INSATIABLE BREATH OF DARKNESS

by Candice Stauffer

  “I bet that didn’t go over well. Have you been seeing other guys?”

  “No. I tried. I went on one date. But it was horrible. I am still in love with Caleb. I don’t know why. I need to get over him.”

  “Maybe you two just need a little time apart.”

  “Have you seen Zack?”

  Emily nodded. “He’s always around. He drives me completely nuts.” She laughed. “But I love the hell out of him.”

  “Get away from her.”

  Emily whirled around to face Caleb. “Julie needs to get inside. It’s too cold for her out here.”

  He used the size of his body to force her to retreat until her backside was against the building. “You need to be destroyed before you go too far and kill your sister.”

  “No!” Julie shouted, getting to her feet. “She was helping me, Caleb. Leave her the hell alone.”

  “She was attacked, Caleb. Take her home. She needs to get out of the cold.”

  “You tried to kill her. You don’t give a damn about her being too cold.”

  “She didn’t hurt me, Caleb. I swear she didn’t hurt me. She was helping me.”

  Emily could tell by the look in his eyes that Caleb didn’t believe she was innocent. “She was already hurt when I found her. I only wanted to help her.”

  “You’re a liar.” He shoved her. She landed with her leg twisted beneath her. She knew he wasn’t going to stop. He truly believed that he needed to kill her to protect Julie.

  I need you, Zack. Now. Right now.

  I’m with you. Don’t look away from him.

  She realized Zack would kill Caleb. And, as much as she didn’t like Caleb at the moment, she didn’t want to take him away from Julie. “You need to go, Caleb. Take Julie and get the hell out of here before Zack gets here.” She was so connected to Zack, she could see him. She felt his fury, his fear, tremendous waves of power crashing down all around.

  “As soon as you are no longer a threat to Julie.” He moved toward her. “I am not going to sit back and allow you to kill her.”

  He was picked up by an invisible force and thrown several feet away.

  “Go, Caleb. I’m serious. Zack is coming. He’s close. Get her to safety.”

  Lightning erupted, violently crisscrossing the sky as thunder shook the building. as a gust of wind came up from behind. She turned just in time to see Zack land in a crouch. She felt his rage, she saw it in his solid black eyes, and it was pure evil, it was murderous.

  She held her hand up to stop him. “Wait.” He stopped and looked at her. “Don’t kill him.” She got up and tried to take a step toward him, but her broken leg buckled.

  He turned and caught her before she landed. “Let him go. Please, Zack, let him take my sister home. It’s too cold for her out here. She’s hurt.”

  Caleb was going to die. Zack figured he didn’t need to do it in front of Emily or her sister. “Get her and go. We will settle this later.”

  “Get away from me!” Emily shoved Caleb. “Emily!”

  “Let me down, Zack.”

  “Your femur is badly broken. It will take several hours to fully heal.”

  “I need to let her know I’m okay. Will you help me, please?”

  He nodded, lowering her slowly, carefully until her feet touched the ground. “Don’t try to put any weight on your leg. I have you. Just lean on me.”

  Her lips curved in a smile, a beautiful smile, taking his breath away. “I know. Thank you, Zack.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  “I don’t want to go with Caleb. Take me with you, Emily.”

  “I’m not well right now. Let Caleb take care of you.”

  Julie shook her head. “He hurt you.”

  “I am fine.” Emily nodded. “He was protecting you.”

  “From you? You wouldn’t hurt me. Don’t make excuses for him. He didn’t need to attack you.”

  “He truly thought I would hurt you. Isn’t that right, Caleb?”

  “It’s only a matter of time before you do.” He glared at Zack. “You’re both unstable. You’re both dangerous.” He returned his gaze to Emily. “I want you to stay the hell away from Julie.”

  “Take care of Julie or fight,” Zack growled. “It’s your choice.”

  “This isn’t over,” Caleb said.

  “You’re right,” Zack bit out, between clenched teeth.

  Julie hugged Emily. “Don’t disappear again. I can’t stand being away from you.”

  “She’ll see you soon,” Zack said, knowing it would piss Caleb off. He wanted Caleb to attack him, to give him a damn good reason to kill him. Not that he didn’t have one. But he knew Emily would more readily forgive him for protecting himself.

  Emily pinched his arm. Not if you were purposely provoking him.

  I have no idea what you’re talking about.

  Her laughter filled his mind. You are so naughty, Zack.

  Once Caleb and Julie were out of sight, Zack scooped her up in his arms.

  “Wolves attacked her. He thought I had done it.”

  “Why didn’t you reach for me?”

  “I did.”

  “After you fought rogue wolves.”

  “I was fine until Caleb showed up.”

  “He broke your leg.”

  “I wouldn’t have hurt her, Zack. I am better now, right?”

  Hearing doubt in her voice, shook him to the core. He looked down at her upturned face. “You would never do anything to harm your sister.” Attempting to hide the rage rising deep within his soul, he lifted his head.

  She laughed. “You can’t hide it. Not from me.”

  “Don’t you dare laugh right now. Nothing about anything that happened is funny. It wasn’t the first time he attacked you.”

  “The first time, I deserved it. You know it’s true. I’m glad he stopped me from killing her. He cares about her.”

  He wanted to tell her that she was his world. She was everything to him. But he knew doing so would send her running.

  “He truly loves her, Zack.” She sighed. “He thought he was protecting her. Besides,” she smiled, “we both know the real reason you let him go.”

  “Really?”

  “You know damn well I would’ve kicked your ass if you hadn’t.”

  “This is the last time, Emily. If he ever attacks you again, I will kill him.”

  “It won’t happen again. I’m planning to stay away from Julie.”

  “Like hell you will. She’s your sister. I know you want to reconnect with her. I feel it. Your sadness. The pain of the loss you feel. I am not going to stand back and let Caleb order you to stay away from her.”

  “It’s for the best.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Bad things happen when I am around.”

  “You are not going to hurt her.”

  “Caleb is right. I am unstable.”

  “Caleb is a moron. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Let’s get you out of the cold.”

  “The cold doesn’t bother me anymore.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “But I love the way it feels to be in your arms.”

  He laughed. “And I love the way you lie.”

  She yawned. “I’m serious.”

  He shifted with her to his home in Washington.

  “You’re not going to run off and leave me here again, are you?” she asked.

  He sat on the bed, cradling her on his lap. “We’re not going anywhere until you’re healed.”

  She looked up at him. “You don’t have to stay with me.”

  “I want to stay.” He unbuttoned his shirt and opened it.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Providing.”

  She shook her head. “It’s a bad idea.”

  “You’re injured. You need blood to heal.”

  “Not yours, Zack.”

  “Only mine.”

  “You don’t understand.”

  “Explain.”

  “With you…
I feel so...”

  “Savage.” He smiled, that slow, sexy, naughty hell smile, that always caused her blood to burn with lust.

  Find out how this series began in

  Eternal

  Breath of Darkness

  ~ One ~

  TAKING A DEEP BREATH, savoring the sweetness of her lingering scent, Haden Drake watched Caylee Adams walk toward Mia’s Clothing Boutique. He shifted, repositioning the seam of his pants, attempting to lessen the terrible ache that was becoming his most loyal, frustrating as hell companion. There was a small chance his attempt to get a little more comfortable would’ve worked if she hadn’t dropped her phone and bent over to pick it up. Shuddering, he uttered a curse, his cock swelling until it was impossibly hard, nearly bursting out of his pants. She was sexy in anything, but nothing compared to the way the worn fabric of those tight, low-rise jeans hugged her ass at that moment.

  He, a demon, was the furthest thing from a saint, and pretending to be one was no longer an option. For a year he’d battled against his powerful, volatile sex drive, but day after day the torment of wanting her and not having her had been building into a fierce, unstoppable storm of raw lust. Every night he dreamed of her writhing beneath him, calling out his name in sheer ecstasy as he plunged deep inside the tight, silky heat of her body. She wasn’t ready for him to stake his claim on her, but the season for moving slowly, seducing her gently, was long gone. Despite his great power, he was utterly powerless to deny his insatiable hunger for her any longer.

  Just before entering the boutique, she glanced over her shoulder and smiled at him. It was a naughty, wickedly sexy smile. If he didn’t know her better, he would’ve thought she’d purposely bent over to torment him. Had she? Rejecting the thought, he shook his head. “Nah.” Teasing wasn’t her style. Once she was out of sight, he was unable to shake the feeling something wasn’t quite right. Every second that went by the feeling of uneasiness increased in him so much that his centuries-learned ability to remain absolutely calm under pressure failed. It was her smile. Something about it was raising a red flag. He would never admit it, but the moment she turned to smile at him, chasing after her was inevitable.

  While getting out of the car he tried to merge his mind with hers, but she was blocking him. He could easily use more force to penetrate the barrier, but he wouldn’t do it. Not yet anyway. He would if it proved necessary, but for now, knowing it would cause her pain, he decided to wait.

  A terrible, should’ve known better feeling churning in his gut, he approached the boutique, hoping she was inside. He wished she wasn’t so skilled at blocking him. She was uncomfortable with his ability to touch her mind at will so he permitted her to build a wall to keep him out. Hindsight was a particularly brutal thorn in his ass. He was an idiot for allowing her wall to become so solid the only way to get through it was to cause her pain.

  Taking a deep breath, he released it with a frustrated groan as he entered the building.

  “Well, Mr. Slick, it definitely took you long enough to figure it out.” Mia approached from behind.

  Her sharp voice slicing deep gouges into Haden’s skull, he cringed as he slowly turned toward her. His eyes brows drawn together, he flashed her an uneasy smile. “Hello, Mia.” The instant he saw the wicked look in her eyes, his heart stopped. “Where’s Caylee?”

  “Oh, I get it.” Hands on her hips, Mia narrowed her gaze on him. “It’s a man thing. You couldn’t possibly comprehend what has just happened without further explanation. Oh my, you poor, miserable boy. There’s no reason to pout. It’s your lucky day. I just happen to be feeling quite charitable.”

  He suppressed the urge to growl. She was smiling too sweetly, showing way too much teeth for any demon’s liking. The woman was a wolf. Literally. She was lycan, though she didn’t know it. She had been orphaned at young age and raised in foster homes and eventually group homes. He wasn’t sure why, but the true essence of her wolf remained dormant. However, when she was riled, the temperament of the wolf was always present. She never hesitated to follow through with a bite after baring her teeth.

  “She ditched your pathetic ass,” she whispered.

  “What?” Things like this didn’t happen to him. “No.” He was a powerful, immortal warrior. “No.” He was a demon, a master of deception. “No.” He’d live too many lifetimes, acquired too much knowledge to be so easily duped. “Where’s Caylee?” It was a joke. She was hiding somewhere, having a good laugh at his expense. Laughing was good. It was great. But enough was enough. Feeling uncharacteristically bewildered, he glanced around. Spotting the dressing room area, deciding it was a perfect hiding place, he walked toward it.

  “Just what the hell do you think you’re doing? Don’t you dare open that door.” Mia followed him. “You’re going to scare the hell out of my customers.” She grabbed his arm and yanked it as hard as she could. “She isn’t here.”

  Turning, he glared at her. “Where is she?”

  Mia glared right back at him. “She … ditched … your … pathetic … ass.” She smiled, lifting her chin defiantly, obviously enjoying the moment. “Was that clear enough for you? If not, I’m sure that I could look around and find some crayons to draw you a picture.”

  “Why?” Nah. It was much more than enjoying the moment. She was clearly savoring it.

  “Why do you think?” Snorting indignantly, she glanced down at his groin. “You haven’t even tried to make it worth the aggravation you put her through day and night. Try using the most valuable tool God gave your gender.” Smirking, she shrugged. “Maybe, and, yes, I know it’s a highly unlikely maybe, if you manage to use it correctly she’ll learn to look beyond the fact you’re a seriously flawed, arrogant bastard.”

  Fists clenched at his sides, Haden nodded. Yep. The woman was a wolf. Rather than bite and release, she clamped down to bury teeth bone-deep to rip and devour. She clearly had some messed-up, unresolved issues with men. He wanted to strangle her, but unfortunately, no matter how infuriating women happened to be, he never strangled them. He was a demon of great strength, integrity, and valor. A warrior. A guardian. Demons like him didn’t strangle women. Not even if they were lycan. Grumbling, because it was the only thing he could do, he turned to walk away.

  “Leave her alone, Haden.” She managed to get in front of him, using her body to prevent him from leaving. “I’m serious. You can’t continue whatever sick game you’re playing with her. It’s wrong, and you know it is.”

  He stared down at her. “What are you talking about?” Wonderful. She was willing to take him on to protect Caylee. Now, despite the fact she irritated the hell out of him, he actually respected the woman.

  “Look, Haden, it’s totally cool if you’re gay. It’s not a big deal. Really, it isn’t. I swear. Just be honest with Caylee. Introduce her to your lover. You can still be her friend.” She shrugged. “Unless—” She tilted her head to the side. “—your lover boy is the controlling, jealous type and he doesn’t allow you to engage in other relationships.”

  “Huh?” His jaw dropped. “Caylee thinks I’m gay?”

  “No,” she lied. Smiling, she softened her expression, attempting to use kindness to manipulate him into continuing the conversation. “That’s my assumption,” she lied again. “You’re a very wealthy man. You’re not all that hard on the eyes. You’re always clinging to Caylee. I’ve never seen you give any other woman a second glance. And, here’s the big one—you’ve never tried to get down her pants. Oh, and don’t try to lie to me about it—she would’ve told me. She always shares her greatest disappointments with me.” She waited for a few seconds, but he didn’t respond. “Look, I don’t have all day to play games with you. Just tell me the truth, are you gay or not?”

  Haden wished he didn’t know Mia was lying. He didn’t even want to consider the possibility Caylee believed he was gay. For the first time ever, he truly regretted having the ability to hear the thoughts of another person. A few women, peeking at them from behind a manikin, giggle
d and whispered to each other. He glanced over at them and then, shaking his head, he looked down at Mia. “No.”

  “Oh crap. It figures. She won another one.” She waved a twenty-dollar bill in his face. “You know, I’m starting to think it’s time to take that girl to Vegas. Well anyways, give this to her when you catch up to her.” Dismissing him, she turned and walked away.

  The moment Haden stepped out of the boutique he tried to call Caylee, but her phone was turned off. Driving to the secluded trails where she jogged, he reviewed everything that had happened. Fearing for her safety, he’d told her to stay out of the forest. As expected, she refused to listen. She loved using the scenic trails to jog in the afternoon. He was ready for the argument, ready to win. He’d offered to jog with her. How could she refuse? And, she didn’t. She looked up at him with the mysterious, sexy smile that always heated his blood and wreaked havoc in his body, and she agreed.

  Caylee smirked at him, Haden suddenly realized. She wasn’t teasing him. Opening the door to the boutique, she’d glanced over her shoulder to smirk at him. She was flipping him the bird in her own special way. He would’ve known it if he hadn’t been obsessing over her ass. Accelerating through the last curve, pushing the car to its limits, he punched the dash with so much force he left an impression of his fist in it. If she were anyone else, he would’ve happily abandoned her. He sure as hell wouldn’t be chasing after her to protect her, completely helpless to do anything else.

  Throwing gravel, he sped into the parking lot and slammed on the brakes. Sliding sideways, the car abruptly stopped when the rear end crashed against a boulder. From time to time, she accused him of being a control freak. To be fair, he was a bit overly protective of her, but he wasn’t a control freak. His behavior wasn’t due to a lack of respect for her. It was his responsibility, his right to ensure her survival. If she would just be honest with herself, she would accept the fact she didn’t always make the best decisions. It wasn’t her fault. Not really. She was a woman. Women needed men to lead them. Women commonly made bad decisions based on overly sensitive emotions. It was a hormone thing. Hopefully she would eventually learn to rely solely on his flawless wisdom. It would sure as hell make life a whole lot easier.