Hunted by Darkness (Darkness #4) (18 page)

“Here, as long as she wants,” Bo said.

“Good. She needs stability. These are some nice digs you’ve got.” Her lips quirked up a fraction. “Never thought we’d find out where the mysterious Bo lived.”

He just rolled his eyes. Until now no one except his sister and Nyx had known where his home was. He’d always liked it that way. After getting to know more of the Stavros pack though, he figured maybe having allies wasn’t such a bad thing. Going through life looking at everyone like an enemy was exhausting.

“If you want to know anything else,” she said, looking at Rory, clearly having picked up on the male’s attachment to Liberty. “You need to ask her yourself. She doesn’t want to talk about where she’s from or who she is or how she got stuck in that realm. My advice, don’t push her. Let her talk when she wants.”

“I won’t push,” Rory rasped out, a sort of desperation in his gaze.

Yeah, Bo recognized that look. Shifters always got it when they were feeling overprotective of their mates. Bo could relate right about now because he was feeling obsessive and possessive where Nyx was concerned.

“Can I see her?” Rory continued.

Ophelia nodded. “Yeah. She was asking for you. I’m going to bring some food up in a bit for her. Make sure she eats a little bit of everything, but don’t push her. She needs to have control.”

“Okay.” He was through the door before he’d finished speaking.

“Is he part of a pack?” Ophelia asked.

Bo shook his head. “No.”

“Okay, well, I’ll let Finn figure all that stuff out then, but I’m sure he won’t mind your brothers in his territory. I’m gonna go whip something up in your kitchen. Nyx, you need a shower, food and sex. Doctor’s orders.” She winked before heading toward the stairs.

Bo wanted to kiss Ophelia. Figuratively.

When Nyx turned to look up at Bo her cheeks were flushed. “I don’t know why she said that,” she muttered.

“Because she’s smart.” Bo cupped Nyx’s cheek, savored the feel of her soft skin.

Her pupils dilated as her breathing increased, but she kept her hands to herself. “I…don’t know what you want from me, Bo.” Confusion was etched on her expressive face.

“I know, and that’s my fault.” He stroked her cheek once. He just wasn’t sure he should tell her that he wanted everything—that he wanted to completely possess her. Because he wasn’t sure she’d want that, want him. Not completely anyway.

Her eyes went heavy-lidded for a moment but just as quickly she shook herself, took a small step back. “Then what happened before we ended up in that realm? I thought after you…went down on me…” She trailed off, her cheeks flushing again.

Just like that he got hard. It made him feel like a dick, but hearing those words from her and seeing the flush in her cheeks reminded him of how she’d looked when he’d made her come. “I behaved badly,” he gritted out. He needed to just tell her, confess what an animal he was. She’d probably shove him away but she deserved to know the truth. “I was ready to take you right on the kitchen counter. Or the floor. You tasted fucking amazing and I just lost it. I would have been rough.”

She stared at him, her breathing growing even more erratic. “Okay, so…you would have been rough. So what?”

“You’re a virgin.” He didn’t even bother forming it as a question.

Nyx nodded. “Yes.”

“I didn’t care in that moment, I just wanted you and…you deserve better than a rough fucking on my kitchen counter, especially for your first time. You deserve…better than me.” He rubbed the back of his neck. Even the thought of inadvertently being too rough, of hurting her, made him ache.

Her brow furrowed. “
That’s
why you pushed me away? Because, what, you thought you might get too rough with me? I’m a freaking demigod, Bo. You won’t break me.”

“But—”

“
No
. I want you. A lot. I…kept coming up with reasons to push you away.
Valid
reasons, I might add, because my family is positively psychotic, but after being in that realm with you I’ve realized that we can both take care of ourselves. You’re way more deadly that I realized. And, apparently so am I. So, I’m laying it out there. I’m open to more than friendship with you, but…make up your mind. Because if you start something then pull back again I might break your whole house.” Her lips quirked up, her voice slightly teasing.

The tension inside him eased. She wasn’t pushing him away. Not even close. “I want more than friendship with you too. Just
you
. I want to be exclusive.” He’d never been in a long-term relationship, had never wanted to. Of course he wanted way more than a simple relationship with Nyx, but he figured he better start slow. He had a plan to seduce her, show her how good they were together, and make it so that she never wanted to leave him. He’d just get her addicted to him.

“Good. I won’t share and…if you cheat on me there’s no room for forgiveness.” She looked nervous as she said it, wrapping her arms around her middle.

The fact that she felt the need to say that sliced at him. He knew what kind of reputation he had. One he’d earned and now hated. Not that he’d actually ever cheated on anyone. Impossible to do since he’d never been in a real relationship.

“You’re mine, Nyx.” He could feel his eyes lighting up, could see the glow illuminating her face ever so slightly. Damn it, he needed to play this smooth, but he couldn’t hold back now. “Once we cross that line and commit, I’m not letting you go. So make sure this is what you want. That
I’m
what you want. I’m territorial and possessive and sometimes I’m going to act like a complete asshole where you’re concerned. Not all the time, but…I’m going to get jealous and probably act stupid. And I’m a fucking half-demon, my bloodline isn’t what you deserve. So make sure that’s what you want. Because I won’t let you go.”

Wide-eyed, she nodded. “Okay.” She looked as if she wanted to say more, but bit her bottom lip.

When it was clear she wasn’t going to say anything else, he inwardly sighed. Yeah, maybe he’d come on too strong. Maybe she was hesitant now, needed time to think about it. Disappointment punched through him like a body blow but hell, he’d told her to think about it. He couldn’t expect an answer right away.

He cleared his throat. “Listen, I’ve gotta go talk to Finn, see if he’s really okay with more half-demons in his territory. And Cynara, Drake and Victoria are on their way over too. You want me to bring you some food up?”

Disappointment flickered over her face, but she shook her head. “I’m okay for now. I just want to grab a hot shower.” Again, she looked as if she might say more, but didn’t.

Damn it, he’d definitely come on too strong. “Okay.” He didn’t want to let her out of his sight even for a second, but knew that wasn’t a viable option. He couldn’t just drag her with him wherever he went. And his house was safe.

Didn’t matter to his demon half. Right now he wanted to drag her into his arms, kiss her, but he headed for the stairs instead. If he got a taste of her now when he was all keyed up, they wouldn’t be stopping. And that wasn’t the way to win her over anyway. He needed to take things slow, not just jump her.

She needed to decide if he was the type of male she wanted. She’d seen his true form. Maybe once she thought about it she’d realize he wasn’t the type of male for her.

Go take her now before she realizes what a monster you are
, his demon half ordered.

Bo ignored the voice and went in search of Finn. It was the hardest thing he’d ever done. Especially when his demon side wanted to throw Nyx over his shoulder, take her to his room and forget the outside world existed for a few weeks.

* * *

Rory resisted the urge to pace and instead sat in the cushy armchair next to Liberty’s bed. She was propped up against a bunch of pillows and wearing a long-sleeved pajama set. He wasn’t sure if the clothes were Nyx’s or someone else’s. Didn’t matter, he’d be buying her anything she wanted. The realization that he wanted to take care of her, make her happy, was jarring when he knew nothing about her. Or very little.

It had been a long damn time since he’d been in the human realm. He normally wasn’t here all that long either. He’d always thought humans were weak, pathetic.

Now that he was looking at one who’d survived unspeakable horrors, he knew he was an asshole for thinking that.

“Ophelia was nice?” he asked. His experience with other shifters hadn’t been good. That being an understatement. But the healer had seemed as if she cared. And Bo seemed to trust Finn, the Stavros Alpha.

Liberty half-smiled, revealing a glimpse of just how stunning she was. “Yeah. She said I need food and sleep. I can deal with that.” She cleared her throat, picked at the comforter. “Thank you for…doing what you did. For getting rid of those creatures.” It was subtle, but a shudder wracked her slender frame.

He wanted to bring them back to life and kill them all over again for what they’d done to her. He could bathe in their blood, make them suffer for weeks. His canines pulsed against his gums, but he kept himself in check. For her. His wolf was feeling restless around her, wanting to comfort her. It was disturbing. He’d even bared his teeth at his brother earlier because he hadn’t wanted Ian to carry her, something he’d never done. Not in true anger anyway. But he hadn’t wanted anyone to touch her.

He just grunted a non-response to her thanks, not sure how to respond. He didn’t want her gratitude.

“Is there someone you want to call?” Ophelia might have said not to push but he needed to make sure she didn’t feel as if she was a prisoner here too.

“No. I just want to not think for a while. Does your brother really not mind if I stay here?” She pinned him with dark, haunted eyes. His wolf was going crazy with the need to erase the shadows there.

“He doesn’t mind. And you’re safe here.” She’d always be safe as long as he was around. “If you want to go somewhere else just let me know. I’ll make it happen.” Right now he’d give everything to this female if it would help her heal. He was glad his new half-brother was letting them stay. His openness was surprising but Rory found he liked the guy.

She blinked in surprise. “Thank you. Can I ask you something?”

He nodded.

“How many different…uh, types of supernatural beings are there?”

He lifted a shoulder. “A lot. Shifters, vampires, half-demons, fae, and then there are mixes of every species, though that’s a little rarer.”

“Fae is like faeries, right?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s what Nyx is?”

He knew Liberty was asking because of Nyx’s wings, which weren’t visible in this realm. Not unless she wanted them to be. “Yeah.” He also knew Nyx was more than a simple fae. She had some serious power she was keeping under wraps. And the whole transporting thing…he only knew of two beings who could do that. Gods and demigods. He was pretty sure she wasn’t a goddess so that left one option. One of her parents must have mated with a fae.

“She’s more though, isn’t she?” Liberty whispered.

He nodded. “I think so.”

“A few months ago I would have thought someone was crazy if they’d told me there were other realms and other beings besides humans in the world.”

Rory filed that away. She couldn’t have been in the Hell realm more than a few months if she said that. Of course that time frame would have felt like a lifetime, especially when held as a prisoner and abused in ways that made him want to rip something apart. “We’ve been around as long as humans.”

She didn’t respond, just picked at the comforter again. He couldn’t tell if she was nervous or what. His experience with females was lacking. Hell, his experience with most species was lacking. After being basically rejected by his own pack, then other wolves, he’d had no problem retreating to an alternate realm.

Now guilt racked him that she’d been in his realm for who knew how long, suffering. And he’d done nothing. It didn’t matter that he hadn’t known. He and his brother had gotten complacent, just existing in their territory. They should have been out hunting predators, defending the weak. It was what their mothers had taught them. Instead they’d been selfish, only thinking of themselves.

“Do you want me to leave?” he asked quietly.

Liberty shook her head. “No. But I’m not really up for conversation. Ophelia gave me a couple pills, said they should help me sleep.” Liberty nodded to a glass of water and two small pills on the nightstand. “But she said I should eat first.”

He stood, glad to have a task. “I’ll go check on the food then.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I want to.” Because the most primitive part of him needed to take care of her. He wasn’t sure what to do with the odd feelings humming through him, but he would figure it out. For now he was going to go with his instinct.

And it was telling him to protect this female with his life.

Chapter 14

Bo hurried up the stairs, probably too desperate to see Nyx. He didn’t care. After talking to Finn about his brothers staying here, reassuring his sister that he wasn’t going anywhere again and getting Ian settled in, he needed to see his…Nyx.

He didn’t want to think of her as his mate. Not if she ended up rejecting him. Now that they were back in this realm and she had time to think about what a monster he was, he knew it was a possibility.