Dark Awakening

by Patti O'Shea

  Tension came into his body: she felt it, and she knew Nic wasn't going to tell her the truth—at least not all of it.

  "No one knew where I was," he said. "I'd told Mika and her father that I was going back to Orcus, but I changed my mind and decided to explore the human world."

  "And you dodged me because...?"

  Nic shook his head, as if amazed she had to ask. "Because of your age. You were too young when we met. You're still too young."

  "I'm twenty. Not that much younger than you are."

  He grinned and stepped away. "How old do you think I am?"

  Kimi almost moved back into his arms, drawn by something she couldn't explain, but stopped herself and considered his question. He was Mika's older half-brother, so that gave her a frame of reference to work with, but she took a moment to study him. "Twenty-eight? Twenty-nine?"

  Nic shook his head.

  "You can't be thirty yet!"

  He laughed again, and it was only then that Kimi realized she'd said that as if it were ancient. She blushed at her rudeness. Maybe he was thirty, but that was only ten years older than she was. "Sorry."

  "No need." Nic sobered, and eyes locked with hers, he said, "I'm forty-six."

  "No way!" He was lying or teasing her or something. Her uncle David was that age, and her dad only a few years older. Nic didn't look anywhere near as old as either of them.

  "Yes way," he said with a grin. "Demons age differently than humans, and we're much longer-lived. Our average lifespan is a few hundred years."

  Kimi mulled that over. It had to be true. Nic's mother didn't look old enough to have grown kids. She'd chalked that up to plastic surgery, but it made sense that demons aged more slowly. She hadn't thought about it. "I guess that means I'm too old for you, since I'll be dead a couple hundred years before you."

  Nic looked startled, and then his lips curved. "An interesting perspective, but not entirely accurate."

  She nodded. From watching her cousin, Kimi knew demon children grew to adulthood at about the same rate as human kids did, so what he meant was that he had more life experience. A lot more. But even if he were closer to her in age, they wouldn't have a common frame of reference anyway, since he'd lived in Orcus almost his entire life. As far as she was concerned, that meant the gap between them wasn't really an issue.

  No, she had a different problem. She'd just learned she had power, that she was a kijo, and having sex with a demon would give him her magic. Kimi wasn't ready to lose what she'd barely begun to explore. Not that Nic had indicated he wanted to take her to bed, but there was something in his eyes that made her think he was done keeping his distance. Be careful what you wish for!

  Taking a deep breath, Kimi reached up and ran both hands through her hair, pushing it behind her shoulders and out of her way. Nic's growl had her jerking to attention. His eyes were definitely glowing red. She backed up until she hit the wall.

  Kimi fought the urge to flee as he stalked toward her, but she fought it. Nic wouldn't hurt her—Mika would kill him if he did—but he looked inhuman with his eyes that color. She almost squeaked when he reached for her, but all he did was lightly touch the mark on her shoulder.

  "He bit you."

  "Yes."

  "Bastard," he said coldly. Nic lowered his hand. "Demons bite when they're sexually aroused."

  "Are you warning me or informing me?"

  "Both." As if sensing her unease, he moved away and Kimi drew a deep breath. "Are you up to answering some questions about the Dark One for me?"

  "I told you what happened."

  Nic dragged a hand through the top of his hair, making more of it stand on end. "Let me ask you something else. Have you been allowed free entry into Mika's home?"

  "Do you mean, did she give me a key? No, she didn't." Kimi smiled. "I don't think she wanted to chance me walking in on her and Conor. They are newlyweds."

  He didn't return her smile. "When I said entry, I meant does Mika invite you in or can you enter on your own?"

  "They invite me in. Why?"

  That answer didn't appear to make him happy. "Because McCabe has some damn formidable protection around his home and no one can enter without an invitation. I was hoping, though, that you had permanent permission. If you did, you could hole up there while I hunt the dark demon and I wouldn't have to worry about protecting you."

  Kimi wasn't sure how she felt about his desire to get rid of her. Part of her never wanted to see the Dark One again: that side wanted to allow Nic to make it all better. Another part of her, however, rebelled at the idea of letting him fight her battle on his own. She belonged at Nic's side no matter what.

  "I won't be a liability," Kimi said.

  "You're human."

  And human equaled hindrance in Nic's mind. "I put him on his ass once—don't underestimate me."

  "How did you do that?" he asked.

  With a shrug, Kimi moved away from the wall. "I'm not sure. If I knew, I wouldn't need to ask for help."

  "You said that—"

  "I don't want to talk about it again," she snapped. She turned to go.

  Before she could leave the room, Nic was there, his hands gentle on her shoulders as he faced her toward him. He hesitated only a moment before gathering her against his body and soothing her. "Hush, tes," he said as he ran his hand over her hair.

  She growled. "My name is Kimi, not Tess."

  Nic laughed. He didn't make a sound, but she felt his chest shaking. "Tes is a demon word, not a name."

  "Oh." And she felt stupid and young. "What does it mean?"

  He ignored her question. "Would you trust me to read your thoughts? Only about the demon attack; I would delve no further. I give you my word on that."

  Kimi hesitated, then agreed. He stopped stroking her hair and put his hands on either side of her head. She swore she could feel him in her mind, but he was as careful as he said he'd be and she relaxed against him. It was Nic who went rigid.

  "What is it?" she asked when he stepped away. "Nic?"

  "I know the one who assailed you." He began to pace. "He's very powerful and very dangerous. Fortunately, you hurt him severely—not just because you were able to get away, but because we'll have some time before Augustin will be recovered enough to come after you again. That's the good news."

  "And the bad news?"

  "There might not be any demon capable of defeating him."

  Chapter Three

  Of all the Dark Ones loose in the Overworld, why did it have to be this one after Kimi? Nic would move heaven and earth to protect his vishtau mate, he'd die so that she might live, but if he didn't take Augustin out with him, Kimi would be left to face the demon alone.

  She moved, putting herself in his path as he paced the length of her apartment. "Nic, please. Talk to me."

  "What do you want me to say? I'll defend you to the best of my ability, but that might not be enough."

  "Is he really that dangerous, then?"

  Her hands were clutched in front of her and Nic reached out, taking them in his. The iciness of her fingers told him how nervous she was. "Let me put it in perspective for you," he said quietly. She had to understand the gravity of the situation. "Many residents of Orcus wish the Bak-Faru didn't exist. They feel that all demons have been given a bad reputation because of the actions of this one group. Many of the Bak-Faru wish that Augustin never existed."

  "Because they feel he gives them a bad name."

  "Bingo," Nic said. He didn't quite know what the word meant, but he'd picked up plenty of slang since he'd come to the Overworld and he'd used the term correctly.

  "How terrible is he?" Kimi asked. "Honestly?"

  Nic debated. "Evil. I don't use that word lightly, either. He's twisted inside. The Dark Ones have done vile things, but Augustin has surpassed them to the point that his own branch shuns him."

  "Why don't other demons do something about him? Arrest him or whatever?" Kimi asked, clasping his hands tightly.

  Despite how
serious things were, one side of Nic's mouth quirked up. How did he explain to her what his society was like? Their caste system was rigid and based on which branch someone was born into. Weaker demons regularly enslaved themselves to stronger demons for protection, and the alliances among branches were an intricate tangle that even the oldest of their people couldn't unravel. This would have made pursuing Augustin difficult enough, but when the innate fear most demons felt for the Dark Ones was factored in, it became impossible.

  "The Bak-Faru live separate from other demons, and it would have been left up to them to handle Augustin. For whatever reason, they've opted to let him roam free."

  Kimi took a step closer. "Could they just be scared of him too?"

  "It's unlikely it's that simple, but I don't know. The Dark Ones seem irrational, and I can't begin to guess their logic."

  She continued to gaze up at him, and Nic found himself sinking into her beautiful brown eyes. He wanted to reassure her, to make her believe that everything would be okay, but he couldn't. Instead, he leaned forward and brushed his lips over hers.

  He meant to do nothing more than offer comfort, but their kiss was more perfect than he'd imagined—and he had expected it to be damn good. Unable to stop himself, he took it deeper. Kimi opened her mouth beneath his and Nic groaned as he finally tasted her: his vishtau mate. At last, he was kissing his vishtau mate. Pulling his hands free of hers, he reached for her hips and drew her body against his. Nic had to feel her, and he wanted her to know how she affected him, wanted her to know that even this simple kiss left him excited.

  Kimi broke away. "I don't want this," she told him, and her lips trembled.

  "Really? Eight months ago you wanted more from me than a few kisses." He hadn't meant to say that, even if it was true, but he didn't get a chance to apologize.

  "That was then," Kimi shot back, and with a toss of her head, she flipped her hair behind her shoulder.

  Reluctantly, Nic smiled. He liked the fire, it was that which prompted him to push her. "So you no longer want me to slowly undress you, kissing each inch of exposed skin as I go? You don't wish me to bare your breasts, to roll your nipples between my fingers and take them in my mouth?" She blushed and looked away. Nic's grin broadened and he kept going. "That's not the only part of you I want to use my tongue on. I've imagined putting your legs over my shoulders and going down—"

  "Shut up," Kimi snarled. She glared into his eyes, but he read more than anger and embarrassment. There was also arousal.

  "Why?" He asked, trying to sound innocent. "I was just getting to the interesting part."

  "I don't want to hear it."

  "What have you fantasized about doing to me?" He asked, although he didn't expect an answer.

  "Right now, I'm imagining punching you—hard."

  Nic grinned. Kimi had grown up. He couldn't visualize her holding her own with him when they'd first met, and he liked the change. His smile faded. No doubt he should allow her more time to mature into the person she'd be one day and take more time to work on gaining the control he'd need to safely bed her, but he already sensed the bonds between them tightening—for him, not for her. Yes, she felt the attraction, but it wasn't the driving need to mate that he had. Everything would have been easier between them if she'd been a demon herself, or even part demon.

  From time to time in his life, he'd idly wondered about his vishtau mate. Would he find her? What would she be like? How would it feel to be that closely connected to another? He'd never, not even once, imagined her to be a human.

  He'd known it wasn't outside the realm of possibility. His mother had found a human vishtau mate after the death of his father. His sister's mate was half demon, another proof of vishtau bond between the species. And he'd heard of others of mixed blood, but he hadn't thought he'd be one of those with a mate outside Orcus.

  Maybe it was the Mahsei side of his nature, but to a large degree, Nic believed in going with the flow. He'd met Kimi, felt their bond, and developed new dreams. She'd been one of the reasons he'd chosen to stay in the Overworld. Since she couldn't live in his home, it was up to him to learn to fit into hers.

  He said none of this, though. If Kimi were skittish—and he couldn't blame her if she was—it was up to him to win her, not scare her further.

  "When I probed your memories," he said, getting back to what was crucial, "there was a part that wasn't clear. You held up your hand and Augustin was knocked to the floor?"

  Kimi nodded, the motion making her dark hair slide in front of her shoulders again. It was long enough to fall below her breasts and Nic found himself distracted, picturing only her tresses hiding her naked body from his gaze. He fought it off.

  "I don't know what occurred, not exactly," she said, and he dragged his attention back to her face. "All I remember is being furious, so enraged that my fear was gone. I put my hand up and boom! That lightning or whatever it was came out and he dropped to the floor. I'm not sure how it happened."

  Nic frowned, trying to come up with an explanation for what she'd done. If Kimi were a demon from one of the stronger branches, it would be simple, but she was human—there was no question about her heritage. "And that was the first time you've experienced anything like this?"

  "Yeah. Why are you so interested in that?"

  "Because if I die," Nic said grimly, "you'll have to fight Augustin alone. I want you to be able to defend yourself."

  "What you mean, if you die?" Kimi demanded.

  "It'll be a battle to the death, tes. Do not doubt it."

  She strode toward him, and if he hadn't stood his ground, he felt sure she would have backed him against the wall. "Listen up, Nicodemus," she said, and poked a finger into his chest. "I didn't call you forward to get killed. I called you forward to kick some ass. Are we clear?"

  "And I'll do my best, for only with Augustin's death will you be safe, but you need to understand that he is Bak-Faru and stronger than I am."

  "I've been told you're dangerous."

  Nic flattened her hand against his chest and rested his own over it. "I am. I'm half Grolird—the second darkest of the demon groups—and have the powers of this branch, but my Mahsei blood weakens them to a degree."

  "How wide is the power gap between first place and second?"

  Her question confused him for moment, but then he understood. "It's unclear how much stronger the dark demons are than the Grolird. There've been few confrontations between members of the two branches."

  "So, you could very possibly be more powerful than Augustin," Kimi said, sounding satisfied. "You'll win and I'll be safe."

  "I'm not more powerful."

  "You just said—"

  "I know what I said, but I've fought Augustin before. I'm the one who got his ass kicked."

  Kimi was momentarily stunned speechless. "And you're just telling me this now?"

  He growled, a sound that wasn't human. "I haven't been here half an hour yet. Shit," he muttered, and Kimi was startled to hear such a human curse word coming from a demon. "Pack a bag," he ordered. "We can't stay here."

  "It's packed. I was planning to go home tomorrow morning to spend the weekend with my parents."

  Without a word, Nic disappeared into her bedroom and returned with her stuffed overnight bag. He retrieved his own backpack, and heading for the door, said, "Let's go."

  "First tell me about what happened between you and the Dark One. Please," she added when he stared stubbornly at her. "Nic, you said he beat you. I need to know what we're facing."

  His sigh was loud and Kimi figured that meant no dice. She grabbed her car keys and purse, slung the strap across her body, and was headed toward him when Nic began to talk.

  "I was hiking with my father outside Biirkma—that's a city in Orcus—when we heard a child crying and went to help her. You have to understand that children are considered precious. No demon would walk away without helping one in need, nor would any of my people dream of harming a child—or almost none of us."

>   "Augustin being the exception to the rule," Kimi guessed. Nic grimaced and she saw something in his eyes that made her heart start to pound. Suddenly, she wasn't sure she wanted to hear this, but she braced herself and waited.

  "She couldn't have been more than eight or nine, little more than a baby." Nic's hands clenched around the handles of the bags so hard that his knuckles went white. "When we topped the rise and saw what was occurring, my father bade me hide."

  The choppy way he delivered the story was so unlike Nic that Kimi started to reach for him. He stepped back out of her range, and she let her hand fall to her side. Although his expression remained carefully blank, she could feel his torment. Almost against her will, she asked, "What was happening?"

  "Augustin was raping her."

  Kimi gasped and said, "Oh God."

  "My father pulled him off and told the girl to run, and then he and the Bak-Faru fought." Nic's hands tightened harder around the straps of the bags. "My father was pure Grolird, but he was no match for Augustin, and though he told me not to show myself, I did. He needed help. Likely, the wiser course of action would have been to summon aid, but I could not imagine us not besting the Dark One." She heard Nic swallow. Then he said, his voice flat, "Augustin killed my father and left me for dead. I would have died, too, had the girl's father not come to murder the Dark One himself."

  Kimi felt sick. Nic must, too. Though she hadn't been there, she'd never be able to get the image out of her head of that huge man raping a child. How much worse must it have been for Nic, who had not only seen it happen, but had seen his father killed before his eyes, and had nearly lost his own life.

  Outrage filled her. "And no one did anything to that animal?" she demanded.

  "The dark demons did something—he never forced himself on another child—but I don't know what."

  "They should have killed him," she growled.

  "I agree," Nic said, "and so did many others. There was a lynch mob outside the Bak-Faru enclave for weeks after the incident, and it was thousands strong. Or so I was told."