Dream Lover

Excerpt:
Once Devlin got back to his place, he thought of his impending marriage with dread. He felt a noose closing around his neck. How could he lead his men when he was not in control of his own life?

Devlin gave himself a mental shake and headed straight for the gym. Piling on the weights, he pumped the dumbbells up and down mechanically. He needed to think, and working out always seemed to clear his head. But after an hour, Devlin still didn’t feel better. He felt weighed down with his thoughts.

His mind was in overdrive; the drama of this up-and-coming marriage was really fucking with his head. He didn’t need this along with the stress of trying to handle the bottom-feeder situation.

It was getting late, so he tried to put his body in chill mode. He took a quick shower and then made his way down the hall toward the kitchen. Devlin knew all the servants were probably asleep. He made himself a sandwich, sat at the counter, and ate his dinner with a cold beer. While he ate, an idea came to him. He hadn’t seen his bride-to-be since childhood. Maybe he would feel much better about the marriage if he knew what he was getting into. Dropping the half-eaten sandwich on to the plate, he gulped his beer, and then he was gone in a haze of gray smoke.

Devlin materialized on a rooftop overlooking her bedroom window. From his vantage point, he would be able to see her as soon as she passed into his line of vision. He remembered from his few visits with Tanar exactly where her suites were. It had been a few years but for some reason that little bit of info had stayed imbedded in his brain. For a moment, he had second thoughts, but he stayed put. Suddenly, she passed in front of the window, stretching as if she had just awakened. He was instantly attracted to her. She was beyond beautiful. His animal instinct kicked in full throttle. He longed to inhale her feminine scent, to possess the very essence of her. His palms itched to caress her firm woman’s curves, to run his tongue over her skin, the color of sun-kissed honey.

Tankura stopped in mid-stride, looking in his direction, and he held his breath. She was searching for something. Does she sense me? Does she know I’m watching her? She scanned her surroundings once more before she turned with her bodyguard in tow. Devlin let out his pent-up breath in a rush. With his heart pounding in his ears, the blood rushing through his veins, he ran his tongue across his lips. Catching on the razor-sharp tip of his incisors, he tasted the salty flavor of his own blood. Damn, he had dropped his fangs.

He watched as she continued to walk past the window with that badass strut of hers. Damn, she is all that and them some, he thought. He watched her window intently, hoping she would appear again, but she had disappeared into the house. Devlin caught sight of a small army of guards within.

Not that she needed guards.

Tankura had been trained since a child in the art of defense and weapons, and now, as an adult, Devlin could tell she would be dangerous if threatened—a force to be reckoned with. From the information he had gathered from Omega central intelligence data base, along with the little info he got out of Tanar, he knew her fighting skills were very impressive. The only detail he had not learned about her was what she looked like. And fortunately for him, from what he could see, she looked fine as hell.

One of the guards came back onto the balcony and scanned the skyline. Devlin reinforced his mental shield, which he had hidden himself behind while watching her, and shifted behind a battlement, trying his hardest to come down from his heightened state of arousal. She could not have seen him, but she had looked right in his direction. Could he be slipping? For a brief moment he swore she had looked right at him, before she disappeared from his view. Their bond just that strong? Devlin did not know for sure.

An electric current ran down his spine, making his nostrils flare and his eyes glow golden fire. An overwhelming need to be in her presence came over him. He needed to get a better look at his mate and wanted to be near her. Devlin dematerialized and entered the estate. He made sure to up his game, disarming the security system and making himself undetectable to anyone in the household. He tracked her mentally and found her in the gym. She had changed into a snug fitting body suit that clung to every curve, like a second skin. She held a four-foot, wooden staff in her hand.

Her sparring partner was about two hundred pounds or so. Devlin shrugged to himself. He knew he could take him without breaking a sweat. Her male opponent forgotten, Devlin concentrated on the main attraction. “Tankura,” he murmured, letting her name move through his brain like a caress. He loved the sound of it. Devlin continued to watch in awe and fascination.

They took their defensive stance and circled each other, preparing to attack. Tankura skillfully took her opponent out in no time at all, keeping him on the defensive until she went in for the kill. Devlin could smell the sweat and excitement emanating from her. Her scent hit him in the nose. His nostrils flaring, he inhaled deeply letting it coat the back of his throat like a fine wine and he savored her flavor. Devlin cocked his head to the side as he continued to study her every move. She laughed as she bent and held out her hand, offering assistance to her sparring partner. He took her hand getting back to his feet.

“That was quicker than usual, Brett. Either you’re slipping or I am just getting better at kicking your butt,” Tankura said with laughter in her voice as she toweled the sweat from her face and neck.

“Yes, mistress. Your skills are definitely improving.”

“Well, that’s good, I guess. Maybe now I can kick Tanar’s behind for a change. What do you think about that?”

“I think you will definitely give him a run for his money for sure.”

“Well, that’s just what I wanted to hear.” Tankura checked her watch, “Oh crap, I am supposed to be meeting my parents for a late dinner with one of mother’s friends. I better get it in gear, or I will be late.” She turned towards the door, moving swiftly to the exit. She yelled over her shoulder, “Let me go get myself together, and we can leave, okay? I will meet you out front in fifteen minutes.”

“Yes, mistress.”

Her voice had been the most beautiful sound Devlin had ever heard. He closed his eyes and took it all in, her voice, her scent—it was driving his ass mad with need. Devlin felt his control slipping. He had felt the power surge fluctuate through him, when he sat watching her from the rooftop. It had rushed through him, like wild fire. Devlin had no idea of what to make of that shit, and he tried to shake it off.

This was definitely uncharted territory for him. Never had a female had such an unsettling effect on his mind, his senses, and his body. He could see himself finding pleasure in her arms, but he still couldn’t see marriage in his future even with 20/20 vision. He wouldn’t mind having some fun with her, but being committed to her and only her? He shook his head; that would not happen. Devlin smiled a confident smile. There were always his many booty calls. He could have his cake and eat it too. Satisfied with himself, he let his thoughts stray back to Tankura again. Devlin knew he could not wait a week to see her again. So he would do the unthinkable, and visit her in her dreams. He was dead wrong for invading her privacy like that, but he really didn’t give a damn. He needed to see her, to be near her, by any means necessary. He would link with her telepathically, visiting her in her mind. Devlin was determined to take her dreams by storm, sweeping her up in a whirlwind of passion. He would fill her head with visions of him, taking liberties that no man would have but her husband and mate.

Most unthinkable of all, he wanted those deep violet eyes to stare directly into his soul, weaving a spell over him. He knew he would be insane with passion and lust. No other woman would ever be able to sedate this primal, lustful need. Devlin shivered at the thought. Never having experienced such intense emotions, his manhood was so aroused it was painful.

So, this is how it feels to be totally obsessed with someone! Devlin felt like he had been sucker punched in the gut. Trying to come to grips with his emotions, deep in his soul he knew he craved her for his very survival. Devlin breathed in deeply, feeling both excited and frustrated. In the span of five minutes, he had gone from not wanting to marry Tankura at all to feeling that he could not live without her.

His father Stephan had chosen well for him—no, that was a definite understatement. Her ass was all that and then some. How could his father have known? The attraction between them was lethal. Lust could not cover the bond he felt with Tankura; it was positively explosive.

Devlin wondered if his father had felt the same for his mother, but he couldn’t ask, at least not now. His father would beat his ass down if he knew what the fuck he was up to, especially knowing Devlin had no intentions of leaving her alone until after the wedding.

He knew the rules. His father had explained them to him thoroughly. He was not to see his bride until the day of the wedding, which was scheduled in one week. Not soon enough as far as Devlin was concerned. Remembering how he had not wanted this marriage, he wanted to kick himself for that. He still had reservations, but he couldn’t help but think how he had almost let that violet eyed temptress get a way from him.

Shit, he was ready for this wedding now or maybe just the wedding night, the feeling of not having a choice forgotten. He would marry her today if he had the chance just to get his hands on her.

He morphed back to his kitchen, where the sandwich he’d made only a few minutes before lay on the plate forgotten. Devlin decided to finish his sandwich, and have another beer. He knew it would be a good hour or so, before Tankura returned home. He felt his anticipation build as excitement started to hum through his system. He checked his watch, and growled with frustration. Time was going by too damn slow. He paced the kitchen for a moment, grabbing another beer. He left the kitchen moving to his study with long purposeful strides. He would check in with central, and then hit the gym. By that time Tankura should be home, waiting for him to invade her dreams.

All his thoughts were focused on Tankura, and he ran for his bedroom where he would not be interrupted. Lying in bed, his eyes closed, he centered his mind and conjured a vision of Tankura swimming in a lake in the buff. He mentally pulled her into this fantasy, making her believe it was her own. It would be as easy as taking candy from a baby. He would use every technique he had learned in his training. He had become pretty good at the art of dream weaving, something that had not been useful in the past, but would definitely help him with Tankura. She did not know she was being watched, so Devlin chilled for a minute, trying to let her feel his vibe.

Tankura continued to make long, graceful strokes in the water. Suddenly, she seemed to sense a pair of eyes on her. She turned and looked toward the shore. Once their eyes locked, all else was forgotten, and their bodies called to each other like a magnet. Entranced, Devlin walked into the water; he would have walked through the fires of hell to claim her as his own.

Tankura glided through the water towards him in seductive fluid motions. He reached for her, his hard smooth muscles touching her flawless skin. He picked her up, carrying her out of the water. She shivered with raw untamed passion.

He held her tightly in his arms, watching her with fascination, as her eyes grew darker, becoming deep pools of violet. He held her tight as he walked, laying her on a soft patch of grass under a huge tree just off the bank of the lake. Her hair splayed out beneath her like a blanket of black silk.

Devlin scanned her face, taking in her tan, sun-kissed skin still wet and glistening; her beautiful long, dark, seductive lashes; her small pert nose, her full, kissable mouth. Her lips parted, and he glimpsed even, white teeth with a perfect set of magnificent fangs. She licked her lips in anticipation, making him long to taste her sweetness.

Damn, he was straight shook, lost in this goddess’s violet eyes. He fell to his knees, catching the scent of her arousal. He couldn’t have walked if he tried. Her scent was so strong, so good. The way she smelled would make a male lose his fucking sanity. He crawled to her, smelling passion all over her.

He dived into the sweetness of her mouth, sucking at her tongue and tracing her fangs with the tip of his tongue. She tasted like honey and cream, his favorite. Devlin held tight to his arousal, feeling the animal in him too close to the surface. The beast that roared to come out would be too rough with her; she was too gentle, too soft. Tankura groaned in frustration, whimpering and moaning into his mouth. Devlin felt the swell of her breasts under his chest. He moved down to her neck sucking, kissing, licking, and biting her gently as her whimpers and moans grew louder.