His father had said that his test subject found sanctuary with humans. That she’d been hiding, using them for cover. Of course, Jeremiah must not have realized the truth. The test subject mated with a human.
If he had realized that important fact, then Richard figured that his father wouldn’t have told the soldiers to kill them all.
His father’s order. He’d wanted to cover his tracks. The test subject couldn’t be controlled, so she’d had to be eliminated. Jeremiah had wanted to make sure no witnesses were left behind.
The humans had needed to die.
Pity.
But . . . his father had kept meticulous research. Blood samples, hair, tissue—all of those still remained from the dragon shifter. It would be easy enough to discover if his own suspicions were true.
And if Eve did turn out to be the child of a dragon shifter . . .
Then he would be able to take his father’s research to the next level. He smiled. He’d finish what the old man started. Prove I’m better, stronger. He would be the one with the perfect killing machine. And his father could f**king choke on his success.
The water poured over her, ice cold because she needed the chill. Every time that Eve closed her eyes, she saw the fire.
But . . . it wasn’t just the flames that Wyatt had sent out at her.
It was another time. Another place.
Memories that haunted her.
Mommy! Mommy! The fire had been everywhere. Fire and blood and the flash of vampire fangs.
Bet you taste good. Kids always f**kin’ do.
Her eyes squeezed closed tighter as she pushed her head under the water. It should have cooled her down. It didn’t. It just made her feel hotter.
Her mother had died in that long-ago fire. Her father . . . he’d been dead before the flames hit him. The vampires had ripped out his throat.
Eve shuddered. I hate vampires.
Every time she turned around, a vampire was attacking—or selling her out. Thanks, Ryder. She’d be sure to pay him back.
If it hadn’t been for me, you would have burned at Genesis.
He’d returned her solid favor by tossing her right at Wyatt. What a prince.
She turned off the water with a yank of her hand. Stood in the shower, with her forehead pressed against the tiled wall.
“Eve.”
She’d known that Cain was there, so she didn’t jump or rush to cover herself. What would be the point? He had already seen all of her.
She turned. The glass door hadn’t steamed beside her and she could see right through to him. He watched her with eyes that were so hungry. Full of need.
Right then, she could only see the lust in his stare.
What happened when she saw more?
He walked toward her slowly, never taking his eyes from her. Drops of water were sliding down her body. Her ni**les were tight from the cold water.
He opened the shower door and stared down at her. “I’d . . . never hurt you.”
He hadn’t. “But what if I hurt you?” Her fear. She knew Wyatt must have a plan. He’d tested her because he wanted to use her.
To hurt Cain? To kill him?
His hand lifted. Traced the curve of one breast. “You won’t.”
She couldn’t be so sure of that, but right then, she just wanted to stop thinking. To stop remembering fire and death. “Make it stop,” she whispered to him.
Frowning, he glanced back up at her.
“The fire,” Eve told him, her voice a bare breath. “The blood. I don’t want to think about it anymore.”
She didn’t want to see death.
Her eyes closed once more.
His lips feathered over hers. Soft. Gentle.
“No.” She turned her head away from him. Gentleness wasn’t what she needed at that moment. She was tearing apart from the inside out. She wanted to scream. To fight. To rage.
“Eve?”
Her eyes opened. “Wild.” That was what she needed, the way she felt inside. Too many emotions were splitting her in two. She had to stop the rush of feeling.
She needed . . . him.
Eve pushed him back and stepped out of the shower. He was still dressed, or at least, still wearing pants. She eased to her knees on the plush bathroom rug. She’d make him as wild as she felt. She could do it. She might not have been able to push her other lovers past the point of no control, but she hadn’t wanted them the way she wanted Cain.
She’d never wanted anyone this much.
His zipper eased down and the heavy length of his cock—fully aroused—pushed into her hands. She bent toward him, licking her lips. She’d nearly touched death.
Time to taste life.
She put her mouth on him. His breath hissed out as his hands clamped down on her shoulders. But he wasn’t pushing her away. No, he was urging her closer. Closer was exactly where she wanted to be.
Her lips opened wider. She licked him. Sucked. Tasted. Wanted more.
Her hand curled around the base of his shaft as she pumped him into her mouth. His taste was rich, salty, good. She licked the head of his cock, then took him deeper into her mouth. So deep she could feel him in the back of her throat.
“Enough.”
No, no, it wasn’t. He could still talk. She could still feel. They had to go further. Push more. She licked him. Sucked around his length.
And found herself pulled away. Pulled up into his arms.
“Cain—”
His mouth locked onto hers even as he carried her toward the bed. Then they were falling together. Crashing into the bed.
Her nails raked down his back. Hard. She opened her legs, wanting him to thrust in deep. “Lose control,” was her whisper to him. A desperate order. She couldn’t be the only one feeling this way.
He stilled. Cain stared down at her with the gaze she should fear. Too bright. Too hot. “You don’t want that.”
Yes, she did. It was the thing she needed most.
“Lose control,” she said again.
His hands were on her thighs. Pushing them farther apart. Then his fingers were on her sex. Stroking over her clit, pushing inside her. Deeper.
It wasn’t enough for her.
She grabbed his head. Kissed him with all the passion she felt. He still had his control. Why couldn’t it break?
She was breaking. Shattering on the inside.
Blood.
Her eyes were closed. Her body shaking.
Fire.
“No.” His growl. “Stay with me.” Then his fingers were gone from her body. His c**k pushed against her. Her gaze flew to meet his.
“Stay with me,” he said again and drove into her. In that one moment, as she stared into his eyes, she saw the man’s control rip away.