Demon Retribution (Shadow Quest Book 3)

by Kiersten Fay

  Kyra made an effort to unclench her fists. The wars of Earth had been terrible to behold. Atrocities had been inflicted on people by those who had absolute power but little conscience—acts that should only exist in the most evil of nightmares. The Faieara had always been a peaceful race. They knew nothing of war, or—she shuddered to think—torture. Of their own accord, her hands came up to cover her mouth as if that would protect her from the truth.

  Cale’s grip tightened around his bottle. “We’ll rip every last one of their throats out.” A surprising amount of venom coated his words.

  Sebastian gave Cale a censured look and then leaned forward in his chair. “We intend to do everything we can to free your people, but I will not lie, our thoughts are on revenge. People will die. Theirs…and no doubt ours. I’ve made it clear to my crew that they are not under any obligation to join us, and many will end their association with us at the next stop.” He paused. “We need allies.”

  Kyra nodded, trying to look at the situation from a tactical perspective. “What has been done so far?”

  “We’ve sent out encrypted messages on some underground channels. Anyone who’s interested will contact us.”

  “What if no one responds to it?”

  “There are other options. The Kayadon pose a threat to all the races. There’s nothing to say that when they’re done with Evlon, they won’t move on to the next planet. That should be a powerful motivator.”

  “So where should we start?”

  “Spaceports and cities,” Sebastian replied.

  Ethan jumped in. “I could entreaty my old faction and some other pirates I’m acquainted with.”

  Sonya scoffed but said nothing. He scowled at her.

  “How about the dragons?” Kyra suggested.

  “Yes, the dragons,” Nadua agreed. “They are our allies. Or…they were.” She looked at Kyra, then to Analia, suddenly apprehensive.

  “I have to believe they still are,” Kyra declared. “I spent some time with the clan of Legura, remember?”

  “Yes, but...” Nadua replied. “Theirs is but one among many. What of the other clans?”

  “I cannot say. Perhaps if we get one clan, the others will follow.” She glanced at Cale. “Didn’t you say you had a dragon pilot on board?”

  Cale grunted in affirmation. “Aidan. He’s from the Kanisae Clan.”

  “Could he ask them for support?”

  Sebastian frowned, and Cale ran his fingers through his hair. Not a good sign. “He was exiled.”

  She cursed under her breath.

  “However, we’ll ask him,” Sebastian offered. “It couldn’t hurt.”

  The table fell into silent contemplation. Zoey’s eyes drooped, and Kyra realized how late it must be. “We should get some sleep. Can we continue this in the morning?”

  Sebastian nodded. “We were only expecting one extra. Do you mind sharing quarters for the time being?”

  “That would work out for the best, I think.” Kyra wasn’t about to let Zoey out of her sight anyway. At least not until she grew more comfortable here.

  Sonya pushed to stand. “I’ll show them the way.”

  Cale made no reply except to relax deeper into his chair and motion for a refill. Kyra’s lips thinned. Apparently, she and Zo were no longer his problem.

  Chapter 17

  Sonya had just left Kyra and Zoey’s room when an irate voice bellowed from behind. “What is your problem?”

  She turned to see Ethan beating a path toward her. His expression said he hadn’t sought her out for his pleasure. Thank the gods. At least he’d waited until she dropped off the two newest crew members. It was difficult enough to keep anything a secret around here.

  “I figured it was clear,” she snapped, sauntering toward her room with false nonchalance. The door swooshed open at her approach, and she whirled on him. Her arm stretched out to one side, palm on the door frame, an obvious signal that he was not welcome.

  “What is this grudge you have against me?” His voice lost none of its barb.

  Sonya only raised a brow, holding her ground.

  “And do not use the incident in the training room as an excuse. Whatever your deal is, it goes further back than that.”

  She speared him with a look that, for anyone else, would have been a warning to back the fuck off. She wasn’t in the mood for this.

  Ethan wasn’t taking the hint. “We are about to go to war! So you and I are going to get past this.”

  “Did you leave my pub solely in the hands of Jade?” Sonya grumbled.

  “You’re the one who hired her.”

  “Ethan, just get back to work. We’ve nothing to talk about.”

  “The hell we don’t.” He moved so swiftly she didn’t even see it coming. Grabbing her outstretched arm, he spun her and seized her wrists behind her back while forcing her into the room.

  Dammit, she was sick of being overpowered by guys today. And yet, a twinge of excitement blossomed.

  Ethan walked her forward until her front met the wall and the hard muscles of his chest crushed against her back. The door closed them in.

  Her breath caught when she felt his lips flutter over the nape of her neck. Then he growled low. “Why do I want you?”

  Sonya got the sense he wasn’t looking for her to answer. Still, she said, “If you knew what danger you are in, you wouldn’t.”

  “Are you talking about your little fang show?”

  She gasped. “You saw? And still you’re here?”

  “I know you wouldn’t bite me unless I ask you to, and I have no intention of doing so.”

  “I wouldn’t claim you if you begged me.”

  “Then there is nothing for me to worry about.” His teeth found the shell of her ear with a soft pressure.

  An unwanted shiver ran over her. “I thought you were here to talk.”

  “I’m finding I want to do a lot of things.”

  “Do you really think I’m going to let you do that to me again?”

  His lips curled. “Imagine my surprise when the beautiful, flirty demoness turns out to be a virgin. One question has been nagging me though. How is it possible?” His hold eased a bit, but he didn’t let go. She could whip him with her tail or gouge his eye out before busting in his nose with the heel of her palm.

  Instead, she said, “It’s an easy accomplishment when you have two,”—she thought of Marik—“make that three, overprotective brothers. Brothers who would show you your own spleen if they saw you now.”

  Ignoring the threat, Ethanule said, “You must have wanted a bed partner at some point. Demons don’t value things like virtue and virginity. Your kind are infamously insatiable.”

  She snorted. “Even if I did, who would risk their lives for a lay? And those who didn’t fear my family—not that there were many—never showed an interest.”

  He seemed to digest this. “You’ve pleasured yourself though.”

  A burning entered her cheeks. Words died in her throat.

  “I’ll take that as a yes. You were too responsive not to have.”

  That did it! She bumped her midsection out, meant as a warning, but he tightened his grip and fit his crotch between the crease of her backside.

  “Give me another chance,” he rasped.

  “What?”

  “The way we left things, your expression...” He trailed off.

  “And you what? Want a redo?” Her laugh came out harsh.

  “I want to taste you,” he said. “To feel your flesh give way under mine and see rapture on your face as I make you come in my arms. To use your body and teach you to use mine until we are both too sore to walk.”

  His speech made her blood rush, and again she was rendered speechless.

  His voice lowered to a husky tone. “Don’t you want me to show you how good it can be?”

  Images of tangled sweaty flesh flashed in her mind. She gulped, knowing what a terrible idea this was, yet found herself nodding.

  He released her and
backed away as if she would attack. She should attack. She shouldn’t actually be contemplating what he offered. But when he’d taken her that first time, he unleashed something in her that was proving difficult to restrain. Now it was all she could do not to throw herself at him and rip his clothes to shreds so she could get to the hard flesh that lay beneath.

  He watched her warily, waiting.

  She took a moment to look him over, giving herself time to clear her thoughts. His clothes were different than usual. A loose tan shirt hung over his torso and dark trousers hugged his waist. The only embellishments were a single thick gold earring close to the point of his ear and the haphazard beaded braids that peeked out from under his white-blond hair.

  She surprised herself by saying, “Take off your shirt.”

  He didn’t hesitate, shrugging the fabric off and tossing it away. The planes of his chest looked smooth and molded to perfection.

  He studied her in a similar fashion, his eyes hooded and darkening to that deep blue she’d only seen a couple times before.

  She gripped the wall at her back, looking for something stable to cling to. Her breathing took on a new kind of rhythm, and her skin prickled with awareness.

  Ethan stood patiently, giving her the time she needed. What he must see on her face, she couldn’t imagine. Her body wanted this. That was for sure. Every nuance was jolting to life. Then her fangs descended, and she hesitated once more, pursing her lips tight. She eyed Ethan for his response, but he appeared undeterred, though he knew what it meant.

  She forced the thought from her mind. It cannot be. Not him. Surely there was another for her. Someone more fitting.

  He took a step forward, sensing her inner turmoil. “You won’t bite me,” he said with confidence.

  “Never,” she tried to sneer, but it came out far too breathy. He closed in, his movements slow as if approaching a wild animal, and his scent enveloped her, clouding her mind.

  Inches away, he whispered, “Tell me you want this.”

  “Gods, yes,” she blurted.

  Their lips collided, leeching what was left of her resistance. His hands went to the ties of her bodice and hurriedly pulled at the strings. She kicked off her shoes and then fumbled with the clasp of his trousers. Her skirt came next, leaving her in only panties.

  He pulled back to gaze down at her body. She lifted her chin, trying to read his expression. Did he like what he saw? This self-conscious feeling was foreign, and it angered her.

  He palmed one breast, rubbing his thumb over her nipple. Her eyes closed as the sensation overcame her. She leaned against the wall again for support.

  She stifled a whimper when he leaned down to take the bud into his mouth. Her skin was on fire, her heart pounding. With measured intent, his palms smoothed to the underside of her breasts, down her stomach.

  She didn’t know what to do with her hands. More than anything, she wished there was something to hold onto besides him. She felt unstable on her feet. His lips followed the path of his fingers, and she froze. Watching him descend, her body began to shake.

  At her hips, he slipped his thumbs under the waistline of her panties. He paused to look up at her then.

  For what?

  What is she supposed to do?

  He grinned wickedly. Down went the fabric. The cold air touched her just before his tongue did.

  She cried out. A quake rippled through her, and she cried out a second time. If not for the wall, her ass would have hit the floor. This was madness! How could this feel so good? He laved her relentlessly, not knowing the fevered torment he was causing. Or perhaps he did. He swept through her tender flesh as though he were finding just as much pleasure in the task, savoring her as though she were a delicacy.

  Her body quivered fiercely. “Ethan, I’m going to fall,” she managed through haggard breath.

  “Lie down,” he ordered. His tone was so rough it no longer sounded like him.

  She obeyed without thinking, sinking to the floor. He maneuvered between her legs, gripping her thighs, and continued his assault. Her heart thumped faster, her breath coming in gasps. She couldn’t think past what he was doing. Soon, she began to shake again and her claws dug at the ground. With a cry, ecstasy exploded, taking her vision.

  After a moment, Ethan sat back, expression triumphant. She still couldn’t move, reduced to a panting, puddled mess on the floor. But she couldn’t bring herself to care. A smile crawled across her lips. She couldn’t prevent it. That is until she remembered her fangs were out. For whatever reason, Ethan didn’t seem put off by them. In fact, he looked as though he wasn’t finished with her.

  Sitting up, she asked, “What next?”

  He grinned at her enthusiasm, then demanded, “On the bed.”

  Normally his bossy attitude would have grated, but at the moment it was strangely appealing. She stood and walked to the bed.

  Surprising her from behind, he grabbed her waist, keeping her from crawling onto the mattress as he cupped her breasts, teasing her already sensitive nipples. She moaned.

  His shaft breached the apex of her legs, sliding easily with the help of her dampness. She jumped at the feel, growing slicker still. Slowly, he slid back and forth, not entering, but stimulating them both.

  “Bend over,” he said.

  She gulped. At length her palms moved to the mattress, leaving her in a vulnerable yet titillating position.

  Her sudden nervousness must have been evident because he offered, “If I hurt you, tell me and I’ll stop.”

  “Alright.”

  The tip of his erection brushed her center and she recoiled, remembering their first time. This was different though. He pressed in with slow control, inching forward and giving her time to get use to his girth.

  “You okay?” he asked, tone like gravel.

  “I’m good,” she assured. “It feels…” She couldn’t come up with a word. “Okay, I guess?”

  “Are you trying to wound my confidence?”

  She laughed. “Is that even possible?”

  He gave a sharp pump of his hips, and she gasped as a spike of pleasure shot through her. “No,” he said and then moved again, silencing whatever retort she was about to spit out, replacing it with a soft moan. Once more he pumped his hips, filling her and making her whimper.

  As he pushed forward again, her hips pushed back. He made a sound of approval and gripped her waist to increase the speed.

  A steady rhythm developed, and soon she was panting with fervor as he ground into her with increasing force. But it was good, and with each thrust it seemed to get better, until she forgot herself entirely, forgot him, surrendering to the moment. She cried out as a wave of pleasure overcame her, bursting into a million pieces. Ethan groaned as his release came on the heel of hers. After a few heartbeats, he pulled out of her and they dragged themselves onto the bed.

  She reached for something to cover herself.

  “No, don’t,” he said, and she paused. “May I look at you a little longer?”

  She chewed her lip, feeling a bit skittish. Her fangs had yet to recede, and she felt exposed in a way that had nothing to do with her lack of clothing. “Only because you asked so nicely.”

  “Oh, I get really nice after sex.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Damn near saintly.”

  She snorted and leaned back on the mattress. Her body was both relaxed and deliciously sore. He lay on his side, his head propped on his palm, shamelessly drinking her in. After a moment she had to concede, “That was so much better than before.”

  “Glad to hear it.”

  Was he really not worried about her claiming him? Marik had claimed Nadua without permission, but that had been entirely by accident. Marik was still guilt-ridden over it. If he’d been back on their home planet, he could have been sentenced to death for it. It was considered dishonorable and abhorred to do such a thing. Ethan seemed to be aware of that, and not for the first time she was amazed at how knowledgeable he was about
her culture.

  “How do you know so much about demons?”

  He shrugged. “I spent some time with a group of renegade demons before I met up with the Denaloids. They found me amusing.”

  At this she grew curious. Coming across other demons was a rare occurrence. “Do you know where they are?”

  He frowned at her. “No. We separated long ago.”

  “Are you able to contact them?”

  “We didn’t exactly promise to keep in touch upon parting.”

  Damn, any extra help would have been welcome.

  “Eager for your own kind?” he asked. From his tone, she couldn’t decipher his mood.

  “Well, sure, but I was thinking to recruit them.”

  He took a moment to respond. “I have a few channels of communication that may reach them. I can attempt a message. No guarantees.”

  “By channels, you mean network of pirates.” Her voice revealed her disgust.

  His lips thinned. “Indeed. Now I’ve answered your question, perhaps you will answer mine.”

  She waited.

  “What do you have against pirates?”

  Silence reigned.

  “Were you harmed in some way by one?”

  She wasn’t ready to delve into that particular topic, still struggling with the idea that she had let a man like Ethan touch her in ways no one else had. She was still reeling from it, her body thrumming with aftershocks. She didn’t want to think about his past—or hers, for that matter—but she couldn’t seem to stop herself. Briefly, she wondered if Ethan had killed with the same cold carelessness as other pirates would. Had he ripped apart families with a swing of his sword and a smile on his face?

  She suddenly felt weary and rolled off the bed. “I need to wash up.” She paused. “You should too, before you leave. Unless you think you could fend off my rabid brothers.”

  He gave her a questioning look.

  “My scent is all over you,” she explained.

  His lips curled into a sexy grin. “Then by all means, let’s wash up.”

  Chapter 18