Mark of the Sylph (Demons of Infernum, #2)

by Rosalie Lario

  She dropped the lamp and tried to make her feet move. Run. Go.

  But her body refused to obey. It wanted to stay here. Stare at the demon who resembled a man. Especially with his eyes closed. If she was smart she’d get out of here quickly, before he recovered. She probably didn’t have much time. Rolling his body away from the door, she opened it and stepped out into a small, cozy-looking living room with dark green walls.

  There. The front door. She was steps away from freedom. After taking a few uncertain steps forward, she paused.

  Go, Maya. Go.

  But her feet wouldn’t listen.

  It appeared she wasn’t going to be smart today.

  She slipped back into the room and stepped around the demon’s unconscious form, heading toward the bed. Moving as quickly as she could, she loosened one of the silk ties from the headboard and knotted an end around the foot post. Then she grabbed his arm and, with a great deal of effort, dragged his solid weight toward it. She knelt on the floor next to him and tied the other end of the silk around his wrist in a thick knot. That would do for now.

  Maya leaned back onto her haunches and examined the demon. Unconscious, he didn’t appear evil. In fact, with his sharp, symmetrical features and golden glow, he was different from any other demon she’d ever seen. A demon who joked around. Who had family he seemed to care for. Who sounded believable when he assured her he wouldn’t hurt her.

  How wholly unexpected.

  “What’s your game?” With her fingertips, she tentatively touched his lips. Soft and full.

  What an elaborate ruse to make her believe he wasn’t an evil fiend. She wasn’t buying it, though.

  Then why are you still here, Maya?

  Good question. She allowed her fingers to trail down to his chest, which felt like molten steel beneath her fingertips. She knew from experience that demons ran hot, but she’d never wondered about it before. They came from Hell, after all.

  He groaned and shifted, the big lump on his head already beginning to recede. She yanked her hand back. When he settled down without regaining consciousness, she returned her fingers to his stomach. Not an ounce of flab on him, as far as she could tell.

  The memory of his hard length pressed against her penetrated her mind, and a rush of warmth coursed through her. He’d seemed surprised when she called him an incubus, but what else could he be?

  Without warning, a hand seized her wrist. Before she could react, he flipped her onto her back and buried his face in her hair. His weight pressed down on her. Oh, fuck!

  “You sure like to play rough, don’t you?” he said in a sleepy voice.

  For one long moment she lay there, too caught off-guard to answer. She pushed against his chest. “Get off, demon.”

  Taeg lifted his head and curved his lips into a wicked smile. “Is that an invitation, sweetheart? Cause I’d sure as hell love to.”

  Apparently. The proof of that dug hard and hot against her. Much to Maya’s embarrassment, another flare of heat unfurled low in her belly, warming her from the loins up.

  “Get off me, you idiot.”

  As if he read her shame, he frowned and raised himself off her. “Sorry, I thought... you had your hands on me.”

  Maya scrambled to her feet and ran across the room, grabbing the sliver of glass she’d dropped earlier. She fought back a fierce flush as she turned to face him again. “I was... I was checking you for weapons.”

  “Weapons?” He pushed off the floor with the hand that wasn’t tied to the foot post and sat up awkwardly. Doubt written across his face, he muttered, “Well, you found one.”

  Oh God. Could a person possibly die of mortification?

  “If you try to untie that knot, I swear I’ll slit your throat. Understood?”

  “Loud and clear.” He leaned against the bed, somehow managing to appear calm and in control. “So now the tables are turned and I’m the one tied to the bed. Now what?”

  Maya lifted herself to her full height. “Now you’re going to answer some of my questions.”

  That was it. That was why she’d stayed when she could have fled. She wanted some answers. Yeah, right. She almost believed that.

  His eyes shone with obvious amusement. “What do you want to know?”

  Man, where did she start? She asked the first thing that came to mind. “Why do you glow? Most other demons don’t.”

  His lips curled into a smile, as if he liked that she was thinking about him. “It’s a trait I inherited from my mother.”

  “So you were serious? Demons actually do have mothers?” She’d assumed they were created from hellfire or something, despite what he’d said earlier. Imagining him with a mother didn’t seem possible.

  He cocked his head to the side, throwing her an unreadable look. “Everyone has a mother. And mine wasn’t a demon.”

  Huh? “You mean she was human?”

  A soft sound escaped his lips. “You don’t know a damn thing about the Otherworlds, do you?”

  “Otherworlds?”

  “Never mind. That’s a topic for another day.”

  Okay. Whatever. “What do you want with me?”

  He sighed, bringing one of his knees up and casually folding his free arm around it.

  “Do you realize how rare your gift is?”

  “I... ” She toyed with the shard of glass between her fingers. “As far as I know, no one else can see them. Demons, I mean.”

  “That’s right. It makes you very valuable.”

  “Valuable?” Why did that sound so threatening? She glared at him. “How so?”

  “I’m searching for something that’s protected by a glamour. But you can see through them, so I thought... ”

  What he didn’t say was loud and clear: he wanted to use her to find this hidden object. As if she’d ever agree to help a demon. But her curiosity got the best of her. “What is it that you’re looking for?”

  “A sword.”

  “A sword?” Maya leaned against the wall and crossed her arms. That’s why he went to all this trouble? To find a sword? “Offhand, I can think of a million places you can find one.”

  “Right. But this one is special.”

  “Yeah? How?”

  He rubbed his free hand over his eyes, the gesture betraying a level of weariness that surprised her. Did demons get tired?

  “Someone I know is linked to something very dangerous,” he told her. “An object that can’t be destroyed. But I think that maybe, quite possibly, this sword has the ability to do it.”

  Indestructible objects. Special swords. Sounded like he was talking about magic. But that wasn’t possible. Magic didn’t exist. Did it?

  Well, demons existed...

  She started with the obvious question. “Why would I ever help you?”

  “Finding it could mean the difference between life and death for someone I care deeply about.”

  That was a laugh. “I’m not interested in helping out your demon buddies.”

  He frowned, his brows creasing. “She’s not a demon, Maya. She’s a woman. Like you. And you are going to help me, so you might as well get used to it.”

  Yeah, sure she was. “That’s an easy thing for you to say. Especially when you’re tied to the bed.”

  “Enough games.” Eyes blazing, he tugged on the silk tie, and it tore with a loud rip. Before she could process what’d happened, he shot up and moved forward until he stood mere inches from her.

  She staggered back until she made contact with the wall.

  His eyes softened. “I swear to you, Maya, you’ll come to no harm by my hands.”

  The way he said it, she almost believed him.

  “But I need your help,” he continued, “and you’re going to give it to me.”

  His body was so close she felt the heat emanating from him. She could barely think, much less fight. Her head fell against the wall and she met his level stare. “And if I don’t agree to help you?”

  “If you don’t?” He gave her a feral
grin that made her heart give a frightened leap in her chest, even as her limbs weakened from the intensity radiating from him. With deliberation, he lowered his head until his hot breath fanned her ear, sending a warm shiver throughout her body.

  “If you don’t,” he said in a husky tone, “I’ll just have to convince you otherwise.”

  Chapter Four

  One thing could be said about spying on Taeg—it never grew boring.

  Leviathos pushed away from the wall and stubbed out the cigarette in his hand. He didn’t particularly enjoy smoking, but it made for good cover. Since coming to this dimension he’d noticed that lurking outside of a building with no discernable reason for being there tended to arouse others’ suspicions. But holding a cigarette? Nobody questioned that.

  He gave one last glance at the third-floor window of the building across the street. The light was still on, but he couldn’t see anything past the curtain. Shoving his hat farther down his forehead, he walked away.

  In the months he’d spied on Taeg, not once had he seen him bring a woman to his apartment. That he’d brought an unconscious one there now was beyond curious. This was no ordinary Friday night fuck. Something was up with that woman. And he intended to find out what.

  Leviathos marveled at Taeg’s ego. Taeg’s father, Mammon, had learned Brynn’s address when he first searched for her, something that Taeg well knew. He must have realized Leviathos would also have the address. But apparently Taeg didn’t think Leviathos would be able to recover the Book.

  Leviathos would prove him wrong on that one.

  Trailing Taeg had led Leviathos to the building where Keegan now lived with Brynn. That was probably intentional on Taeg’s part, considering Brynn was heavily guarded everywhere she went. Taeg no doubt hoped Leviathos would try something stupid like kidnapping her, so he and his brothers could catch him.

  Well, he’d show Taeg. And all of his brothers. He wasn’t as stupid as they thought. If all went according to plan, in short time he’d have the Book of the Dead in his hands. Then he’d find a way to get to Brynn. And he’d finally be able to accomplish what their father had failed to do.

  He would become the ruler of Earth.

  Truth be told, that wasn’t what appealed to him most, though it was certainly a bonus. But no. What he truly longed for was the opportunity to get his revenge on Taeg—the man he’d once loved as a brother.

  The man who’d betrayed him.

  Only one question remained: how could the woman Taeg had brought home be of use to him? That was something he’d have to explore. Because once he found that out, he wouldn’t hesitate for one second to exploit her.

  He would take her, and he would delight in doing so.

  §

  For what seemed like the millionth time that day Maya found herself imprisoned in Taeg’s arms as he dragged her toward the bed. Not only was she afraid, but he also confused the hell out of her. Instinct told her he would hurt her, but so far his actions hadn’t proved her right. What was happening here?

  “Let me go,” she said.

  Something that looked like pity flashed in his eyes. “Are you agreeing to help me, then?”

  “Help a demon? I don’t think so.”

  “Then I’m afraid I can’t let you go. I’m sorry, but I can’t.” He tossed her onto the soft mattress and straddled her to immobilize her legs. Then, ignoring her attempts to buck him off, he wound the silk tie still attached to the headboard around her wrist.

  “You can’t keep me here forever,” she bit out.

  He straightened, keeping a tight hold of her free wrist. The look in his eyes was a cross between exasperation and amusement. “Then I’m going to have to figure something out real fast, aren’t I?”

  She tried to strike out with her fist, but he easily kept hold of her hand. Her confusion gave way to desperation. “Why don’t you let me go? We’ll forget any of this ever happened.”

  “Right.” He let out a disbelieving laugh. “Like you wouldn’t hunt me down and chop off my head first chance you got.”

  Reaching down with his free hand, he grabbed the hem of his shirt and started to lift it.

  “No,” she whispered, horror and dread building up inside her. Was he going to show his evil side now? Would she survive it?

  He paused, his lips curving into a wry smile. “Usually the women are dying for me to take my clothes off.”

  “Don’t.”

  “I already told you, I’m not going to hurt you.” With those words, he drew his shirt over his head.

  Maya gasped, screwing her eyes shut as he transferred his hold on her wrist to his other hand to yank his shirt off. Already she feared the image of his naked chest would be burned into her memory for all eternity. Tan and smooth, with pronounced muscles, his torso was a masterpiece any artist would kill to sketch. How inappropriate that she noticed how well-defined it was, when he might be about to kill her. Or worse.

  “I’ll have you know this is my favorite shirt,” he muttered.

  Maya peeked as he grabbed an end with his teeth and tore off a long strip. He bent over her, using the fabric to tie her other wrist to the metal headboard. The heat from his chest drifted toward her, enveloping her with his sex-and-chocolate scent. She moistened lips that had gone dry. “You... you said you weren’t an incubus.”

  He leaned back with a half grin. But then he must have sensed how serious she was, because his expression sobered. “Avaritia. Greed demon.”

  “Greed?” That certainly didn’t sound good.

  “Don’t worry.” He winked at her, but with none of his usual cockiness. Almost as if he was going through the motions of flirting with her. “None of that transferred from my father to me.”

  Taeg rose off the bed and grabbed the heel of one of her boots and slid it off her foot.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Checking for more hidden knives. Should’ve done that while you were unconscious.” He peered inside her boot, then let it fall to the floor before he removed the other one.

  “You’re not going to find any more.”

  Without responding, he ran his hands up the sides of her body, then over her breasts.

  “Wha—what the hell are you doing?”

  “I told you.” He quickly and efficiently cupped the undersides of her breasts. “Checking for hidden weapons. Believe me—I don’t enjoy feeling up unwilling chicks.”

  But a quick glance at his jeans revealed he wasn’t being so honest about that.

  She rode the sudden burst of anger that exploded inside her. “I already told you I don’t have any.”

  He ignored her, sweeping his hands down her jeans, running two fingers along the crease at the juncture of her thighs.

  Maya tensed and bit her cheek to hold back a careless whimper.

  Finally, he drew away with a muffled curse. The muscles in his back clenched when he turned away. “Look, I don’t like this any more than you. I don’t want to be in this position, and I sure as hell don’t enjoy being treated like a murdering rapist.”

  His words unsettled her. What kind of demon was this? He’d had every opportunity to hurt her, but instead he explained himself to her over and over. Not sure how to respond, Maya did what she did best. She hid behind her prickly tone. “It sure looked to me like you enjoyed it.”

  Taeg turned to face her again, his expression pained. “If it were for any other reason, I’d let you go. Terrorizing women is not my idea of a fun pastime.”

  She wanted to respond, to reassure him that he wasn’t. She bit her lip to keep quiet. He was terrorizing her. If not with his insistence to keep her and use her for his friend, then it was definitely the fact that he sat on top of her—shirtless—and touched her.

  “I need your help, Maya. Someone who can do what you do is one in a million, if that. Right now you’re the best chance I’ve got at protecting my friend.”

  When she didn’t say anything, he let out a deep sigh. “Tell you what. Tomorrow I’ll explain
to you what’s going on. If, after that, you still won’t agree to help me, I’ll let you go. No strings attached.”

  Maya stared at him, well aware that her suspicions showed on her face. He couldn’t be serious. He really expected her to believe he would let her go? But crazily enough, his words sounded like truth. “Why can’t you just explain it to me now and let me decide?”

  He sat next to her on the bed. “Because there’s someone you need to meet first. She can help me explain it better than I ever could.”

  What should she do? Should she kick him and try to get away again? He’d already proven he wasn’t like the demons she knew. He wasn’t like those monsters who’d taken her entire world away so many years ago. Of course that didn’t necessarily mean he wasn’t evil. Perhaps evil was a relative term.

  “If I agree, are you going to untie me?”

  He moved his palm to her cheek and lightly stroked her face. His lips twisted into a smile. “That doesn’t seem like a wise idea if I’m keen on keeping my head attached to my shoulders. Which I am.”

  Maya fought to take calm, even breaths that didn’t betray her body’s reaction to his touch. Incubus or no, there was no denying her base attraction to him. “What are you going to do with me until then?” she asked, her voice tart. “Feed me like a baby? Bathe me?”

  He snickered. “Now that sounds like the best evening I’ve had in a long, long time.”

  §

  Taeg shifted on the couch, trying to find a comfortable spot. Restful was not the word he’d use to describe the kind of sleep he was getting. Not by a long shot. Whether that was due to the broken spring that dug into his lower back, or the knowledge that his exasperating little librarian slept in his bed, was anybody’s guess.

  Earlier, when he’d regained consciousness and found her hand on his stomach, it had been like a wet dream come true. For a second he’d thought she was someone who got off on fighting and then fucking. Hell, he would have gone along with that in a heartbeat. Now he saw the truth.

  Maya was attracted to him. Of that he could be reasonably sure. But she was also ashamed of it. She thought all demons were evil, and it burned her ass that her body responded to him.

  A whisper of a sound drifted from the other room, almost like a sigh. His body lifted off the couch without him moving a muscle. He felt a million times lighter than normal, like he floated on a cloud. Looking back, he saw his physical body still sound asleep on the couch.