Midnight's Master (13 page)

“He seems to like her.” He pressed a kiss to her shoulder.

Cara pushed him back, forcing Todd down against the pillows with only the weight of her hand against his chest. “You’re trying to distract me.”

“I’m trying to make love to you.” He smiled, but she saw the shadows and secrets in his eyes. “There’s a difference.”

Her lips firmed. Just get it out there. “This is about those demons who’ve been killed, isn’t it?” He was shutting her out because it was a case, one that might hit too close to home for her.

After all, she was a demon, too.

“I can’t tell you that, Cara.”

“You just did.” A shiver slid over her. “What the hell is going on? Is someone really hunting demons in this city?” That was the rumor she’d heard at Paradise. It’d come from Marc, with a warning to watch her back and to stay away from any…humans.

Dammit. “Do I need to be worried?”

His jaw clenched. “I’d never let anything happen to you.”

Understanding dawned. “Is that why you’ve had that charmer cop tailing me for the last two days?”

“Hel . Tagged him, did you?”

A nod.

“I love you,” Todd told her quietly as he lifted her hand from his chest and brought her fingers to his lips. “And I might be an asshole sometimes—”

She snorted at that.

“—but your safety comes first with me, always.”

So he’d given her a bodyguard. “Tell me next time.” Kinda cute, really, that he thought she needed a bodyguard. Todd was still so new to this game. He forgot how strong she could be.

How deadly in her own right.

Especially if she was fighting a human.

For a moment, his face turned stark. “I hope to hell there’s never a next time like this.”

She wondered just what he’d witnessed at his crime scenes. Wondered about the calls that had come and taken him from her bed.

Her cop. Always trying to be a hero.

A girl could easily lose her heart to a guy like him—she sure had.

“Is Niol in danger?” She couldn’t keep the worry out of her voice. She and Niol went back too far for her to pretend about him.

Todd’s lip curled. “I pity the bastard who makes the mistake of going after him.”

She thought about that for a moment. Remembered the stench of burning flesh.

Then gave a small nod.

Something she’d learned over the years—Niol was one hard bastard to kil and one very fine predator.

Niol was, quite possibly, the best lover she’d ever had.

Oh, screw that. Holly opened her eyes and gazed up at the ceiling. He was one hell of a lot better than the other five guys she’d been with in her thirty-one years.

Fan-damn-tastic.

She licked her lips, realized they were desert dry, just like her mouth, and swallowed before she said, “When can we do that again?”

Though, not necessarily against the wall, because her back and ass were hurting a bit, but…

That had been one wild ride.

His head raised from her shoulder.

He smiled at her. A smile that made her heart do a weird little flutter.

The darkness in his eyes, it almost seemed to lighten, just for a moment.

And the cock inside her stiffened.

Her sex shivered.

I’d like more.

But Niol was pulling back and Holly couldn’t control the moan that slipped from her lips at the slow glide of his flesh. Good.

Niol eased her legs down and lowered her body to the floor. A chill skated over her.

A flicker of doubt had her swallowing. Maybe the fantastic sex hadn’t been so great for him. The guy’d had a stream of lovers in his life, she knew that.

Rumor was he’d lost his heart years ago to a succubus. Wasn’t like she could really compete with a sex demon in the buck-naked category and—

“Shower or bed?”

The words were a rumble, thick with lust and sensual demand.

The worrying voice in her head faded to a whisper. Holly blinked. “I—ah—”

His jaw clenched. “Bed.”

Niol’s hand lifted and he pointed toward the stairs. “First room on the right.” He glanced down at his body. “I’ll ditch the condom, then meet you there.” His mouth took hers. A deep, toe-curling kiss.

When she turned to walk away from him moments later, her legs weren’t quite steady.

She held onto the banister as tightly as she could. Her thighs trembled and her sex throbbed, the flesh swollen and…hungry.

Still hungry for him.

Once hadn’t been nearly enough. Good thing they had the rest of the night and that he seemed as wild for the sex between them as she was.

“Fucking gorgeous.”

The snarl stopped her near the top of the stairs. She glanced back down. Niol gazed up at her, completely naked now. So much tanned flesh. The condom was gone and his cock stood fully erect. His eyes were on her, his face a tight mask.

Then he licked his lips and she almost did a header off the stairs.

Niol smiled and began to stalk her.

A whip of fire fueled her blood.

He was coming up the stairs, fast.

Two at a time. Three.

He’d be on her in seconds.

In her.

She sprinted for the top, adrenaline kicking through her.

At the landing, she glanced to the left. The room was dark, lit only by the stars and moonlight that shone through the massive windows.

She could see the bed. A tall four-poster.

Holly kicked out of her high heels. Shimmied out of her skirt and—

Strong arms locked around her from behind. Pul ed her against a rock-hard chest, imprisoning her in a steely grip. His cock nudged against her ass.

His fingers took her breasts. Curling around the nipples, squeezing, caressing.

Her breath choked out and her head sagged against him.

Niol growled and locked his mouth onto the column of her throat.

Heat flooded her core. Holly’s legs shifted restlessly. That bed was so close…

One hand slid over the curve of her stomach.

She stopped breathing.

His fingers, so perfectly broad and strong, trailed down her abdomen. Pushed through the red curls that shielded her sex.

There was no tender searching this time. No play. No fondles.

Her legs parted.

His fingers, two, drove knuckle-deep inside her.

Holly gasped his name and strained against him.

In. Out. The fingers plunged in a wild rhythm.

His teeth scored her neck.

Oh, damn, oh, damn, oh, damn…

She was going to come again. Holly could feel it. The tight, clenching buildup. The aching rush of blood in her muscles. So close—

Niol wrenched his fingers away. “Get on the bed.” Guttural. An order.

Please—like she was gonna argue when another mind-blowing orgasm was seconds away.

“On your back, get—”

Now, she’d argue. “On yours, demon.” She shook her head, sending her hair rocking against her face as she climbed onto the bed and waited.

His gaze held hers. So black and deep.

Not evil. Not cold.

How had she ever thought that?

Such fire in the darkness. Such need.

He jerked open the nightstand drawer. When she heard a faint rip, Holly knew he was suiting up with another condom.

A man with serious stamina—what a perfect dream.

The bed squeaked beneath his weight. Holly slid away from him, on her knees now as she waited for him to follow her order.

His taunting smile was a white flash that made her heart pound too fast, but he stretched out, folding his hands behind his head. “You want me?”

Hel , yes.

“Then take me.”

A taunt. A challenge.

She’d always loved a good challenge.

Holly straddled him, positioning her wet folds right over the bulging length of male flesh. Her nails raked over his chest. Teased his nipples.

She arched her hips, rubbing lightly. Not taking him in, not yet.

Enjoying the game too much.

Her head bent and her tongue swiped over his left nipple. The nubbin was hard and erect and when her tongue touched him, she heard the harsh inhalation of his breath.

“In…side.”

Another order.

One the clenching of her sex wanted her to follow.

But…not yet.

She turned her attention to his other nipple and rocked her hips again.

He moved in a blur, hands flying down, almost bruising as they curled around her hips.

“No play, love.” His lips peeled back from his teeth. “Not…this time. Too fucking hungry.”

Even after the first—

Oh, wow.

His cock pushed into her opening. Squeezed just inside.

The heavy, too-tight feeling rushed over her again, but she was more than ready and after a brief moment, the ful length of his erection slipped right inside, seeming to drive all the way to her womb.

He lifted her with his grip, slid that cock out, then pushed her down in a relentless drive.

Again and again.

Holly didn’t need his urging. She shoved down on him as hard and fast as she could, the climax again tantalizingly close.

The slick slide of their bodies pushed them toward a wild release.

Deeper.

Faster.

Harder.

Her hands were on his chest, pushing down with her weight as her hips rose and fell and she rode him with all her power.

His eyes were closed, jaw clenched.

Never, not like this, not like—

When she came, she breathed his name and she shattered. The starlight disappeared for a moment. Darkness seemed to surround her and the thudding drumbeat of her heart echoed in her ears.

He shot up beneath her, rocking her body. Holly blinked and saw his face.

Tense. Savage.

His hips hammered at her, and the long length of his shaft jerked inside her sex.

Niol’s eyes widened with his release and she saw the pleasure flood his features.

Then he kissed her.

She was lost.

Dammit, lost.

And in the worst trouble of her life.

W hen Holly woke the next morning, sunlight blazed through the windows, too bright and hard, and she blinked, trying to adjust her eyes to the sight and remember where she was because this was not her room and—

And a tongue licked over her sex.

Holy mother of—

She shoved up on her elbows as memories of the night before flooded back through her mind.

Niol.

Sex downstairs.

Sex upstairs.

More sex.

Oh, yeah.

His black head was between her thighs. One strong hand held each leg spread. Open wide.

He was tasting her. Licking. Taking his time. Sucking. Stroking with that clever tongue.

He growled against her core and the vibration had the back of her knees tingling.

His tongue thrust inside her.

Damn.

She climaxed. A hot, hard explosion that broke through her body.

Her eyes were on him as she came. His head lifted. He licked his lips, taking the last of her essence into his mouth. That wicked tongue—

His eyes widened as he stared at her and she could only shudder.

What a hell of a way to start the day.

So much better than her clock radio.

And that hadn’t even given her any bad memories. Hadn’t made her think of—

No. She wouldn’t go there. Not now.

As the contractions of her inner muscles faded, she reached for him. The guy was more than ready to go, definitely aroused and turnabout was more than fair—

“What the fucking hell?” Niol’s eyes narrowed to chips of black ice. He shot up the bed, grabbing her arms and glaring down at her.

Holly’s mouth dropped open. Tender lover to pissed demon in two seconds flat. “Niol, what are you—” His fingers dug into her arms. “You’re hurting me!” And he was. A too tight, too hard grip.

His hold eased, just a fraction, but the look on his face became even darker. Uglier.

“What kind of game are you playing?”

Was the man insane? Holly could only shake her head. Her body still vibrated with pleasure. Her thighs trembled and Niol looked at her like he hated her.

Great sex. Best night of pleasure ever.

Now the morning from hell in a split-second change.

Was this what life with a demon was like?

“Answer me. I see you now.”

Uh, he should have seen her the entire time. Her chin came up. “Take your hands off me.” She wasn’t sure what was happening, but she was getting…scared.

Her heart wasn’t racing from passion anymore. No, that pumping came from fear.

Because the air in the room had thickened again. The lamp on the nightstand was shaking as if—

The lamp exploded, sending shards of glass flying in the room.

Holly yelped and jerked away from Niol.

“I see you,” he said again, a muscle jerking along his jaw.

“Yeah? Well, big damn deal.” She jumped from the bed, yanking the sheet up and wrapping it around her body. Being naked was al fine and dandy until your lover had a freak-out after some oral sex.

She could pick ’em. “I see you, too, asshole.” Every muscled, naked, furious inch of him.

No, uh-uh, not gonna get distracted. The guy was flipping out—and she needed to get out.

She turned, storming for the door.

“You’re a demon.” Soft.

Her jaw dropped. No way. No. Way. Holly glanced over her shoulder. “What is your problem? You know I’m—”

“I saw your eyes when you came, love.” Not a term of endearment then. More of a sneer. “Can’t hide anymore.” The mirror near the closet shattered.

She shook her head. “That’s impossible.” Not the broken shards of glass. His accusation. “I’m human.”

“Fucking lie.”

And she realized that sex with a demon could be very, very dangerous.

Niol bounded across the room and locked his arms around her.

He was losing control.

Niol knew it. He could barely hear Holly’s voice, telling him he was crazy, that he was screwing up what could have been something great—

All he heard was the thundering beat of his heart and the roar of fury that came from his soul.

Demons had souls. Demons could love.