Adamant Spirits

Chapter 1

One

“Fuck.” My car slowed, gave a last sputter and died. I turned the key. The engine groaned, but refused to come back to life.

“Fuckin’ f**k,” I growled. “That’s just wonderful.” I sagged back against the seat and turned on my phone. My car might be dead, but at least my phone worked. Although, in the middle of the forest, kilometres from anywhere, I doubted I would get much reception.

One bar, half a bar, one bar, no bars. s**t. So much for that.

I pulled the keys out of the ignition. I had two choices: sit here and hope someone came past on this empty stretch of country road, or I could go for help.

Not one to sit and wait, I locked the car and threw my keys and phone into my bag. I swung the strap onto my shoulder and started to walk. If I was lucky, I’d reach the next town before dark.

As soon as I had that thought, I knew I probably cursed myself. What was it they say? Don’t say things could be worse. That was the best way to ensure they did.

True to that theory, a clap of thunder sounded behind me. Lightning flashed a moment later. Of course it did.

Shit.

I walked faster, but the storm followed me and eventually caught up. Cold, fat drops fell on my face and arms. At this rate I would be wet through in moments.

Thunder rumbled again, followed by the sound of a car.

I turned around just as headlights rounded the corner near where I left my broken down wreck. I thought the driver might slow to check it out, but they didn’t.

As they drew toward me, I waved and stepped closer to the road. The rain was heavier now, enough that my hair was plastered to my face. I brushed it off just as a black convertible sped past without even slowing.

“What the—f**k you, too!” I flipped the finger at the back of the car and stomped off in the same direction it was going. I was no damsel in distress, but a little help would have been nice.

Lightning flashed right above me and thunder rolled so loud the ground shook. I fought the urge to run for cover under the trees.

A heartbeat later, a bolt of lightning struck a branch a few metres away. Bark sparked like a dozen fairy lights before the rain doused the would-be fire.

“I need to find cover somewhere,” I muttered. My dress stuck to every centimetre of me. It made walking harder. The water in my shoes didn’t help much either. I slogged along for at least a kilometre.

The sky grew darker and darker until the only light was from the lightning. Every so often a flash would show the road in front of me.

Boom.

A peal of thunder sounded so loud it almost threw me off my feet.

Flash.

What the hells? Was that a house up ahead?

I waited and squinted through the darkness.

Flash.

“Hells, yeah.” I hurried forward, my eyes on where I last saw the structure. I hoped the lightning would flash again, but it didn’t.

I caught sight of a new glow through the sheeting rain. Someone left a light on inside. Thank the gods for civilisation.

I reached the door and knocked. It occurred to me they might not answer the door to drenched travellers who turned up in the dark, but here under the overhang from the roof, I was out of the rain.

Naturally the moment I thought that, a gust of wind blew the rain in under the overhang.

I knocked again, harder this time. “Come on, please. I’m not a murderer or anything.” The person inside might be, but I’d take that chance to get dry.

No answer.

Lightning hit a tree not a metre away. I squealed and frantically tried the knob. To my surprise, it turned and the door opened inward.

I stumbled inside and closed the door behind me.

“Hello?” I called out. “Sorry, wet traveller dripping on your…” I looked down. “Tiles.” That was fortunate. A few steps more and I might have ruined their glossy hardwood floor, or the rug which covered the better part of a large living area.

No answer came. I guessed they were out. They must be trusting to leave their house unlocked like this.

On a hook beside the door was a towel. Without thinking, I grabbed it and dried my face and hair. I placed my bag down on the tiles and pulled out my phone. It was mercifully still dry, but no bars appeared at all.

I sat, took off my shoes and placed them beside my bag. A robe hung on the hook next to the one which held the towel. Had that been there before?

I chewed my lip and glanced around. If someone came home right now…

After a moment and a few nervous breaths, I rose, slipped off my dress and pulled on the warm, dry robe. I hung my dress on the hook and placed the towel under the dripping fabric.

Satisfied I wasn’t going to make a mess of their house, I stepped farther inside.

Beyond the front living area, a fire burned low in a wood stove in the kitchen. I opened the door and tossed a couple of pieces of wood inside.

“They can thank me when they come back to a warm house,” I muttered.

On the long, wide kitchen island sat a bowl of tortilla chips and three containers of salsa. Beside that were three glasses and a tumbler of what looked like margarita.

I sniffed. Yep, margarita. I licked my lips and eyed the salsa. I really shouldn’t, but…

I picked up a chip, dipped it into the first bowl, bit into it and chewed.

“Whoever made this wasn’t too into flavour.” I’d never tasted such bland salsa in my life. I finished the chip—because double-dipping is for losers—and grabbed another.

The second salsa smelled stronger than the first. That boded well until it touched my lips.

“f*****g gods!” My mouth burned like fire, all the way down to the back of my tongue. Without thinking, I poured a glass of margarita and took a gulp. It took the edge off the heat, but I needed several more sips before the discomfort was extinguished.

By now I had a nice buzz from the alcohol and was wary of the third bowl of salsa. I dipped very carefully, sniffed and bit.

“Mmm, my gods, this is good.” I shoved the rest of the chip into my mouth and grabbed another. And another. Every few chips I would stop for a drink.

“Enjoying that?” A voice made me startle so hard I nearly choked on a chip.

I spun around. A man leaned against the doorway, arms crossed over his burly chest.

“I’m sorry,” I said frantically. “I know how this must look.”

Piercing blue eyes seemed to look right into my soul. He lowered his gaze and I would have sworn he could see through the robe I wore.

I blushed.

“It looks like you’re in my house, eating my salsa, and drinking my margarita.” He stepped farther inside. His hair was wet and slicked back off his forehead, but I thought it might be dark brown.

“Oh, this is your house.” I sounded like an i***t.

“Yes. Well, my brothers’ and mine.” He poured himself a margarita and toasted me before taking a sip. “I’m Elliot Dare, and you are?”

“Oh. Zali Gold.” I stuck out my hand.

He shook it, then didn’t let go. His eyes locked on mine, a smouldering look which sent my heart into overdrive.

“I…I…” I licked my lips. “My car broke down, then it started raining.” I was babbling, but I couldn’t seem to stop. “The door was unlocked and then I got hungry and… Can you believe a guy drove past and didn’t even stop?”

Elliot raised an eyebrow. Gods, I never saw a guy do that and look so hot. “Is that so? That wasn’t very gentlemanly.”

“No, it wasn’t,” I agreed. “Are you a gentleman?”

He chuckled. “Gods no. Not even a little bit.” He tugged me to him so my form was pressed up against him.

Oh gods.

“I…I don’t usually just… I don’t…” Apparently I had lost the ability to form coherent sentences.

“Oh, you don’t?” He raised the other eyebrow. “Are you sure?” His voice was so deep, so sexy my knees were weak.

“I mean, I do.” My voice was higher than usual. “But we just met.”

“That’s true,” he agreed.

To my disappointment, he let me go and stepped back.

“Maybe we should get to know each other first.” He threw a couple of pieces of wood on the fire and turned back to me. “What brings you all the way out here?”

I grimaced. “You probably wouldn’t believe me if I told you.”

“I’m very open minded.” He sipped and looked at me over the rim of his glass.

I sighed. “I was sent to investigate a bear sighting.”

“You’re a cop?” He looked wary now.

“Hells no. I work for an online magazine.”

“Oh, you’re a journalist.”

“When they let me be one. Half the time they have me writing about celebrities who may or may not be married, pregnant, or an alien with three breasts.”

He grinned. “Are they ever the last one?”

I smiled back. “All the time,” I joked. “It’s more likely than finding bears in Australia.”

His grin faded and he looked toward the fire. “Yeah, that is a bit ridiculous.”

“Right, but five different people claim they saw one. I blame alcohol or dope.”

“That would certainly explain it,” he agreed. “So, do we know each other now?” He put down his glass and stalked toward me.

I held up a hand. “I know nothing about you.”

He shrugged. “What is there to know? I like margaritas and the same salsa you like. We’re practically twins.” He grimaced. “Okay, maybe that wasn’t the best description.”

“Not so much,” I agreed. “I wouldn’t screw my brother.” But I would screw Elliot. Oh hells yes, I would.

I guess he saw that on my face, because he put down his glass and took mine from my fingers.

In the next moment, he grabbed the belt of the robe and used it to pull me close. He dropped the belt and cupped my face with his hands. He lowered his mouth to mine. At first, he kissed me gently, but the heat quickly rose.

He lowered his hands to my neck, then slipped them down the front of my robe. He cupped my breasts through the fabric of my bra and squeezed them gently.

I pushed my tongue into his mouth and explored inside.

He tugged at the belt of the robe until it came open and slid off my shoulders onto the floor. He brought his hands down to my ass and picked me up. Placing me on the bench, he reached around to unhook my bra.

I hesitated at how quickly this was going. I never slept with a guy I knew less than an hour. It usually took me two to three to get that warmed up.

Fuck it. I pulled off my bra and dropped it to the floor.

“You have beautiful tits.” He leaned back to get a good look at me, then bent to lick at one n****e, then the other.

He caressed my ass for a moment before moving around to rub at the front of my panties.

I moaned and opened my legs for him.

He tugged my panties to one side and leaned in to flick at my c**t with his tongue.

“Oh gods,” I breathed.

He flicked a little harder, then licked while a finger crept inside me.

I bucked against his mouth and hand. Even though he didn’t know me, he seemed to know exactly what I needed. In moments I came, right there on his kitchen bench, beside the jug of margarita.

“Well, aren’t you a surprise?” he said.

Before I could even decipher his meaning, he had his jeans and underwear undone and tugged them down past his hips. He pressed his c**k against my entrance, then slowly slid inside. He pumped a few times, then slipped back out and picked me up again.

He carried me over to the fire and laid me on a rug in front of it, on my back. Gently, he hooked his arms under my legs and lifted my ass up off the floor.

When he pressed his c**k back into me, he went in so deep he filled me all the way. He thrust hard, so hard it hurt.

“I’m sorry, was that too hard?” He gave me a worried look.

“No,” I whispered, “do it again. Please.”

He did, over and over until I was caught between begging him to stop and pleading with him to pound me harder. Perhaps there was something wrong with me, but pain aroused me to unbearable heights. This time was no exception. I came, gasping and crying.

He joined me a moment later, grunting and thrusting until I felt his hot seed gush into me.

He sagged and lowered my legs to the floor.

We lay there panting for a while until he eased out of me and rolled to the side.

“That was incredible and I hate to leave you, but I need to get more wood from the shed. I’ll be back. My brothers might come sooner though.” He shot me a wicked smile which made my heart race. I felt as though we formed a connection, which was weird since we just met. Should I be bothered? Maybe, but I wasn’t.

If his brothers were anything like him, they might just come, and so would I.