“Yeah, if he doesn’t kill him or her first,” Devlin stated.
“He won’t kill his partner. Will you, Percy? You’ve already shown you can feed from emotion without having to kill the person. There is no need to. So from now on, do so.”
He didn’t respond just stared at her, but his features no longer wore such a calm untouched visage. Like his brain was analyzing what she’d just told him.
She could only hope she’d given him something to think about. For now, it was enough. “Just think about it. That’s all I ask. The choice has always been yours.”
“Now can we get back to the reason we’re here?” Devlin asked, his voice seemed strained.
“Percy, what are the soulless doing with Chris and the other hunters who follow him?” Eva asked.
“I should tell you this why?” Percy snapped.
Devlin raised his hand as if to push the knife in more but Eva raised hers stopping him. “Please, what would it hurt? Eventually, we’d find out.”
“That is true. You should have already. We have them keeping an eye on the other hunters and helping us search for the Chronicle.”
“Do you feed off them too?” Devlin asked.
His lips curled into a mockery of a smile. “Oh yeah, we use them to fill some of that emptiness we were just talking about.”
Eva frowned. “You mean, Chris and these men lust after you?”
“Sure. Chris especially has become our bitch.”
“But…but from what I’ve heard Chris isn’t gay,” Eva stated.
Percy chuckled. “It has nothing to do with gender or sexuality, and everything to do with our allure. This isn’t about sex, honey, not for me at least. It’s all about what’s in the blood. For them, hey, the heart wants what the heart wants, in this case lust after my kind.”
She was shocked at what he was saying. These hunters were basically their emotional food supply. But she couldn’t let that knowledge turn her against him. They weren’t hurting the men. Or were they? “Are those men still alive?”
“Chris is.”
“Did you kill the others?” Devlin growled.
“No. Not me. That would be Scott. He tends to get off on death. I don’t need to.”
“Consider what I’ve said, Percy. Just think about it. Now why do you all think I’m the key to finding the lost Chronicle?” Eva asked.
“Like I said, that I really don’t know. But if we find you, we’re to start feeding from you to pull out whatever knowledge you might have. We know you might have some kind of an immunity to us, but you won’t if we feed from your emotions. Eventually, you won’t be able to resist and you’ll do whatever we want. Including help us find the Chronicle.”
“And were you planning on feeding from her?” Devlin uttered the words in frigid tones.
For the first time since they’d captured the soulless, his body stilled. There was no tenseness in it. It was as if he sat frozen. Even an unemotional being recognized the underlying threat of death in the cold tones of Devlin’s voice. This time Percy looked as directly at Devlin as he could to answer, “Not anymore man, not anymore.”
She sighed, knowing he had nothing else to tell them. “Let him go, Devlin.”
Devlin had been crouched down in front of the soulless on the floor. At her words, he stood straight up and faced her. “We can’t let him go. You heard him, he’s a bloodsucker and he’s killed.”
“Yes, I heard him. Let him go. And Percy, you have one chance. One only.”
Devlin stood toe to toe with her but she wasn’t backing down. She would not allow him to destroy Percy. Which was why when Percy pulled the sword out of his neck and moved faster than a bullet, she didn’t try to stop him, not since he was headed away from them, and she held onto Devlin’s arm, so he wouldn’t either.
Percy was already out the door when the sound of his voice drifted back to them. “I’m not the one you need to fear.”
Devlin pulled out of her hold and ran outside but Percy was nowhere in sight. He swung around to face her.
She stopped to pick up his short sword where Percy had dropped it on the ground. “Here,” she said, handing it to him hilt first.
He just stared at her not saying a word, but the blaze of anger in his eyes said it all. Finally, he took the sword from her and replaced it in the sheath at his back.
Without another word, she walked past him back toward the fence and his car. She would not apologize for what she’d done. It wasn’t until they were seated that he spoke to her.
“You should not have let him go,” Devlin insisted.
“He answered all our questions and I gave him something to think about.” Eva turned her head to look at him. Light from a streetlamp flashed across his features. The flush against his slightly pale face let her know he was livid with her. The knot in her stomach tightened. He would never understand. He wanted all soulless dead. She was out to save as many as she could.
“If I find him feeding on anyone, next time I will kill him.”
“I know, but only if he’s going to kill them.” She couldn’t keep the sadness out of her voice. “And if he does, you should and it will be noted in the Chronicle that I made the wrong call.” But she knew to her soul she hadn’t.
By the time Devlin pulled into her driveway behind her car, dawn was close. She got out of his car, surprised when he got out and followed her up the path to her front door. “Thank you,” she said pausing at her door, the key in her hand. “For the ride and for letting Percy go.”
“You’re welcome.”
She unlocked the door but turned at the threshold. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Have you hired any help for the store yet?”
She leaned against the doorframe. “Not yet, I was going to focus on that this week. I thought I’d start with one person. Why? You have someone in mind?”
He put his hands in his back pockets. “Jason has a younger sister in college who could use a part-time job. She’s a genius with a computer and knows about the hunters. It’s just her and Jason, their dad was a hunter but he died in a stupid car accident. I was thinking she might be able to help you at the store and maybe with the database for the Chronicles. She can be trusted.”
“That’s a good idea. Perfect actually, I really need part-time help for now. Thank you. What’s her name?”
“Jeannie.”
“Can you have her give me a call tomorrow, and I’ll talk to her.”
“You’re welcome. I will. She’s a good kid.”
When he leaned forward and rested a palm against the door frame near her shoulder, Eva knew it was time to part company. “Well, good night. I’ll start searching the database for any information on Percy as well any more information on the Chronicles we need to find. If Jeannie can help me get the inventory ready for the store, even copying information into the database, that can free up some of my time so I can focus on finding more information on that lost Chronicle.”
He just stared at her. As though he was waiting for her to say or do something else.
She knew what he wanted but it wasn’t happening. They’d missed their chance and he’d have to wait a long time for it to come around again. They wouldn’t be taking up where they’d left off earlier this evening. She took a step back and began to close the door.
His hand shot out and stopped it. “So that’s it,” he said, stepping forward a little so he could brush his knuckles against her cheek.
It took a lot of willpower she never realized she had not to react to his touch. Not to lean into his caress the way her body cried out for her to do. No. She let practicality rule. Refusing to give into him, or her own body, she steeled her emotions. “Good night, Devlin. I’ll let you know if I find anything.”
He paused with his hand still against her face, like he was daring her to step back first.
Eva didn’t. Devlin was a hunter, a predator, and she could show him no weakness in her resolve. He’d pounce on the slightest chink. She held
her ground. She didn’t know what he saw when he stared at her so intently, but finally he lowered his hand.
Stepping back, he turned and left without another word.
She closed the door behind him, locked it, but had to lean against it for a moment. Refusing to allow the tear hovering to fall, she blinked it back, but her heart moaned. Eva sank down onto the floor and put her head down. He was all wrong for her.
He can’t be the one.
Chapter Ten
Devlin curled his fingers into his palms and squeezed. He wanted to hurt something or someone as he walked away from Evangeline’s place. She rejected him—again. He should take the not so subtle hint and move on. Leave her the hell alone. Yet, for a brief moment when he’d touched her, he’d read the desire in her eyes, saw the tic in her throat. It bled through even though she tried to hide it. She wanted him as much as he wanted her, yet she denied them both. Maybe it was because she really was inexperienced.
He got into his car and sat there, not starting it up and getting the hell away from there, away from her like he should. He understood why she refused to give in, even respected her for it. She wanted someone who worked a safer job, came home every night. One who didn’t come home covered in blood. And she needed a commitment, someone who’d make her promises. He wasn’t the promising kind of guy. She was right about one thing, he lived a dangerous life that would not change. Sooner or later, he’d meet a soulless just a tad faster, a bit more determined to stay alive than he was. But he was damned good at what he did, and his will to survive was strong. Damn it, couldn’t there be just some middle ground for them?
He opened his car door. He’d never even started the engine. It felt all kinds of wrong to leave. They’d talked enough, maybe that was their problem. Maybe they needed to try something else. He knocked on the front door and was surprised when it opened right away. He didn’t say a word, his chest rose and fell while his eyes bored into hers. He saw the raw need in them.
She grabbed his arms and yanked him into her house.
That was all the encouragement he needed. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she drew him down to her. Their lips met and lights blazed behind his closed eyes. She’d kissed him. His mind took flight on a butterfly’s wing, because surely and irrevocably it was gone. Her honeysuckle scent filled his nostrils, her minty flavor coated his tongue. He barely had the presence of mind to shut the door with his foot and pick her up in his arms. He didn’t want to disconnect from her but he had to ask the question, opening his eyes he whispered, “Bedroom?”
She tilted her head a bit. “Straight down the hall, last door on the right.” Her voice was breathy, husky like talking wasn’t something she wanted to do.
He could relate.
Devlin rejoined their lips but kept his eyes open as he strode down the hallway. There were three doors in the hall, two on the right, one on the left. Thank fuck they were all open and the last room on the right looked like a master suite with the king sized bed. Her room was dark, good thing he could see well in the dark, another gift from his mixed blood. Thank you, grandfather, for that. He wasn’t as strong as Samuel, since his father had been the soulless one, but he did have some abilities. They helped to keep him alive.
Stopping at the side of the bed, he released Eva so she could stand, but he never released his mouth from hers. Her tongue licked along the sides of his and he groaned into her mouth. She was all fluid heat. And he lost it.
Devlin pulled her shirt up, releasing their joined lips long enough to yank the material over her head, but in their frenzy to unclothe each other they became tangled. He realized she was pulling the buttons on his shirt apart and pushing it off his shoulders. He managed to get his arms out of the sleeves and returned to her.
His hands wrapped around her tight stomach, his thumb stroking against the edge of the lace bra covering her perfect breasts. Her hands drew his face back down to her warm open mouth. He lost himself inside her moistness. He felt her hands at his stomach trying to unbutton his jeans, and he helped her unzip him. Placing his hand under the zipper to protect his raging erection. He was hard as stone already and ticking with need. He made quick work of getting her out of her leggings. Releasing her only long enough to get them off her legs. She must have already gotten rid of her shoes because they weren’t a problem. He kissed her inner thighs as he stood up. “Are you sure, baby. Please be sure because I won’t be able to stop in a second here.”
Eva sat on the bed, twisting so she could place her legs on the comforter and scooted up on the pillow, waiting for him. “Yes.”
He finished getting out of his jeans in record time. “You are so frigging beautiful. I hurt to look at you.” He did. Every part of him throbbed painfully so, he wanted to be buried inside her for so damn long. Too long. Yet, the wait would be well worth it. He had to take it slowly with her.
He sat down beside her, laying his hands on her thighs. Moving his thumb back and forth on the front of them while she watched him with the glaze of desire heavy in her eyes. “Have you done this before?” He wanted to be sure.
She shook her head and parted her thighs for him. He smiled, as he leaned over her and joined their lips again. She opened her mouth and their tongues tangled together. He groaned and moved one hand down to her hip, squeezing it before moving to place his palm over her pussy. Damn, she was wet for him. Gently, he inserted a finger, moving it slowly in and out of her wet sheath. She stopped kissing him then. Her head leaned back into the pillow and her lips parted. He watched her eyes flutter closed as she moaned while she took in air. Her face was flushed with her pleasure.
Stunning.
He shifted, withdrawing his hand so he could move on her bed positioning himself between her legs. He curled onto his flanks and raised her legs up until they were over his shoulders. Her wet, gleaming, unshaved pussy was right where he needed it. Wanted it to be. Devlin licked his lips then inhaled her as her scent once again invaded every cell in his body. Bringing him to life. His cock jerked reaching toward her pussy. Not yet.
Leaning forward, he buried his tongue at her opening, licking all around her labia then sucking on her clit. His reward was a release of her sweet nectar coating his tongue.
Her body arched to him as she called out his name, “Devlin.”
“Christ, you are so beautiful.” While she was still trembling from him licking and sucking on her clit, he lowered her legs and came to rest over her body. She reached between their bodies and grabbed his cock. She squeezed.
“Fuck yes. Guide me, baby, take us where I need to be, where you need me to be.”
She did, but paused as the head of his cock touched her opening. There was no turning back. Not for him. The time for rational thought was over, only emotion remained. “God yes,” he groaned as he surged forward barely registering a slight barrier before he was buried until his balls were slapping against her skin, and she welcomed him into her warm, wet haven. “You okay?”
“Don’t stop.”
“You feel so damn good. So good.”
“Less talk, more moving,” she panted. “Keep moving.”
“Yes, ma’am.” So he did, he pulled back a bit only to push deeper into her. She raised those long-toned legs and wrapped them around his waist, taking him even deeper inside of her. Her response was primal, instinctual. Dev lowered his head and pressed his lips against hers. Immediately, they parted more for him and her tongue emerged to suckle with his. Their joined flesh circled each other, as his hips swiveled into her core. Filling her with his flesh. Making her his with each stroke and drawing him further down into the abyss that was Evangeline.
“I’m so close. So close to something, Devlin. It’s just out of reach. Can you take me there? Please.”
“Let’s go together.” He grabbed her thighs and positioned them until her legs were pressed up against his chest, opening her even wider for his onslaught. His cock surged forward, going even deeper and with each press, her pussy muscles tightened all ar
ound his flesh making his entire body quiver. His balls were heavy, ready to rupture. His body began to move in a frenzy and she moved with him. The sound of their labored breathing echoing throughout the room and they each strove for that pinnacle in each other’s arms. His cock seemed to get harder with each thrust until finally, after an eternity, the heat caught him and he released his cum into her core. Her body trembled beneath him, he could feel her elixir coating his dick, seeping deep into his soul. He could hold back no longer.
Devlin released their lips and tossed back his head, the muscles of his arms corded from the strain of holding back. He let everything go on a shout that was her name, EVANGELINE! Immersing them in rapture. It didn’t occur to him until much later that for the first time in his life, he never sheathed his dick.
Evangeline had been right there with him when he came. Her own body feeding off his, no beginning, no ending. He trembled, she shivered. Her pussy clenched around his dick. His searing heat had her cells swollen, inflamed and feeling oh—so good. She climbed to the top of the tower with him. As his body tensed then surged into her and with her own cry, she came with him. Their fluids mingled together, as their bodies were completely joined. He came into her twice and each time it trigged an answer in her own body. Even now, he continued moving in and out of her, but a slow rhythm, a reflex, a last beat of one not willing to leave its haven, nor did she want him to go yet. This was what making love was about. This connection.
She felt full, sated as if no other man could ever make her feel this way again. But how would she know for sure? That alone made what they had done dangerous. He wasn’t the one for her. How could he be? The ache that put in her heart almost had her crying out in denial. But she wouldn’t think about that now. Couldn’t. That was for another day. Her destiny lay elsewhere. She would just enjoy what they shared tonight, right now, it was all they had. She’d given him the gift of being her first. Tomorrow would come soon enough, as would the continuation of who and what she was, her responsibilities and his. Tonight was for them.
Angel Hunter- Redemption Book 2 Page 11