Clutch of the Demon (Cursed Ancients Series Book 1)

by Jensen, A. P.

  Cara let out a scream of frustration and the demon giggled like a schoolgirl, delighted that he'd played her so well. Her body was hot and needy and she could still feel the warrior moving in her. Her legs scissored beneath the sheets and her hands went between her legs, but she stopped when the demon cackled. She shuddered as she resisted the urge to finish herself off. It would only feed her appetite for more.

  Cara focused on the demon and used her magic like a whip. The demon dodged and laughed madly as she tried to pin him down. She grasped pieces of his spirit and systematically began to rip him apart. She morphed the lust pumping through her into blind rage and ruthlessly hunted the demon as her pulse beat between her legs. When the demon tried to conjure more images of the warrior, she savaged him. She could hear people moaning in her mind, hear their shaky breaths before climax and felt calloused hands moving over her bare skin. She focused on the demon that was becoming more scattered and desperate by the second. Knowing she had the slippery demon in her grasp, she thought of Sky and Dawn. Light broke through the haze of darkness within her. The demon shrieked and writhed as the sun incinerated his spirit. He wrenched himself out of her and dragged what was left of his power back to hell.

  She rolled from her bed and out of the hobbit hole during her fight with the demon. She turned on her side and spat black blood as she shivered. Something rolled her onto her back. She peered up at the silver dragon and closed her eyes against him.

  You're hurt.

  Her insides were in tatters, but the worst part was that she couldn't get the images of the warrior out of her mind. "I'm fine."

  I can give you my blood to ease your pain.

  She clamped her legs together to stop the unrelenting ache. "No."

  What do you need?

  "N-nothing," she chattered and could still feel the warrior's cock imprinting the stone wall into her back. She'd been so close.

  You exorcised a demon from me.

  Images of the warrior and the dragon clashed in her mind and she busied herself with smoothing her wrinkled clothes because she couldn't bear to look at him.

  How did you know I was possessed? I never suspected.

  "Demons jump on a person's weakness. I had a hunch."

  You truly have no regard for your life.

  Cara blew out a long breath and got shakily to her feet. She swayed for a moment before she found her balance and began to stretch. She needed to do something to shake the need singing in her blood. She was aware of Aodhan's eyes watching her before she began to run. The dragon leapt into the air and glided above as she ran around the pools and over the uneven ground, trying to burn the images from her mind. She'd seen many evil things in her life, but had never willingly participated in anything a demon threw at her until now.

  Even when her body protested the distance, she didn't stop. The demon's poison, which would drive anyone mad, gave her the stamina to make it to the opposite end of the cave. The sound of the falls drowned out the needy moans in her head and the thrust of a shaft slipping through her slick folds. Sweat poured from her when she dropped to her knees beside the waterfall. She reached down and splashed her face with ice-cold water and then sat back on her heels. The dragon settled beside her in a gust of wind that nearly tossed her into the water. They sat in silence and when she felt the warrior's hands on her, splashed herself with more frigid water. She stared at the rainbows created by the mist and tried to think pure, innocent thoughts but that was beyond her at the moment.

  "What will break the curse?" she asked.

  She always weighed Luc's words carefully, but one thing stood out from her conversation with him. Luc was right. Aodhan didn't have to heal Sky. Aodhan could trap her here without granting her favor. Had he done it out of the goodness of his heart or was Luc correct and Aodhan needed her to do something in return? So far Aodhan hadn't asked for anything except her companionship.

  Cara looked beyond the dragon to the warrior beneath. She'd seen Aodhan the warrior in action. The images the demon showed her weren't imaginary. They were Aodhan's memories and he kicked demon ass like nothing she'd ever witnessed. Aodhan was created as the antithesis to Luc. He couldn't stay down here.

  As the silence stretched, she realized she'd hit a nerve. Luc was correct. Aodhan needed something from her. She ignored her sinking heart and straightened her spine.

  "What do I need to do to break the curse?" she asked.

  No answer.

  "I was going to let you eat me, so whatever you need, just tell me and I'll do it."

  It has to be freely given.

  "You need to sacrifice me?"

  No.

  "You need to eat my heart?"

  No.

  She got to her feet and put her hands on her hips. She was tired of being toyed with. If there were a way to break this curse, she would do it because the world needed him. Aodhan needed to kill Luc and although she hated to admit it, Luc had been right about another thing. Aodhan would kill her once he discovered what she was. It was Aodhan's duty to rid the world of evil and that was what she was- an abomination.

  "Just tell me!" she shouted.

  I can't.

  "How the hell am I supposed to help if you don't tell me how?"

  When the dragon just watched her, she began to pace. Despite her run and the fact that the Viagra demon was gone, her body was still sensitive and hadn't settled from the dream.

  "I need you up there," she declared, pointing to the top of the cave. "Being down here doesn't benefit anyone except Luc. The demon slipped into you when you were screwing twenty women at once. I don't know which one gave it to you." She paused and glared at him. "You're lucky you don't have an STD!"

  What are you talking about?

  "I-I saw you and every woman walking the planet screwing your brains out," she informed him crisply. "I've been hunting demons since I was sixteen and I haven't made a dent in their population. All my life, I've been looking for someone strong enough to take on Luc and now that I've found you, you can't tell me what will set you free? We don't have time for games! Tell me what you want from me!"

  If the demon showed you my past, you saw what I'm capable of.

  She tried to look nonchalant. "Yeah, so?"

  I'm an Ancient and I lost myself.

  "I think being caged for a couple centuries will make you walk the straight and narrow this time, right? Just because you made a mistake doesn't mean you don't deserve a second chance to redeem yourself. I mean, even angels have fallen from grace!"

  No answer.

  Cara rubbed throbbing temples. "You're not like Luc."

  How do you know?

  "I know what evil is and you're not it."

  You sound sure of yourself.

  "I am."

  How much did the demon show you?

  She blew out a breath. "Enough."

  Yet you're still willing to help me?

  "When you weren't screwing women," she said tartly, "I saw you slay thousands of demons. Some of them left their puppets at the mere sight of you!"

  I killed many humans.

  She shrugged. "Sometimes we don't have a choice."

  His eyes gleamed. I can't tell you how to break the curse.

  "Why?" she bellowed.

  I can't.

  "That's great!" she shouted and paced in a large circle.

  The part of the demons spirit still within her demanded she indulge in something carnal. The urge was strong enough that she wondered if Aodhan would allow her a short trip to and from Doolin so she could get laid. Only years of dealing with sin made her stay right where she was. She couldn't bear to look at Aodhan, not when she was a walking hard on. When her body continued to heat despite her run, she dove into the fast moving river and swam against the powerful flow. Aodhan hovered overhead until she wore her body out. She hauled herself out and collapsed on the shore. She heard Aodhan's wings flap, opened one eye and watched him glide away. Even though her body was depleted, she could still hear the warri
or's harsh breaths as he took her against the wall and her body arched in response. Damn it, she could still taste him.

  "Damn man whore," she muttered crossly before she closed her eyes.

  She rolled onto her back and slapped her skin as calloused, invisible hands roved over her. She tossed and turned on the hard ground for over an hour before her body finally gave into sleep.

  Chapter Ten

  Rough hands moved over her body. Cara protested in sleep and tried to shove away the brutish touch. Something slipped over her mouth and she couldn't breathe. Cara's eyes flashed open and her drowsiness vanished. A man with red hair and green eyes crouched over her. Water dripped onto her from the black wetsuit he wore. Her mouth was clamped shut with duck tape and her hands were bound together in front of her with a plastic tie. She didn't need to see the red sheen in his eyes to know the human was possessed.

  She balled her fists, punched him in the face with all her might and rolled when he reeled back. She leapt to her feet and tried to run, but he tackled her from behind and placed a knife against her throat. The blade bit into her skin and a stream of blood trailed down her chest. She stopped struggling immediately.

  "Luc sent me. He didn't say anything about bringing you to him in one piece. Understand?" the man whispered in her ear.

  She nodded even as she wondered how the hell he made it off the cliff. Her silent question was answered a minute later when he picked her up, tossed her over his shoulder and rose into the air like Superman. She had a terrifying view of the gap between her and solid ground growing further and further apart. She began to panic and wriggled. The man's arm tightened over her legs and she knew he'd snap her bones without a second thought. How was she going to swim out of the cave with her hands bound in front of her? Her blood could draw sharks.

  Aodhan! Her telepathic scream was as loud as she could make it.

  The possessed man landed on the edge of the cliff and though it hurt like a bitch, she raised her head, searching for Aodhan. The possessed man began to run towards the pool that would lead out of the cave and she couldn't breathe with his shoulder jabbing into her stomach. When he stopped and dropped her on the ground, she rolled onto her back. She saw the pool was only two feet away and knew deep in her bones she had to do whatever it took to stay here. When the man bent over her, she placed both of her feet on his chest and kicked with all her might. He fell into the pool with a splash. She struggled to her knees and was about to lurch up when his wet body shoved her down. He turned her onto her back and wrapped his hand around her throat.

  "I guess you need another warning," he said.

  She gasped as his knife sank into her shoulder. She writhed and tried to buck him off, but he was too heavy. He grinned down at her and raised the blade, ready to run her through again.

  "I'm going to make you beg," he promised.

  Cara tensed as he raised the blade. There was no warning. One moment he was sitting on her stomach and the next, he was gone. She lay flat on her back and felt the beat of Aodhan's wings, but she didn't have the energy to watch as a horrible scream echoed in the small space. She closed her eyes. A minute longer and she would have been forever out of Aodhan's reach. It hit her hard that even if she managed to escape, she wasn't powerful enough to fight the army of demons on her own. Seeing Aodhan on the battlefield made her realize he was the answer. He could stop Luc more effectively than she ever could. She would find a way to set Aodhan free.

  You fought to stay, Aodhan said.

  She couldn't read his strange tone and was too tired to figure it out. Her blood pooled beneath her and she felt sick. Aodhan reached out a talon, which sliced through the plastic tie holding her wrists together. She ripped the duck tape off her mouth and panted as she lay there. Aodhan dug a talon beneath his scales and retracted a bloody tip. She shook her head, but he grasped her mouth in the same way he had the first time she entered the cave and dipped his talon into her mouth. The sweetness of his blood was becoming familiar to her. The pain in her shoulder and neck disappeared instantly and she had that 'I can take on the world' feeling again. She sat up and grimaced when she looked down at her ruined clothes.

  You're in my domain, he shouldn't have touched you. He was able to mask his presence and Luc gave him the ability of flight. Luc will pay dearly for this.

  She got to her feet and shrugged. "I'm fine."

  Let's get you away from here.

  Aodhan walked away from the pool. She frowned as she stared after him, unsure how to take his strange mood before she followed. She didn't look around for the demon. She didn't need to know what Aodhan did to him.

  When they reached the edge of the cliffs, Aodhan gently wrapped his talons around her and flew them back to her hobbit hole. She could feel Aodhan's rage beating at her as they flew. When he set her down, his scales began to glow. She raised a hand over her eyes and knew she'd get a tan in a few seconds if he didn't calm down. She reached out an instinctive hand and patted him on the belly.

  What are you doing?

  She licked suddenly dry lips. "I'm trying to calm you down."

  Aodhan roared. She covered her ears and staggered at the overwhelming sound of his ire.

  "Stop, Aodhan!"

  He didn't hear because he flapped his wings and she went flying. She looked up as he jetted into the air and left.

  "Great! Just leave me here alone again, jackass!" she shouted.

  She got attacked and he threw a tantrum? She stalked into her hobbit hole and stripped out of her clothes, which were now stiff with blood. She slipped into the water and placed a hand over her heart, which beat like a war drum. Luc wasn't happy that she exorcised that demon from Aodhan. Luc was getting desperate, so he sent someone to take her from Aodhan. What would Luc's next move be?

  Dragon

  Aodhan was furious with himself. If Cara hadn't called him... The roar he released echoed through the cavern. She shouldn't have been hurt while under his protection. It wouldn't happen again. He'd been arrogant, again. It was the same trait that got him into this mess in the first place. He wouldn't make any more mistakes.

  He hovered over her cave, raptor eyes moving over every inch of bare stone and snarled. How dare Luc challenge him? The Master Demon had grown too bold. Did Luc suspect Cara could break the curse? Something bothered him, though. Why hadn't the demon killed her? Why kidnap her? It was more risky and unnecessary.

  Cara wanted to know what it would cost for her to free him, but that would ruin everything. If he told her, would she laugh in his face or stare at him in disgust? He wasn't sure if she was capable of breaking the curse. Only one in a million would be able to break it and he was beginning to believe she was capable. Cara wasn't a wilting flower. She could have left with the puppet and taken her chances in the outside world. Instead, she had called for him and fought to stay imprisoned here with him. If she hadn't suspected that he was possessed, he would have been doomed to live the same cycle because the demon wouldn't allow him to walk the straight and narrow. When his hunger and greed escalated, why hadn't he suspected something was wrong? Because he was too arrogant to think that he could be possessed.

  If Cara was capable of breaking this curse, he owed her everything. Luc must feel it too. Otherwise, he wouldn't have dared to send one of his own into his caves. Aodhan wouldn't let anything happen to the woman he was beginning to consider his own.

  Cara

  Cara heard Aodhan return and take up his post in front of the hobbit hole. She didn't acknowledge his presence. She stayed behind the wall, out of sight with her back against the wall. Although she was alert from Aodhan's blood, her body needed rest, but how could she sleep when Aodhan kept taking off? She couldn't get the image of that puppet out of her mind. Who had he been before he was possessed?

  Are you hungry?

  Cara ignored Aodhan's question and tried to make a nest out of the clothes he'd gotten for her. Time passed. The silence was broken only by the sound of her quiet sighs and the occasional so
und of talons scraping over stone. She had thought she was safe from Luc here and now demons were infiltrating her haven. They were running out of time. If Aodhan knew how to break the curse it didn't make sense for him to keep it to himself. Did Aodhan and Luc believe she'd just stumble over the cure? If it was that easy, why hadn't Aodhan broken the curse centuries ago?

  What do you want to eat?

  Still, she didn't answer. She wasn't done being pissed at him. He really did have a bad temper. He should be damn pleased she'd called out to him or else she'd be breathing fresh air right now- or not. She'd probably be in a torture chamber with Luc. She shuddered and burrowed into her pile of clothes.

  Cara stood beside the lake with the castle behind her. She was all alone with just the sky to keep her company. She didn't know if she should flee or stay. Before she could make up her mind, two hands wrapped around her middle and drew her back against a hard body. She didn't need to look to know who it was. She didn't resist when he pulled her backwards and down on a blanket.

  The warrior lay beside her, eyes intense and molten. One of his hands slid up her dress and stroked her upper thigh, gripping and then releasing. She said nothing, just watched him. Her thighs quivered as his hand rose higher.

  "Spread," he said.

  She didn't hesitate. She did as he asked, spreading her thighs wide. His thumb pressed against her clitoris and she couldn't control her moan or the way her body jerked in reaction. She looked down her body and saw the subtle movements beneath the material of her dress as his arm shifted. He slid his fingers inside of her. She tipped her head back and closed her eyes against the bright sunlight.

  There was no sound aside from her occasional gasps and moans. He didn't make a sound, but she knew his eyes were on her. When she was close, she tried to turn towards him, but he kept her in place. She lifted her hips and gripped his forearm, urging him to go faster. He didn't. He kept the slow, torturous pace that kept her right on the edge.