by Lia Davis
A sharp pain hit her rear end. She cried out in shock, rubbed her ass, brought her finger to her nose, and sniffed. The sharp scent of paint overwhelmed her. Really?
“You asked for it.”
A male chuckle echoed through the forest right before he appeared beside her. She jumped. He ran his knuckles down her cheek to her neck where he rested his fingers against her pulse. Her heart rate increased and the air grew thick.
Then he faded away, again.
Fuckin’ tease.
She pulled her weapon out of the waistband of her pants, clicked the safety off and ran after him. Following his magical signature, she found him with ease. Did he want to be caught? She eased around a large cypress to sneak up on him.
Stings of electrifying energy reached out to her, coating her arms, and then vanished. A few moments later, the sensation swirled around her again. “What are you doing, Darian?”
His dark form stepped into view several feet in front of her. She aimed and fired three shots. With a curse he disappeared again, but he didn’t flash.
Holding her gun at shoulder level, she stalked toward the ancient trunk. Her heart thumped and her hands shook. She rounded it. Not there.
Lowering her arms, she reached out with her senses. Confusion blanketed her. In a sudden motion, he flattened her back against the tree.
“Never let your guard down.”
Ema swallowed. He pressed his body against hers, his thick erection pushed into her abdomen. She tamped down the need to wrap her legs around his waist. Never had she felt such a strong pull from anyone. She didn’t understand why she wanted this man…no, vampire, so badly. It had to be the legendary allure of his kind.
His eyes narrowed to slits.
Power passed over her, intensifying her desire for him. She moaned and rotated her hips against him. “What will you do with me now?”
A naughty smirk formed, but disappeared. His muscles bunched and his grip on her tightened. A cool sensation raced up her spine.
A dark essence reached out from the darkness, breaking his hold on her. Three men stepped into view.
“Vampires,” she hissed out before she could stop the words. Darian’s curious gaze met hers, but she didn’t explain. She didn’t have time before he took off with inhuman speed, holding her against him. Trees blurred by, at least she hoped it was the forest and not more vamps. What in the hell were they doing here? She’d only asked for one.
Darian came to a stop and set her on her feet.
“Who are they?”
“Hunters.”
“Vampire hunters? I mean they’re vampires and hunters? What do they want?” She crossed her arms over her chest and looked into his face.
“Not sure.”
With a shrill whistle, something zipped through her ponytail. Fear froze her in place and her heart sank to her feet. She glared at Darian and then at the tree next to her. An arrow stuck out of the trunk.
Chapter Two
You will not hyperventilate. Calm down, Ema, this is all staged. “They tried to kill me!”
Darian paced and scanned the darkness. “How did you know they were vampires?”
She turned her back on him, holding her silence.
“Answer the question. I need to know what I’m dealing with.”
Her head snapped up at his icy tone. “What you’re dealing with? They shot an arrow at me!”
“How did you know we were vampires?”
She sighed. The magical energy from the other vamps edged closer. Trapped, she had no choice but to trust him. This night keeps getting better and better. “Your auras are different from other beings.”
He tsked. “Are you a witch?”
She shook her head. “I’ve always been able to see the paranormal.”
“That’s a problem.”
She whirled to face him with her hands on her hips. “A problem?”
“The Vampire Council’s number one rule is secrecy. You are in violation of that rule, a threat.”
“I’ve never told anyone about my abilities. Hell, no one would believe me.”
He returned to pacing. After a few seconds, he took her hand and led her deeper into the forest. “I have a plan, but you have to play along.”
“What kind of plan?”
He stopped and faced her. “Just promise to agree with what I say.”
She searched his face for the slightest sign of untruths, a twitch or telling glance. When she didn’t see any, she nodded and hoped to God she wasn’t selling her soul. “Don’t make me regret this.”
The three scowling vamps caught up to them. But to her surprise, their ill-tempered glares were directed at Darian. He took her by the arm and pulled her behind him. As if. She shifted to peer around him. He wrapped her arms around his waist and held them in place, letting out a soft growl the moment their bodies made contact. Sexual need rolled off him and she relished how wonderful it felt. Closing her eyelids, she pressed her forehead to his back.
When one of the newcomers spoke, she lifted her head and shifted to stand under Darian’s left arm, defying his efforts to keep her behind him.
The speaker’s hair appeared silver in the moonlight, his face etched with angry creases. “Hand over the female, Wyman.”
Wyman? They knew him. Damn. Just her luck. He would turn her over to the hunters for vamp politics or something. For all she knew, this whole date was a set up for their council to capture her, as if she were some kind of threat to their kind. She tried to back up, but Darian’s grip tightened on her arms.
“I’ll take responsibility for the female.”
She froze. What does that mean?
“Have you claimed her?”
“Not yet, but the night is young. I like to seduce my conquests first.”
Rumbles of laughter erupted from the hunters. “Very well. But be warned that if you don’t, she will be turned over to the council.”
“Don’t worry. Before morning, she will be mine.”
Oh, no way she was going along with that. The date was for one night, not a lifelong commitment! He had no right to promise something that would never happen. He would get them both killed, even if it did appease the others for now.
With a nod, the hunters dematerialized.
Darian’s silence said enough. He wouldn’t look at her. Was he serious? She backed up and sent him her best death stare, her arms crossed. “I’m not a piece of property. You can’t just stake a claim on me. You don’t know me.”
He reached for her. She jerked away, pivoted on her heel, and strode back the way they’d come. At least she hoped it was. His essence followed her, warning her of his presence. She broke into a run, not wanting to be claimed by anyone.
He materialized in front of her. She skidded to a halt and stepped back. She should have known she couldn’t outrun a vampire. Darian took hold of her upper arms and pulled her to his chest. She struggled not to feel his warmth, the power that encircled her, the sense of belonging.
“You have nothing to fear from me.”
“I’m not afraid,” she whispered.
He pressed his lips to hers. She melted into him. Surges of electricity raced through her body and fired off every buried sexual need she possessed. When his tongue dipped inside her mouth, raw desire overtook reason.
She laced her fingers in his hair and pulled him closer, anxious to taste more of him. His power flowed into her and she drew it in, welcoming the erotic rush of his magic possessing every inch of her body, inside and out.
He pulled away in a rush and distanced himself from her, blue eyes widened and accusing.
“What’s wrong?” she asked, startled.
“Succubus.” He spat the word like rancid meat.
Ema gasped and shook her head. “A what? No, I’m not.”
“You’re a succubus and you tried to kill me.”
He flashed away while she stood dumbfounded. Not possible. She couldn’t be a succubus. What the hell is going on?
*
**
A succubus. Fuck.
Distancing himself to clear his head, he came to a fallen tree a hundred yards from where he’d left Ema. He sat down on the trunk and let sounds of the wind rustling leaves on the forest floor help clear his thoughts. He’d told the hunters he would claim her. She was his responsibility now.
The drugging effect she had on him pushed him further into insanity. The need to penetrate her with cock and fangs overrode common sense.
When he first saw her, he’d been intrigued. Sparks of life ignited inside his broken heart. He’d watched from the shadows as she wandered. Her soft muttering and silent curses amused him, something that hadn’t happened in a very long time.
Her dark hair, pulled back in a ponytail, had shimmers of crimson that reflected in the moonlight. He longed to free it from the rubber band to watch it fall around her shoulders and make it easy to twine the silky strands through his fingers.
When she’d marked the surrounding foliage with her blood, he’d instantly hardened and lost almost every ounce of self-control. The coppery scent flowed in the air and beckoned him like a siren’s call. He’d held his breath and tried to suppress the need to ravish and pleasure her until she screamed his name.
The only other time he’d felt a pull that strong was when he’d met his late wife. Confusion filled him at the possibility that he’d met a second bride. Her scent teased him and made his heart beat for the first time since his beloved Alexis died. Just one sign of meeting a mate. He didn’t know of another vampire lucky enough to find a second love. Most never lived past the first decade after losing a partner. And few shared the depth, the connection he and Alexis had. If not for Kat....
A thought that plagued him on multiple occasions.
And his one-night stand turned out to be an unknowing half-breed. Damn, why did this shit always happened to him? He wasn’t prejudiced against succubi, but they were dangerous creatures. Other supernatural clans didn’t like them, seductive killers able to kill with one kiss.
That kiss. He blew out a long sigh. He couldn’t resist her. She would end his life before the night was over.
To add more fuel to the flames, she was his mate. He couldn’t deny it.
***
Ema followed his energy. She found Darian sitting on a fallen tree trunk with his hands clenched into fists. He stared into the forest. She cast a nervous glance around to make sure they were alone.
His head snapped up and his glowing eyes searched hers. “Don’t.”
The command was less harsh than his earlier accusation of being a sex demon, but she despised being hushed. Especially when she didn’t understand what the hell was going on. “I’m not a succubus.”
“You are,” he sighed and stood to face her.
“How? My parents are human. And why would I kill you?”
“Because it’s your nature.”
She winced.
His shoulders fell. “You didn’t know?” She shook her head, but before she could respond, he continued. “An incubus could have impregnated your mother. It’s what they do.”
Ema sat down on the log. “I still don’t understand. Wouldn’t I need sex, all the time?”
Darian sat beside her, hands fisted in his lap. “Do people around you tire easily or appear tense? Do partners seem weak after sex?”
Her few sexual partners hadn’t hung around too long. One boyfriend had told her she exhausted him. The models she used for her sculptures couldn’t do long casting sessions. She’d had to schedule several shorter appointments and create her plaster molds one body part at a time. She was fairly sure that was unusual.
“And I can see the paranormal. Not just vampires and witches, but I can sense the animal spirit living inside shifters. I can feel their energy and see their transformation in my mind, if I concentrate hard enough.”
He covered her hand with his and squeezed. She stood and edged away from him. “I’m sorry. If you want to call this date off, I won’t be offended.” She pivoted and rushed away from him. The whole night was ruined. Her chest tightened, and she struggled to swallow the lump in her throat.
Strong arms wrapped around her waist. “You are a potential mate for me.”
She froze. A mate? Confusion clouded her mind. At the same time, excitement rose and filled her with hope. She’d lived her life with the idea she would die alone and tried to be content with that. Damn Darian for giving her hope again. She twisted in his arms and shook her head. “I didn’t come here to find a husband.”
“Neither did I.” She raised an eyebrow at him and he laughed. The sound rumbled from his chest to hers. “I wasn’t searching for a mate, either.
“I don’t know you.”
“It doesn’t matter. We have a very long time to get to know each other.” He tightened his hold, crushing their bodies together and capturing her mouth in a sensual possession. His firm lips moved against hers and his tongue slipped inside.
She moaned when he broke the kiss to move down her jaw and nip her chin. Prickles of desire soared straight to her core, causing her to ache with need.
“Let’s get out of the cold. I’ll explain.”
Chapter Three
Back in the hotel room, Ema’s stomach tightened. Fear of the unknown along with the knowledge of what she could have done to those she loved overrode her ability to think straight. She put her friends in danger just being around them.
“I’ll call room service while you change.” Darian’s voice lacked any emotion.
She nodded, grabbed her bag, and went to the bathroom. After removing her cargo pants and black knit top, she changed into an oversized button-down shirt and leggings. She slid the rubber band from her hair and let the red waves cascade around her shoulders and down her back. A new woman stared back at her in the mirror. A woman with knowledge that all the weirdness in her life had been caused by the fact she was half sex demon.
“Stop it, Ema. You came here for a one-night stand.” A gorgeous man waited for her on the other side of that door.
After she brushed her teeth, she rifled through her personals and pulled out lavender jasmine body spray. Remembering vamps’ sensitive sense of smell, she decided he wouldn’t appreciate it, so she set it back inside her bag.
A light knock made her jump.
“Is everything okay?”
She opened the door to Darian’s gorgeous ice blue eyes, midnight black hair framing his handsome face, and square jawline.
He took her hand, and led her to the small table next to the French doors. Since she’d left the room, it had been set with two covered dishes, glasses, and a bottle of red wine. A single red rose and two lit tapers completed the image—an intimate dinner for two.
“How long was I in the bathroom?” she asked. “That’s pretty fast service.”
“About twenty minutes.”
“Really?”
A chuckle and shake of his head gave her pause. “Kidding. You weren’t in there that long, and yes, it does seem the service here is fast.”
She stared out the glass doors at the moonlight-silvered mountain peaks. “Forgive me if I don’t find that funny.” Turning back, she searched his face “My world as I know it has just been turned upside down. How am I supposed to react?”
Her chair propelled forward so her knees touched his, startling her. He grasped her face in a gentle hold, his thumb caressing her cheek. “Your eyes have been opened to a whole new world. I want to help you explore your abilities.”
“Explore them? I’m not opening that door.” Nope. She wanted no part in awakening her demon half. What did that even mean? Would she have to hunt?
“You already have, when I first kissed you.”
The erotic feeling of his magical essence mingling with hers made her yearn to reach out to him for another taste. “All the more reason not to poke the demon.”
“If you don’t learn to control the urges, she will take over.”
Fangs showed with each word. Desire heated her
blood. She wanted them to pierce her skin when he claimed her for his own. Reality was a bitch, though. “Your essence is too strong. What if I can’t stop?”
“You will.”
“But in the forest. It overpowered me and I almost….”
His thumb smoothed over her bottom lip, halting her speech. “I wasn’t prepared. Now that I know what I’m dealing with, I can help.”
“I don’t understand.”
He released her and picked up the fork, scooped up a bite of mashed potatoes, and held it in front of her. The smell of fresh herbs and butter tantalized her nose and made her mouth water. Darian laid the creamy goodness on her tongue. She savored the favors.
When he refilled the fork, she placed a hand on his. “I can feed myself.”
A flash of hurt crossed his face, but was gone in an instant. “Let me. It pleasures me to do so.”
“The mating thing?”
He nodded and offered her another bite. “Yes. For my kind, to find two in one lifetime is rare.”
She choked. “A second? Whoa, wait a minute. I don’t date married men.” She scooted her chair back, but he latched onto the seat.
“I’m widowed. Alexis died when our daughter was ten….” His shoulders slumped and she longed to comfort him.
Still she needed to know. “How long ago?”
“One hundred and forty-two years.”
Ema opened her mouth, and then closed it. She shouldn’t be surprised. Vampires lived a very long time. Besides, this was a one-night stand, despite his claims of being her mate. She didn’t have the right to be jealous, so she changed the subject. “What do you know about sex demons?”
He cut a piece of steak, topped with a creamy mushroom sauce. “Full blooded succubi live off life energy much like vampires do blood. There are many ways they can drain their host, sex being the most effective. Other ways are through touch and kissing.”
“What about half-breeds?”
He met her gaze. “I’m not sure. I’ve never met one until now. Have any of your partners fallen ill from an unknown ailment?”
