by Patti O'Shea
She’d assumed that if Conor were her vishtau mate, things would work out. Generally speaking, demons tended to shrug off untruths from other demons. After all, the next day they might be the one lying. Only, McCabe didn’t think that way, and his rigid code almost guaranteed that things wouldn’t end well.
Even knowing that, she wouldn’t change anything about him. She liked Conor. Liked his honor and intelligence, the way he gave his all once he committed himself. She liked his intensity, and yeah, she even liked how serious he was, maybe because it balanced out her tendency to be playful. Then there were those unexpected smiles. Just when she thought he was dour beyond hope, he’d flash that grin and make her melt.
“Promise me one thing,” she said quietly.
“What’s that?”
“Don’t do anything stupid for me, McCabe, okay?”
He started shaking his head before she finished. “I know what you’re saying, and I can’t swear to that.” His hands firmed on her hips. “I will give my word not to do anything…rash, but that’s the best I can do.”
Mika nodded. She knew why he wouldn’t promise. The future was unknown. If he gave his word, he limited his possible responses.
What worried her, though, was their bond. The vishtau could override survival instincts. It wasn’t something one could turn off; it simply was. Already she felt a need to defend Conor, and the feeling would be a thousand times stronger for a male demon. It was biological, genetic. A male would die to ensure his mate made it to safety. Mika figured it was a different kind of survival instinct, one that had to do with propagation of the species. Demon offspring were rare, and each child was considered precious—even a half human one.
It was terrifying. She and Conor hadn’t slept together yet, but she already believed he’d die to keep her safe. In just a few days, the connection between them had become that solid, and it seemed to firm more every hour. Mika felt it happening.
“I wish you wouldn’t wear your contact lenses,” she said abruptly. “Your real eye color is beautiful.”
Without a word, he reached up and took them out. Hanging on to her with one arm, he leaned forward and tossed them away. “Better?”
“Mm-hmm.” Mika nibbled at his lower lip as a thankyou. She kept the kiss slow and languid, refusing to let her lust rule. Maybe he understood. Conor allowed her to set the pace, not taking more than she gave. When she felt her control start to slip, she left his lips and kissed her way up his jawline. She nipped his earlobe, then used her tongue to trace higher.
“Tell me about the Dark Ones,” he whispered.
His sexy murmur blended into the moment. Then what he said registered and hit Mika like a slap. She stiffened, breaking away and standing. It hurt, the idea that he’d gone along with her kiss to lull her into compliance. It was manipulative, something a demon wouldn’t hesitate to do, but she didn’t expect it from Conor. “Nice, McCabe,” she snarled. She moved away from him. “Do you always use seduction to get the answers you want?”
“That’s unfair.” He pushed himself out of the chair, and came to her. Mika held her ground, but was too hurt to look at him. He didn’t allow that. With a finger, Conor tilted her face to his. “Did I pull you onto my lap? Did I start the kissing? You did that, so you can’t say I was using seduction. Wasn’t that your plan, to make me forget I asked you a question?”
“I never—,” she started, voice hot, then realized what he was doing. “I’m not falling for that.” Mika snapped her head to the left, freeing her chin from his touch; then she took a step forward, getting in his face. “I legitimately feel something for you. I was in the moment—which is more than I can say for you.”
“It wasn’t like that,” he argued. “I didn’t set out to persuade you or whatever the hell it is you think.”
“You just saw your opportunity and you took it?” She hissed.
A soft glow came into his eyes, but she was sure her own were burning bright red.
“Yeah, I took it,” he said. “You know why? Because I’m going to keep you safe, with or without your help. You don’t want me to say the name of that branch of demons? Fine. I can do that. You don’t want me to search info sites for them? I can do that too, but you’ve got to give me something to work with.”
Mika felt herself start to slide into emotion and stopped. She needed to think, not to let anger and bruised feelings cloud her judgment. After a deep breath, she took a couple of steps back and turned away to consider what he’d said. Conor was willing to meet her part of the way. He was agreeing not to do anything that would call the attention of the dark demons, and that was what she’d wanted.
He came up behind her, but didn’t touch her. “You experienced the energy in that trap the night we met. Take a second and remember how it made you feel.” He paused. “Do you want me to face the demons that created it without knowing anything about them?”
She shook her head, grasping at straws. “No, but are you sure it was made by demons? I’ve lived in Orcus and I’ve never seen one of these things.” She faced him again, wanting Conor to tell her he was mistaken, that it hadn’t been a demon snare. Or maybe she just wanted reassurance that it wasn’t the Dark Ones who’d built it. She didn’t get either.
“It could be that you didn’t sense them in the underworld because none of the traps were targeted on you. I told you, I’ve seen many demons walk right by them and never notice.”
She thought for a moment. “Or maybe there’s something in this world that allows for their creation, something that Orcus doesn’t provide.”
McCabe shrugged. “Does it matter?”
Mika shook her head. No. It didn’t. She believed in him and trusted his instincts. What difference did it make why she hadn’t identified one of those snares before? What did matter was: “Conor, I really don’t want you to fight any of the Dark Ones.”
He grimaced. “Neither do I. But withholding information isn’t going to prevent a battle. All you’re doing is ensuring I’m at a disadvantage. Is that what you want?”
She almost swore at him. He was a stubborn bastard, and if the dark demons were after her, McCabe would put himself in their path. There was no doubt. “No, I want you safe,” she said.
“Then you’ll give me some info.”
She reluctantly agreed. Conor reached out, took her hand and tugged her to sit on the couch. With a sigh, Mika shifted so she could see him, brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. Enough time must have passed since he’d spoken the dark demons’ name. Enough time for the energy to settle and for no one to be eavesdropping. She hoped.
“I don’t know much about them,” she warned. “No one does. They make certain of that.”
Conor seemed to accept that. “Then tell me what you can.”
Mika lay in bed, her fingers linked at her waist, and thought. McCabe had said a couple of dark demons were here in Crimson City. He trusted his source, and she trusted Conor. If they were after her as he believed, it was surely because of her mission. For some reason, they didn’t want the incantation destroyed. Did they think they could enslave other demons to their will? If the legend was correct, even the Dark Ones would be unable to pull that off.
She pursed her lips. Why were they trying to get to her now? Why not wait until she found the spell and left the safety of McCabe’s property, since they could take it from her much more easily than Conor? Odds were, the spell was somewhere in his house and the protection he had was strong enough to keep them out. If it wasn’t and they wanted her, they would have come inside already.
Unless, of course, McCabe was wrong. Maybe he thought the dark demons were after her simply because of her lie about needing protection. Maybe they were in town for something else completely. Maybe that trap hadn’t been created by the Dark Ones, but by another kind of demon. Like the auric assassin that had been gunning for Conor. Were they separate? How many demons had managed to find their way through the veil?
The light seeping
in through the top of the blinds made a pattern on the ceiling, and Mika stared at it as she contemplated the situation. It was unlikely there were many demons here. Mika could cross the barrier at will, but that was attributable to her human genes. Full-blooded demons were trapped unless summoned, and even then, their time in the Overworld was usually very short. That meant the chances were slim that one of those auric assassins had been living in Los Angeles. Someone with a grudge against McCabe had called him forth. Mika didn’t want to believe the Council had rooked her.
She heard Conor shift out in the great room, and bit back a sigh. He’d questioned her intensely and for a long time. Mika had started out telling him things about the dark demons that she’d seen herself or knew were true beyond doubt, but he’d pushed even further. She’d begun sharing stuff that she’d heard, and as she’d predicted, he’d thought the information was exaggerated. He’d even suggested what she’d witnessed was distorted by fear.
Mika frowned at the memory. She never used the word evil when she talked about demonkind. It was a misnomer, a label humans had slapped on a society they didn’t understand. But when it came to the Dark Ones, evil wasn’t a strong enough word to convey their ruthlessness.
Yes, the Dark Ones were the monsters of human lore. They had no conscience, no compassion and seemed wholly irrational. Well, other demons at least found them irrational. Maybe their actions made sense to them. Sometimes Mika wondered if all demonkind had been painted with the same brush, banished to Orcus so long ago because of this one breed.
Not that it mattered. Still, it was late in the morning and she couldn’t sleep. It had to be imagination, but suddenly Mika thought she felt Conor breathe. The vishtau. She hadn’t experienced it before, and the effects were…different than she’d expected them to be.
She’d known of the sexual attraction, welcomed it even, although she hadn’t known it would be this wild, this uncontrollable. And intellectually she’d understood there would be an emotional attachment. Mika tucked her arm behind her head and curled a hand around her hair. But the reality of the bond was overwhelming, and when she thought about it too long, it became frightening.
“Mika.”
For an instant, she froze, then she smiled. He’d spoken so softly, she never would have heard him if she’d been asleep. Mika pushed her fear aside. To hell with it. She wouldn’t be here long—she might as well enjoy him while she could.
“What?” she answered, just as quietly.
“Come here. Please.”
“Why?”
Conor sighed, loudly, and Mika’s smile deepened. His reluctance was obvious as he said, “I want to hold you, okay?”
It was more than okay. Mika pushed the blankets back and was on her knees before it dawned on her that they’d be lying on that narrow couch again. “Why don’t you come here? We’ll be more comfortable in bed.”
There was a long pause. “Too comfortable,” he finally said.
Damn, she loved that grumbly tone of his. She hesitated only a moment longer before getting to her feet and going to him. She stopped before she came into his view. Today she was wearing turquoise. The panties were as skimpy as the green ones she’d had on yesterday, so high-cut, all she had was a strip of fabric over her hip bones. Her tank top was more revealing. The ribbed knit ended above her navel and clung to her breasts, outlining her peaked nipples. It would drive Conor insane.
With a smile, she stepped into the doorway.
The empty sofa puzzled her, then movement caught her eye and Mika zeroed in on him as he sat up. He’d made a pallet on the hardwood floor in front of the couch, and to create room, he’d shoved the coffee table against the wall. For a moment, he did nothing but stare at her, then he muttered a curse.
Mika walked toward him, an unhurried stroll. She came to a halt again about five feet away from him and posed—just a little. When she saw the glow in his eyes brighten, she did a slow revolution to give him a full view.
“I shouldn’t have called you,” he said, his voice choked.
“But you did.” She knelt beside him, her breasts at his eye level. What difference did it make if she wasn’t fighting fair? Mika wanted to experience everything with Conor. Didn’t she deserve that?
“Stop playing games. I want to hold you—that’s all,” he said.
She laughed. “You want a hell of a lot more than that, but you won’t let it happen.” She ran a finger around her belly button, and Conor’s gaze locked there.
“Don’t tease.”
He sounded dangerous, and since he was half-Kiverian, he probably was, but Mika knew McCabe would never harm her. She’d known it since meeting him. When she ignored his warning and started pushing up the hem of her tank, he grabbed her hands and held them.
“I’m not teasing, Conor. I want you,” she said. “I’ve been trying to tell you. I want to feel the weight of your naked body on top of mine. I want to arch my hips and feel you inside me. I want—”
McCabe had her on her back before she realized he’d moved, and Mika laughed with delight. He loomed over her, his hands pinning her wrists beside her head. Her top had ridden up, exposing the bottom of her breasts, and Conor’s eyes were glued on her bare flesh. Her blood burned as she felt his sex grow harder against her thigh.
Lowering his mouth, he bit her left nipple through the knit of her shirt. She gasped, shuddering as pleasure rocketed through her. But instead of giving her more, McCabe jerked away. He shook his head as if coming out of a daze and released his hold. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…” He trailed off and started to roll to the side.
Mika stopped him. She raised her knees, cradling him between her legs and brought her hands up to hang on to his shoulders. “Don’t apologize—I loved it. I’m only sorry you stopped.” Then it occurred to her what was going on. Damn, she should have realized at once. “I’m as much demon as you are. I can take you just as you are—hard and fast. Just like you want. You don’t have to hold back. You don’t have to be careful like you would with a human woman. You can’t scare me, and you won’t hurt me. Give us what we both want.”
His eyes flared hotter, and Mika saw she was on to something.
“Just think. For once you could have exactly what you’ve always wanted.” She kept her voice as soft as she could, not wanting to scare him. She wouldn’t push, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t offer a little encouragement—did it? “With me there’s no need to restrain your strength or fight your arousal. No need to hide that glow in your eyes. You can bite me. In fact, I want you to bite me. I love it.”
He stared down at her, one lock of blond-brown hair falling over his forehead, and desire made her muscles clench. She brought her legs up higher, positioning his flesh where she needed it most. McCabe pressed forward, sliding his length against her. She wanted their clothes out of the way, wanted to feel his bare shaft nudging her, filling her. Mika let go of him and grabbed the edges of her tank top. Conor didn’t move, and because of that, it took some wriggling before she was able to tug the garment over her head and toss it aside. The sheen of sweat across his brow made her smile.
“Come down here and kiss me,” she ordered, and with one of his slow, sexy grins, he obeyed.
There was no restraint, no gradual build-up. Their mouths met hungrily. For a moment, she couldn’t focus on anything but his tongue against hers, then the pleasure the rest of her body was experiencing roared into her consciousness.
His hard-muscled chest felt so damn good that Mika arched and twisted, rubbing her breasts against him. She moaned in protest as he broke off the kiss, but it changed to approval as he nuzzled her throat. He didn’t stay there long. Soon he moved downward, his hands and mouth driving her higher, making her gasp and groan. When he bit her, she dug her fingers into his hair and held him tightly. “More, Conor,” she begged.
He gave her more, and she locked her ankles behind his back, pulling the lower half of his body closer as she rocked into him. He needed a shave, Mika realized,
but the roughness of his whiskers against the tender skin of her breasts made her hotter. She wanted to touch him, wanted to yank his shorts down and wrap her hand around him, but because of their positions, she was unable to do more than stroke his back and shoulders. Mika thought about demanding equal time, but was worried that would make Conor remember why he didn’t want to do this.
As if he’d read her mind, McCabe stopped. He couldn’t leave her frustrated again. Could he?
When his hands grabbed her hips and held her still, she decided that was exactly what he was planning. “Why?” she almost cried out.
Raising his head, he looked down at her for a long moment. “I don’t want to come in my shorts,” he said. His voice sounded rough, ragged. Sexy.
“I don’t want that, either,” she agreed. “I want you to come inside me.”
His whole body jerked, and with a groan, he ground against her. Then he froze again. Breaking her hold, he moved to lie at her side, one arm dropping across his eyes. “You’re a menace.”
“Me?” Mika pushed her hair out of her face. “Well, whatever,” she said more calmly. “At least I’m not the tease.”
In her peripheral vision, she saw him uncover his eyes and turn to look at her. “What the hell does that mean?”
“What the hell do you think it means, McCabe? This is the second day in a row you’ve left me aching, and it looks like I’ll be heading for the shower again. You realize that if our genders were reversed, there’d be a name for you.”
The growling sound he made was pure Kiverian. It surprised Mika almost as much as the way Conor rolled to the side and pinned her to the floor with his arm. His eyes were hot, but not just with arousal; there was anger there as well. “No one and nothing is going to pleasure you except me. Got it?”
Mika glared at him. She knew he hadn’t changed his mind about having sex; that was obvious from the look on his face. “You’ve got a lot of nerve,” she said. It took effort to keep her temper. “You leave me hanging, then don’t want me to take matters into my own hands? Well, to hell with you.” She pushed on his shoulder, but he didn’t move an inch. “If you’re not going to satisfy me, I’ll take care of myself. Again. I don’t know what sort of strange human puritanism you—”