by Leah Grant
“Don't blame me. Many of my female clients find me irresistible, and things do happen,” Drake protested.
“You pompous ass. I should throw you out of here right now.” Darna wanted more than anything to tell him to fuck off, to scream at him for his complete lack of self-control and selfishness. She couldn’t though. Deep down she knew there wasn’t anyone else who would ever believe her story. Who would, or more importantly, could help her? She would have to put up with this asshole if she ever wanted to figure out what was happening. Drake had some bad edges to him, but there was more underneath, so much more; she could sense it. Darna figured Drake was one of those gold nuggets covered in sludge. You had to be willing to get your hands dirty to get to the good part. Yet, she found herself still wanting him. A pulse throbbed relentlessly between her legs at the sight of his erection. The feel of her drenched panties plastered against her sex was evidence of the truth of her lust. His manhood stood thick and hard, and she wanted to feel all that inside, filling her up.
*
Drake studied her carefully. Lots of smoke, not much fire—except the kind he could read a mile away. She wanted him. Despite being angry at the blackout, Darna was turned on. He could salvage this. He had to. Slowly he picked up the blouse from the floor. The garment felt as fragile as she looked and a wave of guilt washed over him for having been so quick to cash in on what he’d thought was a green light. He held the blouse out to her.
“I am so sorry. I had no right; it’s just that you’re so beautiful and I was swept away.” He injected as much vulnerability as possible into his voice. Would she sense how she affected him? He had to get to the truth.
Snatching the garment from his hand, Darna ran past his naked form. The next thing Drake heard was the door of the bathroom slamming shut and the lock clicking.
Drake listened to the sound of water running and then gargling. He couldn’t contain the smirk. Did she think she’d sucked his cock? Whether or not it was her that he’d been romping with, he knew one thing for certain—he wanted more.
“Darna, I’ll wait in the living room.” Collecting his clothes, Drake left and shut the door, making certain it was loud enough for her to hear all the way in the bathroom. He pulled on his pants, then walked around the apartment, trying to find any clues about who this woman was.
The space was sparse; she was a minimalist. The couch was comfortable, but not lavish. Pictures of people and animals were everywhere on the shelves and walls. Relatives? Pets? Drake didn’t know, but he did need to find out who she was and what was in her life. He flipped the switch on the black torchiere lamp. Its soft light flooded the room. A fairly dated television and various knickknacks filled the pine stand. He walked over to the window and took a look around. The view wasn't anything to write home about, but the sunset was nice. He glanced down to the bathroom, wondering how long it would take her to emerge again. Gaining her composure after something sexual was going to be difficult. For him to keep his composure, knowing how hot she could be, was going to be almost impossible.
He wanted to throw her up against a wall and push into her. Those sex-filled green eyes drove him wild.
The sound of a throat clearing alerted him she’d returned. He didn’t turn around but intentionally kept staring forward out at the painted sky.
“I want to put it behind us. I don’t know why that happened, and I don’t think it ought to have, Mr. Banner, but I do need your help. Let me be clear, though. I won’t tolerate anything further from you.”
Drake shut his eyes, thanking something, whatever was out there, for her words. If she had told him to go, he would have. The centuries-old jerk inside him wanted to make a smartass comment about gargling but didn’t. He kept it under control. Finding out what was going on here would be hard enough, never mind trying to explain to her that he wasn’t a normal human. He was a demon hunter, and that was a long-term deal.
“Where would you like me to sleep?” He turned and watched the flush go over her face again. She had put on a navy blue sweat top and jeans. Safe. She wasn’t advertising anything. He still hadn’t put on his shirt and followed her gaze as it swept over his chest.
“I’ll make up the guest bedroom,” Darna murmured.
Drake nodded but didn't respond. Now things were officially crazy. He watched the pulse at the base of her throat.
“You are a complete stranger to me, and I am about to let you stay in my apartment. I’m uncomfortable with this arrangement, Mr. Banner.” She sniffed.
Shit, could she ever be the little “Miss Prim.” Drake wanted to bridge the gap and shove his tongue into that perfect mouth.
“So am I.” At least it wasn’t an outright lie. How the hell he’d keep his hands off her was anybody’s guess.
Chapter 5
“WOULD you like something to eat?” Darna stood in the small kitchen cutting up vegetables for a salad. He watched as she drained the water from the lettuce, then put it into the spinner. The spicy smell of the cold chicken she had set out made his mouth water.
“I am hungry.” He watched her set the table with two plates and flatware. Absently, he picked up a little mantle clock from a side table.
“I like this.” How strange. The clock looked exactly like the one from his youth. It was one of the only things of value they’d had on their small farm and one of the few things he’d managed to keep all through the years. He didn't think twice about it. Lots of people had clocks like this passed down in their families.
“I like it too. Come and eat.” Darna walked over, taking the clock from his hands.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to touch it. I am naturally curious about things,” he said, hoping to disarm her.
She surprised him by smiling back. “I love old things, and this is a real gem.”
Drake nodded. If you like old things, then you’ll absolutely love me. He held her chair out, waiting for her to sit, but she didn’t. Darna continued to regard him with a wary expression.
“Something wrong?” He waited.
She pointed at him. “You aren’t wearing a shirt. It isn’t polite to come to the table without a shirt on.”
After everything that had happened, she was concerning herself with a shirt. He burst out laughing. “You know, Darna, you're amazing.” Drake went to retrieve his shirt. He didn’t bother to button it; there were too many missing.
“What happened to the buttons…” Darna’s voice faded as she took in his expression. “I’ll sew it up for you later.” She disappeared into the kitchen and came back with a bowl filled with fresh salad and a plate of chicken.
The smell of the fresh greens and tomatoes made his appetite rear up. Suddenly, a box of matches was tossed across the table at him. He looked up to find her indicating the candles. Drake caught his breath; eating by candlelight was something he treasured. Candlelight was all they’d had to see by in his time. It was a small link, but one that could still trigger memories.
“Do you have any wine?” He needed something to calm the evening down. She looked like a lightweight, and he knew alcohol would be the fastest route to break down her barriers and find things out. Drake struck the match, then held the flame to each of the candles.
Darna didn’t answer him but came back to the table holding two glasses and a bottle of wine, setting them down.
He held her chair out, waiting for her to sit. Holding her gaze with his own, Drake opened the bottle with the small corkscrew she’d left, then filled their glasses. Once seated, he held his glass up to toast.
“Here is to finding the answers.” At that moment, Drake realized how soft her features were in the candlelight. And to finding love. The words had come into his mind so fast it left him shocked. Where had that come from?
The dinner was good, and Drake found himself heaping a second helping of greens onto his plate. More than once, he glanced up to find Darna looking at him. She was shy about it, gazing up at him through her lashes. Drake had made ce
rtain to fill her glass a second time. He could see the wine working its way through her body, easing up the tenseness. Her eyes were luminous in the candlelight, and her complexion glowed in its soft bath. He could have sat across from her all night, drinking in her beauty.
He waited until they’d both sat back in their chairs and she had drained the last bit of wine from her glass. “Darna, I need to ask you a question.”
That little defiant chin of hers went right up. Oh, he liked that. She was such a contradiction of overt femininity and raw sexuality.
The words came out slow with a slight hint of slur around them. “Ask away, Mr. Banner.”
He spoke gently. “Why on earth would a beautiful woman like you be asking a carnival medium about love?”
Both pain and fear washed over those lovely features, and he felt sad that he’d hit the mark so closely.
“I wanted to…I went because I haven’t been able to find…someone. I’m thirty now, and it seemed that love wasn’t finding me.” She choked, balling her napkin and leaving it beside her plate.
The silence after spoke volumes. “Darna?”
“Why are you tormenting me? Isn’t it bad enough my life has spiraled out of control? I haven’t done any malice to any person, yet now I’m afflicted with something that’s wreaking havoc in my life, making it impossible to live normally.” Her voice shook.
This was serious. It was obvious from her reaction that she felt threatened by whatever was happening.
“Darna, I’m only trying to understand what has happened so that I can help you. You’re beautiful, and thirty is young. Perhaps this isn’t what you think. Yes, you could have something inside you that needs removal. You could also just be a lovely woman that is desperate to find love and security and your mind has found a way to draw extreme attention to that. You may legitimately not recall the events, but you still may be the one orchestrating them.” Frustrated, he raked his hands through his thick dark hair as a curtain of hurt lowered over her eyes. Great, the last thing he needed was for her to shut down and close him out.
“So you think this is all made up? A part of my brain is upset that I haven’t found love, so I’m causing these freak episodes to happen?” The chair scraped along the floor, and Darna stood.
“Do you find me sexually attractive?” He hoped so. She froze, and he could see how the question unnerved her.
“I do. I suppose you are attractive,” Darna stammered, uncertain.
Drake immediately went to her, taking her hands into his own. He leaned in to be close. “Darna, I’m simply saying that sometimes people create problems in order to make something happen. And for the record, I find you extremely attractive.” He let his hands drop away and watched for her reaction to the loss of contact between them.
Darna swallowed, staring up into his eyes. “Your eyes are so piercing. I’ve never seen such a color. They’re almost electric.” She studied him. “I don’t believe I made any of this up in my head. The incidents have devastated me. Is that what you need to hear?” Drake waited until she continued. “I feel like I hardly know anything about you, Mr. Banner.”
A broad smile went over his face. She was good. Darna had put the ball right back in his court.
“What do you want to know? You sought me out for help. You obviously know I don’t play in normal mainstream circles.” Danger! What would he tell her, that he was a professional demon hunter because he had almost become one? She would freak, and if there really was a demon inside her, it would attack. Yes, he was someone who had been given a second chance to take the right path. Drake wouldn’t be telling that particular story to Darna. How could he? She was struggling with an issue that might not be of her world. The fact that she affected him so strongly was something he had to try and cope with. There could be no future between them. Love was not an option for him. He would just have to make up a story.
“Where are you from? How did you get into this line of work?” She tilted her head, studying him.
“I came from a small town around here. I always had a feeling there was more to life than what we could see. I started to have clairvoyance when I was a young boy. It developed, and I got into this line of work. You might say I fell into it.” Not a total lie. Oh, he’d fallen all right. It had been the year seventeen twenty-two, and he had been seventeen years of age—a man in that world.
“Exactly what town are you from?” she pressed.
Was it Darna that was asking the questions, or whatever entity that was inside her? Drake didn’t know, so he’d have to play it safe.
“A small town and it was a long time ago. I’ve been living here in the city for a few years now.” Damn, this was starting to feel like a circle—except he couldn’t walk away. Not this time. There had been other times when he had. Not every person could be saved from a demon. Darna was a different story, though. No one had ever got under his skin before. He had seen the hurt in her eyes after their “incident” in the bedroom. He had felt her pain. What was happening to him? His job was to rid the world of demons. It was his destiny, and he had to follow the path. There was no room for love—for a woman—on his journey. He had been spared by the angel, and so had no choice but to live out his existence paying for his actions.
Darna seemed momentarily lost in thought. She reached, her slender fingers lightly touching his jaw. Electric jolts exploded out over his body.
“Why couldn’t we have met in a normal way?” she whispered.
Enough was enough. Drake pulled Darna to her feet and into his arms. “Look, lady. I know I must seem like some big mystery to you, but it’s much more complicated than that. I need to find out what is going on here.” And by going on, he might have to include himself in that equation.
“I never did ask what you charge for your services.” She blinked a couple of times, and Drake wondered if perhaps the reason for the candlelight was due to eye sensitivity.
Drake threw his head back and laughed. “Is that your biggest worry? Well, don’t trouble yourself. If money is tight, I don’t need to be paid.” His attention drifted as he took in the sunset, caught up in its array of colors. Drake noted that Darna hadn’t tried to extract herself from his embrace. He liked the way her body melted right into his own. There was something so right about the way they fit together.
“I could pay you in another way.” When Darna’s eyes glazed over, Drake simply attributed it to lust and too much wine. “You could take it out in a more physical payment.”
“Darna, is this you?” He studied her face. “I don’t want to end up doing anything that upsets you again.”
“I guess you were right. I wasn’t being honest with you about our little encounter before. I did know what I was doing, and I loved it when you sucked on my tits. I’ve needed a man that can take control. The truth is I’ve been so lonely, and I need someone. I need you.” Darna’s voice held only a tinge of regret.
He swallowed hard. So, she was using the “blackout” as a mechanism to do things she would normally be too reserved and shy to do. Face it, she was thirty, and her biological clock was ticking. It might have made her a little crazy. Drake felt relief sweep over him. He didn’t want to entertain the idea of some evil entity controlling Darna.
“You aren’t mad, are you?” Her eyes filled with such childlike worry that Drake found himself wanting to comfort her.
“No. No, baby. I’m not mad. I’m relieved. I didn’t want there to be anything bad happening to you. I know what it’s like to be lonely, to have needs. Would you like me to help you with those needs?” he whispered, pausing to nibble along the very edge of her earlobe. God, she was so lovely. Drake wanted to hold her, to kiss her, to get inside her as soon as possible. She was light and dark, hot and cold. It drove all his senses over the edge.
“You could spank me if you’re angry.” The sensual tone of her voice reached out to him.
She needed him to be in control. Drake's sex-switch clicked “on.”
“How about you go and get into something other than sweats, then I’ll spank your bottom.” His cock ached with the need for release. This time, there would be no going back, no stopping and no questioning. She was a bit mixed up, but he wasn’t about to say no to her advances.
Stripping down, Drake positioned himself on the couch. He stroked his shaft, wanting so much to get inside her. He listened to the sound of drawers being opened and closed and then she reappeared. Darna walked confidently across the living room wearing nothing but a tie. Kneeling at his feet, she took the garment from around her neck and offered it to Drake.
“Would you like to bind my hands before you paddle me?” Again, her innocent eyes captured his attention.
Drake didn’t speak. Submissive. No doubt she was ashamed of her fantasies, and the only way her mind could deal with it was to conjure up the “blackouts.”
He took the tie from around her neck, sliding it off so that it trailed across her breasts. Darna held her wrists together while he carefully bound her hands. He made certain it wasn’t too tight, but she wouldn’t be able to get free either.
“Stand up, hold your arms up, and let me look at you.” She did as he ordered. Drake let the beauty of her body wash over him as she stood with her arms above her head, her breasts pushed out. He stroked his cock, admiring the graceful lines of her slender hips and legs. The anticipation of what was to come got him even hotter. “Turn around, Darna.” He kept his voice low, commanding. Gracefully, she turned.
“Would you like me to bend over for you?” she asked, and he could see nothing but pleading in her eyes.
“Yes.” As she turned, he drank in the sight of her round, luscious little ass. When she bent over, he nearly lost his mind. He wanted that. Beauty like hers was meant to be enjoyed, and he intended to fill her full and deep.
Without speaking, Drake reached, hauling Darna from the submissive position and over his lap. The skin on her bottom was smooth and inviting, and he couldn’t help but run his hands over her cheeks. He touched her sex, feeling the wet. He took his time, stroking the soft hair, then sank a finger into her. She moaned softly.