What a Demon Wants (20 page)

Chapter 21

Ellina made Jude stay at the bar for hours. She danced and talked to the band. Hell, she talked to everyone. And he had to say she was damned adorable doing so.

“So I’ve also created a party animal too,” he teased when they finally got back to her house sometime after one A.M.

She took his hand and twirled around, grinning. “Is that bad?”

“Only if I don’t get you to myself on occasion.” He pulled her in close, and she kissed him.

“All yours,” she promised. She then took his hand again and led him to her bedroom.

And Ellina wasn’t kidding. They stayed in the house for the next three days, doing nothing but making love, cooking, Ellina would work a little, then they’d make more love.

Jude couldn’t remember a happier time in his life.

Nor could Ellina.

“Tonight, I want to show you something,” Jude said as they lounged in her bed, leisurely stroking each other’s bare skin.

“Okay. Is it a surprise?”

“I think it will be, yes.”

“A good one?” she asked, rising up on her elbow to look at him.

“I hope so.”

They finally left.

He’d started to think they’d never leave her damn house again. As it was, Ellina was a pathetic homebody. Even finding the times to get into her house and search for the spell had been a long and tedious process.

And now that she had a lover, she could potentially stay there forever.

But they did go out tonight, leaving in the Neanderthal’s creepy black van, which gave him a chance to set up his new plan. Made all the more delicious because she’d come running to him, thinking he would protect her. And protect her from whom? That was the really fun part.

He walked into the guest room and began searching. He found what he was looking for almost immediately. Not even hidden. How silly of the Neanderthal. Oh, wait, he was a Neanderthal—he shouldn’t have such high expectations for the poor oaf.

He placed the item in his backpack.

And now came the second part of the plan. Time to do a little planting. He pulled a few things from his bag. Now where to sow the seeds? He looked through the room, trying to decide.

It had to be a believable place. His duffel, perhaps. But the oaf might find it before silly Ellina did. He looked under the bed.

Ah-ha. He pulled out a case, lifting it onto the bed. Unzipping it, he let out a low whistle. Wow, this was some serious artillery.

A shotgun. A Glock. Damn.

This seemed like just the place to hide his goodies. In something that was already in hiding.

He chose a pouch on the outside, one that the Neanderthal clearly didn’t use.

He carefully zipped it back up and slipped it under the bed, making sure it was in the same position that the oaf left it in.

This was brilliant. And so much fun. Because he could take down two idiots for the price of one.

“So do you actually live in this van?”

Jude thought from what was stored in there that was pretty clear. But he just nodded.

“On occasion.”

Ellina swiveled in her seat to survey the back. “Why? Don’t you want a permanent place?”

“I have had some homes over the centuries. You know, before vans.”

She studied him. “Where? I always spill to you. You still don’t spill much.”

Jude looked incredulous. “What do you mean? I told you about my childhood. My different jobs.”

Ellina shrugged. “Vaguely. I want more details. Where was your last permanent residence?”

“I lived in New York City for several years.”

“Really? Why did you leave?”

“I got disillusioned.”

“About what?”

He hesitated, then decided that if he’d expected Ellina to trust him, he needed to be able to offer her the same thing. “I was the member of group there. I was the vice president, actually. It was called SPAMM.”

“Spam?”

“The Society of Preternaturals Against the Mistreatment of Mortals.”

“Well, that sounds like a pretty respectable, and wordy, cause. Why did you become disillusioned?”

“Because one of the members was actually using the group to get to humans and kill them. That’s when I started to question if there is any point to trying to deny who we are.”

“What do you mean?”

Jude paused, not sure he should tell her this. Their relationship was still new, and his past was less than lily white. She might not understand.

“I’ve always been a fighter,” he finally said.

Ellina was silent, and he got the feeling she didn’t know if she wanted to know more either.

“What kind of fighter?” The question was asked, but he sensed her concern.

“You name it, and I’ve probably done it. Bodyguard, boxer, heavy for a loan shark. I worked for the mob.” He glanced at her to see if this was okay. “In those jobs I only hurt people who’d hurt other people. But I’m still not proud.”

She stared straight ahead at the road.

“What did you do before becoming what you are now?”

“I was a gladiator. I was one of the few who was not a slave or convict. I fought because I wanted to and I could make good money.”

She was silent for a long time. “You had to kill people as a gladiator, didn’t you?”

He nodded. “I did. I’d like to tell you I didn’t, but that would be a lie. And the truth is back then I was a young punk, really. Hungry for success and fame. And I was good. Then I met this group of gladiators who assured me that they had the secret to winning forever.

Winning forever? I wasn’t going to pass that up.”

He put on his blinker and turned right onto a small road off Frenchman’s Street. He pulled the van over and put it into park. He turned in his seat to look at Ellina.

She looked both curious and scared. She waited for him to continue. So he did, praying she’d understand.

“So that lure of strength and immortality kept tugging at me. Livia told me I shouldn’t get involved. She believed that with anything like great success or great riches, there was an even bigger price to pay.”

He took a deep breath. “And of course, she turned out to be right. Except the price ultimately was paid by her. Not me.”

“How so?”

“Well, she died because I wasn’t there. Once I crossed over, I was obsessed with being the most celebrated gladiator of the time. It was like using steroids—except more powerful, of course. I began to do basically the circuit. Traveling, fights, more fights. That was my life.”

“What did Livia do?” Ellina asked.

“Waited for me. Before I came so obsessed, we had a good relationship. We wanted a family and land and a little money. But somewhere along the way my priorities became warped.”

Ellina understood that. Hadn’t she seen that in her own family? “That happens. It doesn’t make you a bad person.”

“I was away when she died.” His voice grew rough and his eyes distant, like they had in the hospital. “I only saw my son for four days before he passed too.”

She reached across the armrest and took his hand. “I know you feel guilt, that’s understandable. And you wanted to be there, but would things have gone any differently?”

Jude shook his head. “I couldn’t save them. Livia would never have crossed over.

She was too principled for that. And Justus was too young.”

She squeezed his fingers, then brought them up to her lips and kissed them. He’d just told her those hands had killed, but she couldn’t believe he’d do that now.

He was too kind. Too fair. He’d changed. She believed that.

“I know if you could have saved them, you would have.”

They sat staring at each other for a few moments.

Then Jude forced a smile at her that didn’t quite meet his eyes. “I have something I want to show you.”

Jude came around her side of the car and he took her hand as she hopped down from the vehicle. Together, they walked down the uneven sidewalk surrounded by quaint New Orleans–style homes and shops.

Finally they reached a beautiful restaurant with a courtyard and floor-to-ceiling windows that could be opened during the summer to create a full open-air dining area.

“This is beautiful. Too bad it’s closed.”

Jude nodded. “It won’t be for long. I know the owner. He’s an old member of SPAMM, himself. He has no interest in the place, and he’s selling it to me.”

She turned to stare at him.

“This is what you are going to put Maksim’s money toward.” She grinned. “That is perfect.”

Jude shook his head. “I can’t take Maksim’s money. I’m involved with you—which so goes against employee/employers guidelines.”

She made a face. “Whatever.”

She walked up to the window and peeked inside. The place really was wonderful.

The tables were still there and just in need of new tablecloths. She could easily see Jude running this place. Cooking. That would be perfect for him. And he could stay right here in New Orleans. With her.

She walked around to see the courtyard better.

She found a little break in the courtyard’s shrubbery fence and slipped inside.

“Ellina,” Jude called in a whisper. “What are you doing?”

She stuck her head of where she’d just entered. “Come on. I want to take a peek.”

Jude glanced around to be sure they were alone, then followed her, although wedging through the shrubs wasn’t as easy for him as it was for her. But he made it in.

She waited for him and they started walking together. The courtyard wasn’t huge.

Maybe it would sit ten tables of four, but a portion of it would be left as a garden. There was a fountain and a few benches.

Ellina sat on one of the benches, patting the concrete, silently inviting him to join her. He did, sitting close to her.

She placed a hand on his knee and leaned her head on his shoulder. The small garden was quiet and the sun had nearly set, surrounding them in the blue light of twilight.

Her hand moved on his leg, and the prickling of electricity swirled around him.

He wasn’t surprised when she said, “Don’t you think we should christen your new restaurant?”

Chapter 22

“I’m not sure if sex in a restaurant would be approved by a health code inspector.” His hand moved up her thigh, feeling her heat through her jeans.

Ellina laughed, the pretty sound filling the courtyard, making it seemed more magical. “Well, we won’t do it on the kitchen counters or in the walk-in fridge.”

Jude smiled, his hand moving upward, but she caught his fingers and motioned for him to shift.

“Straddle the bench,” she said. He did, waiting for her to continue. Her fingers moved to the button of his jeans. She leaned in and kissed him, her soft lips nibbling. She flicked the button open, then moved to the zipper. The metal rasped as she lowered it.

Then her hand found his already rigid penis. She smiled as she curled her fingers around his girth, liberating him.

“You are a big boy,” she said, and he wasn’t sure if that was addressed to him or his cock. But he let his cock answer, as it pulsed eagerly in her palm.

She lowered her head and kissed the tip. Her fingers ran up and down the sensitive underside. She licked the head, her tongue warm and raspy. He jumped, electricity surging from him.

He could feel her smile against him.

“You are like a new toy,” she murmured, licking him again.

He pulled in a shuddering breath. He liked being her new plaything. Again her tongue darted out and lapped all around the top, like he was a lollipop. His hips rose up from the bench and she responded by taking him as much of him as she could in her hot, wet mouth.

He groaned low in his throat as she bobbed her head over him, her mouth moving over the top of his shaft, her hands stroking down below. God, nothing had been so wonderful as this woman surrounding him.

As always with her, his arousal became possessive. Suddenly just being in her mouth wasn’t enough. He had to be buried deep inside her. The wolf in him. Claiming his mate.

“Stand up,” he said, his voice low, little more than a hungry growl.

“Don’t you like this?”

“I love it, but I’ve got to be inside you.”

She didn’t hesitate. She stood, her own hands going to her jeans. She undid the fasteners, then pushed the jeans and her panties to the ground. He directed her to also straddle the bench.

But he didn’t let her sit. He placed his hand between her spread thighs, stroking her.

“Mmm, you are so wet, sweetheart.” He dipped his finger into her moist heat. With each plunge of his finger, she grew wetter and wetter.

His hands moved to the hem of her shirt, and he pushed it off over her head. Then he stripped her of her bra. She didn’t falter at being outside and totally nude. In fact she seemed to be reveling in it. Her skin was totally red and iridescent in the moonlight. She shimmered and shone as her body writhed under his touch. Her skin was like living velvet under his palms.

Then Jude removed his hand, pushing her to sit on the bench. He laid her back and positioned himself over the top of her.

Ellina arched her back, her breasts rising up, firm and round and perfect.

He spread her thighs wider and lowered his head, lapping his tongue over her core, pleasuring her as if he were her minion.

The idea oddly excited him.

“You are my demon goddess.”

She laughed, the laugh changing to a strangled whimper as he suckled hard on her clitoris.

Her hands moved through his hair, knotting there, pulling.

He fed from her, tasting her essence until finally he felt the quaking under his tongue, the building explosion.

She cried out, convulsing under him, but he didn’t even let the orgasm finish before he entered, hard and swift. She pulsated around him, squeezing him, urging him to join her.

Her legs came around him, pulling him tighter and deeper. With every stroke, his body seized with pleasure. He plunged deeper, wanting to be closer still. Wanting to reach the place where neither existed alone.

Then his release hit him, coming so hard he couldn’t breathe, all he could do was focus on his reaction to her, his surge deep into her core.

She cried out again, joining him.

He collapsed on her, his body limp as if she’d stolen all the energy from him.

When he finally lifted his head, his demon lover was gone—replaced by his sweet angel. And he wondered how he’d lucked out getting a woman who was both.

It was on the tip of his tongue to tell her he loved her, but he hesitated. What if it was too soon for those words, even though he knew, for him anyway, they were true?

Instead he rose up and took her hand to help her up.

“Want to eat now?” he asked with a smile.

She grinned at him, pleased with what they’d just done.

“Yes. I’m ravenous.”

Ellina woke early the next morning. Jude had taken her to a wonderful little restaurant on Dauphine. They’d eaten crawfish and jambalaya. They’d come home and had another perfect night. She knew this was all going so fast, but she had to admit, it also felt right.

She’d never been as free with anyone.

She could feel her cheeks burning just thinking about her behavior in the courtyard of the restaurant he planned to buy.

What had gotten into her? Jude had taken to calling her his angel and demon. And around him, she had to admit she could be both, which was quite liberating.

She pushed up in bed to see that Jude was already up. That was the one odd thing about the man. He didn’t sleep. Couldn’t sleep.

It made her feel guilty when she promptly dozed off after a particularly energetic round of lovemaking. But he assured her that made up for all the men in the world who were doing that very thing to their women.

She’d laughed, supposing that was true enough.

A clatter of a pot sounded in the kitchen and she knew what Jude was doing. All the way around, he was spoiling her. Delicious food. Delightful sex.

She stretched her arms over her head. More than delightful sex. Perfect sex.

Everything about this man was perfect.

Funny, that had been her very first opinion of him, and then he’d promptly changed her mind. And now, here she was back to her original assessment.

There was something to be said for following one’s gut instincts.

Just then her cell phone ran. She crawled out of bed to see Pete’s number on the screen.

“Hi Pete,” she greeted, stretching again.

“Hi Ellina. Are you alone?”

She frowned. “Jude is here, but I’m in the bedroom and he’s in the kitchen.”

“Okay, good. I have something odd to tell you, and it’s just a hunch. Nothing that really points a finger to anyone or anything.”

“What is it?”

“Well, yesterday afternoon, I was walking Mrs. Neiderman’s dog, you know that little poodle-y thing she has. Anyway, I was walking down the alley beside your house and I saw a shirt on the ground near that Dumpster two houses down from yours.”

“A shirt?” she asked. Why was he telling her this?

“Yes, I think it was your shirt?”

Why would her shirt be in a Dumpster?

“You know, your Rolling Stones one with the lips.”

Ellina paused. That was the one that had those powder stains on it. The one that was in the guest room.

“I don’t think it’s mine, but did you pick it up?”

“No,” Pete said. “It was all disgusting and unsalvageable. But when I saw it, I started thinking about the shirt you told me about—the one you wearing during the attack—and I started to wonder if that could be it.”

Ellina didn’t speak.

“I just think you should be careful. Especially with Jude. He seems nice, but you barely know him.”

“I appreciate your concern,” Ellina said. But she wasn’t sure she did. She didn’t like what her friend was implying about the man she loved.

“Just keep aware.”

“I will,” she promised. “Talk to you later.”

“And don’t hesitate to come over to talk to me if you need a sympathetic or impartial ear.”

“Okay, Pete. Bye.”

She hung up, not liking that conversation at all.

Setting down her phone, she headed into the bathroom. Once in the room, she kept glancing toward the guest room door.

She was sure the shirt was probably in the same drawer where Jude had placed it.

She didn’t need to look; she was sure it was there.

She brushed her teeth, then headed to the kitchen.

Jude greeted her with a big smile, his dimples flashing. “Who was on the phone?

Maksim?”

She shook her head. “Just Pete.”

He nodded, then gestured to the stove. “I just made French toast. Dig in. I’m going to go shower. I managed to get flour all over myself.”

He gave her a quick kiss on the way by, and she noticed dots of flour on his dark shirt.

Just like on hers.

Ellina waited in the kitchen, until she heard the water turn on.

This was stupid, she told herself, even as she headed to the living room and then to the guest room door.

Hesitating, her hand on the door handle, she told herself to just stop.

“Go eat some yummy French toast.”

But instead, she eased the door open.

Everything was the same as it had been since Jude arrived. His duffel bag was beside the bed. His computer bag next to that.

She wandered over to the dresser, running her hand along the top. Then before she could think better of it, she pulled the drawer open.

It was empty.

Her breath caught. She tried the next one. And the next one. All of them. But the shirt wasn’t there.

Why would it be gone?

She listened. Jude was still in the shower.

She went over to his duffel. Maybe he’d put it in there for some reason. But after searching the whole thing, all she found was his clothing.

She checked his computer bag. Nothing.

Maybe he thought he should hide it in case the stalker broke into her place again. She looked in the nightstand drawer, but all that was there were her odds and ends. Books, tissues, a flashlight.

She looked around her, sure it must be here.

The mattress. She lifted the edge and saw there was something there. Gingerly, she touched the thing.

Oh my God, she yanked her hand away when she realized what the item was. A sword. A huge, long sword. A sword that could easily kill someone.

Have you ever killed someone?

Her mind returned to that conversation in the van. Jude had openly admitted he had.

She dropped the mattress, backing away from it and the long, offensive weapon.

She glanced behind her at the bathroom. Carefully, she tiptoed to the door and listened.

Jude hummed, the water sloshing as he was scrubbing away.

Ellina approached the bed again, bending down to peek underneath. To her dismay, there was a black case under there.

Reaching cautiously, she tugged the rectangular bag out and put it on the bed. She stared at it like it was Pandora’s Box. And maybe in a way it was.

She reached out and tugged at the zipper. When it was undone she still just stared at it.

But then she decided she’d better look. Now, while she could.

She flipped the top open and she was greeted by a large shotgun. There were three more Velcro pouches. One held a large gray handgun. The second pouch held a smaller gun, and the third.

She reached in, not touching a weapon. Instead it was a small packet of something and a folded piece of paper. She unfolded the paper and saw it was a spell, in her own handwriting. And in the little envelope, she carefully broke the seal and opened it.

Powder.

She sniffed it, and sure enough, the same scent she remembered from the hospital bathroom filled her nostrils.

She froze as she heard the squeak of the shower tap being turned off. She fumbled with the package and the paper, shoving them in her pocket. She needed to get out of here.

She needed to think about this.

Where to go…?

Pete.