He couldn’t fail. Not now, not here, and not in front of her. Blinking to clear his gaze, he saw her blade descend in a quick arc toward his neck. Ruman arched his back, unbalancing her from her seated position straddling his hips.
She tumbled and landed on her ass with a grunt. Though winded and slow, she was on her feet in a matter of seconds, crouched, ready for battle with those blasted knives clutched in both fists.
Taking advantage of her slight hesitation, Ruman lashed out. A hard chop of his hand to her forearm sent one knife clattering across the room. The other sliced at him. The area she hit stung. All that saved him from a nasty wound was his leather jacket.
The few emotions his kind dealt with were never so wildly uncontrolled. The longer he stayed in close proximity to this woman, the faster his protective barriers fell. If he didn’t nip this in the bud, he’d lose this chance for redemption.
A chill like cold fingers curled itself around his back and crept across his chest. His stomach bottomed out at the unpleasant sensation at the thought of going back into that statue.
Like hell.
In a move too fast for a human to track, he launched himself at her. Even so, the blasted woman managed to leap partially out of range. His arms ended looped around her hips.
As they sailed through the air, he twisted to land on top this time.
Even then it was a stretch.
Her quick, agile body almost slipped out of his grip. It was only by the grace of angels that he’d managed to hold her.
He blocked the knife she twisted his way. His fingers encircled her wrists, her bones so delicate his fingers overlapped. The wickedly sharp blade stopped inches from his heart.
Increasing the pressure, he waited for the metal to drop. The chit winced, but she refused to release the weapon. Her hand should be numb. People were so fragile, any more pressure and he’d risked permanently damaging her.
Unbelievably, her legs shifted as she tried to twist from beneath him. Flat on her back, pinned to the floor, she still fought.
Admiration and something else made its way inside him. Careful so as not to hurt her or allow her to escape, Ruman relaxed in increments, shifting his weight until his body covered every inch of hers. By brute strength, he forced her arms to the floor, pinning them above her head.
They lay nose to nose. Muscles quivered beneath his, tensed, waiting for an opening. For each subtle gesture, he countered. Breathing raggedly, his body sore from the punishment this human had inflicted on him, Ruman stared as if seeing her for the first time.
A human was a human. They were born. Most lived short, insignificant lives and then died. As an angel, he had listened to their sins, recorded them since the beginning of time. And yet, only now did he wonder about their lives.
This one was resilient.
Unrelenting and fearless.
Stupidly brave and reckless in the face of danger.
And beautiful.
The thought struck him from nowhere but once there, it wouldn’t go away. Face to face, less than an inch separating them, he studied her eyes. A deep green, so dark and mysterious he couldn’t turn away.
So many secrets.
The way she studied him in return gave him pause. A strange heat tightened his gut, spreading through his system in a way that made him want to get away from her and gather her close at the same time.
She blinked, and the spell broke enough to allow breath back into his body again. Thoughts took a bit longer.
Hair haloed her head. The color, a rich brown chopped in careless layers, revealed different shades of red and gold. He estimated the length came to the middle of her back. Unconsciously, he shifted his hold and raised a hand to touch a strand that had landed across her throat, determined to find out if her hair would be as warm and inviting as it looked.
“My death will gain you nothing and will not go unpunished.” The muscles of her neck strained to complete the sentence. It took him a moment to comprehend and shake himself out of his stupor.
“I am not the enemy, woman. If you’d given me a moment to explain, this could’ve been avoided.”
“Ah, yes. I can’t imagine why I didn’t think of asking a demon half breed who broke into my house what he was doing.” She spat the slur, her accusation smarting despite the truth of her words.
“I followed you—”
“From the temple.”
Ruman gave her a pointed look and waited for her silence. He’d be damned if he had to fight her every step of the way. She would play by his rules now.
Her teeth clenched, and she lifted her chin defiantly in a way that made him want to run his fingers down her jaw. The smooth skin had a glow that drew him, distracted him. He followed the line of her jaw to her throat and saw her swallow.
“Then explain already. You’re a little heavy for a blanket.” Her huff of breath snapped his gaze to hers, and he shook his head to rid himself from his delusional desire to touch her.
“You summoned me at the temple. I am a guardian demon.”
The twist of her lips was anything but humorous. “You failed miserably. The temple was destroyed.”
Annoyed at her dismissive words and caustic attitude, Ruman shook his head. “Not to guard the temple. You.”
“Me, what?”
With her eyes narrowed, her gaze reminded him of a predator on the hunt. “You’re the one to be guarded.”
A strangled sound escaped her, like her laugh caught in her throat. He almost regretted that he couldn’t hear it. Until she spoke again. “You must be joking.”
Ruman reared back, almost losing his hold on her wiggling form. With a flex of his body, he barely managed to subdue her when she moved, lightning fast, to escape. The brief struggle left him edgy.
Heat moved under his skin wherever they touched and spread, warming his face. Her disdain fired his temper. No one laughed at him. He was a warrior who had lived thousands of years. Even his fall from Heaven had not made him react so strongly. That punishment he deserved. This was something else.
He stared at her, exhilarated at the fight. The perverse side of him enjoyed seeing her beneath him and under his control. Raising a brow, he bared his teeth in a smile that had been known to send his opponents running.
He leaned closer, stopping a hairsbreadth away from touching his lips to hers. “And yet, here you are. Beneath me.” It was only then he became aware she was more than bones and muscles.
The light scent, a smell unique only to her, wrapped around him. Head tilted, he followed the source, unaware of moving closer until she made an uncomfortable sound at the back of her throat. Warmth from her neck reached him, pulling him closer, and he located the source. Cinnamon and spice. Not a perfume but a delicious fragrance she exuded that called to him.
The way she shifted and constantly moved under him clouded his mind. His body tensed as if the signals in his brain were confused. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it was nowhere near comfortable. More like static crawling across his skin. The unexplained need to get closer enveloped his body. Almost as if he wanted to taste her. The sensations were an annoyance he wanted to swat away but couldn’t quite reach.
As an angel, he’d never come into close contact with humans. Never touched one like this.
Where Caly was soft, he was hard. Even with the size difference, she fit against him. Her tempting warmth seeped into him, and he had to move before she branded him further.
But not yet.
Not only did his body react unpredictably, it did so without his approval. He pressed closer, needing to touch her like an uncontrollable craving. Common sense warred in him that if he didn’t move soon, she’d fight him again and he wasn’t sure who would come out on top. He wasn’t sure he’d mind if she won just to see what she felt like over him, touching him of her own free will.
The thought shook him to the core.
He needed distance now.
“How about we make a deal?” Her mouth opened to interrupt him, but he s
poke quickly. “We both stand and discuss this like adults.”
Her eyelids slitted, and he knew he’d made a tactical error.
“Get off me, you great lummox.” She twisted beneath him, trying to buck off his weight.
He sucked in a deep breath and let loose a sharp whistle loud enough to make even the dead want to cover their ears. He stopped only when she stilled. Her eyes narrowed, promising retribution, and part of him relished the opportunity. “Do you think we could manage to stand in the same room without bloodshed?”
It unnerved him that he couldn’t tell what went on in her mind. Since his descent, his ability to scan a person’s mind had been severely limited. With her, there was nothing but a wall. He waited for her reply, barely aware he held his breath. If he didn’t know better, he would swear he was almost anxious for her answer.
“Deal. Now get. Off. Me.”
Cautious and reluctant at the same time, he loosened his hold on her arms, his hands lingering, tracing her skin for a second. The contours of her body had his own reacting more violently, demanding that he pull her closer. Even though they’d fought, he felt more comfortable with her than all the time he’d spent in his human form.
He allowed her to keep her knife, not out of carelessness on his part, but an honest expectation she’d keep her word. He wanted her to feel at ease with him. This would be a step in the right direction. He had other things to worry about, like the way his body ached to touch her again.
Usually, just the thought of touching a human repelled him. Not her, though. She was different in every aspect. He didn’t want to move away, which should have horrified him.
He pushed up on shaky arms, his heartbeat ricocheting in his chest. He balanced on hands and knees above her, ready to move away, when the blade came to rest against his throat. The metal heated his skin but otherwise, did not draw blood. He froze and stared at her in silent accusation.
Although he might marvel about the novelty of emotions and physical sensations, they led to a whole set of complications he had no way to combat.
“You gave your word.” He could hear the shock and confusion in his own voice. He’d been so sure she was honorable, disappointment trickled through him. When would he learn not to trust humans?
Caly pulled her legs out from under him. “And I haven’t shed a drop of blood.” She crouched less than a foot from him, balancing on the balls of her feet. “I think it’s time you answer some of my questions now. Demons burn in hellfire when they touch iron, yet you withstood the touch of metal twice.” She re-gripped her knife, one finger at a time, never once taking her gaze off his. “What the hell kind of half-breed are you?”
Chapter Nine
There was something about the man that drew her gaze and begged her to take a closer look. Strength and power emanated from him, giving the impression that she could rely on him.
A lie, of course.
The color of his eyes couldn’t be distinguished from the blackness around them. Until he got closer. Then they was pure dark, sable brown and inviting her to reach out and touch him.
Leather jacket, white shirt and a mouth-watering view of him in jeans were enough to make her sit up and take notice.
Unfortunately for her, he wasn’t a real man at all.
His eyes shifted once again, signaling a move. Muscles tensed as she readied the blade, but she stayed her hand. Her hesitation disturbed her. Oscar had warned her more than once that all demons were evil and should be destroyed. She didn’t want to believe him, but in her line of work, she had little proof otherwise.
Except this man saved her life at the temple.
No, not a man.
Demon.
Her fingers trembled as her mind fought years of training, but she couldn’t make the kill. One strike and everything would be over.
It would be quick.
He wouldn’t suffer.
Much.
Still she hesitated.
Slowly, he drew away from her blade, and she let him. Her mind screamed that the decision would jump up and take a chunk out of her ass later, but she couldn’t make herself do it. Crouched less than three feet away, they studied each other. For a statue and a demon, he played the part of a man quite well.
A whisper of regret curled around her that he wore modern clothes, but no way would she miss the chance at seeing him in those pants.
He was an exact replica of the statue from the temple.
Except in vivid, living color.
Powerful muscles strained as he gasped for air, and she couldn’t prevent her gaze from absorbing every inch of him.
From their tussle, his shoulder-length dark brown hair rested carelessly around his head. His lean frame did not display a wrestler’s bulk. Instead, the demon had more of a lean, mean appearance. The way he moved, the way he flexed, indicated how a well-muscular machine should function.
And did he have moves.
Embarrassment burned her ears as she remembered the way he’d pinned her beneath him. The feel of flesh and blood man, all hot and warm, heated her body. Under different circumstances, a different man, she wouldn’t mind—
Control yourself, she scolded silently. “State your business and leave before reinforcements arrive and dust your ass.”
The corner of his lips quirked with humor, but his mouth refused to form a full smile. Disappointment sliced through her.
What nonsense was this? She needed to focus before she really screwed up and actually jumped the creature’s bones. A tsk-ing sound drew her gaze to his lips, and she watched him shake his head once, very slowly.
“You made your friends promise not to leave the group. After you left, they decided to check in on you in the morning.” He did smile now, his teeth straight, white and perfect. The crowning piece was the dimple that pushed his smile to devastating.
But with that look in his eyes, the better word might be ‘delicious’.
“We’re alone until morning.”
Hormones out of whack, Caly couldn’t detect if he’d made a suggestion or if her sexually deprived body made her hear things.
Her job didn’t exactly draw in the guys. The few she’d met were either adrenaline junkies or totally naïve. Neither type could swallow that there was something beyond the normal that ran loose in the world, so she’d stopped trying and kept the two different aspects of her life separated.
For the last year, Oscar had run her ragged. It hadn’t left her much spare time to linger at the singles bars. The last time she’d gone out, she’d spent the whole night dodging creeps. One went so far as to touch her ass, and she dropped him to the floor.
They’d asked her to leave and not return.
Now she realized she should’ve tried harder. At least to hook up with someone if only to rid herself of this blasted urge. But every time she searched, all the good guys were either taken or possessed. Neither would lead to a relationship. And neither would a demon.
Whoa! Hold up. She didn’t want a relationship and definitely not with some demon reject.
“State what you want or get out.” Caly stood abruptly. Pain sliced through her ribs and robbed her of breath, but she refused to let it show. Blood rushed to her head and the room tilted. Jaw clenched, she focused on his face and prayed she didn’t pass out.
She refused to be vulnerable, especially in front of this egotistical jerk.
Gratification filled her the way he twitched to keep her in view when she stood. She didn’t think she could go another round and survive. She sheathed her blade and retrieved the other. A good fight usually energized her. This skirmish left her exhausted. Earlier she couldn’t sleep, now she feared she’d have to battle to stay conscious. “I want you gone.”
She couldn’t force him, and that frustrated her more than anything.
“You’ve made that more than obvious.” He rose in increments as if she were an animal he was trying not to provoke. “Too bad we can’t always get what we want.”
The way he kn
ew how she’d react to him threw her off stride. She buried it and concentrated on his words. “Explain.”
“Let’s make it simple. Your blood woke me from my slumber. I am a guardian. It’s my job to guard you.”
Caly barely managed to stop herself from rolling her eyes. “I can take care of myself.” One might think to have a demon on their side would be a good thing. Caly knew better, knew by experience that only bad things followed. The reminder hardened her resolve.
“So you can and quite well. But not all the time. You couldn’t at the temple. And not so long ago, I had you pinned to the floor.” His gaze slid down her body.
The glance happened so fast, she thought she imagined it. His golden brown eyes darkened to sable as they had when they’d fought.
And then it was gone. Whatever spark she’d seen, it disappeared like it’d never been.
“You’re human. Humans are weak.”
The slight, derogatory emphasis on the word human gave it a whole new meaning. But that term didn’t really apply to her. She wasn’t completely human anymore, but damned if she would admit it to him though.
“Technology has given us great advances. Each day we learn more, and the more knowledge we gain, the more power we have over your kind.” This time, Caly deliberately allowed her gaze to rake his body, purposely lingering at the front of his jeans…
…and was rewarded to see him not as unmoved as he wanted her to think.
Tingling swept through her body, heating the cold that had long since settled in her bones. What was she doing? Even if he was attracted to her, there could never be anything between them. The infection she’d received when she merged with a demon years ago made sure she would never have anyone to call her own.
They were enemies.
She shifted, and he mimicked her movement.
She studied his hands. Smooth hands with no calluses. No scars. Hands that could cleave a human in two by strength alone. She shivered. She’d hoped the image would’ve been enough to warn her away. Instead, she imagined what they would feel like on her skin.
She was drowning in her fascination.
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