HOT-BLOODED BREATH OF DARKNESS

by Candice Stauffer

  “But we’ve already done it twice this morning.”

  “That’s fine. I don’t mind.”

  “You said that you did all your chores, right?”

  “That’s right.”

  “Did you empty the dishwasher?”

  “Sure did.”

  She pulled her tank top off. “What about the trash?”

  “I took it out.”

  She pushed her yoga pants down and stepped out of them. “Coffee?”

  “Brewed.”

  “And what about the bed?”

  “I went in to make it, but then I started to remember how we went about messing it up.”

  “And?”

  “I decided to ask if you would like to do it again. Just in case you said yes, I didn’t make the bed. I figured it would make more sense to wait until we’re done using it.”

  “What’s wrong with doing it right here on the counter?”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Are you trying to get out of it?”

  “Not at all.” He caught her waist, picked her up, and sat her down on the counter.

  “Are you sure?” She wrapped her legs around his body and locked her fingers together behind his neck.

  “I am positive.” He bent his head to claim her mouth with his.

  She held nothing back. She kissed him deeply, passionately, pouring all of her love and desire for him into it. As always, their kiss started out gentle but quickly exploded into something much more heated and frantic. Her hands were everywhere, moving over his skin, exploring his body. Flames of lust, of desire, burned in him and in her.

  “I need to be inside you.” He gripped her hips and pulled her closer, pressing the head of his throbbing erection against her hot entrance.

  “That’s wonderful, Otaktay…”

  “Excuse me.” Tobias leaned back to look in her eyes. “Damn it, Jessie. That was not okay,” he growled.

  “Stop growling at me unless you want me to bite you.” She smacked his shoulder. “Otaktay thinks he has figured out where Allana is being kept.”

  “You are not allowed to talk to him telepathically while were kissing or touching.” He paused. “Or doing anything. Especially, if we’re doing it naked.”

  “Why not? I’m a great multitasker.”

  “You’re not funny,” he growled. “You had better apologize.”

  “To Otaktay? Why? I heard him. And I answered him right away.”

  “Apologize to me for talking to him while we were kissing.”

  “I like him.” She paused. “Quite a bit.”

  “You want me to kill him, don’t you?”

  “You’d better not. He has wonderful communication skills. I enjoy talking to him.”

  “Apologize to me.”

  “But I’m not sorry.” Her gaze drifted from his and moved over his solid, muscular body. “I love it when you unleash your dragon nature and go feral on me.” She took a breath and released it with a sigh. “I’ll likely do it again and again since talking to him makes you get all beasty and growl at me.” She took a deep breath and released it with an exaggerated sigh. “I wish I would’ve been around thousands of years ago when you were a stinky, hairy, club wielding, hair pulling caveman with a nasty habit of reaching beneath your loincloth to scratch your butt in public.”

  “You’ve spent a great deal of time talking to Otaktay?”

  “He has kept me informed concerning his search for Allana. And, as a huge bonus, he’s happy to share many fascinating stories about you.”

  “He talks to you telepathically often.”

  “Yes. We have great conversations.”

  “He never bothered to tell me about your conversations with him. I don’t think I like the idea of you talking to him.”

  “At all?”

  “That’s right.”

  “That’s too bad. I hate to make you feel all butt hurt, but I plan to continue chitchatting with him as often as possible. I really enjoy hearing about your adventurous life before we met.”

  “You might never listen to me and obey me, but he’ll stop conversing with you if I tell him to back off.”

  “Actually, proving he knows you as well as he claims, he told me you’d say something like that.”

  “Did he?”

  “Sure did.”

  “And?” he asked.

  “He politely asked me to relay a message to you.”

  “I’m listening.”

  “You can bite his furry ass. He’ll talk to whoever he damn well pleases. He doesn’t take orders from scaly reptiles.”

  “I guess I’m going to have to kill him to shut him up.”

  “Don’t get mad. I got into this knowing you’re much more than a butt scratching caveman.”

  “That’s a relief. I would hate for you to be shocked and disappointed.”

  “Coming to terms with it was difficult. What woman wants the sweetest, hottest, sexiest,” she reached down and gave his cock a squeeze, “best equipped and ablest cowboy she has ever dreamed of taking for a ride?”

  “Your inners strength amazes me.”

  She pulled him close and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Learning to be content has enabled me to keep my expectations low for as long as I can remember.”

  “There will never again be a need for you to lower your expectations. As your mate it’s my responsibility and privilege to make sure you always have the best of the best. The thought of you being forced to work at being happy with less than the most excellent life is preposterous to me.”

  “What do you plan to do about it?”

  “I’m sure there is a club around here somewhere. I’ll find it before the sunsets. I’ve plenty of horses roaming around here. It’ll take no time to find something stinky to roll around in. A loincloth would be easy enough to conjure up. If the sight of me reaching beneath it to scratch in public turns you on, I’ll happily put it at the top of my list of chores. And, have no fear, I can cover my entire body from head to toe with hair with nothing more than a simple wave of my hand.”

  “What about the hair pulling?” she asked.

  “If you need it pulled every day until the end of time to make you smile, I’m the only male you will ever need to depend on. I plan to reenact a marvelous discovery I came across last night thanks to your wickedly awesome tongue and mouth. I’m sure you remember the moment I’m referring to. There’s no way I’ll ever forget it.”

  “I don’t have any idea what you’re talking about.”

  “I was shaking and begging for mercy for what seemed an eternity and a half. Finally, sparing my life, you decided to open your beautiful mouth and wrap your lips around my cock. I’ll never know how you took me so deep and managed to breathe.” He took a slow and deep breath, and then released it with a sigh. He smiled and got a dreamy look in his eyes as if reminiscing. She couldn’t help but laugh. Then, as if suddenly snapping out of it, he shook his head. “Sorry. I totally lost my train of thought. The entire time I was caught up in a whirlwind of magnificent pleasure and, as I recall, my fingers were all tangled up in your hair and pulling it. Now do you remember?”

  “Not at all. It certainly doesn’t sound like something I would ever do. To be entirely honest, the thought of doing something so naughty to you with my tongue and mouth doesn’t appeal to me in the slightest.”

  It turned out, more than anything else, Jessie was thankful she no longer lived her life in a happy bubble of ignorant bliss. She never wanted to forget that monsters existed. She was glad she’d encountered vampires, werewolves, and shapeshifters. She was even happier she’d met her demon. He was fully devoted to her. He loved her deeply, completely, eternally. He gave her everything she needed and wanted. And then, as a huge bonus, he gave her more by generously lasting longer and making every second a little hotter than the last.

  Find out how this series began in

  Eternal Breath of Darkness

  ~ One ~

  TAKING A DEEP BREATH, savor
ing the sweetness of her lingering scent, Haden Drake watched Caylee Adams walk toward Mia’s Clothing Boutique. He shifted, repositioning the seam of his pants, attempting to lessen the terrible ache that was becoming his most loyal, frustrating as hell companion. There was a small chance his attempt to get a little more comfortable would’ve worked if she hadn’t dropped her phone and bent over to pick it up. Shuddering, he uttered a curse, his cock swelling until it was impossibly hard, nearly bursting out of his pants. She was sexy in anything, but nothing compared to the way the worn fabric of those tight, low-rise jeans hugged her ass at that moment.

  He, a demon, was the furthest thing from a saint, and pretending to be one was no longer an option. For a year he’d battled against his powerful, volatile sex drive, but day after day the torment of wanting her and not having her had been building into a fierce, unstoppable storm of raw lust. Every night he dreamed of her writhing beneath him, calling out his name in sheer ecstasy as he plunged deep inside the tight, silky heat of her body. She wasn’t ready for him to stake his claim on her, but the season for moving slowly, seducing her gently, was long gone. Despite his great power, he was utterly powerless to deny his insatiable hunger for her any longer.

  Just before entering the boutique, she glanced over her shoulder and smiled at him. It was a naughty, wickedly sexy smile. If he didn’t know her better, he would’ve thought she’d purposely bent over to torment him. Had she? Rejecting the thought, he shook his head. “Nah.” Teasing wasn’t her style. Once she was out of sight, he was unable shake the feeling something wasn’t quite right. Every second that went by the feeling of uneasiness increased in him so much that his centuries-learned ability to remain absolutely calm under pressure failed. It was her smile. Something about it was raising a red flag. He would never admit it, but the moment she turned to smile at him, chasing after her was inevitable.

  While getting out of the car he tried to merge his mind with hers, but she was blocking him. He could easily use more force to penetrate the barrier, but he wouldn’t do it. Not yet anyways. He would if it proved necessary, but for now, knowing it would cause her pain, he decided to wait.

  A terrible, should’ve known better feeling churning in his gut, he approached the boutique, hoping she was inside. He wished she wasn’t so skilled at blocking him. She was uncomfortable with his ability to touch her mind at will so he permitted her to build a wall to keep him out. Hindsight was a particularly brutal thorn in his ass. He was an idiot for allowing her wall to become so solid the only way to get through it was to cause her pain.

  Taking a deep breath, he released it with a frustrated groan as he entered the building.

  “Well, Mr. Slick, it definitely took you long enough to figure it out.” Mia approached from behind.

  Her sharp voice slicing deep gouges into Haden’s skull, he cringed as he slowly turned toward her. His eyes brows drawn together, he flashed her an uneasy smile. “Hello, Mia.” The instant he saw the wicked look in her eyes, his heart stopped. “Where’s Caylee?”

  “Oh, I get it.” Hands on her hips, Mia narrowed her gaze on him. “It’s a man thing. You couldn’t possibly comprehend what has just happened without further explanation. Oh my, you poor, miserable boy. There’s no reason to pout. It’s your lucky day. I just happen to be feeling quite charitable.”

  He suppressed the urge to growl. She was smiling too sweetly, showing way too much teeth for any demon’s liking. The woman was a wolf. Literally. She was lycan, though she didn’t know it. She had been orphaned at young age and raised in foster homes and eventually group homes. He wasn’t sure why, but the true essence of her wolf remained dormant. However, when she was riled, the temperament of the wolf was always present. She never hesitated to follow through with a bite after baring her teeth.

  “She ditched your pathetic ass,” she whispered.

  “What?” Things like this didn’t happen to him. “No.” He was a powerful, immortal warrior. “No.” He was a demon, a master of deception. “No.” He’d live too many lifetimes, acquired too much knowledge to be so easily duped. “Where’s Caylee?” It was joke. She was hiding somewhere, having a good laugh at his expense. Laughing was good. It was great. But enough was enough. Feeling uncharacteristically bewildered, he glanced around. Spotting the dressing room area, deciding it was a perfect hiding place, he walked toward it.

  “Just what the hell do you think you’re doing? Don’t you dare open that door.” Mia followed him. “You’re going to scare the hell out of my customers.” She grabbed his arm and yanked it as hard as she could. “She isn’t here.”

  Turning, he glared at her. “Where is she?”

  Mia glared right back at him. “She … ditched … your … pathetic … ass.” She smiled, lifting her chin defiantly, obviously enjoying the moment. “Was that clear enough for you? If not, I’m sure that I could look around and find some crayons to draw you a picture.”

  “Why?” Nah. It was much more than enjoying the moment. She was clearly savoring it.

  “Why do you think?” Snorting indignantly, she glanced down at his groin. “You haven’t even tried to make it worth the aggravation you put her through day and night. Try using the most valuable tool God gave your gender.” Smirking, she shrugged. “Maybe, and, yes, I know it’s a highly unlikely maybe, if you manage to use it correctly she’ll learn to look beyond the fact you’re a seriously flawed, arrogant bastard.”

  Fists clenched at his sides, Haden nodded. Yep. The woman was a wolf. Rather than bite and release, she clamped down to bury teeth bone-deep to rip and devour. She clearly had some messed-up, unresolved issues with men. He wanted to strangle her, but unfortunately, no matter how infuriating women happened to be, he never strangled them. He was a demon of great strength, integrity, and valor. A warrior. A guardian. Demons like him didn’t strangle women. Not even if they were lycan. Grumbling, because it was the only thing he could do, he turned to walk away.

  “Leave her alone, Haden.” She managed to get in front of him, using her body to prevent him from leaving. “I’m serious. You can’t continue whatever sick game you’re playing with her. It’s wrong, and you know it is.”

  He stared down at her. “What are you talking about?” Wonderful. She was willing to take him on to protect Caylee. Now, despite the fact she irritated the hell out of him, he actually respected the woman.

  “Look, Haden, it’s totally cool if you’re gay. It’s not a big deal. Really, it isn’t. I swear. Just be honest with Caylee. Introduce her to your lover. You can still be her friend.” She shrugged. “Unless—” She tilted her head to the side. “—your lover boy is the controlling, jealous type and he doesn’t allow you to engage in other relationships.”

  “Huh?” His jaw dropped. “Caylee thinks I’m gay?”

  “No,” she lied. Smiling, she softened her expression, attempting to use kindness to manipulate him into continuing the conversation. “That’s my assumption,” she lied again. “You’re a very wealthy man. You’re not all that hard on the eyes. You’re always clinging to Caylee. I’ve never seen you give any other woman a second glance. And, here’s the big one—you’ve never tried to get down her pants. Oh, and don’t try to lie to me about it—she would’ve told me. She always shares her greatest disappointments with me.” She waited for a few seconds, but he didn’t respond. “Look, I don’t have all day to play games with you. Just tell me the truth, are you gay or not?”

  Haden wished he didn’t know Mia was lying. He didn’t even want to consider the possibility Caylee believed he was gay. For the first time ever, he truly regretted having the ability to hear the thoughts of another person. A few women, peeking at them from behind a manikin, giggled and whispered to each other. He glanced over at them and then, shaking his head, he looked down at Mia. “No.”

  “Oh crap. It figures. She won another one.” She waved a twenty-dollar bill in his face. “You know, I’m starting to think it’s time to take that girl to Vegas. Well anyways, give this to her when
you catch up to her.” Dismissing him, she turned and walked away.

  The moment Haden stepped out of the boutique he tried to call Caylee, but her phone was turned off. Driving to the secluded trails where she jogged, he reviewed everything that had happened. Fearing for her safety, he’d told her to stay out of forest. As expected, she refused to listen. She loved using the scenic trails to jog in the afternoon. He was ready for the argument, ready to win. He’d offered to jog with her. How could she refuse? And, she didn’t. She looked up at him with the mysterious, sexy smile that always heated his blood and wreaked havoc in his body, and she agreed.

  Caylee smirked at him, Haden suddenly realized. She wasn’t teasing him. Opening the door to the boutique, she’d glanced over her shoulder to smirk at him. She was flipping him the bird in her own special way. He would’ve known it if he hadn’t been obsessing over her ass. Accelerating through the last curve, pushing the car to its limits, he punched the dash with so much force he left an impression of his fist in it. If she were anyone else, he would’ve happily abandoned her. He sure as hell wouldn’t be chasing after her to protect her, completely helpless to do anything else.

  Throwing gravel, he sped into the parking lot and slammed on the brakes. Sliding sideways, the car abruptly stopped when the rear end crashed against a boulder. From time to time, she accused him of being a control freak. To be fair, he was a bit overly protective of her, but he wasn’t a control freak. His behavior wasn’t due to a lack of respect for her. It was his responsibility, his right to ensure her survival. If she would just be honest with herself, she would accept the fact she didn’t always make the best decisions. It wasn’t her fault. Not really. She was a woman. Women needed men to lead them. Women commonly made bad decisions based on overly sensitive emotions. It was a hormone thing. Hopefully she would eventually learn to rely solely on his flawless wisdom. It would sure as hell make life a whole lot easier.

  He opened the car door and stepped out. Hoping to find her more quickly, he checked his phone, just in case she’d left a message. “Of course not,” he growled, clenching his fist, crushing the phone. “Why make anything easier?” The woman was stubborn as hell. He had until the end of time to train her, but deep down in his heart he knew it wouldn’t be long enough for him to teach her to submit.