by Lori Sjoberg
“Hey, Nadia,” Marlena said as she approached. “How’s business?”
“About the usual for a Wednesday night,” Nadia replied, her voice as husky as a three-pack-a-day smoker. Her life force gave off the distinct vibe of a witch. She finished filling the bottle and screwed on the cap. “The evening crowd should be coming in soon.”
“Evening crowd?” Adam asked, confused.
Marlena nodded toward the back of the store. “Come on, I’ll show you.”
Leading the way past an opening in the counter, she brought him to a back office with a simple desk and large metal storage cabinet. About a dozen or so boxes were stacked in the corner, along with a small shelf crammed full of junk. There was a second door off to the left with a piece of paper taped at eye level displaying a simple message:
You know the rules.
Break them and suffer the consequences.
“What are the rules?” Adam asked.
“No fighting, no weapons, no smoking, no spitting, no pets, no standing on the bar, no flash photography, no bare feet, and no credit cards.”
“That’s an awful lot of noes.”
“With this crowd, it’s either lay down the law or mop up the mess.”
Adam arched a brow, not sure if he should be nervous or excited. “What kind of place is this?”
“Somewhere folks like us can meet without having to deal with humans.”
Forget nervous, now he was intrigued. During his time as a reaper, he’d only met a few non-humans, and he was curious about what else was out there. Only one problem. “Sounds good, but I don’t have a lot of cash on me.”
“No problem. I’ll cover your tab this time. You coming or what?”
He made a sweeping motion with his hand. “After you.”
Beyond the door was what looked like your run-of-the-mill dive bar, complete with a dozen or so tables and walls decorated with posters and neon signs. The bar itself sported at least ten taps, and there were dozens of bottles of hard liquor lined up on shelves in front of a mirrored wall. On the adjacent wall was a flat-screen television tuned to one of the sports networks. The bartender gave them a casual nod as they made their way to an empty table not far from the dartboards.
“How come I’ve never heard of this place?” he asked as they passed a trio of young witches sharing a pitcher of beer. One of them gave him a brazen once-over before winking and blowing him a kiss. Normally, that would be his cue to make a move, but the curvy redhead didn’t push his buttons like the sexy blond shifter walking in front of him.
“Beats me. Dmitri used to come here all the time.” She took the seat by the wall. “What’s going on with him anyway? Aside from him stopping by to ask for a favor, he’s totally dropped off the radar.”
“He got married,” Adam said simply. The surprise in her eyes let him know she hadn’t heard the news. Odd, since her daughter was aware of it. “I thought Cassie would have told you.”
And just like that, her expression shuttered. “We don’t talk much about him.”
“Why not?” He’d noticed the mutual hostility between them when he’d first visited the witch’s house. At the time, it hadn’t surprised him, since Dmitri made a hobby out of pissing people off. Still, he was curious about the source of the animosity, and the big Russian had refused to explain it.
“You’d have to ask Dmitri that question.” The scorn in her voice made it clear that the former reaper was a touchy subject.
A waitress wearing skintight clothes and a ridiculous amount of makeup stopped at the table to take their order. Since he’d be driving soon, Adam ordered a glass of water while Marlena ordered a bottle of Guinness Stout.
“How often do you come here?” Adam asked once the waitress moved out of earshot.
Before Marlena could answer, a pair of demons approached their table and stood directly behind her. In the privacy of the bar, they didn’t bother concealing their true nature. Their skin was burgundy with a metallic tint that lightened around the eyes. Blackened horns curved up from their temples, spiraling like some type of antelope. The smaller one was pudgy and kind of goofy-looking, but his buddy was built like a professional wrestler with a huge upper body and arms the size of Adam’s legs. During his time on the force, he’d dealt with the type. Usually, the excessive bulk made them clumsy in a fight, but they still were tough to take down.
The bigger one crossed his arms over his chest, an impressive feat considering the size of his pecs. When he sneered, he showed a hint of fang. “Hey, look who’s here. It’s the runt.”
Marlena tossed a glance over her shoulder. Despite the size of the guy and his apparent aggression, she didn’t seem overly concerned. “Well, if it isn’t Itchy and Scratchy. What brings you boys here tonight?”
Judging by the look on the bigger one’s face, he wasn’t amused. He sat down on one of the unoccupied chairs, which groaned under his massive weight. “You’ve got a lot of nerve, showing up on our turf.”
She cocked her head a little to one side and leaned back against her seat. “Funny, I didn’t realize this was your turf, but then again, it wouldn’t really matter.”
The demon—was he Itchy or Scratchy?—snarled.
Adam shifted in his seat, ready to stand, but Marlena nudged him under the table with her foot. She gave him a quick shake of her head, signaling for him to stay put.
“Save it for someone who’d be impressed,” she told the demon, sounding bored. “I don’t want to fight with you, boys. But since you’re here, I could use some information.”
The smaller one’s face pinched up like he’d just tasted something bitter. “And what makes you think we’d help you, after what you pulled the last time?”
Adam shot her a questioning look.
She gestured toward the smaller demon. “Itchy tried to screw me over on a deal. That’s why his right horn’s so short.”
Now that she mentioned it, Adam noticed the difference in horn length. Instead of curving back into an elegant point like the left one, the right horn had been broken off at about the halfway mark. From what he’d heard, horn size was a big thing with demons, and having one broken by a shifter must have dealt a big blow to his ego.
“I still owe you for that,” Itchy snarled, his fingers moving up to stroke the blunt end of his broken horn. “Maybe we should settle the score here and now. I don’t think anyone in here would mind.”
On the outside, Marlena appeared calm, but Adam couldn’t help but notice how the tips of her fingers had elongated into claws. He curled his hands into fists beneath the table, preparing for things to head south.
“You don’t want to do that,” she told Itchy, the warning clear in her voice. She pointed a claw in Adam’s direction. “If you do, you might piss off the reaper.”
Both sets of demon eyes focused on Adam as if noticing him for the very first time. Scratchy’s lips peeled back from his teeth. “You brought a fucking reaper in here?”
Marlena shrugged. “Why not? He’s tight with Dmitri, and you know how much fun he can be.”
Itchy leaned so far back in his chair it was a wonder it didn’t tip over. Scratchy didn’t seem as intimidated by the mention of Dmitri, but he was obviously uncomfortable. “What do you want?”
“Two things. Have you heard about any of our kind moving into the area?”
Scratchy shook his head. “No, why?”
“Just checking on a rumor I heard. Somebody told me a big player came to town, and I wanted to see if it was true.”
The big demon looked like he didn’t believe her but didn’t want to call her out on it. “What’s the second question?”
“It’s more along the lines of a heads-up.” The waitress came back with their drinks, and Marlena paused long enough to take a sip of her Guinness. “Someone’s hunting non-humans. Spread the word and watch your back.”
That got their attention. The two demons exchanged a look that Adam couldn’t interpret.
“And you know this how?
” Itchy asked.
“Because the bastards almost nailed me last week.” Her expression sobered, as if she was taking note of their unease. “You don’t happen to know of any missing demons, do you? The assholes carved one up while I was locked inside a cage.”
Scratchy blanched. “This demon, what did he look like?”
“He was young—eighteen, nineteen tops. Tall, thin, with short brown hair and green eyes. I’m guessing he hadn’t reached maturity yet because he never shifted into demon form.”
Itchy snarled something in his native tongue. He pounded his fist against the table hard enough to make their drinks jump.
“You know who I’m talking about?” Marlena’s eyes softened with sympathy.
Scratchy nodded, his features grim. “He’s the son of one of his clan mates. The boy went missing last week, but they assumed he’d just gone off with some friends or a female.”
“Do you remember if he had any markings?” Itchy’s voice cracked when he asked the question.
“Yeah.” Marlena’s eyes squinted as if she was trying to remember the details. “There was one on the right side of his neck, kind of crescent shaped but with rounded ends.”
The last shreds of Itchy’s composure collapsed, and he let out a mournful wail so loud the patrons at the other tables peered over in their direction.
Adam didn’t envy Marlena’s role in breaking the bad news. As a cop, he’d occasionally been given the task of informing the next of kin. He still remembered the pain on each person’s face when he delivered the devastating news.
“I’m sorry.” Marlena laid a hand on the table, close to Itchy’s but not quite touching.
“At least he knows.” With his shoulders slumped, Scratchy leaned toward her and lowered his voice. “Do you know where the humans took his body? We’ll need it to perform last rites.”
“I can’t say for sure, but you might want to check with the medical examiner’s office.”
Scratchy laid a hand on his friend’s shoulder, silently urging him to stand. “Thank you for the information. If you find who did this, let us know, and we’ll make them pray for death.”
“You can have them after I’m finished.” She grabbed Itchy’s arm as he turned to go. When he looked back, she met his mournful gaze. “Your boy was worthy of your clan. He tried to protect me, and for that I owe him a debt. If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll find the assholes who did this.”
Itchy gave a curt nod, his eyes filled with pain, before turning away and shuffling out the rear exit.
Adam turned his attention back to Marlena. “That was a nice thing, what you said to him about the boy.”
“It was the truth. Every time the bastard came near my cage, the kid would scream threats and obscenities until his voice went raw.” She laughed, but the sound lacked humor. “Stupid kid.”
It hit him then, what she was saying between the lines. “You wanted it to be you instead of him.”
She shook her head. “No, I didn’t want it to be either one of us. But if the choice came down between him and me …” Sadness darkened her amber eyes and tugged at his heart. “I’ve already lived a long time. He deserved a chance to grow up.”
He recognized the signs of survivor’s guilt, the feeling that you’ve done something wrong by living through a traumatic situation while others weren’t so lucky. He gripped her hand and laced his fingers with hers. “Hey, it’s not your fault. You know that, right? That belongs to the assholes who did it.”
“Yeah, well, people around me have a nasty habit of dying. You might not want to get too close.”
“Fat chance, I’m not going anywhere.” With his free hand, he grabbed his glass and took a few swallows. “It’ll pass, the way you’re feeling.”
She rolled her eyes. “What are you now, a psychologist?”
“No, but I’ve been through the exact same thing.” Gently, he rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand. “I watch people die every single day and I can’t do a damn thing about it. Just this morning, I sat back while a guy got hit by a speeding truck.”
Her features hardened. “That’s different.”
“Bullshit. You don’t think I want to save those people? Or maybe you think I get my rocks off watching them die.”
“That’s not what I’m saying. It’s just—” She let out a frustrated sigh. “Never mind.”
When she looked away, he cupped her cheek and drew her gaze back to him. “What you’re feeling is normal. It just shows that you care. Hell, I’d worry if you didn’t feel anything for the kid. But keep in mind, the fault lies squarely on the assholes who did it, not you.”
“Yeah, I know.” But she didn’t sound convinced. “Sorry for turning into such a wet blanket.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve had a great time. Thanks for bringing me here tonight. My life wouldn’t have been complete if I’d never met Itchy and Scratchy.”
A reluctant laugh rose from her throat. “I gave them those nicknames years ago because their demon names are unpronounceable. After a while, it just stuck. Irritates the hell out of Itchy.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t like the way they threatened you. Maybe you should talk to the owner about getting them banned.”
Marlena let out a little huff. “If I went around banning every creature who threatened me, there wouldn’t be anyone left to do business with.”
“You own this place?” He hadn’t seen that one coming.
“Well, I own the bar. The store up front belongs to Cassie. We opened this place about twenty years ago so folks like us would have a place where they could be themselves without having to worry about humans.” She leaned her forearms against the table, giving him a mouthwatering view of her cleavage. “Don’t worry about the boys. They’re all talk and no action. Besides, if they ever actually pulled something in here, I’d kick their asses six ways to Sunday and then I’d ban them.”
Smart, strong, sexy, and a good businesswoman. The more he learned about her, the hotter he got. “What else do you own? Disney?”
“No, but now that you mention it, Universal Studios would be a great place for Itchy and Scratchy. They’d blend right in during Halloween Horror Nights.”
He laughed.
She took another drink of her beer, leaving the bottle almost empty. Her gaze flicked up, meeting his, and instead of sadness he saw sensuality. “So. What you want to do next?”
If he answered the question honestly, she’d probably slap the shit out of him. He couldn’t help it; she triggered something inside him on the primal level. Everything about her—the way she looked, the smell of her skin, the way her amber eyes gave away her true feelings—turned him on and made his body ache with arousal. In all his life, he’d never experienced anything like it, and it totally rocked his world.
But as much as he wanted to fuck her cross-eyed, he’d given Gwen his word that he’d return to watch Samuel no later than eleven. Which was in a little less than two hours. Not nearly enough time to do all of the things he wanted to do with Marlena. When—not if—he finally got her naked, he planned on taking his good sweet time enjoying every inch of her beautiful body.
“I hate to say it, but I’ve got to get to work.” Reluctantly, he stood and offered his hand. “Come on, I’ll drive you home.”
Chapter 14
Neither one of them spoke during the drive across town to
Cassie’s house.
The air inside the cab of the truck sizzled with restless energy. Marlena noted the tension building in Adam, from the way he tightly gripped the steering wheel to the fire in his eyes every time he glanced in her direction. His jaw muscles flexed as he ground his molars, and he mumbled something under his breath that she couldn’t quite make out.
Honestly, she wasn’t happy about going home either. The mate bond had steadily grown in intensity, making her body hum with anticipation. She wanted his hands on her, his mouth on her. His body pounding into hers. But most of all, she craved the soul-deep connect
ion that came with making love to her mate. So many years had passed since she experienced the rush, she’d almost forgotten what it felt like.
Aside from an older woman walking her dog, the streets in Cassie’s neighborhood were deserted. Adam pulled to the curb in front of her house and shut off the engine. “I’ll walk you to the door.”
“You don’t have to do that. I can make it inside on my own.” She wrapped her fingers around the handle but couldn’t bring herself to open the door. “Thank you. For everything. It’s a shame you have to leave so soon.”
Features tight, he twisted in his seat to face her. Even in the dark, she saw the lust in his eyes, and her entire body flushed as if he’d just touched her with his hands instead of his gaze.
Time stretched as they stared at each other, not blinking, not moving, not breathing. Her heart lurched in her chest while her mouth went completely dry. Was he going to make a move, or should she?
“Aw, fuck it,” he finally said, right before he leaned across the console and claimed her mouth.
The kiss was pure fire, fierce and possessive. She kissed him back just as passionately, feeling the hunger growing inside him with each stroke of his tongue. The seductive scent of him surrounded her, intoxicating her as his hand cupped her cheek to hold her head in place. She whimpered, and he deepened the kiss, sending trails of smoldering heat through her body and settling deep in her core.
He had his tongue in her mouth and his hand on her breast, and it felt like she was incinerating from within. When his thumb brushed over her sensitive nipple, her entire body trembled with pleasure. She arched into him, her palms pressed against his chest, and he felt so hard, and hot, and strong she didn’t want to ever let go.
“Let’s go inside,” he murmured against her mouth.
“Uh-uh. Not here. Cassie’s home. How about your place?”
Adam shook his head, a low growl rising from his throat. His eyes blazed with arousal while his erection strained against the fly of his jeans. He let out a sound of frustration. “Can’t. Got company. Hotel?”
