A demon stepped through the fissure, lifted its nose toward the sky, sniffed then motioned behind him.
Son of a bitch!
Five more walked out behind him, all wearing leather pants and jackets, their bodies strapped with half a dozen blades of various sizes. With the exception of their heads, which looked like a ram’s with rows of sharp teeth, they could pass for human.
“We have hit the jackpot,” the first one said.
“So many humans, we can feast for months,” another added.
Seth had no choice. He produced his sword and slinked toward the group. Maybe if he took out the leader first, the others would weaken and become an easier catch. He would call for backup but knew the others were currently waging their own battles. The fractures coming faster than they could keep up.
He stepped from the shadows.
“Go back to the pit you slithered from or face death,” he stated.
All six turned to face him, and the leader curled his lip. “Guardian, how kind of you to join us.” His expression turned serious. “This one is mine. I shall enjoy tasting you and sucking the life force from your body.”
Seth spread his stance and raised his sword. “Come and get me, goat head.”
The demons descended upon him with blades in hand. He slashed and spun, making contact with the first one, sending its head rolling. As he fought off a second attack, the scent of strawberries enveloped him.
What the hell?
He knew instantly it was her, the woman he’d been tracking. From the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of her red locks as they glistened in the pink rays of the rising sun.
She stabbed an oncoming demon, using the dagger he’d seen earlier. Instantly, the goat-faced terror turned to ash. He continued his onslaught and fought another, but this time their leader tried attacking from the rear and managed to make a slice across his shoulder before she managed to take him out. He had to admire her abilities with a blade, even if it was a magical one a human should never have in their possession.
He made quick work of dispatching the heads of two more while she killed the last one. When the melee was over, he pinned her with his gaze. “Who the hell are you?”
She wiped the blade across black leather pants and slipped it into a sheath at her waist. “Well, now who’s ungrateful? I save your ass and no thanks?” She pushed a lock of hair off her face.
“I could have taken them myself.” He lifted his shoulders. “Sound familiar? No human should be fighting demons, and that blade you have—” He nodded to the dagger at her waist. “Where did you get it?”
Her posture stiffened, and he sensed her discomfort with the turn in the conversation. “Your arm, it’s healed already. What are you?” She began to back up and was ready to flee. He needed to tread lightly. He contemplated flashing behind her and making a grab for her, but his balls still ached from the last encounter they’d had together. His mind ran through several scenarios on how to capture her. Pinning her to the ground actually sounded ideal, but before he could make it happen, she spun and ran.
“Son of a…” He took off after her as she disappeared around the side of a building. When he rounded the corner, it was empty. He stood gaping at a wrapper that drifted across the deserted street.
How the hell did she vanish?
He raised his nose to the breeze; all that was left was the smell of vomit and urine.
He fisted his hands.
It seemed the redheaded vixen was going to be harder to find than first anticipated. Determination coursed through his blood. It had been many years since he’d given chase to his prey, and his hunting skills were rusty, but he had one thing she didn’t.
The ability to obtain memories. Someone in this city had to know who and where she was.
Chapter Sixteen
Caleb paced the room that was now his prison, thanks to Hades and of course his feisty mate. He’d tried shifting, magic and brute force to break down the door, but to no avail.
“I can’t believe she fucking threw me out.” He ran his fingers across the top of his scalp as he spun on the ball of his foot and crossed the room again. The thought of her going to rescue Qadira left his nerves raw. He had half a mind to toss the stubborn demon over his knee and give her the spanking she deserved. He stopped midstride and sucked in a breath, his heart skipped a beat. Lileta was everything to him. She was the air he breathed, the other half of his soul, and if he lost her, there would be no reason to go on alone.
He tried once more to summon his dragon. It was the only way he would stand a chance against Hades and his demons. The dragon was his stronger side and held magical power.
Scales rippled beneath the surface, and the creature screeched. Fire burned in his belly.
Come on, you must succeed for Lileta.
Bones shifted, and muscle flexed. It was working; his dragon was finally emerging, and it was pissed.
Caleb turned the door into splinters. The black magic that had held him in place could no longer hold back his beast. As a matter of fact, the dragon thrived on magic, consumed it as if it were a tasty tidbit. Caleb moved into the expansive corridor where he encountered a Wendigo. He snaked his tail around and hooked the demon, sending him sailing down the hall and through the wall at the far end. For good measure, he sent a burst of flame down the passage to clear out any unwanted guests.
He raised his nose, searching for his mate. Her honeysuckle scent hung in the air and lured him. He moved to follow it, but before he could reach her, she appeared in his path.
“What the hell is going on?” Lileta asked, hands on her hips.
Hades came up beside her. “It would seem your mate will not be subdued. I have to admit, I’m fucking impressed.”
Caleb shimmered and shifted back to his human form. He grabbed Lileta by the arm and dragged her into her room, slamming the door behind him. “Don’t ever think to lock me up again.” He pushed her to the bed; his body covered her and pinned her to the mattress. He blocked her ability to flash.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Her voice was raspy, her breathing heavy.
“I’m claiming my mate. I’m done with the games, Lileta. You. Are. Mine.”
Her eyes widened. “N-no, you can’t. You’ll die.”
“Fuck that, I’m not dying. I’m too damn stubborn to die.” He nuzzled her neck. The scent of her arousal went right to his groin. Oh yes, she wanted him as much as he desired her. He wedged his knee between her legs, the evidence of her need went right through his jeans.
Her pupils dilated. “I can’t let you do this.” She placed her palms on his chest and pushed, but he didn’t budge. “I will not be responsible for your death.”
He moved his lips to her ear. “For once, will you trust me?” he whispered then nipped the lobe and sucked it into his mouth causing her to moan. His dragon liked that, wanted to hear her mewl.
She wrapped her legs around him and ground against his thigh. “No, you must have strength for both of us, because I don’t.” Her lids slid shut, and her tongue darted out and ran across her upper lip.
He grabbed the hem of her T-shirt, the material giving way with ease as he yanked. Her breasts sprang free. He latched onto a rosy nipple and pulled it into his mouth. His teeth scraped against the protrusion. She arched into him, grabbed his head and dug her nails into his scalp.
“Gods, I need you,” she whispered.
He ran his tongue along the underside of her breast. Her skin tasted of spiced lemons, hot yet refreshing. He continued across her firm abdomen and stopped to swirl around her belly button. The urge to taste her center consumed him. There would be no stopping now. If he did die then it would be with a smile on his face, but first, he needed to taste her lips. Caleb straddled her body, grabbed her wrists and pinned her arms over her head. He crushed his lips against hers and delved in with his tongue. She groaned and writhed beneath him, causing fire to burn in his groin.
“Mine,” he growled between tasting her lips. “You’ll not go to Lowan alone.”
“You must stop, Caleb. Please,” she begged.
He halted, pulled back slightly and gazed into her golden eyes. Desperation and fear resided there. Concern for his safety? Could she care about him?
“Why do you worry yourself with what happens to me?” He needed to know. Could she love him? Did he dare even hope?
Her lips moved, but no words escaped. She was hiding something. One day, he would find out what it was, but today, he would not press the issue. Whatever tore at her like shards of glass, he would not force her to relive. However, he resolved when this was over, he would continue the hunt for her captors and kill them. Slowly. In the meantime, he would give her the only thing he could.
He released her wrists, palmed her cheeks and placed a gentle kiss on her plump lips. “Angel, I know life hasn’t been good to you, but I vow to make it better any way I can.”
Her gaze softened. “Caleb, that’s sweet, and I know we’re mates, but you don’t have to bind yourself to me. Maybe there’s a way to break this, and then you can be with someone else. Someone you could love.”
“I’ve already met the love of my life. The one woman with whom I want to spend eternity. There is only one who can make me whole.”
Her expression went slack. “Oh.”
He caressed his thumb over her cheek. “It’s you, Angel. You hold the other half of my soul. Without you, there is nothing worth living for.”
Her gaze fell to her empty hands. “Dragon, I’m no good for you. You need a woman you can love.” She opened her eyes and pools of liquid gold stared back at him. “Let me go before it’s too late.”
He dipped his head, and he pressed his nose to hers. “It’s already too late. Can’t you hear what I’m saying? I love you, and I don’t give a shit who your real father is. I’ll kill the bastard myself if it will make you happy.”
* * * *
She blinked as confusion clouded her mind. “What did you just say?”
“I said I don’t care who your father—”
She pressed a finger to his lips. “No, right before that. What did you say to me?”
His brows creased. “I love you?”
“Yes, that. You can’t really mean it.”
Oh god, please say you do.
He brushed back a wisp of hair from her face. “I can, and I do. Look, I know I’m an obstinate ass.”
She rolled her eyes. “Demanding also comes to mind, as well as overbearing.”
He shook his head. “I know, and I apologize for the way I treated you in the beginning. Hell, I had better apologize for things yet to come. I’m a Draki, and I can’t change how I am. I will always be overprotective and demanding, and I’ll probably piss you off. Know that I will never hurt you, and I’ll kill anyone who does.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Shit, I suck at this. Angel, I’ll give you your heart’s desire. Jewels, mansions, fast cars, you name it.”
Tears welled in her eyes, making it difficult to see. This strong man, a dragon who was feared by many, at this moment gazed at her as if she were the most precious gem in the world. This was a side she had only glimpsed before and she loved it.
She loved him.
The tears spilled and slid down her cheeks. “I don’t want material things. My heart’s desire is only for your love.”
He nuzzled her cheek, licking the tears away. “You have that and more, until my last breath.” His lips brushed hers. “Please tell me these aren’t tears of sorrow.”
“No.” Yes. She was happy with his expression of love, but sad that they couldn’t be together without his dying. He pulled back to look at her.
“Angel, I can tell you’re not being truthful, and I know what bothers you. Don’t worry about my welfare. Just tell me you trust me.”
“With my life.” That wasn’t a lie.
He curled his lips into that sexy grin she loved so much. “That’s all I need.”
He let his right hand trail down her abdomen and under the waistband of her jeans. The next sound she heard was the ripping of denim as it was torn from her body. Cool air brushed over her skin while lava burned from the inside. Her need for him rose to a level that scared the hell out of her, but something deep inside told her to trust him.
His warm fingers caressed her thigh then moved up to her panties. Grasping the elastic band, he pulled. “No barriers between us this time.” His eyes glowed with desire as they met hers.
“Wait.”
He stopped. His gaze met hers. “What troubles you?”
“I can’t give you children, Caleb. We are not the same,” she whispered.
“You don’t know that for sure. Look how far we have come already. You once thought a kiss would bring me death, yet I still live.” He placed a kiss between her breasts. “We will work it out, and should it never come to pass…then so be it.” Eyes filled with desire and longing stared back at her. “Trust me.”
“Okay.” She barely got the word out. Her breathing was so erratic. All she wanted was for him to ease the ache that beat between her thighs.
He slid down her body until he had a view of her apex. “I want to taste you.” His lips so close she could feel hot breath across her flesh. “Can I lick you until you come, Angel?”
She sucked air into her lungs. Gods, if he didn’t do something soon, she would burst into flames. “Yes.”
He ran the tip of his tongue along her folds, sending shivers up her entire body. “Damn, you are a tease,” she whispered.
“You want more?”
“Please.” Only moments ago, she’d pleaded for him to stop. Now she begged him for more. May the gods have mercy on them both, because if he died, she would end her own life.
He wrapped his lips around her clit and sucked. She grabbed his hair and pulled as the first wave crashed over her. If she thought she was burning before, she’d been dead wrong. The orgasm engulfed her entire body and left her shaking. When she floated back to normal, he continued a teasing tongue dance along her folds.
“You taste so fucking good. I swear I will never get enough of you.” He found her opening and pressed his tongue deep inside, swirling and lapping at her wetness. Driving her insane.