Hastily, she mind-linked with Aethan. I need you.
She fixed her attention on the fiends circling her like damn coyotes. “Go,” she yelled to the sniveling twin.
“Wh-what is th-that man—thing?”
Really? Now, she wanted to know? “Run, dammit!” Echo snapped, her gaze pinned on the demoniis as she countered their moves. “Or they will kill you!”
With a stifled shriek, the woman hightailed it out of the alley.
Echo let her mental shields suppressing her allure drop and tightened her grip on her dagger. The demoniis getting a full whiff of her pheromones let out low moans of sexual hunger. Their eyes sparking a neon red in the dark, they came, charging for her...
Chapter 7
Aethan strode out of the club into the heated night, his jaw clenched. He stumbled to a halt as a familiar strain touched his mind. I need you.
At Echo’s telepathic message, panic took hold. Where are you?
Near the SUV, she shot back, sounding almost breathless. About to flash, a figure came barreling out of the shadows and slammed into Aethan, taking him back several feet. A sharp pain burned across his forearm. Cursing, Aethan faced the demented, scarred demon with a dagger in his hand.
“Did you think I would not find you?” Rahvert snarled, looking like he’d crawled out from a trash heap. Clothes rumpled, expression malevolent, his eyes taking on a red tinge. “So easy to track your scent, Guardian!” he spat the word like it was something vile, waving his blade coated with blood in full view of the patrons. “It was all over your vehicle. I have my demoniis watching it, and we have your woman, too—”
Terror knotting his belly, he mind-linked with her. Echo?
Stop talking, Aethan, I need to concentrate.
Fuck! His mate was determined to give him heart failure!
She was fighting demoniis! The heavens knew how many. Right then he wished for Blaéz’s power to kill with a thought so he could end this fucker and get to her.
“I will avenge my brother!” Screeching, the demon dove for Aethan, his blade flashing in the moonlight. Aethan evaded the attack. He grabbed hold of the demon’s arm and twisted his hand—a howl filled the alley. He yanked the blade from the fucker and punched the demon in the throat. Rahvert lurched back. Gurgling, he grasped his neck, unable to breath.
“Your brother was a fucking demonii. If he hadn’t died that night, then I would’ve killed him another day.”
Anger made most people reckless and stupid. It was almost too easy to take Rahvert down. Aethan thrust the dagger into the demon’s heart, then jerked it free and slashed Rahvert across the carotid. Blood poured as the body fell. Aethan didn't bother looking back. The fucker was history. In death, his corpse would soon be hauled back to the Dark Realm, or sent to Purgatory.
Tossing the demon’s bloody blade into a nearby dumpster, Aethan flashed to his mate, his blood pounding in his head, his heart in his throat. He staggered to a halt.
Echo fought a demonii twice her size. She jumped back as the fucker tried to grab her and smirked. “Is that all you’ve got?”
His protective instinct kicked in. About to sprint over, she slammed into his mind, stopping him dead. Aethan, this kill is mine.
It was the hardest thing for a protective male like him to do, stand by and let her take on this scourge. Gut instinct warned him to let her be. It was important for the both of them. Knowing his mate, she would never forgive him if he interfered.
Movement stirred in the shadows as if giving life to more evil. Two more demoniis took form and joined their cohort. Fuck this. He wasn't letting her fight three. With preternatural speed, he was beside her.
The demoniis’ red eyes glowing feverishly with lust had Aethan’s irritation soaring.
“Never look at my mate that way!” He lashed out a kick, sending one crashing against the wall, and punched the other in the throat. The one he’d kicked charged him. Aethan slammed a booted foot into the demonii’s belly, dropping him to his knees. He snapped at Echo, cutting her a quick glance. “Why the hell did you keep me out of your thoughts?”
“I needed to focus. Besides, I was killing them long before I met you—” She ducked a punch and swept out her leg, knocking the hulking demonii’s feet out from under him. He dropped like a rock to the asphalt, a raucous snarl escaping him.
“You may think I'm still green when it comes to fighting,” she threw back at Aethan. “But I can kill these fiends. And I'm frustrated as hell with you!” She wiggled her fingers at the demonii, who jumped up and circled her. “Come and get me.”
Urias! This female of his would drive him batshit crazy! Frustrated? She had no idea what true frustration meant. His teeth ground together and he ducked a blow to his face. The demonii’s lust corroded Aethan’s gut like acid. Just because the fuckers needed new souls to survive, didn't mean their other body parts didn't function.
The demonii held out his palm to the earth, stealing nature’s energies to form a lethal hellfire bolt. Shit! Aethan summoned his sword. It materialized in his palm, the black blade gleaming in the moonlight. He lunged, his sword descending in a deadly arc. He decapitated the demonii and made short work of the other asshole, too.
As their bodies turned to ash and crumbled to the asphalt, he whirled to his mate.
“Stay back, Aethan,” she warned.
“Then kill the fucker, or I will.”
As long as there was no damn dark portal shimmering nearby, he’d let her have her way. His fingers clenched the hilt of his sword so he wouldn’t go over and finish off the horny bastard.
But dammit, he didn't like seeing even a scratch on her.
The part of him that wasn’t going caveman protective—his fighter side—took in her movements and checked her for weakness in her reflexes. She ducked another blow from the demonii, spun around, and kicked him hard in the chest. The dickhead grinned. He probably considered it a prelude to some sexual fantasy of his. Asshole.
As much as Aethan wanted her safe, he realized she needed this. Hell, she trained even harder than he did. The only time he’d seen Echo in action was when the demonii horde had come after her at the castle months ago and she fought them—but that had only been for a few minutes, before he’d hauled her to safety…she’d been mortal then. Now she was faster, even with her dangerously high heels. And she moved like a dream.
She was so fucking hot—hell, who wasn't turned on by a fighting female?
She cut him a knowing look as if sensing the shift in his thoughts. Aethan let his sword shimmer and settle back on his biceps and crossed his arms over his chest.
She kneed the demonii in the groin. His guttural roar echoed in the alley. “Did you think I was some hapless woman you could prey on, a victim whose soul you could steal?”
“I’ll tear out your throat—and drink your blood before I reap your soul!” the demonii screeched. He lunged for her. Echo didn't sidestep but met him dead on—yanking Aethan’s heart to his throat at the danger—her obsidian dagger glinted in the pale moonlight, and she plunged the blade into the demonii’s chest. He dropped to his knees in shock.
“You gave up yours when you stole that first soul, you’re definitely not getting mine.” Yanking him back by his hair, she sliced right across his carotid in a brutal swipe. Black blood sprayed. “Tonight, the streets will be much safer without you!”
“I was barely a minute behind you and you get into trouble,” Aethan growled, exhaling a harsh breath, needing an outlet for his fear. “You took on a demonii.”
She turned from the decomposing body and snorted, crossing to him in those high-heeled boots with a sexy sashay of her hips, her chest still heaving from the fight—the buttons still undone. “I believe you doubted me the first time we met, too.”
At her cocky response, he closed the distance in a heartbeat, hauled her to him, and covered her mouth in a deep, hot kiss. Needing to reassure himself that she was safe, and because he simply had to have her.
Echo
sank into him and kissed him harder, her tongue tangling with his. Pulling his shirt free from his pants, she slipped her hands beneath the fabric and stroked his back.
His hunger soared, consuming him with a fiery need. His power roiled within him, but he knew too, it would be okay—she would ease that part of him. He picked her up, and she wrapped her legs around his waist. He walked toward the Range Rover and set her on the hood.
Aethan slid his mouth along her jaw and down her neck. Hands on her hips, he pulled her closer and sucked on her fast-beating pulse. Breathy little sighs escaped her. Her arms tightened around him as she pressed her heated center against his aching cock.
“I missed you.”
He knew exactly what she meant. “You drive me crazy, you know that?”
“Good.” Her gaze hazy with desire, she ran her finger along the edge of the waistband of his leathers, teasing the taut skin of his abs. “Because I'm done with being treated like an invalid.”
“Yeah, I can see that,” he growled. “Let’s go home.”
“Why?” She arched a brow. Lowering her fingers from his waist, she stroked his painfully rigid erection. He bit back a groan. “You’re a big bad warrior with scary-ass powers. What are you afraid of, huh? We’re alone.”
He narrowed his eyes.
“I see. So it’s okay for you to get me off in a public place.” She deftly unbuckled his belt. “Fine.” She rolled her mismatched eyes. “I’ll protect you. I mean, I just took down a dangerous demonii.”
She conveniently left out the two fuckers he’d annihilated.
“Oh, you shouldn’t have said that...” With a hand on her chest, he pushed her down to lie on the hood of the SUV and slid his palm beneath her skirt and up her thighs to stroke a thumb over her over her damp, silk-covered cleft. A stifled gasp left her.
“I haven’t even started, and you’re already wet.”
Before she blinked, he pulled off her panties and dropped them beside her.
“You, my mate, had best use that power I sense growing within you and keep any stragglers away from us.” He propped her feet on the grill of the Range Rover, spreading her thighs open, and ran his fingers down her cleft. “Or they’re getting a free show.”
Echo bit her lip, her skin flushed from her exertion, her sexy bicolored eyes glowing brightly with arousal. He lowered his head and sucked on her lower lip then licked a path across her jaw. “I love how you taste”—another lingering lick—“how you smell; all warm, wet female.” And with that hint of sun-ripened berries he now knew was her shampoo. He eased back but kept stroking her lightly between her thighs. “First, why were you angry inside the club?”
“Because you kissed my nose. In situations like those, it’s the lips, Aethan, with tongue!”
He flicked her clit and smiled as her eyes dilated with need. “Shall I take you back in there and kiss you like you want?”
She squirmed and glared at him. “Aethan, stop teasing—inside me already!”
His gaze locked on hers. “Are you ordering me, me’morae?”
“No. God—no!”
He sank two fingers into her drenched core, his thumb playing with her clit. A whimper escaped her.
“Aethan, please…” She grasped his wrist, tried to pull him close, her fingers fumbling on his zip.
“Not yet.” He brushed her hand away from his fly. “I want my mouth right on this delectable part of you first…” He lightly stroked her swollen nub. “Hmmm, I think I need to start all over again.”
“I’m going to kill you—”
“Later. After I’ve pleasured you with my mouth, fucked you with my fingers, and let you come again all over my face…”
***
Christ. Just hearing Aethan say those raw, edgy words had desire pulsing through her body like a sizzling flame. Echo had no idea if she’d last this storm taking hold of her body. Her mind, her thoughts, everything locked onto the pulsing ache between her thighs.
He lowered his head and ran his tongue down her folds, around her clit, then lapped at it, keeping her on brink.
“Oh, God.” She squeezed her eyes tight, drowning in a sea of desire as his wicked tongue hauled her deeper into pleasure.
“No, Echo, eyes on me.” At the taut demand, her eyelids flickered open. His gaze burned hotter than the desert sun, stealing her breath. “Watch what I do to you…”
When she braced herself on her elbows, he lowered his head, hair caressing her thighs like a thousand fingers, he ran his tongue down the side of her clit and up again, then lightly over the bundle of nerves. She shuddered and grabbed his hair, tugging at him.
He thrust two fingers into her, stroking her inner muscles. Her body tightened around his fingers as release hovered. He eased back.
“Nooo,” a keening wail left her. She desperately needed that push over, but he kept her on the edge, continuing to circle his tongue lightly around and over her sensitive flesh until she was trembling beneath his mouth—unable to bear the torment—her body wracked with want. But he avoided her clit.
Whining, she tried to push harder into his mouth, to find her release, but his grip on her hips tightened. “Don’t make me stop.”
At the threat, Echo wondered what she’d set herself up for. Aethan could draw this out for a long time—until she was mindless with need and didn't know which was up or down. She moaned and held still. A grunt of satisfaction left him.
He ran the flat of his tongue over her bundle of nerves. Without warning, his lips tightened around her clit and he bit down. At the sharp nip, she came off the hood, a cry tearing from her throat as everything inside her burst out in waves of pleasure as she climaxed.
Aethan didn't give her time to recover. “Hold.”
“Wh-what?” she panted, her body shaking from her furious release, her mind not connecting with his demand. He simply took her hands and put them on the edge of the hood and away from the windscreen wipers. She curled her fingers around the metal.
“Keep them there.” Aethan unzipped his leathers and yanked her bottom closer to the edge of the hood. Her arms straightened.
“Don’t let go,” he snapped, tone dark with warning. He fisted his painfully erect cock and stroked her cleft, once, twice with the head. Her body, tensed. Then, in one swift move, he thrust into her. A gasp tore from her throat as her inner muscles parted and gave way to his rigid invasion and he sheathed himself completely inside of her.
Joined to him so intimately, a hum of his power bled from him and swept through her body—a dangerous bite of a deadly man. It was heady, knowing it could kill another but take her to indescribable heights when he let go.
***
Urias! She enclosed him like a sweet fucking glove. Desire, hot and dangerous, buzzed through Aethan’s blood. But the sight of his beautiful mate uninhibited in her ecstasy held him in awe. Her skirt was bunched around her waist, and her thighs splayed wide open. In the silvery moonlight, he could clearly see the flush on her honeyed skin.
He undid more buttons of her top and pressed his lips to the scar above her breast with its spidery black marks. He pulled down her bra, her breasts spilled free. Her body arched up, and he grasped her nipple and sucked hard before letting go. He groaned, voice rough, “I'm so glad we decided to come out and have fun tonight.”
A wobbly laugh left her as she wrapped her legs around him. He lowered his hand to where they were joined and thumbed her clit. Laughter turned to low moans of need. “Aethan…”
He pulled out and drove back hard into her. A feral, possessive growl left him. “Is this what you want?”
“God, yes. Faster…harder.”
At her low, throaty demand, he gave her want she wanted—what they both needed. In and out, harder, faster he thrust into her, creating a delicious friction with their bodies. Her whimper filled his ears, but her gaze remained fastened on his.
Emotions, raw and powerful, swelled his chest.
This woman in his arms wasn’t just his other half,
she was the reason for his entire existence.
Echo sat up, making his cock slide in even deeper. She put her arms around his neck, her legs tightening around his hips. He captured her lush mouth in a deep and voracious and carnal kiss, angling his cock so he massaged her clit with every thrust. Her inner muscles tensed, squeezing around his sex. She freed her lips from his, panting for breath. She was close again.
His own release barreled down his spine. Tightening his hold on her hips, he rocked harder into her. A thin cry left her as she fell, he gave a low guttural growl, thrusting deeper into her and came in violent jerk…
Breathing hard, he held her close, his face buried in her neck.
After a long moment, he kissed her mouth then slipped free from her warmth. Leaving her on the hood, he opened the SUV door and found another of his spare t-shirts inside. He cleaned himself, zipped up, and went back to her, smiling at her lying on the hood, the moonlight highlighting her wanton disarray of clothes and bare limbs.
He cleaned off the evidence of their lovemaking from between her thighs.
“Good thing you did that,” she said, her voice huskier than usual as she sat up. Her eyes glowed warm with amusement, with love, and all he could do was just stand there and breathe. She picked up her underwear from the hood and pulled it on. “Can’t have my other half knowing about this.”
Shaking his head, he helped her off the hood. She clutched his arm, a little unsteady on her feet. Aethan wasn't surprised. It had been far too long since he’d loved her so thoroughly.
He deftly buttoned her top, then got a bottle of water from inside the vehicle.
She straightened her skirt, smoothing it over her hips. He handed her the water. She drank some thirstily then gave it back to him. “So, what did Týr want?”
He chugged back some of the cool liquid before he answered. He didn't evade her question or lie. “Nothing much—mentioned that a small horde of demoniis was spotted near the Bronx tenements this evening. And to let me know he saw the demon after me.”
Echo, Mine Page 7