by Patti O’Shea
“Look at your shoulder. The one that was injured.”
Her breath stopped. An hour ago there’d been an ugly puncture, one that hurt like crazy. Now there was nothing there except a pinkish circle. Bree rotated her shoulder and her pulse accelerated when she realized there wasn’t any pain. Her gaze went back to Andras. “So what? I’ve always healed fast.”
“Humans don’t heal that quickly. They can’t. Only demons and vampires, and you’re not a vampire.”
“Maybe I’m part vampire, did you think of that?”
Andras grinned and took his hands from his pockets. “Now I know you’re desperate if you’re claiming a tie to those bastards. Trust me, you’re demon—at least three-quarters’ worth, possibly more.”
She wanted to question him about why he didn’t like vampires, but Bree knew that would be nothing except a way to avoid the discussion and she wasn’t that big a coward. But damn, she wished she could be. At least for a few hours. Andras wasn’t right. She wasn’t a demon. She wasn’t.
He must have read the disbelief on her face. “That wound—” he gestured toward her shoulder “—was serious. Your attacker nicked an artery, and if you weren’t demon, you’d have died of blood loss before you got to the warehouse. At least you would have passed out and needed medical intervention to survive. But the injury healed itself from the inside out and your body produced the blood it required to replace what was lost.”
The temptation to deny the severity of her injury was on the tip of her tongue, but something inside her balked at the thought of lying to Andras. “You can’t know how badly I was hurt.”
“You’re wrong. I felt it when the talon pierced your flesh. I felt the blood pulse from the wound. I felt it when you became light-headed and I felt your cells working to repair the damage. I would have found you anyway, but the strength of those sensations made it easier to track you.”
She didn’t know how he could feel any of those things, but Bree didn’t want to hear his answer to that, so she didn’t ask. “Why were you looking for me?”
Andras hesitated again before he said slowly, “I’d learned you’d been sentenced to death, and without being aware of the powers you possess, I didn’t think you could survive the night.”
Bree sighed and pushed a hand through her hair. “I could have handled Raum.”
She expected him to disagree, but he surprised her. “Maybe you could have, but could you have handled the other five after you took care of him? And if you put them out of commission, could you have taken on the dozens of other demons you might have encountered tonight?”
“There’s no safe haven, is there?” Bree had to fist her hands to hide the way they shook. “I’ll be on the run for the rest of my life and that can be measured in days.”
This time when he stepped toward her, she met him halfway. Burying her face against his shoulder, Bree hung on to Andras. As she feared, tears welled and she blinked hard, trying to drive them back. She was tough, damn it, and she wouldn’t cry.
“You’re not going to die,” he murmured against her ear. “I won’t allow that to happen.”
“And how do we stop it?” Her voice sounded close enough to normal that she didn’t think Andras would realize she was scared. “Even if you help me, we can’t run forever, and once they find me, it’s only a matter of time before they wear us out.”
“I know that. You think hiding until we’re hunted down is the best plan I could come up with?”
Bree blinked one last time and pushed herself back far enough to meet his gaze. There was determination and a spark of something she couldn’t identify in his light bronze eyes, but it knocked the weepiness out of her. He did have something in mind, but she couldn’t come up with what it might be. “There’s really a way out of this mess?”
Taking a hand from her back, he ran his thumb over her bottom lip. “Of course. There’s an authority above the tribunal. We request that the demon king stay your sentence.”
It was tempting to draw his thumb into her mouth, to run her tongue around the pad, but she managed to resist. Barely. “The demon king? And how do we get him to come here?”
“We don’t. We go to him.”
Twisting free of Andras’s arms, Bree returned to the windows before turning to gape at him. “Are you nuts? Go to him? He’s in the demon realm.”
“I’m aware of that.” Andras put his hands on his hips and stared right back at her. “You’ll be safe. Once there, you’ll be protected by the law of passage until the king rules and you leave our world again. No one will make any attempt to hurt you, I promise.” His lips curved and she suspected he read her skepticism. “Besides, I have a reputation.”
She thought about how the other demons in the warehouse had been frightened of Raum. Andras had the same job and it stood to reason that he’d be equally as feared, right? And when the five had fought Raum, he’d been kicking their butts. She had to trust Andras when he said she’d be okay. “Will the king agree to pardon me?”
“I think so. That’s not the part I’m worried about.”
Bree bit her bottom lip. “What does have you worried?”
“The portal to the other world only opens sporadically. With the spell in place to conceal us, I’m confident we can remain hidden until the next cycle, but the gateway isn’t that close to here.”
“Wouldn’t it make more sense to be nearby?”
Andras shook his head. “Raum isn’t stupid. He’ll guess that we’ll try to cross and he’ll spend the hours between now and dawn when the portal is accessible again canvassing the area surrounding it. He’s damn good.”
“And instead we have to traverse the city, which means we could easily run into other demons out looking for me.”
“They won’t be a problem.”
“Why not? If enough of them gang up on us, it won’t matter how strong you are, they’ll defeat us.”
“None will dare approach us.”
Something in his tone made her tense. “Because they’ll think you’re bringing me in for the bounty?”
“No.”
He didn’t say more, but instead of ticking her off, Bree felt unease travel down her spine. Her instincts were screaming, but she wasn’t going to act like a coward. “Why, then?”
Andras hesitated, then with a shrug, he said, “Because we’ll be mated before we leave this room and that will be enough to dissuade everyone but Raum from going after you.”
Mated? She took a step back and nearly ran into the table. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“I explained earlier about demons and their mates. You’re mine, Bree.”
CHAPTER FIVE
Bree found herself staring at Andras. Again. But then he was tossing out bombshell after bombshell tonight. “I’m not your mate and I’m not a demon!”
“Okay.”
His easy agreement made her alarm bells start jangling. It wasn’t so much that he was humoring her—at least she didn’t think he was—but more like he was up to something. She didn’t know what that was, though. Andras reached for the hem of his T-shirt and pulled it over his head.
Bree fought an urge to go to him and smooth the hair that he’d mussed up, but then her gaze wandered lower. His broad shoulders and muscular body held her spellbound for an instant and sent warmth shooting through her. Her fingers tingled and she took a step forward before she stopped herself. “What are you doing?”
“Getting undressed.” His hands went to his belt buckle. He opened it, and reached for the button at the waistband of his jeans.
Did he think that he could proclaim he was her mate and then they’d hop into bed? “We’re not having sex.” But her voice came out husky instead of adamant.
“Okay.” Andras lowered his zipper.
“Stop it. I told you, we’re not having sex.”
“And I said okay.” He took off his boots and stuffed his socks into them. “It’s your call. You say no and that’s it. Word of honor. I won’t leav
e my half of the room.”
She stared at him, replaying what he’d said. “If that’s true, why are you shedding clothes?”
“I’m going to bed. If you’re not a demon and not my mate as you claim, the sight of my naked body shouldn’t shake your control. Maybe you’ll become aroused since even you’ll admit we’re hot for each other, but you’ll stay over by the windows and I’ll climb into bed to grab a few hours of sleep.” His lips curved. “That is, of course, if you’re not my mate.”
Bree didn’t need to ask him what would happen if she was wrong. It was easy to guess that she’d lose her self-command and they would be sharing a bed. Heat filled her. She’d wanted Andras from the first time they’d met and nothing had changed that.
Lifting her chin, she steeled herself. No matter what, she couldn’t prove him right. She wasn’t a demon, she couldn’t be, because if she was, it changed everything she’d ever believed.
He stepped out of his jeans and Bree found it hard to breathe. The white briefs he wore didn’t hide the fact that he was excited. Very excited. Telling herself to move her gaze didn’t help; she couldn’t lift it from his erection.
Blood roared in her ears and she gasped in air. It didn’t matter how much she wanted him at this moment, she had to stay where she was. But she wanted to go to him, slide her hand under the cotton and stroke him. He was big, thick, and he’d feel so damn good inside her. She knew it without question.
And then he took off his briefs.
Desire hazed over her mind, and every cell in her body screamed for him. She fought her instincts for all she was worth, but it only took seconds before she decided that nothing mattered except reaching Andras.
Bree ran at him, taking him down to the bed with a full-body tackle. The feel of his hard muscles destroyed the lingering remnants of her control, but she didn’t care. Even Andras’s arrogant grin didn’t cool her off.
As she straddled him, she yanked off her tank top and tossed it onto the floor. Her bra followed. She dived down for a kiss, pressing her mouth to his and demanding complete compliance. She got it. Andras kissed her like a starving man and that sent her higher. She ground against him and growled with frustration as her jeans prevented complete contact.
Thwarted on that front, she settled for rubbing her breasts against his chest. His sprinkling of hair teased her nipples and Bree’s eyes closed as she savored the sensation.
She moaned a protest when Andras sat up. “Hush, love,” he murmured. “Let’s get rid of the hardware.”
The endearment sent ripples of pleasure radiating through her. This was different than arousal, it was emotional and she froze to revel in it.
He reached for one of the straps of her dagger sheath and that brought her back to the present. Bree attacked the other fasteners, wanting it off as much as Andras did. The haft thudded as it hit the carpet, but he stopped her from pressing him back down to the mattress.
Before she could find the words to form a complaint, he pulled her belt free of its loops and unsnapped her jeans. Bree’s hands tangled with his as they both tried to lower the zipper. She shifted and twisted, shoving the denim down. Her pants got stuck at her boots and she rolled off Andras, snarling when she couldn’t kick free.
“Hang on,” he told her and left the bed to tug off her boots. By the time he placed the second one on the floor, she’d removed her jeans, panties and socks.
Bree wrapped her arms around Andras when he rejoined her, pulling him down until his chest met hers. This time, though, he took charge. Where her kiss had been a demand, his was a seduction. There was still hunger—she couldn’t doubt that—but his mouth moved slowly over hers, asking, not taking. He nibbled at her bottom lip.
With a sigh, she opened her mouth beneath his, inviting him deeper. As their tongues dueled, Andras slid his thigh between hers. Bree arched, undulating against him.
Before she was ready for it to end, he broke the kiss, and propping himself up on his arms, looked down at her. There was a red glow in his eyes that was purely demonic. Instead of shaking her out of arousal, her need grew, and reaching up, she framed his face in her hands.
Andras was gorgeous, so sexy he took her breath, and he was hers. She knew it in her heart, but she didn’t tell him that. “Are you going to do more than stare?”
“In a moment.”
Bree hooked her leg behind his and twisted, putting Andras beneath her. “A moment’s too long.”
“So I see.” She heard his amusement, but couldn’t care, not now. He wrapped his arms around her, drew her to his chest, and turned until he was back on top. Andras ignored her protest. “But our first time is going to be more than a race to orgasm, this I promise you.”
Her objection came out as a sound rather than a word, but it didn’t matter. She recognized his determined expression and when Andras made up his mind…
Leaning down, he nipped her chin before kissing away the sting. He trailed his lips up her jawline to her ear and Bree angled her head back, allowing him better access. With a sigh, she gave herself over to him, trusting him to see to their pleasure.
He feathered kisses over her collarbone, the bend of her elbow, and drew each finger into his mouth, sucking softly one minute, swirling his tongue the next. Some of her languidness left as he pressed his mouth between her breasts. Finally!
It was another damn tease. Andras slowly moved his lips down her body to her navel. He rimmed it lightly, then blew on the moisture, sending shivers through her.
Bree released her grip on the bedding and buried her hands in his hair, lifting his head until their gazes met. “There’s foreplay and then there’s torture,” she said, voice thick. “Remember that.”
The red glow in his eyes flared brighter. “Got it.”
At last, Andras put his mouth where she wanted it—almost. He nibbled at the underside of her breasts, avoiding her nipples no matter how much she shifted. Her growl didn’t sound human.
That stopped him. He studied her for a moment and then a supremely satisfied grin spread across his face. This time his kiss was as demanding as hers had been earlier. “You’ve let go. Your eyes are burning red,” he told her against her lips.
She’d let go a while ago, but Bree was beyond words, too aroused to care about anything except Andras and what he did to her. His mouth closed over a nipple and she didn’t have enough air to say anything anyway. She settled for a low moan of approval.
He shifted, pinning her hips to stop her from riding his thigh. On the one hand, being unable to move left her frustrated. On the other, he was perfectly centered and she liked the feel of his hard body pressing into hers. If he’d ease up a tiny bit, she could take him inside and—
“Not yet,” Andras said.
Why? But she couldn’t find her voice.
“Because,” he said, answering her question even though he couldn’t have heard it, “there’s one final barrier in your mind that needs to fall, love.” Andras splayed his hand through her hair to hold her steady and kissed her so tenderly, Bree thought she’d come from the sheer emotion.
He was hers. He’d always be hers. Just as she’d always be his. It felt right and she couldn’t imagine why she’d ever thought giving herself to him heart, mind, body and soul would be frightening.
Arching up as much as she was able, she pushed more fully into him. Turning her head far enough to free her mouth, Bree stared up into Andras’s eyes. “Mine,” she told him, voice guttural. Her gaze locked on his, daring him to disagree. He didn’t refute her. Instead, his lips curved in acknowledgment. She returned the smile and leaned forward to bite his shoulder.
She sensed his control snap as her teeth sank into his flesh. His weight eased up and she tilted her hips, inviting him to enter her. And then Andras was there, sliding into her with barely restrained need.
Bree released her bite and her eyes drifted shut so that she could focus on nothing but the sensation of his body joining with hers. When he was deep inside her, he stopp
ed and waited. With a soft growl, she looked at him. His eyes burned an intense red, but it was the mark on his shoulder that contented her most.
She’d claimed him.
“My turn,” he told her. Andras leaned forward, and after kissing the spot, bit her left shoulder. He’d staked his own claim and it felt so sexual, Bree rocked into him.
Lifting his head, he gazed down at her and thrust. They moved together easily as if they’d made love a thousand times before and she lost herself in sensation. And in the intimacy. Andras kept his attention on her eyes, on her face. She couldn’t look away, couldn’t break the connection between them.
Arousal built higher, taking her to places she’d never been before. Places she’d never imagined existed. Bree wrapped her arms around him and held on for all she was worth. She needed Andras to anchor her.
She plain needed Andras.
Her moans became more frequent, her pleas incoherent, but he was on the edge every bit as much as she was. She sensed it. Saw it. Knew it.
Orgasm ambushed her, coming so fast, so unexpectedly, there wasn’t time to shield herself. Bree rode out the first wave and a second before he joined her. Staring into his eyes while they both came broke something deep inside her. Something she hadn’t known was there and she felt tears well as her third orgasm crashed through her.
Bree didn’t know how long they lay there before she regained enough sense to remember where she was. At some point, Andras had rolled, putting her on top, and she straddled him, her entire body limp.
Her shoulder throbbed in time with the pleasure that continued to ripple through her, but it was a good sensation.
As more and more awareness returned, Bree began to feel like Humpty Dumpty. She’d fallen, cracked into a million pieces, and no one would ever be able to put her back together again.
He’d been right—she was his mate. She’d never bitten anyone before, not even as a child, but she hadn’t hesitated to do it to Andras. Claiming him. That’s what she’d done, marked him as hers, marked him off limits, and he’d done the same to her.
