Jace headed up the mountainside toward her cabin after a bitch of a day. Pulling to a stop in front of her door, she leaned back against the seat and rotated her head, groaning at the tight muscles in her neck.
She wanted a hot bath, soaking for a little bit of forever. She wasn’t even sure she cared if she ate. Oh, for a nap before Gabriel arrived…
Gabriel. Their paths had crossed a year or so back when she’d testified in one of the cases he’d prosecuted. Gabriel understood her ambitions and the demands of her job, as she did his. He was divorced with no interest in another marriage, and they shared an appreciation for the pressure relief valve of good—make that very good—sex. Beyond that, they lived separate lives, and it was exactly what she wanted.
She relished the solitude, the independence she’d waited so long to have. From the day her father died, the family’s survival had depended on her, and a dreamy-eyed girl had been slammed into reality. She’d learned hard lessons about the price of being soft, of feeling too much, of counting on anyone but herself.
Jace emerged from her jeep and picked up the sack of groceries that would keep her for days, as seldom as she cooked. Then she paused for her nightly ritual.
After a year, she still hadn’t tired of the view, the crisp, clean tickle of high-country air…the stillness so complete that you could hear your own blood pulse. She spent most of her time on the job, always promising herself a day off to do nothing but drink in the beauty. Instead, she got this one brief burst of mountains every day. If she got home before dark, that is.
It’s the life you wanted, Jace.
True. After years of being a parent to her own mother and Jimmy, after an endless line of nothing jobs to keep body and soul together, she’d almost lost everything in a car accident five years ago—and she’d resolved not to put off her dreams any longer. She’d taken that disaster and put it to use. A scar on her hip and a limp when she was too tired served to remind her that she’d wanted to be a cop forever.
Now she was. If it meant twenty-eight-hour days and little time to smell the roses, so be it. She didn’t care about flowers much, anyway; one glance at the plants on her porch was proof. She kept meaning to water the gifts from her landlady, Myra, but she did as little on the domestic front as possible. She’d been cook, laundress, mother and father, provider for her family since she was twelve. Dad’s benefits hadn’t covered much, and her mother still was no help; left to her, every cent would go to Southern Comfort.
Once Jimmy had moved away, Jace had left her mother to a boyfriend and her own devices. She’d done all the caretaking she ever wanted to do, except that Jimmy kept showing up and needing more. She and Gabriel had argued more than once over that.
Gaze traveling over the half-dead plants lined up on the steps with begging bowls out for the summer rains, Jace consigned her regret to the four winds. “You’re on your own, guys. I don’t have it in me anymore.”
The job was enough. She might feel the occasional gnawing for more, but life had taught her it wasn’t likely to happen. She could barely remember the little girl who’d been such a dreamer.
Unlocking the door, Jace shoved it open, wincing as it stuck halfway. Got to tell Myra—
The bag was torn from her hands, dropped to the floor. A muscled arm grabbed her from behind, hand clapped over her mouth.
She jerked straight, leg lifted to smash her foot down on his arch—
—until she caught the familiar scent.
And smiled.
One quick shove against the wall, face first, hands lifted above her head, wrists trapped in one big fist. With a whoosh, the air left her lungs as a big body pressed against hers.
Jace pushed back, brushing her bottom across his groin.
Gabriel growled and fastened his mouth to her nape.
Arousal stirred, deep and low. Her nipples hardened in a rush, gooseflesh peppering her skin. A guttural moan forced its way up her throat.
Heated, silken tongue slicked a path up her neck, fastened on her right ear lobe. Sucked gently. Nipped.
Jace rocked against him, all but purring.
Gabriel chuckled. Relaxed against her.
Jace seized the advantage. Yanked down her arms, punched her elbow into his stomach, whirled. Doubled over, he couldn’t straighten quite fast enough before she hooked one foot behind his right knee and wrenched his leg from beneath him.
With a thud, he landed on the floor, instantly coiled to rise again.
Jace dropped, straddled his belly. Laughed when air whooshed from his lungs. “Losing those cop reflexes, Counselor?” She gripped the opening of his expensive white shirt.
“Oh no, you don’t.”
Jace lifted her eyebrows, then jerked the panels apart. Buttons popped to the floor like hailstones.
“Don’t what?” she asked in her silkiest voice, eyes wide. “Can dish it out but you can’t take it?”
Faster than she could blink, she found herself on her back, a great deal of man blocking out the fading sunlight slanting into the room. Strong thighs bracketed her waist while big hands each circled a wrist. “I wasn’t through.”
Jace studied the firm, muscled chest, dark curls bisected by the thin white scar from long-ago shoulder surgery. Her gaze zeroed off to the side.
He glanced over to see what she was staring at.
Jace bucked to topple him.
He chuckled. “Not so fast, slick.” He pressed her down. “Uncle?”
Jace narrowed her eyes. Shook her head.
“Tut-tut. Guess you need more…persuasion.” His mouth fastened just below the right ear lobe still wet from his tongue. Then marked a tingling trail down her neck, inside her blouse and into the valley between her breasts.
She tensed to resist him. Moaned instead.
His fingertips drifted over her curves. Mirrored her earlier grip on his shirt.
Jace grabbed his wrists. “Oh no, you don’t.”
“Should have thought of that before you made free with mine. I just hope you’re good at finding buttons.”
“Don’t you dare—”
Too late. With one clean yank, he separated the halves, the second shower of buttons on wood floors as loud as the first. “I’ll buy you a new one,” he muttered, lowering his head to the lace covering one breast.
Jace drove her fingers into his hair and gasped.
All teasing fled.
She fumbled at his belt; opened his zipper. Plunged fingers inside his briefs and closed around him, her thumb teasing the tip.
God. She’d had limited sexual experience before Gabriel, but he’d helped her make up for lost time. For all his sharp mind, his hard-as-nails courtroom manner, there was within this man a willingness to throw away all pretense and play with her. However she wanted, hot and dirty, slow and dreamy, any fantasy she had and several she’d never even imagined.
The swollen head wept one perfect pearl at the tip; he pulsed in her hand. Jace shoved at his shoulder, twisted her body to get closer to his shaft while his lips slid across her belly on the way to—
“Sis?” The front door, still open, squeaked as it was shoved wider.
“Shit!” Gabriel kicked it closed. A yelp sounded from behind the door.
They scrambled to fasten their clothing.
“What the—?” Curly auburn hair came first, then a hand rubbing the man’s forehead, followed by hazel eyes sparking with anger.
“Damn it, Jimmy,” Jace shouted. “What does this look like, Grand Central Station?” Chest heaving, she glared at her brother.
Then at Gabriel for snickering.
Jimmy Carroll’s eyes widened as he studied his sister, clasping her blouse together. “Sorry, Sis.” One corner of his mouth quirked. He stuck out his hand to Gabriel. “Jimmy Carroll. I’m—”
“Jace’s brother. She’s told me about you.” Gabriel returned the gesture. Stood, pants zipped but belt unbuckled, shirt hanging open, gaze direct and challenging. “Gabriel McMullen.”
Clamping down hard on the adrenaline, Jace surveyed the red-rimmed eyes, the shadows lining his face, the dust-streaked clothes. “Give us a minute, will you?”
“Sure.” He stepped toward the door with a smartass grin. “Nice meeting you.”
Gabriel glanced at Jace and frowned. He smoothed at the line she knew must be carved between her eyes.
She blew a puff of air that fluttered her uneven bangs. “I’m sorry about that.” Dealing with Jimmy made her tired, and she’d been doing it so long. Would he ever grow up?
“Want me to stay?”
“No. I can handle it. I’ve had plenty of practice.”
Gabriel tilted her chin up and studied her eyes. “I didn’t let you get much sleep last night.”
A pang of longing shot through her, a spike of need for what had been snatched prematurely by Jimmy’s arrival. She’d been primed for Gabriel ever since he’d spoken their code words in the hall. She just hadn’t expected to find him lying in wait.
“Where’s your SUV?”
He smiled. “Out back. Like the surprise?”
“You don’t wrestle so bad, Counselor, for a soft lawyer type.”
“Nothing about me feels soft right now, Detective.”
“His timing sucks.”
“Ain’t it the truth? Want me to come back later?”
Regret pressed in on her. “I don’t know why he’s here, but I’ll come to you later if I can.”
He slid one hand into her hair. Delivered a scorching kiss, then released her. He stuffed in his shirt and buckled his belt, hooked his tie and jacket over his shoulder. “I’ll leave the light on, Detective.” With a two-fingered salute, he waved goodbye and strolled to the door.
In a minute, she heard his car start, tires crunching on the gravel.
Running the fingers of one hand through her hair, Jace sighed, squatted on the floor and picked up scattered buttons. She carried them across the room to place them on the bar that separated the small living room from her kitchen, then adjusted her bra and tied her blouse together beneath her breasts.
“Come on in, Jimmy.”
Jimmy entered, whistling. “Well, well…”
“Shut it,” Jace growled.
“Now, Sis, nothing to be ashamed of, just ’cause you’re doing the nasty barely inside the front door.” He lifted his palms. “No complaints here. Nice to see you acting human.”
She recovered the groceries she’d dropped and headed for the kitchen. He looked like seven kinds of hell, yet here he was with a smirk on his face. His eyes didn’t match his mouth, though. “What kind of trouble are you in this time?”
He recoiled as if she’d slapped him. “I don’t need this shit.”
“What exactly do you need?” Memories of Sam Sunshine prodded at her. “Where have you been this time?”
“None of your business,” he muttered, face flushing.
“Unless you’re ready for a handout or a free bed or someone to take care of you until you get the urge to skip out again, that is.”
Looking tired and worn and lost, Jimmy shifted his weight from one foot to the other.
Jace wrestled her temper under control. Concentrated on putting away the groceries. “When’s the last time you had a decent meal?”
“What do you care?” Then his long, angular body settled into resignation. “It’s been awhile.”
“Come on.” She squeezed his arm. “Put your pack in the spare room and wash up. I’ll fix you something to eat. Just let me change first.”
“No, Jace. I’m not staying here.”
Her head shot up. “Where else would you stay?” Jimmy had never remained in Santa Fe long enough to make friends.
An odd glow lit his gaze. “I’ve found a place to belong, people who understand. It’s what I’ve been searching for.” His voice was uncharacteristically determined. “For so long I’ve searched for answers—why Dad died, why Mom’s a drunk and doesn’t give a shit about us.”
Jace was astonished; he’d never given a sign that he cared about more than the next party or drug, the next easy money.
“I want to make my life mean something, and I’ve found others on the same path.”
She blinked. What was he saying? “You mean, like a church?”
“Better than that. A new way of being, a different universe where the ways of the ancient gods have been recaptured.” His eyes glittered, almost feverish.
Oh, hell. Now he’d gone woo-woo on her. “What do you mean?” She kept her voice neutral.
“There’s no way to explain how it feels. I wish you would…” He shook his head. “Never mind. I just came to say goodbye.”
“Goodbye? Why?”
“The Magos knows that to fully bond, we must first bid goodbye to the past, to break the chains of everything that’s holding us back from realizing our full potential.” His body all but vibrated with his fervor as he spoke words obviously not his.
“Wait just a damn minute.” Jace held up her hand. “What’s a Magos? What the hell have you gotten yourself into?”
He visibly withered. “I’d hoped you’d understand and be happy for me.”
“Happy? When you’re renouncing the world and joining some Satanic cult?”
“It’s not a cult.”
“Give me a break—what is it that they want you to do? Give all your worldly goods to the group? Panhandle in airports?”
His face told her she’d lost him already. Jace forced herself to speak more calmly. “I’m sorry, Jimmy. I’m not making fun of your…friends. I just don’t understand.” Placing a hand on his arm, she looked straight into his eyes. “Can’t you see how this sounds? I’ve never heard of this group. What’s its name?”
“It’s sacred and cannot be spoken.” The insult he felt bled through his tone. “And for your information, this is no Satanic cult. Satan is a part of Judeo-Christian folklore. The Magos is a leader, nothing more.” He leaned toward her, his expression intent. “There’s nothing evil about this, Jace. Mankind has given up its ancient powers in this modern world. It doesn’t have to be that way. We just have to open ourselves up to reclaim what’s rightfully ours. If we love ourselves, the world will be better for it.”
What bullshit, but he’d really fallen for it. “Jimmy…”
A shadow passed over his features. “Can’t you just be happy for me that I’ve found something solid?”
“Have you? Or is someone taking you for a ride again?”
“You can’t believe in anything you can’t touch or taste or see, can you?” His bitter laugh stung her heart. “Jace knows best. Ms. Cop-to-the-Bone can always see the evil that’s at the heart of everyone’s soul.”
Jace stiffened. “I don’t think everyone is evil.”
“Oh, yeah? When’s the last time you really trusted anyone? When did you ever open up your heart and quit looking for the sucker punch?”
Anger ripped into her again. “Who else was going to take care of things, huh? When Mom was passed out on the couch, who made sure you had food in your belly and the rent was paid?” Her voice sharpened; she couldn’t stop it. Wouldn’t. “I never had time to be trusting and tender, for your information. I was all that stood between you and a foster home.”
“Oh, yeah? Well, maybe it wouldn’t have been so bad, ever think of that? Maybe I didn’t want to have you riding my back over every little thing. Mom would have taken care of us if you’d given her half a chance.”
The pain staggered her. “You ungrateful little shit! She had lots of chances, and what did she do? Stole the money I’d saved to buy myself a prom dress and spent it on liquor. Took grocery money, hell, what I’d put away for your birthday and used it to drink away her sorrows.” Chest heaving, she poked him in the sternum. “If I didn’t hand the rent money direct to the landlord, she’d spend that, too. I had to work weekends for that sleazy bastard so we wouldn’t be out on the street until I could make up the three months’ worth of rent she threw away on liquor and lottery tickets. Don’t you talk about what you don’t know. All you could do was whine because you couldn’t have every toy you wanted.”
His eyes were bleak and tortured. “Yeah, I’m a fuck-up, all right. Next to St. Justine, I could never measure up. And you won’t ever let me forget it, will you?”
Was that what he thought, that she took pleasure in his eternal refusal to grow up? Her hand covered a mouth that tasted of ashes. It was her fault that he couldn’t get his act together?
Jimmy gave her one last, long look ripe with pity. “I’d better go before this gets any uglier.” He opened the door.
“Wait! Don’t leave.” She grabbed his arm.
He shook her off. “Have a nice life, Jace. We’re supposed to make peace with our families before we leave to join with the Priestess.” Hazel eyes stared at her as though she was the one in need of help. “I guess peace was too much to expect.”
Before she could stop him, he vanished into the darkness.
Jace hovered on the porch, her stomach hollow, her heart aching. Would he ever get his act together?
A memory danced before her, a little redheaded boy in footed pajamas, broken toy truck in his hand and tears in his eyes. It’s broken, Justine. Can you fix it?
Exhaustion swept over her. Of course she had; she always would. No matter that he’d go right back out and break something else. He and she were inextricably entwined, Jimmy as much her son as her brother.
He’d come back. When he was too tired, too sick, too broke, he always returned to Jace to repair his mistakes.
She walked back into the cabin, feeling the darkness as never before.
The dark corners of the abandoned warehouse roared with life, the stinging whip-ends of trance-techno music lashing the girl’s hearing. Beneath the space-age high notes, a steady bass throbbed, arousing ancient rhythms in the blood.
The young girl had never felt like this before, as though the night’s magic had been absorbed into her skin, warming her body from the core out. She swayed to the music, head thrown back, eyes closed, hips grinding. Hunger sharpened as consciousness dimmed.
Hands clasped her hips. A man glued himself to her back and she writhed. Desire bit. Clawed. She slid her arms around his neck, offered her throat. “Please…”
Fingers pinched tender breasts. Sparks shot straight down to her belly. More hands…more…she was desperate to fill the void that threatened to eat her alive.
Instead, they retreated.
“Please…I’ll do anything…just make it stop.”
Her eyes would not open, her ears buzzed. Music writhed inside her, melting in her blood, buzzing down her nerve paths. Heat surrounded her, glowed from within. She was burning alive. Had to have relief.
Jerking her hands free with strength she didn’t recognize, she yanked her blouse off. Held her breasts in her palms, hips gyrating. Pleading.
Soft, wet lips on one nipple. She sighed.
More on the other.
She whimpered.
Suddenly, she was swept from the floor, suspended by hands braced along her back. Stronger fingers clamped on her thighs. Spread her open.
A delicious shudder rocked her. “More,” she gasped.
A low voice laughed. “Another drink, baby?”
For one trembling second, her consciousness shivered. Her mind struggled to comprehend what had come over her.
Her jaw was shoved open. Cool liquid slid down her throat, spilled past the corners of her mouth. She swallowed. Coughed. “What—”
Brutal music pounded. With the little strength left, she shoved at the heads bent over her. Struggled to regain her feet.
“Easy, baby, sh-h, here’s what you need…” A low voice soothed.
The buzz became an angry hive. Hunger slapped. Sparks flared and stung.
Hands gripped her buttocks. Hot, hard flesh filled her.
She screamed with ecstasy.
The darkness rolled her under.
A grateful soughing of breath.
Then…surrender.