Grave Destinations

by Lori Sjoberg

  “Shit, I’m sorry.” A little dazed, Jack broke contact, giving himself some breathing room so he could form a coherent thought. “This is a bad idea.”

  “I disagree.” She popped the fly of his jeans. “Off. Now.”

  “Seriously.” Gently, he pushed her hand away from his zipper. “We really need to talk about this before—”

  The words died in his throat when she whipped off her blouse and tossed it … somewhere. At the moment, he wasn’t paying attention to anything but her. The swells of her breasts peeked over the lace edge of her bra, and all he could think about was how he’d give anything to bury his face in her cleavage and his dick—

  “You were saying?” She flashed him a wicked grin as she stepped out of her sandals.

  “I can’t remember.”

  She let out one of those throaty laughs that made every muscle in his body bunch. Eyes darkened, she unbuttoned her capris and eased the zipper down. He watched, transfixed, as she pushed the fabric over her hips and down those long, long legs. When they dropped to the floor, he nearly forgot how to breathe.

  All those beautiful lines and luscious curves. She was an exotic feast he longed to devour. Yes, he’d already seen her in a bikini, but the sight of her in that slinky black bra and matching panties wiped all rational thought from his mind. He didn’t understand the difference, and at the moment he really didn’t care. All he wanted was to strip away those last bits of clothing so he could plunge himself deep inside her.

  Her fingers paused over the front clasp of her bra. “You’re way overdressed for the occasion.”

  Taking the hint, he grabbed the back collar of his shirt, yanked it over his head, and tossed it to the floor. “Better?”

  “It’s a start.”

  Eyes gleaming, she grazed her nails over his belly and up to his bare chest. This close, he could smell the light citrus scent of her perfume, could feel the warm tickle of her breath against his skin. She pinched his nipple between her thumb and forefinger and then soothed the sting with her hot, wet tongue.

  He groaned, and she purred against his skin.

  “Your taste is exquisite.” She switched to the other nipple, grazing the tip between her teeth before giving it the same incredible tongue treatment.

  The demon strained against its bonds, a proverbial bucket of ice water over Jack’s raging libido. He wanted her—God, how he wanted her—but he also wanted to maintain full control of his faculties.

  “Whoa, slow down,” he said as he pulled back from her touch. Deep breath in, deep breath out. He mentally slapped the clamps on the demon, forcing it back into submission. Satisfied with the level of restraint, he met Ruby’s confused gaze. Gently, he cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs brushing along the edge of her hairline. Then he tilted her head back for a slow burn of a kiss.

  The noise she made was somewhere between a moan and a sigh. Her fingers tunneled through his hair, her nails scratching lightly against his scalp. He wanted to feel those nails pressing into his shoulders, scratching down his back. Digging into his ass while he thrust inside her.

  Soon.

  She fumbled with his zipper, the light brush of her fingertips over his erection damn near making his eyes cross. Fly down, her hands slid to his waist. She hooked her fingers beneath the denim waistband, and with one quick push his jeans and boxer briefs were halfway to his knees.

  Breaking the kiss, she leaned back and looked him over.

  “Like what you see?”

  Ruby nodded as she bit her lower lip. Her pupils had gone all large and dark, the black nearly swallowing the green. She ran her flattened palms over the planes of his chest and then surprised the hell out of him by shoving him backward. Off balance, he tumbled to the bed, the mattress dipping under his weight.

  “Shoes,” she said by way of explanation. With a grin she untied and yanked off his sneakers, and the jeans and boxer briefs quickly followed. She raked her gaze over his naked body, from the balls of his feet to the top of his head. “Oh, my, Mr. Deverell,” she finally said, her voice low and husky. “You are one magnificent piece of man.”

  She dove onto the bed, and the two became a tangle of limbs on the mattress. Mouth to mouth. Flesh to flesh. His hands roamed her body, tugging off her bra and panties. He cupped her breast and a moan tore from her throat. Then his mouth replaced his hand—touching, teasing, tasting—and her moans grew louder, so raw and rough it made his dick ache.

  Ruby’s hand drifted down, and then it was his turn to moan. He lost himself in the rhythm of her strokes as she pushed him onto his back and straddled his thighs. Hips pumping, his shaft rubbed against her sex. So wet. So hot.

  “You’re killing me.” Jack dug his fingers into her hips as if holding on for dear life. If he didn’t take her soon, he was going to lose his mind.

  She laughed. “That’s the point.”

  She licked her lips, her free hand braced against his shoulder. Her eyes locked with his, heavy-lidded and dreamy, and his heart swelled with unchecked emotion.

  Yes. This was what he’d missed for almost a century. Connection. Belonging. It sizzled in his bones and in his blood, touching a part of him he’d thought no longer existed.

  So caught up in the moment, he’d forgotten all about the demon. Alarm bells rang inside his head as his vision began to flicker. In a panic, he slapped up the mental barriers, desperate to stem the surge of power blasting through his body.

  Too late.

  The demon stormed past his defenses like sand between his fingers.

  Ruby watched as Jack’s expression switched from oh, baby to holy shit in under a second. His muscles stiffened beneath her fingers and his eyes flashed silver.

  “Jack? Jack, what’s wrong?” She pushed back on her heels, the passion in her body chilled to ice.

  His head tilted a little to the left, and his grin looked totally alien. “Jack’s not available at the moment.” It was Jack’s voice, coming from Jack’s mouth, but it wasn’t Jack speaking. His tone had taken a roughened edge, his features tinged with savage amusement. Then the amusement faded, replaced with feral hunger. “But I’ll be happy to take care of things until he comes back.”

  “Oh, no, you don’t,” Ruby said, not sure if she should be scared or angry. Since the demon had the nerve to interrupt them just as they were about to get down to business, she decided to run with anger. “You bring him back this instant.”

  “Sorry. No can do.” The demon chuckled. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting for this moment? I don’t plan on taking a back seat to the action this time around.”

  “Well, then, you’re not going to get any action at all.” Ruby scrambled off the bed and scooped up her panties. “Either Jack’s in the driver’s seat or I’m out of here.”

  Jack’s body pushed up from the bed, following Ruby as she rummaged about the cabin for the rest of her clothes. He leaned close as she bent to retrieve her bra, his palm firm against the small of her back. “You act like you have a choice in the matter,” he murmured, the underlying threat unmistakable.

  Terror tightened her throat and set her heart to racing. Would he force himself on her? Was she strong enough, skilled enough, to fight off his advances? She knew how to defend herself but wasn’t sure if she had the skills required to take down a horny demon. But then she remembered something Jack had told her about the curse, about its need for a steady diet of sensuality and arousal.

  She turned, tipped up her chin, and met the demon’s silvery stare. “You don’t operate on force or fear. From what I understand, it’s quite the opposite.”

  He tilted his head as he took a step back, and Ruby’s hopes rose.

  “Now, you give me Jack and I’ll give you—give you both—what you want.”

  “I don’t think I believe you.” His gaze blazed a path up and down her body and she couldn’t help but notice that he was still fully erect. “You’d fuck him, knowing I’m still here, watching you through his eyes? Feeling wh
at he feels? Feasting on your essence?”

  Yes, because he matters to me. “Seeing how he can’t get rid of you, I guess there ain’t much choice in the matter.” She skimmed her fingers across his abs and felt the muscles quiver beneath her touch. Looking up, she forced herself to gaze into eyes that were both foreign and familiar. “Besides, you’re the one who’s kept Jack alive all these years. Kept him all strong, and young, and healthy. For that I have some measure of appreciation.” Her hand moved lower, lower, until her fingers brushed over the thickness of his erection. She smiled at his sudden sharp inhale. “So what’s it going to be?”

  Silver eyes watched her, heavy with arousal but wary with distrust. “No tricks?” The demon stood so close she felt the heat of his breath against her bare skin.

  “No tricks. I give you my word. But I do require one more thing.”

  “What is it?”

  “Your name. I make it a practice to know whom I’m sleeping with.”

  The demon shook his head. “Names hold power. The last person to gain that knowledge used it to imprison me in this pathetic mortal shell.” He glanced down at the body he shared with Jack in disgust.

  “Oh, for Pete’s sake, I’m a reaper, not a witch.” Ruby let out an exasperated huff. “Would it make you feel better if I took an oath not to use your name against you?”

  He lifted a shoulder. “Maybe.”

  “Fine.” She propped her hands on her hips. “I swear in the name of all that’s good and holy not to use your name against you in any way, shape, or form. Happy?”

  “I suppose.” His lips pressed together, his expression indicating he still felt torn about whether or not to trust her with his name. Considering what happened the last time he divulged that information, she kind of understood his hesitation.

  There was a long, uncomfortable pause. The demon remained silent for so long her nerves began to fray. Finally, he offered a reluctant, “Gilrov.”

  “Is that your first or last name?”

  He shook his head. “Neither. Just Gilrov.”

  Ruby smiled. “Okay then, Gilrov. Give me Jack and we can finish what we started.”

  “Very well.” Jack blinked twice, and the silver in his eyes flickered, dimming back to their natural brown. His face held a look of absolute horror as control of his body reverted back to him.

  “Holy fucking shit. Are you okay?” He gripped her shoulders a little harder than he probably intended, easing up when she winced. “Sorry.” His eyes continued to scour over her body, searching for any outward signs of trauma.

  “I’m fine, darling. Me and Gilrov took the opportunity to arrive at a mutual understanding.”

  The lines between his eyebrows deepened. “Who’s Gilrov?”

  “Your little”—she made a vague gesture with her hand—“friend.”

  Jack blew out an unsteady breath, raked his hands through his tousled hair. “All this time I never knew it had a name,” he said, his face a patchwork of mixed emotions.

  “Well, now you do.” She ran her hands up his chest and over his shoulders. “Enough about Gilrov. Where were we?”

  He looked down at her with utter confusion. “You still want to—”

  “Of course I do.” She ground her hips against him, grinned when she found him more than ready. “Why wouldn’t I?”

  He shrugged, obviously uncomfortable. “Well, there’s the risk it’ll take over again.”

  “He.” She nuzzled his neck while her hand trailed down his body. “Gilrov’s a he. And like I already told you, he and I came to an understanding. He’s promised to take a backseat while I enjoy the finer aspects of your company.”

  “And you actually believed—” He groaned when her hand wrapped around his shaft and began to stroke.

  “Yes, I do. We made a deal that I expect him to honor.”

  It thrilled her, the way he reacted to her touch. That sharp intake of air, followed by the long, shuddering exhale. Heat smoldered in his deep brown eyes, his focus on her and her alone. It left her feeling sensual, and empowered, and more turned on than she’d been in a very long time.

  “I don’t trust him,” Jack choked out, his muscular chest heaving with restraint.

  “Now’s a good time to start.” Sweat beaded across his brow when she quickened the pace of her strokes. “You keep forgetting that I’m immortal. I can’t get pregnant, I’m immune from disease, and I absolutely, positively cannot die. You have nothing to worry about.”

  Understanding dawned in his eyes, and a look of relief crossed his face.

  “Now are you going to take me to bed or what?”

  Jack didn’t wait for a second invitation. With one arm wrapped around Ruby’s waist, he dragged her down to the mattress. Stretching out beside her, he reveled in the warmth of her touch, the smell of her skin, the throaty moans she made when he found a particularly sensitive spot.

  It felt strange, trying not to worry about the demon taking over. A part of him still remained on alert, waiting for the slightest signs of betrayal. To his surprise, the demon kept his word and stayed dormant beneath the surface, glorying in the buzz of sexuality but making no moves toward mutiny. One by one, Jack lowered his shields, waiting for the curse to press the advantage but ecstatic when it failed to happen.

  The scent of arousal hung heavy in the air, thickening with every moan and gasp. He took his time exploring her body, finding all the sweet spots that made her whimper with pleasure and squirm against the sheets. Her mouth and hands explored him in return, stoking fires wherever she touched, branding his soul with her essence.

  God, he’d forgotten how wonderful it felt, the punch of emotion that elevated sex from a simple coupling to an act of beauty. It only happened with the right person. He felt so close to her, so connected, like she’d become a part of him, and he a part of her. His heart swelled with the realization that she was all he’d ever wanted. All he’d ever need.

  When he couldn’t wait any longer, he rolled onto his back, pulling her on top.

  “Wasn’t this what you were going for earlier?”

  She licked her lips and nodded.

  In an instant she straddled him, her expression so filled with unchained emotion it made his chest tight. She bent down and kissed him, long and slow and deep, not stopping until they were both dizzy and breathless and damn near out of their minds.

  He lifted his arm and ran a hand through her thick, red hair. Her lips were swollen, her hair disheveled, her pale skin flushed and glistening with sweat. Those gorgeous green eyes glinted with passion, their focus locked squarely on him. Bar none, it was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen in his entire life.

  “My God, you are so perfect,” he whispered, unable to tear his gaze off of her.

  She smiled at that, as if it was something she was unaccustomed to hearing. “You’re not so bad yourself.” She kissed his jaw, his throat, his chest, shimmying down his body until her hips matched up with his.

  He could feel her sex now, hot and wet and more than ready for him. It would be so easy to seize control, to thrust up into her heat and surrender to the sweet oblivion she offered.

  But then he felt Gilrov stir in his blood, straining against the bonds of the flesh. Searching for a weakness, for a means to take control.

  “Wait!” Too late. Pleasure swamped him when she took him inside, and he surrendered himself to the ecstasy of Ruby.

  He steeled himself for the mutiny that never arrived. The demon shimmered just beneath his skin, a soft warm hum infused with an essence of contentment. If he didn’t know better, he’d say the demon was … happy.

  Ruby braced her hands on his shoulders as her hips began to roll in a slow, steady rhythm. Reaching down, she gripped his hands and guided them to her chest.

  “Touch me.” Arching her back, she offered herself to him. She groaned when his hands caressed her breasts, rolling the nipples between his thumbs and forefingers.

  Christ, he loved the way her body responded to his touch
. Uninhibited. Enthusiastic. Like she was made for him and no one else. The thrust of her hips quickened, her breath coming out in pants and sighs.

  She threw her head back, and her hair cascaded past her shoulders. Eyes closed. Mouth open. A bead of sweat rolled down between her breasts. Her teeth sank into her lower lip as a whimper rose in her throat.

  She was close, he could feel it. Tremors echoed inside her body, coiling tighter and tighter toward release. He matched her thrusts, each stroke sparking more heat and friction. The air in the room turned hot and humid, thick with the sounds of skin slapping against skin. Harder. Faster. Frenzied. At last, her body stiffened above him and the whimper turned into a moan.

  Her muscles trembled as her climax pulsed around his cock. The sensations dragged him over the edge, triggered an orgasm so intense he saw spots in front of his eyes.

  Ruby collapsed on top of him, her face buried in the crook of his shoulder. “Do you always curse when you come?”

  He barely registered the question through the fog of postcoital bliss. “No. Did I?”

  Ruby nodded. “You strung a whole bunch of them together to form one gigantic curse word. It was quite impressive.”

  “Huh. I don’t think I’ve ever done that before.” He pressed a kiss against her hair. “I guess you’re a bad influence.”

  Her body shook with silent laughter as she moved off him and lay by his side. Tucking her close, he savored the feel of their skin stuck together, the sound of their breathing in time to the pounding of his pulse. Gradually, his heart rate slowed, the cloud of euphoria giving way to the pull of fatigue.

  “Stay the night,” he murmured, his limbs growing heavy.

  She didn’t say anything, but snuggled a bit closer. A contented hum slipped past her lips as she hooked her leg over his.

  Eventually, Jack drifted to sleep, unable to stay awake any longer. For the first time in years, his dreams were filled with hope, and light, and the promise of a new beginning.

  The sun shone high in the sky when he woke.

  Alone.

  Chapter 16