Demi's at Stake

by N. L. Hoffmann

  Looking up at him, I searched his gaze. “Sounds like you want something more than just a one-night fuck, Troy.”

  His gaze darkened. “No, I don’t. Especially now.” He turned to walk away from me.

  I watched him for a minute, then sighed. Some people didn’t like hearing the truth. There must have been something factual about what I said; otherwise, why would he get mad?

  Turning to my door, I slipped in the keycard and opened it, jumping. Cathal sat on the bed, watching some kind of reality TV show.

  He gestured to the TV. “People actually dress their children up like miniature dolls and force them to go on stage? I find this disturbing.”

  I laughed, sitting next to him. “It’s a pageant. I think the kids enjoy it to a point, but the parents sometimes go too far, which is when they begin to hate it. Kids like to do things because it’s fun. Not when they’re forced to.”

  Cathal shook his head and turned off the TV to face me. He ran a thumb over my jaw and sighed. “I assume business is taken care of?”

  I nodded. “I shouldn’t have told you to you leave. It doesn’t matter what they think. I’ve decided to live my life based on what’s best for me.”

  “And what’s best for you?” he asked, swallowing, appearing somewhat anxious.

  Smiling, I placed my hand on his face. “You’re what’s best for me, Cathal. Even though what we have goes against all the rules, I’m willing to risk it. I’m not sure why, but I feel something for you. Something strong. I’ve never felt it for anyone before, so I can’t really tell you what it is, but I know I need you.”

  Returning the smile, he leaned in, pressing his lips to mine. He pulled me into his body, running his hands up and down my back.

  He whisked us to his room and quickly began removing my clothes, then his own. Laying me back on the bed, Cathal started kissing my neck, his fangs scraping along my skin sending shivers throughout my body. Down over my breasts. Down my stomach. I moaned, running my fingers through his soft hair, trying to pull him closer.

  “I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of you, Demi. You’re truly beautiful.” His tongue snaked along the top of my panties, making my stomach clench.

  Slowly, he pulled my panties down, dropping them onto the floor. He spread my legs, lowering his face. I gasped, gripping the sheets, heat spreading through me when his tongue licked up my core. My eyes rolled back, my orgasm building quickly.

  “Cathal...,” I breathed “Please... I can’t hold it.”

  “Then don’t.”

  I fell over the edge, but just as I did, he scrambled up and thrust into me, hard. I cried out, my orgasm seeming more intense than it was a second ago. He lifted my legs over his shoulders, angling my body so he could go deeper. Groaning, he ran a thumb over my bottom lip. When I licked it, he moved faster, panting, eyes closing.

  Feeling another orgasm building, I whimpered, angling my hips more. He reached down between us, stroking my clit. My whole body flared as I cried out, Cathal falling over the edge at the same time.

  Letting my legs fall, he collapsed on top of me. I laughed, running a hand through his hair. He laid his head on my shoulder, breath tickling my chest.

  “You’ll be the death of me,” he sighed.

  “I highly doubt that,” I said.

  I felt good, albeit a little sore. I just wanted to lay with him forever. Forget about all our troubles. Even if he asked me to leave hunting behind, I didn’t think it would bother me. Living in a world with just Cathal and me sounded amazing, but fairy tales didn’t exist. I had to protect humans for as long as they needed it.

  Remembering the cup, I started to wiggle. “Cathal?”

  He groaned. “Why are you moving, woman? I was about to fall asleep.”

  Laughing, I lifted his head so his eyes met mine. “I’m ready for the cup.”

  Cathal immediately sat up. He reached over to the nightstand, grasping it. “You’re sure about this?”

  Nodding, I sat up and knelt on the bed. His gaze raked over my naked body. He brought a hand to my breast, running a finger over one of the nipples. “Exquisite.”

  Leaning over, I kissed him softly. “Concentrate.” I grinned, nodding at his hand. “The cup... I’m ready to prove myself.”

  Raising an eyebrow, he studied my face. “Prove yourself?”

  “Prove that I love you. This will show what we have is real, right? So, let’s do this.” When he didn’t move, I sighed. “Did you change your mind?”

  “No, I didn’t change my mind. Did you not hear what you just said? How is a man not supposed to be stunned by that?”

  I thought he was mad...until he smiled. “What did I say? I mean, you’ve been wanting this, and so do I.”

  Cathal placed a hand on my cheek. “You said you loved me.”

  Freezing, I looked away from him. “Well, you didn’t have to point it out.”

  “I’ve come to realize you don’t like to discuss feelings, but those words are important. Do you know how long I’ve waited to hear them, especially with this cup so close?”

  “Let’s just hope this is real, Cathal. I meant what I said, but this will confirm it. What happens if it’s not?” I bit my lower lip, debating if I was ready for this.

  “You can’t back out now.” He chuckled, fangs elongating. He bit into his wrist, blood welling around his lips. I watched in fascination as it dripped down his chin. He held his wrist over the cup. The blood pooled at the bottom, forming enough for one large gulp.

  He held it out to me. Ignoring it, I leaned forward and ran my tongue over his lips, tasting him. Placing a hand behind my head, he pulled me to him, kissing me, his tongue sliding into my mouth.

  When I pulled back, I took the cup from him, raising my eyebrows. “What do I do?”

  He shrugged. “You just drink.”

  “That easy? Just drink?”

  Cathal nodded. “The cup, as well as my blood, holds the power. If you close your eyes, you can probably feel the magic.”

  I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. Almost immediately, I felt a tingling sensation start at my fingers and wind its way up my arms. It was similar to the feeling of pins and needles when one of your legs fell asleep. My eyes flew open, seeing Cathal staring at me, encouraging.

  Smiling, I brought the cup to my lips and hesitated. This was my last chance to change my mind. Glancing down at the blood in the cup, I noticed several different colors swirling within it. Tipping it up, I closed my eyes as the blood passed my lips. The taste filled my mouth, the warm, tangy liquid sliding down my throat.

  Pulling the cup away from my lips, I looked at Cathal, sitting still for a moment. “I don’t feel anything.”

  Cathal frowned. “I must have guessed wrong. I’m just surprised—”

  Excruciating pain suddenly shot through my body. I screamed as I fell back onto the bed, dropping the cup onto the floor. I stared at the ceiling, eyes wide, body stiff, muscles rigid.

  Cathal lay down beside me, his soothing gaze capturing mine. “Just relax. It will end soon. I promise.” He pushed my hair from my face.

  But I couldn’t listen. My muscles felt like they were on fire, stabbing pain shooting through my limbs. My back bowed. I had no control, but I couldn’t focus enough to stop it even if I wanted to.

  Cathal’s gaze swept over my body. He placed a hand on the side of my face, looking down at me with concern. When I let out an ear-piercing scream, he scrambled back in surprise. Immediately collecting himself, he wrapped his arms around my body and held me close. Tears spilled from my eyes as the pain became too intense.

  When I didn’t think I could take it anymore, it felt like I floated out of my body. I could see myself lying on the bed, my mouth open in a silent scream.

  I watched in fascination as colorful strings began to pour from my body and surround Cathal. His eyes widened as pain overtook him. He fell back, still cradling me in his arms, shouting in agony, arching his back.

  Feeling myself
snap back into my body, the pain once again overtook me, darkness closing in.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Staring up at the ceiling, panting, I debated if it would be okay to move. I felt fine, but that didn’t mean anything. Slowly, I began to move my legs, feeling like they were bent at an awkward angle. I lay on top of Cathal, so I tilted my head up to look at him.

  “That was intense,” I whispered.

  “Yes,” he responded, swallowing.

  “I guess the part about you also feeling pain was left out?” I smirked.

  He snorted. “She never mentioned that.”

  I laughed, unable to contain myself. His reaction was priceless. He could barely move. Sitting up, straddling his hips, I stared down at him.

  His eyes met mine and he smiled. “Do you feel any different?”

  Come to think of it, I felt stronger. My body almost didn’t feel like mine. It was hard to describe, but something had definitely changed. I knew one thing for sure. I felt our connection, felt his love, stronger than before. He was mine. Completely.

  Love wasn’t supposed to be real, though, was it? Not only that, we had only known each other for a short time. How could I have grown from hating him because he was a monster to wanting to be with him for eternity? I’d risked everything on just a few words he’d told me about the cup. But wasn’t that what life was supposed to be about? Taking a chance and hoping for the best?

  “Demi?”

  “Yep?”

  “Are you going to answer me?” he asked, looking at me with concern.

  “Oh... I feel great.”

  I reached down, grabbing him. He sucked in a breath and closed his eyes, hardening. “We’ve become one, Cathal. Do you know what that means?” I slowly moved my hand up and down his cock. “Do you, Cathal?” When he shook his head, I grinned. “Means I can do this whenever I want.” I lifted myself up and slid down over him. He growled, grabbing my hips. “What do you think about that?”

  When I started to move, he swore. “I can’t think of anything better. This is what I’ve been waiting for.”

  WHEN WE WALKED INTO my motel room, I found Seth and my sisters waiting in my room, eating pizza and watching TV.

  Seth jumped up, angry. “Where have you been?” He searched my face, brows furrowed. Did I look different?

  “I drank from the cup,” I told them nonchalantly.

  “You did what?” Seth stared at Cathal, who stood behind me. “I should kill you!”

  “What’s wrong with the cup?” Blair asked. “Isn’t it supposed to give you all this knowledge about supernaturals?”

  “This is the second time you’ve drank the vampire’s blood.” Seth shook his head. “What have you become, Demi? Why have you allowed yourself to fall so far? I just don’t understand it.”

  “You don’t have to understand it, Seth. This is my choice. You can accept it or not. I’m going to be with Cathal.”

  “It’s been less than a week! He’s a vampire! This is not natural.” He started to pace, a hand on his hip. “I’ve failed you. I should have stopped this before it got too far.”

  Cathal glared at him, “Your sister made a choice. She is an adult and deserves to be treated like one. She no longer needs the protection of her brother. Her choices have nothing to do with you. Just like you, she can make her own decisions in life. If that means she falls in love with a vampire, you have to get over it.

  “You have done an excellent job with your sisters. You should be proud they’re respectable, strong women. Now you need to back off so they may live their lives.”

  We girls looked at Seth, eyes wide. He wasn’t used to someone telling him how to treat us. Hell, we were in our thirties! He needed to stop coddling us. Maybe he was having a hard time accepting that we could make our own choices, thinking we’d all leave him behind. In a way, I felt bad for him.

  Walking over, I pulled him into a hug, Blair and Ruby standing to do the same. “We’re not going to leave you, Seth. We’ll always be here for you. No matter what, we’re family.”

  Seth nodded, swallowing, eyes misting. “I know. It’s just hard to believe you guys are all grown up.”

  “We’ve been grown up for a while,” I chuckled, patting him on the shoulders as I pulled away.

  “Now, what’s been going on? Why are you guys in my room?”

  Taking a deep breath, Seth met my gaze. “The pack leader’s daughter is missing. She’s human.”

  TURNED OUT, MING-NA kidnapped the girl to force Gary to perform a ritual, one that could let another monster loose. Which was why he called us, realizing what a mistake he had made getting involved with her.

  According to Gary, Ming-Na’s mate was bitten by a werewolf many years ago. Still alive, she only had a little time left before the bite would kill her. A pack leader’s bite was the one thing that could harm a jorōgumo, but the delay in death was excruciating.

  Leaning against the wall of Gary’s dining room, I stared at him as Seth backed away from the chair. Silver chains crossed his body, securing him. Werewolves were deathly allergic to silver, so if their skin came into contact, it usually burned, weakening them.

  “So, a werewolf bite can harm one of those spider bitches, but death is a long time coming. What does she want you to do that would help?” Seth asked him.

  “Because he’s a pack leader, he can reverse the werewolf bite,” I answered.

  Gary glared at us. “We can discuss this after we get my daughter back. How come you’re not trying to save her?”

  “The wolf is right,” Cathal said.

  I shook my head. “If we give in to her demands, there will be another spider freak out there destroying more lives. We need a better plan. I think I know what can kill her.”

  Cathal grinned. “Ah, the knowledge you’ve acquired is already useful.”

  Nodding, I smiled back at him. “Moon magic... That’s why a werewolf bite works against them. Wolves change because of the magic of the moon. It’s in their blood.”

  Blair frowned. “How the fuck do we get moon magic? None of us are witches. And the vampire is no help.”

  I glanced at Cathal, who only smiled at Blair’s jab, and shrugged. “Moon magic won’t be a problem,” I told them, grinning. They stared at me, brows furrowed. “One of the perks about drinking out of that cup. I’m locked and loaded with it.”

  Cathal stood straight in surprise. “You are? How come you didn’t say anything?”

  “I didn’t think it was a big deal. You said I would have power, but I didn’t realize until now that it would actually come in handy. I’m learning as we go.”

  Gary looked back and forth between us, obviously lost. “You’re human. How does drinking out of a cup give you magic? And why would you want it when you’re a fucking hunter?”

  When he moved, I heard a sizzling noise. Gary sucked in a breath, face contorting in pain. I really felt bad for him. I wasn’t into torture. This just seemed wrong in so many ways.

  Seth must have seen my face. “We’ll release him when we have a solid plan. We can’t afford to have him go off to Ming-Na to save her mate.”

  “Well, what’s your plan then? I hate fucking hunters. The minute I realized you were in the city, I should have had you taken care of.” Gary shook his head in anger. “My daughter is out there with some freak and you’re just talking. We need action.”

  “Action is probably what got your men killed. Ming-Na is prepared for battle. She just hopes having your daughter is enough to get you to do as she asks. If it weren’t for us, you’d already be healing her mate,” Ruby growled.

  “I would be saving my daughter! Something you aren’t doing.”

  “How is it your daughter is human anyway?” Cathal asked.

  Gary snarled. “I don’t answer to fucking vampires.” When he looked at the rest of us, our eyebrows raised, his shoulders slumped. “With females, there is a higher chance of one coming out human. Not sure why, but once in a while, a human and a wolf mating c
reates a human baby.”

  Nodding, I said, “It’s extremely rare. There are only a handful in history. The wolves usually kill that child.”

  “Look at you go, Ms. Know-It-All.” Blair rolled her eyes, smirking.

  “Look, we need to make an arrangement with Ming-Na. Gary, you’re going to agree to help her mate. We’ll follow you to the location and destroy both spiders.” Seth nodded. “I think that’s the best we can do for now.”

  When a phone started ringing, we each glanced around, checking our phones. “It’s mine,” Gary said. “It’s probably her.”

  “She’s gotten tech savvy, just like you, Cathal.” I laughed, looking around, seeing nobody else was amused. Cathal rubbed my shoulders, giving me a small smile.

  Seth grabbed Gary’s phone from the table, glancing down at it. “It’s a picture of your daughter. The text says you need to meet Ming-Na at the address or your daughter dies.”

  “How original.” Ruby sighed, running her fingers through her hair. “This bitch is going down.”

  “She’s very dangerous. It was difficult living in the cave with her,” Cathal said, shuddering.

  “Can’t she change into a spider whenever she wants? Couldn’t she have left the cave?” I asked, wondering why I hadn’t thought of that before.

  Cathal shrugged. “She was unable to return to her normal spider form. Now that she has evolved into a jorōgumo, she is able to turn into a large spider or a human.” He trembled. “Her spider form is very disturbing.”

  A scream ripped through the room. When I looked over at Gary, I found he had managed to change his head into wolf form, his mouth latched around Blair’s arm. What the fuck? I’d never seen anything like it before. The silver should have been enough to prevent any kind of transformation.

  Everyone ran toward him as he began trying to break out of the chains, as if the sizzling of his skin didn’t matter. He was obviously partially immune to the silver, a rare condition in alphas.

  Seth grabbed his knife and stabbed Gary in the heart. I started running in his direction to stop him from getting bitten, too. Blair might be a lost cause, but I could save Seth and prevent him from becoming a wolf.