by Brenda Trim
Instead, she grabbed the cloth from Izzy and started wiping the blood from his chest. His eyes heated on hers and the tension eased from his muscles. “Dammit. I knew it was too good to be true. The asshole Izzy killed was blond.”
“So, it wasn’t him.” Chloe glanced at Izzy. The young vampire was staring at her hands. Odd, but not the weirdest thing Chloe had ever seen “I’m not sure he was an archdemon either, so I doubt we made much of a dent in Lucifer’s plans.”
Chloe lightened her touch when Dante winced under her ministrations. “How do you know either were acting on Lucifer’s orders? You mentioned before you thought they were trying to free him. Something about attempts made in New Orleans. I’ve gotta be honest, it seems unlikely. Demons are selfish bastards and loyal to nothing. Once Lucifer sends them here, they lose sight of his mission quickly.”
Zander dipped his bloody towel in a bowl of water and wrung the cloth out. “You’ve obviously never met Crocell and her dead sister Cresil. They’ve been fighting us the longest, trying to take my daughter from us.”
Chloe’s gaze shifted from the Vampire King back to his daughter. Izzy was watching him. Her sorrow was tangible for several seconds before she masked it. Shuttering her expression, the vampire princess sat straighter. “She’s also been kidnapping supernatural children to bring her sister back. That’s not Lucifer’s goal. I’d bet he’s sending demons to track her down and that’s why we haven’t heard from her for a while.”
Zander’s shoulders stiffened and a vein popped out on his temple. “Shite. You’re right aboot that. Demons do tend to get sidetracked. It’s like fighting on countless fronts at once. I never stopped to think aboot that. It’s fucking exhausting.”
Dante’s hand landed on top of hers, stopping her cleaning efforts. “That’s true. We can’t ignore any demon, but the ones that pose the biggest threat are those that are actively working for Lucifer. They tend to bring more of their kind through to this realm and are deadly in their pursuit.”
Zander dropped the cloth and crossed to the wet bar in the corner. “Och, they also kill to create ritual sites as well as for pleasure. Those deaths are far more violent and involve more victims.”
“This is all so fucked up. I’ve managed to stay out of the bullshit for thousands of years and now I’m drug into the middle of it.” Chloe shook her head, trying to tamp down her anger as it rose. She wanted nothing more than to walk away. “How have you identified the sites that are for rituals?”
Dante grunted as he sat up on the couch. Chloe flew into action and stood to help him. She drew her hands back as if she’d been burned when he growled at her. The heat in his expression scalded her and made her wish they were alone at the moment. She wasn’t sure what she’d done until his hand went to his right shoulder.
That bulge in his pants was as big as a bat. And made her want things it was best she ignored.
Touching the mating brand arouses him! She shouldn’t enjoy that quite as much as she did. Never in her life had she been able to have such an effect on a male. It was surprisingly empowering.
“There were dark symbols at each of the ones we’ve found so far,” Dante said in a voice that sounded like gravel. “That’s why I asked you about where you were taken earlier. We have to know what their plans are.”
Chloe tilted her head. “Dark symbols? I’m not familiar with those.”
Zander grabbed his cell phone and typed something out. “I doona want to recreate any of what we saw in the event it invites evil into this house.” His phone pinged with an incoming text. He looked at it then tapped the screen and turned it toward her. “Here are some of them.”
Chloe leaned forward to get a closer look. “Those are demonic runes. Close to angelic ones, but different.”
Dante moved so his body was closer to hers. The warmth wasn’t entirely unwanted. “Perhaps, that’s why Lucifer hasn’t been able to cross.”
Zander’s head snapped in Dante’s direction. “You might be right. After all, he should be more powerful than the Rowan sisters and able to break their binding spell.”
“Lucifer was born an angel. What if he needs to use a combination of light and dark symbols to cross over?” Izzy’s long curls bounced as she moved her head between her father, Chloe and Dante. “I wonder if he crossed through light symbols if it would change him at all. Take away some of his dark side.”
Chloe sucked in a breath and bobbed her head. “I have no idea, but I’d guess it’s possible. I remember this energy after the Great War. I was hiding out on Earth and felt something close to darkness engulf everything. I haven’t felt it since. No wait…I briefly felt a hint of it a month, or so, ago.”
Izzy bounced on the balls of her feet. “That had to be when Lucifer possessed Lia.”
“As interesting as all of that is, I think we need to focus on finding the archdemon that kidnapped Chloe and make sure he can’t hurt her, or anyone else, again.” Jett barked the words, interrupting the theoretical discussion.
The wind blew Chloe’s hair back from her forehead as she searched the street around them and tried to recall more about her abduction. Dante sucked in a breath and hid his discomfort. No fucking way was he going to allow his mate anywhere near the lair where she was tortured without him being there.
“Where do we go from here?” His attempts to hide how upset he was failed as his words were more of a growl than anything.
Chloe turned in a circle. “I was half out of it, but after seeing the restaurant we went down a stairwell that led into a basement.”
Zander ran a hand through his hair. “There are countless buildings close by. Can you recall anything else?”
Dante held up a hand when the wind carried a faint scent from his left. “Stay right here, Chloe. I think I smell your blood.”
Without a word, Izzy stepped up to Chloe’s side and the warriors and Zander fell into step with him. Ten feet down the street, Dante turned down an alley and stopped a third of the way down and stared down a set of stairs.
“This has to be the place. Chloe’s scent is strong here. We need to approach with caution.” Dante narrowed his eyes and noticed a piece of fabric on the ground near the door.
Axel ran to the mouth of the alley and waved to Chloe and Izzy. They were at their side in minutes. “This is it.” Chloe confirms his assessment.
Zander crouched down close to a window that was blacked out from the inside with bars on the outside. “I think there’s a demon inside. The dark energy is unmistakable.”
Izzy started to head down when Zander jumped to his feet and grabbed her arm. “You and Chloe are behind us. No arguments. You need to protect her and make sure they don’t get their hands on the angel.”
Izzy nodded and a second later Dante was leading the charge down the stone steps. His normally quiet feet sounded like a bear barreling through the forest. He tried to lighten each footfall, but the pain arching through his shoulder distracted from nearly everything else.
The door at the bottom was slightly ajar and the stench of brimstone coming from inside floored him. Gently, he pushed the panel open and glanced back at Zander who nodded in response. Dante blasted through the door, no longer bothering to try with a stealthy approach. The second he got a better look, it became obvious there would be little cover for them.
A much bigger staircase led down into a main room. There were metal shelves off to the right with boxes on them. Dante braced one hand on the rail and jumped over the edge to land next to the shelving unit.
In front of him there was a table with candles and jars. There were organs and intestines hanging off the side. A massive Behemoth demon prowled from an alcove set off to the side. It wasn’t until the big gray body shifted that he saw the smaller table behind him.
It was difficult to look away from the sharp black horns and red eyes. This one reminded him of Kadir, but unlike that archdemon, this one had less power and shorter bright red hair. Dante was certain this was a middle range demon and no
t a higher level one.
The Behemoth snarled, revealing knife-sized fangs. “So nice of you to join us and to bring the angel, as well. I’m going to enjoy this.”
Zander laughed and joined Dante. Seeing the glint in the Vampire King’s hands, Dante retrieved his sgian dubh and bladed his hands in front of his body. Skirm came pouring in from the other side of the room and a couple stumbled out of the alcove.
“You willna live long enough to enjoy anything.” Zander growled more than spoke the words.
The Dark Warriors charged past them and ducked around the Behemoth to head for the minions that looked like they were newborn colts. Their movements were broken and clumsy.
Dante knew the second Chloe stepped off the stairs. His body tingled with awareness at the same time the Behemoth ran toward her. “Diaz is going to be pissed he went out in search of you when I’m the one to free Lucifer and reap the reward.”
Dante reacted without thinking. His right arm was swinging in an arc the second he jumped into the air. Flesh sizzled and the smell of rotting meat being cooked filled his nostrils. His gag reflex was doing pushups in the back of his throat. Any second now he was going to lose his lunch.
A skirm rammed into his back and forced him to land on the floor in sprawl of arms and legs. A large hoof connected with his skull and stomped on his left thigh with a crack before he managed to roll away.
He was jumping to his feet a second later when Chloe’s shout echoed through the basement. She was fighting off a skirm, but Dante had bigger fish to fry at the moment. Massive black horns were heading for his face.
Shifting to the left, Dante brought both titanium weapons together. The Behemoth was heading right for him and couldn’t dodge in time. Both knives slammed into the demon’s skull with an echo. He knew these fuckers were brainless. Dante kicked the fucker to help the body in its fall to the ground.
Leaving the blades in place, Dante turned to help Chloe. She’d called her angel blade and sliced the skirm’s arm off. As the limb was falling to the floor, the minion flashed on fire and turned into ash.
“I am going to be the one to free Lucifer,” the Behemoth warbled.
Dante gaped at Chloe. There was a cut on her arm and a bruise to one of her cheeks. Her short brown hair was a mess around her heart-shaped face. She was the most stunning sight he’d ever seen.
Her smile fed him more energy than he’d ever received from foreplay. It gave him enough energy to shrug off his pain, so he could turn his attention back to the demon. The Behemoth had managed to lever himself to his knees.
Dante kicked the hand the beast had clutching a metal shelf. Izzy joined the fight and raced for the Behemoth. Chloe watched with wide eyes as Izzy laid her hand on the demon.
Problem was, nothing happened this time. “Get away from him,” Chloe shouted at the Princess who had frozen in shock.
Dante bent and snatched the blade from his ankle then tossed it at the Behemoth as he was standing upright. He threw his body at the pair and knocked the demon over before his claws raked across Izzy’s throat.
That seemed to shock her into action, and she was stabbing her weapon into its thick hide before Dante had wrapped his hands around its throat. Dante grabbed a knife from the skull where he’d left it and cut through the carotid artery in the demon’s neck.
Black blood spurted, burning his face and hands. Dante didn’t stop until the skull rolled away from the body. Chloe and Zander converged on them while Dante collapsed to his back.
This was the second time tonight that he’d been injured. All the energy Chloe had given him earlier had been used up in his body’s attempts to heal itself. He had no idea what was going to happen between him and his fallen angel, and he had no idea how to sway things in his favor.
What could he say to her to win her over? How could he convince her to stay by his side, even if she refused to give him her heart? No. That didn’t sit well with him. He didn’t want to keep her if he couldn’t have her heart.
What a fucking mess. He needed a bath and a drink. Then maybe he’d be able to think clearly. Without Chloe he was a dead man walking. For the first time in his life he wasn’t ready to die. There was more than fucking and fighting on the horizon.
Chapter 14
Chloe twisted the faucet, turning off the hot water. A scream echoed out of her throat when she opened the glass door and saw Dante standing there. The sexy cambion held up his hands and lifted one corner of his mouth. “Sorry. You were in here for so long, I was worried.” His eyes scanned her body from head to toe. A burn started in her core and spread throughout her body.
Shivering, she snatched a fluffy towel from a bar and wrapped it around her torso. Warm, soft terry cloth competed with the arousal coursing through her. “So, you thought you’d just walk in without announcing yourself? I’m showering which means I’m naked and don’t want to be disturbed.”
Dante lifted one eyebrow and stuffed his hands into the pockets of his dark jeans. The injuries he’d been healing from looked much better, but they hadn’t all healed. There were also dark circles under his eyes and his cheeks were slightly sunken. None of that made him any less attractive. It did pull at her heart strings. He was part sex demon and thrives on sexual energy.
“We’re mates and I was worried after a half hour passed. I don’t mean to intrude into your space.”
Chloe walked past him and into the room where she had stayed the day before. Her bag sat on the bed reminding her that he’d done more for her in the past three days than anyone in her entire life. He’d put his life on the line any time he left the house for her.
Grabbing panties and a tee from the duffel, she looked at him where he stood in the doorway and dropped her towel. “We aren’t mates. I haven’t chosen you. That’s how it works with angels. We have freedom of choice, unlike your kind.”
She regreted her harsh words when Dante flinched like she’d struck him with a pipe. “I realize that and will never force you into anything. But you can’t expect me to ignore my instincts. I will always worry about your well-being and I won’t apologize for that.”
Her heart skipped a beat and set into a rhythm faster than a car racing around the track at the Indy 500. That was followed quickly by her mouth going dry. Dante’s confidence was alluring. As was his devotion.
When his eyes dipped to her chest, she felt her nipples pearl under his gaze and tugged her shirt over her head. “I don’t know what to say to that. I wish things were different, but I won’t be mating with you. Not that there’s anything wrong with you. Any woman would be lucky to have you. You’re sexy and sweet. You’ll make someone very happy.” Her voice was low and guttural. She was ready to shred someone with her bare hands. She was pissed. But why? She told him the truth.
Dante’s eyes narrowed and his features pinched as he looked at her. Pain flashed briefly in his depths before his face went blank. “You’re the most beautiful female alive and I want to kiss you…everywhere. My beast needs to be fed so I can heal and hunt down the Daeva that hurt you.”
Chloe should say no and walk the fuck away right now. Being with him would only confuse matters. She turned him down gently. Problem was the mere idea of him being intimate with someone else had her claws coming out. He told her he was hers and there would never be anyone else for him.
She liked the idea of that far too much which is why she had to walk away from him now. He might feel that way now, but he was a hybrid that fed off sexual energy. He would find another.
Her heart felt like a knife was lodged inside the organ. Don’t leave without having more of him. That wasn’t a good idea. She needed to tell him no and finish getting dressed. That’s not what came out of her mouth. “Your dark side won’t know what hit him when I’m finished with you. And for the record, I can fight my own battles.”
Dante closed the distance between them. His chest ached and his mind kept trying to derail the moment. She’d rejected him and was going to leave him high and dry. Not r
ight now! Fuck her first then deal with the rest.
That sounded like a plan to him. Smiling, he stopped scant inches away from her and tried to get his libido under control. He was close to the edge and the pain from his mate mark was worsening with every passing moment. He’d heard stories, but nothing could prepare him for the agony and the erection that refused to go away.
“You’re one of the most lethal I’ve ever known. You could kick my ass with one hand tied behind your back, but I need to avenge you. But, let’s table that for now.” He ran the back of one hand across her cheek and watched her pupils dilate.
Her scent intensified, filling the space between them. The sweet scent of caramelized vanilla and verbena was unique and undeniable. Her hands gripped the hem of her top and she tugged it down, as if that would stem her reaction to him.
“My kind were created to destroy yours. We’re on opposite sides of the spectrum.” Her words would have stung more if she hadn’t been staring at his lips and licking her lips.
She might be refusing their mating, but she wasn’t immune to him. Hope rose in his chest, but he quickly smashed it back down. Her attraction didn’t mean she was going to change her mind. Enjoy the moment, asshole.
“That’s true. But I’m not fully demonic. Plus, there are always exceptions to the rule.” He pinned her with a look and allowed his desire and need for her to come to the surface. He embraced the fact that his survival depended on her and how his heart now beat for her. Displaying so much left him open and vulnerable. After a few seconds, he shuttered his expression and pushed everything back into the box in his mind.
He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. She was his Fated Mate and he didn’t bother trying to smother his beast’s desire for her. He wanted her writhing beneath him. Chloe was skittish at first.