by Leah Grant
A week after the event, when things had settled down—at least that was what she’d thought—Darna had gone to the basement of the apartment building to the laundry room. Her neighbor Jonathan had come down to run a load. Darna knew he’d been sweet on her since they’d initially met. Jonathan was a nice man, but Darna had never felt any romantic attraction to him.
“Hey, Darna. How’s it going?” He set his basket on the top of a washing machine.
“Work has been busy, and you?” The last thing she remembered was stuffing her whites into the machine, then the feel of cold metal as she’d closed the lid to start the load, then nothing. Nothing until she’d “woken up.”
Darna blinked, realizing she and Jonathan were locked in an embrace in the middle of the laundry room. Darna’s hand rested on the front of his pants, massaging his stiff ridge, and his hands on her breasts as he shoved his tongue into her mouth. Panic washed over her as she took in what was happening. She pushed away, stumbling backward. After nearly losing her balance, she grabbed on to one of the machines for support.
“What’s the matter?” Jonathan seemed dazed, as though he didn’t understand why she’d pulled away.
“What are you doing?” She spat the words out at him.
“You could try answering that one yourself, Darna. You ignore me for months and then come from behind and fondle me. You started it, so don’t play dumb.” He advanced toward her, only to be met with her knee.
“That hurt. What’s your problem? Are you some sort of tease? You play cold, then throw yourself at a guy, and when he thinks he’s home free, you play the virgin? Bitch.” Jonathan stormed out of the laundry room. Darna held her breath until she heard the door slam shut.
She stood leaning against the machine for strength, her chest heaving with the panic surging through her body. Only then did she realize her blouse was open and her breasts exposed. Quickly, she buttoned her blouse, horrified that someone could walk into the laundry room at any moment. Darna had held the laundry basket tight against her body as she scurried back to her apartment, needing something solid to hold on to. There was no denying her arousal. Shame engulfed her over the circumstances she’d woken to. Why couldn’t she remember any of it? Shaking and sickened by this latest incident, she barely managed to secure the deadbolt. She lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, wondering what the hell was going on. She felt completely out of control. The time to find some help had arrived. Going back to work now was out of the question. If this kind of behavior kept going, she might find herself out of a job. The best thing would be to take a week off until she could sort it all out.
Darna made the call, fibbing about a family emergency to Val, her boss. She knew no one would ask for any proof. The office was laid back, and they weren’t busy this time of the year.
* * * *
The sound of dried leaves scraping along pavement filled the air. Small whirlwinds picked up debris, spinning it along until the gust died off and left everything littered over the pavement. St. Merland’s Street was known for its strangeness. Darna walked briskly, nervously checking right and left as if expecting someone or something to jump out at her. She pulled her scarf closer against the cold. Normally she wouldn’t be out in this part of town after four o’clock, but this was a last resort. She needed to see him. Darna grasped the cold metal of the door handle of the coffee shop. The wind caught the door as she pulled, swinging it wide. Napkins snapped off tables, swirling in the air only to land on the dirty floor. A lady looked up from her steaming cup to deliver Darna a glare. This was the only place Darna knew to go for help. Liam worked here, and he was the only person who would know where she should go, or at least have a clue on how to pursue this. She sought out a quiet table in the far corner of the room in order to have some privacy. The last thing she wanted was for people to listen in. After looking about, she spied Liam serving a customer, so she waved at him.
“So you think that there is someone else inside you?” Liam slumped back in his chair after Darna had explained what had transpired.
“I'm not certain if it is a ‘someone.’” God, couldn’t anyone help her? When she’d relayed a discreet version of the laundry room episode, Liam had raised his brows, but he hadn’t passed judgment.
“Well, I don’t know if it will help, but there is a guy that deals with this kind of thing.” Liam went over and behind the counter to a cork board. He plucked a ratty-looking card from its hold.
“They say he can help with metaphysical things.” Smiling pleasantly, he continued. “Some say he isn’t actually human.”
“Oh, how lovely. That makes me feel secure.” Not human? Darna let her breath out slowly. Was Liam messing with her after hearing her problem? Did he think she was making it up?
Liam grinned at her response. It wasn’t long before the smell of body odor and grease closed in, and Darna knew it was time to leave. She never could stay long. The whole environment left her itchy and uncomfortable. Darna stood, snatching a napkin from the tarnished silver holder to wipe her hands, then thanked Liam. Outside, she glanced at the card.
Printed in bold black letters across the top was: Drake Banner, Demon Hunter. Right underneath, in smaller font: ‘All situations assessed on an individual basis’.
A demon hunter? What on earth did that mean? Well, she didn’t have any other bright ideas, so for the moment, this would have to do.
Although cold, the air outside helped to get rid of the creepy-crawly feeling from the ground-in grime at the coffee shop. Late afternoon shadows crept up the sides of the drab cement buildings as she walked along. Darna quickened her pace, afraid she might have another blackout and find herself embroiled in yet another compromising situation.
Chapter 4
“YOU were in his arms, kissing him and you had your hand where?” Drake knew he was being an ass, but he needed to watch how she reacted to his barbs. Eliciting anger was a tactic he used to find out what was going on in a case. This Darna was clearly embarrassed by the event. Her cheeks hadn’t stopped flaming since he’d started to question her. The woman’s beauty stunned him. He knew he was in trouble the moment she’d opened the apartment door and invited him in. Not too tall, she had a slender build, with nicely shaped breasts. The span of stomach was flat and her hips curved out gracefully. She had the body of a dancer, but it was her red hair that tipped him over. Every time he pushed a bit further, anger flashed through her green eyes. Drake had every intention of making this interview last as long as possible. He sensed she’d intentionally watered down the laundry room episode. He could only imagine that poor jerk, Jonathan, thinking he’d struck it rich, only to be left with a case of raging ball-ache.
“Mr. Banner, I have gone over everything with you. Are you able to help me or not?” Darna’s tone let Drake know she wanted to get this unpleasant business over with and soon. “Are you enjoying all this? Isn’t it bad enough I had another blackout episode at the supermarket yesterday?”
“Yes, please tell me about that.” Drake studied her eyes, now flooding over with emotion. He'd purposely delayed seeing her to be able to collect some information and it had payed off. He’d pulled a string or two and already knew about the latest incident. A source had provided the security footage for him to view. Although the woman on the tape looked like her, the behavior had been off the charts. What he viewed was a crazy woman throwing produce off shelves, tipping over displays, and lifting her top up to flash her breasts at customers. He’d replayed that part several times. She had a great set of tits. When the store clerks had tried to stop her, she’d laughed defiantly. How humiliating for poor Darna. At one point, her face changed, and Drake could see she’d come out of the episode as the store security team had descended on her. Darna hadn’t fought them.
What he wanted was for Darna to open up and tell him herself. He needed to hear the whole story, regardless of how uncomfortable it was.
“When it happens, it’s like being dropped out of r
eality. I don’t have any recollection afterward. When I see myself on that tape, well, I know it was me, but I don’t remember doing any of it.” Slowly, Darna sank onto the couch, clutching a cushion close for comfort.
Drake zeroed in on her, pinning her with a gaze. The way she looked at him, he could guess her thoughts.
“Why couldn’t I have been short and balding with a lisp? Would that have made it easier?” He smiled, and again her cheeks flushed. From the first moment Darna had opened the door to him, he’d focused intently on her, hoping to knock her off her feet with some good old sex appeal. Apparently, it was working.
Drake crouched right in front of her. She looked so frightened, and he wanted desperately to touch her, to comfort her—and more. The torment on that lovely face tugged at his heart. Never had he been so affected by a client before. Normally he was in charge from the get-go, but not with Darna. He found himself caught up, drinking in her details, like the delicate wisps of her hair floating free from that mass of flaming silk, the curve of her lips and how the light played on the green of her eyes, so brilliant and sparkling. He needed to get some perspective back. He couldn’t let this woman affect him emotionally. Sex was fine. He’d enjoyed many of his female clients over the years. It had been a mutually agreed-upon exchange, and no hearts had been broken. His rules were set, and he never broke them. You didn’t sleep with anyone unless both sides understood it was only sex. Darna was messing with both his heads. Drake found himself besieged by a pull to take her into his arms and hold her.
“Tell me more about the medium. What exactly did she say and do to you?”
“She held my hands and told me she was going to give me a gift. My hands and arms felt strange. Perhaps it was my imagination.”
“Go on.” Drake slipped his hand around her slender wrist. The satiny feel of her skin sent shivers along his spine. Underneath his touch, he felt her pulse racing along.
“She made me repeat words to receive the gift. It sounded like I was going to be responsible for something. Oh, and after it happened, she got younger looking, but that could have been some sort of trick.”
Drake continued to hold her wrist, and to his surprise, she didn’t pull away.
With the information she’d given him, Drake knew Darna might have been targeted. The whole thing smacked of a “transference” process for someone to get rid of their little problem. It sounded like it, but he still needed to find out more. What if she was off her meds? What if she wasn’t playing with a full deck and this was her norm? Good detective work involved finding out the facts. He would need to spend time with her to see what it was like when the “blackouts” happened. If there was an uninvited guest inside Darna, he would know soon enough, and they could get on with the business of getting rid of it.
“I’ll take your case.” He brushed his hand along and up her arm, coming to rest on the softness of her cheek. Drake reached, unable to resist tangling his fingers in the silk of her flaming red hair. Her body responded to his touch—nipples hardening, pushing out against the material of her blouse.
“That is fine, Mr. Banner. What is next?” The ice in her tone wasn’t something Drake had been expecting.
“Call me Drake.” He loved watching her. She was struggling, and he was getting off on it. It was hell not to reach over and cup those breasts. His cock strained against his pants. “The next step is for me to move in. You do have another bedroom?”
“What? Move in? You must be joking.” Darna jumped up from the couch so fast she lost her balance, falling right onto him.
Drake let himself fall backward onto the carpet, taking her weight. The two top buttons of her blouse had come undone in the process, and he got a face full of cleavage. Darna freaked. She pushed up against his chest, but only ended up sitting squarely on his erection. Drake tried to keep his face straight. He would have to play this well.
“Yes, I always move in when I’m on a case. In your instance, it would be necessary for me so that I can observe you and see what is actually going on when you have these ‘blackouts.’” Carefully, he let his hands slide down and onto her hips.
“Drake, I…” She stopped speaking and stared off. Drake was about to give her a little shake when he felt her hips moving, rubbing along his hardness.
“Let me help you, Darna.” He loved the sound of her name, the sensual curve of her lips. He needed to taste her.
Drake sucked his breath in when Darna opened her mouth, licking her lips in a suggestive manner. His gaze was glued to her hands as she opened her blouse. She tilted her head, her back arching, tits pushing out. Drake went right for her tits. Warm skin met his touch. She moaned when he kissed along her cleavage.
Her small hand enclosed around his, lifting it to her mouth. Drake swallowed hard as she licked her way from his wrist to the palm of his hand. One by one, she took his fingers into her mouth, and it was all he could do not to lose it. He shut his eyes, heart pounding as her tongue snaked around, licking and probing. His cock went rigid from the tease of what he hoped would soon follow—raw sex.
“I like what you can do with your tongue, Darna. Would you like to find out what I can do with mine?” Drake squeezed her tit, then let his hand trail down her midriff and lower. Slowly, he moved his other hand away from her mouth.
“Don’t you like it?” The pretty pout that followed sent him overboard.
“I do, sweetheart, but I want to taste you now.” Drake hauled her forward. Up close, her beauty stunned him. How this woman could have gone to a psychic asking about love was simply baffling. He claimed her mouth, taking the time to explore and taste. Her lips opened willingly, and he increased the pressure.
Interesting. He hadn’t expected the ice to melt so fast. He didn’t try to overthink it. Just go with it, she’s hot for you. If his brain had doubts, his cock didn’t. She darted her tongue in and out of his mouth, mimicking what he hoped would be next.
She moved, and a breast was suddenly in his face. Drake didn’t hesitate, going in for a taste. He sucked hard, pulling and teasing. Darna closed her eyes, her head falling forward, the silky red curtain of hair covering her face.
“You are one very hot kitten,” he breathed into her ear. Time to relocate to more comfortable quarters. Drake was about to suggest they get up and go to the bedroom when Darna sat up, grabbing his hand.
“I want to feel you push into me.” Sensual, but demanding. She got up, then hauled him to his feet, her strength surprising him.
“Easy, baby. I have no argument with that.” Drake smiled in amusement as she attempted to haul his towering body toward the bedroom.
They fell onto the bed in a tangle of arms and legs. He couldn’t get enough of her, slipping his tongue into her hot mouth. Her kiss tasted minty and sweet. She ripped the blouse off and he watched it fly across the room. Drake was about to protest that she was depriving him of all the fun when she tore his shirt open, raking her fingers through his thick mat of chest hair.
“Don’t worry, I brought a couple extra shirts along.” Shit, his dry cleaner would be getting some business if this case went for a while. Good thing they didn’t mind repairs.
“Get up.” Darna was off the bed, yanking his hand to move him. He complied.
Her slender fingers were on his belt, and he heard it snap open, then the feel of the zipper going down. His pants crumpled around his feet. He’d gone commando, and his cock stood ready.
Drake stepped back as Darna positioned herself on the bed. With that red hair splayed out on the pillow, she looked like a sultry goddess. That perfect little tongue circled, wetting those inviting lips. She didn’t speak. She didn’t need to; her eyes told him everything.
Drake was on the bed in a second, kissing her. He bent to those lovely breasts, sucking and teasing, feeding off her responses.
“I want you to come.” Darna’s throaty voice cut through the fog of lust. She had her hand on his cock and wasn’t being shy.
“I will if we don’t stop soon.”
Suddenly, she flipped over, facing him.
“What the hell is happening?” Darna shrieked. Her eyes were wild, but not with lust.
“I think that is evident…” He didn’t finish his sentence. Apparently, something wasn’t quite right. Drake shuffled off the bed, giving her some room.
His gaze followed her own down the length of his naked body, then to her breasts.
“You have your cock out!” she shouted, pointing at his erection.
No way to deny this one.
Drake’s initial reaction was to comfort her and shut her up. “Shhh, it’s going to be okay, baby. Don’t be upset. I didn’t realize it wasn’t you.”
Darna’s eyes were a mix of horror and disbelief. “We…you…” She struggled with her words, unable to finish. Grabbing the bed cover, she hastily brought it across her body.
“I thought it was you. You can’t fault me on that. I just thought that we…” he stammered.
“You just thought what? That we only just met and I was falling into bed with you? You took total advantage of me and now what?” Her voice quavered with rage.
The searing look she delivered cut into his heart. Darna was on the verge of getting hysterical. He needed to get this under control and fast.
“Darna, I didn’t know it wasn’t you. If I had thought anything else, I assure you I would never have—” He stopped. Was that hissing? Yes, she was actually hissing at him. Not good.
“Darna, you were enjoying yourself and well, me.” His laugh ended quickly as a vase came flying toward him. Drake managed to catch it just before it made contact with the wall.
*
“It wasn’t me, you asshole.” Darna wished she could remember what had happened, but as usual, it was all a blank. She would have to take his word for it. Obviously things had gotten out of hand. “I asked you here to help me, not take advantage of my situation.”
