by Patti O'Shea
"As you wish." Nic didn't sound any calmer than she had.
He shifted and his hand slipped under the waistband of her panties to settle between her legs. Kimi sucked in a sharp breath and waited to see what he'd do next. Staring into her eyes, he began to lightly stroke her.
"Not like that," she complained, and put her hand over his to guide him. When he had it, Kimi let go and just enjoyed. It didn't take her long to start coming, but she didn't scream—she didn't have enough oxygen for that.
Slowly, she regained awareness and saw that Nic had his jaw clamped so tightly shut, a muscle was jumping in his cheek. She pulled his hand out from between her thighs and got to her knees. It wouldn't be fair to leave him this hard, not after he'd taken care of her. Kimi reached for him.
He was big and thick and seem to pulse in her hand, but she didn't hesitate. She loved the feel of him, loved his heat and told him that she ran her hand up and down his shaft. His eyes locked on hers. Kimi knew when he was close and stroked faster. And with his most demonic growl yet, Nic found his own climax.
Chapter Five
Nic watched Kimi sleep. She'd pulled the T-shirt back on while he'd cleaned up, and when he'd expressed his disappointment, she'd told him too bad. He grinned. The more he got to know her, the more he liked her. Demon females tended to be independent and fiery—an equal match for their mates—and he'd been concerned about Kimi, since she was human. He needn't have worried; she held her own.
She could have fallen apart after being attacked by Augustin, but she'd fought back and escaped. She could have been repulsed by his kill of the other demon, but while she'd been shaky, she'd handled that well. He returned his gaze to his vishtau mate.
Damn, his woman was sexy. Nic relived the way she'd acted during their sex play. He'd allowed Kimi to set the pace, and she'd given more than he'd expected—though not as much as he'd hoped. Unlike many human women, she hadn't been hesitant to show him how she liked to be touched. He'd loved that. The feel of her hand over his as he'd caressed her so intimately—that alone had almost made him come.
There was a bruise on her collarbone where he'd bitten her, and Nic now brushed his fingers over that spot. It was primitive as hell, but he liked seeing his mark on her skin. Maybe next time he could get her to bite him back.
That was something else he'd think about later. Right now, his focus had to be on keeping her safe. Augustin was fixated, and once a dark demon became obsessed, he never swerved from his goal. He'd continue to come after Kimi until he died. It was up to Nic to ensure that happened sooner rather than later.
Grabbing the edge of the blanket, he pulled it over Kimi's arms and lay back down, his hands tucked behind his head. Why had Augustin sent his minion? A Ciretham was a weak demon, and Kimi had already knocked the master to the floor. Was he betting that she couldn't do it twice, or had Kimi hurt Augustin worse than Nic had seen in her mind? Of course, it could be some other reason altogether, one he wouldn't guess.
You will not protect the kijo.
Something about that word nagged at him, as if the knowledge he needed existed somewhere in his head, but was just out of reach. The way the sentence was structured, it had to refer to Kimi—she was of Japanese descent and the word itself sounded Japanese. And Nic didn't think the demon had just been insulting her.
Their room had online service available, and lately humans seemed to have compiled a lot more information on demons—especially since the attack. Not all of it would be accurate, but maybe he could find something that would point him in the right direction.
Carefully, Nic slipped out of bed and went to the desk. He winced at the fee they charged and hated adding more debt to Kimi's card, but this was too important not to get some answers. Sitting down, he selected yes to start the service.
As far as Nic was concerned, one of the best things about the Overworld was instant access to an incredibly large knowledge base. Yes, there was garbage, but a bit of discernment and some additional checking weeded that out easily enough. In Orcus, information was not as accessible and the ruling council hoarded books, keeping important facts from their people.
He searched for kijo and pulled up thousands of results. Sometimes, he thought, there was too much knowledge available.
Browsing down the page, he discovered that many of them were names, belonging to either a person or place. That wouldn't make it simple to eliminate hits. With a silent sigh, Nic continued to scan the screen, but he didn't find anything he considered helpful.
After forty-five minutes with nothing to show for his work, Nic added Japanese to the search parameters. One of the results he received this time was for an online dictionary. Curious, he selected it and read the definition.
Kijo meant witch, demoness, ogress.
Demoness?
A vague recollection came to him, something that he'd heard in a tale from his mother. When he'd been a small child, she'd frequently told him demon legends as bedtime stories.
Think. He had to think, he had to remember.
Could a demon legend have made it into human lore? Nic returned to the search screen and entered some new terms. He didn't get many results, but one of them yielded what he was looking for. The information he found on the site prodded his own memory, but he kept reading anyway. "Well, shit," he murmured, "this explains a lot."
*** *** ***
Half awake, Kimi heard Nic's voice and reached for him, but all she touched were cool sheets. Propping herself up on her elbows she let her gaze sweep the room and found him at the desk. "What are you doing?" she asked around a yawn.
"Some research, tes. Go back to sleep."
Kimi pushed back the covers and padded over to him. If he was checking something out, she wanted to know about it. As soon as she reached him, she glanced at what Nic was reading. The picture on the screen made her shiver. It showed a hideously ugly woman with blood dripping from her hands. "What is that?"
"This," Nic said, turning to smirk at her over his shoulder, "is an artist's rendering of the kijo."
With a sniff of disdain, Kimi straightened. "I'm insulted. Even on a bad hair day, I've never looked that terrible."
Nic swiveled to face her. "You heard the Ciretham demon call you kijo?"
"He did? No, I didn't hear that."
Nic scowled and his eyes took on a faint red glow. "You've been keeping secrets, then. Start talking, Kimi."
"I have not kept any secrets," she insisted. "I told you right away that Augustin wanted to steal my magic."
He shook his head. "No, you didn't. You told me only that he'd attacked you. Damn it, you never even mentioned that you have power. Didn't you think that was critical information?"
"Oops." No wonder Nic seemed pissed off. "Sorry."
She heard him growl, and his eyes grew brighter. "Maybe you'd like to begin explaining now."
Not really, but considering how volatile he looked, she didn't think that was the best answer to give at the moment. "I really don't know that much. About three weeks ago, I got an internship in Crimson City. I didn't realize until after I started, but the ad agency is filled with women of power. Majo, that's what they call themselves. Except for me. They refer to me as kijo. Grandma Noguchi said both translate to witch."
Nic held out his hand, inviting her to take it. Reluctantly, she did, and he tugged her onto his lap. He backed up to an earlier screen and pointed to the definition of kijo. "Demoness?" she asked.
"There's a demon legend," he said, "one I didn't remember until I found a site that retold much of it. It talks of a human female born to a line of sorcerers who possesses much more power than the others around her. Such a woman is rare, and many demons will never hear of one within their lifetime."
"The kijo?" Kimi asked. She held her breath.
"Yes." Nic shifted, settling her more comfortably on his lap, and Kimi fought to stay focused on the conversation. All he had on was a pair of boxers, and they seemed awfully thin.
"Sometimes," he conti
nued, "she's never found. Maybe she wasn't born or maybe she died before coming into her powers. Unlike demons, the kijo doesn't develop her talent until about five years after the onset of menstruation."
Nic didn't blush at the word, but Kimi did. In her family, this wasn't discussed in front of men, but he seemed unperturbed. "That means I had my magic then for almost two years before I learned of it." She considered. "Well, I did figure out I had the ability to summon demons about six months ago, but the rest I didn't know about until I came down here for that job—and I'm still not sure what I can do."
He frowned. "It would have been useful if you'd had those years of education and practice. Augustin would likely leave you alone then, since it's nearly impossible to take the powers of the kijo who's far enough along in her training."
"Nearly?" she questioned.
"Nearly," Nic confirmed. "And once you're fully trained, no one will be able to touch them at all."
"How come—" she asked slowly, and feeling safe next to him, she snuggled closer. "—demons have a legend about a human?"
"My guess is because she has powers similar to a member of one of the strong branches, and because enough kijo have bonded with demon males over the millennia to make an impact."
"But the kijo is human. What kind of bond can she have with a demon?"
"Any human can have a demon vishtau mate." When Kimi looked at him blankly, Nic explained what it was. Then he added, "But for the kijo it's different. When she performs the bonding rite with her mate, her physiology gradually changes from human to demon."
"Are you saying that Augustin is my vishtau mate and that he's trying to turn me into a Dark One?"
Nic frowned fiercely. "I doubt he shares the vishtau with you. It makes demons protective, and a male will die if that's what it takes to shield his mate. He's hurt you, and that would be next to impossible if you shared those ties with him."
Kimi had a sense that Nic wasn't being completely honest with her. "What aren't you telling me?"
There was a long hesitation, and Kimi felt her stomach knot. "You're my vishtau mate," he admitted at last.
Kimi ran through what he'd told her about the vishtau thing again. That meant he had a biological imperative to sleep with her because she could give him children, and an instinctive need to protect her. Not too flattering. "And you have no choice whether or not you want me. Nice."
With a growl, he wrapped his arm around her waist and prevented her from hopping off his lap. "Damn it, Kimi, why is any male attracted to any female? What makes one beautiful woman uninteresting and another unforgettable? Just because demons know their mates on sight doesn't mean we have no choices. I could have kept my distance and nothing would have happened."
"But I took that option away from you."
"I'd already made the decision to find you when you were older and finished with college. You merely moved up the time frame." Nic shrugged. "I'm glad you did. I want to be at your side the next time Augustin attacks."
"Bull! You tried to avoid me," Kimi accused. "You even ducked out of your mother's wedding dinner when I showed up—after complaining to Mika about how I was chasing you."
For a minute he looked blank, then he gave her that infernal smirk. "It was only a complaint because I couldn't have you. I'd promised Mika that I'd keep my distance until you were older, and until I'd learned how to temper my strength enough not to hurt you. But from the start, Kimi, I wanted you. Never doubt that."
Kimi thought about things for a minute. She could sit here and pout that Nic was interested solely because of some stupid demon bond, or she could believe him about only avoiding her because of a promise to Mika and that he would have chosen to come to her in a few years. Demons lied—she knew that—but she believed Nic was being honest with her.
But it was Augustin they needed to stay focused on. He was dangerous and he was after her. The idea of him stealing her powers and using them to further his own agenda was intolerable to her. No matter what, she couldn't let him succeed. Kimi made a decision, one she wished she didn't have to consider.
"Nic," she said, clutching his biceps, "if it looks like we can't defeat Augustin, I want you to take my magic. I'd rather you have it than him."
Nic scowled so ferociously Kimi straightened. "I will not take you by force," he snarled.
"It wouldn't be with force. I'd want you to do it."
He looked at her funny. "It has to be rape. No one can steal your powers any other way. Something about the act of violence opens a hole in your psyche, and that's what allows a demon male to use an incantation to steal your talent."
"Wait a second," she said, gripping him more firmly, "are you saying that if I willingly make love with you, I'll still have my magic afterward?"
"Yes." Nic's confusion cleared and he grinned. "Why, is that what you're thinking of doing? Have at me, tes."
"You're not lying, are you?" she asked.
"No, I'm telling you the truth. You have my word on it, and demons never break an oath."
Kimi thought for a moment. The demon male she'd wanted for eight months wanted her back, and she could have sex with him and still have her powers. Besides, if Augustin showed up they could both die, and she wanted to experience everything with Nic. "I was in charge last time," she said. "This time you have at me."
Chapter Six
With a low growl, Nic moved, putting Kimi on the bed and covering her with his body. She gasped, but he suspected that was because of his preternatural speed rather than any alarm over his actions. When he raised his head to check, she smiled at him and threw her arms around his neck.
Smoothing her hair out of her eyes, Nic took a moment to gaze at her: his vishtau mate. "You're gorgeous—special," he told her, wanting Kimi to understand that, even without this connection between them, he'd want her still.
Slowly he lowered his head to hers, kissing her softly. Her generous lips had sparked fantasies since they'd first met, and if he was lucky, Kimi would be willing to do some of those things he'd imagined. He nipped her bottom lip lightly and then soothed it with the tip of his tongue.
Her hands tightened around him, but he wasn't going to be rushed. He kissed one corner of her mouth, then the other. She turned her head, trying to get more of him.
Nic moved down, bit her chin and nibbled his way to the pulse point in her throat. Because his T-shirt was too big for her, it sagged at the neckline, exposing her collarbone; he kissed along one side. As he reached the center, he tugged the shirt lower and nuzzled the valley between her breasts. She inhaled softly and held her breath.
Nic wasn't done yet. Shifting to her side, he returned to Kimi's lips, delicately sucking on them. She opened her mouth for him, but he ignored her request.
"You're teasing," Kimi complained.
Raising his head, he let her see his eyes. As aroused as he was, he knew they glowed brightly—her gasp confirmed that. But Nic had himself on a short tether. It wouldn't take much to derail his intention to worship her before joining their bodies, so he had a plan. And there was need: Kimi was human, not tied to him the way he was to her—he had to convince her that there were advantages to keeping him around.
"I remember the first time I saw you," he admitted. "We were standing on the beach and the moonlight caught your face." He lightly traced her cheekbone with his finger. "You took my breath away, and my thoughts were only of you."
"Because of that vishtau thing," she said, and he heard a note of resentment in her voice.
Nic shook his head. "I didn't know yet that you were my mate—you were too far away from me. It was you and the way you shine that caught my attention. Not merely your beauty—you, Kimi."
"If you're so into me, why are you moving this slow? You were faster earlier."
He couldn't stop the smile. "You set the pace, then. This time, I am." And he'd take it as slowly as he could for as long as he could. "I'm past the impatience of youth and can take time to savor you, tes." Though it was a struggle.
>
She put out a hand, stopping him from lowering his lips to hers. "What does tes mean? Will you tell me now?"
The debate was brief; he wanted her to know. "It translates to beloved." And without giving her time to reply, Nic kissed her, his mouth moving lazily against hers.
It only took a moment before Kimi's tongue trailed over his lips. Nic opened his mouth, let her in. She was trying to take over, and for now he was content to let her. She was exploring him. Earlier, when she'd encouraged him to taste her, she hadn't returned the favor; this time she was the aggressor.
Nic felt his emotions and lust start to slip the leash, and he fought to hang on. He needed more time before this swamped him. He ran his hand along her side, caressed her flank and moved down to the back of her knee. His finger circled there, and then he lifted her leg over his hip and pulled her closer. They both groaned at the feel of their bodies pressing together.
This was so right, was the perfection he'd been waiting for. Sweet Kimi with her big brown eyes and those lush lips was finally in his arms. He pushed her shirt up and traced the elastic waist of her panties.
She pulled out of his arms, but Nic didn't try to hold her. As she sat up, she yanked the shirt over her head, tossed it aside, and dove back down at him.
His control slipped further at the feel of her bare breasts against his chest. Kimi shoved him to his back, straddled him, and Nic fought hard to let her keep the superior position. It went against his nature. She kissed him wildly, demanding his surrender, which he gladly gave. He fisted his hands in the blankets, trying to hold out, trying to let her retain dominance. Then she shifted, her nipples grazed him, and Nic lost the struggle. He flipped her so that he was on top.
Giving her lips one last kiss, he moved down to her breasts. With a light touch, he traced one areola. Before he even reach them, her nipples were taut and Nic grinned—her responsiveness excited him so much. He nibbled at the underside of her breast, not stopping until she arched and twisted with ecstasy.