“What the hell is that?”
“Come here.” His voice was weaker than before.
She hurried back to his side. “I’m done, right? I can go home now and forget this freakish nightmare?” God, please let him say yes and point me toward the exit.
“Not yet. Listen careful. I promise when I’m fully recovered…” His face contorted in pain. “I’ll take you home. Understand that I am your only ticket out of here. If I die…” He shivered violently.
“But you’re not going to die. Right?”
“The fever will get worse. You cannot allow me to slip into a coma. Keep me cool using the water. If you have to submerse me in it then do so.”
She looked over her shoulder toward the pool. “That does not look safe.”
“It’s safe for us. You can even drink it, I promise. It only reacts to the demons’ blood.” His eyes rolled back. “I can’t hang on any longer. Please swear that you’ll help me.”
“I swear, but when you’re well, I want answers.”
“I promise you’ll…” His voice faded as his head slumped to the side. Fear put a chokehold on her until she noticed he was still breathing.
She jumped to her feet. “Great. I’m stuck in god knows where with––hell, I’m not sure what you are. I don’t even know your name.”
“Greydon, and I’m a demon,” he whispered.
Chapter 2
“What?”
He mumbled something under his breath, but she couldn’t understand him. His fever must have kicked up, since he started shaking again and appeared to be hallucinating. She could swear he called himself a demon, which was crazy because he looked nothing like the thing that had attacked her. No, he looked every bit a human. Granted, better than any man she’d ever laid eyes on but human all the same. Aimee did wonder, though. The fact that he had some kind of special power that allowed him to transport people was enough to declare him as unique.
Doubt began to cloud her mind, however. The authorities had issued warnings about those things that had cornered her in the alley. For the past six months, the public had been riveted to the news. Demons first began to show up in Russia then slowly made their way across Europe. Religious fanatics cried that it was the coming of a new world. The devil’s minions were moving in and only the devout would be spared. Others claimed they were from another world and here to take over Earth. Several demons had been captured alive and experiments conducted. So far, authorities were unsure where they really came from and what made them tick.
Aimee wasn’t sure what she believed. When photos had flashed on the television screens in the town square and every public building, she hadn’t taken it seriously. The demons, spotted in New York City, were hundreds of miles away from her little beach town of Mayfield, South Carolina. Locals were positive that the U.S government would find a way to stop them. It appeared they couldn’t have been more wrong. The memory of the stench of rotting flesh, as both the beasts had flashed a set of fangs at her, caused her to shiver. Her instincts had warned they intended to kill her, and she was grateful the man who now shivered in bed had ended their lives.
Aimee went back to the cabinet to see what else she could find that might prove useful. She pulled out some gauze and tape. His wound would need to be covered. “Shit. How’s he going to fight infection?” There was no iodine or anything remotely close to an antiseptic. The four shelves that lined the metal cabinet were pretty bare, so she took the tape and gauze and headed back to the bed. Ripping open the packet, she placed the cotton square over the wound and carefully taped it in place, noting how hot his skin was. She then grabbed the remains of his t-shirt and ripped the blood-free part into strips.
Glancing at the pool, a lump formed in her throat at the thought of going anywhere near it, but he was burning up. “I must be crazy,” she muttered as she made her way to the water’s edge. She stared into the pool and wondered at its deep sapphire color. With a hard swallow to shove down her fear, she knelt and dipped the cloth into the water, surprised at its coolness. After wringing out the rags, she breathed a sigh of relief that her hands hadn’t come back minus their flesh. She went back to her patient.
“Ha! My patient. That would be funny, if I wasn’t a prisoner in some kind of underground cave with a strange man who thinks he’s a demon.”
She laid one of the rags across his forehead and used the other to wipe his chest. With a gentle stroke, she slid the cloth across his pecs and tried to ignore the firm muscle beneath her fingertips. Continuing down his abs, she carefully avoided the bandage.
“Christ, what do you do to stay so fit?” In the dim light, she noticed some kind of markings on his right side. It looked like a tattoo that he had tried to remove, but some faint lines remained. She caught herself following the swirling design as it dipped beneath his jeans.
A firm hand gripped her wrist and she lifted her gaze to meet his.
“Feels nice. The cloth that is,” he whispered.
She fought to hide her embarrassment. “I…umm, I’ll go cool them off.” She jumped off the bed and ran to the pool. Stupid, Aimee!
Greydon watched with one eye as the girl scampered off. He’d not missed the blush on her face that indicated her embarrassment. He had no idea how he’d managed to fight the fires that raged around him and threatened to consume his flesh. Through the painful fog, he’d felt her touch and it had sparked something inside of him. He tried to reach for her, but his limbs were too heavy.
Why can’t I move? So damn hot.
The claws of hell latched onto him and pulled him back into its fiery pits. He wished he’d just die so his misery would end.
No, can’t die. Needed.
Needed for what? He searched the jumbled mess in his mind for answers. The names Zander and Orien came to the forefront, but who were they? Something told him they were important to him, and he needed to pull his shit together.
Survival. He had to survive.
Something cool trailed down his chest, and it felt so good he wanted to become one with it. She had come back to him and swathed his skin. He opened his mouth to speak.
“Hot. Need water.” Did those words actually come from him? He only heard a groan, his throat lined with sandpaper that grated every time he tried to swallow.
She put her hand under his neck and lifted his head, placing a glass to his lips. He let the cool liquid trickle down his throat. So good.
“You need to drink a little more.”
He tried to take another sip, but along with the ringing in his ears, a sharp pain drove into his skull that was almost unbearable. Add to that the raging inferno in his side. All he wanted to do was sink back into the darkness and drift away, but he knew he had to fight. He forced his lids open and dark shadows filled his line of sight. He blinked until his angel came into view. She was a vision of beauty, surrounded by a soft glow of white light. It was hard to focus, but he knew she had the most amazing hazel eyes he’d ever seen. How had he been so lucky to have her here to care for him?
“I’m on fire,” he whispered. Damn, he hoped she understood what he needed before it was too late. Already he could feel himself slipping away.
Aimee tried to get him to drink more of the water, but he’d only taken a small sip. He just kept mumbling something about burning. She was certain by the feel of his skin that his temperature had reached a critical point. He had said not to let him get too hot. What if she was already too late? What if he died and left her alone? She’d already taken a few minutes to search her surroundings, and what she’d found scared the hell out of her.
There was no way out.
Somehow, they were sealed in a small room that had her convinced they were indeed underground. No windows and the floors and walls were covered with smooth stone that glowed with a low-level, yellow light. Other than the small pool, a bed, a chest and the cabinet, there was nothing else in the room. She didn’t want to think about how they had arrived. Right now, she needed him alive, which meant coo
ling him down. The damp cloths no longer did the trick; they heated as soon as they came in contact with his skin.
She glanced over at the water. “Damn it.” They had to go for a dip. She drew her gaze back to him and watched his muscles bunch under his skin. He writhed in pain and every time he opened his eyes, they rolled back into his head. She would have to suck it up, strip them both and somehow get him into the water. The idea didn’t sit well with her. Then again, he was so far gone he’d probably never notice her nakedness. Besides, he had saved her life and she owed him. This could have been her fate, and she was positive she wouldn’t have survived.
Determined to persevere, she marched to the cabinet, snatched a stack of towels and placed them by the water’s edge. She then went back to the bed and grabbed one of his boots to pull it free. Repeating the process with the other, she then rolled off his socks. Next, she unbuttoned his jeans and pulled down the zipper. Please let him have on underwear. “Whew.” She spotted the waistband to his undergarment, gripped his pants and began working them past his hips and down his thighs.
“Dear god.” Even his legs were ropes of muscle. This guy had all the looks and built like a brick shithouse. She noticed how his black boxers molded to him like a second skin. I will not look at the bulge in his pants.
Right.
Could she help it if the second she thought about it, her eyes had a mind of their own and immediately drawn to said location? She swallowed and quickly glanced away as she jerked his jeans the rest of the way off with more force than necessary.
She jumped to her feet and disrobed down to her bra and panties. The chill in the air caused her skin to prickle, or was it the fact she felt like she was on display? Why? She had no idea.
“Okay big guy, time to go for a swim.” She gave him a gentle nudge, hoping he’d wake enough to help her. There was no way she could get him there on her own.
He mumbled and his eyes opened. “Angel,” he whispered.
“Nope, sorry. I’m an Aimee not an Angel, and I need your help. Can you sit up?” She slipped her hand under his back to aid him. With much effort and groaning on his part, she finally got him into a sitting position. She grabbed his hands. “Okay, now the hard part. We gotta get you on your feet.”
She tugged and he pushed off the bed, and she was thankful he seemed coherent enough to know what she needed from him. Once on his feet, he wobbled and she rushed to get her arms around him, praying he wouldn’t take them both down. “Easy, big guy.” She braced herself and waited until he seemed steady enough to take one step at a time.
“Okay, let’s shuffle our way slowly towards the water.” He seemed to understand and slid one foot in front of him then the other. She kept one arm around his waist, and her other hand planted firmly on his abs. His skin felt so hot under her fingers, she swore her flesh blistered. After several more grueling steps, they were finally to the edge of the pool. She let out a sigh of relief—thankful the room was small. Now to get him down the three steps and into the water.
She took the first step and helped guide him. Once his feet were wet, relief swept across his face and he took the last two steps without assistance, sinking into the water until it went past his groin. He veered to the right and sank down to his waist. It took a moment before she realized he sat on a ledge; the pool wasn’t really that deep. She waded to him then cursed under her breath. She hadn’t thought to bring a cloth with her and didn’t dare leave him alone, even for the minute it would take her to fetch one. With no other choice, she cupped her hands, filled them with water and poured it over his chest. He leaned back and closed his eyes, so she continued to splash water on him, running her wet hands down his cheeks and along his jaw. His thick, dark stubble was surprisingly soft under her fingers.
“Fire going out,” he whispered. She had an urge to trace a line across his lips to see if they were as soft.
“You feeling better?” She was surprised at how quick his skin cooled and hoped his temperature continued to decline.
He opened his eyes and stared at her. His gaze traveled downward until it stopped at her breasts; her pulse raced. She stepped back and folded her arms across herself, as if it would help. He looked back up at her. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to stare, but it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a female as beautiful as you.”
“Um, well thanks, but let’s get one thing straight. I’m off limits.”
He gave a crooked grin. “I know. You don’t need to fear me. I would never touch you.”
Why did those words make her suddenly desire his touch? She shook the thought from her head. “You look much better. Is this some special kind of water?”
“It does hold a bit of magic.”
She wondered what he really meant
Chapter 3
The girl had no idea how off limits she really was. His species avoided humans at all costs. Many of the elders considered them obnoxious. Beings who ruined everything they touched. His great-grandfather had told him and his brothers to stay out of the human world whenever possible. “Rats have more respect for their homes than humans do.”
Greydon had known a few of the younger male demons that snuck into the human realm and had sex with the females. They’d come back, whispering tales about it, but when it had reached the ears of the elders they were met with severe punishment. Those days were long over, but old beliefs were hard to shake. He was both intrigued and disgusted by the fact that she stirred desires in him that had been buried for a long time. He’d avoided women since his brothers, Orien and Zander, had been taken by a band of Concosa demons a little more than a year ago. They were too much of a distraction, not to mention he’d also been cut off from the rest of his people.
“How are you feeling? Can I go home now?” Her sweet voice pulled him from his thoughts.
“I am still unwell and not yet strong enough to summon a portal.” He leveled his gaze on her hazel eyes. “There is a way to speed up the process, though I don’t expect you to approve.” What he needed to propose was forbidden, but he was desperate to get well and continue to find a way to save his family.
She’d moved away from him and taken a seat on the other side of the pool, hiding her body beneath the water. He stifled a groan when she pulled her bottom lip through her teeth. “What would that be?”
He hated to do it, but he didn’t want to be stuck here with her any more than she did. He would leave the choice up to her. “We can let the poison progress, which will take several more days, or you can give me some of your blood which will hasten the healing.”
Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. “Oh, hell no!” She tried to move further away but there was no place to go. “What are you?”
He closed his eyes and tried to clear his head. He didn’t want to have this conversation but saw no choice. After all, he did owe her. He opened his eyes so he could watch the horror cross her face. “I am a demon. Did I not mention that when I told you my name?” Maybe he’d hallucinated that part.
“Oh Jesus.” She made the sign of the cross.
He rubbed his throbbing temples and shuddered. His body temperature was now on the decline and would continue to plummet, sending him into the second half of his hell. He rose from the water and stepped out of the pool, then grabbed a towel and began to dry himself. His skin prickled from the chill, so he tugged on his boxers until they hit the floor. He smiled at the gasp that came from behind him.
“If it bothers you, then don’t look.” He finished drying, crawled into bed and pulled the covers up to his chin. He was too tired and now, thanks to the poison, too damn cold to continue. He would endure a few more days, and she could wait until he was well enough to send her home.
“Wait. I didn’t mean to offend you.” He could hear her splashing and opened one eye to peek at the view as she exited the water––a big mistake. Watching the droplets as they followed the curves of her body only fueled his desire. She is human, not someone you should get messed up with.
&nbs
p; “I’m not offended, simply entering the next phase of the illness. My temperature will plummet now, but this isn’t fatal.” He shivered. “Only uncomfortable as hell.”
“I’m sorry. Can we start over? My name is Aimee. Didn’t you say earlier you were Greydon?”
“So you were paying attention.”
Aimee was silent and contemplated several things. One, she was trapped in a room with a demon, or at least that’s what he told her. Two, the chanting of the local minister ran through her mind, but she quickly dismissed it. Three, he’d mentioned something about giving him blood. Was she safe here with him? Perhaps he only meant to use her to help him get well and would kill her. Then it dawned on her.
Stories had hit the media of aliens who took human form to slaughter the beasts she’d encountered in the alley. Witnesses had described beings with pointed ears, horns on their heads, wings and a tail. Come to think of it, what they’d described sounded an awful lot like a demon. However, the public had condemned those witnesses as crazy. Everyone knew that demons were the gruesome ugly beasts that had been wreaking havoc across their world. Now she had to question what they really were.
“So do you really plan to let me go home? I mean I know what you are…what if I talk?” With no idea what to believe, she grabbed a towel, wrapped it around her body and slipped her under garments off while she waited for him to answer. He continued to shiver violently, but never opened his eyes.
“I give you my word. I would never have brought you here except I needed help, and you were all I had.”
“What were those beasts that you killed?” Might as well get her facts straight.
“They are what evil is made of. At one time they were like me, but they have since been condemned.”
She tightened her grip on the front of her towel. “What do you mean they were like you?” Her gut told her she was better off not knowing, but her mother had always called her a curious George. Yeah, and didn’t it kill the cat too?
Taken By Desire: Demonic Desires Book 1 Page 2