Hunt the Darkness (Order of the Blade Book 11)

by Stephanie Rowe

  He slipped his thigh between hers, moving her legs apart as he settled between them. Desire and lust roared through him as he kissed her, his cock rock hard with a lifetime of suppressed lust surging through him.

  Maria locked her legs around his hips, her arms tight around his neck as she kissed him. He paused, his cock poised at her entrance. It was his last chance to say no, to reclaim the iron-willed control that had served him so well. If he made love to her now, he knew that his soul would never entirely belong to himself and the Order again, no matter how hard he tried. If he made love to her, a part of his soul would always belong to her.

  He understood suddenly, why his team members had bonded with their women. In this moment, with Maria in his arms, she was his entire focus. Tension gripped him, a need to refocus on the Order, but he couldn’t make himself do it. Right now, in this moment, with her on the edge of death, she was what mattered. He had to continue. He had to.

  She broke the kiss suddenly, pulling back to look at him. “You don’t have to do this,” she said. “I know the cost. We can find another way.”

  It was that offer, that pure, genuine willingness to sacrifice on his behalf that erased the last bit of his hesitation. The woman in his arms was a warrior, a selfless, courageous warrior who lived her life for others. There was no other woman worthy of him, and no other man worthy of her. He’d always lived with honor, and he knew damn well he was one of the good guys. He would honor her the way she deserved, and he knew that she would do the same for him, and for all those who were counting on her. “I want to,” he said simply, and then he drove into her, sheathing himself inside the woman who was meant for him.

  Chapter 22

  The moment she felt Gabe inside her, Maria knew that everything had changed for her. She’d never be able to live the life she’d led for so long. Her whole body seemed to cry out for him, and she had to bite back tears as he held her in his arms and kissed her, sensual, beautiful kisses that ignited not just her body, but her soul.

  His lovemaking was fierce, his hips driving into her with enough passion and force to tear apart the veil of death trying to take her. She could feel power surging into her, cleansing the poison from her body and igniting a fire within her. He was giving her everything she needed, but at the same time, it was completely different than anything she’d ever experienced before.

  The way his lips caressed hers, the way his hand was on her hip, supporting her, holding her, the way he’d let her into his mind, allowing her to feel his need for her, it made her feel like a woman. For the first time, she understood why some of the women wanted to stay with their demon lovers. In Gabe’s arms, she felt safe and protected, even treasured, for the first time in her life.

  “Hey,” he whispered against her mouth, breaking the kiss while his hips stilled, leaving himself sheathed deep inside her, but no longer moving.

  No man had ever stopped in the middle. Ever.

  “Maria.” He caught her chin, lifting her face.

  She opened her eyes to look at him, her heart constricting when she saw the tenderness in his eyes.

  “You’re crying.” He rubbed his thumb over her cheeks, wiping away the tears she hadn’t realized had escaped. “What’s wrong? Am I hurting you? Do you want me to stop?” He started to pull out, and she panicked.

  “No, don’t.”

  He stopped, sliding back deeper inside her, moving gently, not hammering at her. “What’s going on?” His voice was soft, more tender than she would ever have expected from a hardened, committed warrior like him.

  She shook her head. “It’s okay. Let’s keep going.”

  He laughed softly, and kissed her forehead. “Let’s keep going? Really? You’re my soulmate, sweetheart. You’ve been misused by men your whole life. There’s no chance in hell that we’re going any further while you’ve got tears on your cheeks.” He searched her face. “I know this isn’t your choice, and I’m sorry that you have to do this, but I want to make it right for you. What can I do?”

  His question was so genuine that she couldn’t stop the fresh surge of tears. “No,” she managed, lacing her hands behind his neck. “It’s not that. It’s…it’s just that you make this beautiful. It’s never been beautiful before. I didn’t realize how awful it was, until this moment, until you made me feel like I mattered, like you saw me as a woman, like you were here, only because it was me.”

  His face softened. “It is only about you, sweetheart. I’m not going to lie about how much I want you. I find you sexy as all hell, but that would never be enough to control me. Being with you is my choice.”

  “I know.” She framed his face with her palms. “I realize that the only reason you’re doing this is to save Dante, but—”

  “No.” He cut her off, his face darkening. “Don’t ever think that. Don’t ever think that I’m using you for your body.”

  She searched his face, trying to understand. “But—”

  “Listen to me, sweetheart.” He kissed the palm of her hand and then pressed it to his face again. “I’ve been around for over a thousand years. I have gone to hell and back for my mission, and I have never made the choice of bringing a woman into my plans. I’m an amazing warrior, and I don’t make bad choices.” His voice grew deeper. “If having you alive was my only goal, I would have dragged one of those demons with us and set him up as your sex slave until you were better. I would have sat in the doorway of this cavern with my weapons, guarding the entrance while you fucked him, right?”

  She stared at him. “That would have worked.”

  “Yeah, it would’ve, but I never even considered it.” He shook his head. “Someone has to have sex with you, and there’s no way I want it to be anyone but me. Ever. End of story.”

  Ever. The word hit hard and deep, making her want to cry again. The thought of never, ever having to prostitute herself to a scumbag again was almost overwhelming, a concept she could barely even grasp. It was a fantasy she’d never even entertained, and the mere thought of it as a possibility was overwhelming. She couldn’t hope for that, or she would never be able to do what she had to do. She pushed at his shoulder, trying to get him off her, but he was immovable. “Why? Why are you saying this to me? Is it some kind of Calydon he-man thing? I don’t want to be owned, and I’m not a trophy—”

  “No. You’re not.” He withdrew slightly and then slid deeper inside her, a small movement that made desire rush through her again. “Here’s the deal, sweetheart. You’re my soulmate, and when we finish making love, there’s going to be a mark on your arm that matches the brand on my arm. It marks you as mine, but—” He kissed away her protest, breaking the kiss only when she stopped trying to talk. “Listen to me. I don’t want or need some concubine to make love to and come home to. I will never walk away from my duty, and I need a woman who’s my partner, one who makes me stronger, one who I make stronger. I admire you because you’re a warrior, you have honor, and you and I will make the best damn team the earth has ever seen.”

  She stared at him through her tears. “You want a partner?”

  “An equal. I’m a team guy, Maria. I don’t like to go solo. Hell, I even blood bonded Vlad on this mission. That’s how desperate I am, though, I have to admit, he’s pretty impressive. But that’s the thing. I need you as my backup, and I’ll be yours.” He started moving inside her again, a slow, tantalizing sensation that began to coil through her. “But I’ll be honest, being inside you makes me feel like the world has shifted on its axis. I need you as my partner, but I want to be your lover, the man who makes you feel like the most treasured woman on the entire planet.” He swore under his breath. “I can’t believe I’m saying this to a woman, but it is what it is. There’s no point in fighting it, so we need to work it to our benefit.”

  She bit her lip, trying to hold her emotions in. “I don’t even know you. You’re a stranger—”

  “Am I?” He opened his mind to her, and she was suddenly bombarded with a thousand years of emotions, batt
les, sacrifices, and losses. Everything he’d experienced, everything he’d failed at, every victory he’d bled for, all laid out for her to experience. She saw his courage, his honor, his bravery, his single-minded focus toward his job, his absolute refusal to accommodate any female in his life, and his absolute unrelenting commitment to his mission, the Order and Dante. He was a true warrior, a man of honor and faith, a man who lived by the same code that she’d tried so hard to adhere to, even in her world of lust, debauchery, and mercilessness, where she tried so hard to stay above the darkness.

  He met her gaze, and then she felt something else. His soul, reaching for her, enfolding her in his strength and kindness, like a shield of compassion that would never, ever fail. She felt like he was holding her very soul in his hands, cradling it against his chest as if she were the most precious being in the world.

  This time, there was no stopping the tears. “I can’t be your teammate,” she said. “I have to save these women—”

  “We do it together.” He kissed her then, a deep, relentless, passionate kiss that stripped her of all that remained of her protections. She didn’t want to believe in him. She didn’t want to count on him. She knew his devotion to the Order and to Dante, and she knew that despite his words, her own mission, her women, would have to come second. As long as he could fit it all in, he would stay true to his word, but if he had to choose, she knew what he would choose.

  She would be second on his list, a high second, a treasured second, but second nonetheless.

  Trust me, Maria. I could never hurt you. His voice drifted through her mind like a soft caress. I’m a really good warrior. I can do it all. We will do it all. The impossible choice will never have to be made.

  She gasped as he continued to move inside her. And what if we have to face it? What then?

  He was silent for a moment, and his hips stilled. He looked down at her, and she saw the anguish on his face, the truth he didn’t want to face. “I can’t fail my team,” he said softly.

  She nodded, understanding. “I can’t fail my women.”

  They stared at each other for a long moment. The torment on his face touched her heart, and she felt the depth of his struggle to accept that he might have to make a choice. She knew how much his Order of the Blade meant to him, and the mere fact that he could even consider the possibility of putting her first was enough. She mattered, and she understood the place she occupied, because he could never be higher on her list either. “As long as we’re honest,” she said softly. “Just never lie to me. Never make promises you can’t keep. As long as you do that, I can trust you.” Her fingers tightened behind his head. “I need to trust you,” she whispered, realizing she did. He made her realize how empty she’d had to make her heart in order to survive the life she was bound to. Being able to count on a man was a luxury that she’d never thought she’d have.

  He nodded. “I’ll never lie to you,” he said, his voice raw with honesty. “And you?”

  “I promise.”

  “And you know what else I promise?” He began to move inside her again, and this time, she didn’t resist. She just opened herself to him, and all he had to offer.

  “What else do you promise?”

  He kissed her, deeply, passionately, and tenderly. I promise you’ll never have to be with anyone except me again. No more demons. Just me. There was a slight hesitation. Please tell me that’s okay with you.

  She almost laughed at the strain in his voice. Yes, Gabe, that is more than okay with me if you make it so I don’t have to endure sex with anyone else.

  Endure? Is that how you see this? He moved deeper, and faster, making desire rush through her.

  With you, never. It’s…magic. There was no other word to describe what it felt like to be with him. He might be the one who’d never had sex before, but she was the one who felt like he was showing her a world she’d never known before.

  Magic. I like that. He caught her mouth in a kiss that seemed to knock her world off its axis. The kiss wasn’t about sex. It reached inside her and touched her as a woman. It awakened the human part of her, the side of her that felt fear, hope, sadness, and joy, the part of her that she worked so hard not to acknowledge, because feeling emotions made it impossible to endure the life she had. She didn’t want to feel, but at the same time, responding emotionally to Gabe made the world seem brighter and more vibrant. It made her feel treasured, and powerful, as if she’d just begun to tap into a second source of power that she’d never acknowledged.

  Was it really possible that aligning herself with Gabe and caring about him could make her stronger? She’d worked so hard to be solo, trusting only Sophie, but now, everything was different.

  You’re thinking too much, sweetheart. Gabe cupped her breast as he moved his hips, driving deeper inside her. I’m not doing my job if you can be over-analyzing while I’m making love to you.

  She smiled, gasping at the surge of desire he evoked inside her. I always do that. Staying distant from my body is the only way to survive sex.

  It’s not like that anymore. I want you to be here with me. He kissed her again, more deeply, pouring heat into her. His tongue swept across hers, a magical seduction that sent waves of desire rushing through her.

  She fought against the tidal wave of need, struggling to stay in control, but with each kiss, and each delicious move of his hips, the need for him escalated, and her ability to hold it off faltered. She realized she didn’t want to stay in control anymore. She wanted to lose herself to Gabe and his lovemaking. Surrender sounded like a gift she’d never had before.

  That’s my girl. He nibbled her earlobe, a ridiculous gesture that made chills explode through her body. She let out a small cry, gripping his shoulders, unable to contain herself.

  She felt his smile. You like that, do you? He kissed her ear, sliding his teeth over the edge of it, still gliding in and out of her with increasing force.

  It feels amazing. She twisted beneath him, her body begging for more. I don’t understand. How can it feel so good? She let out another yelp as he thumbed her nipple. Her senses were fragmenting as he came at her from so many angles. Another nip on her earlobe, her nipple, his cock deep, and his need pouring into her, a sensual, heated need that evoked an answering need from her.

  Suddenly, it was no longer about enduring. She wanted more of him. She wanted everything he could give her. With a low cry of need, she wrapped her arms around his neck, dragging his face to hers. His kiss was exotic and intense, a primal claiming that escalated the tension building within her. He wasn’t holding back now, pouring all his strength and need into the lovemaking. She was a lust demon, and she should be the one with the greater need, but his was devouring her, claiming her, branding her with each kiss and each thrust.

  She loved the way he loomed over her, the strength of his body as he made love to her, controlling the pace and the depth, until he was so deep inside her that she wanted to scream his name and hold onto him forever.

  Tell me you’re mine. Say it. I need to hear it. He drove deeper and faster, harder, dragging her into his frenzy.

  She could barely breathe now, her entire body screaming for his. You’re mine, she gasped.

  He laughed, and kissed her again, his fingers pinching her nipple. Okay, I concede. Partners. I’m yours. You’re mine. Equal authority. He reached between them and ran his fingers across the swollen nub between her legs.

  She gasped and bucked, but he followed her, ruthlessly making her his, unleashing a spiral of heat and desire beyond anything she knew she was capable of.

  Say it, he demanded. Say you’re mine. Say we’re partners, in it to the end.

  But my women come first. And your mission comes first. She’d been lied to so many times, she wouldn’t do it again, even though she could barely think over the desire rushing through her.

  His irritation rushed over her, quickly followed by a surge of admiration. Shit. You’re exactly what I need to keep me in line. Partners, coming in sec
ond, but a strong, unassailable second. Deal?

  She grinned, arching back as he upped his assault on her body. Deal.

  That’s my girl. He caught her mouth in a searing, ruthless kiss that was pure male, pure claiming, pure ownership, that exploded through her, sucking the last vestiges of control from her grasp. The orgasm swept through her, yanking her out of her world and thrusting her into his arms. She gasped, clinging to him desperately as her body shook from the sheer force of the orgasm.

  Maria. Gabe’s stunned gasp filled her with more power, more emotion, more need. Then he bucked against her, his muscles going rigid as the orgasm claimed him. He swore aloud, driving into her harder and harder, sending them both hurtling out of control, until there was nothing left but the sheer force of the orgasm, searing every cell in their bodies, and laying raw, stark claim to their battered souls.

  She screamed his name, her fingernails digging into his back as the orgasm thrust her mercilessly over the edge. He pounded into her, somehow protecting her from the sheer weight of his body, shouting her name over and over again, as if his entire world had become only her.

  With one last roar of possession that made her scream again, the orgasm finally released her. She free-fell out of its grasp, tumbling into Gabe’s powerful arms as he collapsed, half on top of her, half beside her, the bulk of his weight against her side instead of crushing the breath from her lungs.

  His arm was wrapped around her waist, his leg locked around hers, his face buried in her hair as he fought for breath. His lungs were heaving, and so were hers. Perspiration cascading between her breasts, her body aching from the force of their lovemaking. “Holy crap,” he muttered. “Is it always like that?”

  “It’s never like that.” She could still barely breathe, her lungs gasping for oxygen. Her skin felt as if it were on fire, with every nerve ending screaming for more.