in0 Page 12

  Her body tingled all over her, she had only a second to glare at Rayn for doing this to her when the room around them flickered, disappearing again like magic, then a new place appeared.

  Somewhere she didn’t recognize.

  From the looks of it, they were just outside a major city. Skyscrapers, extravagant hotels, and posh apartments lit up the night sky to draw in wanderers and thrill seekers. Only it was dark as night here. Chloe peeked at Tyrian and Rayn and wondered just what kind of powers these vampires had.

  “Someone better explain to me what the hell’s going on.” Rayn smiled at her, and then the warrior was gone in the next blink. “How does he do that?”

  Tyrian set her on her feet. “Rayn is half-demon. He carries some of their powers with him including the ability to teleport.” Chloe stared at him.

  “He’s half-demon. Demon as in those guys you’ve been fighting to keep back in the rift for a thousand years.” There were different species of demons. The idummi like the one she just fought were considered the bottom rung of the demons. They lived a layer beneath the rift and feasted upon living flesh for sustenance. A shiver wracked through her.

  Then there were the normal demons. The “non-cannibal” demons that she’d heard looked just like anyone else but were strong like shapeshifters, fast like vampires, and had magical powers that no other being on earth had. It made them powerful foes.

  “Yes,” he said simply.

  “How does that even make sense? I thought you hated demons. But you’re okay with

  little half-demons so long as they work for you or something? Sounds kind of exploitative, Tyrian.”

  Tyrian’s face was back to the normal, passive, nothing-bothers-me face that she both liked and hated. “I do not hate demons, Chloe. Someone must lead the Atal Warriors and keep the demons in the rift. I am just the vampire who does that. I do hate some demons, but they are specific people whom I hope to meet again someday.” Chloe felt the death threat in his words and wondered what the demons did to deserve such hate. She had an idea but she hoped she was wrong.

  “Where are we?”

  “We are outside of Atlanta, Georgia.”

  Chloe waited for him to elaborate, when he didn’t she ground her teeth together and said,

  “And why is that?” He looked down at her as if surprised by her question.

  “There is an unusual demon after you. It is no longer safe at the castle. Obviously it can track you, something I had not foreseen. I must figure out how to return the demonic creature before it completes its task and kills you.” He said it so casually that she just stared at him.

  “And we can figure this out in Atlanta?”

  A nod, and then he cupped her elbow and started walking her towards the bright city lights. “I have connections in Atlanta, powerful people who owe me a favor. They will help us, if necessary. One man in particular.” Chloe pulled her arm out of his touch and wrapped it around her middle. She couldn’t think when he touched her. Memories of naked skin, flushed faces, and heavy breathing entered her mind.

  “You’re going to call in favors from important people just to help me?”

  “Of course. I am your Protector.”

  Chloe sighed with disappointment. Of course that was why. What was she expecting

  really?

  “Well, where are we going first? I hate not knowing.”

  He was silent for a minute then he said, “Telal Demuzi.”

  Chloe stumbled a step and stared up at him in shock. “Telal Demuzi? The freaking only demon to be allowed to live outside of the rift because he’s so powerful? Oh my God.” As an afterthought, she added, “That’s the man Lily is supposed to be given to.”

  Tyrian looked at her but didn’t slow his pace. “Francis listed Telal as your sister’s Protector? That is interesting.”

  Her stomach rolled. “Why’s that?”

  “I wouldn’t worry for your sister. Telal may be a demon, but he fought on our side to push the demons back at The Great War. He’s been most beneficial to our cause.”

  “Yes, that’s neat and all but why is that interesting?”

  He shook his head the barest of movements. Was he exasperated? “From what I know,

  your father Francis allied with Telal for demon’s rights. They were both trying to open the rift so that the demons can cross over and live among us.”

  Chloe knew that Papa believed in the rights of demons. Though she’d never known he’d fought against the demons in The Great War. Maybe he realized his mistake years later and wanted to make amends. She was learning there was a lot more about her Papa than she ever knew.

  Deciding to test the waters a little, she reached out her hand for Tyrian’s, twining their fingers together. His arm jerked, but he didn’t pull back. She took that as a good sign and smiled.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Why am I not surprised Tyrian left you in charge? Shall I bow, King Henry?” Draven’s laughter was almost contagious.

  Henry shook his head. Now was not the time for laughter. Commander Tyrian left him in charge while he got Chloe out of danger. The battle was dying outside. The demons had already killed two of his men, but the Atal Warriors were stronger, faster, better trained. Only one demon kept Henry’s attention. The big gray bastard in the back, standing like some general behind his army.

  When most of the idummi demons fell into bloody heaps on the snow, the demon roared like some beast, then slipped back into the cavernous hole it’d crawled from. Dirt and snow piled over the hole, covering it like a hill. What the hell was that thing? Every arrow and bullet shot at it, it’d deflected with some kind of magical wall around him. Most demons didn’t have that kind of power.

  “Report,” Henry ordered. Rayn stepped forward, breathing hard from a fight he’d just had.

  “Six left. The big gray one just disappeared. I have no idea how he does that, by the way.

  We’re securing the gate.”

  “Good, burn the dead when it’s done.” Rayn nodded and sped off into the fray. Henry loved this. The smell of blood and sweat, the sounds of clanking metal and the grunts of pain.

  They were things he was all too familiar with. They all were.

  He strode into the castle. He needed to send a report to the commander about the gray demon disappearing. If it could track Chloe, then it’d probably be on its way to her now. That they hadn’t been able to kill it was unacceptable.

  Henry grimaced as he recalled the massive punch that thing had. If he hadn’t moved

  when he did, that demon would have killed him. What a way to die, being torn in half by a monster. He was damned lucky and he knew it. Vampires, demons, everyone had weaknesses.

  No one was immune to death.

  He should have been watching where he was going and not lost in his thoughts because he ran straight into the one person he didn’t want to see. Nanu came around the opposite corner just as he did and smacked into him.

  “Ow,” she said shaking out her wrist that had pushed into him.

  “Sorry,” he said, rubbing the spot on his chest where she’d touched him. She looked beautiful today. Well, when didn’t she? But today she had her hair pulled back like she’d done it in a hurry and her lab coat was open, revealing the dress slacks and silk button down blouse she wore. Aquamarine earrings, a reminder of her heritage adorned the dark skin of her ears and neck.

  The jewelry almost made the expensive clothes she wore look ridiculous, but somehow she managed to pull it off. Or maybe it was just because he’d like her in a baggy sweatshirt made of plastic.

  Henry quickly moved before he stayed there any longer. He started around her. She

  called after him, but he ignored it and made for his bedroom. He’d contact the commander after he showered and cleared his mind. Right now, he was too frazzled. He closed the bedroom door behind him and pulled his shirt over his head.

  The door opened, had him turning hard to it.

  “Get out,” he said. />
  Nanu closed the door, shaking her head as she approached him. He could either stay still or back away. He backed up. She shook her head and rubbed her hands over her face.

  “You drive me crazy, Henry.” You and me both.

  “Get out,” he said instead.

  “No, not until you tell me, specifically, the other reason.” This time he was genuinely confused.

  “What reason?” He watched her jaw tighten and slide side to side.

  “The other night in the gym. I asked you what your reasons were for not being with you.

  You said because you’re a warrior, which I think is completely ridiculous, Henry. I know what you do and I support it. I have no qualms with it. I find it brave,” she said softly. Henry looked away. If he didn’t, he might do something stupid like blush.

  “You said I am the other reason. Tell me what that means.”

  Henry wadded his shirt into a tight ball and threw it hard into the bin. “Leave me alone, Nanu. I don’t want to talk about this.” He walked into the bathroom, leaving her alone. When she followed him into the much smaller space, he didn’t know if he wanted to yell or hit something.

  “Tell me honestly and then I’ll leave you to your precious moping.” He rounded on her, anger and shock marring his face.

  “Moping? I do not mope, Nanu.” Her eyes glittered in a rush. Her chest was rising and falling fast and her eyes trailed over his mouth. Shit, he jerked himself away from her. The woman was a trap, constantly drawing him in. He stepped as far away from her as he could in the bathroom.

  “You do, too, mope, Henry. I want you Henry. Don’t you see that? I don’t know how to make it any clearer.” Henry ran a hand over his face, pinching the bridge of his nose.

  “Yeah, I know that, Nanu, but there seems to be one thing you haven’t realized about me.” I love you. “I’m not someone who will just take your body and walk away the next day.”

  Several emotions flitted across her face.

  He’d thought about it. Hell, he could practically write a novel on all the reasons he wanted her but couldn’t have her, on why he couldn’t just take her body and not keep her. He was sure if he did that it would break him apart and he’d never be able to fix himself.

  “Don’t you see that that is one of the reasons I admire you.” She took a step, then another until she pressed herself against him.

  “Don’t press me when we both know you’d never accept me like I want.”

  “Yes I would,” she said sounding desperate. His hands curled around her arms and shook her.

  “No, you wouldn’t and neither would your brother.”

  She opened her mouth, stunned, but he saw the truth in her eyes and knew he was right.

  Where she came from, the males in the family, in this case, her brother, dictated whom she mated with, whom she married. And Heru would never let a half-vampire, half-demon touch his sister. He was basically the bottom of the food chain to him.

  “Now you know. Now get out of my room, Nanu.”

  That damn look of determination crossed over her face. In the next second, her mouth was plastered against his, soft and needy. Her tongue licked across the seam of his lips then pushed inside. A groan escaped him.

  She pressed closer, and he jerked away from her, stalking to the bedroom door. He

  opened it and nodded to the hall.

  “Get out.”

  Nanu stalked to him with the same determined look in her eyes. Henry steeled himself.

  Had to or she’d run all over him.

  “Why can’t you just let us be together? I don’t get you.” Anger bit at her words. Henry clenched his jaw left and right.

  “That’s why, Nanu, because you don’t get it. You don’t see what I really want. Now get out before I call your brother.”

  She stiffened, her mouth flattening into a hard line, then stormed out. Henry closed the door behind her with a sigh, resting his sweaty forehead on the door. How he wished things were simpler, easier. But he and Nanu couldn’t be together.

  Chapter Fifteen

  The heavy patter of feet beat after her. Willow’s heart raced loudly in her ears, blocking out everything but her quick breathing and the sound of leaves rustling behind her.

  Alphas Lyonis Keelan was quick in human form, but as a wolf, she barely stood a

  chance. Inwardly she grinned. That one chance was all she needed. Sprinting over fallen trees, Willow ran with a different kind of fear pushing her. Not the fear of death but the fear of what might happen if she were caught.

  I will not let him have me. It took several seconds for her mind to register that the thundering of paws had stilled.

  She didn’t stop. Willow broke through the tree line and came to the side of a road.

  Panting, she turned, searching the forest. Shit, shit, shit. No fur, no man, nothing. A car whizzed by and then she started running again, across the street and into a field filled waist high with rows of wheat.

  “Shit.”

  Coming to a stop halfway through the field, Willow spun in a circle looking for anyone, anything. She was winded and, dammit, she knew she was in better shape than that. It must be the new moon. She needed sex. It’s what fed the succubus, kept her strong and healthy.

  “Not with him, ever.”

  A soft noise brought her to a standstill. She held her breath, made her racing heart slow so she could hear.

  As the hard weight of an animal came crashing into her back, she had only one thought—

  no animal could ever be that quiet. The heavy mass of fur above her contorted, twisted, with only a whisper of sound—a purr, and then he was on top of her, breathing steady and sure as he thrust his hips against her bottom and spread her legs with his knees.

  “You please me,” he said, the syllables guttural and harsh as if his voice hadn’t

  completely changed back yet.

  “Flattery will get you nowhere, Alpha.” She cocked her arm and sent her elbow flying back. Sweet relief coursed through her as bone connected with jaw. The purring turned to a sharp, snapping growl and she had the feeling he was trying to reprimand her. “I’m not an animal,” she bit out.

  He moved so fast, she had no way to prepare herself. He lifted her chest off the wheat-flattened ground and wrapped one arm around her, trapping both of her arms at her side.

  “That’s much better. Behave and I’ll make you feel good.” Exhaustion, lust, shit,

  something came over her and made her completely stupid. Willow rested her forehead on the ground and let her body feel as the Alpha petted her. Indignation quickly flared inside her but for once, her body tampered it down as if to say: this one time; this one concession. You need this.

  His arm held her tightly poised body as his free hand roamed over her arm, her shoulder, then down her back. Again and again that’s all he touched. The touch was deceptively soothing, cunningly disarming. Baring her teeth, she bucked her hips hard against him.

  He winced and bit the back of her neck. Something not unpleasureable flodded through her. A gush of hot cream flooded her channel and doused her already wet panties. She heard him inhale with a satisfied sound.

  “I knew you’d like my touch. Your scent is lush and rich. I like it.” He arched his hips into the crevice of her cheeks to prove his point. “I’m glad to know you’re ready for me, my Willow.” His free hand found the bare skin of her lower back, flattened his palm there. She was burning up but his touch was feverishly hot against her. His touch was sweet, reassuring. Willow hated it.

  She fought hard now, twisting and squirming until finally she was turned around face to face with the Alpha. They were both breathing hard. His eyes tracked over her face, down her flushed neck and chest.

  “If you wanted to look at me, you had only to ask, Willow.” Willow gave him a sarcastic smile. What he didn’t realize as he plotted his already-going-to-fail seduction was that she now had another weapon at her disposal—her teeth.

  He didn’t have much
leverage on her now, so he used his body to weigh her down. And it was like having a truck sit on top of her. A hot, sexy truck. He tried to spread her legs open again, but she fought it until her thigh muscles burned in protest. She bared her teeth at him when he finally won. He quickly took the opportunity to press his straining erection against her wet, soft core.

  She moaned at the delicious pressure, there was no stopping it. He made a satisfied, gruff sound then pulled up her shirt in jerky movements. Either her reactions were slowing or he was moving faster because he quickly had her athletic bra pushed up and a nipple in his mouth.

  The sucking sensations were too much and not enough. Willow grabbed his hair and

  pulled back hard. He lifted from her with a growl, quickly grabbing her hands in one of his and planting them above her head.

  “No! I don’t want you. Do you hear me, Lyonis? No! ” He stilled above her, his eyes finding hers. His hips pumped once, letting her feel the hard-ridged length of his cock, the bump of his head through her damp shorts.

  “What your body and scent tell me disagrees with you, Willow. I promise only to take care of you. That’s why I’m here. I am your Protector. You can’t survive the new moon without me. We both know that.”

  She shook her head wildly. “No, I’ll find someone else. Not you.” He laughed at her.

  Actually laughed!

  “What, find some little human you can command to sit and stay? You need a real man, a shapeshifter,” he purred, his tongue licking a hot path from shoulder to ear. He was so...cat like.

  She did not like it. If she wanted a cat, she’d buy one.

  “I don’t need to be broken in.” His teeth traced the shell of her ear, enticing her to stay still and simply feel his touch, and wonder wildly what he was going to do next.

  “I would never want to break you, Willow. Why would I ever want to change something so strong and wonderful? I would hurt anyone who did. I simply want you below me. Do you know what I thought of as I chased you these past two days, Willow?”