the realization that I was no longer under the influence of his aura hit him, I plunged the knife into his back.
Blue fire exploded from the blade and spread out like little bolts of lightning across his skin. Starke screamed and arched backwards, his skin bubbling and boiling and shifting - becoming something less golden and a whole lot less real.
Then the office door crashed back on its hinges and Kye stood there, a wild mix of lust and anger in his eyes, and a large silver gun in his hands.
He fired before I could move, and Starke's head exploded into a rain of flesh and bone and god knows what else.
As Starke's body fell to the floor, Kye's gaze met mine. His breathing was harsh - as harsh as mine still was - and he smelled of sex and lust and hunger.
He'd been the source of that rush of strength, I realized. The link between us had grown strong enough that I'd been able to call on his reserves to bolster my own.
It had also been strong enough that he'd known exactly what was being done to me, and who was doing it.
Strong enough for him to feel every sensation and desire right along with me.
"Kye, now is not - " I said.
"There is no better time," he cut in ruthlessly. "No one takes what is mine. No one."
I'll never be yours, I wanted to say, but the words died in my throat as the force of his need hit.
That need was as much about control as it was desire.
He kicked the door shut and strode over to me. Then his fingers were tangling themselves in my hair and his lips crushed mine, kissing me savagely as my hands found their way to the waist of his jeans, undoing the button and zip before thrusting them down his hips.
Then he was in me, claiming me, and it felt glorious. Because this was real and solid, a meeting of flesh and soul - even if the man now claiming me was as unwanted as Starke had been.
He fucked me more fully and more savagely than Starke had, and it felt so damn right tears stung my eyes. I came seconds before him, my body shuddering and twisting as his body spasmed and the hot flush of his seed flooded into me.
Then there was nothing but utter exhaustion.
He rested his forehead against mine, his fingers still locked in my hair and his harsh breathing searing my lips. Slowly, surely, my breath and my thoughts steadied, and I found the strength to ask, "Why aren't Starke's men battering down the door after that gunshot?"
He finally released his grip on my hair, sliding them down to my hips instead, holding me firmly against him. The wolf wasn't finished with me yet, apparently. But then, I'd learned last night he had an amazing recovery rate and a huge sexual appetite. And while I might not want him in my life, he was still my soul mate, and I couldn't deny just how good it felt to be locked against him like this.
"Because I told them the Directorate was on the way, and if they valued their lives, they'd get the hell out of here."
I raised an eyebrow. "And they believed you?"
"Why wouldn't they?" He began to rock gently, his body continuing to harden inside of mine. Part of me wanted to slap him away, and part of me wanted to use every inch of him to erase every second of my time with Starke. "You were already here and, for all they knew, it could have been the first part of a plan."
It made sense, and yet...
I don't what it was, but something niggled. Intuition didn't believe him, and I couldn't ignore it.
"But that makes no sense." I paused, my breath catching in my throat, as his cock - once again hard - slid so very deep inside, sending a wave of pleasure rolling across my body. I licked my lips, and somehow said, "As far as they're concerned, you could be just another crackpot trying to cause mischief."
"They thought I was an angry husband." His words were distracted. "I had to use some excuse to get upstairs and plant the bugs."
Again, that was plausible, and yet my antenna twitched. "Why would Starke let you up there and yet meet me downstairs?"
"He didn't. I bribed the barman and several security guards to give me five minutes."
My mind was having a hard time concentrating against