POSSESSED BY DESIRE

  POSSESSED BY DESIRE

  ELISABETH NAUGHTON

  Copyright 2013 by Elisabeth Naughton

  Cover art and design by Patricia Schmitt/Pickyme

  Editing by Linda Ingmanson

  This book is a work of fiction. References to real people, events, establishments, organizations, or locations are intended only to provide a sense of authenticity, and are used fictitiously. All other characters, and all incidents and dialogue, are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real.

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in encouraging piracy of copyrighted materials in violation with the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

  PRAISE FOR

  ENSLAVED

  "Another winning installment in the Eternal Guardians series will leave you eager for more as the action is unbelievably thrilling and the emotional conflicts are involving throughout. 4 ½ Stars" —RT Book Reviews

  "Elisabeth Naughton has done it again!! "Enslaved" is filled with action from the very beginning." —Enchantress of Books

  ENRAPTURED

  "Filled with sizzling romance, heartbreaking drama, and a cast of multifaceted characters, this powerful and unusual retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice story is Naughton's best book yet. Starred Review"—Publishers Weekly, starred review

  "Creative worldbuilding and ever-present danger pull the reader into this mesmerizing tale. 4 1/2 Stars"—RT Book Reviews

  TEMPTED

  “Endlessly twisting plots within plots, a cast of complex and eminently likeable characters, and a romance as hot as it is complicated.”—Publisher’s Weekly, starred review

  “Dark, dangerous, and absolutely addicting.”—NY Times bestselling author Christina Dodd

  “Ms. Naughton has taken the Greek Argonaut myth, turned it on its head, and OWNED it!”—Bitten By Paranormal Romance

  ENTWINED

  “An action-packed creative wonder guaranteed to snag your attention from page one.”—Fresh Fiction

  “Do NOT miss this series!”—NY Times bestselling author Larissa Ione

  MARKED

  “Naughton has tremendous skill with steamy passion, dynamic characterization and thrilling action.”—Publisher’s Weekly

  “Elisabeth Naughton’s MARKED gives an incredibly fresh spin on Greek Mythology that is full of humor, action, passion and a storyline that keeps you from putting down the book.”—Fresh Fiction

  STOLEN SEDUCTION

  “This third book in the Stolen series is full of intrigue, secrets and undeniable love with characters you can’t get enough of…an awesome read!”—Fresh Fiction

  “An adventurous story of twists and turns, this story will keep you guessing until the very end. And the chemistry between Hailey and Shane is sizzling hot. Naughton combines passion and danger in one fast-paced story.”—News and Sentinel

  STOLEN HEAT

  “This book has got it all: an adventure that keeps you turning the pages, an irresistible hero, and a smoking romance.”—All About Romance

  “Stolen Heat is an awesome combination of deadly suspense, edgy action and a wonderful romance with characters that you’ll laugh, cry and yell with.”—Night Owl Romance

  STOLEN FURY

  “A rock solid debut…Naughton’s intelligent adventure plot is intensified by the blazing heat that builds from Lisa and Rafe’s first erotic encounter.”—Publisher’s Weekly

  “Naughton deftly distills deadly intrigue, high adrenaline action, and scorchingly hot passion into a perfectly constructed novel of romantic suspense.”—Chicago Tribune

  WAIT FOR ME

  “This book blew me out of the water.”—Cocktails and Books

  “Wait For Me more than met my expectations, it was downright delightfully angsty with a great big dose of scorching hot scenes between two characters who could not have been more made for each other. The unraveling mystery is compelling all on it’s own but the chemistry between Kate and Ryan will keep you truly captivated.”—Paperback Dolls

  For the NW Pixie Girls,

  Who threatened an initiation ceremony but were sweet enough never to follow through.

  Love you girls!

  CHAPTER ONE

  Claire Sampson looked out over the early morning sunrise on the eastern shore of Oahu and lifted the mug of coffee to her lips. Waves rolled gently against the white sand just yards in front of her, and a gentle breeze blew through the palms above as she sipped the steaming brew. But her attention wasn’t focused on the serene view; it was locked on the boat, probably a mile off shore, its sails flying as it drifted slowly through the water, cutting a course for more exotic lands. Tahiti, Fiji, maybe even Australia.

  Is that where her bottle was headed? Was she wasting time on this Hawaiian island?

  Pushing her glasses back up her nose, she turned away from the boat, then headed back inside the bungalow she’d rented while on sabbatical. Officially, the University of Florida thought she was taking time off to research local Hawaiian folklore and its role in the history of the islands, but that was just her cover. The truth was an obsession she couldn’t let go, even when her mind told her this kind of search would bring her nothing but trouble.

  Ignoring the warning going off in her brain, she set her mug on the old scarred table and slid into the chair. After opening the lid of her laptop, she pulled up the tidal map at Kaneohe Bay and compared it to the currents and tides she’d been tracking yesterday via the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration website. That bottle Mira had thrown into the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest nearly six months ago had to turn up somewhere soon.

  She bit her lip, flipped screens to check another chart. Her money was on the Hawaiian Islands. She knew there was a slim chance that bottle could have gotten sucked up in the Alaska Current and right now might be part of some frozen Arctic ice floe, but something in her gut told her it was going to show up here.

  It had to…

  Her phone rang, and without looking, she reached for the cordless from the counter to the right. “This is Claire.”

  “Claire? I’m so glad I found you.”

  Claire’s entire body tensed when she recognized the female voice. “Sura?”

  “Yeah, it’s me. I don’t have a lot of time. They know what you’re up to.”

  Slowly, Claire pushed out of her chair. Though she’d known this moment was coming, the shock of it still caused her pulse to beat faster. “What did you tell them?”

  Sura was the only friend Claire had left from her previous life, and from time to time she checked up on Claire—mostly because she pitied Claire. But they hadn’t spoken in months, and even Sura didn’t totally know what Claire had planned.

  “Nothing. I didn’t tell them anything. But it was only a matter of time before they figured it out on their own.”

  Claire’s shoulders dropped, and her heart plummeted like a stone weight into her stomach as well, a reaction that stole her breath because it was both new and unexpected. If this was what heartbreak felt like, she couldn’t imagine how humans—those who felt the full range of emotions—dealt with it.

  She’d been stupid to think the Guild wouldn’t catch on, not after the way they’d banished her to the human world, but she’d hoped she’d have time to find that bottle before they did.

  No such luck now.

  “I’m sure they’re already plotting my next punishment,” Claire said with more sarcasm than she intended. “Though I can’t imagine what could be worse than this. How long do I have?”

  “I don’t know. But Ridwan is speaking with the o
thers now, and they will be coming for you.”

  Ridwan. Great. That could mean today, tomorrow, or a month from now. The High Seven didn’t view time the same way humans did.

  Sura hesitated, then in a low voice asked, “Claire? You feel, don’t you? For months I’ve been wondering what’s happening to me but was afraid to ask. Others sense a change too. Some of us…some of us have discussed it. It’s happening to all within the Guild except for the High Seven. We all…feel.”

  The depression slowly slinking over Claire disappeared in a burst of excitement. Was it possible what was happening to her was also happening to others?

  “How? Tell me, Sura. I need to know. When did it start?”

  “Right before the equinox.”

  Before the equinox… Claire’s excitement rose another notch.

  “Sadness, joy, anger,” Sura went on, “I feel all of these. I don’t know how to describe it except to say its—”

  “Freeing.”

  Sura sighed. “Yes. So freeing. How have we existed all this time without emotion? Why would they take that from us?”

  Claire turned to look out over the gentle waves again as a twinge of animosity seeped into her chest. She’d served the Guild for hundreds of years, but one question, one curiosity had gotten her banished. How many others had been banished for this same reason? How many were now feeling something—anything—for the first time?

  “Because controlling our emotions binds our free will,” Claire said. “We’re not supposed to have free will. We’re made of light, not fire or clay. If we have free will like humans and djinn, we might choose not to serve.”

  “Yes, but for those who choose to stay, emotions would only strengthen their service. Certainly Allah—”

  “This was not Allah’s command.” Claire had done a lot of research since being banished. And she knew the High Seven were behind this. Knew it in her heart, even if that was a place she’d just come to trust. “Things are not always what they seem. I’ve learned that the hard way. I’m going to find the other opals.”

  “That’s part of the reason I called.”

  “To warn me. I know. I appreciate—”

  “No,” Sura answered, this time in a whisper. “To tell you that your bottle has washed ashore in the Marshall Islands.”

  “What?” Claire’s eyes grew wide, and anxiety pushed in from every side. “How do you know? Who found it? They haven’t opened it yet, have they? If they do—”

  “Relax. No one’s found it. Yet. It hasn’t been opened. And the High Seven don’t know it’s washed up either.”

  “Then how…?”

  “We’re celestial, remember? We have multiple resources at our fingertips. We just have to know the right questions to ask.”

  Claire heard the smile in her friend’s voice, and it relaxed her shoulders, if only for a moment. “You’re celestial, Sura. I’m” —What was the name those romance novels she’d read to try to understand human emotions called it?— “a fallen angel, remember?”

  “I hate that term, angel. It implies wings and halos. Which we definitely don’t have. And you’ll not be fallen for long. Especially not if you find the opals before the High Seven find you. You won’t have to fear their wrath anymore. They won’t be able to touch you.”

  Power was a tempting thing. For a moment, Claire let herself consider what she could do with the power of the firebrand opals. Thousands of years ago, Ridwan, guardian of the Seven Heavens, bound the celestial emotions in seven firebrand opals, then scattered them in the djinn realm, where her kind were forbidden to cross. They held power, the kind of power that infused djinn and granted them long lifespans. And Ridwan had scattered them there, partly to test and tempt the djinn, and partly to keep the opals safe. But Claire didn’t want power. She just wanted to live. Really live. And above all else, she wanted to have choice, something that had been taken from her long before she’d even been created.

  “There’s no guarantee I’ll succeed,” Claire said.” To find the other opals, I have to cross over to the djinn realm.”

  “Which you can do, now that you’ve been stripped of your powers,” Sura answered. “Find the shard in the Marshall Islands and summon a djinni to cross over to corrupt your soul. That was your plan, wasn’t it? Turn the tides on the pleasure slave? Seduce him into taking you to their realm? We both know your celestial powers won’t be bound there. You’ll be able to find the other opals and destroy them. From there… Well, from there what you do with that kind of power is all up to you. Your choice.”

  Claire’s heart raced all over again, followed by a wave of nausea. She’d never been nervous before, but now she was. Now all she could wonder was…could she seduce? Would a pleasure slave know what she was? And what if she failed? If what Sura said was true, this wasn’t just about her anymore. If she didn’t act, the High Seven would find a way to bind what little emotion others in her order had grown used to.

  She frowned, because it was easier than stressing about something she feared she’d never be able to do. “You’re too perceptive.”

  “We are not the unintelligent creatures the High Seven think us to be.”

  “True. But if you’ve guessed my plan, they have already too.”

  “So stop stalling. Find that bottle and get on with that seduction. And do it soon. You’re the only one who can.”

  “No pressure there.”

  Sura laughed. “Who knows? Maybe you’ll even enjoy it.”

  Claire’s mind drifted to the books she’d read for research and the fantasies they had sparked—ones she’d never even considered before. She didn’t doubt she would enjoy it. Djinn were, after all, wickedly tempting and highly erotic creatures. The question was whether she was strong enough to use that eroticism to accomplish her goal or if she’d fall prey to it.

  Because, as with all free will, when a soul walked on the dark side, there was always a chance it might not come back.

  * * *

  “That’s good. Touch me just like that, djinni. My, but you have learned a lot, haven’t you?”

  Ashur lifted his mouth from the breast he was laving and looked up at Nuha, laid out on the bed, her eyes tightly closed, her fists gripping the silk sheets beneath her as he slid his fingers through her wetness.

  “I’m an eager student,” he answered, dipping inside her heat and pressing his thumb against her clit for added sensation as he searched for that special spot. The one he’d learned could make a female not only come but beg for more. “Especially when it involves one of Zoraida’s most accomplished teachers.”

  Firelight flickered over Nuha’s naked body. She groaned, grasped the sheets tighter, and thrust her hips up to meet his downward stroke. The scent of her arousal filled the air. Perspiration dotted her skin. She was beautiful, just as all of Zoraida’s followers were—dark hair, coffee-colored skin, flawless curves designed to entice and allure—but he’d never felt anything for her other than duty.

  Then again, it wasn’t his job to feel. It was his job to seduce. And it was her job to teach him just how to do that so when Zoraida returned from wherever she’d gone these last few months, he could do her will to the fullest of his ability.

  Nuha’s entire body tensed, and she tightened around his fingers. Her slim body quaked with the power of her release, telling him he’d passed this lesson.

  In the aftermath of her orgasm, Ashur petted her gently, bringing her down as he’d been taught. His cock was rock-hard, the blood pulsing hot in his ears, but he knew he’d find no release today. This lesson had been about pleasuring a female without taking anything for himself. As a pleasure slave, it was important he could seduce without scaring his mark. The humans he’d eventually be sent to seduce would be wary at first. Trust came before sex. And getting a female to trust often meant denying the release he desperately craved himself.

  Not that Zoraida’s instructors didn’t bring him pleasure. They had to so he could learn to control his desire. But there was no passion.
No emotion. It was clinical at best. And part of Ashur couldn’t wait to finally be sent into the human realm on an assignment. To do what he’d been taught with a female who truly wanted him. Maybe even to feel something other than anger again.

  A smile spread across Nuha’s face as she blinked several times and looked up at the ceiling in the lavish bedroom suite. “You are nothing like your brother, that’s for sure. Tariq was the worst student I ever had.”

  Ashur clenched his jaw at the mention of his eldest brother’s name, and resentment slid through his veins. Tariq had always been the selfish one. Even their father, the king, had said Tariq did what he wanted, when he wanted. As heir to the throne, it was his prerogative. But that selfishness had backfired, and eventually it had led to his being imprisoned by Zoraida when he should have been sitting on the throne of Gannah. If it hadn’t been for Tariq, Nasir and Ashur never would have searched for him. They never would have been trapped here as well. Nasir would still be alive.

  Anger brewed hot in his gut as Nuha rose and dressed. After all that they’d sacrificed for him, where was Tariq? Free. Living in the human world, as if he were one of the lower-life beings, never bothering to wonder what was happening back in the djinn realm. Never bothering to care what had happened to his brothers.

  A fact Ashur never forgot.

  “A great many rewards come to those who please the mistress,” Nuha said as she slipped the purple velvet robe over her shoulder. “Zoraida will be very happy with your progress when she returns.”