Page 42 of Above Cursed Winds

Zia drew back to fist a hand in his hair, impishly nipping at his lower lip while her seductive eyes flicked to his. His mouth connected with the side of her neck, tracing her pulse with his teeth and exploring the sensitive column of her slender neck.

He gave in to her, and the release pulled from the depths of his soul, the shadowed places he’d fought hard to hide, all the vulnerabilities he’d covered under spite and sarcasm. Gasping at the visceral feeling, he retreated from her neck, hoping she wouldn’t notice.

She did. And with that small reprieve, Zia seemed to remember herself.

She scrambled out of his arms, blinking rapidly as though she couldn’t believe what had just happened. Before he could comment or dispel the tension, Jeremiah’s phone chimed.

Cursing under his breath, Jeremiah palmed his phone and sighed. Gideon again. And again, it went back into his pocket without a response.

When he finally looked up, Zia’s tone pretended their passionate interlude hadn’t happened “Ignoring him again?”

“I’m on vacation.”

“Is that what this is? I thought you were ‘working?’”

Mockingly narrowing his eyes when she used air quotes around working, Jeremiah teased back. “If I was working, would I be trying to hook up with my temporary boss?”

“I am not your boss.”

“Ah, yes. That makes it okay then?”

“Why don’t you go play with your wind again and get outta my hair?”

Impishly, he directed the wind to tousle through the long, beachy waves that hung down her back, blowing them forward over her shoulder.

“Looks like my wind likes your hair.”

Spinning on her heel, the Raeth stomped back into the house, leaving him far too hot and bothered for his own good. He followed, sticking his hands in his pockets, and bit out another curse when the chime sounded once more.

“For the love of …”

He trailed off upon seeing the call was from Michael, his contact at the CIA. Instantly, he sobered, stalking inside and using his gifts to secure the door behind him. Nero and Zia were both waiting for him, and he spoke before they could.

“We’ve got a location on the documents from your computer, Z.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Zia’s teeth grated together. Agitation filled her as they’d gathered the requisite information on the address and contacted Kane, the immortal leader closest to the area.

The vampire had sent several plain-clothes reconnaissance scouts to scope out the location Jeremiah had uncovered, and they’d deemed it a boring apartment building. For their purposes, that was a good thing.

Zia couldn’t quite shake the feeling of unease. Now, gathered around in Nero’s office with several of the other lieutenants and one snarky Elemental, the sovereign pinned her with a knowing stare.

“Anxious, Zia?”

“Not quite,” she lied. “Just having a bad feeling about this one.”

Key took the opportunity to speak up, her eyes frosting white as the other woman turned to regard her. “We must go. It’s imperative.”

“Does that mean we find something? Discover who’s taken the data?” Zia grumbled, “Forgive me, but your words don’t inspire confidence.”

“Then how about these words?” Taking a dramatic sigh, Key spoke again. “A kiss is always a kiss, except when it’s not.”

“What does that even mean, Key? How is that helpful?”

“Oh, it’s very helpful.” Raising her eyebrows suggestively, Key smirked then looked to Nero. “If they don’t go soon, it’ll all go wrong. Please kick them out.”

“Them who?” Nero frowned.

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