by Sharon Kay
His massive presence was so at odds with the gentle touches he kept surprising her with. He countered each revelation with reassuring contact, softening the shock of his world and somehow making her want more. “You were really close to me,” she whispered.
“That okay with you?”
She nodded. One hundred percent okay. Something deep inside seized eagerly on the thought of a connection with him. Even though things didn’t make total sense—yet being with him felt like part of her finally did. Though his description of the woman she was supposed to meet required an explanation. “But if I’m…half…other…” Enza tapped a finger on her leg. “I don’t have horns or a tail.”
“No. You can thank your mom’s genes for that.” He slid closer, sliding his hand around her shoulders. “Halflings usually get some traits from their supernatural parent, but not all.”
“Thank goodness.” Enza traced the diagonal pattern in her jeans. “I can’t believe my mom slept with a demon and had no idea.”
“Even after seeing elves and nymphs?”
“Yeah. I would never have known. It’s still hard for me to imagine that certain things are real and walking around among us.” Even though she wanted to know more. Even though she’d been up close to the nymphs…it was all so darn new.
He rubbed his hand back and forth between her shoulder blades. “I need to tell you something else.”
The calm she had begun to feel instantly morphed into wariness. “There’s more?”
A frown pulled his sensual lips down. “Yeah. This is important.”
She swallowed. Her brain hovered in a balance between information overload and trust. But what else could he say? He’d already said her father was a demon and she was half one. What could be worse…well, maybe she should stop that thought in its tracks. “Go on.”
“What you just said about your mom—when you asked how she could sleep with a demon?”
“You said some of them blend in.” Her gut knotted at his serious tone.
“Yeah. And some of them are good. On our side.”
She nodded. “And?”
He drew a breath and let it out slowly. “I track supernatural beings, been doing this for a while, and yeah, my parents told me about all of this.”
She studied him, trying to read between his words. Her heart thundered against her ribs, like it was craving whatever he was about to share. “What is it?”
“I know all this, grew up with all of this…because I’m not human.”
She sucked in a breath as shock squeezed her chest. Mouth open, she stared at him. Remembered to blink. Kept staring. Oh my god. Disbelief mixed with dread, and a sliver of betrayal. She took in his powerful torso and thick biceps. Memories of the portal and The Arboretum flashed through her mind. He’d known exactly what was happening… She hopped off the bench and backed up a step. But she knew from previous experience that if he wanted to keep her here, she had no choice. “Wh-what are you?”
He leaned forward, but didn’t get up. “I’m a Lash demon.” Eyes laser-focused on her, bright with concern.
“D-demon?” She closed her eyes for a moment. Opened them. He still sat there, looking totally normal. He’s a demon. He says I’m half demon. Oh my god. She fought for calm. “How can you be…you look like a regular guy.”
“Those nymphs looked like regular girls.”
“Yeah but…” she shook her head as thoughts bounced around like pinballs. How can he say that? How can it be true? He won’t hurt me. There are creatures in the city who aren’t human. She took a deep breath. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”
“At The Arboretum? Or at your shop?” He raised a brow. “Which place would’ve been better to drop this news?”
She crossed her arms and scowled. Good point. “Neither.”
“At The Arboretum, I thought you’d had enough shit thrown at you. Hell, I was just glad you got in the car, because I wasn’t about to leave you there.”
“This is crazy,” she whispered. “You’re a demon? I know you just said that. But wow.” She rubbed her temples. This was too much. Yet he was still patient. Concerned for her. Confusion swirled through her mind. One thing remained clear—he wouldn’t harm her. She knew that inherently.
“My group, the Watchers, is made up of males and females from my race,” he went on. “We track, fight, protect. We have lots of trained teams—that’s why the nymphs knew what I was.”
“Wait, so…is Brenin a demon too?”
“Yeah, and a few other guys who live with us.”
She sat back down on the bench, reached for his hand, and took it in both of hers. Turning it over, she traced the tiny lines in his palm. Felt the rough strength of him, and also the seeming normalness, and weighed it against his revelation. “Your skin is smooth, warm. Just like a person.”
“Just like yours.” He laid his free hand on her knee.
She looked up into his face, concern flickering in those brown eyes. A demon. The word skittered around in her head. She’d kissed him. And had wanted more. The memory of his lips and tongue brought heat to her cheeks. Those parts of him had seemed completely human too.
“Whatcha thinking?” His disarming smile teased her.
“Um…” Busted. “I kissed you. I kissed a demon.”
“And I kissed you, a halfling.” He raised her hand to his mouth. “And?”
“I liked it,” she whispered.
“Me too.” He dotted kisses along her knuckles. “You’re taking this well.”
“I think I’m partially in shock,” she said. “First we met nymphs. Then you suggest my dad is a demon, which means I’m half demon. Now, you tell me you’re a demon, and I didn’t know they really existed until tonight.”
“Sorry it had to be so abrupt.”
“It’s not your fault.” Her shoulders sagged. “Honestly, I’ve always felt different. It was never something I could put my finger on. Even the electrical glitches and never getting sick—I thought the one thing was me being unlucky and the other was just good health. I guess now I know why.”
He stroked her cheek. “It was your supernatural side.”
“I think I’m still a little bit in shock.”
“I don’t blame you. You take as much time as you need to let this sink in.” He framed her face with his hands. “I’d like you to talk to Miranda soon, because it’s important to identify the lightning ability. But the rest of it, you can take at your own pace.”
She gazed up into eyes sincere and soft, and the rest of her worries eased. Trust in him anchored securely in her heart. “Okay.” She scooted close and rested her head on his shoulder, simply breathing in the delicious comforting smell of him. His arm curled around her and she’d never felt more safe.
Above them, night birds flitted through the trees. Upbeat dance music and cheerful voices drifted from the festival. Here in the park, in this moment, it was just them. Her world had shifted, but she didn’t feel lost.
Maybe that made no sense. But she had Rhys at her side. That was all she needed right now.
CHAPTER 12
SHE WASN’T SURE HOW LONG they’d sat like that, cocooned in the calm quiet of the tiny city park. His fingers squeezed her bicep gently, rousing her from her haze of accepting what only a week ago would have made no sense. She looked up into his model-handsome hotness. “What is it?”
“I should get you home. Think you’re getting sleepy on me.”
“I’m not that tired, but I could definitely get off this bench.” She stood and stretched, noting Rhys’s gaze track down from her head to her feet. God, that kiss.
Her body didn’t seem to care what label Rhys attached to himself. No, it only recognized two things.
Trust…and desire.
He grabbed her hand, enfolding hers in warmth, and led her to his car. The big black Escalade loomed like a yacht on the cramped side street, sandwiched between two small foreign cars. Enza climbed in and held her breath as Rhys maneuvered the vehicle out with
out managing to bump anything. A glimpse in the rearview mirror showed another car waiting for their spot.
The festival wasn’t far from Enza’s apartment. Stoplights, one after the other, turned green as they drove. Rhys chuckled. “You doing that?”
“Ha.” She stifled a giggle. “I wish.” That talent would have come in handy at times.
“You never know, maybe you can.”
“Hmm. I’ve never even thought of purposely affecting electricity.” She let out a slow breath as a mix of new and old buildings flashed by. In minutes, they were outside her apartment. She unclicked her seat belt and faced him as another question loomed. “That night, if you hadn’t grabbed me, would I have ended up in The Arboretum alone?”
“Yeah. Or maybe one of the elves would have followed you in, if Brenin and I hadn’t stopped them first.” He scowled and threw the car into park. “It would be better to end up there alone than with one of those assholes.”
“I’m glad it was you,” she whispered, tracing tentative fingers up his forearm. “Even though I was scared.”
“I didn’t mean to scare you. I thought you might be a full Deserati at first. Most are on our side, but a few are rogue, so I couldn’t risk you slicing me open.”
“Eew.” She scrunched her nose at the potential dangerous reality of his work, something she hadn’t considered. This isn’t all about you. “My god. Is that what you have to deal with on a regular basis?”
“Yeah.” He shrugged. “It’s all good. Part of the job. Plus,” he leaned closer, “I met you in the process.”
Despite her insane circumstances, Enza felt a smile pull at her lips. He was glad he met her. This tall ripped guy with the body of a fighter and the face of a model wanted to spend time with her. His eyes were molten in the dark of the car, lit by a street light down the road.
She raised her hand to his jaw, tracing the stubbled edge. He tilted his head toward her and she swore he gritted his teeth. “This is so much to take in,” she said softly. “Everything you’ve told me.”
He grabbed her hand and set it on his broad shoulder. “You’re doing great so far.” His voice was rumbly and rough.
Her extraordinary sense of smell picked up on everything male about him: his cologne, his soap, the clean scent of sweat…and a hint of gelato. Something entrenched in her psyche sprang to life, recognizing in him an element unfamiliar yet totally necessary. Her attraction to him was spiraling out of control and right now, in this car, it was just the two of them.
No flirting, ogling women, either human or nymph. No scary alleys. No death-defying portals. Just Rhys, looking at her like she was the only girl in the world. God. Desire bloomed low in her belly as the dashboard lights flickered. Without stopping to think about it, she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.
In a heartbeat, his hand threaded into her hair and fisted her locks as he devoured her mouth. She gasped at his intensity, arching her back to get closer. His other hand went to her lower back and held her as close as possible over the damn center console.
She clutched his shoulders and let him kiss her senseless. It was like they hadn’t kissed at all in the park earlier tonight. No, this kiss was hungry and primal and her body ramped into overdrive. A whimper escaped her lips as his tongue delved deeper, swirling against hers with a dizzying pressure.
She opened wide, sliding her hand up to his scalp and scraping with her fingernails. He made a noise that sounded a lot like a growl—growl?—and in a split second she was whisked right over the console and onto his lap.
She gasped again as she straddled him and felt the enormous erection straining his jeans. Oh my god, he wanted her. Bad.
With a flick of some lever, his seat tilted back and she pressed her hips down, needing contact and friction. He made that same deep, sexy noise in response, hands cupping her ass.
Focusing on the corded muscles of his neck, she bent her head to kiss him there. Loving the salty taste of his skin, loving the roughness of stubble under her tongue. She dotted kisses up to his ear, where she licked his earlobe into her mouth and held it gently between her teeth. She’d never done that to a guy before, but with Rhys, it seemed like the most natural thing in the world.
One hand smacked her bottom and he flexed up into her. She moaned as a fresh burst of desire hit her hard, and then his hands were skimming up her stomach under her T-shirt. His fingers on her skin ignited a powerful wave of lust.
“Rhys, please,” she whispered, caught in a whirlwind of desire that was quickly drowning out her rational thoughts.
“Please, what?” His hands stopped short of her breasts, teasing sensual lines along her ribs.
“Please touch me.” She grabbed one hand and guided it up.
Rhys’s mind melted at Enza’s sweet, shy, urgent request. Having her soft body wriggling on top of his made him insane with need, and knowing she felt the same way, he was having a hard time not stripping her naked right then and there.
But it was too soon. He’d revealed a shit ton of information tonight, and he thanked the gods she handled it as well as she did.
No, he’d wait for her cues. And right now, she was breathless and begging him to play with her tits. So he gave in to his base nature and cupped the soft mounds over her silky bra.
She moaned and raised her head from his neck, breathing hard. Her beautiful gaze shone with so much urgency he nearly roared with satisfaction—then she sucked in a breath.
“Your eyes!” she gasped. “Wh-what are they doing?”
“They glow in times of intense emotion.” He jacked his hips against hers. “Like lust.”
“Oh my gosh.” Her words were breathy, delighted, and curious. “Are mine doing that?”
“Nah, it’s a Lash demon trait.” He played with her firm curves, stroking lightly over the silk barrier in his way.
“Oh. Well, if mine could, they would be. God, Rhys.” Raw feminine need radiated from her, and the scent of her arousal filled the car. He popped the front clasp of her bra.
She sighed in pleasure as he caressed her lush breasts, sliding over pebbled nipples and to the sides and all around. He memorized their fullness, squeezed their weight and found the tips again, tugging them between his thumb and first finger. She ground her heat against him, face flushed, eyes closed. Lost to lust.
Her hair cascaded around his face, releasing more of her sugary scent. Dark silken strands tickled his jaw, and he was slammed with a visual of her hair, tousled and spread on his pillow. Her hair, brushing against his thighs as she sucked his cock. Fuck. A rumble stirred in his chest as he fought to rein in the need that had exploded like a nuclear bomb.
He licked her neck. She shivered and angled her head to grant him full access. He kissed and tasted his way up, pulling her delicate skin between his teeth but careful not to leave marks. He reached her ear and bit gently on her lobe. At the same time he gave her nipples a gentle pinch, seeing if she liked it.
“Rhys.” Her voice was a call, a plea, a sound so full of passion that he knew—yeah, she liked that. She rocked against him in an urgent rhythm.
He moved back down to her neck, swirling and teasing her dewy skin. His cock strained against his zipper. Each movement from her was delicious agony. Fuck, he needed to bury himself in her tight body.
A new, fervent mewl broke free from her lips. Her eyes slid closed. “Oh. God.” Her brows knit.
“I got you. Let it go.” He cupped one breast, skimmed a hand down to her ass, and thrust up, hard.
“Rhys!” she whisper-shrieked, as her body shook. She rolled her hips, grinding, gasping, riding out the waves of her orgasm with her head thrown back.
Rhys held her, loving the way she came apart, vowing to keep gaining her trust so that once she knew everything about him, she would still be as unguarded as she was now.
Panting, she laid her head on his chest and curled one knee up. He tucked his arms around her, absorbing her warmth and taking satisfaction—though it was also part to
rture—at the scent of sex filling his car.
She raised her head, a sheepish look on her face. “I, uh, didn’t mean to…”
He stopped her with a kiss. “Hey. None of that. You’re fucking sexy when you come.”
She ducked her head. “Oh my god, things just…”
“Shh.” He smoothed a dark curl away from her face. “It’s natural and you…” he kissed her again. “Are beautiful.”
“Do you want to come inside?” Her voice was husky with a mix of satisfaction and promise.
“No.” Damn it to fucking hell. He could imagine how hot and tight she would be.
“But you didn’t…” she bit her lip and started to drag her hand down his abdomen.
He stopped her before she got to his aching shaft. “I’m good,” he lied.
She frowned. “Don’t you want to?”
He groaned. God, her words and sexy body were making this difficult. “Hell, yes. But not now. It’s too soon.”
She stroked his jaw with a slender finger. “I guess I got carried away. I’m not usually aggressive with guys.”
“Pretty sure that will never be a problem for me. And it’s probably your demon side. Maybe it’s responding to me.” He patted her ass.
“Does that happen?” She righted her bra and pulled her T-shirt back down. “If I’m around other non humans?”
“Not necessarily, but it’s possible.” He paused, devouring the way she adjusted her clothing and shook out her hair. Her demon side could respond to him, but likely only in two situations.
If he’d threatened her life…or if she was destined to become his mate.
Holy shit. It was way too soon to put her name and that word in the same sentence. What was wrong with him? He cleared his throat. “Time to get inside.”
He opened his door, keeping one hand around her waist so she wouldn’t tumble off his lap. She scooted off, grazing his engorged cock and he stifled a groan. He grabbed her hand and walked her up to the front door, under that same brightly glaring bulb.
She skated her hands up his chest to link them behind his neck. “Thanks for tonight.”
