So I Married A Demon Slayer

by Love, Kathy; Fox, Angie; George, Lexi

  She forgot her aching heart. Forgot everything as Rafe’s mouth moved down her stomach and his questing tongue probed the sensitive seam between her legs.

  “Rafe,” she gasped.

  This time her knees did buckle. He caught her as she fell. Lifting her against his hard chest, he carried her into the bedroom and tossed her onto the bed.

  She landed on her back. Dazed and lust-drunk, she gazed up at him. God, she was so pathetically in love with this man.

  “Open your legs, Bunny,” he said. “Let me see you.” She smiled. “Uh uh. First you have to undress.” She lifted her leg and rubbed the arch of her foot against the hard ridge at the front of his shorts. “You, sir, have me at a disadvantage.”

  He gave a shaky laugh. “To the contrary, milady. I am like a raw recruit in your presence. Eager. Reckless. Liable to go off half-cocked.” He looked down at his bulging erection. “Only ’twould seem I stay fully cocked around you.”

  Bunny sighed. It wasn’t a declaration of love exactly. But it was something. He wanted her and she wanted him like crazy. So what was she waiting for? Who knew how long they had together? Panic flared at the prospect of life without him.

  No. She would not think about that. She would think about The Now. It might be all they had.

  She parted her legs.

  He looked down at her. His eyes glowed, a bright, hot green. She didn’t remember them looking like that before they were married. But they glowed now, whenever he was aroused. It should have freaked her out, but it didn’t. She liked it. Liked knowing she turned him on, because God knows he got her engine going. The Bunny Mobile stayed on idle all the time, a low, soft hum that throttled to a full roar whenever he looked at her or kissed her or said her name.

  Or touched her like he was touching her now with his hand between her thighs, parting the damp, slick folds to slip his finger inside.

  “Rafe,” she said, clenching around him.

  “No, do not tense up. Relax. I like touching you.”

  She scowled up at him. “Easy for you to say. How can I relax when you do things like—”

  He pushed her thighs apart and put his mouth on her.

  “—that,” she sighed.

  His tongue found the sensitive bud between her legs and worked it.

  She went still, her entire being concentrated on what he was doing to her with such skill. A lick, a nuzzle . . . a teasing flick and she came apart.

  Yep, she was a nympho-buniac. No doubt about it.

  She was still pulsing when he came down on top of her and pushed inside, filling her with his rock hard, heated thickness. But he did not move.

  She opened her eyes to find him looking down at her, a bewildered expression on his beautiful face.

  “Bunny,” he began. “I . . . I . . .” His face twisted.

  She smoothed her hands down his muscled back. “Shh, it’s all right. No words, remember?”

  Her fingers moved lower to toy with the hard curve of his butt. God, he was built.

  She found the edge of his waistband and smothered a giggle. His shorts were bunched around his thighs. Mr. Calm, Cool and Collected was in such a hurry he forgot to take off his pants.

  Nice to know she got his motor going too.

  She forgot to be amused as he began to move. She moved too, her body and soul straining to meet him, to merge as one. Each stroke sent her higher and higher.

  He murmured something hot in her ear and she shattered into a million, glittering pieces of joy.

  With a harsh cry, he followed her into the abyss.

  Smart Bunny was running her mouth when she floated back to consciousness.

  He almost said it. Why’d you stop him? You really are stupid, you know that?

  “Oh, shut up,” Bunny said irritably.

  Rafe rolled over and took her with him. “I beg your pardon? I did not say a word.”

  Bunny laid her head on his chest. “Not you. I was talking to myself.”

  He smoothed her hair back and kissed her on the forehead. “I cannot allow anyone to talk to my wife like that, not even you.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “What is this, meekness from my fierce little Bunny? Dare I hope that you mean to be an obedient wife?”

  “I wouldn’t hold my breath, if I were you.”

  “Ah. I feared it was an anomaly.”

  He yawned. A moment later, he was asleep.

  Bunny listened to the thud of his heartbeat beneath her ear. He might be a Dalvahni warrior, but he had a heart. And that meant there was hope.

  She would wait for him. He was worth it.

  Idiot, Smart Bunny snorted.

  Dumb Bunny slammed the door in Smart Bunny’s face and triple-locked it.

  Chapter Twelve

  Bunny stepped out onto the porch to take a last look at the gulf. The ocean glittered in the mid-afternoon sun like bits of glass. The salty breeze tugged at her sundress and tickled her bare legs and sandaled feet. With a harsh cry, a gull swept low over the waves. The lonely sound perfectly fit Bunny’s wistful mood.

  The past few days with Rafe had been bliss, but her vacation was almost over. The Fall Art Show opened at the library tomorrow and she needed to be there. It was their biggest fund-raiser. She’d worked overtime the week before the wedding to have everything set up and ready to go when she got back. Still, she had had no business leaving work at such a busy time.

  But she hadn’t planned on meeting and falling in love with Rafe Dalvahni.

  Or marrying him, for goodness sake.

  Or having his baby.

  Her hand crept to her stomach. A child, conceived and born of her love for the father; she loved their baby already. It was a boy, she was sure of it. He would be red-haired and strong and handsome, like his father.

  When Rafe . . .

  Grief stabbed at her. She pushed it aside. She had to be strong, for the child’s sake.

  When Rafe left, she would have their child to love and remember him by. It would not be enough, not nearly enough, but it would be something. A wonderful something.

  Shrugging off her gloomy thoughts, she picked up her suitcase and almost dropped it in surprise. It felt empty. She set the bag on the porch and unzipped it. The lid popped open. Clothes bulged against the inner straps. She was notorious for over-packing.

  The suitcase should have been heavy, but it was not.

  She closed her wheeled upright and grabbed Rafe’s duffel bag. Weightless, like hers. How odd.

  Shaking her head, she carried the luggage down the steps to the parking area beneath the porch. She saw the pink Caddy and winced. She’d been so happy and loved up by a certain fellow she’d forgotten about the missing door. Until now. Audrey was going to go nuclear when she saw her car.

  “What are you doing?” Rafe said.

  Bunny shrieked and spun around, the suitcases swinging wildly in her hands. “Rafe, you scared me to death!”

  The blue polo he wore hugged his muscular shoulders and broad chest and his massive biceps strained against the short sleeves of the shirt in a most fascinating manner. Bunny tried not to stare, but yowza! He was totally built and totally gorgeous. And how his lower body looked in a pair of jeans ought to be illegal.

  He took the bags from her. “I was going to get these.”

  She followed him to the back of the car. “No big deal. They aren’t heavy.” She watched him open the trunk and toss their luggage in. “I guess one of us will have to sit in the backseat. Do you drive? I mean, can you drive?”

  “I can operate this machine, but why cannot we sit together?” He grabbed her and pulled her close, nuzzling her on the neck. “I do not like to be away from you.”

  Didn’t like to be away from her, huh? That was promising, at least. Maybe he would visit her and the baby every now and then between assignments. It would be kind of like having a husband overseas in the military. Her spirits lifted.

  “The front passenger door is missing.” Bunny shivered. She put he
r hands on Rafe’s sinewy shoulders and held on as he nibbled his way up her throat to her ear. “Remember?”

  In the past few days, Rafe had grilled her at great length regarding her encounter with the demon. Not that there was much to tell. She had kicked the demon out of the car. End of story.

  She figured it was adrenaline. People did strange and unbelievable things under stress. Picked up cars. Moved trees. Lord knows being around Trish was stressful enough to give the Dalai Lama indigestion. And this particular demon had been foolish enough to threaten her and Rafe while wearing a Trish Russell suit. Big mistake.

  Taking out Trish and the demon was a twofer, as far as she was concerned.

  “The door will not be a problem,” Rafe said. “I have cleaned and repaired the automobile.”

  “What?” Bunny said.

  Stepping out of the circle of Rafe’s arms, she slowly backpedaled around the Cadillac. The car was spotless, inside and out, the chrome bumpers and trim mirror perfect. More importantly, the missing door was back in place.

  “I don’t understand.” Bunny opened and closed the passenger side door. It was as good as new. “Somebody did a nice job, but the color’s not right. Audrey will be sure to notice.” She grimaced. “I wonder how much a new paint job is going to cost me.”

  “What is wrong with this color? It is pink.”

  “Yeah, but it’s not Mary Kay pink.” She waved her hand at the car. “This is more of a bubblegum color. Mary Kay pink is pearlier.”

  Rafe scowled. “Pink is pink.”

  “Hey, don’t worry about it. Mary Kay pink is hard to match. How on earth did you find a mechanic who could fix the car on such short notice?”

  “I repaired the machine myself.”

  “That’s impossible.”

  “It is?”

  “Yes, it is.” She ran her fingers over the passenger side door. The finish was mirror smooth. “You’d have to order the door, and besides, you don’t have the equipment.”

  His brows rose. “I do not? I am wounded.”

  “Don’t start with me, Rafe Dalvahni. You know very well I’m not talking about that equipment.” Her face got hot. “That equipment works just fine.”

  “I confess I am relieved to hear it.”

  Her cheeks burned . . . and other parts of her as well. Man, he had a sexy voice. “Stop teasing me, Rafe, and tell me the truth!”

  “I am. But, since you obviously do not believe me, I will prove it to you.”

  He waved his hand and the front doors came off the Caddy. One door spun through the air and smacked into the storage room wall. The other one landed forty feet away in the sand.

  “Are you crazy?” Bunny’s voice rose to a shriek. “Look what you’ve done to Audrey’s car!”

  “Calm yourself.” Rafe motioned and the doors sailed across the yard and reattached themselves to the automobile. “Behold! The machine is restored to its former state.”

  “Oh man, oh man, oh man,” she moaned.

  Staggering over to a plastic beach chair, she sat down and dropped her head in her hands. Everything was spinning and her whole body felt funny and light. As if at any moment, she might float out of the chair into the clouds, weightless as a balloon.

  “Bunny?”

  “Give me a minute. Please.” She took deep breaths. “I need a little time to adjust.”

  “Adjust to what?”

  “You’re kidding, right? Like the stunt you just pulled is normal?”

  “Bunny, you know what I am.” Rafe’s tone was gentle. “You have seen what I can do.”

  She lifted her head to glare at him. “Did I say it was your fault? I’m an idiot, that’s all. The past few days have been so wonderful that I forgot you’re . . . That you’re not . . .”

  “I cannot change what I am. If you regret marrying me . . .”

  “I didn’t say that!”

  “—then that is too bad, because I am not letting you go.”

  Hope bloomed. This was it, the moment she’d been waiting for. She loved him so much he had to love her a little in return.

  “Because you love me?” she asked without thinking.

  Way to go, Big Mouth, Bunny thought miserably. Hadn’t she promised herself she’d be patient and wait for him to say it? Oh, no. She had to push him into a corner.

  Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

  “Love is a human emotion,” Rafe said without inflection. “I am Dalvahni.”

  She hated it when he got all cold and detached, like he was made of stone or something. Her chin came up. “Brand loves Addy and he’s Dalvahni.”

  “Brand is an aberration. I enjoy being with you. I want to make you happy and to keep you safe. Is that not enough?”

  She dug her fingers into the palms of her hand. She would not cry. She would not cry. “No, it’s not enough. But I guess it will have to do.”

  Rafe’s steely expression softened. “Cara.”

  She shook her head. “Don’t look at me like that, Rafe. When you look at me I melt into a big puddle of Bunny goo. For goodness sake, leave me a little dignity.”

  “It was never my intention to hurt you.”

  His voice was like liquid sex. Deep. Compelling. Mesmerizing. Even when he said things like Sorry, babe, I don’t love you, it did things to her, made her weak with longing.

  He had all the advantages. It was so unfair.

  He stepped closer. “No,” she said, flinging out her hand.

  Rafe’s body flew backward, like a puppet pulled by an invisible string. He smashed into one of the house supports and tumbled into the driveway.

  “Rafe!” Bunny ran over and knelt on the ground beside him. “Are you all right?”

  He groaned and sat up. “My head hurts.”

  “It ought to hurt. You thunked that post pretty hard.” Frowning, Bunny ran her fingers along his scalp. “Oh, my goodness, you’ve got a goose egg. What on earth made you do such a crazy thing?”

  He opened his eyes and looked at her. “I did not do this thing, Bunny. You did.”

  She recoiled in surprise. “What?”

  “You are no longer human.”

  “I don’t believe you.”

  Rafe stood and pulled her to her feet.

  “I told you before, but you would not listen. You are Dalvahni now, ageless, changeless and powerful.”

  Bunny stared at him in disbelief. This was crazy. This couldn’t be true, right? Oh, sure, he’d said something to that effect on their wedding day, but she hadn’t believed him. How could she?

  Hellooo? Remember what happened with the mayonnaise jar at your mama’s house?

  Oh God, Smart Bunny was flapping her jaws again.

  It was a new jar and she asked you to open it. You gave the top one itsy bitsy turn and the jar exploded in your hands. Your mama’s kitchen looked like double coupon day at the sperm bank.

  Smart Bunny wasn’t just a pain in the butt. She was also gross.

  You told your mama the glass must have been cracked, but it wasn’t, was it? You cut your hands to pieces and there was blood everywhere. Your mama freaked out and wanted to take you to the hospital. But when you ran your hands under the faucet the cuts were gone.

  It was just a paper cut, Dumb Bunny retorted.

  Uh huh. What about the door at the library then, the one you pulled clean off the hinges?

  That door was defective, Dumb Bunny protested.

  No, it wasn’t. And the door to the beach house was locked tight as a drum when you got here. Until you turned the knob. Think about it. You heard the dead bolt turn over. And what about two weeks ago at the library when you had a sudden craving for watermelon and found yourself standing in the produce aisle at the Piggly Wiggly with no memory of how you got there and—

  Shut up, shut up, shut up, Bunny screamed inside her head.

  Smart Bunny’s voice subsided, but it was too late. A floodtide of panic started at Bunny’s toes and swept up her body, choking her, making her heart pound and her brain s
pin.

  “No,” she whispered. Sweat trickled down her back and between her breasts. The air seemed thick and she found it hard to breathe. “It’s not true.”

  “Why do you refuse to accept what I am telling you?” Rafe asked. “I changed you. I had no choice. You would have died.”

  He reached for her, but she skittered away from him. “There’s always a choice, Rafe.”

  “Do you think I wanted to do it?” His face twisted. “What I did is forbidden by the Great Directive. But I could not let you die.” Closing the gap between them, he took her by the shoulders. “I could not do it, do you hear?”

  She jerked free. “Why not, Rafe? Why break your precious rules when you don’t love me? You’re not making sense.”

  “I do not know. I looked at you and I wanted you. That is all.”

  “You wanted me? Well, you got me didn’t you?” Her voice shook with anger and resentment. “Pathetic little Bunny, in love with a guy who can’t love her back because it’s not part of his directive.”

  “Bunny, I—”

  She slapped him, hard. “You should have let me die, Rafe. It would have been kinder than leaving me here to face forever alone.”

  There was a red mark on his cheek where she’d slapped him, but he did not seem to notice.

  “I am not leaving,” he said. “I have decided to request permanent assignment here.”

  It took a moment for his words to sink in. With a cry of joy, Bunny launched herself at him.

  “Rafe, I’m so glad!” Laughing and crying, she rained kisses on his neck and cheek. “I’ve been out of my mind, thinking about you leaving. Oh, I’m so happy!”

  He stood rigid, his body stiff and unyielding. “Do not deceive yourself into thinking that emotion has anything to do with my decision. I am doing my duty.”

  The brief, bright hope within her fluttered and died. “I see.” She dropped her arms and stepped back. “You’re staying because it’s your job, is that it?

  “Yes.”

  “But you don’t love me.”