by Lori Sjoberg
The thought sank in her stomach like a hot ball of lead. After days of searching, she knew of only one other person capable of this type of crime.
“No.”
She refused to believe Jack was responsible. Refused to believe she’d been so gullible. He was a good man, caring and loving. It simply wasn’t in his nature to wantonly kill.
And yet, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t come up with a more plausible explanation.
Shaken, she made quick work of harvesting Jessica’s soul. With her mind she sifted through flesh and bone, severed the link between body and spirit. By then the young woman had become aware of her change in condition, of the loss of her life in the name of a good time.
Dead? Oh hell no! I’m only two semesters away from graduating! This isn’t fair. I just wanted to have some fun. And he was so damn hot! How could I possibly pass that up? Holy crap, what are my parents going to think…
Finished, Ruby exited the cabin as quietly as she’d entered, careful not to leave until there were no witnesses in the hallway to place her at the scene. She hurried down the hall and up the stairs, almost at a run by the time she reached Jack’s suite.
Now what? With Dmitri gone, she had no backup. She was on her own and without a clue until she figured this whole thing out.
Struggling to reconcile fact from faith, she paced the length of the cabin. How long had Jack been gone before she’d sensed the tang of new death? Thirty minutes? Forty? She hadn’t bothered to check the time when he left, so she couldn’t say for sure. Either way, it was a narrow window of opportunity but wide enough to do the deed. Not to mention, Jessica had flirted with Jack during that first night of the cruise, so it probably wouldn’t have taken much effort to lure the young woman to bed.
They’d searched the ship from stem to stern and had only found one creature capable of committing this type of destruction. And with Glen out of the picture, the list of suspects tapered down to one.
“No.” The evidence was damning, but she still couldn’t bring herself to abandon her faith in Jack. It simply wasn’t in his nature. She couldn’t believe he’d act so callously, so quickly after leaving her bed.
But if he didn’t do it, who did?
She grappled for an answer, but came up empty.
Her cell phone chirped, and she nearly leaped out of her shoes. She dug the phone from her back pocket, her pulse rocketing when she read Jack’s number on the screen.
Crap.
If she didn’t answer, he’d probably rush back to see what was wrong. She really didn’t want to talk to him until she had her head back on straight, but saw no other option that wouldn’t put him on alert.
“I was wondering if you were ever going to pick up.” His voice sounded playful when she answered the call.
“Sorry, I was busy.”
“Doing what?”
Debating your guilt or innocence. “I was in the bathroom.” She stared down at her feet while her fingers toyed with the choker around her neck. “Are you finished with your workout?”
“Just about. You want to meet me at the Windjammer for breakfast, or would you rather order room service?”
She ignored the growl of her stomach and the clench of her heart. “Neither, if that’s okay with you. I’m not really hungry.”
“Are you sure? You should be, after last night.” She could hear the smile in his voice. “You’re going to need your strength for what I have in mind for the rest of the day.”
Ruby closed her eyes. In her mind, she pictured him as he’d looked the night before. All that strength. All that passion. All for her. No way would he act like he was so enthralled with her, only to turn around and drain the life from poor Jessica.
It didn’t make sense, but it was the only possible explanation. The ache in her chest deepened as she blinked back the threatening tears.
“Are you still there?”
“Yeah, I’m here.” An unsteady breath pushed past her lips as she reached back and pulled the band out of her hair.
“Is everything all right?”
“I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“I don’t know. You’re just acting kind of weird.” He paused. “Have I done something to piss you off?”
“No, of course not.” The lie burned like acid on her tongue. “I guess I’m just feeling a little tired.”
“Oh. Okay.” He didn’t sound convinced, but let the matter drop. “Well, I’ll let you get some rest. I should be back in about an hour.”
“Sounds good. See you then.”
She disconnected before he had the chance to say good-bye. Emotionally exhausted, she sank down on the mattress and dropped her head in her hands. She stayed that way for what seemed like forever, lost in an ocean of sadness and regret.
She almost didn’t hear the knock on the door.
“Room service,” said a deep masculine voice with a thick Caribbean accent.
She hadn’t ordered anything, but maybe Jack did. Her feet felt like they were made of concrete when she crossed the room and opened the door.
“Good morning, ma’am.” The guy was so tall he had to dip his head when he pushed the cart through the doorway. His ebony skin contrasted against the crisp white dress shirt and freshly pressed khakis he was wearing. Once inside, he removed the silver dome from the tray, revealing a breakfast of eggs, pancakes, sausages, and toast. A bowl of grits was set to the left, opposite a small glass of orange juice. Beside the plate was a handwritten note: Enjoy your breakfast. You’re going to need your strength.—J
She considered telling the steward to take the food away, but didn’t have the heart. So instead she reached for her purse and dug out her wallet.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t carry a lot of cash—” The words died in her throat at the sound of the door clicking shut. The steward flipped the interior bolt, trapping them both inside. “What do you think you’re doing?”
The steward’s mouth curled into something too savage to count as a smile. Deep-set eyes watched her with an intensity that sent shivers up her spine. “Did you honestly think you’d get away with murdering my mate?”
“Your mate?” Ruby’s mouth went dry. Oh, God, that meant Jack wasn’t guilty. A wave of relief washed over her, even as her heart pounded with fear. “Who?”
“You know who.” He moved closer, and she took a defensive step back. When he smiled again, it looked more like he was baring his teeth. “Vulgane. You probably knew him as Glen.”
“But … you’re a guy.” She inched behind the food cart, using it as a barrier. “How could he be your mate?” She knew how, but she wanted to drag out the conversation until she figured a way out of this mess.
“This form is merely a shell.” He stalked toward her, shoved the breakfast cart out of his way. The glass of orange juice tipped on its side, spilling its contents to the floor. “Gender is irrelevant.”
This close, she could see the pulse pounding in his temples, could smell the musky scent of his skin. He had to outweigh her by at least a hundred pounds. His arms were thick and corded with muscle, his thighs so large they strained against the confines of his pants.
Ruby swallowed back the choke of terror, forced her eyes to meet his. “If that’s a shell, what do you really look like?”
He shot her an incredulous look. “Given your predicament, the choice of question surprises me.”
“It was the first thing to pop into my head.” She glanced at the clock on the nightstand. Twenty minutes had passed since she’d last spoken with Jack. If she stalled for another forty, Jack might return before the demon inflicted any serious damage. Then again, he might come back in time to suffer the creature’s wrath.
The demon leaned forward, his hand on the wall by her head. Bending down, he pressed his nose to her hair and inhaled deeply. “I can smell your fear,” he growled. “Good. You have every reason to be afraid.”
Jaw closed tight to keep it from trembling, Ruby tipped up her chin and squared he
r shoulders. “Well, what are you waiting for? If you’re going to kill me, you might as well get it over with.”
The demon blinked. “You’re quick to throw your life away.”
“I’m not much for dragging out the inevitable.” And maybe he’d leave once he believed he’d killed her. The idea definitely lacked appeal, but it sounded better than some of the other scenarios on the table.
“That’s easy to say when you know you won’t die.”
So much for that idea. Dread sank in her stomach like a ball of hot lead.
“Thought I didn’t know what you are, reaper?” A vicious grin split his mouth. “There’s a downside to immortality, you know. I could tear you into tiny pieces. Maybe lock you away and leave you to starve.” The demon cocked his head to the side, and his eyes seemed to bore right through her.
“My boss will come looking for me.” She shifted her weight as she eyed the door, wondered if she could run fast enough to make her escape. “Trust me, you don’t want to be on his bad side.”
“And what makes you think he’ll ever find you?” The confidence in his voice made Ruby question Samuel’s ability to find her in the event she went missing. Time dragged as the demon looked her over, his dark brows furrowed in contemplation. Then his face brightened as if he’d just solved some great mystery. “I don’t know why anyone hasn’t thought of it before.”
“Thought of what?” The dread in her gut snaked up her spine. Whatever it was, it couldn’t be good.
“Reapers. We usually steer clear of your type.” He brushed the backs of his knuckles against her cheek and she instinctively recoiled. “But think of the possibilities.”
“What possibilities?” Ruby’s eyes darted about the room, searching for something—anything—to use as a weapon. Unfortunately, the only items within easy reach were the remote control and the room service menu.
“My kind feed on sexual energy, but we have to be careful with mortals. Can’t take too much, too quickly. Otherwise, the human dies.” His heated gaze raked over her body, staring with such intensity she could almost feel his eyes crawling over her flesh. “But with your type, there’s no need for caution. We can take what we want, without concern for mortality.”
Wonderful. Now the creep was thinking of using her like an Energizer rechargeable.
“Sounds great, but what if I don’t feel like playing along?”
“What makes you think you have a choice?” The laughter in his voice chilled her blood.
Heart racing, she forced back the fear that threatened to consume her. There had to be a way out of this. She just hadn’t figured it out yet. “From what I understand, your prey needs to be in the mood for what you have in mind.”
“True.” The demon rubbed his chin with his forefinger. “But beasts of burden have been tamed and trained for thousands of years. What makes you think you’d be any different?”
Ruby’s jaw dropped open. “Did you just compare me to an ox?”
“It’s a valid correlation, is it not?”
Screw this. She ducked under his arm and made a break for the door. She’d barely taken three steps when the demon cut in front of her and shoved her back against the wall so hard the picture fell from its perch. This time, the frame cracked and the glass shattered.
“It’s so much easier if you don’t fight.” He crowded her against the wall, so close she could feel the heat of his body. “I can give you anything you want, be anyone you want me to be.”
His body shimmered, his features dulling until they became a blank slate, then reshaping to form a new one. Then he no longer looked like himself, but like one of the studs she’d seen at the club a few nights before.
“Does that work better for you?” he asked as he studied her like a pinned insect. He shook his head and chuckled. “No, that does nothing for you at all, does it?” He shifted again, this time appearing as one of the bartenders on the main deck near the pool. Again, he studied her, and after a few moments shook his head. “Hmm, closer but not quite. Tell me the truth, reaper, who is your deepest desire?”
She felt a dark presence brush the corners of her mind, slippery cold tendrils pushing, probing, searching for access to her innermost secrets.
“Get out of my head, you bastard.” Ruby’s eyes slammed shut while she mentally fought against the unwelcome intrusion. She gritted her teeth, desperate and determined to keep him from rooting through her most personal thoughts. The resistance was met with increasing force, the pressure inside her head turning into pain as he battled her defenses and forced his way deeper inside her mind.
“You can’t win, you know. I’m far too powerful.” On the surface, he sounded calm, but there was a hint of strain in his voice that hadn’t been there before. His features hardened, his mouth set in a grim line.
Doubling her efforts, she mentally pushed back with every last ounce of her strength. An involuntary whimper escaped her lips when the pressure grew so intense it felt like her head might explode. Her stomach churned as bile rose in her throat. She decided it was all worth it, though, when the pressure released and the demon retreated from her thoughts.
Too bad it didn’t last. Before she had the chance to fortify her position, a cold blast shot through her mind, sending splinters of pain through every synapse. Off balance, she struggled to resist, but she couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. Couldn’t breathe. An overwhelming force stormed past her defenses, an invasion that left her feeling battered and violated.
“Ah, there it is, just as I suspected,” he said, triumphant. The demon retreated from her thoughts so abruptly it made her nauseous. She bent at the waist and gasped for air, struggling to keep her stomach from heaving. By the time she recovered, he’d shifted again.
The bastard had turned himself into Jack. He grinned at her, cocky and victorious, believing he’d finally cracked her hormonal code. Only it wasn’t the physical Jack that pushed her buttons. No, a creature like this could never understand the intangible aspects of attraction. Of emotional investment. Of… love.
A fire ignited deep within the recesses of her soul. The fire turned to anger, and the anger quickly heated into rage. She’d be damned if she was going to let this asshole get away with treating her like livestock. He’d pay for his crimes, for preying on humanity like a parasite, for taking life without any sense of regret or remorse.
Decision made, she gave him a sly smile. Warm. Inviting. Deceiving.
“How perceptive of you. I’ve developed a bit of a soft spot for good old Jack,” she said, her voice dropping to a throaty purr. She flashed her best seductive smile, praying he wouldn’t see through her deception.
“There’s my girl.” He pulled her roughly into his arms, and she could tell he was already aroused. “I knew we’d find some way to reach an understanding.”
Understanding, my ass. She slid a hand over the hardened planes of his chest, over his shoulder, curling around the nape of his neck. With a coy smile, she pulled his head down and gave him a deep, drugging kiss.
And then she kneed him in the balls.
Chapter 23
“Bitch,” the demon hissed as he sank to the carpet, both hands clutching his crotch. His features shimmered, and then shifted back to their original form.
Ruby seized the opportunity, kicking him in the face before making a break for the exit. She was a few feet away from the cabin door when his hand latched onto her ankle, yanking her legs out from under her and sending her crashing to the carpet. Pain shot through her knee as the impact knocked the wind from her lungs, leaving her gasping for air like a fish out of water.
“Thought I’d let you go so easily?” He was on her in an instant, straddling her hips and grabbing for her flailing arms. Using his superior strength and weight to his advantage, he pinned her arms against her sides.
“Let me go!” She fought to break his hold, but found his grip as unyielding as iron.
“Not a chance. You’ll learn your place soon enough.” His mouth crushed
down over hers, swallowing her screams of protest. He rolled, pivoted, until he was flush on top of her, the heavy weight of his body pressing her into the plush carpet.
Panic seized her. She refused to allow herself to become a victim, to be abused and discarded at another’s whim. She bit down hard, ignoring the tang of copper and saliva, until her teeth tore through the demon’s lower lip.
A muffled curse tore from his throat. He reared back, hand against his mouth, the blood dripping down his chin and onto her shirt.
She hardly registered the sound of the door lock disengaging. The knob turned, but since the interior bolt was in place the door refused to budge.
“Ruby?” Jack’s voice never sounded sweeter to her ears. The handle turned again, a thump on the door when he tried to push it open. “Ruby, are you okay? Open the door.”
“Jack!” With renewed determination she wriggled and bucked and clawed at the demon’s face. Moving on a mixture of instinct and adrenaline, she jammed her fingers into his eyes. The demon screamed, and his hands flew up to shield his face. She took full advantage of his weakened state, punching him in the throat and shoving him backward.
The demon rolled to the side and Ruby scrambled to her feet. Her left knee throbbed from the impact against the floor, but she ignored the pain as she limped across the room. She was a few feet shy of the door when the demon grabbed her from behind. One arm locked around her waist as he hoisted her in the air and dragged her back toward the sliding glass door.
“Ruby!” A heavy thud that sounded like a kick, and the door shook but held. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”
“Do I sound okay?” Ruby clawed at the arm pinning her against the demon’s chest. Kicked like a mule with her heels. She slammed her head back, heard a satisfying crunch of bone.
The demon grunted. His grip weakened, spurring Ruby to try even harder.
“What’s going on in there?” Another kick, and the door frame cracked. One more and the inside bolt wouldn’t hold Jack out any longer.
