The Darkest Pleasure (10 page)

Reyes had calmed her—how, she still didn’t know—and finally she’d allowed Aeron to gather her in his arms. Wings had sprung from his back and he’d flown her through Budapest.
Flown her.
Just to find her purse and bring Tylenol to the sick Ashlyn.

Danika recalled thinking how odd the men were, a strange combination of ancient and modern. They hadn’t known anything about human medicines, yet they had a plasma-screen TV and an Xbox. They dressed like warriors of old, weapons strapped all over their bodies, yet one of them constantly partied at the local nightclub. They pampered Ashlyn but sought to destroy Danika. The contradictions had confused her. Still did.

“Yes, I remember Aeron,” she finally said.

“The gods ordered him to slay you and your family.”

Her eyes widened, disbelief storming through her. “You’re lying. One, there are no
gods.
Two—”

“There are no demons, either, I’m sure.”

Her mouth opened and closed as she tried to form a coherent answer. Stefano had used the same logic on her. She was sure the two wouldn’t be pleased to know how closely their thoughts had aligned.

“There
are
gods, and they
do
want you dead. The sooner you start believing that, the sooner you can protect yourself.”

“Fine. But why? I’ve done nothing wrong. My family has done nothing wrong.”

“We do not know why. I had hoped you could solve this mystery for me.”

“Sorry, but no.” She laughed again, and this time the sound
was like broken glass being scraped on a chalkboard. “I used to go to church every Sunday. I always tried to be nice to the people in my life and I never purposely hurt anyone.” A pause as the dying man’s visage filled her head again. “I can’t say that now, can I? Until I met you and your friends, I liked to think that I was a pretty decent human being.”

“You are.”

Her gaze narrowed on him. “You don’t know anything about me, and I don’t want you to. I want you to take me the fuck to see the man—” Realization slapped at her and her anger faded to shock. “It’s Aeron, isn’t it?”

Reyes nodded reluctantly.

She nearly vomited at the thought of facing the winged warrior again, but she repeated, “I want you to take me to see him.”

Still, Reyes’s features remained calm, collected. “I have a tray of food in my room. You know what you must first do.”

Grrr! There would be no talking him around. Determination radiated from him. “Fine,” she said, wasting no more time. “I’ll eat.” She gripped the banister and pulled herself up. Her knees quickly gave out.

Reyes’s arm wound around her waist and held her in place. That arm was hot, like a brand.

She hissed at him. Hissing was safer than purring. “I said no touching.”

He didn’t move away from her, but swept her up, cradling her against the hardness of his chest. His heart pounded against her shoulder, strong and sure.

“Let me go.” Her cheeks heated as the breathlessness of her tone registered. “Just let me go. Please.”

“I am afraid I will never be able to let you go.”

R
EYES CARRIED
D
ANIKA
back to his room and eased her onto the edge of the mattress, careful not to disturb the plates resting nearby. She refused to look at him as she scooted away.
She concentrated on the food, reaching out and grabbing one of the sandwiches. The turkey on wheat. She nibbled on it for a while, then popped several of the grapes into her mouth.

Her eyelids closed, ecstasy coating her expression.

He stepped away, palming a dagger then hiding his arms behind his back to sink the tip into his wrist.
Good, so damned good.
All the while, he watched her. She had not reacted to his demon confession as he’d feared. He’d expected terror, screams, even disbelief. Instead, she’d accepted everything, remained calm and hadn’t demanded proof.

That meant she’d already known.

What else had the Hunters told her?

Much as she hated Reyes and his friends, Reyes had a sudden fear that the Hunters had convinced Danika to work with them as Bait. And if she
was
acting as Bait, that meant she’d allowed herself to be drugged. Probably so he wouldn’t suspect what she was. It saddened him, that she might be pushed to such extremes.

Was her job to distract him and lead his enemy inside the fortress? Or was she simply to learn everything she could about him? Because of her earlier questions, he suspected the latter. She’d wanted to know about Lucien’s abilities. She’d wanted to know about Reyes’s demon. Would she relay everything he’d told her to the Hunters?

If something had happened to her family, she
would
betray him, no doubt about it.
Can you blame her?
No, he couldn’t blame her, but neither could he suppress the hurt that came with the thought that she would turn—had turned—against him.

Maddox had nearly killed Ashlyn over these types of suspicions. And if the others thought, even for a moment, that Danika might be Bait, they would demand Reyes slay her immediately—or they would do it themselves.

Except for these past few months, he hadn’t battled Hunters in thousands of years. Still, he remembered the beginning of their blood feud very well. The fights and the deaths, the
screams and the destruction. Theirs, his. Every shadow had been suspect, every stranger a possible assassin.

Reyes hadn’t lived in fear, for he’d been a warrior to the core even then. He’d been cocky and arrogant and sure of his success, in battle and with women. He’d killed without remorse, taken every woman who desired him, showing them the pleasure found in pain, totally unconcerned about the aftermath.

Some had beaten their next partner to powder, some had sought beatings for themselves. All had become shells of their former selves, as desperate for pain as he was.

He would not do that to Danika nor would he let his friends hurt her. No matter what her purpose was. He had worked too diligently to save her, needed her with him too badly, and did not think he could function any longer without her. He would either win her affections so that she would not betray him or stop her from contacting the Hunters.

Decided, he nodded. He just, he couldn’t let her go. She…eased his torment, he realized. Every time he neared her, his need for pain slackened considerably. Not once had he felt compelled to jump from the fortress. Not once had he craved broken bones and shredded organs. A few cuts here and there seemed to be sustaining him. Amazing.

“Thank you. For the food,” Danika offered grudgingly. She popped another grape into her mouth, chewed.

“My pleasure.” Already her color was brighter, her limbs less shaky. Dirt still smudged her cheeks, but the blue veins he’d been able to see before were no longer visible. “When you are done, you will shower.”

She tensed but didn’t face him. “That will just waste time.”

“Does not matter.”

“Does Aeron refuse to speak with unclean women?” she snapped. “I didn’t realize demons had such strict standards of personal hygiene.”

“I want you comfortable,” he said on a sigh. “I want you at
your best, your mind clear. You will need every ounce of your strength. A shower will help.”

That mollified her. “Fine, but I’m not showering with you in the room.”

“A pity,” he muttered.

Finally her bright green gaze sharpened on him. “What was that?”

When she looked at him, no matter her expression, desire always pounded through him. Even now, his shaft swelled and his hands itched to touch her.
You can’t. You know better.
“There are clothes in the dresser. Take anything you need.”

Still watching him, she bit into a grape.

He hardened all the more, lengthened another inch. He could very easily imagine those sharp, white teeth sinking into him again. The pain…the pleasure…a mingling of rapture. His angel would transport him to heaven.

His
angel? Such a dangerous thing to want, yet he couldn’t help himself. Everything inside him screamed that she was his. That they were meant to be together.

He doubted she would agree, and that was for the best.

If she wanted him as he wanted her, how would he be able to deny her? How would he be able to stop himself from taking her? And if he took her, how could he live with himself, knowing he’d ruined her? The demon of Pain
would
corrupt her; she would live only to hurt.

Sadly, the dark musings failed to dampen his arousal.

“I shall return soon.”

Danika’s gaze landed between his legs, and she hastily looked away, cheeks burning bright. She choked on the grape. “Sure. Okay. Take all the time you want.”

If she ever learned the extent of his need for agony and the fact that he lost all hold on sanity without it…if she ever passed that knowledge on to the Hunters…Bad news, all the way around.

He would have to be careful around her. Much as he desired
her, much as he wanted to ease the pain that had become her life, he had to be careful. It was strange, this desire to ease pain rather than cause it.

Sighing, he turned to go.

“Reyes,” she called.

He stopped, faced her. “Yes.”

“I know you,” she said, suddenly sounding shy, “but I don’t really know anything about you.”

“And you wish to know more?”

Reluctantly, she nodded.

Was she truly curious or did she wish to know for the Hunters? He’d thought he had not cared about her purpose, but right then, he wanted
her
to be curious. He wanted her to
want
to learn about him. Because she cared.

“What would you like to know about me?”

She shrugged, traced a finger over the black comforter. Her cheeks heated to a pretty pink. “How long have you lived here? What are your hobbies? Do you have any children? What are your hopes and dreams?”

Innocent enough, he supposed. “I have lived here longer than you have been alive. I have one hobby. Weapons—making them, cleaning them, collecting them. I have no children.” He’d always been afraid of hurting them. Worse, of outliving them because of their mortal half. He pitied Maddox, who might one day know that sorrow. “I dream of—”
You.
“I dream of peace, a life without pain.”

“What—”

“I have answered enough questions to make you now feel more comfortable staying in my room. It is time for your shower. I’ll return in half an hour. Be ready. We will learn what we can about your family.”

“Twenty minutes.” Their gazes met, locked. Hers was filled with determination and…hatred? Of him? Or Aeron? “Return in twenty.”

He nodded, already missing her. “Until then.”

R
EYES STRODE
to Lucien’s private hallway, careful to avoid the other warriors. He was too on edge, his body too hot. All of his strength had been required to leave Danika. Even now, water was probably sliding down her curves, pooling in her navel before dripping into the curls between her legs.

He wondered what she tasted like. Sweet, like the angel she appeared to be? Or wicked, like the devil in her eyes? His demon wondered, too, pacing the pathways of his mind, practically sobbing in curiosity.

“—put Willie in the bedroom next to ours,” Anya was saying, her voice muffled through the door.

Reyes had to strain to hear, his demon growing louder with every second that passed.
Danika.

“I don’t want him here, woman,” Lucien said. “He must leave.”

“I put up with your friends every damn day,” she pouted. “You can put up with mine for a week, at least.”

“
Your
friend tried to kill you.”

There was a whoosh, as if she’d tossed something in the air. “That’s the past. I hardly remember what I did five minutes ago, much less a few weeks.”

“You hate him.”

“Who are you kidding? I love him. We have history. He was my first real friend back in our Olympus days.”

“Woman. He also tried to kill me and I recall you swearing to punish him for the rest of his miserable life.”

“How better to punish him than to have him close to me? Wait, that came out wrong. Look, everything turned out okay, so I’m willing to give him another chance.”

Lucien gave a warning growl. “The warriors will kill him. You’re lucky they have not done so already.”

“Why would they want to slay the man who will divert my attention
away
from them?”

Twenty minutes, Reyes reminded himself, and then he could be with Danika again.

Danika.
It was a pitiful whimper he could not blame on his demon.

Though he didn’t want to interrupt the couple, he knocked on the door.

Their voices stopped abruptly. Footsteps pounded. A second later, the wood swung open and Lucien stood there, frowning at him. Anya peeked over his shoulder and grinned.

“Hey, Painie,” she said. Her arms wound around Lucien’s waist, her ice-blue nails rubbing the skin just above his heart. “What’s happening?”

Jealousy was a hot poker inside him, and he hated himself for it.

Danika.

“I am ready to take you to Aeron,” he said.

A
LIFE WITHOUT PAIN
.

Reyes’s words continued to echo through Danika’s mind after the door closed behind him. What had he meant by that?

She could have pondered it forever, but she doubted the answer would ever come to her.

Finally full and strengthened, and feeling, well, human again, she quickly rifled through Reyes’s dresser, shocked to find women’s clothing. In her size. What the hell? She lifted two shirts and held them out, studying them. They wouldn’t fit the warrior’s extra-large body, so that ruled out cross-dressing.
Either he had a girlfriend Danika’s same height and weight—why did the thought cause her stomach to clench?—or he’d bought them specifically for Danika.

Since they were soft T-shirts, sweaters and faded jeans like those she’d brought with her on her vacation, she suspected the latter and gulped. Why had he done this?

Does the answer really matter?

Gulping again, she gathered a shirt and a pair of pants. Didn’t dare glance at the underwear, just grabbed a bra and pair of panties amid the sea of colorful lace.

She rushed through a shower, the soap and shampoo reminding her of Reyes. Woodsy, sultry, enveloping her in a warm cocoon.
He’s a demon. You can’t forget.

By the time a gentle knock sounded at the door, she was dressed in a gray tee, black sweater and stylishly ripped jeans, wet hair dripping down her back. Some of the dye had washed out, leaving her with a skunklike mane she did
not
want Reyes to see. Didn’t matter what he thought of her, she supposed. Vanity was not something she could afford.

She patted her ankles to make sure the daggers she’d removed from the wall and hidden there were anchored solidly. They were. “Come in,” she called. She braced her feet apart, preparing for war if Reyes had changed his mind about taking her to see Aeron.

The door creaked open and a woman stepped inside, surprising her. She gasped, drawing a honey-colored gaze to her. A second later, the woman was rushing forward with a delighted smile. “Danika!”

“Ashlyn.” Smiling, too, for the first time in what felt like forever, Danika spread her arms and welcomed the best memory she had of this place: her friendship with Ashlyn. Having both been held in this fortress against their will, they’d bonded quickly and for good.

They embraced, both sighing happily. Danika had known she’d missed her friend, but she hadn’t realized how much until now.

“I’ve thought about you every day,” Ashlyn said, squeezing her tight. “What have you been doing with yourself? How are you?”

“Running. And honestly? I’ve been better. How are
you?
”

“Don’t hate me, but I’ve been doing wonderfully, if truth be told.” Pulling back, the sweet woman looked her up and down. Her smile faded into a frown of concern. “You’ve lost weight you couldn’t afford to lose and there are circles under your eyes.”

“And you look amazing. You’re glowing. The men really
have
been treating you well.”

“Like a queen.” Ashlyn paused, studied her again. “Is there anything I can get you? Anything you need?”

“A ticket home. My family. Reyes’s head on a platter. Other than that, no. Nothing.”

Ashlyn’s smile returned, and this time it was laced with feminine knowledge. “Reyes isn’t so bad. He’s intense, but sweet.”

She intertwined their fingers and led Danika to the bed. “Listen, I don’t want you worrying about anything while you’re here. Things are different now. It’s not an all-boys club anymore. Anya and Cameo moved in and are helping to keep the men in line. Have you met them? No? Well, you’ll like them when you do. Together we’ll find a way to save your family, I have no doubt about that. And the guys will help. They have hearts of gold, once you get to know them.”

“I hate to break this to you, Ash, but they’re demons. Real, honest-to-God demons from hell.”

“Yes. I know.”

Danika gaped at her, unsure she’d heard correctly. “You know? And you’re staying with them anyway? Of your own free will?”

“Yes.” Ashlyn looked at her through the thick shield of her lashes. “In fact, say hello to the next generation of demon. Maddox and I are having a baby.” Practically purring with contentment, she rubbed her slightly bulging belly. “I can’t wait!”

“Oh, Ash. Congratulations.” Danika was genuinely happy
for her friend, and wanted only the best for her. “You’re sure Maddox will…”

“He’ll be an amazing father,” Ashlyn said confidently.

If I don’t help bring him down.
She closed her eyes against the new complication. Hurting Maddox would hurt Ashlyn, one of the sweetest people she’d ever met. And what about the baby? What would Hunters do to the innocent child of a demon?

“What’s wrong? The color in your cheeks is fading.”

“Headache,” she lied, rubbing her temples.

“Oh, you poor thing. You’ve been through a lot these past few months. This, however, I can fix. You once flew into town to get me some Tylenol, and now I get to do the same for you.” Ashlyn gave her another tight squeeze. “Actually, there’s some in the kitchen—Maddox stocks it by the truckload these days just in case—so I’ll be right back.”

The bed bounced and footsteps sounded. Hinges squeaked.
I’m in deep. So deep.
Destroying Ashlyn’s life was not a possibility she’d considered, and the thought of doing so sickened her.

But Danika had no opportunity to think of a way to meet her objective
and
prevent Ashlyn’s downfall. The bedroom door swung open a second time, slapping into the wall. Her eyelids pried apart as a warrior she didn’t recognize stepped inside the bedroom. He was tall and muscled like all the others. Yet while they had appeared harsh, savage, he had an all-American face, square jaw and puppy-dog brown eyes.

She jumped to her feet, wet hair dripping down her arms. “Who are you? What do you want? Where’s Reyes?”

“I’m Sabin,” he said, and she’d never heard a more cocky man. He punted the door shut behind him but didn’t move any closer to her. “I came to ask you some questions. And I don’t have any clue where Reyes is.”

“Well, you can leave.” Her fingers itched to grab one of the daggers.
Steady, hold your ground.
No reason to reveal her
secret. Not yet.
You’ve been trained. You know what to do if he attacks: go for the throat, eyes and groin.
In that order.

Rather than leave, Sabin pressed his back against the door and folded his massive arms over his middle. He was a handsome man, in a rough sort of way. Women probably melted for him. She’d rather cut out his heart. “You’re one of them.”

He stepped toward her, caught himself and backed off. Why? “One of who?”

She was surprised by his calmness. His gaze was sharp enough to slice her in half. “The demons.”

“Did Reyes tell you we were demons?”

“Yes.”

Dark eyes gleamed with menace. “I doubt he’d be such a naughty boy. Want to know what I think? You recently spent some time with Hunters. I bet
they
told you.”

“So?”

“So. Interesting that you don’t have to ask me who and what the Hunters are, or what their purpose is.”

Damn it! She raised her chin all the higher. “Again, Reyes told me.”
And he told you never to repeat what he’d said.
Grr!
I will not feel guilty for ratting him out to his friend. And this demon will not make me feel guilty for having been kidnapped by Hunters.

“What did they ask you to do to us, hmm? Tell me and I might let you live.”

Her blood instantly chilled, ice chips crystallizing in her veins. Surely she paled. “They asked me to kill you,” she said, sticking to the truth as much as possible. Less chance of slipping up that way.

His anger softened into surprise, as though he hadn’t expected her to admit such a thing. “Do you plan to try?”

Her eyes narrowed to tiny slits. “Depends on what I learn about my family.”

Expression unchanging, he withdrew a dagger and a rag
from his pocket. Slowly he began polishing the sharp sliver with practiced strokes. “I won’t allow anyone to hurt my friends. Ever.”

Acid burned in her chest. “And I won’t allow anyone to hurt my family.”
Please, let them be all right.
“Is the weapon supposed to scare me?” Well, it worked. Bastard. Not that she’d back down. “You’ll have to try harder than that.”
Please don’t.

“You’re on their radar now, you know?” he said casually, as if she hadn’t spoken. “The Hunters will never leave you alone. And if you betray them to help us, which I doubt you’re willing to do, they’ll hunt and torture you. If there’s anything left of you after I’m done, that is.”

“So I’m screwed either way?” She laughed, another of those ugly sounds. The happiness she’d felt at seeing Ashlyn already seemed a distant memory. “News flash. I had already figured that out, moron.”

His lips twitched. In amusement? Irritation? “You should know that the Hunters’ torturing will seem like child’s play compared to what I’ll do to you if you so much as
look
as if you’re going to fight my friends. They aren’t evil, they aren’t the source of the world’s problems and they deserve to be happy.”

Something in his flat tone struck her. “And you don’t?”

Again, he ignored her. Reyes and company were masters at evasion, she was coming to realize. They answered those questions they wanted to and discarded everything else as if it had never been uttered.

“You should know that my family means everything to me and I will decapitate any immortal who even
thinks
about hurting them.”

“Spoken like a true Hunter,” he said with a shake of his head. “Well, guess what. Cut off their heads and you can kiss your pretty world goodbye. Their demons will be loosed, a source of havoc unlike any you have ever seen.”

“Saving my loved ones is worth any price.”

“I feel the same about mine.” There was another warning in his voice. “I protect mine, though.”

My family is on the run because of me.
The stray thought slithered through Danika’s mind, and she blanched. Was she completely responsible? Maybe she could have done more, fought harder during the abduction.

If they die, it will be my fault.

Tears suddenly burned her eyes. Tears of shame and horror. She
was
responsible. She’d been so scared the night Lucien and Aeron had come to her hotel room, she had frozen. She hadn’t screamed. She had let them bundle her up, gather her family and cart them here.

How could she have been so…passive?

Sabin gave her a look of total understanding. “Perhaps you’ll take care of matters on your own, huh? Save me the trouble.”

Meaning, perhaps she would kill herself. He didn’t know her very well. Suicide would never be an option for Danika. Too vividly she recalled the strain her grandmother’s attempt had placed on her family. She remembered her mother’s tearstained face, remembered seeing her quietly sob in a darkened corner. She remembered the lies everyone had told her, shame whispering in their voices and glowing from their eyes.
Your grandmother had an accident. She’s going away for a few months to recover.

Behind closed doors, they’d said something else entirely.
Why would she do something like that? She has a great life, no reason to end it.

Now that Danika thought about it, that was funny coming from her dad. He’d had a great life, but not long after her grandmother’s breakdown, he’d packed up and moved on to a new one. God, where were these depressing thoughts coming from?

The door suddenly banged closed, jolting her. A scowling Reyes had entered the room, the scarred Lucien on his heels. Seeing her beautiful nemesis, her breath caught in her throat and her traitorous heart skipped a beat.