She'd always gotten under my skin.
Her thoughts and sayings, her quirks and idiosyncrasies, her long involved scientific explanations on the order of our world and the way she liked to organize everything into neat little compartments; they'd always driven me a little nutty, made my head ache and swirl with confusion. But lately, everything has changed, and what was once annoying has become endearing, somehow cute, and I can't quite figure out when it all had changed.
All I know is I can't get her out of my mind.
Everything about her fascinates me. The way she moves through the room, the way one side of her mouth quirks higher than the other when she smiles, the way she tugs at her hair when she's reading and nibbles absently at her lip when she's deep in thought or going off on one of those explanations I mentioned earlier. That last one is a particular weakness of mine. I can't count the number of times I've wanted to walk over, tug that lip from between her teeth and suck on it myself.
I think I'm going crazy.
Or, maybe it's that she is trying to drive me crazy one little quirk, idiosyncrasy, look, touch, smile, laugh or gesture at a time. Actually, her mere presence is both heaven and hell on my nerves. Yet, all that I could have dealt with, have been dealing with for the past year, but there is something new moving in the air that has us both on edge and those fathomless, chocolate eyes that once looked at me absently now burn with a bronze light I've never seen before, watch me when she thinks I'm not looking, inciting a fire just waiting to rage out of control and consume us both.
I've always wanted this, wanted her, I just never expected it to happen like this…
He prowled the house restlessly, shoulders and back rippling with tension, tawny waves plastered to his temples as he tried to ease the growing ache within. He'd gotten used to the longing, that deep, almost painful craving a certain petite brunette created over the past few months, but this was nothing like anything he'd felt before. This burn and tightening in his body could only be partially blamed on his desire to claim the woman as his own; the rest…well he couldn't figure out what the rest of this was.
All he knew for sure, was that it wasn't alien and it certainly wasn't an emerging power, nor some sort of programming that his makers thought fit to bestow on him and his unfortunate brethren. After all, Isabel and Max didn't feel this surge of heat and power that had been building for the past week. He'd subtly questioned them, gently probing to see if they'd noticed any changes or if their powers had been off in any way. Not in a blatant way that would make them concerned or suspicious, but enough to gather that they had no clue what he was talking about.
He hadn't felt this kind of raw power building inside himself since the day he had unleashed his full powers in the UFO Center, when he unwittingly cut down Pierce in order to protect Valenti and his loved ones. But the flavor, the intimate kiss of this energy, was unlike anything he'd ever known, completely foreign.
This fire was too elemental, too raw, too primal to be something engineered, or in any way, shape or form originating from the brain, where all of their other powers derived. It ran deep in his blood, buried deeply under his skin and invoked, awakened the warrior, the fierce warlord that had been running just under surface of his consciousness since Max had taken back the seal. It called to "Rath" for lack of a better word, which was the only name he had been able to give this hungry, predacious side of him.
Storming out of the house, he inhaled deeply, the balmy night air cloaking him as he leaned against the wooden railing, fingers clenching around the posts, shivering slightly as the electric thrum in the air embraced his skin. Eyes gleaming warily, he scanned the darkness, stomach jumping and lungs compressing as liquid fire trickled through his veins, catching his nerves on fire, and he felt that insistent tug on his senses once more, the unbidden, unknown tease that kept pulling him towards the woods.
It made him wary. And yet, it excited the hunter coiling under his skin, promising the restless predator his fill in spoils and plunder, tempting it with a sweet perfume that was far too familiar and had haunted his days and nights, daring him to seek the prize it offered. But it couldn't be – Liz was out with the others and that couldn't be her scent that he was picking up this far away. Could it?
Groaning heartedly, he pressed his brow to the post, sweat beading his temple, sliding over his chest and back as he clamped down on that predatory thread threatening to snap at any moment and clenched his eyes shut, desperately trying to temper the fever infiltrating his system. This was insane. Maybe he should have gone with the others to the party, just to have something to take his mind off the power riding his body.
Or, really, to be perfectly honest, he wished that Liz hadn't chickened out at the last moment and stayed to face whatever was building between them. Her running had done nothing to cool the flames and only stoked the warrior's desire to claim the pretty woman in every way possible; had only fueled the desire to have her warm, soft and pliant beneath his body, her rasping cries filling his ears. He ached to taste her.
God, she was driving him crazy.
Licking parched lips, he opened stormy, whiskey eyes and rolled his shoulders, loosing tightly coiled muscles enough to breathe and pushed away from the rail impatiently, stalking along the porch to the backyard, where he had a perfect view of the grove of trees in question. The moonlight streamed over them eerily, casting an almost halo or glow over the area and heart racing, he fought the urge to capitulate to their call, to give into that side of him that he'd tried to ignore for his own peace of mind.
But he knew better.
Raking his hands through shoulder-length waves, he shifted uncomfortably as his thin, white cotton t-shirt molded and clung to sweat-slicked skin, moody brandy irises fixated on the hollow beyond, unable to turn away, although it would be wiser to do so. He couldn't if he had wanted to; the infection was in his blood now, simmering in his gut and it was too late, had been too late since this afternoon when he had met molten chocolate eyes in challenge, silently declaring his intentions.
He'd watched her quietly, a frown marring his face as she turned and hastened toward the hall after telling the others she'd changed her mind about the party. Running from him again, as she'd been doing for the past week, always just managing to elude his advances. Grunting as Maria turned, attempting to talk to him into the party once more now that Liz had caved, he brushed past her, his eyes trained on the pretty brunette's back as she turned towards their rooms.
Crossing the ground swiftly, he pursued her, his eyes narrowing as she looked over her shoulder, ebony irises widening slightly before she put on a little more speed and slid into her room, shutting the door with a decisive snick. Halting abruptly, he growled under his breath and ran a hand through his hair, cursing as he turned into his own room and shut the door on curious blue eyes, smirking silently at a far too observant Kyle.
Pacing his room in agitation, he glanced at the clock and groaned, knowing that it was going to be several hours before she gathered the nerve to emerge once more due to his blatant challenge. He should have just kept his mouth shut and allowed her to believe that he was still heading into work, taking her by surprise when everyone left, but he couldn't resist watching those eyes flare with desire and a touch of fear, and "Rath" fairly snickered, licking his lips as she'd retreated.
Further proof that he was going out of his mind.
Flopping on his bed, he stared at the ceiling and stewed over the situation he found himself in; he had to get her alone somehow, with or without their 'family' present. He would prefer without as it meant that he could drag her back to his bed and claim her, fully enjoying the feel, smell and taste of her without worrying they'd get interrupted. The desire and need for her were getting out of control and if he didn't slake the sensual tension between them soon, he was going to combust.
Moaning at the thought of having her underneath him, he lost himself in fantasies, his body growing hot and hard with every imagined sigh, whisper and cry that passed her lips, and he'd completely lost track of time until loud voices calling down the hall startled him out of his dreams. Sliding out of his bed, he grunted at his constricted jeans, his imaginings having the predictable affect on his body and he drew a harsh breath as he headed for his door, listening to the proceedings carefully.
Smiling as he heard Maria calling for Liz to hurry up, he opened his door a crack, listening for the petite brunette's movements, his lips curving in satisfaction as he caught a faint rustle in her room. He couldn't do everything he wanted to the woman, but at the very least, he was determined to throw down the gauntlet and make her realize that she couldn't get away from him that easily.
Holding his breath as he heard her slight, shuffling steps down the hall, he waited until she was right on top of him before swinging the door open and snaking a hand out, clamped his hand around her wrist and dragged her into his room, smirking at the midget as he closed the door. He knew Kyle would distract the girls for a few minutes, long enough to make his point.
Shoving her against the closed door, he slid a thigh between her thighs and pressed her into the cool wood with his hips, trapping her hands against his chest as he closed in, dipping his head until their noses butted and their lips hovered just a couple inches apart. Rubbing his nose against hers, he relished the soft, hitched puffs that bubbled over her lips as their eyes clashed, his lips quirking into a smirk as he whispered seductively, "You don't really want to go to this party, do you?"
Lifting his head slightly, he pressed his nose to the artful tangle of waves at her temple and drew a deep breath, moaning as her scent washed over him, his mouth drying as she moved against him softly, sending a ripple of fire shooting across his nerves. Meeting her eyes, he chuckled mockingly, sliding his hands over her body impatiently and lowered his lips to hers, brushing ever so softly, in a barely there caress, heat thrumming through his body as she whimpered and purred in the back of her throat.
"I – I have to go," she whispered, gasping when he responded by grabbing her wrists and pressing them on either side of her head as he pushed her deeper into the door, crushing their bodies together until not a millimeter of space could be found between them. A low moan bubbled over her lips as he rocked against her body and she stuttered, desperately trying to infuse a little sanity. "Maria will come looking…"
"Like I care," he murmured, his blood pounding in his ears as he lowered his lips to hers, licking the soft, trembling flesh lightly before pulling back and watching her with predacious eyes, vowing quietly as he turned her loose, having made his point effectively. "This is far from over, Parker."
Inhaling sharply, he barely suppressed a moan as a searing whip of fire snaked along his spine at the memory, and the energy came back, hitting twice as hard and twice as lethal, teasing his rapidly unraveling senses and nearly bringing him to his knees. The ache was getting unbearable and he didn't know how much longer he could hold himself back, how much longer he could deny the huntsman.
Closing his eyes in an effort to regain control, he tipped his head back to the sky, taking several deep drags of air only to catch that elusive tinge of vanilla, rain and jasmine touching the air and he grunted, his eyes snapping open and darkening with intent as the final thread of his control snapped. Growling deep in his throat, he scented the air, his mouth watering as he caught her perfume, wafting from the woods before him.
Smiling wolfishly, he opened his senses; shuddering when the air fairly crackled in invitation and he felt an answering pulse of desire slide over his body, making his blood jump with anticipation, the salivating predator cackling with glee.
Stalking off the porch, he slid into the waiting hollow, melting between the trees, heart beating wildly and a slow burning ache pulsed through his blood as he tracked that elusive aroma, following it through the dense brush until he stumbled on a waterfall free-falling in a part of the wood he didn't recognize. Breath hitched, he swallowed thickly as his eyes traced the lithe figure, his body tightening with desire.
Water caressed her body, face tipped reverently into its cascading stream, its liquid embrace encompassing golden curves, making his mouth water for silken, honeyed flesh and an edge of portent slid over his spine as she revealed her eyes, brilliant chocolate alight with bronze fire, making his lips curl wickedly as their eyes held and clashed.
No where left to run, my lamb.