“You almost killed her,” Darrak snarled. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t tear your head off right now and shove it down the garbage disposal.”
Ben didn’t reply. He simply looked from the furious demon over to Eden, who scrambled up from the floor as fast as she could.
“Darrak, stop it! Let go of him.”
Darrak finally pushed away from Ben and staggered back a few feet. His pale face was shiny with sweat and he looked ill and weak. He covered his stomach with his hand and leaned over as if wracked with pain, his chest heaving.
“Eden—” Ben turned to her, shock and grief in his gaze. “I’m so sorry that happened. I—I can’t believe what I’m seeing here—but it’s true. You’re in danger. You have to come with me. Away from that—that monster.”
She shook her head. “You need to go.”
“Eden—”
“Ben, listen to me. You need to forget what you saw here. It’s better for you that way.”
He frowned as if he didn’t understand what she was saying. “He’s a demon.”
“I know that.”
“Come with me. Please.”
“I can’t.”
“You want to stay with him even… knowing what he is?” His dark blue eyes clearly showed his shock.
She swallowed hard. “Yes. And I want you to leave now.”
He stared at her for a full minute, perhaps waiting for her to change her mind, before he shakily holstered his gun under his leather jacket. He cast a last glance at Darrak, who was now hunched over against the wall by the coat closet.
“Fine.” He nodded with one jerk of his head. He absently ran his fingers over the cross he wore. “But don’t say I didn’t offer to help you.”
He turned, opened the door, and left the apartment. Eden rushed to Darrak’s side. He was slowly sinking to the ground.
He’d grown even paler. His eyes were glazing over.
“What’s happening to you right now?” she demanded. “What happens if you lose all your energy?”
“You get… your wish.” He forced a weak smile. “I’ll… vanish into thin air and be… out of your life forever. Won’t take long now.”
That’s what she wanted. That’s what she planned to get Malcolm to do for her tomorrow.
“Take some of my energy,” she said.
He shook his head. “No, Eden… I need too much right now.”
“I don’t care.”
“You don’t know what you’re saying.”
“Sure I do.” She crouched in front of him.
“Let me fade. I’m… close now. Only another minute and—”
She grabbed hold of his face and kissed him hard on his mouth.
It served two purposes. It shut him the hell up, and it opened herself up for him to dip into her newly restored energy.
It was like an endlessly rotating circle. He healed her. She healed him. Rinse and repeat.
He didn’t resist for very long. He pressed his mouth against hers and began to absorb her energy. After a few moments, she started to feel light-headed. She opened her mouth to the kiss, knowing full well that this was the same demon who minutes ago had horns and was covered in gold flames in the middle of her apartment. An archdemon. A title that made people who knew what that meant shudder in fear like Malcolm had, or hightail it right out of town like Leena.
But Eden wasn’t afraid of him. She thought she would be—she had every damn reason to be—but she wasn’t afraid. At least not at the moment.
She could have gotten rid of him once and for all. The opportunity had presented itself, and she hadn’t taken it. Instead she was metaphysically making out with the demon on the linoleum floor of her kitchenette. And it felt way too good.
Maybe she had been drinking heavily that morning. At least that would be a reasonable explanation for her current behavior.
The longer the kiss went on, the weaker she felt, and it wasn’t just because Darrak was an amazing kisser.
She remembered what he’d told her the last time he’d taken some of her energy.
“The problem is that the energy I’ve tasted of yours is very… what’s a good word to use here? Irresistible. Delicious . Addictive. Any of those would do.”
“My energy is tasty?” she’d asked.
“Yes. Very. Therefore I can’t take too much or I might not be able to stop myself.”
But he did stop himself. After another minute Darrak finally broke off their kiss. He looked totally renewed and alive. He smiled at her for a split second until he saw the expression on her face. She was the one who was fading now.
And fading fast.
“Eden…”
“I’m okay.” She shakily rose to her feet. A wave of dizziness came over her and she braced her hand against the wall.
“I took too much, didn’t I?”
“Maybe just a smidge,” she replied, just as her legs gave out completely. She felt his firm arms come around her a moment before she would have hit the floor.
Everything went black.
———
When Eden woke up, she smelled lasagna.
She raised her head from the sofa where she currently lay to look over at the kitchenette. Darrak was removing a piece of lasagna—courtesy of the departed Leena—from the microwave oven.
“Are you hungry?” she asked.
His shoulders tensed. “This is for you. I sensed you were about to wake up and thought you should have something waiting when you did.”
He brought it over to her with a fork and placed the plate on the coffee table in front of her. Then he took a few steps back to give her space.
She felt nervous with him standing there watching her after everything that had happened, but reached forward to have a few bites of the pasta dish. Leena hadn’t been kidding. She really knew how to cook.
A glance at the clock on her wall unit told her it was almost four o’clock. “Guess I’ve been out for a while, huh?”
“I took too much energy from you. I couldn’t control myself.”
“It’s understandable.”
He barked out a laugh. “Is it?”
“You were in rough shape.” She pushed the plate away from her. Then she started folding the afghan that Darrak had covered her with while she slept. The demon stood with his back against the breakfast bar. Even though he looked strong and energized, his face was still as pale as it had been when he’d almost faded away to nothing. “You still don’t look so great.”
“I’ve made a decision.”
“Oh, yeah?”
He nodded and pulled a business card out of his pocket. “I found this in your purse. Malcolm gave you his phone number when you saw him last night?”
She stood up from the sofa, moved toward him, and snatched the card out of his hand. “You went through my purse when I was unconscious?”
“I went through your closets yesterday. It was only a matter of time before I got to your purse. I’m eyeing your medicine cabinet and lingerie drawer next.” There was a momentary spark of humor in his blue eyes at her outraged expression. “You need to call him.”
“And why would I want to do that?”
“You already intimated you’d scheduled my exorcism. I assume it’s through the boy wonder.”
When she didn’t say anything he must have taken that to be a confirmation.
“Why didn’t he already do it?” he asked.
Eden tried to think of a reasonable explanation for everything but decided that the truth was the best idea, all things considered. Otherwise, she’d be a bit of a hypocrite, wouldn’t she? “He couldn’t do it when you were dampened. And then when he found out you’re an archdemon he had to go ask his superiors how to…”
“How best to squash me like a cockroach from Hell?” he finished.
“He didn’t put it that way, but that was the general idea.”
“Call him and tell him he doesn’t have to ask anybody anything. I won’t fight him. He can come over ri
ght now and we can finish this. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled to bag an archdemon. He might get a medal or something for his efforts.”
She exhaled. “I’m so glad to hear you feel that way. Could you please be a doll and bring me the phone?”
He stiffened, then walked over to the dinette table, grabbed the cordless phone, and brought it over to her.
She took it from him. “Thanks so much. I wonder if he’d mind picking me up a coffee on his way over?”
Darrak shrugged. “I don’t know. You should ask him.” She glared at the demon. “You don’t really think I’m going to call him right now, do you?”
His jaw was tight and there was no humor in his expression. “I can’t think of a single reason why you wouldn’t call him. Don’t you want to be free of me?”
“To say it’s been a goal of mine would be putting it mildly.”
“So do it, already. This is your chance.”
She placed the phone down on the dinette table and put her hand on her hip. “You saved my life.”
“Then I almost sucked it out through your mouth. And I’m draining you of energy every single day you’re possessed with me. Everything I am, everything I do, is killing you.”
She cringed. “We’ll figure out another way.”
“There is no other way. Call Malcolm. He wants to help you. He can help you. Even though I’m corporeal right now, I’m still bound to you, so don’t fight him. You need to open yourself up to him the same way you opened yourself up to me earlier.”
She looked down at the phone. “Are you saying I need to make out with him? He’s a little too young for me.”
He grabbed the receiver and pointed at her with it. “This isn’t funny.”
“Darrak, let’s talk about this.”
He sighed with frustration. “What’s there to talk about? I lied to you over and over. Shamelessly. I’m an evil archdemon from the belly of Hell who turns nice girls into black witches. And I’m killing you, little by little, even without trying just by my very existence. What’s the problem here?” He thrust the phone out to her.
She didn’t take it from him. “What happened to your self-protective instinct?”
“I’m fighting it as we speak. I might start crying like a baby in a moment if you don’t take this phone from me. But I know this is the right thing to do. Just do it, would you?”
That made her actually laugh out loud. It was a small burst of hysteria that surprised even her. “The badass, evil archdemon is demanding that I call somebody to exorcise him so he doesn’t hurt me anymore. Is that it?”
He glowered. “That’s pretty much it.”
“What happened to the whole ‘I’ve been infused with humanity and I’ve changed to be a good boy now’ story?”
His face was expressionless. “All lies, of course. I’m evil incarnate. You saw what I look like in demon form. Did that look like a fluffy, helpful bunny to you?”
“No, it certainly did not. Bunnies don’t have horns or hellfire going on.”
“Then… there you go.”
“There’s one problem with what you’re saying, though,” she said.
He sighed again. “And what’s that?”
“I believe that you’ve changed.” She stepped closer to him and put her hand on his chest and looked up at his tense face. “Because you have. I don’t know what you were really like before, but you’re not evil anymore. And the fact that you’d be willing to sacrifice yourself to save my pathetic little life is all the proof I need.”
He swore. “Fine. I’m going to have to call him myself.” “I’m not giving you Malcolm’s card.”
He smiled thinly at her. “You don’t have to. I memorized the number.”
He started dialing.
“I can stop you if I use your real name, can’t I?” she said.
He looked at her. “You can. But just remember I’ve killed all but one human who ever had that sort of power over me.”
“I already used your name earlier, remember?”
“You did.”
“So kill me.”
He jabbed his index finger at her. “You’re crazy. I think I get it now. You’ve gone completely nutty as a fruitcake. I’m surprised it took this long, actually. There have been humans who’ve seen my demon visage and gone insane with fear at my greatness.”
She rolled her eyes. “Okay, you’re obviously very full of yourself. It was impressive, sure. But let’s not get carried away.”
“Crazy.” He shook his head and started dialing again. “So are you going to use my real name to stop me?”
“No.”
“Then you’re going to let me do this?”
“No.”
“Then what are you—?”
She kissed him.
TWENTY
Darrak dropped the phone.
It had been the reaction she’d hoped for.
He grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back from him, his expression filled with confusion at her strange behavior. “What the hell was that for?”
“I had to stop you from making a serious mistake.”
“A mistake?” he repeated, eyeing her warily. “Maybe I’ll drain you of the rest of your energy. That would be a mistake. For you.”
“I don’t think you will.”
“Then you’re very naïve. And you’re asking for trouble.”
She tried to touch him but he grabbed her wrists firmly, pushing her easily back up against the wall, effectively trapping her in place.
“You’re playing a dangerous game, Eden,” he whispered in her ear. “Now that you know the truth about me. Now that you know what I’m capable of. Are you feeling reckless all of a sudden? The brush with death wasn’t enough for you?”
She inhaled sharply at the feel of his extremely warm body pressed against hers. It made it difficult to think straight.
This was the same demon who’d been seven feet of horns and fire only hours ago. The one who had, admittedly, nearly drained her of all of her energy. Sure, he might have changed somewhat since his archdemon days, he might be charming and handsome and easy to talk to in human form, but he was still dangerous. She knew it.
He could hurt her so easily if he wanted to.
But she truly believed he didn’t want to.
There was one way to find out for sure.
“Darrak…” Her mouth was only inches from his.
“Why did you have to start this?” His voice sounded strained. “I gave you the chance to end this. You really are crazy.”
She nodded. “Maybe you’re right.”
He’d released her, but hadn’t stepped back. She brought her hands up to his face and looked into his eyes.
Then, without another word, he kissed her hard enough to make her gasp against his lips. She slid her fingers into his dark hair, and his hands moved down to the small of her back and over the curve of her butt, pulling her even closer to him.
“Eden, please,” he managed after a moment. “This is a mistake. You shouldn’t be with me. You should be with your golden boy. He won’t hurt you.”
“He shot me.”
Darrak blinked. “Well, other than the near-fatal gunshot wound and his tendency to use violence to solve problems, he only wants what’s best for you. I see that now.”
She nodded. “You’re right. But there’s only one problem.”
“What?”
“I don’t want him. I want you.”
“You want me,” he repeated with disbelief. “But don’t you—”
She pulled his face down to meet hers again and kissed him. After a moment, he effortlessly picked her up without breaking the kiss for a moment.
The next thing she felt other than Darrak’s lips against hers was the softness of her mattress against her back. He’d taken her to her bedroom—all of fifteen feet away.
Okay, so her big plan of kissing him to get him to forget about calling Malcolm had worked.
Like, really well.
“Te
ll me to stop and I will,” Darrak said, looking down at her and bracing himself on his forearms.
Instead, she pulled the black T-shirt off, over his head, and ran her hands over the hard, muscled planes of his chest and abdomen before her hand drifted lower.
He sucked in a breath. “Eden.”
She smiled up at him. “Very human right now, aren’t you?”
“At this very moment, excruciatingly so.” His gaze burned into hers. “You’re playing with danger.”
“Is that what I’m playing with?” Her smile grew. “Thanks for the clarification.”
He groaned, then crushed his mouth against hers. She felt strangely victorious to have broken through all of his annoying protests.
Ten points to her.
And then, as he stripped her clothes off piece by piece and slowly kissed every inch of her body, she was reminded of the previous morning when she’d stopped herself, embarrassed at the extent of her need for this man she barely knew.
This demon.
But she did know him. Even though it had only been a few days, she knew him better than anyone else she’d known in her entire life.
And this time when he finally entered her, it wasn’t because he’d turned to black smoke first.
“Eden… you feel so good…” he breathed as their bodies moved together. “But I don’t want to hurt you.”
His dark hair felt so soft sliding through her fingers. “You’re not. Believe me.”
She thought he wanted to say something else, but he didn’t. His blue eyes bore into hers. There was none of the cocky, smart-ass flirtation from when she’d woken to find him in her bed before. He was serious. He desperately didn’t want to hurt her. Was he afraid of being so swept away with passion that he couldn’t control himself with her?
That was as hot as it was scary.
But despite his multiple warnings, she trusted him more than he trusted himself. And she now knew she wanted this—wanted him—since nearly the first moment she saw him.
Maybe she was crazy.
She’d been closed off before, afraid of trusting, afraid of being hurt after everything that had happened in her life—abusive boyfriends, cheating fiancés, unreliable mothers, bad and unfulfilling jobs—but Darrak was different.
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