HOT-BLOODED BREATH OF DARKNESS

by Candice Stauffer

  “He will not have the will to fight me after your dead. He will beg me to kill him.”

  “You’re wrong. I haven’t known him for as long as you have known him, but I’m pretty damn sure he will not allow my death to go unavenged. He’s going to fry your ass.”

  “He cannot kill me. He’s weak. He’s pathetic. He was created to be a god. And yet, he chooses to live as a protector and servant to lesser beings.”

  “How so?”

  He stared down at her for a few seconds. His cold, dark, lifeless gaze seemed to penetrate her soul as he studied her face. “Your species and others would’ve died out long ago, if it had not been for demons like him interfering and intervening to prevent humans and other lower life forms from dying out.”

  “I am confused. If you’re such an almighty powerful god, why are you so threatened by humans and what you refer to as lower life forms?”

  “You’re trying to piss me off. You want me to kill you before he gets here. It won’t work. I’ve waited hundreds of years for this moment. Come to me.”

  Against her will, she stood up and, her leg hurting like hell, she started to move toward Guss. She didn’t have any control over her body. It was like everything was moving in slow motion. She tried to stop, but she couldn’t.

  “There are many ways to torture you, to drag out your death.”

  “I am not afraid of pain. I am not afraid of death.”

  Guss grabbed her by the throat and threw her. Landing face first, she turned onto her back to face him. Using his body weight to pin her to the floor, he squeezed her throat, his fingers digging deep gouges. Then, keeping his hands clenched around her throat, he lifted her and smashed her body against the wall with enough force to crack and shatter bricks and mortar.

  ***

  The instant Amber felt Wes’ presence, she allowed her mind to merge with his. What took you so long to find me? Didn’t you miss me a little?

  Ask me after I put you over my knee and spank your ass.

  He was close. I really need your help, Wes.

  I’m coming to you.

  No. Not me. Jessie is in this damn thing somewhere. Guss has her. You need to go to her right now. I can handle this idiot.

  I am your mate. I am coming to you.

  He’ll kill her.

  Tobias is here. He’s looking for her. He’ll take care of her.

  She felt his mind merge deeper with hers. He sensed her physical pain and he was searching for the source of it.

  Show me. At his mental prompting, she glanced down at her wound. You’ve been poisoned.

  No shit.

  She felt his power, his strength wrapping around her, filling her.

  Don’t try to merge any deeper with me. It hurts like a bitch.

  Give it to me. You’re holding on to it.

  No. It’s really…

  Give me the goddamn pain, Amber. Do it, now.

  She looked up at the sudden burst of storm clouds overhead. “Your day is about to take a terrible turn.”

  Oliver looked up at the stormy sky and growled.

  “Growling?” She laughed. “That’s hilarious. You know damn well you can’t use psychological warfare against a demon.”

  Tilting his head to the side, he stared at her for a few seconds. “I am not scared of Tobias. He can’t do shit to me.”

  Amber laughed. “He could wad you up and use you to wipe his ass if he wanted to defile himself.”

  Broken, partially decayed fangs lengthening, his glowing, blood-red eyes locked onto hers. “Guss has Tobias’ mate. He won’t come to you first.”

  “Wow. It’s not just Guss. You’ve also been guzzling tainted blood.” She pointed at the sky. “You look so pleased with yourself that I almost regret bursting your happy bubble by telling you that’s not Tobias.”

  “It isn’t?”

  She shook her head. “But don’t feel too sad. I’m sure Tobias is around somewhere. Unfortunately, I don’t think you’re going to be around long enough to see him.”

  For the first time ever, she realized how deeply she loved Wes. And she realized how deeply he loved her.

  My charm is finally getting to you.

  She laughed. Your charm is not what I need right now.

  “Who is it?”

  “Wes Corbett. You remember him, don’t you?” She smiled. “Just kidding. I’m sure you do. After all, just a few years ago, you had a run in with him. Didn’t he have a talk with you about staying out of trouble. He put you on puppy probation. He’s going to be mad as hell when he finds out what you’ve done with your second chance.”

  “He wouldn’t come here for you,” he hissed. “He’s too busy fucking around with humans.”

  “He wouldn’t be much of a mate if he willingly abandoned me in my time of need.”

  I am most definitely making progress with you if you’re admitting our union aloud.

  I never said I like you.

  “You’re lying.”

  “A mate simply does not look away when his or her mate is in distress. It’s in the official manual that explains what to expect when you happen to find yourself in the position of being a demon’s mate.”

  “There’s no book.”

  “Try selling that notion to a male demon.”

  “He’s not your mate.”

  “I suppose you could try to convince him that he’s full of crap, but I doubt he’ll listen. I’ve tried many times. He’s stubborn as hell, and…oh, damn, Oliver.” She waved her hand in front of her face. “Did you just shit yourself? Do you need a minute to change your underpants?”

  He shoved himself away from the wall and lunged for her, but he was thrown back by an invisible force.

  “And just like that,” she snapped her fingers, “my hope is dashed to bits. It’s obvious Wes doesn’t plan to give you a chance to explain anything. For a second, I truly thought you would be the one to convince him to move on and look elsewhere for his mate.”

  It’s never happening.

  You never know.

  “I know.” Wes came up from behind. He glanced at her as he headed straight for Oliver. “Do you want to try to convince me that Amber isn’t my mate?”

  “No…I don’t…I…”

  Heart pounding with a surge of adrenaline, Amber jumped to her feet and got in front of him, palms flat against his chest attempting to stop him. “Don’t you dare kill him.”

  Luckily, since she had no hope of physically forcing him to stop, he did so rather than mow her over. He growled, a deep, ominous sound as he looked down at her. His black, ice-cold gaze moved over her face, searching for something.

  He smiled. Then, wrapping his arm around her, he pulled her to his side, lifted his other arm and sent a bolt of lightning through the center of Oliver’s forehead. A few seconds later, his head exploded into flames.

  “Damn it.” She shoved him, hard. “Damn you, Wes.”

  He didn’t move. He didn’t budge an inch.

  “Guss has Jessie. We needed to get him to tell us where.”

  “I took it from his brain before I incinerated it. I have the information,” he pointed at his head, “up here.” He smiled at her, completely unapologetic.

  “You’re such an asshole.”

  “Shouldn’t you be more thankful. I just saved your ass.”

  “What about Tobias?”

  “I passed the information to him.”

  “Let’s go help him. I think she’s actually trying to prevent Tobias from finding her.”

  “Are you strong enough to keep going?”

  “I can take a nap later. The son of a bitch plans to kill my brother’s mate.”

  ~ TWENTY-THREE ~

  The pain was too much. It was too intense. Jessie was pretty damn sure every bone in her body was broken or crushed. She wanted it to end. She wanted to die. Eyes growing heavier, she experienced the sensation of drifting away from her body. Closing her eyes, she envisioned Tobias, wishing she could have just one last moment
to touch him, to feel his touch, to kiss him, to say goodbye to him.

  We will never say goodbye to each other.

  Tobias.

  Our bond is eternal. You had better stop trying to hide from me, Jessie. The Frustration and anger in his voice caused her heart to race.

  I want you to let me go. I don’t belong in your world. She struggled to keep him out even as he pushed his way into her mind.

  You are my world. He worked his way through her thoughts, searching for information. She didn’t have the strength to fight. Don’t you dare fight me. It’s desperation and fear. Not anger. Not at you.

  I’m not afraid of your anger. It’s just too late, Tobias. She struggled to steady her breathing. Waves of crushing pain, one after another, beat against her skull and gripped her entire body. A terrible roaring echoed in her ears as blackness whirled around her.

  It’s not too late. He has lied to you. He wants you to give up. Fight for us.

  You don’t understand, Tobias. I can’t survive this.

  We can survive it together.

  It hurts too much. Everything hurts.

  You don’t need to hold onto the pain. Give it to me.

  What do you mean?

  Trust me. That’s all. Just trust me. I am your other half. Let your soul touch mine.

  I’m…oh, shit. Something is coming. She struggled to get to her feet and stumbled to the side, she fought to remain upright, but her broken leg slipped to the side.

  Someone grabbed a hand full of her hair and pulled her up to her feet. “Get your ass moving!” A male shouted.

  She couldn’t take a step on her leg. It kept buckling to the side as she pulled her along with him.

  Open your mind to me fully. She felt Tobias’ hunger for violence the instant she completely opened her mind to him. He was a force of darkness. A powerful being with no equal. His hatred crashed into her.

  The male released her hair and shoved her against a wall. She was so tired. The pain was entirely unbearable. She closed her eyes.

  Open your eyes! Let me see the son of a bitch so I can stop him. She felt his dark, savage nature. The demon. The dragon. And he was mad as hell. It shouldn’t make her smile. She should be scared to death. But she wasn’t. Not of him. Never him.

  Deep down in her soul, she knew that he loved her. Entirely. Absolutely. He loved her with every ounce of his physical and spiritual being. For eternity.

  Electrical currents raced from her head to her feet. Power surged through her entire body, reaching beyond her muscles, settling in the marrow of her bones. His power. His invincibility. It felt just as it had the first night she merged with him.

  That’s it, sweetheart. I know it’s not easy, but I need you to keep your eyes on him for a few more seconds. It was a command. Her mind and body obeyed.

  The werewolf clutched his head, screaming, wailing in agony. He dropped to his knees, blood streaming from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.

  The next thing she knew, Tobias was down on his knees leaning over her.

  “You brought your wings out to play.”

  “You are not an easy woman to track down.”

  “You were looking for me?” she teased. He was a risk, a dark mystery, a threat to her sanity. She was so entirely, madly in love with him.

  “Desperately. I am so sorry I made you believe I would let you walk away.”

  “I wish you would’ve let me walk away. He’ll kill you. He wanted you to come here.”

  “What?”

  “He’ll kill you, Tobias. And it’ll be my fault.”

  “I’m going to give you one hell of a very long lecture if I find out you were blocking me to prevent me from finding you to protect me.”

  She smiled. “I can cover my ears.”

  He framed her face in his hands and rested his forehead against hers “He can’t kill me.”

  “He’s just like you.”

  “He is not like me.”

  “He’s a demon.”

  “He attacked you to get to me because he’s too much of a coward to face me. I am dead without you, Jessie. I have nothing, no reason to live without you.” He took her hand and pressed her palm over his heart, taking her pain, pouring his healing power, his life into her body. “You are my life, Jessie. You are everything to me. Don’t ever doubt it again.”

  He pressed his lips against hers, kissing her gently, pouring his love for her, his need for her into it. She didn’t flinch or push away from him. Her body had sustained too many injuries. She was dying a slow death. She wouldn’t survive if he tried to bring her out of the trap. While he still couldn’t think of a reason for her to choose him, to want him, he refused to lose her. He couldn’t. He would never be strong enough to let her die without fighting for their future.

  He’d never felt fear as deeply as he did at that moment. If he failed, if she feared him, she would die rather than receive his eternal breath. “I love you, Jessie.”

  She lifted her hand and wiped the tear from his face with the tips of her fingers. “I know you do. I love you, Tobias.”

  “Do you trust me?”

  She smiled, a slow smile that caused his heart to ache. “I do.”

  “We’re leaving here together.”

  “I don’t know if I…I’m sorry, Tobias. I am not going to make it.”

  “The path, the journey I need to take you on will be frightening, but I need you to know that we will make it out of here together.”

  “I believe you.”

  He kissed her again. Tenderly. Passionately. His heart thundering as she returned his kiss with just as much love and need as he felt for her.

  A vile presence drew near announcing Guss’ approach. He knew it was now or never. He needed to take her last mortal breath and replace it with his eternal breath.

  All the sudden, Jessie realized that Tobias was suffocating her. No! Not like this! He was killing her, putting her out of her misery rather than force her to suffer the pain of her injuries and die slowly. Tobias!

  He didn’t reply. She opened her eyes, meeting his icy, black gaze. He wouldn’t respond. She felt his power, his unshakable resolve. She felt his love for her. Pure. Absolute. Everlasting. He planned to go with her, to end his existence. She couldn’t allow him to do it. Not like this, Tobias. Not for me.

  Desperate to save him, she tried to fight him. She kicked her legs, hit him, and pulled his hair to yank him from her. Damn it, Tobias. You can’t end your life like this. Not for me. He was too big, too strong.

  My life belongs to you, Jessie. Her heart slowed, struggling to beat. Your life belongs to me. Her arms, too heavy to lift, dropped. We will leave here together as one. Her vision blurred and darkened. Then, succumbing to the still silence of death, she closed her eyes and drifted away from him.

  Come back to me. His voice, a whisper, commanded her to stop. I need you to come back to me.

  Surrounded by pitch blackness, she hesitated.

  Receive my life. Receive my immortal breath. She felt him breathing into her, filling her lungs, her body. You belong to me. I belong to you. Her spirit returned to her body. Her heart beat slowly. You are my heart and my soul. You are my miracle. My life. My purpose. Her heart raced irregularly for a few seconds and then started to beat regularly. You are the very center of my universe.

  She stared up at him, trying to figure out what the hell just happened. Then, over his shoulder, she saw two vicious looking wolves. “Behind you!”

  “Well done, Tobias. Now that you have been so kind as to give me an eternal gift, it’s time for you to go away for good.” Guss’ voice echoed all around from what sounded like staticky loudspeakers.

  The second Tobias stood up to face the wolves, a spear burst through his chest, narrowly missing his heart. He kept his back to her to prevent alarming her as he pulled the crudely crafted wooden weapon from his chest, leaving behind toxic splinters and a terrible fire burning deep in his bones.

  A wave of his hand incinerated the wol
ves. Guss knew they were no match for him. They’d only been a distraction. His power, his strength had significantly diminished. The damn spear had been coated with a truly potent poison.

  Tobias!

  Don’t be alarmed.

  Oh, god. He heard her move closer to him.

  No, don’t get any closer. I need room.

  You were just speared.

  I’m fine. I need you to stay back. He’s hiding. He won’t reveal himself until he believes I am too weak to fight him. I need to play dead to get him to come out.

  I love you, Tobias.

  And I love you, Jessie. This will be over soon.

  Tobias dropped to his knees and fell forward. He slowed his breathing, his heart to appear dead.

  I see him. He’s to your left.

  I know, sweetheart. He needs to get closer.

  He waited, counting the seconds.

  He’s nearly on top of you.

  Tobias jumped to his feet. He struck quickly, violently, delivering a punch to Guss’ throat and another, upward blow, to his nose. Blood spurting from his face, Guss doubled over.

  Tobias grabbed Guss’ shoulders and pulled him toward his knee as he brought it upward, smashing it into his face.

  Screaming in pain, curling his body up in a ball, Guss turned onto his side. Before the idiot had a chance to recover, Tobias brought the heel of his foot down on his head, putting all his weight into it he crushed his skull.

  Wes’ image shimmered for a few seconds and then solidified a few feet from Tobias.

  “I’m drained,” Tobias said.

  “I got it.” He raised his hands and conjured a ball of fire. He tossed it at Guss’ remains.

  Tobias stumbled over to Jessie. “Oh, no, Tobias.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “Are you strong enough to shift out of here with her? The spell is already closing in on itself.”

  “Where’s Amber?” Tobias asked.

  “I’m right here,” Amber said.

  Vision growing darker and head spinning, he reached out to Jessie and dropped to his knees. She wrapped her arms around him to prevent him from falling face first in the muck on the floor. “What’s happening to him?”

  “He’ll be fine. He has a shitload of poison in him.,” Wes said. “We need to get him out of here, so he can heal himself.”