totally distract me while I'm here. "I'll have to let McGuire know that although I'm council-level, unlike the old boys, I don't need Viagra."
"Damn," she said, taking a short sip of breath.
He held her face tighter. This is why I told you to stay by my side at all times. That if you have anything important to tell me, you do it like this. Understand?
Satisfied when she nodded, he released his hold on her. But he watched her c**k her head to the side and walk past him. What could she hear that he and his dogs couldn't? Then a light mewling sound made him almost run to catch her. He knew what it was before he saw it.