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Denger pulled away from her mouth and urged her to the center of the bed. He put one knee between her legs, forcing them wider apart. He settled his weight on top of her. The head of his cock probed the outside of her slick pussy. More than ready for him to take her, Nyx lifted her hips in offering. With one thrust, he sank his cock to the hilt inside her core.
He took her in hard thrusts, filling her over and over again. She tightened her inner muscles around him, glorying in the feel of his thick cock stretching her to the limit. Nyx planted her feet on the mattress on either side of Denger’s hips, meeting him stroke for stroke. Her pussy squeezed him tighter as her orgasm inched ever closer. Reaching between their joined bodies, Denger stroked her clit. “Come for me, Nyx. Now.”
As if her body followed his command, she came and cried out while her inner walls clutched at his shaft, milking him in a tight fist. After the last tremor hit, Denger pulled out of her and urged her onto her stomach. He positioned her on her hands and knees, then moved to kneel behind her. He gripped her hips, licked up the indent of her spine and thrust back deep inside her.
This way, she took him deeper. She swore she could feel him at the back of her throat. His cock butted against her womb each time he pushed inside her. His balls slapped her pussy as he pumped his hips faster, his cock growing even harder. Nyx rocked back, meeting each of his strokes, another orgasm already building. With a guttural groan, Denger thrust one more time, sending them both into climax. His cock pulsing deep inside her, he leaned his upper body over her, linking their fingers together as his chest came to rest on her back.
Thinking their lovemaking couldn’t get any more intense, Nyx tried to shift out from under Denger but he tightened his grip on her hands. His body went stiff and he shook against her.
“Just stay still,” he said through clenched teeth.
He sounded as if he were in pain. “What’s the matter, Denger? You sound funny.”
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“I’ll be fine.” His forehead came to rest on the back of her head, his panting breaths hitting the back of her neck. “I think the worst has passed.”
Before she could question what he meant, he wrapped an arm around her waist and lowered them to their sides. His now-soft cock slipped out of her body and came to rest between the cheeks of her ass. Concerned, Nyx tried to turn her head to look at Denger but he kept his head buried in her hair.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” she asked. “Are you sick? Is there something you’re not telling me?”
God, she hoped there wasn’t anything seriously wrong with Denger. She’d already watched one man she loved waste away to nothing, living in constant pain before succumbing to cancer, she didn’t think she could do it a second time. Not that she thought she was in love with Denger. Her heart wasn’t ready to make that kind of leap again just yet, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t starting to have real feelings for Denger. He stroked the underside of her breast with his thumb. “No, I’m not sick. I have everything all under control now.”
Nyx turned in his arms to face him. This time he let her. She searched his face, looking for answers for his strange behavior, but found none. “Seriously, Denger, there is something you’re not telling me. I heard the pain in your voice. I felt you shaking. You don’t look sick, but there is something not quite right.”
Denger took her chin in his hand and kissed the tip of her nose. “I’m fine. Really, I am.”
“But…”
Her words fell away when Denger’s gaze latched intently onto hers and her eyelids grew heavy. Sleep rushed up to catch her.
* * * * *
Denger breathed a deep sigh and tucked Nyx closer to his chest. He ran his hand up and down her back. Damn, what a fucking chickenshit he was. Nyx had given him the 77
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perfect opening to explain what he was and he put her into a deep sleep to avoid doing it. He was an idiot. He couldn’t keep her in the dark forever. For one thing, his blood hunger wouldn’t allow it. Even now, he could feel it clawing at his guts enough to be irritating. He’d really had to fight it back after he’d come. His need to feed from Nyx had almost overwhelmed him. Buried in her sweet body, he wanted the taste of her blood filling his mouth at the same time. He didn’t think he could make love to her again without biting her. His blood hunger just grew stronger and stronger each time he took her.
Snagging the cover that had gotten pushed to the bottom of the bed with his foot, he pulled it over them. Nyx would probably sleep until late in the afternoon. Out hunting the undead late each night, and not being able to find a restful sleep because thoughts of Nyx filled his head, Denger felt tiredness starting to catch up with him. His body satiated, but not his blood hunger, was enough to have him start to appreciate the bed he was lying on.
With a leg thrown over Nyx’s, he let his eyes drift shut as he settled deeper into the bed. He’d just catch up on some of the sleep he’d missed. Holding Nyx in his arms seemed to relax him more than if he’d been in the bed alone. Giving her forehead one last kiss, Denger let sleep claim him.
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Chapter Ten
Slowly coming awake, Nyx made note of the delicious wall of heat at her front. She snuggled closer to the source, a very large male body, and smiled against the smooth skin of Denger’s chest. She could get used to waking up like this, being held in his strong arms, listening to the steady beat of his heart.
Nyx jerked fully awake when she realized it really was Denger lying next to her on the bed. She looked around the gloomy room. Crap, she must have fallen asleep after she and Denger had made love. And she’d slept for hours given how dark it was getting inside the apartment. What a fun date she must be. Looking at Denger, she could just barely make out his features in the darkness. His eyes were closed in sleep. At least he’d fallen asleep with her. She didn’t feel so bad now.
Wanting nothing more than to lie next to Denger for the rest of the night, Nyx made herself do the right thing and nudged him. He had told her the nights were not his own. When he only grunted and held her tighter, she pushed at his shoulder again.
“Denger. We fell asleep.”
“What?” he asked sleepily without opening his eyes.
“We fell asleep and must have slept the day away. It’s already starting to get dark.”
That seemed to do the trick. He jerked upright and looked around the room as if he were trying to remember where he was. Then, with an “Oh shit” he jumped out of bed and hurriedly started to pull on his clothes.
Bending over to pick up his shirt, he mumbled just barely loud enough for her to hear, “I know I’m late, you braying ass. I’ll be there soon.”
Nyx blinked. “What did you just call me?”
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Denger spun toward her. “Shit. Did I say that out loud? I didn’t mean to, and I wasn’t talking to you.”
She lifted a brow. “You weren’t? Then who were you talking to?”
He quickly buttoned his shirt. “The nagging voice inside my head? Seriously, just ignore what I said. I’m really late for something. I didn’t think I would sleep that long.”
Nyx got out of bed and pulled out a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt from her dresser. She quickly yanked those on as Denger sat on the edge of her bed and put on his shoes. “Obviously you needed it.”
He crossed over to her and gave her a hard kiss. “I want to see you tomorrow. I’ll give you a call sometime in the morning.”
Denger clomped down the stairs with Nyx following closely behind him. “I have to work tomorrow afternoon again but I’ll be here until around noon.”
At the door, he gave her another quick kiss. “I’ll call before that.”
He opened the apartment door and practically ran out. Nyx stood out in the hallway and watched him disappear down the stairs. She bit her bottom lip as she thought of somet
hing, then quickly ran into the apartment and grabbed her keys. Turning the lock on the doorknob, she slammed the door shut and took off after Denger.
Running barefoot down the stairs, she hoped she could catch him before he left. Since she’d slept most of the day away, she didn’t think she’d be able to go to bed that early. Really not sure how late Denger would be with whatever he had to do, she decided to ask if he wanted to come back afterward and spend the rest of the night with her. That way they would have the whole morning together before she had to go to work.
Pushing open the entrance door, she looked down the sidewalk and saw Denger walking hurriedly. She was about to call his name when he all of a sudden drew up short and turned his head to look down the small alley that ran along the side of her building. When he changed direction and went down it, she ran after him. 80
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She slowed as she drew even with the corner of the building and heard what sounded like a fist hitting flesh. Not making a sound, Nyx poked her head around to stare down the alley. It was only partially illuminated since the super had a hard time keeping up with the number of light bulbs that were smashed and needed replacing. But what she could see had her holding on to the brick corner. Denger was beating the crap out of some poor guy who was half his size. Surprisingly, the guy remained upright, his head snapping back after each solid punch Denger delivered. After another couple of punches, the guy opened his mouth and hissed before he launched himself at Denger. Nyx caught a flash of what looked like fangs as he tried to sink them into Denger’s neck. They never connected. Denger tossed the other guy away as if he were a rag doll.
“You think you’re the only one with fangs, undead?” Denger asked, following the guy as he circled him. He opened his mouth, flashing his own impressive set. Nyx quickly pulled her head back from around the corner, her heart trying to beat out of her chest. Denger had fangs? They couldn’t possibly be real. If they were, that would make him a vampire. And a vampire he was not, even if it were truly possible. She’d walked with him in the bright sunlight more than once, and he ate food. Peeking back around the corner, Nyx held her breath at what she saw. Denger had the other guy by the throat with one hand, lifting him literally off the ground. With the other hand, he dug into the front pocket of his jeans. He pulled something out. With a click, a blade snapped open on what had to be a switchblade.
“Time to put you out of your misery, undead,” Denger said with a snarl. He then stabbed the knife into the man’s stomach.
The other guy jerked in his grasp before Denger opened his hand and let him drop to the ground. What Nyx saw next had her holding her hand to her mouth to stop herself from making a sound. It looked as if the guy was decomposing before her eyes. It all happened so quickly and then there was nothing left put a pile of clothes at Denger’s feet.
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Whipping back around, Nyx took off at a run for the apartment entrance. Afraid to look back to see if Denger had seen her, she pumped her arms and ran the fastest she’d run since she was a teenager. She didn’t stop until she was safely inside her apartment with all the locks thrown in place.
With her back to the door, she gasped for breath as she slowly sank down to the floor. She really had no idea what she’d seen, but she knew one thing for sure—she could never see Denger again. Whatever had happened, he was obviously a killer. Not able to go to the police, since she couldn’t very tell them she’d seen him stab a guy that instantly decomposed right afterward, without them questioning her sanity, Nyx would stay clear of Denger from here on out.
* * * * *
Denger’s head shot toward the entrance of the alley when he heard a jangle sound as if someone were shaking a set of keys. He didn’t need a mortal to stumble across him and what had been an undead. He was already late enough and didn’t need to be held up any more by having to wipe a mortal’s mind of what he or she may have seen. He relaxed when he didn’t spot anyone.
Kicking the pile of clothes that were the only evidence of the undead’s existence against the wall, Denger closed the bronze blade on his switchblade. He put it back in his pocket and made his way out of the alley. He never left the headquarters without some kind of weapon on him that would take out an undead. He’d had the switchblade specifically made with bronze for that very purpose. It was small enough that he could carry it unseen in a pocket. It had come in handy on more than one occasion. And tonight had been one of those occasions. Rushing out of Nyx’s apartment with Kysen riding his ass in his head about being late for hunting, he’d almost missed the prickling of his skin. Luckily by that point he’d gotten Kysen to shut up. Not liking an undead so close in Nyx’s vicinity, he’d quickly moved in to take it out. Back on the sidewalk, Denger started to jog toward the headquarters. The night 82
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wasn’t getting any younger. Thinking of why he was late brought a smile to his face. Sleeping with Nyx in his arms was something he would gladly give up a night of hunting the undead for any day. Very soon, he intended to make sure he slept with her like that every night.
* * * * *
Sek moved out of the shadows and watched Denger run down the sidewalk. Well, well. He hadn’t expected that. From his hidden vantage point he had watched the whole scene take place—Denger coming out of the apartment building, the mortal woman following closely behind him and her watching him take out an undead. Then horror-stricken, she’d run back inside the building without Denger even knowing she was there. The woman was exactly what he’d been waiting to discover. Obviously she meant something to the warrior. She had to be who Denger had been with inside the apartment building.
Sek gazed up at the converted warehouse when a flash of light appeared in one of the upper floor windows. The woman stood in the middle of it holding onto either side of the drapes she’d just opened and looked down at the street. After a few seconds, she snapped them closed once again.
He now had what he needed to hurt Denger where it counted. The warrior must have found his mate, just as Mehen and Set had. Walking away, Sek had an evil smile on his lips. The warrior’s woman would be the tool to take him down, permanently. Now all Sek had to do was wait for the right time to make his move.
* * * * *
Returning to his quarters after having had his breakfast the next morning, Denger closed the door behind him and took his cell phone off the dresser. He scrolled through his saved numbers until he got to Nyx’s then hit call.
The phone rang and rang until her answering machine picked up. Thinking she just couldn’t get to the phone right then, he said, “Hi, Nyx, it’s me. I must have caught you 83
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in the shower or something. Give me a call when you get this message.” He told her his cell phone number and hung up.
When a half hour went by and Nyx still hadn’t called him back, Denger phoned her again. Same as the first time he’d called, it rang until her answering machine picked up. Denger hung up without leaving a message.
He stared at his cell phone as if he could look right through it into Nyx’s apartment. Her not answering didn’t sit well with him. He didn’t have the feeling she was in any kind of trouble. No, it was something else that started to nag at him. Could Nyx be giving me the brush-off?
Denger didn’t want to think that was possible. Yesterday, she’d been just as desperate for him as he had been for her. And what she’d done to him after they had gotten back to her apartment—his cock throbbed with the remembrance of her mouth closing around it. Maybe something had come up and she hadn’t had time to call him and let him know.
That had to be the answer. He refused to think it could be anything but that. He’d just have to keep trying. She’d said she had to leave for work around noon. Hopefully she would return to her apartment before she left for the bookstore. When the minutes turned into a half hour and then a full hour and Nyx still didn’t answer after he tried calling a third time, Denger start
ed to feel like a caged animal as he paced inside his quarters. Needing something to take his mind off not being able to get ahold of Nyx, he grabbed his sword and headed for the old part of the warehouse they hadn’t converted into living space.
On the way there he passed the small temple they’d built for Ra. Denger paused at the entrance, thinking about asking the sun god if he knew what was up with Nyx, but he shook his head and moved on. Ra had better things to do than snoop on a mortal for no other reason than to make one of his warriors feel less out of sorts. Reaching the old warehouse, he saw Kysen was already there with his sword. The other warrior smiled at Denger. “You look as if you could use a good thrashing.”
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Denger snorted. “Hardly. I think it should be me giving you the thrashing since you had so much fun riding my ass about being late last night.”
Kysen smiled. “I have to admit that I never thought I would see the day where a mere woman would make the mighty Denger forget about his favorite pastime—taking out the undead.”
Pulling his sword out of its scabbard, Denger walked to Kysen. “Nyx is no mere woman. She’s my mate. So watch what you say about her or I’ll have to wipe the floor with you.”
“You can always try.”
Kysen swung at Denger’s head. He easily blocked it with his own sword and took a swipe at Kysen. They soon got into the easy rhythm of block and parry. As always, whenever he had his sword in his hand, Denger found himself only focusing on the pull of his muscles as he swung it and the strikes of his opponent. All else seemed to fall away.
“Hey, dumbasses,” Akori shouted from the door that connected the old warehouse to the living quarters. “Blythe wants to know if you’ll be ready to eat lunch soon. Her exact words were, ‘I will not feed you if you come to her kitchen smelling like sweaty pigs’.”
Denger lowered his sword and turned toward Akori. “What time is it? It can’t almost be lunch time.”
“It’s five to twelve,” Akori said.
With a loud string of curses in their native language, Denger sheathed his sword and whipped out his cell phone. When Nyx’s end started to ring, he said under his breath, “Be there. Pick up.” He swore again when he got her answering machine. “Shit. I’ll have to go see her at her work and apologize.”
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