Demon's Destiny

by Valerie Twombly

  She stared at him and tried not to focus on his devastating good looks. He certainly didn’t appear to be a dangerous man. No, he looked more like one who knew how to pleasure a woman. Lord knew his clothes hugged every inch of his body and gave a good indication of what lurked underneath.

  “Are you threatening me?” She tipped her head back slightly to look at him.

  The corner of his mouth lifted. “No, sugar, I don’t threaten women. However, I do keep my promises, and I promise if you place yourself in danger again, you’ll feel my wrath across that beautiful ass of yours.” He extended his hand and waited for her to take it. “Shall we?”

  Heat rose across her cheeks, and she hesitated for a moment before slipping her hand into his and wondered what his wrath would feel like. The fire from his touch kissed her skin and warmed her entire body. She’d been wrong about him. He was most definitely a dangerous man. Not the type who would endanger your life. No, he was more the kind who would steal your will and have you surrendering to him heart, body and soul. She’d need to take care while in his company or risk losing herself.

  Before she came back to her senses, they were surrounded by blackness dotted with white lights. The next thing she knew, they stood in her living room.

  “What the hell?” She dropped his hand.

  “You were too out of it to remember our mode of travel the last time, but it beats the hell out of those long lines at the airport,” he chuckled. “Oh, you okay? You look a bit green.”

  She did feel a little shaky and chalked it up to a really shitty day. “I’ll be fine. Let me grab some things.” Before he responded, she was in her bedroom and pulling down a small, worn-leather case. It was the only piece of luggage she owned and had once belonged to her grandmother. Placing it on the bed, she went and dug out a couple pairs of jeans, some tees and underwear then tossed them in the bag. She didn’t need much since she wasn’t planning to stick around.

  Next, she went into the closet and found her old winter coat. She’d hidden a couple hundred dollars in the pocket. It would be enough to get her back home as soon as she got away from Baal. How does he think to keep an eye on me if he’s out searching for Raven? She stuffed the wad of cash in her pants pocket and did a quick glance around the room. There was nothing else she needed in here.

  The photo of Raven sat on a shelf in the living room, so she headed back that way and discovered the demon seated on the couch, arm thrown over the back and tapping his fingers. She hated to admit just looking at him sent butterflies swirling in her stomach. Any man that hot had to have issues. Then again, she’d been coherent enough to notice the other so-called immortals she’d met were nothing to sneeze at. Good lord, Ranata, get a grip. She needed to remind herself that although he had rescued her, and now offered to look for her sister, he still wasn’t to be fully trusted. She wasn’t sure she’d ever trust a man again. She hadn’t been surprised about Clive, but Father Ryan had broken the last of her faith.

  She walked to the shelf and grabbed the photo. A picture of her and Raven from the previous summer when they’d been swimming at the lake. It was one of the last times her family had been together and happy. Shortly after, their father had died, and Raven had started acting weird. When six months later their mother also passed, Raven became withdrawn. Ranata would give anything to have her sister back.

  She forced tears down and handed the photo to Baal. “This is Raven.”

  Baal took the framed picture from Ranata’s hands and studied it. The two girls appeared much alike. Both wore their black hair long, but where Raven had brown eyes, Ranata had eyes that rivaled any tropical lagoon. Their blue depths had him wanting to see how much they darkened when she was in the throes of passion, and he most definitely wanted to be the one responsible.

  “What can you tell me about her? Where did you last see her?”

  Ranata plopped in a chair. “I think she was into the occult.”

  He schooled his features. The likelihood of finding Raven alive would be next to none, especially with Lowan lurking in the human realm and all the idiots trying to appease the devil by offering human sacrifices. “Tell me. Was she a virgin?”

  She chewed her lip. “As far as I know, yes. I know it seems strange in this day and age, but she wanted to wait.” She cocked her head. “Why?”

  He went to the ottoman in front of her chair and sat down. “I’m not going to lie, and I refuse to sugarcoat anything.”

  The rise and fall of her chest increased and he tried not to notice her breasts under the tight tee she wore. “I appreciate that. Tell me what you know.”

  “Lowan is an evil demigod whose father was a demon overlord and mother a guardian. Try mixing a demon and vampire, sprinkle in a grandfather who’s a god, and you have one fucking mess. He’s been locked in Hell for centuries, and now, he’s managed to find his way here.”

  That plump pink lip of hers found its way between her teeth, and he had to stifle a groan.

  “I know I should be in shock right now, but for some reason, I’m not. Continue.”

  “Good girl. I need you to stay calm and focused. Anyway, the demon activity you see is because of him, and if your sister was involved in occult activity and a virgin, she is in serious trouble.” He pulled in a deep breath. He’d promised not to lie. “She may already be dead.”

  Tears filled her eyes but remained unshed. “She can’t be gone. Raven’s all I’ve got left in this crummy world.”

  He wanted to know more, but his senses didn’t care for the stench filling his nose. “We’ve gotta go. Now.” He grabbed Ranata by the arms and jerked her to him. He didn’t wait for a reaction from her. Instead, he flashed them from the small room and into his penthouse. She pushed away and glared at him.

  “What the hell?”

  He didn’t respond but walked to the phone and picked it up. “I need you up here.” In seconds, Jax flashed into the room, and Ranata screeched.

  “You didn’t tell me you had company,” Jax said.

  He shrugged. She knows what I am. He turned to face her. “Ranata, this is Jax. He’s a powerful Draki—or in words you’ll understand, a dragon.”

  She blinked. “A what?”

  He ignored her and faced Jax. “There were demons surrounding her home. I’m going back to find out why. Don’t let her out of your sight.” He stormed across the room and punched his code into the keypad on the wall. The lock clicked, and he swung open the door to reveal a room full of weapons.

  “Wait! Oh, my lord!” Ranata stepped in behind him. “Will you look at all this?”

  He gave a short laugh. “I am looking, sugar.” He pulled his favorite vest off the mannequin. It was already weighed down with daggers of various sizes, and he slipped it on. Next, he grabbed a pair of double-edged blades. They made slicing the head off most any demon a piece of cake. He turned to leave and found Ranata with her arms crossed and a lethal glare pinned on him.

  “You can’t just bring me here, announce something about demons surrounding my home and leave a dragon for a bodyguard without further explanation.”

  He moved past her. “I can, and I am.” He didn’t wait for a response. Instead, he flashed and left Jax to deal with his fallout.

  Ranata was momentarily stunned, but quickly shook it off and replaced it with anger. She marched past the man named Jax, who stood with a wide stance and crossed arms. He’d never even acknowledged her. She grabbed her bag and headed for what she prayed was the exit. When she reached for the handle and opened the door, an arm shot over her head and pushed it shut.

  She wasn’t sure if she should be frightened or irate. She’d go with irate, and she spun to face her captor.

  “Listen. You don’t need to involve yourself in this matter. Let me walk out, and we can forget this entire incident.”

  Tall, dark, and deadly handsome, he glared down at her. His eyes shifted from hazel to green then back so quickly she thought she’d imagined it. “You humans are all the same.” His thick
brows pinched down over those ever-changing eyes as he tried to stare her down.

  “And what exactly does that mean?”

  “It means you never listen. Don’t you think the demon had a valid reason to tell you to stay put?”

  “I think the demon––as you call him––needs to learn better communication skills. It certainly would go a long way.” She turned and tried to open the door again, but it slammed shut.

  “You can either step away and go sit on whatever piece of furniture you deem comfortable. Or, I can forcibly remove you. Your choice.” His voice remained calm yet carried an edge leaving her to suspect he wouldn’t hesitate to carry out his threat.

  Ranata pulled in a slow breath and counted to ten before she turned around again. “You like to bully women?”

  “And you like to throw accusations when you know nothing about me or my species? The demon wants you protected, and that is that.”

  Her cheeks heated with embarrassment. It was true. She had no idea who or what he was, and he was following orders. “Fine. I’ll take up my issues with Baal when he returns.” She moved around the man and walked back across the room, tossing her bag and taking a seat in a large, leather chair. “So, why don’t you enlighten me about your species? Or are your communication skills as bad as the demon’s?” She didn’t know why she had to get in that last dig. The man actually tipped back his head and laughed which helped to lighten her mood. Slightly.

  “It’s as he told you. I’m a Draki, a dragon shifter.” He’d moved to a matching chair across from her, and his eyes twinkled with amusement. “You don’t look too surprised.”

  “After what I’ve seen in the past couple days, I’m feeling a bit shell-shocked. I mean demons, angels with fangs, why not men who can shift into dragons? It’s all perfectly logical.” At some point, she was bound to wake up and find this was all just one hellish nightmare. “So how do you fit into this amusement-park ride?”

  He shrugged. “My leader told me to come here and help in any way I can, so here I am. You?”

  She tried to hold back her tears. She’d not been kidding when she referred to this as an amusement-park ride. One minute, she was perfectly fine and logical. The next, she’d dipped into the abyss of depression and worry for her sister. “My sister has gone missing, and somehow, I almost ended up a sacrifice to a demon. Just your average day.” Again, she threw in an edge of humor. It was either find a way to cope or break. She refused to break.

  “I see. Sorry about your sister. I hope she’s okay.”

  She stared at her feet for what seemed an eternity. “All this drama must be normal everyday stuff for you. I had no idea any of this existed.”

  “Just run of the mill for me. Unfortunately, it’s a rude awakening for your kind, and many will die.”

  “Can you be any colder about it?” There had been no undertones of remorse. His statement had been matter-of-fact.

  He leaned forward, his elbows on his knees. “I am a warrior, and I have seen many die. I’ve even been the cause of some of those deaths.”

  She shivered. “I’ll try not to think about that.”

  “You have nothing to fear from me. Matter of fact, you should feel safe under Baal’s protection. He’s a powerful demon, and one many will not mess with.”

  An idea struck her. “What can you tell me about him?”

  “Other than he has a sister who’s mated to my leader, and he’s well liked among all the immortals? Nothing.”

  Well, so much for gaining any useful information.

  Chapter Four

  Baal flashed to the top of a hill that conveniently overlooked Ranata’s small home. He counted four demons and… No fucking way! He wasted no time in flashing behind the man and sticking the point of his dagger into his back.

  “Tell me, Chaval, why do you care about one little human?”

  The warrior cocked his head so he could look over his shoulder at Baal. “I could ask you the same, but do you really think you can take me?”

  Baal knew his chances of winning any fight with Chaval were slim to a big fat zero. The man was a Sumari, half-demon and half-fae. A lethal combination who now worked for Lowan for some reason.

  “What made you switch sides?” Baal kept a wary eye on the demons who surrounded them but stayed confident they would keep their distance as long as he held the upper hand and a blade to their leader’s back.

  “You, more than anyone, know things are not always as they appear. I can only tell you this.” He lowered his voice. “Raven is now Lowan’s mistress, and for the present, she’s safe. As for Ranata? She is more than either you or she realizes. Her past is key to her secret, and you must protect her at all costs.”

  Baal pressed the blade deeper. “What the fuck does that mean?”

  Chaval broke free and faced Baal. In the blink of an eye, he shot out a burst of power and decapitated the other demons, dropping them to the ground. Baal dared not send out his own magic to fight him. Fae drew their power from others, and he wouldn’t feed Chaval anymore.

  “You kill your flunkies?” Baal inquired.

  Chaval waved his hand, turned the bodies to ash and sent them scattering in the breeze. “They were casualties of a most unfortunate battle and the only way I could allow you to walk out of here alive without anyone’s knowledge.”

  Something was off with this entire conversation. At one time, Chaval had been one of the good guys, but he’d been seen fighting side by side with Lowan during their last battle. “What’s really going on with you?”

  Chaval faded. “I’m not what I currently appear to be. Just remember, protect the girl with your life. If you don’t, I will kill you personally.”

  He vanished, and Baal was left scratching his head. “Son of a bitch.” He needed to see his sister. She was the only one he could confide in, and hopefully, before he did something stupid. Seconds later, he stood in the center of Lileta’s kitchen.

  “Your mate out of the castle?” He kissed her on the cheek.

  “Yes. Off fighting, which is where I figured you’d be.” She pulled him into a hug. “I’ve missed you.” Then she pushed him to arm’s length. “What’s wrong?” They’d always been close and could read each other well.

  He pulled up a seat at the table. “The gods can’t seem to keep from fucking with our lives.”

  She settled in across from him. “What happened?” A look of concern caused creases around her beautiful golden eyes.

  “You hear about the human Marcus and I rescued?”

  She nodded.

  “She belongs to me,” he growled.

  Her mouth dropped open. “I won’t even ask whether you’re sure because I know you are, but when did you figure it out?”

  When had he become certain the raven-haired beauty was his mate? “Shortly after I found her at the guardian’s compound and promised to find her missing sister.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “Fuck me! I can’t do this again.”

  She reached across the table and placed her hand on his. “I know. What are your plans?”

  What are my plans? “Shit, I’m not sure. I’ll keep my word to look for her sister. Right now, she’s back in my penthouse with Jax watching over her.”

  “You know I’ll do whatever I can to help you.” She squeezed his hand. “I’m sure you realize how difficult it will be to keep from claiming her.”

  He leapt from his chair and knocked it over in the process. “I need to stay away from her. It’s the only way.”

  Lileta shook her head. “Have you considered talking to Marcus? He would understand your situation.”

  He fisted his hands. “You’re the only one who knows my past, and I have no desire to rehash it.”

  “You know I love you, but I think you’re approaching this all wrong. You’re going to end up hurt in the end.”

  He leaned over the table. “That’s where you’re wrong. I don’t intend to give my heart to any woman ever again. Unlike Marcus, who could transform his mate
into a vampire, I’m unable to make Ranata a demon.” He straightened. “I have something to take care of.”

  He moved around the table and kissed her on the cheek then flashed from her home. He probably should have mentioned his encounter with Chaval, but he wasn’t even sure how to explain it. The thought of telling Ranata her sister was with Lowan caused his gut to roll, but not near as much as the idea Ranata belonged to him.

  Ranata crossed her legs and jiggled her foot. She had more nervous energy than she knew what to do with and needed a good run. “This place got a gym?” She eyed Jax.

  “The hotel has one, of course, but Baal has a private one I’m sure he’d let you use.”

  At the mention of the demon, he appeared in front of them. Ranata stopped jiggling her foot and jumped from her chair. “Well?”

  He looked at her then quickly diverted his gaze to Jax as he walked across the room to the kitchen where he opened the fridge and grabbed a container of orange juice. He poured a large glass and downed half of it. Before she could say a word, he was in front of her and in her face.

  “Who or what are you exactly?” His tone indicated he was less than pleased.

  “I don’t understand. What happened while you were gone?”

  “You want me to leave?” Jax interjected.

  “No. Stay.” Baal’s eyes never left her, and she had to keep from fidgeting under his stare. “Maybe, you can sense what she is. I only pick up human.”

  Ranata took a step back and looked between the two men. “You want to tell me what you’re talking about?”

  “I sense nothing, but you know my dragon has a better nose than I do,” Jax replied.

  Baal turned his head. “Don’t you fucking dare. Last time you shifted in here, I had to remodel.”

  “Okay, seriously. Do you have a lead on my sister or not?” She rubbed her arms, trying to relieve some anxiety. It didn’t work.

  “I was told she’s Lowan’s mistress and doing well,” Baal snarled.