The knock sounded again, jarring her out of her reverie. She covered Caden's bare backside and murmured, "Come in."

Not surprising, Hurstgrove peeked inside her bedroom.

"It got quiet. I thought I should check on you."

He looked nearly as tired as she. He wore the same clothes and needed a shave. He'd stripped off his tie, unb.u.t.toned his shirt at the collar and wrists, turned the cuffs back to reveal capable hands and strong forearms. He couldn't be comfortable snoozing on her small sofa, yet he, a real duke, was inquiring after her.

"Tired," she whispered. "I need food and a bath, a few days' sleep, then I'll be fine." Duke cast a sidelong glance at Caden. "Has anything unusual happened yet?" Besides s.h.a.gging a caveman on aphrodisiacs and losing my heart?

"If you don't count his incredible stamina as unusual, no." He stepped in the room, regret shaping his features. "He's not going to tire for some time." Sydney hadn't needed Mr. Pedigree to tell her that. "If anything, he's gaining momentum." That was an understatement. The first night, Caden had made love to her every few hours. The following day, every other hour. Tonight, every hour on the hour. She could nearly set a watch by him. Currently, it was three forty-nine. b.u.g.g.e.r.

"If you can no longer cope, I wouldn't blame you. I can find a replacement-"

"No!" Vehemence rocketed through her body. Very obviously, Caden was no novice in the bedroom, but while she was with him, Sydney intended to be his only woman. "I'm not certain what's happening, but I won't have any other woman near him. I have very few minutes to see to my needs before Caden awakens. Give me a moment, will you?"

Duke hesitated. "Has he kissed you?"

She stopped and sorted through the jumble of the last two days. "No."

"Or tasted you in any other way?"

What did he mean? Oh. Oral s.e.x. She flushed. "He's been far too busy." Relief crossed Duke's face. "I hope this runs its course in the next few hours. If you're certain you don't want help-"

"No!" And never again if she could help it. "If there's time before he awakens again, you're going to explain this to me in detail."

"Agreed. I'll grab you some protein bars and water. You bathe. Quickly." Duke cast a glance at Caden.

"He's stirring."

Sydney peered at the man beside her. He rolled closer, an absent hand feeling its way for her side. If she wanted any creature comforts, now was the time.

Rising as quickly as her protesting muscles allowed, she grabbed her robe from the back of her door and ambled down the hall to her little bath. She ran a hot tub to soak away sore muscles and brushed her teeth. A moment later, Hurstgrove knocked, then brought in protein bars and an energy drink.

"Where did you get this?"

He paused. "Olivia brought them by. I hope you don't mind." At the moment, she could hug him. She was famished. Sydney didn't have a lot of weight on her bones anyway, and since she could scarcely remember her last meal, she figured that she had lost at least half a stone.

"Wonderful. Thank you."

Conscious of the ticking clock, she shut the door in his face and locked it, shedding her dressing gown with one hand and tearing into the protein bar with the other. She scarfed the first one down. It was little better than coated cardboard, but she lunged for the second and grabbed the energy drink, chugging it down in less than a minute.

After a quick visit to the toilet, she sank into the hot bath, savoring her last few bites of the second protein bar. She noticed he'd also brought a plastic container. When Sydney ripped into it, she practically inhaled the baby carrots and apple slices she found within.

Belly not exactly sated but no longer rumbling, she grabbed the shampoo and scrubbed her hair. Soap next. She attacked her body with it, scouring until her sensitive skin glowed.

A glance at the clock she kept on her counter told her it was three fifty-seven. Not much time before Caden awoke and demanded her body again. And she gave a bit more of her heart.

Feeling marginally revived, she rinsed and unplugged the drain, then reached for a towel. She never got it.

A thump at the door made her pause. "Hurstgrove?"

Not a word. Instead, another thump. A grunt. Then the slam of a body and the crash of the door striking the wall.

Caden filled the doorway, naked, magnificent. With hungry eyes and an erection only a blind woman could miss, Sydney had no doubt what he wanted.

Despite her exhaustion, her wobbly legs, and the tenderness in places she'd never been sore before, she wanted him again. To touch him in this moment and know he was all hers. It was pure insanity, but pointless to deny.

He took a huge step into the little bathroom and grabbed her hand, hauling her out of the tub and into his arms. "Sydney."

Her damp skin made contact with his hot, dry flesh, and she sizzled-inside and out. What was it about this man? Intelligence, yes. Loads of it. Good looks, naturally. But she sensed his soldier's core of honor.

Even when he'd lied to her, he'd done it for a good cause. He been uncomfortable with the subterfuge, which explained why she'd seen through him. Despite his mission, he'd done his best not to hurt her, even refusing the s.e.x she'd so blithely offered and he so clearly wanted. The fact he'd endured this fever of heat and s.e.x had likely been her fault. An aftereffect of writing in that blasted book.

To make matters worse, when this ailment of Caden's was over, he would likely resume life without her.

He still had his brother's illness to deal with, and they no longer worked together. But at least she could enjoy the moment with Caden, savor every last touch. Yes, she was exhausted. But d.a.m.ned if she was going to let another woman finish what she'd started.

"I'm here for you," she whispered in his ear.

The words set him in motion. He secured his hands under her arms and lifted her straight up, demonstrating incredible strength in his flexing forearms and biceps. Then he brought her against his body. Automatically, she curled her legs around his waist, her arms clinging to his shoulders. The tip of his p.e.n.i.s probed her swollen folds.

He began to sink into her. Slowly at first, like honey drizzling across something warm and sugary. He eased his way in, grazing sensitive tissues as he filled her. Sydney gasped, digging her nails into his hard shoulders.

Finally, she sank down to the hilt, then he lifted her up, up until the tip of his erection was barely tucked inside her. She wriggled, trying to bring him inside again. He resisted.

Then he stepped forward and pushed down. Bam! The electric sensation jolted every nerve in her body.

G.o.d, in this position, Caden felt enormous and more intent than the many times he had made love to her in the past two days. This time, there was something different about him, more concentrated, compelling, certain.

Another step and he lifted her, only to shove her down with his next stride. The amazing sensations ricocheted through her body again. After days of s.e.x, she should be completely desensitized. Instead, she was more sensitive with each touch.

Once back in her room, Caden kicked her door shut and lowered her to the bed, still buried deep inside her. Then he grabbed the far side of the mattress and used the leverage to impale her with long, broad strokes.

"Feel me," he entreated with a growl.

How could she not? Oh. My. G.o.d. Pleasure soared in seconds under his unrelenting demand. Sydney thrust against him, feeling pa.s.sion catch fire in her blood. In response, Caden wrapped one arm around her, grabbing her backside and canting her hips up to his even more. And on his next thrust-she screamed.

"That's it," he growled in her ear. "So tight, so perfect." Then he picked up the pace, going from frenzied to frantic. The bam, bam, bam of the headboard against the wall was like a chant in her ears. "d.a.m.n it, it's near."

o.r.g.a.s.m? The answer didn't matter when pleasure began to overtake her. The burning ache that had been brewing deep in her womb raced in a hot flood to her c.l.i.t. It built-bigger than anything she had yet experienced. She clawed at him, bit his hard shoulder, felt her pa.s.sage tighten on his erection. Which only ramped up the friction and sent her closer to the edge.

The bed shook, as did her body. Every nerve ending sat on the edge of a huge precipice. Suddenly, she was holding her breath, antic.i.p.ating, needing. She lost her breath, the edges of her vision went dark.

And then it hit her, mowing her down in a burst of ecstasy and emotion, red-hot pleasure piercing her entire body. As a buzzing wound through her head and her vision tilted, a starburst of every feeling inside her seeped into her embrace. She rained kisses across Caden's shoulder, his neck. And knew that, even if he left her, she would belong to him forever.

The thought slammed her beleaguered brain just as Caden wrapped both arms around her as if she was his life jacket in a storm-tossed sea. His grunts became a shout of completion that made her ears ring as he pounded into her, one breath-stealing thrust after the other. As he did, Sydney felt the heat of his release inside her.

The shouts turned to sobs, and his body shuddered as he rolled onto his side, taking her with him, arching his back, his face wrenched up in pain.

"Oh G.o.d! No! Oh my-" Then he screamed.

When Sydney realized why, she followed suit at the top of her lungs.

CHAPTER TEN.

"WHAT IN THE b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l is going on here?" Sydney screeched as she leapt from the bed, clutching the sheet against her bare b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

Her voice brought Caden back from the blackness and through the fog. His thoughts swam through exhaustion and confusion. What was she screaming about?

"Do you have a kinky twin fantasy?" she demanded.

What the devil? He frowned. "No."

Her gaze bounced between him and some point in the room just beyond him. Her words rattled around in his head, but figuring them out wasn't nearly as appealing as a twelve-hour nap.

"Really?" she demanded. "When did he get here?"

"Who?"

"Him!" She pointed behind him.

With a sinking feeling that cut into his mellow haze, Caden looked over his shoulder. On the far side of the bed sat another man. It was like looking in a mirror. Except when Caden moved, his mirror image merely sent him a questioning stare.

A corporeal clone. Caden's heart stopped in his chest. Welcome to magickind.

"f.u.c.k!" he muttered. Creating another self explained the feeling of being torn in half.

"Is this how you've managed to s.h.a.g me senseless these past few days? Did you two take turns popping in and out of my bedroom, snickering at me behind my back and high-fiving each other as you pa.s.sed in the hall?"

Ugly picture. But what else would she think? And how could he answer? He shook his head, straining for an explanation he could give, but his fuzzy thoughts would not cooperate.

What other explanation did he have? Gee, I transitioned into my magic and duplication is my unique power. Not only would that freak her out, but all the a.s.sociated explanations he'd owe her. . . . He winced. Still, he had to say something. She looked so scared, clutching that white sheet to her as if it would save her. Caden hated to hurt or frighten her more. Nor could he afford to give her more fodder for the paper.

"Take a deep breath. Sit beside me."

"I don't want to sit! I want a b.l.o.o.d.y explanation now!" No doubt. But what? He looked over his shoulder again, and the other him shrugged.

"She deserves that much."

Not only did he look like a real man, but was apparently capable of his own thoughts and speech.

Brilliant. "What are you, my b.l.o.o.d.y conscience? I know she deserves an explanation. Can you think of one that makes sense?"

"Sydney gave you one . . . brother."

Conscience? More like the b.l.o.o.d.y devil on his shoulder.

Caden gritted his teeth. Fun. His mirror blithely said things he'd contemplated himself, but then censored.

The other him had yet to master that skill, it seemed.

"p.i.s.s about if you like, but I'm telling the truth."

"I want the truth," Sydney demanded.

Perhaps, but the truth was dangerous for him, for her, and for magickind.

He scowled at his clone. "How do I make you go away?" The other him shrugged, then regarded Sydney. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. I know this is a shock." He rose and wrapped the bed's little throw around his waist, approaching Sydney with the kind of caution one would when approaching a wounded lion. "But no one meant to hurt you."

"Ha! You probably laughed as you shared me, like it's some b.l.o.o.d.y joke." Her posture screamed anger, but that vulnerable crack in her voice went straight to Caden's heart.

"I promise," Caden said. "That isn't so."

The other him stepped closer and cupped Sydney's shoulder. The sight of any male hand on her, even a duplicate of his own, was an unwelcome sight.

"Don't touch her," Caden warned with a growl.

"He's already had it all. Why be squeamish now?" she shot back tartly. Then she turned to the other him.

"Get your b.l.o.o.d.y hand off me."

Sydney clasped his wrist and shoved him away. When he tried to hold on, her fingernails raked his forearm, drawing blood. The clone hissed.

"Ouch!" Caden looked down at his own wrist, and though he didn't see the scratch that appeared on his clone's skin, he felt the pain. Very odd.

She zipped her gaze over to him. "I don't know what's going on here, you w.a.n.ker. w.a.n.kers," she corrected. "b.l.o.o.d.y circus. Explain or get the h.e.l.l out." Caden pressed his lips together, still minus a plausible explanation he was at liberty to divulge. Instead, he leaned closer and cupped her shoulder. "It's . . . complicated."

"No, it's easy. You shared me with your twin, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d!" Sydney slapped him.

Face stinging, Caden reared back, wincing. He whirled, shocked to see an angry palm print on his clone's cheek that likely mirrored his own.

He felt his clone's pain, but did not sustain injury. The clone, however, suffered both. Confounding, but then, magic always was. Westin's death alone proved that.

"Say something." Tears began to seep from her eyes.

Nothing he said would make sense. Caden sighed. "I'm sorry." b.l.o.o.d.y lame answer, his clone sneered inside his head.

Splendid. Now he could converse mentally with the unwanted prat.

She stomped her foot and grabbed a dressing gown littered on the floor near the bed. With angry movements, she thrust it on. "p.i.s.s off-both of you!" As she marched from the bedroom, Caden's mind reeled. Sydney would quickly find Duke, who was likely still loitering on Sydney's sofa, and say she saw two Cadens. News of his ability to clone would go straight to Bram, who would find a use for him in this b.l.o.o.d.y war. No, thank you.