Who the hell do you think you are? I know that's you, Lev.
Then leave Judith alone. I know exactly what you're doing and you can forget it. Find yourself another woman to use.
Stefan closed his eyes, relief flooding him. He had been certain Lev was alive, but there was that small doubt he couldn't quite avoid. The sound of his brother's voice, no matter the harsh greeting, sent a surge of happiness through him.
"Are you allergic?" Judith asked. "Because this is already swelling. I need to take you back to the house and put something on it."
"I don't actually know whether I'm allergic or not," Stefan hedged. He was fairly certain he wasn't, but if it meant getting inside of her house, well . . . he wasn't in the least opposed.
Judith caught his hand and tugged him back toward the trail wagon. "We should go right away, just in case. Bee stings can be serious."
He slipped into the vehicle and raised his hand into the air over the top of the roof as she settled quickly into the driver's seat. He answered his brother with a worldwide, easily understood, finger gesture.
I've got you in my crosshairs.
Self-righteous, low-down bastard. Stefan repeated the finger gesture as Judith whipped the wagon around and sent it barreling over the rough ground, back toward her house.
Lev had married his cover, an autistic woman at that. Who the hell did he think he was judging Stefan when he'd committed an unpardonable sin? At least Stefan had a legitimate reason to be undercover in the first place. He'd come to find his idiotic younger brother and make certain he was safe. Now, he might have to take Lev down a peg or two, teach him a long needed lesson about right and wrong.
"You're upset," Judith observed, glancing at the muscles tightening in his jaw. "I'm so sorry this happened, Thomas."
"No worries, Judith," he assured her, all the while touching the back of his neck to shamelessly remind her of his injury. "I don't as a rule have problems with insects."
"You said you've never been stung."
He grinned at her. "Exactly. They leave me alone. That one was unusual, maybe a little vicious and jealous because I was kissing the lady of the realm."
The corners of her mouth went up and her dimple appeared. "I'm sure that's what caused the bee to sting you."
"If I were a bee, I might have gotten jealous. You do taste sweet." He pretended to frown, thinking it over. "Sweet with a taste of fire."
She blushed, the color creeping into her cheeks. "You're impossible. And if we're going to the hospital, I swear, I'm eating that lunch you brought."
"And I'm coming back for the tractor challenge. I refuse to allow a bee to keep me from proving to you that I can keep from driving the thing into a tree." He hesitated. Frowned. Made a show of rubbing the bridge of his nose. Glanced at her.
"What?" Judith asked. "Just tell me."
"You're going to think I'm paranoid." It was time to push just a little bit.
"I don't know why you would think that, unless you tell me you really did think the bee went after you specifically on purpose because you were kissing me."
He did think that, but he wasn't admitting it. "I was in the service, in combat a few times, Judith, and more than that, I have certain gifts. I wouldn't tell anyone else, but you seem to have abilities as well, we established that the other night . . ."
"And?" she prompted, just like he knew she would.
"Someone was watching us out there in that field. I could feel them." He hesitated again, deliberately appearing to choose his words carefully. "This is going to sound even crazier to you and at the risk of making you think I'm a lunatic, whoever was watching us was armed."
Stefan sent her another quick glance and looked away quickly, portraying Thomas Vincent perfectly. A man who had been in combat, with psychic gifts who knew the truth but was afraid of being ridiculed by a woman he was very attracted to.
He cursed himself for manipulating her. How was he any better than Lev? He was taking advantage of his training to extract information from her, playing on her sense of fairness, on her honesty. A woman like Judith would detest making him feel like a fool, especially when she knew it was the truth. Someone had been watching them, a sniper's rifle in his hands.
Judith's gaze shifted from his. "I'm sorry about that, Thomas." Her voice was quiet. Guilty.
"You knew?"
She moistened her lips. He decided there was no satisfaction in manipulating Judith. It made him feel every bit as low as he thought his brother was.
"I suspected it might happen," she admitted. "I'm really sorry if it made you uncomfortable. This farm is our sanctuary." She gave a small sigh. "It really isn't a big secret, we just don't talk about our lives to outsiders. My sisters and I met when we were all in a special victim's group counseling." Her gaze jumped to his and then shifted away. "Each of us is--was--a victim of violence in some way. A couple of my sisters are still at risk. We're very careful who we let on the farm--and very protective. I'm really sorry, Thomas."
"I'm sorry, Judith. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. You didn't have to tell me that. I appreciate that you did."
It was a lie and yet it wasn't. Damn the entire mess. She was being honest with him, honest to the point of revealing things about her sisters she felt guilty about telling him. He had meant to probe, deliberately pushing her into a corner until she had no choice other than to lie, leaving her guest thinking she believed him paranoid, or confessing the truth. Of course Lev was out there with a rifle, watching someone coming onto the property, but his intentions weren't to protect the women. They were to protect himself. Damn Lev too.
Judith drove back to the shed and parked the trail wagon. "Let me take another look at your neck."
"It's a little swollen," Stefan admitted. "And it stings like hell, but I don't feel like I can't breathe. Isn't that what you're afraid of?"
Judith moved in close again, just behind him. Instincts and years of training honed into his very bones had him turning, catching her wrist as she lifted it to examine the sting site. He forced a smile, his thumb sliding over her skin to prevent bruising. She blinked up at him confused.
"Automatic reflexes are the devil," he said with a disarming boyish grin.
"Don't be a baby, let me see."
He half turned, retaining possession of her hand, forcing her to touch his neck with the other one. The position was a little awkward, but she didn't protest. Her fingers were gentle on his neck. The sensual brush of her touch went straight through his body. His groin tightened, flooding with hot blood in response to the warm breath against the back of his neck as she leaned in closer to inspect the swelling.
"I think the stinger is still in there, Thomas," she said, worry in her voice.
"What does that mean?"
He couldn't think straight and maybe the bee had gotten inside his head because he could hear a loud buzzing growing into thunder. It took a minute to realize it was his pulse pounding so loud. She had a way of throwing him without him even knowing it was happening until it was far too late to guard against her spell.
"It means I'll have to get it out."
"Can't we just leave it in?"
She slipped her arm around his waist, fitting neatly under his shoulder. A slight wind stirred the trumpet trees, drawing his attention to the darting army of hummingbirds. He was going to have to go through that gauntlet to get into Judith's house. Who knew what else his deviant brother would come up with to torture him in the hopes that he'd leave.
"No, we can't leave it in," Judith scolded. "And it really is swelling, Thomas. I need to put some allergy cream on it quickly. Come on."
Without even hesitating, Judith stepped onto the narrow lane woven through the thick stand of trumpet trees with those nasty little birds just waiting to do Lev's bidding. Two steps in and the birds flew at Stefan's head, tiny wings buzzing loudly, the sharp beaks going at his skin, veering away at the last minute. Some protective instinct long forgotten had him wrapping his arm around
Judith's head, covering her face from the attack.
Judith let out a little shocked cry and picked up the pace with his, although she couldn't see much, her hands up defensively. He used his body to protect hers and his arms to shield her face, his anger growing into a slow burn.
Knock it off, Lev. If she gets one scratch on her I'm going to come after you and you seriously don't want that. He meant it too.
Stefan had come to save his brother's life, to warn him of an assassin stalking him, but now he wanted to punch him right in that smug mouth. Lev thought he had a good gig going here, deceiving these women--Judith's sisters--well, it just wasn't going to continue. And if his smartass playing around caused one of the birds to attack her, Lev was getting the beating of his life.
You could try, but I doubt you'll get more than the first punch in.
Clearly Lev had forgotten who was the older brother and in charge. Judith let out a second little sound of distress. He could feel her fear beating at him. Cold, black fury rose, smoldering just below the surface in direct proportion to her fear, always a bad sign.
You're scaring her, you bastard.
The birds abruptly backpedaled.
Why the hell didn't you just say so instead of posturing like a puffed up adder?
You're right, why on earth would I give you credit for having a brain? Stefan poured contempt into his voice. He was disgusted with his brother using these women. He took great care to push aside his disgust at himself for thinking to do the same thing.
The connection between them was slipping away over the distance. Stefan made certain to "feel" for a direction. Before he left, he was going to find out just which house belonged to Rikki, Lev's supposed wife, so he could pay his brother a little visit and toss him out on his ear.
"Are they gone?" Judith asked, her voice trembling.
Stefan's protective instincts kicked at him hard at that little catch in her voice. He removed his arm so she could see. They were almost out of enemy territory, approaching the last of the trumpet trees. "I believe we're safe," he assured.
"I've never seen them act that way before. Hummingbirds are aggressive, but they were actually attacking us."
"Maybe we were too close to a nest," Stefan suggested.
"I suppose that's as good an explanation as any." She sounded a little suspicious and took another careful look around with that little frown he found adorable, before giving him her attention again. "First the bee stings you and now the birds attack. I'm so sorry, Thomas. This was supposed to be a fun afternoon for you."
His arm tightened around her. "I'm an adventurous man, Judith."
She smiled up at him. "You're a good sport, I'll say that for you." She glanced at his neck, worry in her eyes. "Your neck really is swelling."
He could feel it. He'd been shot quite a few times, knifed, tortured and other unpleasant things. It would be irony if he was done in by a small bee his brother had sent after him. Wouldn't Ivanov get a kick out of that? He did rather like the alarm in her voice for him. She was genuinely worried about him and since it was a brand-new, unfamiliar experience for anyone to actually gave a damn about him, he found he enjoyed it just a little too much. This woman could make him weak so easily.
She held his hand as they moved through the gardens together, the breeze sliding over them, tugging at tendrils of her hair and ruffling hers. He liked the way they moved together, the way silence settled over them both, easy and companionable. Stefan Prakenskii was never truly at ease with another human being. Thomas Vincent would have no difficulties being in the presence of others, as would any of his many personas, but not Stefan, and yet, it was Stefan walking beside Judith, holding her hand and feeling as if she'd handed him a miracle.
He couldn't turn his head easily with his neck swelling so much. The pain was nothing to him, a small, annoying sting he barely noticed, but it definitely got him Judith's attention. She rubbed her fingers over his arm continually, looking up at him with little anxious glances from under her long, feathery lashes, making him feel as if he'd been handed the world. It amazed him that one woman could actually change the way a man thought, his actions--more, his entire reason for existing.
She led him up the stairs to her house, a large, two-story structure. The house nestled in the center of the gardens, so looking out any of the many windows, they were surrounded by brilliant color.
"My studios are on the ground floor," Judith explained as she opened the front door.
Stefan stepped into her entry way and again, as he had at the gates to the farm, felt the subtle shift of energy around him. Judith's power lived and breathed in this house. The force rushed to surround him, building his joy at discovering Judith into almost euphoria. He was already fighting his physical attraction to her, a first for him, testing his years of discipline, but now, that raging hunger was amplified beyond measure.
He breathed deeply and moved inside. Her fragrance hit him hard, triggering such a need he simply turned, toed the door closed as he bunched her hair into his fist and walked her backward, his mouth coming down hard on hers. Her lips parted, accepting him, welcoming him, opening to his invasion, her arms sliding around his neck as he forced her back against the door.
There was nowhere else he wanted to be than right there, devouring her, tasting all that wonderful passion, a deep well, pouring flames into him, all his. He'd made his claim, branded her with his mark and given her his soul. He had to touch her skin, that bare expanse inviting his exploration. His hand caressed her, finding the intriguing gold chain. He tugged at it.
"You should be wearing this and nothing else, Judith," he murmured, trailing kisses over her face, down to her chin where he nipped gently with his teeth. "I swore I wouldn't push this. I want to do it right. I don't want a flash of heat for a night and then it's over. I want forever, Judith. Every damn night with you, every single day."
She clung to him, breathing as heavily as he was. "We can't have forever. You don't understand about me. You don't, Thomas, and I should never have allowed this."
"Then let's talk about it. Explain it to me. I know you're a spirit element. I have my own talents, Judith and of course they can get out of control, any talent can."
"Exactly." She dropped her arms and stepped back.
He felt inexplicitly empty. He controlled his world, not a woman. Not his handler. No one else. And yet it was getting harder and harder to breathe, knowing she was a breath away from tossing him out.
He caged her in, both hands resting on the door beside her head. "We're going to talk about this, Judith. I'm not the kind of man to give up on something so important."
He took a breath knowing he was going to be absolutely honest with her in this moment. "I've never, not one time, wanted a woman in the same way I want you. Do I want to throw you down on the floor and show you a million ways I know to give you so much pleasure you'd never look at another man? Damn straight. But it's so much more and I've never felt the more before. Not one time. You don't throw the more away, not when it's a fucking miracle and will never happen in your lifetime again. So, no, I'm not leaving until we talk this out."
Her dark eyes searched his. She should have been afraid. He was an intimidating man with his bulk of muscle and his scars. She didn't appear afraid of him, only for him. Her hand slipped to his chest, fingers splayed wide. She drew in her breath, as if she felt that same burning in her lungs.
"Thomas, I'm trying so hard to save you."
He bent his head and kissed her again, a gentle, coaxing kiss bordering on tenderness. He had no idea where those gentler emotions came from, but she'd tapped into them and, although for him the rest of the world didn't really exist outside those shadows, she was real to him, and so were those emotions reserved for her alone.
"I need saving, Judith." He gave her the stark, raw truth. "But sending me away won't accomplish that. Fight for us. Give us a chance. That's all I'm asking."
"We barely know each other. How can I tell you things I'
ve never told anyone else?"
"You know me. We both know. You're not like other people and neither am I. Maybe it's our gifts, but you know me, Judith. Your body recognized me. Your mind is fighting, but your heart and soul know as well. I'm the one. Give us a chance."
She sighed and slid her hand up to his wrist. "Let me look at the bee sting." Before he could make demands, she shook her head. "I need time to think, Thomas. Please don't push me right now."
He stayed still, caging her between his body and the wall, wanting her shamelessly, his body's demands merciless. More than that, he wanted this moment to be right. He needed to handle this the right way and he didn't have any experience in matters of the heart. He operated outside such parameters.
"You're giving me all the firsts I should have had over the last thirty years."
"I don't know what that means."
"It means you can take a look at my neck and fuss over me."
A slow smile curved her mouth as he straightened and held out his hand to her. She threaded her fingers through his without hesitation.
"You're a good man, Thomas," Judith said with a small sigh as she led the way to her bathroom.
It was a feminine room. Spacious and filled with colorful things. The room was designed to be both restful and soothing, a place of the sea with splashes of color winding through shades of blue, gray and green. He sat on a low makeup bench, facing away from the mirror while she took tweezers and pushed his head down so she could shine the makeup lights directly on the sting site.
He heard a hitch in her breath and his world stilled to that moment. To Judith. To the sins she was determined to push him away with.
"A few years ago, when I was an art student in Paris, I met a man. He was wealthy and handsome and years above me in experience."
There was so much self-loathing in her voice he actually winced.
"I was dazzled by him, so dazzled by him that I . . ." Her voice trailed off and he felt the burn as she caught the stinger with the tweezers and pulled, removing the tiny barb from his flesh. "I see auras. And his was muddy and complicated and violent. All the signs were there, but I didn't want to see them. I wanted to believe the things he said to me, not something no one else could see."
She dabbed some cream onto the sting. He waited until she put the tube down and caught her wrist gently and pulled her around to stand in front of him, wedged between his thighs. His hands settled on her waist.