Knight's Redemption (Knights of Hell Book 1)

by Sherilee Gray

  What the hell? Suddenly I’m a fucking shrink.

  She studied his face. “I hope you’re right.”

  “I know I am.” He kept hold of her hand. Disturbingly, he was unable to let her go. Her fingers wrapped in his felt good…right.

  She dropped her gaze. “I’m glad I’ve got you here to help me through this.”

  “I’m not going anywhere.” He tightened his grip on her fingers as if to prove the point. “Eve, look…last night, what happened between us…” He ran a hand through his hair. “Shit, what I’m trying to say is…, I acted like an asshole,” he stammered out. Christ, he sounded like a spotty teenager.

  “After you…after we…” She stopped mid-sentence, apparently having the same trouble.

  “Talk to me, Eve.”

  She looked everywhere but at him. “There’s something going on, something I can’t explain. I don’t usually, you know, dive on guys like that.”

  Now wasn’t an ideal time to explain what she was to him, but then he wasn’t sure there ever would be. And so far, all his other attempts had failed. At least this way she couldn’t get up and run the fuck away. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

  She looked down. “No, it’s fine, really. I understand why you didn’t take things further. I just wanted you to know that’s not how I usually behave. I know I put you in an awkward position.”

  She put him in an awkward position? “What are you talking about?”

  She looked up at him, puzzled.

  “Why do you think I stopped?” he added.

  Her cheeks darkened, and she cleared her throat. “You’re not attracted to me. You were just being kind.”

  How could she think that? Words spilled from his mouth like someone else had taken control of his vocal cords. “Jesus, you couldn’t be more wrong.” He knew he sounded needy as hell, but was past caring. “You cause such a hunger inside me, Eve. As it is, I can barely control myself around you. I want you so bad I can barely think of anything else. And just so you know, right now I’m so fucking hard for you it hurts.”

  He’d yakked up the contents of his frustrated and confused mind without restraint, and instantly wished he could take it back. But going by the intoxicating, purely feminine scent that drifted up to wrap around his senses, Eve was right there with him.

  Her nipples hardened, the peaks straining against her T-shirt. He licked his lips, mouth watering for a taste of her. He might not have wanted to rush her, but being half angel sure as hell didn’t make him a saint.

  The hard length of his cock burned hot against his stomach. Thank God his shirt was covering all that was going on down there, because the thing had popped past the waistband of his jeans—like it was trying for a look-see at what he wanted so damn bad.

  Her cheeks flushed, making him want her even more. She bit her lip, and the innocence that had captivated him the minute he’d laid eyes on her returned in her wide-eyed stare.

  “There’s more,” he said.

  She sucked in a breath. “More?”

  “Yeah, I just…” Where the hell should he start?

  “You’re starting to freak me out, Lazarus.”

  Fuck it. “You’re not just a demi-demon, Eve, you are…” He stared into her beautiful eyes. “You are my demi-demon.”

  She blinked several times then blurted, “What do you mean, yours?”

  Inwardly, he winced at the look of horror covering her face. “You’re my mate.”

  “What? You mean like…” She paled. “You mean like Kryos and Meredith?”

  Okay, this was harder than he thought. “Yes. Each knight has a female somewhere in the world.” She stared at him, and he shifted in his seat. “She is everything he needs—will ever need. Once they mate, the warrior’s strength increases and the demon half of him stabilizes.” He reached out, unable to stop himself from brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “And for a demi, mating means immortality…and the protection and devotion of her warrior for eternity.”

  “Immortality?”

  “Yes.” The disbelief quickly disappeared from her face when she realized he wasn’t making any of this shit up.

  “And you’re my…my warrior?”

  Hearing her say those words nearly had him undone. The cabin lights were low for the night flight and highlighted the shadows beneath Eve’s eyes. She looked fragile. He wanted nothing more than to pull her into his lap and convince her everything would be all right. But he couldn’t, because it wouldn’t. “Yes, and you are my female.” He barely recognized his own voice, the words rasping past his lips. “But nothing is set in stone. In the end, the decision must be yours, Eve.”

  Her eyes widened. “I…I…”

  “You don’t need to decide now.” He’d have a better chance of her accepting him if she believed she had a choice in this. He just hoped she made the right one.

  She blinked up at him. He wanted to say more, to reassure her, but his reply caught in his throat when unease wrapped around him like a dark shadow, so damn suffocating.

  “What’s going on?” Eve said, picking up on his sudden change of mood.

  Lazarus stood, unable to respond, and stepped into the aisle. He pretended to get something from the overhead storage compartment, and glanced across the rows of passengers in front and behind them, searching. Most appeared asleep or watching a movie. He did another pass.

  Fuck.

  “What are you doing?” Eve tried again, voice shaky.

  Pins and needles tap-danced down his spine, right before milky eyes opened and the fucker returned his stare, smiling.

  They were still an hour from Chicago, but the Orthon wouldn’t attempt anything until they were free of witnesses. He sat back down without a word.

  “What is it?” The concern in Eve’s voice and etched into her features caused rage to course through his veins. He wouldn’t let anything happen to her. “It’s nothing.”

  She looked uncertain and opened her mouth to say more.

  “We’ll talk more later.” Lazarus surrounded her with the compulsion to sleep. He’d used it a lot on her lately and he felt a little guilty, but it was better than letting her freak out for the next hour. She visibly relaxed and made a hmm sound.

  In a matter of minutes, she’d drifted off to sleep beside him.

  The flight seemed to take forever, but finally their plane touched down. He reached up and collected Eve’s carry-on.

  “Are we here?” she asked groggily.

  “Yeah.”

  She stood, and he led her toward the exit. First, he had to get her out of the airport. After that, Brent, another demi, would put them up at a secure location.

  He glanced behind them, spotting the Orthon. It was in the guise of a middle-aged male, following and gaining on them quickly.

  “What’s going on, Lazarus?”

  As usual Eve didn’t miss a thing. “We have company,” he said with a sharp glance over his shoulder.

  Clever girl that she was, no further explanations were necessary. She grabbed his hand and picked up the pace beside him.

  Chapter 14

  Lazarus steered Eve toward a large group of people milling about and pushed his way through the center of the crowd. He turned abruptly, and Eve hung on tight as he pulled her down a short corridor, completely ignoring the Staff only sign.

  Pausing, he forced her behind his body, pressing her against the wall. Eve peered around one of his thick biceps. A man turned into the hall a short distance in front of them, colorless eyes trained on her.

  Laz swore under his breath.

  “Lazarus?” Those weird creamy eyes never wavered from her, and her stomach lurched. This was actually happening. It wasn’t a nightmare, and that thing was coming for her.

  “It won’t get anywhere near you.”

  He pulled her farther down the corridor, following a narrow passage that turned to the left. Lazarus opened the first door they came to.

  “In here.” He pushed her insi
de and shut her in.

  The sound of the lock engaging followed.

  He’d done that trick using his powers to lock it from the outside, and she instantly felt that electric buzz over her skin, which meant he’d somehow warded the room.

  Silence engulfed the small space.

  She was frozen to the spot, adrenaline racing through her veins with no outlet. The silence was filled by her pulse echoing through her skull and blood rushing in her ears.

  She couldn’t hear what was happening beyond the flimsy door…and then a deep growl ripped through the room, followed by a thump that rattled the door on its hinges.

  Then nothing.

  Time seemed to tick by at a snail’s pace, and Eve held her breath, waiting.

  When it came, the sound of the lock releasing was barely audible over her thumping heart. She scrambled back until her heels collided with the wall behind her. Frantically, she searched for a weapon, anything. Standard-issue airport one-ply lined the walls, but she didn’t think hurling toilet rolls at a crazed demon would cut it.

  The handle turned and the door started to ease open.

  Eve’s breath caught in her throat…

  Then released on a whoosh, as Lazarus poked his head in, eyes downcast. “Wait here. I need to make sure he was alone.” Then he was gone again.

  He seemed calm, like fighting killer demons in busy airports was an everyday occurrence. How could she do this, live this life? Where monsters were real and didn’t just go bump in the night. No, they came out in broad freaking daylight. Thinking about that wasn’t a good idea, not while she was stuck in here. She concentrated on slowing her heart rate, which wasn’t working since she couldn’t stop pacing around the tiny floor space.

  A few minutes later, Lazarus stepped back into the room. She looked out into the hall, where the Orthon’s ashy remains lay on the ground in a pile behind him. Lazarus closed and locked the door.

  “He was alone?”

  He didn’t answer her.

  Eve took him in more closely. His chest was pumping at a rapid pace, and the veins and tendons in his neck and hands stood out on his tanned skin. Sweat beaded on his forehead and he was gritting his teeth as the muscles in his shoulders moved unnaturally beneath his jacket.

  He wouldn’t look at her.

  Oh God. “Lazarus?” She took a step forward.

  “Don’t. Stay back.” His voice rumbled darkly and lifted goose bumps across her skin.

  “What’s wrong? Are you injured?”

  His head shot up. Eyes black and unblinking stared back. Not even a flicker of green remained.

  “Lazarus?”

  He shook his head, teeth gritted. God, he looked in such terrible pain.

  He wanted her to stay back, but how could she? She couldn’t bear to see him like that. He said he’d never hurt her, and she believed him. So she took a step closer, approaching him slowly, like you would a wild animal.

  He watched her, or she thought he did; it was hard to tell with his eyes washed in black like that.

  When she was standing in front of him, she reached for him. She didn’t know what she could do, but she wanted to help with whatever had caused this transformation. She lifted her hand and gently cupped the side of his face.

  He hissed, his chest pumping rapidly. The light show started in his irises again, like it had back at her house and at the compound. He moaned and turned in to her palm, pushing into her touch like a contented house cat.

  “Lazarus? What’s happening?” she choked out.

  He lifted his gaze, and with the color trying to break back through, they were easier to read. Need, dark and hungry, stared back at her, freezing her to the spot. He looked almost feral. She wasn’t afraid, though. No, instead her body heated, responding to the raw lust burning into her.

  Despite all she’d gone through in such a short time, her only thought in that moment was what Lazarus had said to her on the plane earlier.

  “You cause such a hunger inside me, Eve. As it is, I can barely control myself around you. I want you so bad I can barely think of anything else.”

  The enclosed space caused his delicious scent to fill the tiny room. His massive body crowded her, surrounded her. She didn’t know what was happening to her, to both of them, and right then she didn’t care.

  “Don’t,” he rasped, even as he moved closer, as he rubbed his cheek against her palm.

  “I can’t help it,” she replied, more than a little shocked by her actions.

  Demons were hunting her. Who knew what would happen when they walked out that door? If she didn’t act now, she might never know what it was like to be with him. Could she live with that? No. She was surprised to realize she couldn’t.

  Eve had played by everyone else’s rules all her life. Time after time her family had rejected her then dumped her like garbage. She’d spent most of her life ignored and unwanted—until now. It didn’t matter if it was only a day, an hour, hell, a minute—she would take it. It felt too good not to.

  His eyes flared. “Don’t do this.” He drew in a deep, shuddering breath.

  “I can’t stop myself. I don’t want to.” She ran her hands up the ridged planes of his abs and across the solid wall of his chest to push the heavy leather jacket from his shoulders. The thump as it hit the floor sounded loud in the quiet room.

  “We can’t do this,” he croaked. “You deserve better than to be fucked against the wall in a goddamned supply cupboard.”

  She clamped her thighs together in an attempt to ease the ache. “Please.” She pressed closer, desperate to have his hands on her.

  His eyes bore into hers. “This force between us…it’s too strong. I won’t be able to stop this time…do you understand?” He shook his head. “Fuck. I need you,” his voice caught on the last word.

  “I’m here.” She’d die if he didn’t touch her soon.

  “I won’t be gentle, Eve. I can’t. If you want to change your mind, do it now,” he warned, voice ragged.

  She shook her head, liquid heat flooding her sex at his needy words. “I won’t change my mind.”

  His eyes did that thing where they flashed between emerald and ebony. “Then touch me, Eve. Just…I need you to touch me.”

  The desperate plea kicked her into action. She slid her hands under his shirt, marveling at the smooth hot skin beneath before lifting it up and over his head. His body was magnificent, all corded, sinewy strength.

  He thrust his fingers into her hair, and the loose hair tie fell away, releasing the heavy mass. His eyes seemed to stabilize then, but remained a darker shade than before.

  He reached down and yanked up her shirt, shoving it over her head, tracking every move like the massive predator he was. The pure unrestrained hunger in his eyes successfully eliminated any lingering apprehension she had about the way her body looked. Instead she felt bold and sexy for the first time in her life.

  Large, rough hands cupped her breasts through the white cotton cups of her bra before he pinched the hardened buds between his fingers. Eve whimpered—she wanted his hands on her bare flesh—and reached for the center clasp. He let out a low moan of appreciation as she undid it, letting her full breasts bounce free.

  “Jesus, you’re killing me. I have to—” His voice surrounded her, wild and barely in control. Dipping his head, he caught one aching peak between his teeth and sucked hard. She moaned from the sensation of his hot wet mouth on her sensitive flesh, and held his head against her. He looked up. His eyes had changed again, were paler. Then rational thought scattered as he moved to her other breast, drawing her hard nipple deep, devouring her. She bit her lip to keep from crying out.

  With deft fingers, he worked the opening of her jeans then thrust a hand down the front of her panties, sliding through her slick folds, grazing her clit repeatedly. She whimpered and clutched at his heavy arms to stay upright.

  Without warning, two thick fingers entered her. She cried out as he pushed inside, driving her higher. Her body mov
ed of its own volition, her hips rolling against his hand.

  He rested his forehead against hers. “Jesus, you’re so damn hot, so tight and wet around my fingers. I need to feel you wrapped around my cock,” he said against her mouth before he kissed her hard and demanding. His tongue moved against hers in an imitation of what was coming.

  His other hand slid between their bodies, and she could feel him fumbling with his jeans. He shifted back, and his heavy cock sprang free, pre-come already glistened at the head.

  He was long and thick, and beautiful.

  “I can’t wait any longer…need inside you. Need to feel you squeezing me tight, sweetheart.”

  “Yes.” That was all she could manage.

  He removed his hand from her panties, but instead of moving his massive body between her thighs, he looked at his fingers, glistening, covered in her, and brought them to his mouth, sucking each finger clean.

  His eyes drifted shut and he groaned. “You taste fucking amazing, Eve. Better than I imagined. The next time I have you, I’m going to take my time feasting on you. I’m going to do all the things I’ve wanted to do since the minute I saw you.” He opened his eyes and the uninhibited desire staring back caused another rush of liquid heat between her thighs. “Do you want that, too?” he asked hoarsely.

  She managed a shaky nod.

  In seconds, he had removed her jeans and panties completely and pressed her into the wall.

  “Now, please,” she said, not ashamed to beg.

  He lifted her like she weighed nothing, and had her wrap her legs around his waist. He fisted his thick shaft, positioning himself.

  Holy hell, the guy was huge everywhere. Apprehension must have shown on her face, because he gripped her chin and made her look at him.

  “I’m big, but you can take all of me. You were made for me. This body was made for me. I’ll make this good for you.” He slid the head of his cock through her folds, covering himself in her arousal before working his thick shaft inside her. He drew back a little to allow her body a chance to accommodate his size before feeding her another inch.