by Vivi Anna
But her words were drowned out by the deafening boom of the truck exploding behind them. The force of the blast blew them forward. Ronan lost his footing and they both met the ground hard.
The heat wave blasted over them. Ivy could hear the sizzle of the ends of her hair burning. Before she pushed to her feet, Ronan patted at her head to stop the sizzle from turning into more. Then he was beside her, also getting to his feet, his arm around her, helping her. Once up, they grabbed their bags and continued running from the explosion.
Ivy looked back once over her shoulder. Her truck was completely engulfed in flames. It wasn’t the normal orange-and-red fire but had the green tinge of hellfire. Again, someone had tried to kill her and Ronan. And would have succeeded if it hadn’t been for Ronan’s keen ability to sense it coming mere seconds before it did.
“We need to get out of here before the cops show up.” Ronan gestured toward a copse of trees in the distance. “We can make it if we run.”
Ivy tested her ankle. It was definitely sprained. Possibly broken after her second spill to the ground. “Maybe if you carried all the gear. I could keep up.”
“I could carry you.”
She shook her head; sweat from the heat blast and from the pain swimming through her skull flicked off her forehead. “I can do it.”
He stared at her for a moment, searching her face, and then nodded. “Okay.” He took the bags from her and wrapped the straps around his shoulders so he could carry them on his back. Then he hefted the others over his shoulders and started to run toward the trees.
Ivy followed him. At first, she put her full weight on both feet. Pure agony seared her calves and shins and thighs every time she took a step. It felt like her flesh was on fire underneath her skin. Gritting her teeth and digging her nails into her palms, she put her head down and plowed forward. Sweat dripped from her face and soaked her armpits. The back of her T-shirt was plastered to her skin by the time she was halfway to the trees. She could see that Ronan had already made it.
Determined not to fail, she pressed on, putting one foot in front of the other. But she was putting less pressure on her left foot. She couldn’t help it. Her brain was succumbing to the pain she inflicted on it with her foolish running. It was fighting against her.
She could hear the high-pitched whine of sirens in the background. She imagined she would probably be able to see the red-and-blue lights down the highway if she turned and looked over her shoulder. But she continued on. She had to get to the trees before anyone spotted her. It was twilight and she was wearing black, so it would be harder to spot her in the field, but she knew some state troopers had sharp eyes.
Tears streaked her cheeks. She couldn’t keep them from rolling from her eyes. The pain was like a part of her now. A constant throb that seemed to ignite every part of her body. To endure much more, she felt like she might puke. She wiped at the sweat trickling into her eyes and kept on moving. She focused on the first tree in the copse. That was all she could see as she limped along the field.
Then she was floating. The pressure on her ankle disappeared, sweet relief spilled over her body and she sighed. Wiping at her eyes, she realized that she wasn’t floating but that Ronan had swept her up and was running full speed.
She didn’t argue this time. Instead she wrapped her arm around his neck and let him do what needed to be done despite her stubbornness. Within another minute they were well hidden inside the clump of trees.
He carefully set her down on a sizeable boulder. “Let me look at it.”
She shook her head. “Wait until we’re somewhere safer.”
“Ivy, you can’t even walk on it. It needs to be looked at right now or we won’t be able to get somewhere safer.”
Resigned, she huffed, “Fine.”
Ronan knelt down in front of her and unlaced her army boot. She had to grit her teeth as he pulled it off. Once it was gone, more relief set in. But then she looked down. Her white sock was bloodied.
She cursed under her breath.
So did Ronan as he peeled the sock down. He winced when it was almost off. “Your bone is broken.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yeah, I’m sure, because a piece of it is sticking out of your skin.”
She cursed again, louder this time. She’d known the second she saw the blood on her sock. A person didn’t bleed from a simple sprain or break. Only if the skin broke.
“I can fix it, but I need room to work, and you’ll need to lie down.”
“How can you fix it?”
He rubbed his hands together as if they were cold and he was warming them up. After a second or two, a light blue glow emitted from between his palms. Her eyes widened.
He stopped rubbing and set them to his sides. “More of my awesome demon powers.”
She heard the sarcasm in his voice, but if he could heal her with just his hands, she thought his demon powers were, in fact, quite awesome. He’d already used them to save her life, not once but twice. He had no idea how some people would kill to have amazing powers like that. The power to save lives. But she kept those thoughts to herself, knowing he wouldn’t appreciate them. He loathed himself too much to see the good inside.
She nodded. “Okay. Where to, then?”
He stood and gestured to the north. “I saw a farmhouse just past these trees. We can try there.”
“What if it’s occupied?”
“Then you can use that winning personality of yours to charm them into letting us stay the night.” He picked up one of the bags. “I can carry you to the bushes along the driveway, check out the situation then come back for the bags.”
She wanted to argue, wanted to refuse, but she was realistic enough to admit that she couldn’t walk on her ankle at all. She nodded, and he bent down and scooped her up again.
She put her arm around his neck as he walked her out of the trees and over a field to the farmhouse in the near distance. From this close proximity she could clearly see the dark gray flecks in his stunning eyes. His eyes never failed to make the little hairs on her arms sway to attention. She loved it when he set his gaze on her, studying her. It made her insides pulse pleasantly.
It didn’t take him long to reach the row of high bushes that lined the driveway up to the farmhouse. He set her down gently, then crouched beside her to observe the house.
It looked to be over sixty years old, with fading wood along the side, once white, now gray with age. The shingles on the roof were curled and flaking as if they’d seen many hailstorms over the vast years. The front had a veranda, and there was an old rocking chair out front. The house was right out of a forgotten era.
“There are no vehicles in the yard.” He squinted in the waning light. “No lights on, either.”
“There could be a garage around back, and they could be an old couple who went to bed early.”
“It’s our best bet.” He looked around the area. “And frankly our only option right now.”
She nodded. She knew he was right.
“Hang tight. I’ll get the gear, then I’ll give the house a closer look.” Then he was off running back to the trees.
Ivy shuffled a little on her behind, trying to get more comfortable. Her ankle felt like it was on fire. She’d had plenty of injuries over the years. A person didn’t hunt demons and expect to walk away unscathed. But she’d never broken a bone before. She’d been cut, slashed, stabbed once in the hand, burned, beaten and nearly had her head smashed in by an explosive wrath demon with a hammer. All those things had hurt like hell, but this pain shooting up her leg was something else altogether.
Gritting her teeth, she turned slightly so she could study the farmhouse. It didn’t look occupied at the moment, but that didn’t mean the owners couldn’t return soon. She’d really hate to be caught inside when they did. It wasn’t that she was opposed to breaking and entering; heck, she’d committed a long list of unlawful offenses that would likely see her in jail for years. She just didn’t want to hurt any
one else if she didn’t have to. Civilians always ended up getting in the way, and despite her hard-assed reputation, she didn’t like to see innocents suffer needlessly. Contrary to what everyone thought of her, she did possess a heart.
Ronan was back next to her, setting down the gear. He searched her face. “Are you doing okay?”
“I’ll live.”
“I’ll do a recon on the house then come back for you.” Then he was gone again.
She watched him as he approached the house. He was fast but cautious, always careful to stay hidden in the darkest shadows. He would’ve made a good hunter, she thought. He was smart, strong, patient and quick on his feet. And as she was discovering, so much more than that.
It was these other qualities—compassion, protectiveness and the intense way he looked at her—that she noticed about him and it troubled her.
At first, she’d seen nothing but the demon inside Ronan, but now all she could focus on was the man simmering inside. He was a man she knew her dad would’ve respected, and that was saying something. Her dad hadn’t valued many, and he called even fewer friends.
And maybe, just maybe, he might’ve given his blessing about their...
Relationship?
She shook her head to clear it. She must’ve been in more pain than she thought if she was labeling her and Ronan’s combative yet passionate back-and-forth a relationship.
But if not one, what the hell were they doing?
Chapter 16
After a few minutes, he was back at her side. “Looks clear. Some of the furniture has been covered with sheets. Doesn’t look like anyone’s been inside for weeks. The grass is overgrown around the deck. It hasn’t been mowed in a while.”
Ivy nodded. “Let’s get inside.”
He helped her to her feet, then was about to lift her again when she shook her head. “No, I’ll walk.”
“Ivy, this is no time for heroics. You’re not proving anything to anyone except that you are a stubborn idiot.”
“Just grab the gear.” She started toward the house, hobbling on her one good ankle.
She didn’t want him to carry her. She didn’t want to have to rely on him. On her own for years, without someone to lean on, Ivy felt weak and vulnerable in his arms. Two things she hated most.
He didn’t argue with her but picked up their bags and followed her down the drive. By the time she got to the front deck, sweat slicked her skin. Her clothes stuck to her back and chest. She grabbed the railing and climbed the stairs, careful not to puke from the pain pulsing through her body.
At the top, Ronan came up next to her and settled by the front door. He leaned down and squeezed the doorknob. There was an audible click and he pushed it open.
Ivy hobbled inside. He followed her in, carrying in their gear. He set it down, then found her a chair and pulled it up so she could sit in the front foyer.
“I’ll find a room on the first floor. No sense in climbing those stairs needlessly. Especially if we need to get out fast.” He did a quick sweep of the house and came back two minutes later. “There’s a den at the back, looks like it has a hide-a-bed.”
He helped her to her feet, and then half carried her to the back of the house. He kicked open the door and brought her through. He set her on the edge of the easy chair, then went about tossing cushions off the sofa to pull out the bed inside. Once the mattress was unfolded, he picked her up and settled her onto it.
His command of her made her feel like a child. She hated that the pain coursing through her made her inept to function on her own.
“Lie down.”
“Why?”
“So I can fix your damn leg.”
“Why can’t you do it while I sit up?”
He fixed her with an intense stare. “Because you need to be absolutely still and it’s going to hurt like hell.”
“Fine.” She plopped onto her back, embarrassed that she’d forgotten why they’d come to the house to begin with. Ronan had told her he could fix her, but she had to lie down. The pain was making her loopy.
Ronan handled her left foot gently, getting it as straight as he could. He then gripped the hem of her pant leg and tore it in half, all the way up to her thigh.
She jolted at that, trying to sit up. “Hey!” Loopy she may be, but she wasn’t going down without a fight.
He pushed her back down. “Lie still. If you move too much I could set your bones wrong. They’d heal crooked and you wouldn’t be able to walk normally again.”
That made her stop struggling. She didn’t want to be hobbled anymore. It made her feel weak and vulnerable.
“Take in a deep breath.”
She did, just as he wrapped his hands around her ankle and pressed down.
Pure dark agony sang up her leg. She gritted her teeth and bit down on her tongue. Blood filled her mouth, but it at least made her think about something other than the pain searing her foot.
Sweat dampened her forehead. She felt faint, light-headed. She was in fear of passing out any second. Then the pain receded a little. Just enough that she could put together some coherent thoughts.
She glanced down her body to her feet. She could see a faint blue glow around her left ankle. It emitted from Ronan’s hands as he held her still, pressing tight against her bones. His eyes were closed, and she could see the muscles at his jawline flexing. His face was sweat slicked, and she wondered if he, too, was in pain. It appeared that he was.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the pain stopped. Instead, a warm floating feeling settled into her bones and muscles. It was as if she was suspended on her back in a sea of warm water.
Ronan let her ankle go and stood up, looking down at her. His brow was still creased but he didn’t have that pained look in his eyes.
She smiled up at him. She couldn’t help it; she felt giddy. “Wow. You’re good.”
“Your bone is fused back together. I also infused you with a kick of endorphins. That’s what you’re feeling right now.”
“I like it.” She reached up to him and grabbed his hand. But his skin seared her and she snatched back her hand. “Ow. You burned me.”
Ronan rubbed the palms of his hands on his pants. “Part of the process, I’m afraid. Healing burns my hands.”
“Are you in pain?”
He shrugged. “Nothing I can’t handle.”
“You should shoot yourself up with those endorphins.”
“Doesn’t work like that.” He continued to rub his hands on his legs, looking down at them with a forlorn look on his face. A look of loss, maybe.
She liked looking at him. He was an attractive man, with that dark tousled hair and those intense eyes. He had strong facial features and a full mouth. She remembered how those lips had felt on her skin. And she longed to feel them again. Maybe she could erase the pain from his eyes.
She slid over on the mattress and patted it beside her. “There’s room for two. You need some sleep, as well.”
He considered her. “That’s the endorphins talking.”
“I don’t care.” She grabbed his hand again, this time holding on tight despite the burning sensation. She tugged him to the bed.
He knelt one knee on the mattress, then settled his full weight down beside her. He stretched out on his side, his body barely brushing against hers. But she could still feel the heat of him covering her.
She turned onto her side to look at him. To really look at him. She traced one finger along his jawline to his mouth. He opened his lips slightly as she ran her fingertip over them. “You’re really quite beautiful.”
He reached up and stilled her hand on his mouth to softly kiss her fingertips. “So are you.”
“You know, I really don’t want to like you.”
“I know.” He smiled and kissed her fingers again. “I don’t want to like you, either.”
“Even with your demon blood, you’re a better man than most I’ve known.”
“And for a hunter, you’re a damn fine woman.
”
She laughed at that, then wrapped her hand around his neck and pulled him close. She covered his mouth with hers and kissed him hard.
At first he hesitated a little, but his resolve soon broke and he was fisting his hands in her hair and tilting her head to deepen the kiss. Lips touching, tongues stroking, teeth nibbling. It was a long, hard, wet kiss that made her stomach clench and her thighs tingle with anticipation.
Ronan broke the kiss and stared into her eyes. He traced his fingers down her cheek to her neck and back. “We don’t have to, you know. I could just hold you.”
She snorted. “Oh, no, we have to.”
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
“I’m feeling no pain right now.”
He shook his head. “It’s not the right time.”
She kissed his protests away, and then nibbled on his earlobe. “It’s the perfect time. I need you, Ronan. I need to forget everything for a while. Don’t make me beg.”
He stilled his fingers on her face, then pulled her close to press his lips to hers. He shoved his other arm under her to cradle her body next to his. She could feel the thumping of his heart. It was as fast and fierce as her own.
She moved her hand down to the hem of his T-shirt, and yanked it up. Ronan sat up briefly to pull the cotton over his head. When he lay beside her again, she ran her hand over his chest, playing her fingers over the thin line of dark hair that lined his sternum down to his pants.
He rubbed his hand over her arm to the edge of her shirt. His hand snuck up under the fabric to capture one breast in his palm. He pulled at the cotton cup of her bra to find her nipple already hard and throbbing for his touch. He pinched and pulled on her until she was moaning.
“Oh, your hand is still hot.”
“Does it hurt?”
She shook her head. “God, no. Feels fantastic.”
Ivy’s hand roamed down his chest to the button of his pants. She made quick work of it and unzipped him. His erection strained against the cotton of his black briefs. She covered him with her hand and massaged him through the fabric.
Growling low in his throat, Ronan sat her up and stripped off her shirt in one pull. He nestled her down again beside him; his head bent low to her breasts. Tugging at her bra, he quickly sucked in one nipple, rolling it between tongue and teeth, and then lavished equal attention on the other.
