The Darkest Day

by Britt Bury

  Izel drew her hand away. Although he should feel sated, he was only hungrier for her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and began to lay her back.

  “W-what are you doing?” she panted.

  He smiled. “I’m going ta make sure you’re ready, then I’m going ta take you.” Her hands shot to his chest and she pushed him away. What the hell?

  She righted her undergarments, snatched up her top, and snapped her jeans shut. Kelvin sat there, pants at his thighs, confused as hell.

  “I’m not going to make love with you, Kelvin.” She pulled her top over her head.

  “Why not? I thought…”

  She pulled her long hair over one shoulder and began twisting it, wringing out the water.

  He shot to his feet, yanked his pants up, fastening them. “Is this some kind of revenge for what I said earlier? I told you that I regret my actions.”

  “Just because you regret something doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. And no, this isn’t revenge. I’m not going to give my body completely to a man who, quite frankly, may not even be nice to me the next day.” She shook her head and threw up her hands. “I mean, there’s absolutely no emotion between us! Attraction, maybe, but that’s it. You’re just a guy who thinks with his”—she waved a hand at his crotch—“and gets all weird at night. And I am still battling these new feelings.”

  Kelvin’s blood caught fire. No emotion between us? Weird at night? If the woman only knew how he felt, what his instincts were doing to him! She alone was complicating his life more than an entire sodding army of Fionns. He only had to glance in her direction for his cock to go hard, a truth that should shame him.

  Every slide against her, every hateful word he said didn’t bring him joy. He was actually risking an eternity with her, his mate, by trying to bed her before the Solstice. He was doing this so he wouldn’t hurt her further, wouldn’t shame his clan, wouldn’t want her.

  And this makes me a coward.

  Upon seeing her eyes fill with tears at his earlier, harsh words, he was fairly certain he couldn’t do that again. Christ, it had taken all of three seconds for him to run after her and grovel.

  He’d done a shite job of trying to verbally abuse her and distance himself from her. Obviously he couldn’t be trusted to make the right decision to relinquish this woman, mate or not, and return to his clan. The longer he thought of keeping her, the longer he disgraced his Kerr name.

  I will let fate do the dirty work for me.

  Kelvin could seduce her. Izel Campbell was his clan’s greatest enemy. He could see past that and enjoy her for a time, but fate wouldn’t so cruel as to bind a Pookah to a Fionn for eternity. His emotions for this female were intense and conflicting, perhaps even jaded. But his instinct was getting harder to battle.

  So why fight it? He could have the best of both worlds. Explore this desire for Izel, have her on the Solstice, and after that he would have no other option but to let her go. Although for some odd reason it pained him to think of having to give her up. In the end, it would be for the best. For all involved. With duty and honor came sacrifice.

  He caught her looking at his tattoo. He flexed his torso, and she jerked her gaze away. “Battling feelings, eh, lass?” He looked down at his clan symbol, smirking when he saw the claw marks she had left. Dabbing a finger at the bleeding welts, he lifted his hand and rubbed the blood between his thumb and middle finger.

  Duty and honor, he mentally repeated. Kelvin could play into his wants for a few days; after that he had to give her up.

  Chapter 12

  “So you’re no’ going ta speak ta me now?” Kelvin called out behind Izel. She had successfully ignored the annoying Pookah for the past several hours and wasn’t about to give in. Besides, she knew the general direction they were heading. Rather, Kelvin had pointed and she had walked.

  “Woman, you make no sense. One would suspect you’d be happy with me considering how well I pleasured you.”

  Her cheeks burned hot and she shot him a mortified look. “Don’t be so sure about that.”

  “Ah, but I do know this for certain.” He was right behind her, breath at her ear. “I know because I feel the same. You pleased me, female… in a way I’ve never known.”

  A feeling of pride shot through her. She was inexperienced. Light years behind the Pookah when it came to relations with the opposite sex, but he’d just admitted she had done a good job.

  She shouldn’t care what he thought. Nor should she feel happy that this male was pleased with her, but she was, and he was right on her heels.

  “Never seen anything like that, ya know.” He traced a finger down her side and she shivered. “Your thighs spread wide, the rain coming down on us. The taste of your mouth and those wicked little hips of yours rocking into my touch.”

  “Okay, just stop!”

  She could feel his grin and realized that he was goading her on purpose. She just didn’t understand why.

  It doesn’t matter anyway!

  This needed to end. Distance, good. Pookah’s mouth, bad. “That will not be happening again,” she said, quickening her pace, keeping her back to him. “I still don’t have control over my feelings yet, but I’m getting there. Rest assured that you’ll never”—she choked on her own saliva—“taste me again.”

  She felt his warm body against her back, his breath tickle her ear. “Ah. lass, I can still taste you.” She nearly shook out of her skin. He looped his arm around her, his fingers trailing beneath her shirt to palm her torso. “Just like I know you can still feel me.”

  She swatted at his hand but had to bite her lip to keep from moaning. Because the truth was, she could still feel him. Her sex was wet from their previous encounter and her breasts felt swollen and heavy. She was beginning to fear her body had sampled something she wouldn’t be able to deny.

  What was of even more concern was that her chest still ached, as if about to burst with a feeling she didn’t understand. The image of Kelvin’s piercing eyes locked on her would forever be seared into her memory. Why couldn’t those fleeting moments, the ones where Kelvin had seemed to slough off some of his tough exterior, appear more often?

  She hefted her pack, adjusting it against her shoulders. No, she would ignore that empty toiling beneath her ribs. That spot where her heart should be. She had made her decision. There was no way she could completely trust and surrender to Kelvin. Having just found her true self, she was not about to give up control to an unworthy Pookah. “I told you before, I’m not going to sleep with you.” Why did that sound like she was trying to convince herself instead of Kelvin? “There is no feeling between us—”

  “Oh, there’s feeling between us, lass.”

  She rolled her eyes. “I mean real feelings. Like trust or love.”

  She heard his boots slam on the ground, ceasing his strides. “You want me ta love you?”

  “No, that’s not what I said.” She spun to face him, mentally scrambling and trying to backtrack. “I just want something real with the person I choose to be intimate with.”

  Something she’d said had struck a chord with the Pookah. He stalked toward her. Izel lifted her chin as he loomed over her. His eyes were like bright ice, piercing straight to her core.

  “And what we just did was no’ intimate?” he growled.

  Keep control, she told herself on a deep breath. The way he looked down on her, like she was his possession, made her knees weak and her body shake. She took a step back, trying to put space between herself and this imposing male.

  “You know what I mean, but if I must spell it out for you, then fine. I will not be having sex with you.” She held his stare. “You can stomp around, hurt my feelings, do whatever, just know that my mind is set on that.”

  He crossed his arms over his wide chest and tilted his head. “You said you would no’ fuck someone you had no feelings for. As I have pointed out, you have some pretty strong feelings for me and you’ve shown me this.” He looked her up and down, a sly smile streak
ing across his face. “Twice.”

  Her cheeks heated again but she said nothing.

  “So what you’re really saying is you will no’ have sex with a male unless he loves you?”

  Her jaw could’ve hit the ground. He made the idea of love sound like a bad thing. She gave him the meanest scowl she could muster. “I don’t need to explain myself to you. I want what I want.” Her voice was growing louder with each syllable. “I would be stupid to think your feelings for me run deeper than a puddle.” She pointed her finger and gritted her teeth. “I will not be just another conquest.”

  The muscles on Kelvin’s chest seemed to clench. Just when she thought he was about to argue further, he merely dropped his hands and strode past her.

  The sun was setting, and Kelvin realized the whole day had been a blur because he’d been lost in thought. Izel tried her best to ignore him, but Kelvin made sure he kept their earlier encounter fresh in her mind. The more he tried not to think of this curvy female, the more he did just that. Replaying the sounds she made, the way her lush body looked, writhing beneath the rainfall. It was this kind of thinking that kept him hard as a rock all day.

  Stealing glimpses of her round arse every time her top began to ride up her slim back had been the highlight of the evening. He wanted this creature in a way he’d never wanted another. Christ, this was bad. He didn’t have to link himself with this woman. Didn’t have to promise all he was to her and demand she do the same. He didn’t have to bare his sodding soul.

  No, he most certainly didn’t have to do a damn thing.

  Then why do I feel so empty?

  For the hundredth time, he reminded himself this was the wisest course of action. Much was at stake. Pledging your immortal life to a human was number one on the foolish idea list. Kelvin watched Izel rub her neck and flex her shoulders. She was obviously exhausted but was too stubborn to relinquish her silent treatment and ask him to stop for the night. When her fingers pushed into her muscles and massaged the crook of her neck, Kelvin’s mouth watered. He wanted his hands upon that olive skin of hers. He was suddenly struck anew by her loveliness. There had been several moments throughout the day when Kelvin swore her skin actually glowed with such beauty.

  He came to her side, about to inform her of his plans to set up camp, when a foreign scent crossed his nose.

  He grabbed her upper arm to still her. “Ouch. You’re—”

  “Shhhh.” He was surprised when she complied without argument. Closing his eyes, he breathed deeply, taking a few moments to process the unfamiliar scent. His eyes shot open.

  Fuck me!

  Izel trembled within his grasp, sensing his sudden awareness.

  “W-what is it?” she asked with notable fear in her voice.

  “A demon.” He clutched her wrist in his fist and pulled her through the woods at a racing speed. He needed to gain some ground.

  Kelvin sprinted in the opposite direction of the demon. He thought he heard Izel try to speak a few times, but he didn’t have time to stop and explain anything.

  It wasn’t until the forest became denser and thick brush covered their path that Kelvin slowed his pace. He scanned the area and heard Izel thunk to the ground, breathing heavily.

  “W-what’s going on?” she asked between breaths.

  Kelvin removed his pack, then hers, and tossed them into a large mass of foliage. “A demon is on our trail. I’m gonna draw him out.”

  “What? You’re bringing him to us?” Her hand rested over her heaving chest. He hadn’t meant to run her so hard; he’d just wanted to get her away from danger.

  “Aye. Our position gives me the upper hand.”

  Izel put her head between her knees.

  “Lass,” he said, kneeling before her. She lifted her head, pink lips parted around deep breaths. “We can no’ outrun him. But trust me”—he ran two fingers along her jaw, wanting so badly to take this fear from her—“I will keep you safe.”

  Her delicate throat muscles bobbed with a swallow, but she nodded her head. She was so brave. Kelvin’s muscles expanded with pride. His human trusted him with her life. And he would not let her down.

  “Why is a demon here, anyway?” she asked, her breathing slowing to a more normal rate.

  Kelvin shook his head, “I donna know. They come up for unwarranted reasons.” Izel began to shake slightly and Kelvin rubbed his palms up and down her bare arms.

  “Have you ever seen one?”

  “Aye. I have killed demons before.” He continued to rub her skin, attempting to comfort and warm her. He was a warrior and her faith in his fighting abilities meant a great deal to him. “They vary in strength, though.”

  “What do you mean? They have a weight room in Hell or something?” Kelvin smirked at her. The lass was trying so hard to put on a brave face, but he scented her underlying terror. He couldn’t really blame her. Creatures popping up from the under-realm rarely roused good feelings. He didn’t want to scare her, but he wouldn’t be doing her any favors by sugarcoating their situation.

  “The general rule is, the blacker the blood, the blacker the soul. Demons with dark blood are stronger and more evil than those with lighter colored blood.”

  “How do you know the color of their blood?”

  Kelvin looked at her wrist and jutted his head. “I can tell you have blue veins, thus red blood. Demons have even more translucent skin that sometimes takes on a grayish color.”

  Izel gulped. “G-gray skin?” She glanced down, folding her hands in her lap. “How do they get here?” Looking at her slumped shoulders and fumbling fingers, Kelvin was beginning to believe that she was more sheltered and naive than he had thought. She didn’t know anything about demons, apparently, or the different realms and the dangers that came with them.

  “Aside from the Court of Contention, demons can only get to our realm by way of the devil himself. How he delivers them, I donna know. But it’s rumored that to get back to the under-realm, one must execute the devil’s will before dying, which sends them back to Hell.”

  Kelvin watched her delicate brow crease, undoubtedly trying to process it all. “What does that mean?”

  “Apparently the devil speaks to them. Gives them a task they must fulfill.”

  Izel took a trembling breath. “And what if they don’t execute the devil’s whatever?”

  “If they donna complete the task given before dying, then their soul goes ta the Cypher.” He saw Izel flinch at the word. The Cypher was where he’d been told Euan Campbell had gone with no chance of escaping.

  “This demon is going to kill me,” Izel whispered with so much hopelessness it made Kelvin’s gut twist.

  He crooked a finger under her chin, forcing her gaze to meet his. “Nay, lass. I will no’ let him near you.” She was still shaking, but she flashed him a halfhearted smile. He helped her to her feet, leading her to a large tree surrounded by shrubs and underbrush. “You hide in here. Donna come out, and stay quiet, no matter what you see.”

  She crouched down, her green eyes laced with fear. He didn’t know what more to say to comfort her.

  I will just have to prove my strength.

  His blood heated. His claws extended and sharpened. Unsheathing his sword and dagger, he turned away from the woman he valued more than any other. He would protect her with his life.

  He gripped the hilts of his weapons and watched the last flecks of sun fade into darkness.

  Chapter 13

  Izel hunched behind the large tree, surrounded by wet moss and leaves. She was certain her uncontrollable shaking would give away her position. Unfortunately, ever since she’d heard the word “demon,” she hadn’t been able to control her fear.

  Peeking up over the brush in front of her, she locked her gaze on the Pookah, only a few yards away. His shirt clung to the ridged muscles of his shoulders and back, and she could have sworn she saw him actually grow larger in size. Tall, weapons drawn, tan skin glinting against the moonlight: she thought of how lucky she was t
o have such a being protect her.

  Many would cower at the sight of him. An enraged Razorback Pookah, fingernails grown into claws, muscles bulging, murder in his eyes… yes, she should be afraid of the creature before her, but all she could feel was warmth and safety.

  The foliage beyond Kelvin rustled. Her eyes shot to the stirring bushes then back to him as she watched him grip his sword. The demon had arrived.

  She saw it slinking out of the trees.

  Oh. My. God.

  Crouching lower, she kept her gaze up. Air stuck in her dry throat and she prayed the demon couldn’t hear her heart pounding out of her chest. The creature was something from a nightmare. It was just as big as Kelvin, but with translucent gray skin and thick black veins. Dark blood vessels tracked all over his face, neck, and body, like rivers on a map. He truly was a Hell beast. His yellow eyes glowed against the darkness and darted around as he neared Kelvin.

  “I can smell the human, Pookah. Best to just hand her over and I’ll be on my way.” The demon’s voice was venomous, and the way his ebony lips drooled out ashen spittle had Izel covering her mouth in disgust.

  “Over my dead body.” Kelvin’s voice was deadly. Her trembling increased.

  The demon unsheathed two matching, jagged-edge daggers from his back. Exposing rotted teeth, he barked, “Done!” The horrifying creature lunged at Kelvin, swinging daggers wildly.

  Kelvin blocked the demon’s swipes. Spinning around, he slashed the demon across the forearm. Thick black blood stained Kelvin’s knife as he continued to charge the demon.

  Undeterred, the demon struck again, with a speed and strength she had never seen before. Kelvin matched his skill, but as the two continued to fight, blood began to cover both men’s skin. When a spear of moonlight hit them, Izel saw that it wasn’t just the demon’s black blood that coated them, but Kelvin’s red as well.

  The loud clangs of clashing metal and the brutal growls and grunts from the men vibrated off the trees. Birds flew from the canopy and not a single insect moved. Everything was still, including her, except for the man currently fighting to save her and the demon he fought. No! She couldn’t just sit back and watch this beast murder the man she… loved?