Nik evaded another hellfire bolt zinging toward him. He grabbed the demon, kneeing him in the balls. “Who sent you to this world to steal the women and children?”
The demon doubled over, dark eyes sparking in rage. Mouth opened, garbles escaping.
At his lack of answer, Nik kneed him in the belly. The demon stumbled and fell. He shot up, and Nik flung out a hand, instantly freezing him.
“Joyce—” Laex yelled, weaving between the fighters. He yanked at the cage gate, but it held tight. Nik flashed over and touched the lock, letting his powers free, he froze the thing. The women cowered in the corner, whimpering in terror.
“I’m not gonna hurt you,” Nik said, forcing the rage out of his tone, “but you all need to stay back.” Then he kicked the lock, and it shattered, pieces raining to the cement floor.
“Laex?” A small, dark-haired woman scrambled to her knees, eyes gleaming with tears.
“Yes, it’s me.” He drew her close, but she pulled away. “My baby.” She pointed to the other cage with three crying children.
Dagan had already unlocked the kid’s cage, ushering them out.
Joyce grabbed her the little boy and picked him up, tears flowing down her dusky face.
The other females clambered to their feet but huddled together, their acrid scent of fear twisting Nik’s gut. Ely took form. The women and kids stared at her, no doubt wondering if she truly was an angel.
“You’re all safe,” Ely said softly. “Come, let’s get out of here.” She ushered them upstairs.
“Kept one alive.” Aethan dragged a stocky demon downstairs and shoved him forward. He stumbled and hissed.
“Who ordered the capture of humans?” Nik snapped.
The demon glowered, features morphing to skeletal with wrinkled black skin, eyes flashing like blood moons. More garble words followed.
“Don’t think we’re gonna get anything from them,” Aethan said. “Sounds like they don’t have voice boxes or whatever the hell they use for talking. Whoever it is went to great lengths to be protected.”
“I got this.” Dagan stepped closer and touched the squirming demon’s head, his eyes shutting as he searched for info.
Nik shoved his bruised fists in his pants’ pockets and waited, trying to stifle his edginess.
Moments later, Dagan’s eyes snapped open. “An old demon, no name. But I sense immense power…” He frowned. “His image’s a little blurry, said he needs more vessels.”
“It’s gotta be the demon Týr tangled with last winter in the Dark Realm,” Aethan muttered.
“Eh, I’m not sure about that,” Laex said, his arm around Joyce, who was trying to calm her sobbing child. “But I saw the male who was here earlier. It’s the human gang leader, Rough.”
The same bastard who wanted Shadow was part of the trafficking? Nik’s jaw hardened.
“I’ll handle clean-up and the mind sweep,” Dagan said, eyeing the straining demon.
Nik dematerialized, heading back to the underground labyrinth beneath the Lower East Side. He took form in the gloom, behind a pillar some distance from the den of Hade’s Disciples in the abandoned subway. Aethan appeared seconds later.
With his mind, Nik froze the guards and strode to the door, shoving away the human stiffs in his path, and they toppled like dominoes to the ground. A scan revealed more of them inside.
Nik willed the door ajar. Gunfire erupted, bullets sprayed, and he ducked, plastering himself against the wall. Aethan flashed to the other side.
Nik clenched his teeth at the sting on his biceps. Of course, the asshole would have CCTV. Like he gave a shit.
“It’s those goddamn Guardians,” someone yelled.
More demon thugs appeared in the subway, blades flashing.
Aethan’s sword appeared in his hand. “You assholes want a quieter life, and this is quiet?” he growled.
Nik flashed inside, into the cacophony. Demons and humans screeched, trying to escape. Tables overturned, white dust flew about, and dollar notes scattered to the ground. Switchblades flashed at him. It was damn hard not to kill these morons. With his mind, he sent several slamming against the wall.
In his peripheral view, a familiar lanky figure sidled backward for the opening in the granite wall, several of his goons hurrying behind him. The stone wall creaked and started to close.
Damn fucker. Nik dematerialized and slipped through the thinning gap. As he reformed, he flung out a hand, freezing the escaping thugs, and dove forward, grabbing Rough by the front of his shirt.
The dickface smirked. “You should have stayed away, asshole—” He plunged a blade into Nik’s stomach.
Teeth clenching at the discomfort, Nik slammed the scum’s head against the wall. His split brow healed a second later. Yeah, figured he would have demon protection given the shit he was responsible for.
“Why the women and children? These are your people.”
“They’re easy money,” he spat. “Selling them will give me what I want. Power and immortality!”
Power, yeah, old demons could probably give that, but immortality? Seriously? Even his cherished mate didn’t have immortality. The fucker was living a fool’s dream.
He dared a hunch. “Eddi?”
“That old fart?” He sneered. “He should be grateful I let him live as long as he had. Always poking his nose where he shouldn’t.”
Nik cut the human a cold smile. “You were afraid Eddi could kick your ass at a confrontation, so you took him unaware, like a coward, attacking from behind.”
The blight laughed. “As long as he’s dead and leaves what I want unprotected.”
“Shadow.”
“A nice piece of ass. After fucking her, I’ll sell her, too—
Nik’s fist crashed into his face.
“Aargh!” Bones crunched, and Rough staggered back, blood flowing from his broken nose. “I have demon friends in high places,” he snarled. “Send me to prison, and I’ll be freed in a flash, then I’ll hunt you and the slut down. I’ll hurt her so bad—”
Nik summoned an ice spear and plunged it into the fucker’s belly.
Rough groaned, swiping his gore-smeared face, his broken nose rapidly healing.
“I’m protected, you asshole. No one can touch me.” He glanced down at the spear. “Ice?” He broke off the handle. “What’s it gonna do, give me a bath as it melts?” He grinned. “Guardians of the world, really? I’ve seen demons with more potent abilities.”
Nik strolled closer, letting his deadly power sweep free, and the ice burrowed into the human scum. “I don’t need to physically touch a shit-bag to clean it out.”
Rough’s eyes widened. A gasp, then silence ensued as the ice consumed him.
Nik had to nail down the urge to lash out a flying kick and end the fucker.
“Guess that’s one less asshole after the females,” Aethan murmured from behind him. “But a whole other problem for the cops to deal with. Just as well we have Tagg.”
The half-demon cop usually helped out the Guardians with complications of humans involved in otherworldly problems. “He’ll deal with this. Let’s roll.”
His fury barely doused, Nik dematerialized, heading out of the tiny seam where the stone door jammed, and into the underground labyrinth.
One down and two more fuckers to go. Tolvi and Enzo.
Then his mate would finally have peace.
Chapter 25
Shadow dropped the thriller she was reading on the nightstand and checked the time on her cell again. 5:09 A.M.
Nik should be back soon, and her heart clopped hard as she curled onto her side, staring out through the undraped windows. The cloud-obscured moonlight cast a pale light, breaking the gloom in the bedroom. The sound of the door opening and shutting reached her, and Nik walked in from the suite’s small entrance hall.
She shot up. “Nik?”
“Yeah.” He closed the bedroom door and crossed to their bed. “Why aren’t you asleep?”
“I…
uh…” At the fatigue in his pale eyes and smears of dried blood marring his arms, worry took hold. He got hurt? “I wanted to talk to you.”
“Can it wait a few minutes? I need a shower.” He strode for the dressing room.
She shot off the bed and rushed after him.
He glanced back at her harried entrance as he removed his boots then pulled off his t-shirt, revealing miles of hard, inked muscled body marred with more dried blood. He scrunched his t-shirt into a ball, still watching her.
Her gaze dropped to his hand, and she found further evidence of his night’s work at the scabs forming on his knuckles. “What happened tonight?”
He tossed his shirt on the chest of drawers. “The usual.”
Her stomach sank. So, he didn’t want to talk about it to her? “I see…” She glanced at the door then back at him. She thought they were okay, but obviously, her hitting out at him earlier had caused a space between them. The words tore free. “I’m so sorry I lashed out at you. I miss you—”
“Theós, Shadow,” he groaned, dragging her into arms and crushing her to his chest. “I missed you, too. Missed us. But I understood you needed time.” His big palm moved up and down her back. “Don’t fret, moró, I can handle it. I’m strong enough for the both of us.”
She lifted her troubled gaze to his, realizing just how much she adored this amazing immortal who took on all her troubles. Any other guy would have sulked or gotten mad at her. “Still, it was wrong of me. It’s just that reliving everything so fast hit me hard.”
“I know. I’ll always be here for you.”
She traced the inked runes and skeletal face on his chest, feeling the scars of his torture beneath his tatts. “I just want my brother away from that man—” Her fingers clenched on his chest. “Is it wrong of me to want to kill him? He hurt her so much, Nik. Even without my memories, I had nightmares of being abused, of being belted, but they were all hers.”
“No…” He kissed her brow then let her go. “But he will pay, Shadow. I failed you once. I won’t do so again.” He undid the button on his leathers. “You asked me what happened tonight? I took care of the person responsible for Eddi’s death.”
“Tolvi?” she asked, blood rushing to her ears.
“No. Rough, the human gang leader. He didn’t like that Eddi put a spanner in his little profitable side job of abducting humans and children and selling them to the demons from the Dark Realm.”
“The bastard. That’s why he wanted me.”
“Never gonna happen. But he’s just a small cog in a bigger wheel. We will get them all. Now, no more talk of work—” He scooped her in his arms.
“Wait-wait, where are you taking me?”
A wicked glint appeared in his eyes. “You look like you need a shower.”
“Really?” She rolled her eyes as he entered the bathroom. “You’re so transparent.”
“Of course, I am.” He slowly let her slide down his hard, his really hard body. He removed her t-shirt and panties and tossed it aside. “When it comes to you, I’m practically glass with my intentions, and right now? I want to rediscover every delicious inch of you before I feast on my favorite part.”
“Uh-huh…” Biting her lip so her smile wouldn’t escape, she hooked two fingers into the opening of his pants, her fingertips brushing his erection. His eyes narrowed. Slowly, she lowered the zipper, and his impressive cock sprang free. She wrapped her fingers around his rock-hard shaft, and he stilled. The feel of silky skin over steel stole her breath.
Shadow glided her thumb over the barbell piercing just beneath the head of his cock, but tormenting him became her own undoing, and she bit back a groan of need.
His gaze heated, a white flame of desire. “Mate, you play a perilous game.”
“Who says I’m playing?” she asked huskily. But the urge to give him pleasure took hold, and she lowered to her knees and tugged his pants lower.
“You don’t have to do this—”
“I want to.” She grasped his shaft and licked the head, then over the barbell. “But you’ll have to show me what you like.”
“What you’re doing is a good start,” he rasped, a nerve popping on his jaw. The heat and raw hunger in Nik’s expression became her undoing.
Shadow ran her tongue down his rigid length, then up again and around his barbell. She sucked the head into her mouth, careful of the piercing. He wrapped her hair around his hand, gently guiding her, and she took more of him. Then, tightening her lips around him, she dragged free of his length. Soon, she found a rhythm, and the tendon on his neck strained as if he could barely hold on.
“Damn, Shadow, your mouth,” he rasped.
She would have smiled if she could. A little surer now, she worked him with her lips and tongue, taking him deeper, her fingers squeezing around the inches of his shaft she couldn’t quite reach with her mouth. Her other hand gently squeezed and massaged his balls.
“Fuck!” he groaned, his fingers tightening in her hair. His head kicked back, neck tendons taut, a delicious groan escaping him, the sound raw, hot and utterly masculine. Her man was just too damn sexy.
“No—” He eased out, then hauled her into his arms. “In you.”
He pressed her up against the shut bathroom door. As she wrapped her legs around him, his cock wet from her mouth, slid between her damp folds, and bumped her sensitive clit. God. Desire coiled her tighter.
She grasped his cock and pressed down on the thick, hard crown, and Nik’s gaze scorched hers. He gripped her hips and thrust up, breaching her tightness, sliding deep into her, stretching and filling her, until he bottomed out.
Her breath caught. Pleasure soared.
Growling, Nik kissed her deeply, possessively, sliding his tongue into her mouth, licking and sucking while working her body like a maestro—thrusting and retreating, taking her to the edge. She rocked on his cock, and then he angled his hips, his dick rubbing against her swollen clit, the friction skyrocketing her pleasure—her orgasm shot through her like a runaway freight.
“Ohhh, god!” she cried out, her fingers digging into his shoulders.
Nik pumped harder, faster, rocking into her, then he stiffened, and a sexy as hell groan escaped him as he found his own release.
“Damn,” he grunted a moment later, lowering his brow to her shoulder. “You undo me, Starshine. Every time…”
Shadow awakened to warm, noon sunlight filtering through the drawn drapes. She glanced to her other side where Nik rested close to her, on his front. Her gaze drifted over his inked biceps and down to the sheet riding low on his waist. She sighed in contentment, basking in Nik’s warm presence inside her—in their soul-bond. She glanced up to find him watching her from beneath his lashes.
A smile tugged her mouth. “Stop staring.”
“Why?” he asked in a sleep-husky voice. “I like watching you awaken. Your smile is my favorite thing in the morning…and all day long. I thank whichever Fate brought you into my life.”
“Me, too,” she whispered, overcome with emotions. “Me, too.”
He glided his fingers through her hair to caress her nape. “So, Gemma, huh?”
It took her a moment before her mind connected. “Yes. But I prefer Shadow.”
“Hmmm…it suits you, my mate.” He slung a heavy arm around her waist, dragging her against his much warmer body. Since she’d fed on those dark souls, he no longer had to ice his emotions to keep the vile entities from driving him insane. He nuzzled her neck, his stubble tickling her skin.
“Nik.” She half-laughed and half-groaned, pushing at him. “I need—”
“Me.” He slid lower in that impossibly fast way of his, and with her t-shirt twisted around her waist, he rubbed his face against her tummy. More laughter burst free. “Nik, stop-stop, that’s ticklish—I’m gonna pee my pants!” She grabbed his head, her heart pumping hard against her ribs. Lord, she wanted to lose herself in him again—in his playfulness, but nature’s demands couldn’t be ignored. “I need to go.
”
He sighed and flopped on his back again, his heated stare on her.
Smiling, she pressed her mouth to his then rolled out of bed with a grimace. Ugh, every bit of her ached, especially between her thighs—her man was insatiable.
She made use of the facilities, then brushed her teeth. A quick shower later, a towel wrapped around her, she walked into the dressing room and changed into gray pedal pushers and a sleeveless, white cotton top. As she buttoned the front, the familiar throbbing on her chest started. She scrunched her face, gently rubbing her sternum.
“What’s wrong?”
At Nik’s voice, she dropped her hand and spun around to see her gloriously naked mate standing a foot from her. “Nothing. You didn’t have to get up.”
“Why? You didn’t return. Pointless for me to remain in bed.” His gaze skimmed over her face. “What’s your day like?”
“I told Darci I’ll help her in the library. She still has tons of cataloging to do for Michael. But I’ll wait for you, and we can have brunch together first.”
The smile she adored, which made his dimple appear, took form, and her heart turned to mush.
He stroked her cheek. “I’d like that.”
“Oh, also…” She lifted a finger. “If you’re free during the day, I’d like to practice dematerializing. I mean, I have this ability, and I’ll need to know how to use it, right?”
He nodded. “I was going to suggest it.”
“Awesome.” Now for the most important one. “Nik?”
A dark eyebrow lifted. Ugh. Nerves coiled her stomach into a knot at what she truly wanted to ask. “Can we go to The Shelter this evening before you leave for patrol? I won’t talk to Liam,” she hastily added when he frowned. “But I have to see him, please?”
“Shadow, it’s too risky. And with the damn demon hunting you, it’s way too dangerous.”
“Not if you’re with me,” she pointed out. “You can wear your glamour, so you don’t stand out amongst the homeless. Please, Nik?” She petted his bare chest. “Just for a few minutes. I thought I’d be able to stay away until we could rescue him, but I miss him so much. I missed years of watching him grow up. And I…I need to be there tonight.”
Shattered Dawn (Fallen Guardians Book 5) Page 28