To Win a Demon's Love

by Nadine Mutas

  “Are you implying,” Juneau said with lethal quiet, “that my granddaughter is a liar?”

  “I’m saying,” Merle shot back through gritted teeth, “that we don’t have all the information, from both parties, and therefore can’t know how much of the alleged threat is real.”

  Juneau’s eye twitched, her power sizzled.

  Someone cleared her throat. Merle tore her gaze off the older witch, and focused on the Elder who had made the sound.

  “I hadn’t thought to mention it,” Carissa, head of the Hart family said, a frown marring her forehead, “because I figured it was an internal affair of the Murrays, but…” Her light blue eyes cut to Hazel, and she grimaced apologetically.

  “Go on,” Juneau said, her attention like that of a cobra.

  “My daughter Nina told me that Basil Murray was viciously attacked last night—by Lily.”

  Hazel closed her eyes, her aura drooping around her like a settling cloak of resignation. Merle sucked in a pained breath. Nina was Basil’s new girlfriend, their relationship only a few weeks old, but apparently he’d confided in her about what had happened last night. And instead of honoring Basil’s trust, Nina had told her mom.

  Who had now told the Elders, pouring fuel on Juneau’s fire.

  “Is this true?” Catarina, head of the Gutierrez family, spoke up, facing Hazel.

  “Yes,” Hazel ground out. “But—“

  “So,” Juneau cut in, “twice now Lily Murray has viciously attacked members of our community. She is a walking threat, to us and to anyone else, and we need to neutralize her quickly to avoid further casualties.”

  “Neutralize?” Merle hissed. “She’s not a dog to be put down!”

  “No? If she truly has turned into a demon, then she is little better than that.”

  The Elders murmured, some with the distinct sound of disagreement.

  Juneau’s eyes narrowed, and she tilted her head as she regarded her fellow Elders. “Must I remind you of the many witches murdered, tortured, butchered by demons? Of the blood spilled by these creatures, over centuries, and how they revel in the death they deal? Our laws have been formed for a reason, and they must be upheld. Our survival depends upon it.” Her voice was sharp like a whip’s crack in the air. “Lily Murray has violated these laws, and twofold. As a witch, she has broken our most sacred code, and as a demon she has spilled witch blood, which must be avenged.”

  Her face a mask of hardness, Juneau stood up straight. “I call for a vote on the motion that Lily Murray be convicted of treason, declared an outlaw, and be brought in to face justice, as required by the laws we live by. All those in favor, raise your hand.”

  One by one, half of the Elders followed Juneau’s call, lifting their hands.

  “All those opposed?”

  A third of the Elders raised their hands, including Merle, Hazel, and Elaine, with the few remaining ones abstaining. Merle’s heart sank, her breath hitched. No.

  With a twinkle in her eye, Juneau faced her and Hazel. “I hereby condemn Lily Murray as an outlaw, to be hunted and brought in with any force necessary, so she can be punished in accordance with witch law. Anyone who harbors her or withholds information regarding where to find her will be complicit in her crimes…and shall face the consequences.”

  Hazel raised her chin, her nostrils flaring, her eyes shimmering. “Understood.”

  Merle took Hazel’s hand, tugged at her to leave while not looking away from Juneau. “Since we want to honor your decree,” she said with venomous sweetness, “we’ll get right on searching for the outlaw.”

  And under the simmering heat of Juneau’s stare, they backed out of the room.

  Chapter 10

  “Tell me what’s going on.”

  Alek’s voice slid over Lily’s heightened senses, soothing and thrilling at the same time. Her breath still fast from her sprint, from the panic and adrenaline pumping through her, she swayed as he pulled her to a stop.

  “Talk to me, tsvetochek.”

  “I—I killed him.” Her throat felt so raw, it hurt to speak.

  He laid both hands on her shoulders. “So you can live. It’s not like you—”

  She shook her head hard. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

  Avoiding his eyes, she studied the strong column of his neck, the cords of muscles and sinew that were so quintessentially male. So lickable. Without thinking—can’t start thinking, that’s dangerous—she slid one hand up and stroked over the spot where his neck met his shoulder. His demon aura flared, and his muscles went rigid at her touch. She tunneled her fingers into his hair, relishing the silken feel of it.

  She needed this. Right now. Right here. To lose herself in him. To find a counterpoint to the death she just dealt, a light to the darkness within. She caressed his neck, reveled in the heat and male strength underneath her fingers.

  He closed his eyes and uttered a strangled sound. “Lilichka.” He tightened his grip on her waist. “Stop this, or…”

  Her focus was glued to his mouth. “Or?”

  He pulled her closer and leaned in, nipping at her earlobe. “There’s only so much gentleman in me. Keep this up, and all bets are off.”

  His deep voice sent a pleasant shiver down her spine, curled her toes. She turned her face toward his. Power sparked in the space between them. His breath—hot, branding—brushed against her lips, but he held back, his muscles taught, his aura vibrating with tension.

  “Alek,” she whispered against the temptation of his mouth. Closing the inch between them, she licked over his lower lip.

  His eyes went demon, an explosion of fire on midnight sky. With a groan that was half growl, he responded. And, oh, he began by unleashing a streak of dominance that had her melting inside.

  One of his hands shot into her hair, tangled in the strands, and pulled hard enough to hurt deliciously good while his mouth crashed down on hers. His tongue demanded entrance, and she melted with eagerness to grant it. He licked at her, a hint of teeth grazing her tongue. The sensations—his grip on her hair, the heat of his kiss, his body pressing against hers—sparked a chain reaction of pleasure inside her, all the way down to the aching, needy spot between her thighs.

  Yes.

  She wanted to drown in him. Acting on an impulse, she moved one hand down his front, cupped him over his jeans. He groaned and pushed into her touch, deepening the kiss. The urge to stroke that delicious hardness without the barrier of clothing made her tremble. She was fumbling with his belt buckle when he tsked and whirled her around so her back was to his front.

  “Not fair,” she muttered.

  All further protest from her ended in a moan as he slid his hand under her shirt, under the sports bra, and up to her breast to tweak her erect nipple. His lips feathered over the curve of her neck, and she tilted her head and rested it against his shoulder to give him better access. He lightly bit the sensitive skin, then licked over it, setting her aflame.

  Desire pulsed through her, and she rubbed against him, the feel of his erection against her lower back ratcheting up her need. He kneaded her breast with just the right amount of roughness and demand to make what was left of her thoughts dissolve in a storm of sensation.

  “Please.” The hoarse word fell from her lips, carrying all the sexual urgency that wrecked her. “I need—”

  “This?” He flicked open her jeans and then his hand glided into her panties, his fingers finding and parting her swollen flesh.

  “Oh gods, yes…” Her eyelids fluttered shut, and she surrendered to the rush of sweetest pleasure at his intimate caress.

  He pushed two fingers inside her, and she gasped at the erotic intrusion. So welcome, so wickedly good. Pumping once, twice, he coated his fingers in her wetness and then used that to circle and tease her clit. Soon her breath came in ragged pants and she reached behind her to hold on to him, because no way could she have remained standing on her own, seeing as he’d turned her legs to rubber with his skillful touch.

 
; “I love how wet you are for me,” he murmured in her ear. “How responsive.”

  As if to demonstrate his point, he pushed his fingers into her again, curled them up to stroke over an area that made her moan and shiver.

  He kissed her neck, grazed his teeth over her hypersensitive skin there. “I want to see you shatter. I want to feel you clench around my fingers.” He pressed the heel of his hand against her clit, rubbed it hard while thrusting three fingers inside her. “Let go, Lilichka.”

  She sucked in air, sexual tension and need curling tighter and tighter—and then her climax razed her like a firestorm. All air left her on a moan, while wave after wave of purest bliss coursed through her.

  Trembling inside and out with the best kind of come-down, she slackened. He slung one arm around her waist, caught her before she slid to the ground.

  “I’ve got you.” The timbre of his voice was the sort of husky that inspired feminine sighs and sinful fantasies.

  Her pulse slowed to a normal level. The sensual haze in her brain lifted, and she found herself on a hiking path in a deserted forest at night, held up by a male demon who was as wickedly appealing as he was trouble.

  She cleared her throat and disentangled herself from his embrace. Turning away from him, she busied herself with fastening her jeans and adjusting her bra and top.

  “Lily.” His voice was pitched low, almost gentle.

  “Hm?” That top was really stubborn. Just didn’t want to be righted.

  “Look at me.”

  She paused in her fidgeting, sighed, and—skin tight with nerves—faced him. There was a harshness about his expression, tension whispering through his aura. Flecks of red flared in his silver-gold eyes.

  “Don’t run,” he said.

  She blinked. “I’m not running.” Waving at herself, she added, “Still as a statue.”

  “You know what I mean.”

  He came closer, gaze fixed on hers with the kind of attention the tiger paid the deer.

  “You don’t need to retreat from this.” He gestured between them. “From us.”

  Taking one more step, he closed the remaining distance separating them. His heat brushed her skin. His scent curled around her, a most insidious caress.

  “Whatever is going on right now in here—” he tapped a finger against her temple, then used that same finger to circle her ear, causing traitorous shivers down to her toes “—stop it. Don’t overthink this. Let’s take things as they come and see where we end up.”

  She bit her lip. “I shouldn’t have let you—we shouldn’t have—” Turning away from him, she rubbed both hands over her face, guilt a sour taste in her mouth. “This was a mistake, and I’m sorry I got your hopes up. I didn’t mean to lead you on.”

  “Hey.” He took her hand, tugged until she faced him again. “Back up a second, there. You’re not leading me on. I know what I’m getting into. You don’t want to mate with me—fine. That doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy each other for however long this’ll last. I’m attracted to you. You’re attracted to me. Let’s just go with that and have fun.”

  She shot him a dubious glance from underneath her lashes. “So you changed your mind? You don’t want me to mate with you anymore?”

  “Didn’t say that.” The sly smile he sent her stirred a low hum in her nether regions. “I’m simply opportunist enough to take what I can get.”

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea to start a casual thing when you want more than that.”

  “Are you worried about breaking my fragile heart, Lilichka?” His tone was soft, so soft, but his expression held thunder, his question a dangerous warning.

  “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  He prowled closer to her, backing her up against a tree. “I’ll take my chances.”

  “This is unfair to you.” A whisper in the dark, her eyes once more riveted to his mouth. Her lips tingled with the sensual memory of what that mouth felt like while it ravished hers.

  “Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?”

  Their breaths mingled in the night air. Desire rekindled in her lower belly. He placed a hand on each side of her head, caging her in. Fire-streaked obsidian invaded the silver-gold of his eyes. She parted her lips—

  Alek gasped and stumbled back, clutching his throat. Witch magic sparked in the night. Again? What the hell? Lily spun toward their attacker—and jerked to a halt.

  Merle MacKenna, her best friend since kindergarten, the one person she trusted most beside her twin, emerged from the shadows, hand stretched out in front of her, keeping Alek in a magical chokehold.

  The magic burned Alek’s skin, and he clawed at his throat, trying in vain to dislodge the invisible vise choking him. He stared at Lily’s stricken face as she recognized who had attacked him. The MacKenna witch, older sister to Maeve, whom he’d seen many times over the past few months while watching Arawn’s future asset.

  “Merle,” Lily ground out, her voice shaking, “stop. Please.”

  The witch’s eyes darted from Lily to Alek and back again. “Are you okay? Did he hurt you? What did he do to you?”

  Lily exhaled, her aura wavering with relief. “I’m fine. Let him go, please. He’s with me.”

  Merle cast a skeptical look at Alek, not releasing the magical hold she had on him. He uttered a strangled sound at the invisible fire still licking over his skin.

  “Merle,” a deep voice said from the dark behind the witch, and the next second a male bluotezzer demon walked into view. Rhun leaned close to his mate and muttered in her ear—though still loud enough that both Alek and Lily could hear— “Going by their scent, they’re on very friendly terms, if you catch my drift.” He accentuated the word friendly with air quotes and a wink.

  “Oh.” Merle lowered her hand a little. She glanced back and forth between Alek and Lily again, and then her eyes widened. “Oh.” The light skin of her face flushed a blazing red. With a flick of her hand and a muttered word, she released Alek from her spell.

  Sucking in huge lungfuls of air, Alek massaged his neck. The magical burn receded.

  Rhun smirked, glancing back and forth between Alek and Lily. “Hope we didn’t interrupt anything?”

  Lily sported an adorable blush of her own as she cleared her throat. “This is Alek. He’s helping me…deal with…with being…” She broke off, her voice cracking.

  “Oh, honey.” Merle was at her side in a second, enfolding Lily in a hug. They remained locked for a long moment, exchanging whispered words between what sounded suspiciously like sobs.

  Alek shifted uncomfortably and caught Rhun fidgeting as well. Their eyes met over the huddling females. Alek gave a slow nod. Rhun repeated the gesture. One demon acknowledging another.

  “So,” Alek said. “How did you find us?”

  “I tracked you.”

  Ah, yes. Bluotezzer demons had the uncanny ability to trace the energy of other demons. But— “From where?”

  “The place where Lily attacked the witch.”

  Shit. If news of it had already spread…

  Merle and Lily broke apart, and Lily exhaled on a shudder. “The others know?”

  Merle wouldn’t meet her best friend’s eyes. “Maybe we should sit down for this. Isn’t there a picnic area up ahead?”

  “What is it?” Lily’s aura vibrated with trepidation.

  “Well,” Rhun said conversationally, “usually it’s a designated area with tables and benches where hikers can sit down and eat.”

  Merle shot him a glare that would have shriveled many a fine male, and walked farther down the trail. Rhun followed, and Lily glanced at Alek, nodding for him to come along. At the picnic area, Merle sat on the bench while Lily perched on the table, her feet on the seat below. Rhun stood behind Merle and crossed his arms, and Alek decided to take up a position close to Lily, leaning against the table with his hip. His arm brushed against Lily’s shoulder, and she pressed ever-so-lightly against him. That reaction, however small and probably unconscious,
infused his blood with delight.

  “How is Selene?” Lily asked.

  “Her nose was broken, but Juneau healed her. No permanent damage.”

  Lily closed her eyes and took a deep breath. What looked like shame and self-recrimination blanketed her aura like a shroud. “Okay,” she muttered, “on a scale of one to John McClane, how fucked am I?”

  Merle blew out a breath. “You’re outlawed.”

  All color left Lily’s face. “The fuck?”

  What Merle told them next raised Alek’s hackles, partly in a visceral reaction to Lily’s shock and devastation that no amount of energy control could hide, and which chafed at his heart, but mostly in outrage on Lily’s behalf at how she was being treated by her own.

  “How is this possible?” he asked, his voice raw from the anger biting at him. “Aren’t these your own people we’re talking about? How come the witch community is ready to pile on Lily like this? Aren’t you supposed to stick together?”

  Merle shook her head, sky-blue eyes filled with shadows. “Juneau has been fuming ever since I sneaked Rhun in under her nose. It never did sit right with her that I didn’t bind him in the Shadows again, and she’s been looking for a way to pay me back for finding that legal loophole to keep him around as my husband.”

  “It’s not just that, though,” Lily spoke up, and cleared her throat, trying so obviously to keep herself together. “Merle fighting for—and winning—Rhun’s freedom kicked off a shift in thinking for some of the witch families in the community. My mom told me about the change in attitude among some of the Elders. There’s now the notion that, maybe, just maybe, we should differentiate more between types of demons and not assume they’re all evil.” She looked at him with a self-conscious glint in her eyes, probably aware of how she’d held quite a few misconceptions about demons herself when she met him.