The Darkest Pleasure

by Gena Showalter

CHAPTER SEVEN

 

  HAVING AWOKEN in Reyes's bed alone, another turbulent nightmare swirling in her mind, Danika had realized she couldn't do it. She couldn't stay here, no matter her purpose. Not with Reyes. Just being near him affected her in a thousand different ways, none of them good.

  "The Darkest Pleasure"

  Every time she spied him, hate should have filled her. Hate and rage and violence. But every time she peered into the dark fathomless pools of knowledge and pain that were his eyes, she experienced. . . something else. She drowned, pieces of her dying then quickly reforming for him. Him. Not her family, not her own survival. Him.

  How could she forget her purpose like that? How? Kidnapped all those weeks ago, and now bereft of even the miserly life she'd built, how could she still want to reach out to Reyes? To be held by him? Comforted? Even pleasured? How did he slip into her most private fantasies and rouse her animal needs?

  Not knowing what else to do, she'd sprung from the bed and raced from the bedroom. She'd gotten pretty far, then backtracked, fearing that a wrong turn could land her face-to-face with one of Reyes's friends. Her legs had finally given out, and she'd stopped here at the staircase.

  She wrapped her arms around her middle, trying to conserve warmth. The cold had returned full force, and she shivered. Only one thing had managed to warm her: Reyes.

  "Danika!"

  Speak of the devil - or rather, demon. Reyes's voice echoed through the hallway behind her, panicked and as sharp as a razor. She propped her head against the stair railing, fatigue and dizziness swamping her. I should run. She remained in place. Like a fool, she was eager to see him.

  "Danika!" He sounded closer.

  She didn't waste her time responding. He would find her soon enough. No reason to help him.

  "Dani - "

  Her name trailed off as a gust of air brushed the back of her neck. He must have stopped abruptly. She couldn't see him, even peripherally, but she could feel his heat all the way to her bones. God, he was warm. Her shivers faded.

  Then suddenly he was there, sitting beside her, his thigh brushing hers. Jolts of electricity shot through her veins, running the length of her entire body. She gulped.

  For a long while, they simply sat in silence.

  Finally, she glanced over at him. Her gaze traveled from his mud-coated boots to his ripped jeans. Up his powerful arms, which were resting on his thighs. Three deep grooves were etched into his skin. Blood had trickled and dried.

  He was peering down at the steps, but he must have felt her gaze because he moved his arms behind his back and braced his weight on his elbows, placing his face out of sight.

  "You hurt yourself again," she said, trying to tamp down a wave of concern.

  "It's nothing. "

  "Nothing. " She snorted. "You're the clumsiest man I've ever met. You're always scraped up and bleeding. "

  A pause, then, "Did you think to run from me?"

  "Yes. " There was no reason to deny it.

  "Why?"

  "As if you have to rack your brain for the answer. "

  "No, I mean, why did you stop?"

  Afraid of the truth and too tired to weave a lie, she ignored the question entirely. "Why do you and your friends want to kill my family? You've never given me a reason. To my knowledge, we hadn't insulted you, trespassed or done anything to deserve. . . this. "

  He sighed heavily, wearily. "No, you did nothing wrong. And I do not want to kill you. "

  Whether he spoke true or not, she didn't know. Either way, she reacted. Her heart sped up as though it had just heard the starting shot of a race, beating so swiftly she feared it might burst out of her chest. His voice had been laced with a husky rasp, the words broken. A lump formed in her throat, and she had to swallow it to be able to speak. "That isn't what you said last time. Last time - "

  "We will not speak of last time. It is over. Done. "

  "No. It's not done. " Anger rose inside her, hot and hungry, giving her a flare of strength. She slammed a fist against her knee. Her leg bounced up in reflex. "It will never be done. "

  "Do not hurt yourself, Danika," Reyes said, sounding just as angry as she felt.

  "Funny words coming from you. Last time you threatened me. Told me I would die if you found me. Well, you found me. "

  His head whipped to her, his eyes suddenly piercing all the way to her soul. Dark, sultry, the onyx orbs practically alive. "I said that, yes. I have since proven I cannot hurt you in any way. "

  True. Damn him. Everything inside her softened, and she couldn't stop it from happening. Look away. He's dragging you under again, shifting your thinking. Ruining you. She peered down at the bottom of the stairs. A lush red carpet waited, so thick her feet would never sink to the marbled floor below it. "Your friends still want me dead. "

  "Want?" He laughed, but it was not a pretty resonance. "No. No one wants you dead, but they will do what they must. "

  "And they must kill me?"

  Now he remained silent.

  "And you'll, what?" she insisted. "Let them?"

  Another sigh, this one heartsick. "Have I hurt you, even once?"

  No. "What do you know of my family, Reyes? My grandmother has been - " she nearly choked, did gag " - missing for over two weeks. "

  Reyes reached out, twined his fingers with hers.

  "The Darkest Pleasure"

  Gasping, she jerked her hand away. "We agreed. No touching. " His skin was too hot, and her body too responsive. With only that split-second contact, she'd felt seared to the bone. Her nipples were hard.

  "I do not know about your grandmother, but I. . . I know someone who will. "

  Danika laughed, and like Reyes's, it was an ugly sound. "Yeah. Right. "

  "I spoke true. I would not lie to you about something like this. "

  The seriousness of his tone didn't convince her. The actual words convinced her. Three times she'd interacted with him, and not once had he lied or even stretched the truth. He was blunt, painfully so. Her stomach clenched in hope. . . in fear. What would she learn if she visited this nameless person? That her mother, sister and grandmother were healthy and whole or that they had suffered terribly before dying?

  "Take me to this person. " A command. She faced him, shifting her body until they were chest to chest. Their breath mingled, warm and minty. She inhaled deeply. So deeply she feared he became a part of her. He's been a part of you since the beginning.

  No. I refuse to believe that.

  "I will not take you to him, but I will question him for you. "

  "Hell, no. " She wanted to grab Reyes's shoulders and shake him, but knew that touching him willingly would shatter her composure. "I'm going with you. "

  "I - " He massaged the back of his neck. "No. "

  "You won't talk me out of this and there'll be a fight if you try and force me to stay behind. "

  A long, tired sigh. "Very well. But first, you will eat. You can barely hold up your head. " His gaze roved over her. To his credit, he didn't leer. His expression became guarded, revealing nothing of his emotions.

  "I need to know what happened to them. I won't be able to keep down a single bite until I do. "

  He was shaking his head before the last word left her mouth. "This is non-negotiable. You will eat, shower and then we will go. "

  "Don't tell me what to do! I'm not the same girl I was the first time you abducted me. I will not meekly obey you. "

  "Is that the way you saw yourself before? Meek?"

  She stared at him, incredulous. "Didn't you?"

  "No. I saw a strong, proud woman who did whatever necessary to calm her family and keep them alive. "

  Don't react. Don't you dare react. "I was weak and afraid. Now I know how to defend myself. " The fire in her tone practically dared him to find out firsthand. Stupid of her, since she currently possessed the strength of a newborn. But she wanted him to know there would be consequences for hurting her.

  He n
odded in understanding, but his pensive expression didn't change. "I heard about the human you killed. "

  Human, he'd said, the single word driving home their differences in a big way. Then there was a flash of black and red in her mind, a pained gasp in her ears, concrete burning her palms and knees, pencil snapping, a dying breath echoing, and she didn't care how different they were. She just wanted Reyes to pull her to safety.

  "Danika. "

  Somehow, with only her name, his rough timbre was able to drag her from the mire of the hated memory. She gulped, shook her head. "I don't regret my actions. " She only hoped the words were true. Right now, she was too numb to know for sure.

  "I'm glad. "

  Of course he was - wait. Did he say glad? "Why?"

  "He meant to hurt you. You did what was necessary to protect yourself. I only wish I had been there. "

  "Well, I didn't protect myself well enough," she said bitterly, then cursed. Bringing up the aftermath and her time with the Hunters wasn't a smart move. Besides, she had a job to do. "How did you hear about what happened? Is there a warrant out for my arrest or something?"

  She'd spoken so quietly, she had to strain to hear herself, yet he answered without pause. "No warrant. No one knows. But what I am about to tell you, Danika, can never be repeated. You hate us. With reason. So arming you with this information is foolish of me. And yet, I want you to know why we've done the things we've done. "

  Suddenly she was terrified of breathing - of stopping him, of allowing him to continue. What dark secret was he about to reveal? He had to sacrifice virgins at every full moon? She was next? Well, news flash. She wasn't a virgin.

  He inhaled deeply, slowly released every molecule. Looked away from her. "I told you the warriors here are not human. What I did not tell you is that every warrior here is possessed by a. . . a demon. " There was shame in the word. "Lucien - do you remember him? - is possessed by the spirit of Death. When your human died, he was summoned. "

  I know, she almost told him, but managed to cut off the words. Except, Stefano had said the men had become the demons, not that they were simply possessed by them. Still, her shoulders sagged as relief pounded through her. Funny that she felt relief at his admission. She didn't have to hide her knowledge now.

  What are you doing? her mind shouted. He didn't know that she knew, and she had to keep it that way. Relief would seem odd. So. . . how should she react to such an admission? Laughter? Screams?

  "The Darkest Pleasure"

  "Demons," she said on a broken catch of breath. What else could she say?

  "Yes. "

  "I - I suspected," she said, opting for a half truth. "Last time I was here, there were things I couldn't explain. Supernatural things. "

  He nodded, and her relief doubled. "I don't want you afraid of us," he said. "We are demons, yes, but we will not hurt you. Not any more than we already have," he added wryly.

  It wasn't a promise of comfort, but she wanted to lean on him, anyway, maybe confess why she was here so he could solve the problem for her. Stupid. How gentle would Reyes be if he knew the truth? That she was here to learn everything she could about him so that the information could be used against him. You're doing this for your family. Don't forget. "I didn't see him that night. "

  Leaning on his elbows again, putting distance between them, Reyes eyed her quizzically. "Didn't see who?"

  "Lucien. When that man died, I didn't see Lucien. " Questions spun through her mind at the same speed Reyes's warmth abandoned her body, leaving her cold and shivering. "You said he was there, that he saw what I had done. "

  "The human did not die in the street, but in a hospital three days later. Had he died that night, though, you still would not have seen Lucien. He is able to remain in the spirit world, unseen as he does his duty. "

  She had to keep him talking. This was exactly the kind of information Stefano desired. Even as the thought filled her mind, there was a spark of guilt in her chest. Guilt? Why? Reyes and his horde deserved to be ratted out. "How is that possible? How does he remain in the spirit world? What does he see?"

  "That is not for me to answer. "

  To press would have been suspicious. Right? Her mind simply wasn't functioning at optimum levels. "You said you are all possessed. Wh-what demon possesses you?"

  He stiffened, his back going ramrod straight. "The men who attacked you, they were Hunters. "

  "Hunters," she repeated. Reyes had just ignored her question as she sometimes ignored his. Perhaps it was better that he didn't answer. Right now, she could almost pretend this was just another dream, her family was safe and the only thing concerning her was whether or not she would finish her next painting on time for her client. She could almost pretend Reyes was a normal man, here to romance her. Almost. "Ashlyn once mentioned them, but at the time we didn't know what they were. "

  "They are a league of men who want us dead. They think the world would be a better place without us. "

  "Would it?" she couldn't help but ask.

  His eyes darkened. "As long as humans have free will, the world will never be perfect. We do not force them to do bad things. They do them of their own volition. " Bitterness dripped from every growled word. "Hunters are disinclined to consider that truth, however. It is far easier simply to blame all their problems on that which they do not understand. "

  What he said made sense, but she didn't let it sway her. Too much was at stake. "Well, you willingly hunted my family. Why? Tell me this time. I deserve to know. Why did you hunt us? What does my family have to do with any of this? With you?"

  "Danika - "

  "I'm begging you. Tell me!"

  He rubbed the spot just above his heart. "The gods ordered Aeron - you remember Aeron?"

  She shuddered, even as her heart drummed excitedly at how close she was to getting answers. No way would she ever forget that man. Soon after her - first - kidnapping, Aeron had been chosen to take her into the city to gather medicine for Maddox's girlfriend - how any woman could be insane enough to get involved with one of these warriors, she didn't know, even though she'd later come to enjoy Ashlyn's company. He'd removed his shirt, revealing a body covered in violent tattoos, and she'd panicked, thinking he meant to rape her. Of course, she had resisted him every time he'd reached for her and he had nearly beaten her for it.

  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.

  "The Darkest Pleasure"

  "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 pau
se 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. "

  REYES CARRIED DANIKA 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.

  "The Darkest Pleasure"

  "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. "