by Bast, Anya
Not that she’d mind if he stripped as soon as he got through the door.
Theo walked down the hallway. “Did you have a good session with Claire?”
She sought Grosset’s leash and nodded. “She taught me how to ricochet my magick to get around daaeman shields and how to deflect their blasts.”
Theo watched her walk toward Grosset with the leash in hand. “I already took him out.”
“Oh, great. Thanks.” She put the leash back.
“Mira has been hearing some disturbing whispers. It appears that the air witch the Duskoff captured has been killed.”
Sarafina jerked. “Really? That’s horrible.”
“That’s the Duskoff. If they can’t bend you, medicate you, or if you’re of no further use to them, they kill you.”
“But wait.” She turned to him. “Why wouldn’t they keep her alive? I mean, they need witches of all four elements to cast a demon circle, don’t they? Why wouldn’t they use her in one of those?” She chewed her lip, thinking. “They didn’t use her to bring Bai through, or she would have been dead long before now, since the witches in the circle are sacrificed to pull a daaeman to Earth. But they could have used her to pull a second daaeman through, right?”
Theo bared his teeth in something Sarafina assumed was supposed to be a smile. “Very perceptive. Thomas thinks it’s one of two reasons. Either the witch didn’t have enough strength to bring an adequately powerful daaeman through, or they don’t need to cast a demon circle. Considering Bai is here and no one knows how he arrived, Thomas is leaning toward the second thing.”
“You mean, the Duskoff didn’t keep her alive to toss her into a demon circle because they already have their demon.”
“Yeah.”
“We just don’t know how he got over here.”
“Yeah.”
“Sounds ominous.”
“It’s never anything less.” He moved the coffee table to the side of the room as if it weighed nothing. “Because of recent developments, I want you to show me what you know.”
“What? Is this a pop quiz?”
He stood in the center of the room and faced her. “Yeah. I’m going to attack you and I want you to throw me off. I want you to prove to me you can do it.”
She glanced around at the furniture. “Shouldn’t we do this down on the mats?”
“Do you really think your attacker will wait until you’re somewhere convenient?”
“Good point.”
“What are you waiting for?”
“You haven’t attacked me yet.”
He rushed her. Having a man twice her weight careening across the room at her was just about enough to stop her heart for a moment. Then instincts took over, driven by his training over the last two weeks. She didn’t really think, she just reacted.
Moving to the side, he rushed past her. Her tactic didn’t work. He grabbed her around the waist and lifted her, spinning her around. Her breath crushed out of her and her magick flared, running over her body, just far enough away to keep from burning her . . . but not him.
Theo yelped and pushed her away, the fabric of his shirt smoking. In a moment, he was on her again, the scent of earth magick flaring in the air. Grosset started barking. Just as a bolt of power spiked toward her, she ducked, hitting the floor, and rolling back up onto her feet.
He grabbed her from behind and they struggled. She brought her elbow back into his solar plexus, making him grunt. Then she pivoted on the balls of her feet and brought her palm up against his nose, pulling back only at the last minute so she didn’t break it. He oofed and whirled to the side, tripped and fell against the corner of the wall.
That saying about the big guys falling harder was true.
“Oh, my God! I’m sorry!” Sarafina rushed to Theo’s side, placing her hand on his back and hoping like hell she hadn’t injured him too badly.
“I guess you pass the test,” Theo said, holding a hand to his head.
“Come on, let me see.” She pulled his hand away from his face and saw that he’d beaned himself in the forehead. Those kinds of head wounds bled a lot, and this one was no exception. She gasped and bit her lower lip. “I’m really sorry, Theo. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
She led him over to sit down on the couch. Grosset eyed them both warily. Sarafina pushed his hair away and examined his forehead, wincing.
“I asked you to hurt me. Don’t be sorry. You proved that my training has actually done some good.”
She frowned. “You seem to get hurt a lot.”
The ghost of a grin passed over his lips. “I let you win.” He caught and held her gaze. “Anyway, this gives you a chance to practice your healing on me again.”
Sarafina stilled, captivated. This was the longest he’d ever looked directly into her eyes. His pupils dilated a little, the color turning a deeper, darker brown. Her lips parted and her breath caught at the intimacy of the moment. The silence between them seemed pregnant with possibility . . .
Her next sentence came out in a near breathless puff of air as she stared deeply into his beautiful eyes. “Take off your pants.”
That pregnant, intimate moment popped like a bubble.
He blinked. “What did you say?”
Mentally, she smacked her forehead. Brilliant, Sarafina, brilliant!
“I meant your shirt, not your pants. I’ll try to get the blood out of it.” She gave a nervous laugh. “Why would I ask you to take off your pants?”
He gave her just the briefest hint of a smile. Because of its genuineness, it was the most stunning thing Sarafina had seen in a while. In one smooth move, torso rippling with power, he removed his shirt and gave it to her.
Flustered, she rose and scrubbed the hell out of the blood-stains before dumping the shirt into the washing machine. She returned with bandages and disinfectant. “Let me clean the wound before I do the healing. I don’t like the possibility of accidentally sealing an infection in there.”
Theo nodded and she sat beside him. Sarafina was becoming accustomed to patching up his wounds by now. It didn’t take her long to clean up the blood and disinfect the gash. Then she used fire magick to close it up. In the end, she didn’t even need the bandages.
She sat back and admired her handiwork for a moment. All that remained was a rapidly healing ridge of flesh. Damn, she was getting good at this. “So, the air witch being killed was bad news, especially for the air witch, but Bai hasn’t tried to rip us to shreds in a whole two weeks. I count that as good.”
“I don’t think he’ll try and rip you to shreds, Sarafina.” He paused. “At least not right away.”
The implication of what he’d just said made her shiver. She swallowed hard.
“I don’t want to lie about what I think Bai wants from you.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Well, there’s this saying about ignorance and bliss . . .”
“Ignorance only gets you killed in this world.”
“Still, I think I liked it better when you weren’t talking much.”
“I only speak when there’s something worthwhile to say.”
She nodded. “No idle conversation for you.”
“I don’t enjoy shallow conversation.” He shifted. “But if you would feel more at ease, I can try.”
“I don’t enjoy shallow conversation, either, big guy.” She ran her gaze down his chest. “So, in the spirit of avoiding such topics, do you want to tell me how you got these?”
He glanced down at his chest. “The Duskoff put them there. They captured me when I was a teenager and tried to break me physically. They wanted me to tie myself to them, become one of them.”
“How would physical torture help their cause?”
“They try seduction first. Torture is a last resort. It works like all abuse works. They break you down completely and build you back up in their image. By the time they’re done with you, you’ll give them anything.” Long pause.
“Did they whip you?”
“A little,
but mostly these were made by a knife tip. There was a man there who got off on giving pain that way. It excited him.” Theo’s jaw locked. “He had a whole set of knives that he kept so sharp they didn’t even hurt when they sliced your skin.” He paused. “Not at first, anyway. He liked to draw patterns on people, considered himself a true artist.”
Queasiness roiled her stomach. “God, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s over and done. I don’t look back at the past.”
Hmmm, maybe, but she could hear it in his voice—it still clung to him, anyway. They shared that burden—having a heavy past. Wanting to let it go, yet not being allowed to release it, not completely. In this one thing, she understood him. In this one thing, they shared a common bond.
The difference between them was that she’d not allowed herself to become emotionally scarred by her past and Theo had. That was clear enough.
She reached out and traced a long, thin white scar running from his shoulder down over his pecs. His flesh shivered under her touch and his breath caught almost too softly to hear. She flattened her palm against his warm skin and savored the steady, strong beat of his heart thrumming under her hand.
“What you’ve done with these scars—you’ve made them magnificent. You’ve transformed them into something your own, art of your own. Taken your wounds and made something beautiful out of them.”
He caught her hand in his so fast it made her gasp. Theo stared down at her. “Don’t push me.” He stood and walked toward the hallway.
“Push you? What are you talking about?” She rose from the couch.
Theo turned and stalked toward her. “You know what I mean. I’m attracted to you, and you know it. Don’t push me. This isn’t a game.”
“What?” She shook her head, confused. Honestly, when she traced the scar on his chest the last thing she’d been thinking about was sex. She’d simply been moved by his experience and the marks he’d always wear to remind him. “Theo, I wasn’t trying to push you. Maybe I never should have touched you. I overstepped our boundaries. I’m sorry.”
“I can’t be around you without wanting you.” He turned away from her, once again walking toward the hallway. Probably, he meant to escape into his bedroom. Run away.
Sarafina followed him. “Theo, wait. We need to talk this through.”
Theo whirled and pushed her against the wall.
ELEVEN
HER BREATH LEFT HER IN A RUSH OF SURPRISE AND a spike of fear. She had to quickly remind herself that she trusted Theo and he meant her no harm.
His arms pinned her on either side of her body and his head dipped, his warm breath teasing the fine hair at the edges of her face. Goose bumps erupted all over her body. “The last thing I want to do with you is talk, Sarafina.” Theo moved his hand from her waist slowly down to her lower stomach, splaying it there.
Her stomach muscles tightened and her breath caught. “I didn’t know you were attracted to me,” she whispered. “You gave me no reason to think so.”
“I’m giving you reason now.” His voice was low and melodic in a raw, masculine way. He spoke right next to her ear, sending shivers through her body.
Her breathing hitched. Yes, yes, he was giving her a reason now, ample reason. So much it was making her head spin.
His hand dropped an inch, toyed with the button of her jeans. “And if I can’t make myself walk away right now, I’ll give you even more reason.” His voice came out a low, velvet purr.
Sarafina closed her eyes and fought not to reach up and touch him. Her sex responded to his words as surely as if they were foreplay, growing damp and tingling in anticipation of his touch. Her nipples grew tight and the slightest brush of the material of her shirt against them sent ripples of pleasure through her. She shuddered just a little, wanting more from him.
Theo did all this to her with only his voice.
She had wanted, yearned for, many men in her life, but she wasn’t sure she’d ever desired one as much as she desired Theo right now. By his own admission, he was restraining himself, but what would this man be like when all his self-control was unleashed?
His warm breath eased along the skin near her collarbone, his lips barely brushing the curve where her shoulder met her neck, making her shiver.
“Sometimes when I watch you,” he murmured, “I wonder just how you’d like to be touched. I wonder where you’re the most sensitive and which parts of your body make you sigh and moan when they’re stroked and kissed.”
Images of his big hands running down her bare body assaulted her mind. She imagined his bare chest rubbing her breasts, his knee parting her thighs . . .
Sarafina tried to reach up and touch him, but he grabbed her wrists and pinned them to the wall on either side of her head, his body pressing against her and keeping her still.
Theo’s voice lowered. “Then I wonder what it would be like to fuck you. If you like it fast and hard or slow and easy. I wonder what you sound like when you come.”
Guh.
Sarafina made fists and pulled against his unyielding grip, unable to find an adequate reply. Theo had gone from frigid to scorching in a half second flat, and she wasn’t processing it all that fast.
He released her wrists and she raised her head, meeting his gaze. Confusion and desire warred for supremacy within her and she had no idea how to react to this turn of events.
Theo’s jaw locked. All he did was look down at her mouth, staring at her lips. After a long moment, he lowered his head and tasted them. It was so gentle, so at odds with the way Theo had acted up until now. Sarafina closed her eyes and melted a little, her knees going weak. Her fingers found the front of his shirt and twined in the material, holding on for dear life as his lips skated over hers, savoring her.
Sarafina parted her lips a little, urging him to take the bait. He did, parting her lips farther, slanting his mouth firmly over hers and sliding his tongue within her mouth. The brush of his tongue against hers was like fire and set her pulse racing.
His hands slipped to the small of her back and he pushed, drawing her flush up against his chest as he slanted his mouth across hers and deepened the kiss. Sarafina’s mind shut down for a moment as she was immersed in Theo—the feel, smell, and heat of him.
The softness of the initial kiss was gone, replaced by hot, brutal need. Now his lips were almost harsh against hers, his tongue seeking as much contact with her tongue as he could get. Like he wanted to consume her. Like all he wanted in the world was to kiss her and this would be his only chance.
Sarafina whimpered deep in her throat. In all her life she’d never been kissed this way. Hell, the way Theo did it made her feel like she’d never once been kissed at all. Her mind spun and she could do nothing but grip his shoulders, fingers finding anxious purchase in the material of his shirt. His muscles bunched and flexed as he moved, accentuating how large and imposing a man he was. Sarafina didn’t want the kiss to end.
But then he was gone.
Tottering unsteadily on her feet, she opened her eyes and saw him disappear down the hallway. Her lips were swollen and her body tingled with awareness of him. Unable to move, she just stared at his retreating form, feeling like she’d been a hit-and-run.
“Theo.” His name came out in a croak.
He didn’t stop.
She pushed off the wall and forced herself to go after him. She realized it was a bit like chasing a wild wolf. Theo was dangerous and unpredictable; he’d just proved that. Still, she couldn’t stop herself. “Wait a minute. You can’t just do that, say that . . . kiss me and then run away.”
He halted in the threshold of his bedroom doorway, back to her.
She stopped behind him. “Theo,” she repeated.
“I told you not to push me,” he said, his back to her.
“I just want to know what’s going on here. I’m confused. Turn around and talk to me.”
He stood there for a long moment, then simply stepped into his bedroom and closed the door in her face.
BAI LOOMED OVER HER, EYES RED. HIS BREATH smelled of old bones and hot blood.
Sarafina screamed and sat bolt upright in bed. Grosset cowered nearby.
Theo skidded to a stop in her doorway, his hair a tangle, wearing only a pair of boxers. He held a copper sword in his grip. “Where?”
Her breathing came harsh in the cool night air. Sarafina held out a hand, watching it tremble. “It was only a nightmare.” Her voice shook, too. “About Bai.”
“Fuck, Sarafina.” The words came out of Theo on a relieved sigh. He lowered his weapon.
She pushed a shaking hand through her pillow-mussed hair, then threw the blankets off of her and swung her feet to the floor. “I need a drink and I don’t mean Kool-Aid.”
“Don’t.”
She stopped in mid-motion. “Don’t? You’re not in a position to tell me what to do, Theo.” Now her voice trembled more from anger than fear. She hadn’t forgotten about his reaction to her earlier. She was also more than a tad riled from her nightmare. Being terrified and out of control pissed her off.
“Alcohol can impair your judgment and slow your reaction time. It can also make your mind more open to Bai’s influence.”
She sat back down on the bed, the thought making ice water course through her veins. “What?”
“You have to consider that the nightmare wasn’t just a nightmare.”
Great. Now she wouldn’t sleep for the rest of the night, maybe not for the rest of her life. “What? Like Freddy Krueger? They can do that?”
He nodded. “He can’t actually hurt you, Sarafina, but he can mind-fuck you.”
She ran a hand over her face. God, she was so tired. Grosset came to curl up next to her. “Unbelievable.”
Theo fidgeted in the doorway. “Are you all right?”
“Fantastic.”
“Do you think you can sleep anymore tonight?”
She snorted. “That would be a no.”
He leaned his forearm against the door frame and rested his head there. His voice was muffled when he spoke. “When I can’t sleep, I take a drive.”