“Thanks for the offer, but I am not staying here.” She turned to walk out of the room.
He caught her arm and turned her around. His eyes darkened, revealing his true nature. She wasn’t shocked. His eyes were entirely black. Cold. Merciless. He stared at her, his jaw set in a stern scowl. The son of a bitch couldn’t hide behind his mask of civility for forever. No demon could. “You’re not leaving me.”
“You?” She knew better than to waste her breath by telling him he couldn’t keep her against her will. He could. He could and would do whatever he wanted. She couldn’t fight him. Demons had far too much power. Her only option was to appease him for the time being. She simply needed to make him believe she was too weak minded to consider escaping. Eventually, his pride would kick in and he would let his guard down. First things first. She couldn’t stand his touch. She glanced at his hand on her bicep. “You’re hurting me.”
He released her at once. “I am sorry.”
“I am sure you’ll get over it in no time.” Unable to stand looking at him any longer, she turned away from him.
“I don’t expect, and I won’t accept anything in return for the room.”
She faced him, realizing he didn’t plan to leave her alone until she convinced him that she believed him. “I understand. Thank you.”
He observed her as if waiting for her to argue with him. “I can’t allow you to go. It’s not safe.”
“I understand.” When tangling with a demon, the path to freedom was deception. He needed to believe she’d given in to his will.
“Like hell you understand.”
“I do.”
“You might as well stop acting.”
“What are you talking about?”
“I know you think you’ll get away from me by pretending to give up.”
“You're messing around in my head?”
“Not at all. I can see it in your eyes.” He paused. “This isn’t my first war.”
“I don’t have any way to…”
“I don’t expect you to repay me in any way for anything. You’re in trouble. I want to help you.” He paused. “I need to help you.”
“Why?”
“It’s what I do.”
“You rescue possessed, homicidal women that stab you and put them up in luxury hotel suites?”
“Forget the suite. It’s nothing. I have more money than I’ll ever be able to spend. I destroy immortals with malice intentions toward mortals and lesser immortals.”
She knew he wasn’t bragging about being wealthy. He was merely stating a fact. “Like a judge and executioner.”
“I’m know you’ve spent enough time with the worst of my kind to understand why I choose to stop dangerous supernatural beings from wreaking havoc. They don’t follow human laws. They need to be destroyed.”
“I know.”
“Give me a chance to prove I am not your enemy.”
She felt a small bit of shame. She judged him after he’d helped her. “I know you aren’t my enemy. It’s not you. Not really. It’s me. It’s what you can do. It’s what I can’t do. I don’t stand a chance against you. I am too aware of what you can do to me if I piss you off or if I fail to repay you for your generosity.”
“I wouldn’t retaliate against you for anything.”
“Really? Do you remember having a not so little tantrum over deciding to save me from burning to death?”
“I was mad at myself because I couldn’t allow any harm to come to you.”
“Gee. I hate to disappoint you, but that’s not as comforting as you seem to think it should be.” She laughed. “I want to believe you, Adam. It’s just too hard. I have no way to defend myself against you. I am at a total disadvantage.”
“You will never need to defend yourself against me.”
“I want to believe you, Adam. Too much has happened. I’m too…I don’t know how to make myself trust you.”
“You’re afraid. I don’t want you to force yourself to trust me. Give me a chance to earn your trust.”
“I’ve lost everything. I’ve lost myself. I would rather die than kill anyone for him again.” She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “I don’t want to be owned.”
“I don’t want to own you.” He smiled. “But feel free to stake your claim on me if the urge strikes you.”
“I understand why you want me to stay. I know you want what’s best for me. I don’t know if I will ever be able to trust you, but I am willing to try.”
“Thank you. I need to take care of a few things. If you need or want anything from the hotel just charge it to the room.” He handed her a phone and a money clip. “Take this in case you need cash for anything.”
“This is great.” She smiled at him. “It looks like more than enough money to make a run for it.”
“I won’t stop you from running, but that doesn’t mean I won’t follow you.”
~ FOUR ~
Gabe Serafin regained his physical form in a dark corner of the hotel’s parking garage. With a wave of his hand, he renewed and strengthened the protection he’d placed on Larissa Farley’s BMW Hurricane. It was a hell of a fast car and more than once he noticed she didn’t shy away from fully utilizing its power. Of course, regardless of what she was driving, he would’ve ensured her safety.
As he made his way toward the elevator, he realized his obsession with her had morphed into something much more powerful and demanding. He couldn’t wait to see her again. He’d traveled and explored the world for hundreds of years, but he’d never crossed paths with a woman able to completely capture his attention. He never sought out an opportunity to have anything to do with anyone. Now, despite knowing he could never have her, he was always touching her mind.
He stepped into the elevator and turned to push the button for the lobby. He had many things on his mind. Each thought, in one way or another, revolved around Larissa. He was headed up to the lobby hoping to catch a glimpse of her. As soon as the doors closed, he looked at his reflection in them. He pushed his hair back and then straightened his tie and his suit jacket.
His most volatile side, his firedragon, was continually reaching out to her, wanting to connect with her intimately. It was beyond odd. In truth, he had never experienced anything like it. His dragon never sought out an opportunity to have anything to do with anyone. He needed to get the hell out of town before something terrible happened. And it would, if he failed to get away from her. One mistake could kill her. Being a firedragon, he naturally avoided contact with humans because he was lethal to them.
When he exited the elevator, he glanced around for her but didn’t see her. He reached for her, touched her mind, and found her in the elevator on the opposite side of the lobby. He moved a few feet to the right to allow himself to have a better view of her. As he waited for the door to open, his heart rate increased. He couldn’t imagine leaving her. He’d never actually talked to her, but he wasn’t sure he would ever have the strength to let her get away.
Holding his breath, he watched her exit the elevator and walk across the lobby toward the front desk. He loved to watch her. He often went out of his way to check in on her, to observe her. She was a confident woman. A professional. A woman who held power and authority over others. He often found himself losing time as he stared at her and studied the way she moved.
He was a mess. He couldn’t go long without seeing her. No matter what he was doing, he constantly found his mind searching for her, checking up on her. Wanting, needing to touch her mind, to know she was well. He’d wanted to approach her many times. He’d never felt so entirely drawn to a woman, to anyone. It bothered him. It scared him. In fact, he wanted to return to Russia to escape his growing obsession with her. He needed to run from her before he hurt her. She stirred something in him. Something he didn’t understand. Something wild and dangerous.
Earlier that day, he caught her watching him, fantasizing about him. He didn’t even try to breach her mind. She’d unknowingly pulled him right
into her fantasy. And it was wonderfully vivid. Sensual. Erotic. Now, adding to his overwhelming need to be near her, he was suffering the agony of a constant raging hard-on.
The man behind the counter seemed to purposely brush his hand against hers as he gave an envelope to her. A deep growl rumbled in his chest at the sight of the man touching her. He needed to get in control of his emotions. While walking away from the desk, she opened the envelope and pulled a piece of paper from it. She stopped to read it. She shook her head slightly, her hand trembling. Disbelief. Fear. He sensed her fear. He felt it. It spurred him to take charge. To protect her. To eliminate whatever and whoever caused her to feel threatened.
She glanced around at her surroundings as if expecting to find trouble. Then, her gaze met his, stayed on his for a few seconds, and then she lifted her lips. A smile for him, a smile that went straight to his heart. She took a step as if to approach him, but she stopped and just looked at him for a few more seconds. He felt her inner struggle to look away from him.
“That woman is a fine piece of ass.”
Gabe turned to face Kyle, one of their most recent recruits, rage burning in him. “Go near her and I’ll kill you. Touch her and I’ll make you beg for me to kill you.”
“Relax. I didn’t mean any harm. I am just fucking around.”
“Do it somewhere else.” Later, after he made sure Larissa was okay, he would drag his ass out of the hotel and kill him.
He watched Kyle walk away, but he turned his head slightly to the right to keep Larissa in his sight as she headed toward the stairwell. She was in trouble. He told himself to stay out of it. He needed to stay away from her, but he couldn’t. He wasn’t strong enough to allow her to face a threat alone. He needed to be standing between her and whatever or whoever made her feel threatened. He walked across the lobby, opened the door to the stairwell, and closed it behind him. Uncertain which way she’d went, he closed his eyes and expanded his mind to search for her. The moment he connected to her, her fear and disbelief shook him.
He had a quick vision of her running up the stairs to the roof. He took the stairs, two at a time, driven by an urgent need to get to her as fast as possible. When he reached the exit to the roof he waved his hand over the lock and pushed the door open. The second he walked out onto the roof, he followed her scent to the other side of the building. He found her looking up at the sky. The sound of her muffled sobs, caused his heart to ache. He approached her from behind, deciding whether to allow her to see him or not. In the end, he realized, he didn’t have a choice. He needed her to see him, to hear him, to know him. “Are you okay?”
Startled, she gasped and turned to face him as she wiped her tears from her face with the back of her hand. “What are you doing up here?”
He stepped into the moonlight, allowing her to get a better look at him. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“How did you…oh, it’s Gabe, right?” She visibly relaxed and took a few steps toward him.
He closed the remaining distance between them. “Yes.” He’d never cared about what others thought of him. To see her relax in his presence thrilled him as nothing else could.
She held her hand out to him. “My name is Larissa.”
He feared hurting her, he feared burning her, if he touched her. But he needed to touch her. Holding his breath, he took her hand and shook it. “It’s nice to meet you, Larissa.”
When he released her hand, she turned away from him and tipped her head back to look up at the full moon. “It’s a beautiful view from up here.”
Being close enough to hear her voice, to reach out and touch her, changed everything. “It’s wonderful.” The moon had never caught his interest until he saw its soft glow on her face. She was the most beautiful woman he’d ever encountered. “It’s breathtaking.” He breathed deep, savoring her scent, her presence.
“You think so?”
“Absolutely.”
“I have a cabin off the grid in Samuels, Idaho with the most stunning views of Roman Nose Mountain and the Selkirk range.: This is nice, but it doesn’t compare.”
“Do you go there often?”
“Not as often as I would like.” She looked at him and smiled. “How many times have you snuck up here?”
“This is the first time.”
Her gaze narrowed. “Really?”
“I’ve never had a reason to come up here until I followed you from the lobby.”
“Why did you follow me?” Her gaze moved over his face. She was curious but not alarmed.
“You appeared to be upset when you walked away from the front desk. I wanted to make sure you’re okay.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t think it was noticeable. I came up here to regain my composure before anyone noticed.”
“Don’t apologize. What happened to upset you?”
“Nothing really. I just received some bad news.”
“If you want to talk about it, I happen to be a good listener.”
“No.” She shook her head. “I made a stupid mistake a long time ago. The news I received was just a reminder of it. I would rather forget it.”
He knew it was more, she felt threatened by the news, but he also knew she wouldn’t share it with him. He felt her shame. In any other situation, with any other individual, he would’ve taken the information from her mind, he would’ve compelled her to answer him, but he refused to take anything from her against her will. “Sometimes the past is better left in the past.”
She turned her entire body to face him. “Is that you?”
“That depends on what you are talking about.”
“I’ll tell you, but first I should warn you that I’ll pick you up and throw you off the roof if you laugh at me.”
“I wouldn’t dream of laughing at you, but I would be tempted to pretend if you seriously plan to pick me up and toss me over. That happens to be an experience I would truly hate to miss out on.”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “I’m stronger than I look.”
“And meaner?”
She smiled. “Very much so.”
“But you’re so cute.”
That brought her eyebrow up. “Cute?”
He nodded. “You know you’re sort of little, don’t you?”
“Really?” She lifted her chin and parted her lips in the most adorable lopsided grin. “Feel free to test my resolve.”
Everything in him reached out to her, needed to connect with her. “First, tell me what I am not supposed to laugh at.”
“Sometimes I feel emotions from other people. Many times, I know you’re near before I see you because I feel your sadness. It’s deep.” She moved closer to him. “It’s crushing.” She placed her hand on his bicep. “It’s grief.” He realized, whether she knew it or not, she was attempting to touch his soul with hers, to heal his soul with hers. “You lost someone significant to you.”
Time stopped. Everything in him went completely still as he stared into her eyes.
“Oh, god.” She moved her hand away and took a step back. “I offended you, didn’t I?”
“Not at all.” He laughed. “You just admitted to noticing me.”
“Don’t let it go to your head,” she teased.
“Too late.”
She closed the distance between them again. “I’m sorry.” She placed her palm on his chest over his heart and tipped her head back to meet his gaze. “I am sorry you’re hurting. I know it won’t take the pain away, but I want you to know that I am truly sorry.”
For a few seconds, he couldn’t respond. He couldn’t even take a breath. He stared into her eyes, his heart thundering in his chest. “Thank you.” He didn’t know what else to say. No one had ever acknowledged his pain. No one had ever felt it. While she clearly didn’t believe she possessed the ability to heal him, her compassion soothed his pain and ripped the darkness it had created from his soul. He needed to get the hell away from her, but he couldn’t move.
“If you knew how man
y times I’ve wanted to approach you but chickened out you would laugh at me.” He couldn’t believe he’d made such a pitiful confession to her.
“You’re good.” She laughed softly. “Really damn good.”
“It’s true.”
“I can’t imagine you chickening out over approaching a woman.”
“Have you looked in a mirror?”
“What?” She frowned, shaking her head. “You’re funny.”
“Did I say something wrong?” He went over his words in his head.
“You obviously need to take a good look in a mirror. You’re way beyond good looking. When women look at you they see a totally hot male model in his prime.”
“You like how I look?” He didn’t even care that he was grinning like an idiot.
She laughed. “Very much so.” He heard her phone vibrate, but she didn’t pull it from her pocket to look at it.
Since she was a natural Empath, he opened himself to her to the feel the truth. “You are so beautiful you take my breath away every time I look at you. You are perfection. You are the woman I’ve never dared dream of sharing a moment with.”
She stared into his eyes. She opened her mouth as if to respond but closed it before uttering a word. The seconds went by slowly. “You’re lethal, Gabe.”
“I would never hurt you.”
“Not like that. I meant…damn. You’re seriously dangerous.”
“Not to you.”
“I was referring to a woman’s heart.” She ignored the phone vibrating a second time.
“I know.”
“You’re serious.” She stated, her eyes steady on his. “I don’t know how to respond to you. You’re damn lucky we didn’t cross paths ten years ago.”
“What happened to you ten years ago?”
“Nothing.” Her gaze shifted to the right slightly as if to avoid his. “I just meant that I’ve reached an age in which I have learned to entertain reasonable expectations.”
“What do you mean?”
Her phone vibrated again, but rather than ignore it once more, she took it from her pocket and looked at it. “I’m sorry.” She looked up at him and put the phone in her pocket. “I need to go. Some guests are giving the housekeepers trouble.”
INSATIABLE BREATH OF DARKNESS Page 6
