Lust. He groaned. Oh yes, he loved her more than anything, but raw, violent lust was what slammed into him so hard at that moment he could hardly catch his breath. He needed her now. She kissed him, her tongue spiritedly wrestling with his. He savored the wild taste of her kiss and the erotic sensation of her body moving against his. The need growing in her was exploding in him. Without warning, he extended his wings to full length and launched off the cliff. She stiffened for an instant. Before he could say anything to assure her that she was safe with him, she was kissing him again. Wasting no time, he took them straight down to the beach.
The moment his feet touched the sand their clothing disappeared. She was ready for him. He thrust inside her body so fast and hard that he didn’t even think about hiding his wings. His only thought was of the pleasure that her body alone could give his, that his alone could give hers. Nothing in the world could ever compare to the satisfaction of burying his cock inside her body. He was wild, ferocious. He was just barely mindful, only enough to prevent him from harming her, of his great strength and her physical weakness.
Multiple orgasms ripped through her entire body. It was so amazing, so wonderfully exquisite that she was near tears. She could do little else but hold onto him, her nails digging into his shoulders.
Finally, he lost all control. There was no holding it back, no fighting it. With a beastly roar he thrust one last time, burying his cock deep as possible. His entire body shuddered. Her inner muscles violently and tightly clenched his cock as his hot seed spurted inside her body.
~ Twenty ~
IT WAS EARLY afternoon. Wicked Sensations, Mary’s strip club, wasn’t officially open for business. Nikolas got off his motorcycle. He immediately knew Demetri was expecting him. Several annoying traps had already been set in place. None were deadly. None were strong enough to stop him. It was clear Demetri wanted Nikolas and Zack to come inside the building. “Can you feel it?”
“Of course,” Zack said. “How did he know you were coming?”
“I told him.”
“Why?”
“Why not?”
Walking across the parking, Zack asked, “Are you sure this is the best place to pick a fight with Demetri?”
“He’s the one instigating a fight. And I sure as hell don’t intend to waste my time chasing after him.” Nikolas smiled. “He wants a fight, he’s got one. He certainly doesn’t like his woman being threatened.”
“This is a very bad idea. His presence is extremely strong here. We should lure him somewhere else.”
Nikolas shook his head. “He’s too smart for that.”
“In case you haven’t noticed, he’s got an entire army of vampires here.”
“Stop whining.” Opening the door, Nikolas glanced over his shoulder. “Leave if you’re afraid of the damn mosquitoes. But stop whining.”
Zack followed Nikolas inside. “Mosquitoes supercharged with Demetri’s power.”
Nikolas walked toward the very center of the establishment and took a seat. Within seconds a waitress walked over to them. She had deep, dark circles around her eyes, and her face was pale and gaunt, making her look much older than her true age. She looked overused and reeked of dirty, nasty, old sex. Obviously unaware of her unappealing appearance, she seductively leaned over the table, allowing her breasts to hang out of her tiny tank top. “What’s your pleasure?”
“Mary Tate rotting in her grave,” Nikolas said. The waitress, obviously believing it was a joke, laughed. “I’m not kidding,” he said, allowing his eyes to turn black and ripples of his dark power to wash over her. The waitress stepped backed away from the table slowly, and then she turned and ran toward the bar.
Zack laughed aloud. “And I thought my people skills needed work.”
“Beating around the bush will just waste time.”
“You’ve never been one to waste time.”
Nikolas sensed the presence of danger. It was affecting him to the extent that his blood pressure elevated, and he couldn’t control it. It was odd. Of course there was danger. Walking into the bar he knew he was instigating a fight with Demetri. Why would his body react to the presence of danger? It had to be a spell. What else could it be? He’d never experienced fear. And yes, it was fear in him that was causing his blood pressure to soar.
“You aren’t looking so good,” Zack said. “What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know.” Reaching out with his mind to search for the source of the spells affecting him, Nikolas glanced around. “Something is off. Do you feel it?”
“No.” All senses on high alert, Zack also reached out to examine the atmosphere.
“I think you’re right, Zack. Demetri is lost to us.”
The fact that Nikolas had admitted it shocked Zack. “What do you see?”
“It’s not what I see—it’s what I feel.” Nikolas locked his gaze onto Zack’s. “Go now, find Haden and tell him to not let Caylee out of his sight for even a second. No matter what happens, do not let either of them out of your sight.”
“Haden is with her. He can take care of her. I’ll go later—I’m not leaving you here alone.”
“No.” Nikolas shook his head. “I will be fine. Go now.”
* * *
Julie led Brianna by the hand toward the back entrance. Deep down Julie knew she was making a mistake. Coming to the strip club was the last thing she should be doing, but she was desperate to make contact with her younger sister, Emily. It had been several weeks since she’d heard from Emily.
Brianna had such a bad feeling that it was making her feel physically ill. “Something is not right. We shouldn’t be here.” She stopped walking. “We need to leave. I think we’re being watched.”
Julie glanced around. “No one is back here right now. No one knows we’re here. Come on. I can’t leave yet. I need to check on her.” Julie saw the fear on Brianna’s face, and she mentally kicked herself. “I knew this was too much for you. Bringing you was a mistake. I told you to stay at the boutique.”
“There’s no way I would ever let you come here alone. I just think we should’ve told Mia. She would’ve helped us. Coming here alone isn’t safe. What if Chad is here? What if someone else recognizes you?”
“No one will notice me. I’ve been wandering around this building ever since I was old enough to walk. Trust me, I know how to get around without being seen. And you know better. I can’t wait for Mia. She left Emily here. She gave up on her. I don’t blame her, but Emily is my sister, so I can’t just turn my back on her.”
“You know that isn’t true. Mia hasn’t given up on her. She never gives up on anyone. She just knows that your sister must want to get out of this place. I have absolutely no doubt that when Emily is ready, Mia will be there to fight for her.”
“Maybe, but I can’t wait.” Julie led Brianna into a vacant room. “Stay here. I’ll find her and then come back for you.”
“No way. I’m not staying anywhere in this place alone.”
“It will be quicker for me to search for her alone. No one will find you in this room. You’ll be safe here.”
Brianna started to argue but stopped when she heard the door close. “Julie?” Of course there was no answer; Julie was gone. The air in the room reeked of stale cigarette smoke, sweat, cheap perfume, and sex. No way was she staying in the room alone. She reached out to search for the doorknob, but before she found it, she heard the lock on it click. She grabbed the knob and tried to turn it. It was locked. Her heart raced. Her mouth went dry. She lifted her arms to pound on the door but stopped. She wouldn’t panic. She couldn’t. Drawing attention to the fact that they were there would get them killed. Julie would come back for her.
* * *
Nikolas was close to panic. Something terrible was happening. Something life altering. He couldn’t believe the way fear had gripped onto him. He reached up and wiped his brow. When he lowered his hand he realized he was sweating blood.
He knew the moment Demetri walked up behind him. S
truggling to regain his composure, he didn’t turn to look at Demetri. “I was wondering if you would come out of hiding.”
“You know better.” Demetri walked over to the other side of the table and pulled a chair out. “I was a little disappointed when you sent your boy away to protect him. Oh, I mean, to help your brother. I was hoping to have a little fun with Zack today. I hate to admit it, but he was right. You aren’t looking well at all, old friend.” He sat down. “You’re always so quick to strike. I’m assuming your poor condition has something to do with the fact that you still haven’t learned the meaning of the word caution.” He shrugged. “So, why are you here?”
Nikolas immediately noticed that Demetri had undergone a physical change since he’d seen him the year before. He’d aged. It was odd. Their kind never physically aged beyond thirty-three unless they were suffering some form of extreme anguish. The signs of it were so subtle it could’ve easily been missed: creases on his face, a few streaks of gray in his raven-black hair, and his normally vibrant golden brown eyes dark and dull.
“Playing dumb isn’t like you,” Nikolas said.
“What a pity,” Demetri replied in a sarcastic tone. “I guess you aren’t in the mood for small talk.”
“Tell me why you’re helping a vampire hunt my brother’s mate.”
“Your brother is an idiot. Haden left her to suffer for years. He doesn’t value her life as he should. For some demons, they must first lose their mates before they learn to value them. He needs to learn a lesson. If it’s her life, it’s her life. It would be no real loss in the scheme of things. She’s a weak, wretched human. Even now, he fails to take care of her. He has no right to leave her vulnerable because of his pathetic insecurities.”
“You cannot truly believe that my sister is vulnerable.” Nikolas laughed, but there was no humor in it. “We’ve known each other for a very long time. I’ve considered you my closest friend for more than ten thousand years, but since you’re planning to harm my brother’s mate you’ve become my greatest enemy.”
“Fantastic.” Grinning, Demetri nodded. “I would expect no less from you. I hope you expect no less from me.” He took a deep breath and released it with a long sigh. “Fear is an interesting emotion, is it not? Tell me, what does it feel like to sense a woman’s fear? Does it make your heart feel as if it might pound right out of your chest?” Narrowing his eyes, he smiled. “To be honest, I admire her. Imagine being so weak and walking into a place like this hoping to save another person. Oh yes, for all of her physical limitations, your beloved is a very brave girl. Foolish, but she’s brave, is she not?”
Outwardly, Nikolas remained as still as a mountain. Inwardly, he was trembling uncontrollably. He knew Demetri could sense his distress. No matter how hard he fought against it, he couldn’t break free from the fear gripping his heart. “She isn’t here. She isn’t weak. She has many willing to stand and fight for her.” Lowering his brow, Nikolas frowned. “You will die for threatening my sister, Demetri.”
“Your sister?” Leaning back in his chair, Demetri stretched his arms behind his back. “I thought you knew me better. Do you truly believe I would waste my time harming your sister to punish you for walking in here to threaten my woman? Your sister means nothing to me. The vampire will take care of your brother’s woman for his own reasons.” Lifting his brow, he smiled. “It isn’t your sister that I’ve targeted, Nikolas. It isn’t your sister that’s already suffering for your ignorance. It isn’t your sister’s fear you’re feeling right now.”
Nikolas knew there was some truth in it. He felt the presence of a female in the building. She was reaching for him, and she didn’t even know it. It couldn’t be his mate. He didn’t have one. He would know his mate. He sure as hell would know her before Demetri would. He was tempted to do it, but he knew better than to extend his mind to reach for the woman. Demetri would sense it and see it as an affirmation that he was concerned about the woman. Nikolas glanced at Mary. “Why do you defend the murderous whore?”
Demetri laughed aloud, mocking Nikolas. “You’ve grown cold in your old age. It seems that neglecting one’s mate is a family trait. After waiting for her for so long, I can’t believe you would rather talk about my woman than do anything to stop your mate’s terrifying ordeal.”
Narrowing his eyes, he shook his head. “No. That isn’t it, is it? You want nothing more than to reach for her, comfort her, protect her. What does it feel like to know she’s reaching for you, needing you, and you must ignore her to protect her? Do you truly believe that by acting disinterested you will keep me from harming her?” Clenching his jaw, he leaned forward and whispered, “It’s too late. She already tastes my vengeance.”
It was instant. It had been thousands of years since Nikolas lost control of his temper, but there was no containing his dragon’s rage. Shattering several windows, powerful gusts of wind arose from out of nowhere. Black clouds gathered, lightning streaks exploded, and baseball-size hail pummeled the building. Jumping to his feet, Nikolas tossed the table away and lunged for Demetri.
It was a violent fight like no other. Every vampire and every human in the bar, including Mary, fled the building. Nikolas and Demetri ripped the place apart. They were equally matched. Neither could win. If they continued, both would die.
The sounds of thunder and hail were so loud that Brianna’s ears ached. The room was quickly filling up with smoke. She couldn’t get the door to open. Smoke was burning her eyes, nose, and throat. For a few minutes she heard people screaming and fleeing the building. It sounded as if the building were being torn apart and ripped off its foundation. It didn’t matter. She knew it was over. The smoke was too thick. She couldn’t breathe. Even if she managed to open the door, she was dead—she couldn’t remember the way out of the building. She fell to her knees.
Uncaring that he was leaving his body exposed to any attack from Demetri, Nikolas froze and stared at the back of the building, expanding his mind to search it. The instant he found Brianna’s exact location he waved his hand to place a protective barrier around her.
“Now, only after you allow your mate to feel distress, you decide to reach for her. Tell me, did you pick up the habit of neglecting your mate from your father? It’s okay. Go fetch your mate, and I’ll go fetch Zack. We will have plenty of time to play later.”
Nikolas’ gaze darted to Demetri. It wasn’t a bluff. Demetri had every intention of going after Zack. What if the woman wasn’t real? She could be an illusion; Demetri possessed great power, and Nikolas knew she wasn’t his mate. It could very well be a trick. But if she was real, if she wasn’t an illusion, he couldn’t allow her to suffer and die. Zack was one of the most capable, most powerful warriors. He had a chance. The woman didn’t. Nikolas turned away from Demetri and started down the hall toward the end of the building.
“Wise decision.” Laughing, Demetri dissolved into a mist.
Nikolas didn’t rush. He had no reason to; the woman was perfectly safe. Making his way toward her, he was racing around in circles in his head. He walked down the burning hall with no regard for the flames or falling debris. Deep down in his soul, he knew he was about to meet his mate, the other half of his soul. How had Demetri known about her? Why would he harm her? Why would Demetri harm any innocent woman? The closer he got to her, the faster his heart raced.
Face down on the floor, Brianna felt a cool breeze wrap around her. The smoke that was suffocating her, burning her nose, throat, and eyes, was replaced by a pleasant, masculine scent. While pushing herself up onto her knees, she heard the door open and then close. Slowly, she turned toward the sound.
Nikolas stood in front of Brianna, towering over her, unable to look away, unable to move, unable to speak. There was a powerful stirring like no other in his body, his heart. She was his mate, his life. Dark, murderous rage filled his soul so he couldn’t prevent a low, animalistic growl from rumbling in his chest and throat. Demetri had just signed his death certificate.
Eyes sudd
enly going wide, Brianna gasped. She was trapped in a room with an animal. Its hatred and hunger for vengeance struck her to the core. Trembling, she stood up and took a step back.
“Don’t be afraid, little one,” he whispered. “I would never hurt you. I’m here to help you.”
“The building is on fire, isn’t it?” She’d had no doubt it was on fire a few minutes ago, but now she couldn’t even smell the slightest hint of smoke.
“Yes, but don’t be afraid. We’re going to make it out of here together.”
“My friend?”
“She’s safe,” he lied. At the moment he didn’t know, but he didn’t care. She was his only concern. “I know you can’t see me.” Taking a step closer, he closed the gap between them. “Don’t be startled—I’m going to take your hand.”
Nodding, she held her hand out for him. “Are you sure we can make it out?”
“Absolutely.” The instant his hand closed around hers, he pulled her to his side and wrapped his arm around her. “Stay close to me.” He expanded his wings and wrapped one around her to shield her from the heat of the flames—not that keeping her close to him or using his wing to shield her was necessary. He could’ve been thousands of miles away from her, and she would’ve been safe. The powerful protective barrier surrounding her would have prevented even one hair on her head from being singed even if the building had burned to the ground around her. Keeping her close, using his wing as an unnecessary precaution, felt so good he couldn’t resist doing it.
The moment Nikolas opened the door, Brianna heard the fire crackling and debris falling all around. But that was it. It was like before when her family’s home burned to the ground. She was walking side by side with a man through flames, but there was no trace of smoke in the air and no heat.
Nikolas easily monitored her thoughts. He knew the only being that would ever be able to take her through a fire was a demon. Because she was blind, she didn’t have any visual memory, but Nikolas knew the man who had saved her was Demetri. After meeting with Demetri today, Nikolas knew better than to believe it had been out of the goodness of his heart. Demetri planned to kill her, but he wanted to make sure Nikolas knew her first.
Eternal Breath of Darkness Page 27