Caged Desire Page 2

  Her eyes widened when he hopped off the bar and moved towards the bars. She stayed rooted in place, her lush lips parted, her expression curious before a frown brought two sculpted brows together.

  What he wouldn’t give to know what was going through her head.

  The woman sighed thoughtfully and headed up the curving staircase to the upper level. Would she be gone for long? After decades with only himself for company, anyone close—even if they were on the opposite side of the cage—kept him from being alone.

  Resigned to continue his imprisonment for a while longer, Logan paid closer attention to his surroundings.

  His heart pounded. How had he missed noticing that she left the crowbar on a nearby table? A table he could surely reach if he shifted back to human form.

  Logan glanced towards the stairs, listened intently for any sign of approaching movement. Had she gone to bed? He stared at the crowbar, at his ticket out of the damn cage. With a practiced skill, he fluidly transformed, cringing at the ripple of pain that ran down his spine. Along with the change, his senses shifted, no longer quite as sharp, a disadvantage he was willing to work with to get free.

  Rising from the crouched position, Logan crept to the far side of the cage closest to the table. The bars seemed to press in on him and he gritted back the panic that wanted to surface. Fifty years in a cage and still his human side found it hard to handle.

  The crowbar was less than four feet away. Giving the stairs one more glance, he then turned his attention back to the table. Arm outstretched, his fingers just brushed the end. Logan pushed his shoulder as tight to the bars as he could manage.

  Almost…

  The tool slipped over his fingers and fell to the floor with a dull clang.

  Logan froze. No immediate sound came from above. Could she have heard it, or was she too far away in the house? He didn’t move for a long minute. Each strained breath whispered out in a mix of adrenaline and relief.

  He finally bent and reached through the bars and came up short at the sight of two feminine bare feet that suddenly filled the space between him and freedom.

  Chapter Two

  Eve didn’t move, didn’t so much as blink. The sight of the very naked man crouched in the cage pushed her once useful heart into a full gallop. She also didn’t need to further examine the cage to know the eagle wasn’t in there with him.

  Where had it gone? And how had a man wound up in there instead? Eve cocked her head, her heightened senses immediately picking up on the most obvious fact

  He wasn’t fully human.

  A shifter of some kind? A handful of times over the centuries she had heard of immortals capable of shifting between human and animal form, but this was the first time she had ever come across someone like that. If indeed that’s what he was.

  In the same moment, Eve realized the man hadn’t moved, his arm still outstretched through the bars. Her eyes followed the muscular slope of his shoulder, down his arm to where the crowbar lay only a couple inches from his fingers.

  Reacting instinctively, Eve kicked the bar across the floor, far out of reach. Until she knew what he was, she certainly wasn’t helping him out of the cage.

  What almost sounded like a sigh escaped from the man’s lips. He pushed up to his full height, but was forced to duck a few inches. That put him a few inches over six feet since the cage was about that tall. Tangled black hair fell just past his shoulders and the same piercing amber eyes as the eagle stared back at her.

  Eve shook her head and took a step closer, reassured by the bars. If he could get out on his own, he wouldn’t have needed the crowbar.

  His unreadable gaze skimmed over her face and then down the front of her. His eyes lingered on her breasts a heartbeat longer than anywhere else before returning to her face to hold her stare.

  A little unnerved, she shifted in place, ridiculously aware of the fact he was naked, only a few feet away, and…aroused? She couldn’t stop her gaze from dipping down past the powerful shoulders, his smooth chest and lower to—

  The man in the cage angled away from her, giving Eve a rather enticing view of his behind. Most of his skin was covered in a thin layer of dust of some kind but not for a minute did it detract from the impressive masculinity of him. A strange looking tattoo marked the back of his right shoulder, and she moved closer to get a better look at it.

  The man turned back around. He gripped the bars, a hint of an amused smile touching his full lips.

  Almost politely he said, “I want out.”

  Eve blinked, both at the fact that he’d spoken to her and the raw gravelly sound of his voice.

  Her lack of response brought his brows together. “Let me out.” Firmer this time, there wasn’t anything threatening in his tone, but the primal edge to his expression told her just how dangerously serious he was.

  Eve shook her head. A cage that held a bird no more than an hour ago, now housed a man, a very attractive, very naked man. She had a few questions that were going to be answered before she even thought of opening that door.

  His hands tightened on the bars, the only sign he didn’t like her answer.

  “How did you get in there?” If he was an immortal of some kind, then maybe someone had a good reason for locking him up.

  The man didn’t respond.

  “What are you?” she asked. “You’re not human, not even mortal, are you?”

  He frowned, but made no attempt to answer her question.

  “If you won’t talk, why should I let you out?”

  “Please.” The sincerity in that one softly spoken word caught her in the chest and his golden eyes implored her to help him.

  She couldn’t. Not yet. Not until she knew more about him, hell anything about him would do. Without another word, she turned on her heel and strode away. She needed to talk to Kyle.

  “Wait,” he called out, the sandpaper voice echoing in the foyer.

  Eve glanced back over her shoulder and tried not to be swayed by the vulnerable picture he made with nothing between him and her but the bars. Whatever had he done to make anyone imprison him?

  She tilted her head to the side. “Yes?”

  He hesitated, lowered his eyes. “Could I have a drink of water? Please.”

  Again that one word sank under her skin in a warm wave. There was almost an arrogant edge to the plea, like he hated to have to ask her for anything. But it was the unvoiced need, a desperation that got to her.

  Eve nodded and left him. While she was in the kitchen, she tried calling Kyle again with no results. Not even his voice mail picked up. Had Kyle known the creature in the cage was capable of shifting to human form? Was that part of his joke?

  She grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and at the last minute dialed Abbey’s cell number. Abbey didn’t answer either. When her voice mail kicked in, Eve spouted off, “There’s a naked man in the cage that was delivered and I have no clue what to do with him.”

  Instantly she regretted saying anything at all, and quickly added, “That would make an interesting story idea, don’t you think? Not my usual style, but you just never know.” Before she rambled any further, she told Abbey she’d see her tomorrow and disconnected. The cover up was lame but Abbey was used to Eve bouncing plot ideas off her and hopefully wouldn’t think twice about the odd call.

  Eve found the man in the same position she’d left him. He looked curiously at the bottle she carried, then slowly reached through the cage.

  Normally, she wouldn’t have hesitated to near any man, fully confident she could take care of herself if she had to. But not knowing exactly who she was dealing with left her more cautious than usual. She closed the short distance between them and held out the bottle. Their fingers brushed and her gaze shot to his as a shiver curled up her spine.

  His eyes darkened and he wrapped his hand around her wrist.

  She started to jerk free.

  “Thank you.” He slowly released his hold on her and angled away from her.

&nbsp
; Eve curbed the impulse to take another two steps to the side to see if he had turned away to hide an erection.

  He drained the bottled of water and handed it back through the bars. “Could I have more?”

  “Yes.”

  She returned to the kitchen, grabbed the water and then headed up the back stairs and down the hall to the guest room Kyle used when he visited. From the few clothes he left there, Eve picked out a pair of drawstring track pants and a T-shirt. With the clothes and water bottle tucked under her arm, Eve used the front stairs.

  The second she started the descent, she could feel him watching her. Eve made a conscious effort to sift through his thoughts.

  Nothing. Not even a hint of emotion radiated from his mind. In her two hundred and fifty-one years of being a vampire only the strongest of her kind could keep their thoughts so closely shielded.

  The man arched a brow. Had he felt her trying to read his thoughts?

  She kept her attention on the bars as she held out the clothes and quickly stepped back before he could touch her. She didn’t know anything about the man in the cage, so it was wise to avoid physically touching him when her body responded to even the briefest contact. Eve chalked that up to the fact that it had been months since she let any man into her bed.

  “What’s your name?”

  “Logan,” he answered easily, then drank the second bottle down in one long gulp. He closed his eyes, drew in a deep breath before starting to dress.

  Crossing her arms, Eve turned away while he pulled the pants on.

  “And your name is,” he gently prompted.

  “Eve.”

  The corner of his mouth hitched up in a half smile, and her pulse jumped. That was the thing with being a vampire. While those bodily functions no longer kept her alive in the same way they used to, the smallest reaction was magnified.

  And she was definitely reacting to him.

  Logan leaned forward as though to impart something important. “I would like out of here, Eve.”

  Her stomach tugged at the sound of her name on his lips. Still, she shook her head. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

  He held out the empty bottle, his face blank instead of annoyed like she would have expected.

  Eve reached for the bottle.

  Moving quickly, he snared her wrist and hauled her to the cage.

  Even her own incredible strength couldn’t break the hold he used to keep her pressed close to the bars. Though firm, his grip didn’t hurt her. His piercing amber eyes darkened as he searched her face, pausing again on her mouth.

  “You have nothing to fear from me,” he promised. And to prove it, he eased his grip, but didn’t release her completely.

  She could have pulled away, but his next words rooted her in place.

  “I promise not to hurt you, vampire.”

  Eve’s eyes flared, and Logan smiled, his guess having been correct.

  So the woman was another immortal, like himself. Only a handful of times since his birth had he come across one of her kind and none of those encounters left him with any great love for the night-walkers. Most were too heartless. Was this woman any different? Given she had brought him clothes and something to drink showed she was capable of some compassion. But did it run deep enough she would let him out?

  Logan waited for the soft woman, tucked in the arms he’d stretched through the bars, to pull away.

  “How did you know?”

  “I can smell blood that is not your own.”

  Her brows drew together.

  “And I guessed,” he added.

  “Good guess.” She still didn’t back away from him. The warmth from her skin seeped into his veins. His brother and clan might have left him in a warm climate, but being alone like that for so long left him so cold inside, he wondered if he’d ever be truly warm again.

  Eve continued to hold his gaze, and an all too familiar need sparked to life inside him. Was she a woman who would arch and moan beneath his touch, or being a vampire, was her passion as cold as her lifeless heart?

  Her lips parted questioningly, as if she could read his thoughts. Logan smiled, knowing she couldn’t. She finally backed out of his arms. The loss of contact he’d gone so long without, even shared with a stranger, squeezed his chest. Not only that, but the determined glint that flared in her eyes told him she was going to be stubborn about this.

  “Who put you in the cage?”

  Logan sighed. She wasn’t going to move an inch to open the door without some kind of response. Everything about her body, from one hand propped on her hip to the lift of her chin, said as much.

  “My brother.”

  “Why?” She didn’t even pretend to look convinced.

  “We don’t get along.”

  “He hates you so much he locked you in a cage and dumped you in the middle of nowhere?”

  “Yes.”

  She glanced to where she had kicked the crowbar.

  “I have no reason to hurt you, Eve.”

  Indecision crossed her face. “Unless there is another reason you were locked up and are lying.”

  He crossed his arms. “I’m not.”

  “Convince me.”

  “How?”

  She shrugged. “As cute as you are, I’m not lifting a finger to help release you until I’m sure you’re not dangerous.”

  “So you’re afraid of me.”

  “No.”

  Logan almost believed her. Vampires were notoriously strong, but since he knew what he was dealing with, and she didn’t, he couldn’t really blame her for hesitating. But understanding that wasn’t getting him out of the cage.

  “I give you my word not to harm you.”

  “I don’t know you, so your word—”

  “Is all I have left. I’ve been locked away with nothing. My brother deserves my wrath, not you.”

  She took a step towards him and then stopped.

  “Please, Eve. You’ve only been kind to me. I have no wish to make you regret that.”

  For the third time that night, he watched her nibble on the inside of her cheek. A good sign, he hoped.

  She turned away from him and his hopes sank. Near the stairs, she changed direction and retrieved the crowbar. Brilliant blue eyes drilled into his. “You had better be honorable.”

  “Completely,” he assured her.

  With a “we’ll see” look, she jammed the edge of the bar next to the locking mechanism. Logan reached through and gripped the end of the bar and pulled hard along with her.

  The lock snapped and Logan smiled at how easy his brother had ultimately made his escape. His clan obviously hadn’t counted on anyone stumbling across him or they would have taken more extreme measures.

  Eve stood back and held the door open as though she fully expected to be wrong about him.

  Logan picked up the T-shirt she gave him to wear, but didn’t put it on as he took his first step out of the cage in decades. He closed his eyes and reached his arms out to the side to test that it truly was no trick or illusion. His fingertips met with empty air. Logan smiled wider.

  He was finally free.

  Chapter Three

  “How long were you in there?” Eve asked.

  “Fifty years.”

  Eve gaped. “Fifty years?” Alone in a cage.

  Logan took another step and his knees buckled.

  Eve was at his side, supporting the little weight he allowed himself to lean on her.

  “Weaker than I thought.” The sexy half grin brought her own smile to her lips.

  “Let’s just go as far as the living room then.”

  He nodded, but made no attempt to take a step. The arm across her back felt strong, warming her skin straight through her shirt. Being pressed so close to him felt far too intimate for strangers. She tried to think of how long it had been since any man other than Kyle or Brett was this close to her, but Logan’s proximity made it difficult to concentrate on anything beyond this moment.

  Eve kep
t her gaze focused on the floor, but could feel him watching her intently. Those amber eyes of his cut right through her, and being so close, she didn’t trust him not to be able to pick up on just how much her senses spun by the physical contact alone.

  Logan’s fingers tightened on her side, each step brushing them a little bit closer to her breast. By the time they reached the living room, he was actually holding most of his own weight, but didn’t relinquish the hold on her until she nodded for him to sit on the couch.

  “Thank you.”

  He really needed to stop saying that. The poetic, rusty tone of his voice played havoc with her insides.

  The wall mounted plasma TV clicked on and music blared from the surround system as a video played on MTV.

  Logan jolted, his eyes going wide at the unexpected sound. He leaned forward, frowning. Eve spotted the remote control tucked into the cushion behind him. She reached down to grab it and Logan turned abruptly, bringing their faces close. Very close.

  “What are you doing?”

  She forced her attention from his full lips to his eyes. “Getting the remote.”

  He arched a brow, but whether it was because he didn’t believe her, or because he didn’t know what a remote control was, Eve couldn’t say.

  His lips turned up at the corner. “Are you done?”

  “You need to lean forward again.” Eve couldn’t keep her eyes from straying to his mouth. The longer she spent around him, the more aware she became of him.

  “It’s been a long time…” Logan trailed off.

  “Since…” she prompted, trying to get a grip.

  He pushed a wayward lock of hair behind her ear. Her cheek warmed under the feathery brush of his finger. Her eyes nearly drifted shut at the seductively tender gesture.

  A loud rumble echoed in his stomach.

  Eve straightened, using the remote to turn the volume down on the TV. “You’re hungry,” she guessed.

  “It’s been a few days since the last—”

  She held up her hand. “If it was an animal, I don’t want to know the specifics.”

  Logan laughed. “This coming from a vampire who lives on human blood.”

  “Yeah well, I prefer my food not to come with fur, scales, or a tail.”