Ecstasy in Darkness (Alien Huntress #5)(63)
Author: Gena Showalter

“Your tree theory sucks!”

“Tree theory?” Noelle switched her attention from Ava to McKell, McKell to Ava. “Color me intrigued.”

“Shut up,” they shouted in unison.

“Fine.” She held up her hands. “Be that way. I’ll just get the prisoners.”

McKell held out his arm, stopping her from approaching the backseat. “No! Don’t touch them.”

Far from intimidated, she anchored her hands on her hips. “Why not?”

“Yeah, why not?” Ava demanded.

“They’re mine.”

Noelle’s eyes widened. “You’re seriously so possessive you can’t even allow someone to touch your prisoners?”

He didn’t say a word, just crossed his arms over his chest.

“Wow. I’m suddenly unsure why I ever called dibs,” Noelle said with a shake of her head. “Thank God I changed my mind and gave him to you.”

“You’re so lucky to be single,” Ava said, and damn if she didn’t sound truly envious.

His gaze narrowed on her, but he spoke to the car. “Open.” Like the front door, the back expanded. He reached inside and grabbed one of the vampires, anchoring the bastard over his shoulder. Then he bent to grab the other one. Only, the one he held slammed into the top of the car. He straightened, bent again. Same thing happened.

“Ava,” he said, pivoting to face her. “I will allow you to get the other one.” And he wouldn’t mind, he realized with surprise. He’d always had a problem with sharing, though the inability had grown worse over the last few months.

When he’d lived below, in the vampire underworld, he’d rarely allowed anyone inside his personal cave. They would have put their hands on his things, and he wanted to cut off the hands that touched his things. With Ava, he actually liked the thought of her hands on the things that belonged to him.

Maybe not the vampires, he decided then. They were male, and she only needed to put those beautiful hands on him. But everything else, yes.

“I mean, I’ll allow Noelle to get the other one.”

Ava stood beside Noelle, and both women watched him. Ava blew on her nails, then buffed them on her shirt. “I wouldn’t dream of touching something that belongs to you. So, yeah. We’ll be in the house, waiting. Take that five minutes if you still want it.”

With that, both women gave him a pinkie wave and strode past the open iron gate, up the hill, and into the large … home. Fortress was a better word. Large, sprawling, and dark, with manicured lawns and armed guards patrolling the upper walkway.

Grumbling under his breath, McKell tossed the vampire he held onto the ground, then reached in and dragged out the other.

This was definitely going to be a long night.

Nineteen

God, McKell was sexy, lugging two full-size male vampires over his shoulders, stomping up the winding staircase in the Tremain mansion, and dumping the bodies on the floor of the “interrogation” room. All without breaking a sweat or panting. Like he did when he touched her.

He was pissed off, though. That much was clear. His violet eyes were stormy, and his lips were turned down in a fierce scowl. That just made him sexier, Ava thought. And she’d had all that sexiness on top of her. Just a few minutes ago, at that.

He’d kissed her with abandon. He’d tasted of butterscotch, as if he’d sucked on several candies before sucking on her. His hands had moved over her with utter possession, teasing and taunting and demanding a response. Without a doubt, he’d owned her. Whatever he’d wanted, she would have done. Would have begged to do.

She shivered, remembering.

His long, thick fingers had sunk inside her, and she’d felt penetrated to her soul. Writhing against him had been her only option. Stopping would have killed her. Had they been anywhere but a car, two guys in the backseat, she would have demanded he f**k her. Hard, possibly forever. Shocking.

Forever still wasn’t for her. But God, she’d wanted him. Even after he’d given her the most intense orgasm of her life, she’d wanted more of him. Wanted more even though he’d made her work for that orgasm, following his naughty fingers, silently pleading for contact.

She’d hoped to do the same to him. Torment him before finally allowing him release. Only, they’d reached their destination first, and she was still peeved about that. Not embarrassed at having been caught by her friend, as she should have been, but upset that she hadn’t gotten to finish him.

Now, McKell—Victor—was probably in pain. Surely cursing her name. He’d shown her paradise, and she’d shown him hell. That was what embarrassed her most. Like she was an incompetent. Like she couldn’t pull her sexual weight.

Just then, his gaze lifted, found Ava, darkened—she shivered again, knowing the passion that still lurked inside him, hungry, unsated, waiting—and then swiftly moved away, scanning the entire room in less than a heartbeat.

What did he think of the teardrop chandelier? The tiny angels painted on the walls? The beaded pillows, the precious china locked in intricate hutches?

“I’m to question them here?” he demanded.

Noelle frowned. “Apparently the torture chamber has become the new storage closet. This is our fourth dining room, unnecessary, and will have to do. So what’s wrong with it, anyway? Looks perfect to me.”

He pointed to the plush white carpet. “Blood is red. Soon the rug will be, too.”

As if hearing and understanding his meaning, both unconscious vampires moaned.

Fangs peeking out from his top lip, McKell then pointed to the two chairs Noelle had pushed together. “And those … those just look comfy.”

True. Both had cobalt velvet cushions at the back and rear, and swirling flowers had been carved into the wood. Real wood, with a glossy maple finish. They were gorgeous. What a shame to ruin them. But Noelle had never cared about family heirlooms like those probably were.

“If you don’t have the stomach for torturing, just say so and get out,” Noelle said. “Don’t blame the furniture.”

“Not have the stomach for torturing?” His color deepened with fury. “Just watch and learn, little girl.” After he threw the vampires into the chairs and tied them down, he slapped them into wakefulness.

They blinked open their eyes, revealing glazed, glassy irises. Ava fell into the couch that had been moved in front of the chairs, and Noelle plopped beside her. Would it have been bad to ring a servant for popcorn?