Fighting Demon: Devil's Knights Series

by Winter Travers

  “Shut the fuck up, would you? I’m not whipped like you are.”

  “Yeah, well, I may be whipped, but I’m at least getting something out of it. Last I knew, you and Fayth couldn’t fucking stand each other.”

  “We can’t. Or at least we used to not.” Slider threw his hands up in the air and paced the length of the porch. “I can’t stand her. She’s always telling me this and asking me to do that. I don’t know what the hell is going on anymore. She told me she doesn’t like me smoking around her, but I always have to be around her, so I had to figure out something to do to smoke.”

  “But you’re not really smoking, you know that, right?”

  “Well, having the damn thing in my mouth is better than not.”

  “You do know how fucking insane you sound, right?”

  “I’m well aware of the fact that a woman who is not even warming my bed has somehow affected my whole life.” Slider grabbed another cigarette and shoved it in his mouth. “One fucking word out of you and I’ll pound your face in.” He pointed a finger at me and spun around, continuing his pacing.

  “Hey, I know how it is, brother. Paige has got me all wound up that I don’t know which way is up anymore.” I leaned against the porch railing and crossed my arms over my chest.

  “I repeat, that woman,” Slider waved his hands in the direction of the woods where Fayth had just disappeared too, “has no hold on me. I'm just nice to her until King stops sucking Leo’s ass.”

  “He’s just keeping up relations, brother. You know Leo has been helping us out big time with the whole Assassins bullshit and keeping an eye on his sister isn’t that big of a deal.”

  “It is when it’s not only her but her son that when he opens his eyes every morning, he instantly falls into trouble. You know, I can appreciate a kid that’s in trouble because I was the same way growing up, but this kid is fifteen years old and has a longer rap sheet than I do.” Slider pulled the cigarette out of his mouth, tossed it on the ground and pulled out another. “I’m going crazy between that woman and her son.”

  “Once we get this whole Big A thing squared away, I’m sure you’ll be off Fayth duty.” I couldn’t help but notice that Slider was affected way more by Fayth than he should be.

  “So do we know what we’re dealing with? Has Big A completely fallen off his rocker?”

  I pulled my phone out of my pocket and showed Slider the messages that Big A had been sending King. “Hide your children. Hide your women.” Slider looked up at me, shocked. “Is this guy fucking serious? I’m assuming these are the messages that split us apart trying to throw off Big A.”

  “Yeah, these were the last messages King got. Big A is focusing on our ol’ ladies and kids now.” I scrolled over to another message, and I held it up to Slider. “This all goes back to that fucking idiot that hurt Cyn.”

  “‘You took my family, so now I take yours.’ This guy is fucking whacked.”

  “Yeah, he is. King and Leo are trying to find him, but every rock they overturn he’s dodged them by seconds.”

  “So we are just supposed to be here like sitting ducks, waiting for Big A’s next move?”

  I shrugged my shoulders and glimpsed Paige through the window of the cabin. “Honestly, I don’t know what the hell we are supposed to do, but I have to admit being in a secluded cabin with Paige is OK with me.”

  “Yeah, I’m sure it fucking is since you’re not trapped in that damn cabin with Meg, her kid, and Fayth.”

  “Aw, come on. The kid isn’t bad at all,” I joked.

  “Yeah, he is the only one I don’t have to worry about. Meg is just fucking insane, and Fayth, well, I don’t fucking know what to say about Fayth.” Slider ran his fingers through his hair, leaned against the railing of the porch, gazing into the woods that Fayth had disappeared into. “You think I should go look for her? She shouldn’t be out there wandering around by herself.”

  “She said she would just be on the edge of the woods.” I cupped my hands around my mouth and yelled for Fayth.

  “I’m on the phone,” she hollered back. She peeked her head out from behind a tree and waved a gloved hand at us.

  “There ya go. I don’t think you have anything to worry about with her. She seems to have a pretty good head on her shoulders.” I grabbed my empty coffee cup off the railing and headed into the house. “You think anyone followed you up here? To me splitting up the way we did was the best thing to do.” I turned around, my hand on the doorknob and looked at Slider.

  “From what I could tell, no one knows we are here except for the club.”

  I nodded my head. “Good. I’m gonna see what trouble Meg is getting Paige into. Corruption is Meg’s middle name.”

  “Good luck,” Slider laughed as he walked down the porch steps and headed in the direction of Fayth.

  I watched him walk away, and I couldn’t help but think he was going to need luck too if he thought he had a chance in hell of not falling for Fayth. From what I had seen, Fayth was just what Slider needed, now he just had to figure it out for himself.

  I pushed the door open, the smell of warm apple pie hitting my nose as I spotted Meg and Paige in the kitchen. Paige was leaning against the counter, a coffee cup in her hands while Meg pulled a pie from the over. Paige’s eyes fell on me, warm and inviting, and I couldn’t help but think that even though things were going sideways with Big A, I at least had Paige to come home to.

  Nothing and no one was going to take that away from me.

  ________

  Paige

  “Shopping, really?”

  “Yes, really. I’ve googled it. There are a couple of shops that are only twenty minutes north. We could make an afternoon of it.” Meg clapped her hands, excited that she had thought of a brilliant idea.

  “Mom, do we really have to shop? Isn’t there something else we could do? You can shop at home all of the time,” Remy grunted. I tilted my head to the side, realizing that Remy fit in well with all the grunting and growling all the guys of the club did. Meg was raising her own alpha.

  “Yes, Remy. You’re still only seventeen, so you do what I say.” Meg propped her hands on her hips and stared down Remy. “I’ll buy ya an ice cream cone if you’re good.”

  “I swear; she treats me like I’m ten.” Remy grabbed his coat and headed to the door. “I’ll be in the truck waiting like a good boy.”

  “Love you,” Meg called as he slammed the door. “I swear; he could be a little bit more thankful to me for bringing his broody butt into this world. So,” she asked, looking around, “you guys ready?”

  “I’m down with shopping. I’ll grab my purse.” Fayth jogged up the stairs, and Meg cleared her throat, looking at me. “What about you? Up for some retail therapy?”

  “Um…” No, I really wasn’t, but I had no idea how to tell Meg no without her railroading me and throwing me into the truck.

  “I think we’ll just stay here. We’ll make dinner while you’re gone,” Demon replied for me.

  “Aw shit, you’re fucking kidding me. Now that means I have to fucking go. I was hoping Paige would go, and then you would follow like a good puppy,” Slider growled.

  “Sorry, brother. Looks like you’re the chaperone of this field trip,” Demon laughed.

  “We ready?” Fayth asked as she bounded down the steps, and waited by the door.

  “You owe me,” Slider growled. He grabbed the keys to the SUV and moved to the door. “I drive, everyone shuts up, and that’s it,” he ordered as he brushed past Fayth and stormed at the door.

  “Well, this should be interesting,” Fayth laughed as she followed Slider.

  “I’m pretty sure that’s an understatement,” Meg laughed as she grabbed her purse and hitched it over her shoulder. “You two have fun,” Meg called. She slipped out the door but popped her head back in. “No sex in my bed,” she winked and closed the door as she laughed her ass off.

  “Did she really just say that?”

  “Yeah. She sure as shit d
id.” Demon leaned against the counter, and his eyes devoured me.

  “So, um,” I stuttered. “What did you think we could make for dinner?”

  He rested his palms on the counter behind him. “Come here,” he growled.

  “Demon, you said we’d make dinner,” I reminded him, even though dinner was the last thing on my mind.

  “Paige, come here now,” he ordered again.

  I shuffled my way over to him and stood between his spread legs. “I’m here,” I whispered.

  “But not close enough.” He grabbed me behind the neck and pulled me close. His other arm wrapped around my waist and he buried his face in my hair. “How in the hell did I miss you when we were together the whole day?”

  “Um, I don’t know,” I said dumbly because I felt the same way and I didn’t know why.

  His hand roamed under my shirt and up my back where he found the clasp of my bra. Before I knew what he was doing my bra was unhooked, and I gasped. “Demon, what are you doing?”

  “Taking what’s mine,” he growled in my ear. “I don’t know what you’re doing to me, but I fucking like it.”

  “Demon, we can’t do this here,” I protested.

  “Like hell we can’t.”

  “There aren’t any beds open, we have to go back to our cabin.”

  Demon shook his head no and pressed a kiss behind my ear. “There may be no beds, but there is one place I’ve imagined you all day.”

  My mind raced trying to figure out what he meant. “Couch.”

  “No. Where I want to sink into your warm body, we can’t have any clothes on.”

  “Hmm, shower,” I hummed as he trailed kisses down my neck.

  “Closer, but not exactly what I had in mind.”

  “Just tell me,” I purred. Demon wrapped his arms around me and hoisted me up. I wrapped my legs around him, and he headed out the back door. “Demon, where are you taking me?” I shrieked. He opened the door, and the cold burst of air hit me, sending a shiver down my body.

  Demon nodded over my shoulder. “Right there, baby.”

  I glanced behind me and saw the hot tub on the edge of the deck. “What? It’s absolutely freezing out here.”

  “Then I guess you better quickly get your clothes off and meet me in there.” Demon set me down and toed off his boot while he pulled his shirt over his head.

  “I don’t have a swimming suit,” I huffed while he unzipped his pants and worked them down his legs.

  “Good, because swimming suits aren’t allowed in there when I’m with you.” Demon peeled his socks and boxers off and made his way over to the hot tube. He lifted the cover off, and hot steam bellowed. “You got one minute to get your ass in here, or I’m tossing you in with your clothes on.” Demon stepped into the tub and sunk into the steaming water.

  “Aren’t you cold?” I asked, contemplating making a run for it before Demon could get his shorts on and chase me down.

  “No, baby. The water is a balmy ninety-eight degrees,” he smirked as he sat down and rested his arms on the side of the hot tub. “You’re down to forty-eight seconds.”

  “You’re going to make me do this, aren’t you?” Demon smirked at me and only nodded his head. I looked around, making sure we were surrounded by trees and the neighbors couldn’t see.

  “Thirty seconds,” Demon called.

  Shit. There was no way I was going to be able to get out of this. I grabbed the hem of my shirt and pulled it over my head, and my bra came with, thanks to Demon’s eager fingers. The cold air hit my skin prompting me to quickly strip off my jeans and boots. “I can’t believe you’re making me do this.” I hooked my thumbs in my panties, pulled them down my legs and then I was standing naked for Demon and all of nature to see.

  “Ten seconds,” Demon drawled.

  “You’re an ass,” I scoffed as I lifted one leg over the ledge and dipped my toes in the water. “Holy hell that is hot,” I wailed.

  “Baby, you were just worried about being cold, and now you think the waters too hot? You sound like one of the three little bears.”

  “I do not,” I pouted. I did, but I wasn’t going to admit that to Demon.

  “Zero,” Demon called out.

  “Huh?” I looked up at Demon just in time to see him reach out and grab both of my arms and drag me into the tub. My hand slipped on the seat, trying to keep me from drowning, and the next thing I knew I was completely submerged and gasping for air as I sputtered to the top. “What the hell?” I screeched. My hair was matted to my face, and I was gasping for air while I listened to Demon laugh his ass off. “You are an ass,” I muttered as I wiped my hair out of my face.

  “Baby,” he started but didn’t finish, because he was still too busy laughing.

  I leaned back, dipping my hair in the water and smoothed it back. “And now you think you’re going to get laid. You’re insane.” I sat in the opposite corner from him, brooding and pissed off.

  Demon wiped the smirk off his face and leaned back, resting his arms once again on the sides. “Don’t be mad at me. I warned you that you only had one minute.”

  “I was getting in the damn hot tub. Have some patience, man,” I scolded.

  Demon held his hands up. “Alright, alright. I’m sorry.”

  I crossed my arms over my chest and glared at him. “You almost drowned me.”

  “You weren’t going to drown.” He rolled his eyes at me and flicked his hand in the water, splashing water at me. “I see my serious Paige got in the hot tub.”

  “Ha, more like your pissed off Paige.”

  “I’m OK with that, though. You wanna know why?” I shrugged my shoulders, wanting to know, but I didn’t want him to know. “Because whoever I have, broody, pissed, happy, sad, quiet, or sexy, you’re my Paige. No matter what mood you’re in, you’re mine.”

  It was my time to roll my eyes and shifted in my seat and tried to turn my back to him. He wasn’t going to know that what he had just said melted my heart. I was his no matter what. I was just going to make him sweat it out for a bit. “If that’s what you think.”

  I heard him move in the water and closed my eyes. The damn man was moving towards me, and I held my breath, waiting to see what he was going to do.

  “It’s not what I think,” he growled, “it’s what I know,” he growled right before he wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his lap so my legs were straddling his hips. “You love me, Paige, and a little dunk under the water isn’t going to change that.”

  “I was getting in, why the hell did you have to pull me in?” I demanded.

  “Because I needed you, and you were taking your sweet ass time.”

  “Well, maybe I needed to take my sweet ass time. You ever think of that? We’re sitting in Satan’s bathwater right now. It’s hotter than a witch’s tit.”

  Demon reached up and cupped my breast. “This is the only tit I’m worried about right now.” He leaned down, his mouth sucking on my nipple and I couldn’t fight the tremor that rocked my body. His tongue swirled and licked as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

  “You don’t play fair,” I moaned.

  “I told you I don’t play. You’re mine, end of story.”

  “Well, caveman. The same goes for you, too. You’re mine, end of story,” I mimicked.

  “Damn straight,” he growled right before his lips found my mouth and he gave me the sweetest yet possessive kiss ever. “You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted,” he mumbled in between kisses. “And I know since I’m the only one who has had you, I’m all you want.”

  “That’s a pretty big assumption. Maybe the pickings were slim these past years.” Lie, lie, lie, Paige.

  Demon smoothed his hands down my hair and rested his hands on my shoulders. “They weren’t. You loved me even after I fucked up, and I know I don’t deserve the kind of love you have for me.”

  “You deserve everything in life, Demon. Including me.”

  “Do I deserve you calling me Dustin?” he asked.


  “Yes,” I said automatically.

  “Then why the hell do you call me Demon?”

  “Oh.” Shit. I really had no idea why I called him that. “I guess it fits you better than Dustin now.”

  “I want to be your Dustin again, Paige. I want to be the guy you fell in love with back then and hung all of your hopes and dreams on.”

  I shook my head and gave a little laugh. “But you’re not him. That Dustin back then is the watered down version of the man I see today. Everything you were back then, you’re that now, but times ten.”

  “But you’re the Paige I remember.”

  I shook my head and ran my thumb over his bottom lip. “I am, but I’m not. I’m not the same naive girl I was back then. I’ve grown up and grown into the person I needed to be to survive.”

  Demon leaned forward and rested his forehead against mine. “You changed because I fucked up.” His voice was low and gruff.

  “Demon.” He growled at me calling him that, but I didn’t think I would ever call him Dustin like I used to. “I changed because I needed to, just like you needed to change, too. You fucked up, and looking back if you wouldn’t have done what you did, one of us would have screwed up in a different way. We were both too young to deal with what we were going through, and we were going to self-implode no matter what.”

  “Because I didn’t deserve you,” he whispered.

  I sighed and pushed his head back. “No, because we weren’t meant to make it. Not then. But now, now things are different. Don’t you feel different being with me? I know I do.”

  “I do, baby. But I’m afraid that it’s too different from the way we were.”

  “The way we were didn’t work before. This, right here, right now, feels so perfect that I want the world to stop spinning and just spend the rest of my life in your arms.” A lone tear streaked down my cheek. “I love you so much, Demon. I loved the man back then, but the man here with me right now has my heart, and he’s the one I want. I want the future, not the past.”

  “Son of a bitch,” Demon swore. “I’m the luckiest fucker in the world.” He buried his face in my neck, and he just held on. “I don’t deserve you, Paige, but I’m too greedy of a fucker to let you go, so I’m going to take everything you have to give and die knowing that you’ll forever be mine.”