HOT-BLOODED BREATH OF DARKNESS

by Candice Stauffer

  “You’re wrong. I pulled him into it. He has been looking out for Jessie. We knew a demon was hunting her. Worse, he had several immortals hunting her. Wes needed to make sure she was always on high alert. He did so by making sure she viewed him as a threat. I wasn’t able to contact him for a few days so…”

  “Weeks,” Wes blurted, “two of the longest goddamn weeks of my life.”

  “He panicked. He didn’t know what to do with her. He planned to hand her off to you because he knew you’d keep her safe. He assumed I was in trouble.”

  “Assumed? This needs to end. Tell your brother why the hell you couldn’t contact me. Tell him who you were attempting to get close to.”

  Tobias turned to Wes. “I want the demon’s name.”

  “Guss Eckhart.”

  “You’re serious?” At the mention of Guss’ name, his heart started to pound. He realized his heartrate had accelerated to match Jessie’s suddenly racing heart. He was extremely concerned that the mention of his name had caused her to panic. He didn’t want to think of what Guss might’ve done to her. He wrapped his arm around her. “What does he have to do with it?”

  Wes nodded. “You made a huge mistake when you allowed him to go his way.”

  “Huge?” Tobias laughed. “That’s an exaggeration.”

  “Like it or not, it’s a fact. You killed his father. Now he’s itching for revenge” Wes said.

  “That was hundreds of years ago.”

  “Obviously you forgot to tell him about your time limit for grudges.”

  “How old are you, Tobias?” Jessie asked.

  “You just turned eight thousand, didn’t you?” Amber laughed.

  Jessie looked at him. “Holy shit. That’s freaky. You know that, right?”

  He smiled at her. “Maybe a little.” He looked at Wes again. “We didn’t have any right to execute Guss for crimes his father committed.”

  “You made a point of mocking and killing his father in front of him.”

  “If I hadn’t destroyed the son of a bitch’s father many more humans would’ve been slaughtered.”

  “You’re right. You needed to destroy him, but you didn’t need to force Guss to witness it.”

  “It needed to be done.”

  “Not in his presence.”

  “He needed to know what I would do to him if he followed in his father’s footsteps.”

  “Not if. When. You knew damn well he would do it. And you made damn sure a coldblooded murdering psychopath became your enemy. You wanted him to strike out at you. And now, just as you suspected all along, he’s on the same damn path of destruction his father took. He’s just as insane and dangerous as his father.”

  “How long have you known?” Tobias asked.

  Wes shrugged. “A few years.”

  “Why didn’t you come to me?”

  “I told him not to tell you,” Amber said.

  “And you listened to her?” Tobias asked.

  “It was a mistake.” He handed a folder to Tobias. “Look at this.”

  He opened the folder. His heart sank as he flipped through many surveillance type photos of Jessie. “What is this?”

  “He was keeping track of her. Look at the last picture.”

  He flipped to the last picture. “What the hell is going on?” It was a picture of them at the cemetery moments before they were shot.

  “He planned to give you just enough time to meet her and then...”

  Tobias glared at Wes. “You brought her to the cemetery.”

  “Don’t try to pass your fuck up off on me. You should’ve killed the son of a bitch. You know damn well you wanted to piss him off. You wanted him to be full of rage when he came after you. And that’s exactly what he has done. He’s a coward. You knew damn well he wouldn’t use the front door and knock. You’ve always been a reckless son of a bitch.”

  Tobias looked at Amber. “How did you come across this?”

  “The snipers had it.”

  Tobias took Jessie’s hand. “Have you encountered Guss Eckhart?”

  “Yes. It’s a long story. He claims to be a god. He has a group of followers. He performs miracles for them. I was trying to find a friend. She disappeared while at a retreat.” She looked at Amber. “It was you, wasn’t it? You got me out of the meeting. You look different now. But I recognize your voice.”

  Amber nodded. “I had to hide my true appearance to prevent him from recognizing me. You were drugged.”

  Tobias looked at Wes. “He’s dangerous. Why did you keep this from me? And why would you allow Amber to get tangled up with him?”

  “Damn it, Tobias. Stop being so stubborn. He didn’t allow me to do anything. I do what I want to do. I chose to keep it from you.”

  “What’s your friend’s name, Jessie?” Tobias asked. He had no desire to argue with his sister. Clearly, Wes had fucked up by allowing her to run wild with her silly desire to prove herself.

  “Allana Meadows. Her parents are Guss’ followers. She escaped a few months after she turned nineteen.”

  “Do you have any idea where he’d keep a human captive?”

  Wes nodded. “A cave in the Ozarks.”

  Tobias looked at Otaktay. “You know the caves better than anyone. Do you have any idea where she could be?”

  “Not off hand. I usually avoid humans.” He glanced at Jessie. “No offence.” He looked back at Tobias. “If she’s being held in the caves, I’ll find her.”

  Tobias looked at Jessie. “Do you have a picture of her?”

  Jessie shook her head. “No.”

  “Can you share an image of her with me?”

  “I can try.”

  “Not try. You did it.” He shared the image with Otaktay.

  “Will you look for her?” Jessie asked.

  Otaktay didn’t respond.

  “Otaktay,” Tobias got his attention, “will you look for her?”

  “I don’t have anything better to do.” He turned and walked away.

  “You’ll keep us posted, right?”

  He nodded, never turning to face them. “I will.”

  Tobias redirected his focus to Wes. “I will deal with Guss. Keep Amber the hell away from him.” He kept his gaze locked on Wes. “You never should’ve permitted her to get involved with him.”

  “He doesn’t get to tell me what I can and cannot do.”

  Tobias didn’t even bother to acknowledge his sister’s statement. “Are we clear?”

  Wes glanced at Amber. “She’ll stay away from him.”

  “I’ll do what I want to do.”

  Tobias met her gaze. “You’ll do as your told.”

  “You won’t be able to get to him,” Amber said.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “He has disguised himself as a human and he has surrounded himself by humans.”

  “So was his father when I killed him. Wes should’ve come to me at once. I can’t believe he allowed you to get entangled up with such a dangerous threat.”

  “I do what I want. And it’s a different world now, Tobias. It won’t be simple. You could end up killing a hundred or more humans just trying to get close to him.”

  “I don’t plan to hunt him down. I plan to get him to hunt me.”

  ~ THIRTEEN ~

  TOBIAS WOULD NEVER FORGIVE himself for causing Guss to target Jessie.

  “Stop stewing over it.” Jessie smacked his thigh. “It’s not your fault, Tobias.”

  “That’s not true.” He looked at her. “I should’ve killed him before you were born. I knew damn well he was following in his father’s footsteps.”

  “He deserved a chance to be different.”

  “That’s not why I chose to let him live.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “Wes was right. I was reckless. I wanted Guss to suffer. I wanted him to be consumed by rage, by grief.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m a demon.” He stood up and offered his hand to her. “Are you hungry?�
�

  She placed her hand in his and let him pull her to her feet. “I am starving.” She knew being a demon wasn’t the reason he’d done it.

  He wrapped his arm around her and he led her through the house and into the kitchen. “Have a seat,” he pulled a chair out for her, “and I’ll fix us something to eat.”

  Jessie sat down and watched him. He was a large man, his presence dominating the room. She’d never wanted anything more than she wanted him to make a move on her, to kiss her. But encouraging it was a bad, very bad idea. “Do you think your friend can find Allana?”

  “Otaktay won’t stop looking until he finds her. He’ll keep us posted, but I doubt we’ll actually see him until he has her with him.”

  “Is he a demon?”

  “No. He’s a saber-tooth tiger shifter.”

  “Are you shitting me?”

  “Nope. He’s a kitty cat.”

  “You trust him?”

  From across the kitchen, he glanced over his shoulder and smiled at her. “I’ve known him my entire life. He’s one of my closest friends. He never agrees to do something unless he intends to do it.”

  “When this is over I can live anywhere. I can’t believe I’ll be able to have a permanent home.”

  “This is your home.” When he turned, her gaze collided with his.

  “I don’t belong here with you.”

  He placed a plate on the table for her and retrieved another for him. “You do.”

  “What changed?”

  “I don’t understand.”

  She lifted her sandwich and took a bite.

  “Well?” he asked.

  “The sandwich is really good. Thank you.” She took another bite.

  “You’re welcome. But I wasn’t talking about the sandwich. What do you think changed?”

  “You said that I belong here with you.”

  “It’s true.”

  “I’m human.”

  “So?”

  “You don’t even like being around humans. You called me a project.”

  “I let you know that I was trying to get information from Wes.”

  “You shouldn’t have called me a project.”

  “You’re right. I am sorry.”

  “You told me that Wes would never lay a hand on a woman.”

  “I did.”

  “You trust him.”

  “I do.”

  “With me. But not with your sister.”

  “I trust him with my sister.”

  “Why don’t you like the fact that he’s with her?”

  “I’m about to trust you with a secret I’ve never told anyone else. Wes and I were as close as brothers for thousands of years. After my parents passed on, I focused on looking after my sister. She needed constant supervision. She has always been a magnet for trouble. She has a mile-wide rebellious streak. Anyways, since I was hanging around here more often, Wes stopped over more often. He started to notice Amber a little too much. And, as luck would have it, she noticed him right back. Eventually, they were inseparable. I led them to believe that their union bothered me because my sister would’ve driven me nuts. She would’ve insisted on making me a third wheel.”

  “That actually makes sense. But I know you have something against humans.”

  “I’ve never felt a desire to go out of my way to really get to know one.”

  “Why?” She took at drink of water.

  “Humans are…” he closed his mouth and shook his head.

  “Don’t hurt yourself searching for the right words. I heard your rant earlier.”

  “You’re still angry?” He couldn’t imagine what he’d done to make her angry again. Surely, she wasn’t still holding a grudge over the way he acted at the cemetery. He did save her. That should’ve redeemed him a little.

  “Not at all.”

  “Help me out. What am I doing wrong?”

  “It’s simple. You’re a demon.”

  “Guilty as charged.”

  “That means you’re a supernatural being.”

  He nodded. “I’m immortal.”

  “That means I don’t want anything to do with you.”

  “Why?”

  “Humans are less than you. You believe I’m below you.”

  “You could never be below me.” His expression softened, turning him from a demonic to an angelic being, his smile very slowly reaching his eyes. “Can we forget about all the things I said to Wes at the cemetery and start over?”

  “I don’t see any point in it.”

  His broadening smile was wickedly sexy and touched his entire face. “Only because you’re not the one in trouble. Besides, in the future, I’ll know how great your memory is and I will choose my words more carefully.”

  Her mouth twitched as she struggled to remain straight-faced. “I was just thinking how funny it would be if you ever got the urge to talk dirty to me.”

  “You’re making fun of me?”

  “Not at all.” She picked her glass up and walked over to the sink and filled it up. “I think you’re adorable when you catch yourself slipping up. I also think it’s pretty damn funny to watch you monitor the language others use.”

  She hadn’t heard him move but he was directly behind her. “Adorable?”

  She lifted the glass to take a drink, keeping her back to him. “Is cute a better word?”

  The tips of his fingers brushed her neck as he pulled her hair back. “You’re picking on me.”

  “You need to go sit back down and eat your sandwich.”

  “That’s not the need I’m feeling right now,” he whispered in her ear.

  Heart racing, she turned around, expecting him to step back. He did. For a second, giving her enough room to face him. Then, he moved closer than before, crowding her, forcing her to lift her chin to meet his gaze. “What are you feeling?” It was a loaded question. A question she should’ve refrained from asking.

  Cradling her face in his palms, he traced her mouth with his thumb and then drew her nearer as if to kiss her. But he didn’t. “I’m feeling the need to convince you that you’re everything to me.” He caught her waist and lifted her onto the counter and wedged his body between her thighs. “That you’re my world.”

  “That’s not possible.” She placed her hands on his shoulders and gave him a shove. “Don’t pretend to understand that we don’t belong together, Tobias.” He didn’t budge an inch.

  The thought of her rejecting him, their union, caused something dark and volatile to stir in him. What followed next was a silence that seemed to go on and on though it only lasted for a few seconds.

  “You know I’m right.” She tried to shove him again. “We aren’t even the same species.”

  “You’re wrong. I belong to you. And, like it or not, you belong to me.” Matching the rhythm of her heart, his thundered in his chest. “I am your man.” He paused. “You are my woman. Our hearts and souls are bound together for eternity.” He reached out to hold her face in his palms as he traced her lips with his thumb. “I know you feel it. You know I’m right.”

  Her head was spinning. He was offering her companionship. For so long, she’d given up on the idea of ever having someone care about her. She’d learned to be alone. She’d grown to love solitude. “You’re driving me crazy.”

  “Only because you’re scared.”

  “Of what?”

  “The truth.”

  He didn’t mean what he was saying. How could he? “What could I ever have to offer you?” She was human. He was so much more.

  He took her hand and pressed her palm against his chest right over his heart. “Life.”

  “You’ve had eight thousand years of life before me.” She pulled her hand out of his. “I’m sure you’ll have plenty more after I’m gone.”

  “Kiss me.” His deep voice was a seductive caress, touching her everywhere at once, causing her body to ache.

  “That sounds like a bad idea.” There was no way in hell she was going to let him know his vo
ice was wreaking havoc in her body.

  He pulled her to the edge of the counter and wedged his body between her legs as he bent his head to hers. “Kiss me, Jessie.”

  Being so close to him, feeling the warmth of his body against hers, caused her entire body to burn with desire.

  The atmosphere heated, electrified. She reached up and massaged the tight muscles at the back of his neck with her fingers. A powerful rush of lust, of desire consumed him. The floor shifted, moving beneath his feet. He needed to taste her kiss more than he needed to take his next breath.

  “I need you to kiss me, Jessie.” Every fiber of his being begged, every cell in his body pled for her to kiss him. She framed his face between her palms and lifted her head to his as he bent his head to hers.

  The first touch of her lips to his, the gentlest whisper of a caress, sent a bolt of lightning straight through his heart. Their kiss deepened. It was a potent, passionate merging of their hearts and souls. He took his time savoring the sweetness of her kiss, pouring his love for her and his need for her into it. He’d never felt so many extraordinary sensations and overwhelming emotions all at once. He wanted her to feel his love, his need for her.

  Her lips, incredibly hot and wonderfully soft, moved against his. Her kiss was slow, tender, and so damn erotic. She scooted closer to the edge of the counter and, wrapping her legs around his body, she breathed his name against his mouth.

  Confined in his pants, threatening to burst the seams, every inch of his swollen, painfully hard cock ached for release. Her voice vibrated over this body as her nails scraped the back of his neck. Arching her body, she moaned. He gripped her hips and pulled her even closer, pressing her heated core against his swollen cock. Her tongue brushed against his, stroked his, tangled with his.

  She had never been so entirely turned on by a kiss. She felt his desire for her smoldering, growing, mingling with hers, and intensifying into a firestorm of raw lust. She’d never experienced an intimate moment with so much emotion fueling it. While she knew his dominate nature demanded more, he was incredibly gentle with her. He was loving her tenderly. It was an amazing, long-drawn-out, smoldering exchange of passion that just went on and on.

  He continued to be gentle with her, but she felt the enormous desire beating at him. He allowed her to control the intensity of the kiss, making her feel safe and cherished by surrounding her with his enormous power and strength. Despite knowing damn well that he was an extremely dangerous immortal, she held him close, tangling her fingers in his hair and locking her ankles behind his back.