Racing past them, she barreled toward the portal. Only one demon remained in her path, and she was determined to get him out of her way, one way or another.
“Come with me!” she shouted.
He looked between her and the Hunters. “Yeah, right...”
Her Splicer heated in her hand as she sent her magic blasting out at him, but he avoided her spell, moving with the grace and agility of a Shifter. When she reached him, she gritted her teeth, ready to fight for her life.
Even without my extra strength and speed.
Something hit the back of her leg, a spell that sent fire burning through her clothes and onto her flesh. She screamed and fell, just feet in front of the demon.
She saw a flash of his red flesh and then his hands closed around her throat. He pressed until he forced his body into hers. She fought him with every ounce of her being, but he overpowered her.
Her body stood, but she had no control over it. The demon turned her to look back at The Hunters racing toward them. He raised a hand, flipping them off.
No! She struggled harder inside herself, but she was trapped, unable to even move her lips to scream.
“Stop fighting it,” he whispered. “This is your new life, better get used to it.”
Turning back to the portal, he stepped through.
Chapter Four
Kade’s stomach twisted and turned with every second Sharen was gone. God, he hated not being able to cross over with her! Seeing his woman risk her life made him crazy. Every protective instinct within him roared to life, demanding that he act.
But she acts like I’m just an ass.
Sharen didn’t understand, couldn’t understand. He had failed everyone he’d ever loved. He would not fail her.
For an instant, he was drawn back into a memory a lifetime ago. He pictured his little sister, spinning in her new pink dress. She said the pink dress made her a “princess,” but she never realized that with three big brothers, she was always a princess.
Always my princess. He grinned at the thought.
He tried to imagine her older, her smile filling her entire face. Her pigtails were long gone, but the image faded. He would forever see her as a little girl who saw the world in brilliant colors, who thought she could fly in his arms.
His smile faltered as he recalled seeing her in the hospital, her face battered and her heart cracked into pieces.
What she went through, it changed her forever. And I see that in Sharen. I see her changing, and I would do anything to keep that from happening, to keep her from seeing the darker side of the world.
As he paced the small space, a demon crossed his path, drawing him from his thoughts. He didn’t care that he was irritating everyone trying to work around him. He growled low in his throat until the other demon scrambled away.
His Sharen was alone in a demon-realm. Her idealistic views on demons caused her to throw herself into danger time and time again. But one of these days, he knew she would see the truth. Not all angels were bad, and not all demons were good.
I just hope she can learn the truth in the least painful way possible.
He heard footsteps behind him and then his brother Ryder's voice. “She’ll be okay. She always is.”
Kade spun and growled, but Ryder simply smiled.
“She’s stronger than you give her credit for,” his brother said.
“She’s only human!”
Ryder raised a brow.
“You know what I mean!” Kade was trying to keep himself from shouting, and failing miserably.
“She’s smart and strong. And amazing. We’ve got to trust her.”
Kade’s fist clenched so hard he heard his knuckles crack. “You think I don’t know she’s all those things. But here’s the thing, that’s not enough.”
Ryder’s expression faltered. “She’s been fine every time before.”
“Yes, and she’ll keep being fine until she’s not. Where will we be then?” Kade said the words, his greatest fear, driving his point home.
“Fuck,” Ryder swept a hand through his light brown hair. “You’ve got to stop this, man. You’ll drive yourself crazy.”
“I can’t stop. Not until she lets me keep her locked up safely at our apartment.” He felt every muscle in his body tense. “I can’t lose her.”
Ryder came closer, putting a hand on his shoulder. “That’s the thing, Kade. She’s never going to let that happen. You know that. But I'll tell you this—if you don’t start supporting her, you might lose her anyway.”
Kade froze. Lose her?
His breathing rushed in his ears. Yes, he and Sharen fought a lot, but could it actually end with her walking away from him?
The world spun around him. Never. He could not, would not, let that happen.
“Just have faith, okay?”
Kade’s gaze zeroed in on his younger brother’s face. There was a reason Ryder was so relaxed. As a human, he’d spent his weekends surfing, his nights cooking romantic meals for women who drooled over him, and his workweek doing just enough to get by. Ryder had never been high strung. He’d always believed everything would work out, because it usually did for him.
But that’s not the same life Kade had lived as a human.
My sister, hurt because I couldn’t protect her. My wife, who grew tired of her soldier husband. Her little daughter I wanted to be my own, but never was.
And the day I came home to my empty house and realized I had nothing. Nothing but the ability to kill the men who hurt my sister.
He closed his eyes, fighting a wave of pain. He could never go through that again. Never be a man with nothing to live for and no one to love.
The portal purred as the gray waves grew larger and faster. Sharen came flying into the room, her face pale and tight with fear.
He pushed past the horde of demons and rushed to her, catching her as she crumbled to the ground. Staring down at her, he felt uncertain. What should he do? How could he help?
“Did you save any demons?” Riverly asked from behind them. “Should we shut the portal?”
Sharen shook her head. “Shut it. Hunters are coming.”
Instantly, Riverly raced up the steps and erased the specific realm code. The portal vanished and the room grew quiet. The others drew closer, waiting for Sharen’s explanation.
And here it comes. She will spin a story that might sound like a failure, but somehow she’ll inspire everyone in the room.
Even if deep inside I know she’s putting on a show for the others.
“What happened?” Ryder asked, kneeling down beside her.
His brother’s voice was calm as always, but worry lingered behind his question. Sometimes Sharen’s missions went wrong. Actually, they usually went wrong, but he couldn’t think of a time she’d come back looking this frightened and without a demon to show for her trouble.
And normally even then she was spouting orders and reassuring everyone.
“Nothing,” she said, her eyes narrowing. “The Hunters came, and I couldn’t save the demons.”
That’s all she’s going to say?
“And what about your leg?” Ryder touched her leg.
Kade’s gaze went to her injury, where her pants leg had melted away, leaving behind a nasty looking burn.
She’s hurt! His pulse sped up. How the hell did that happen?
“I got hit with a spell. I’m fine.” She tried to stand, but her knees buckled.
Ryder swept her into his arms. “I’ll help you shower.”
Kade watched as she stiffened in his brother’s arms. “No way. I’m—uh fine,” She said, looking even more terrified.
Huh? Kade’s body tensed. “You’re not fine, let him tend to your wound.”
She elbowed Ryder’s chest. “Seriously, put me down. My leg will heal, but I’m ready to get out of here.”
Her gaze shifted over the room, her expression uneasy.
That was when he knew. Kade acted in an instant. Pulling her from Ryder’s arm
s, he dropped her down onto the ground, pinning her arms over her head and her body down beneath his.
“Get out of her.”
She froze. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“What the hell are you doing?” Ryder asked, confused.
“She’s been possessed.” Kade hated speaking the words aloud, hated knowing that some slimy creature was inside her. This demon will die for this.
“Get out of her now, or you’ll regret it,” he threatened softly.
She turned angry eyes onto him. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Darla!” he shouted.
A minute passed before the high voice of the young woman came to him. “What is it—uh—Mr. Kade?”
“You said you knew how to force a possessed being out of someone. Get this demon out of Sharen, now!”
“I, uh, I only studied how to get angels out of—“
“Just fucking do it!”
Sharen struggled harder beneath him. A string of curses and threats exploded from her lips, but Kade’s hold was iron tight. This demon would not escape with his woman.
Darla began to whisper soft words. Kneeling down next to them, she touched Sharen’s face in a strange pattern. First her forehead, then her cheeks, and chin. There was almost a pattern, but not quiet.
At first, nothing happened. Kade’s anger rose higher and higher as the demon who possessed Sharen smiled in triumph. And then, Sharen began to shake and wither beneath him.
“Kade,” Ryder whispered. “What if Darla doesn’t know what she’s doing? What if—?”
“Shut the hell up and let’s get this animal out of our Sharen.”
Ryder grew silent, but he sensed Kade's agitation spike with each twitch Sharen made. She twisted and tried to lift her body off the ground, but he wouldn’t allow it.
Kade refused to react in any way. He refused to let the demon see how much seeing Sharen like this was killing him. Instead, he kept his expression like stone and held her without flexibility.
As Darla continued her spell, Sharen threw back her head, screaming, her chest raised out. He felt a crowd gathering around them. People whispered in concern.
“Should I stop?” Darla murmured.
“Keep going,” Kade bit out, his words strong and certain.
“Kade,” Ryder put his hand on his shoulder.
Kade jerked away from his touch. “You heard me, woman, keep going!”
Darla’s words came, faster and louder. A golden glow surrounded Sharen and she began to spasm, her entire body seizing and jerking. As a black ooze flowed out of her mouth, Kade finally let her go. Within seconds, a blond-haired demon lay on the floor beside Sharen’s still twitching body.
The demon gasped in deep breaths. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know—“
Kade pulled his sword from off his back and cut the demon’s head clean from his shoulders.
The room descended into silence, the only sound made by Kade's sword as it clattered to the floor. He dropped beside Sharen, cradling her into his arms.
Please be okay. Please be okay.
At last, her jerking calmed and her eyes opened. “What... happened?”
“It’s okay.” He stroked her sweaty hair back from her face. “The demon’s gone.”
Her expression grew confused. “Did you save him?”
Kade tensed. “Save him? He possessed you!”
Their gazes locked and he couldn’t look away. The dark green depths of her eyes called to him, beckoning him to get lost in them. But he saw something else within her large, familiar eyes—sadness and disappointment.
Two things I never wanted her to feel.
“He was scared,” she whispered. “We all get scared sometimes.”
Kade felt as if he’d swallowed a stone. She couldn’t have thought he’d let the demon live, not after he hurt her.
“Where is he?”
“Dead,” he said, the word a challenge.
Rage flashed in her eyes. “You killed him.”
“Yes, and I don’t regret it.”
She struggled out of his arms, and he let her leave.
Ryder caught her arm as she tried to stand on her injured leg. Her gaze moved down to the dead demon, and it was then that Kade realized that the entire warehouse was staring at them as the scene unfolded.
“The mission was a failure,” Sharen said, her voice carrying through the silence. “I couldn't save any of them.”
That was all she had. She had nothing positive, nothing uplifting. No hope.
Just... sadness.
And then, Sharen limped away with Ryder at her side. Sadness moved over the people. As Kade watched their faces, it was as if a light had turned off within them. The sight of it was heartbreaking.
Slowly, they returned to work, but no one spoke.
This isn’t my fault. It’s the damned demon who possessed her.
As angry as he was at the demon, the worst part was knowing that tomorrow Sharen would go through the portal all over again.
Maybe this is true hell.
His hands clenched into fists. There has to be something I can do to stop this, but what?
What?
And then an idea came to him, a dangerous, terrifying idea. His hands uncurled, and his heart raced. It was... possible.
He could protect Sharen!
All it would cost him was his life.
Chapter Five
Back at their apartment, Ryder eased Sharen into the shower and crouched behind her so he could care for her injury. He washed the back of her leg gently with his large fingers. The skin was pink, but the blisters and burns were gone.
“You’re already almost entirely healed.”
Like a demon or an angel. Ryder forced himself not to frown. We need to figure out what the hell is going on with her. She’s changing. Every day seems to bring something new, and I don’t know what we’re supposed to do about it.
She finished scrubbing the soap out of her hair and glanced down at him. “Good, because I’ve got too damn much to do to be injured.”
“Like going on another mission...”
She sighed, loudly. “Something like that shouldn’t happen again. It was just... bad luck.”
“Bad luck?”
He stared at her, knowing that even she didn’t believe the words she was speaking. Unfortunately for her, he could see right through her careful mask.
“Yeah,” she continued, sounding too casual. “A team of Hunters just happened to enter the realm right after I did. If they hadn’t, I would have gotten away.”
Ryder didn’t want to say it, but he did. “I’ve never been one to believe in coincidences much.”
She rubbed soap on her arms, but her hands moved slowly. “All right, fine. I didn’t tell the others. But I thought the same thing.”
He waited, knowing what she’d say next.
“But the thing that really bugs me is how did they know I’d be there? Have they picked up on a pattern to how we’re doing things? Are they tracing us somehow? Or... or do they have a spy in the Rebellion?”
Ryder thought for a long time before he responded. “Either way, we need to be careful going forward.”
She nodded. “You’re right, of course. I’ll be more careful when I cross over tomorrow.”
He stood. A thousand things popped into his mind, but he said none of them. Sharen wouldn’t listen if he told her to slow down, or to relax. She’d be angry if he told her that she was still reeling from being possessed and needed time to process all that she’d been through.
Instead, he said nothing.
He turned her around to face the shower wall and rubbed her tense shoulders beneath the hot stream of their apartment shower. Her head rolled forward, and she groaned, a sound that made his cock harden.
He loved to take care of her. To make her feel loved and precious.
She needed that. She deserved that.
He worked every muscle on her shoulders, then moved to her back, and then
slowly down to her lower back. She braced herself against the shower, breathing hard. He heard a crack.
“Damn it,” she muttered. She pulled her hands back from the shower wall and revealed the tiles clenched in her hands. She set them down on the bathtub ledge.
“It takes a while to get used to the strength,” he reassured her, rubbing her back again.
She shook her head, sighing loudly. “Yeah, but do my messed up powers have to leave when I need them the most and then show up just long enough to ruin things in the apartment?”
He chuckled, thinking of their broken toaster. “Just don’t think about it.”
She nodded and let her head roll forward again. In moments, the tension in her lower back began to ease again.
How can any woman be so sexy without even knowing it?
God did he want her. Staring at the hard lines of her body, he gloried in every inch of her. In the months since joining the Rebellion, she’d added far too many scars to her human body, but he loved every one of them. Yes, each scar meant that his woman had been hurt, but it also meant she had survived.
My tough warrioress.
As he leaned forward and kissed her shoulder, his gaze went to the fading bruises on her wrists. His chest ached at the memory of how Kade had to hold her down. He thanked god that Kade held fast. Ryder doubted he could have hurt her, even if it was to save her.
She spun around and slid her arms around his neck. Instinctively, he leaned down. The instant their mouths touched, fire leapt between them. Arousal and need awakened within him, drawing a groan from his lips. Her skin felt so soft beneath his hands, her mouth eager and ready.
He deepened their kiss, moving his tongue into her mouth. The instant their tongues slid along each other, she pressed herself harder against him. The tight nubs of her breasts pressed into his chest.
His hands slid down and grabbed her ass, cupping the soft cheeks and pressing her more tightly against his arousal.
She broke their kiss. “Come on, Ryder, give it to me.”
His hands tightened on her ass. “Your wish is my command.”
Just the thought of easing inside her made his muscles tense. This was exactly what they needed.
The door crashed open. “Almost done in...”
Mates of the Realms: The Complete Collection: A Paranormal Reverse Harem Box Set Page 14
