by Reese Monroe
“It’s our Ahavah brand,” he said, tightening his hold on her.
She resisted, though. Despite how much her body wanted to settle against his. “A what?”
“A-ha-vah.”
“I ask what again.” She tried for sarcasm, but it sounded pretty pathetic.
He eased forward until only inches separated their faces. She told herself to lean back, but her traitorous body disobeyed. Despite the lack of light, she made out his hazel eyes.
The orange swirled around both of his irises now. Like streams of fire. Intriguing. Intoxicating. Addicting.
His hand found the nape of her neck, while the other slowly slid around her waist, urging her forward. Logic and arousal warred within her mind.
Total stranger.
Honorable.
Not human.
Strong.
Scared.
Trustworthy.
He captured her gaze once again. A swirl of cinnamon wrapped around her senses, and she took a deep breath, drinking it in.
His breath was warm against her lips. What would he taste like? At that moment, nothing else on earth mattered. She had to know.
She closed her eyes and leaned forward.
“Hey, guys!” Justin yelled from behind Theo.
His body tensed beneath her hands, and her eyes shot open. He’d stopped less than an inch from her mouth.
What was she doing? She shouldn’t be here, wanting to kiss this…this…creature the way she did. It was absurd. Insane.
But God, she wanted it.
“Damn it, Justin,” he said, barely louder than a whisper.
His eyes closed, and he shook his head. His grip around her tightened even more, but it wasn’t in passion. More frustration. Anger maybe?
“Am I interrupting something?” Justin slapped Theo’s shoulder.
What was she thinking? She cleared her throat, willing away the hold lust had on her brain—and her body. “Take me home. Now.”
“I’m sorry, Sadie, you can’t go back there.” Theo released his grip, but not before she saw a flash of hurt dart through his eyes.
So expressive. So old. It both soothed and scared her, if that was possible.
“And why can’t I go home?”
Justin snickered and crossed his arms over his broad chest.
“I can do without the snickers, Justin.” She kicked her leg over the bike and took several steps back. She wanted to bolt again, but that’d gotten her nowhere fast last time. “I’m waiting, Theo.”
He smiled as if pleased she’d said his name. He remained on the bike, but set the kickstand.
She glanced around to find trees behind her and a row of houses on the other side. The street dead-ended to her left, then went for miles north. But she was only about a mile from campus, maybe—
“Please don’t run again,” Theo said. “The results were not very pleasant last time.”
He must be able to read minds, too.
“As to why you can’t return home, the answer should be obvious.”
“Color me dumb, then.”
“You’re far from dumb.” Theo smiled again. Damn, that earth-shattering smile could crack a fissure in the ground. “Eighteen years old, already done with undergraduate studies. A degree focused on chemical engineering, no less. Slated to sign with Bendz Chem upon graduation.”
Her jaw dropped. Who is this man? No, not a man.
“So, give me some credit, love. You’re not dumb.” His eyes softened. “But I understand your confusion.” He rubbed his neck. “You remember when I held you at the station?”
She nodded, not ready to chance speaking yet.
“Your touch triggered my transformation. Yours was a few days earlier. Four maybe?” He pointed to her shoulder, and she cupped it with her hand. “Your Ahavah Mark appeared.”
“First comes the female’s, then her Mate’s once they touch.” Justin shifted his weight as he scanned the area. “I’d really like to get out of here, considering splices seem to be opening so easily nowadays.”
“Don’t worry, brother, I can sense them when they come.”
Sadie stared at Theo. “Them…”
“Demons from Hades. Where you just were.”
Justin smiled. “They’re all around humans, hidden from sight, doing their soul-stealing thing.”
“But how can they leave…Hades?” She couldn’t believe she’d just asked that.
Theo nodded. “It starts with a human signing over his soul, becoming a demon on earth. That’s where Hunters come into play. Hunters are humans chosen by The Great One and given extraordinary powers to vanquish demons. If the demons gather enough strength to breach Hades to get to earth, I’m alerted and step in. Make their stay a little more…permanent.”
“Except this bastard Aggie.” Justin punched his palm. “Something’s up with him.”
“Not just him. But yes, we do need to figure out how to dispose of him, permanently, before he gets his hands on my Sadie.” Theo glanced at Justin, then back to her. “And we need to find out what the hell is going on in Hades.”
Sadie gulped through the lump in her throat and looked at Theo. “What are you?”
“I’m the Gatekeeper of Hades.” He bowed his head. “And you…are my Mate.”
Chapter Thirteen
“Nice, Theo. Nothing like throwing it at her full force.” Justin inched toward Sadie.
Theo raised his hand, commanding him to remain where he was. He saw a flicker of realization ignite in Sadie’s eyes amid the confusion, and caught the scents of fear and anger as well.
But there was a hint of acceptance, however small, too. Maybe even on an unconscious level. Yet she stood, staring at Theo, unblinking.
“Sadie. You were taken by Aggie, a very nasty demon, who somehow broke through my binding. He’s marked you as a target. He won’t stop, Sadie. Not until he finishes his task.” Slowly, Theo swung his leg over the bike and stood.
She puffed out her chest, straightened her arms, and fisted her hands. A fighter, indeed. Had it been anyone else and they hadn’t been so small and…human, he would have taken it as a challenge.
But not with his Mate. No, it filled him with pride that she stood her ground. He fought the urge to rush forward and wrap his arms around her. Such a tiny girl, barely five feet tall, yet her presence didn’t reflect that.
She remained in her fighter stance, fists tight. Muscles bunched along her arms as she flexed, or maybe she was shivering. That’s when he realized her sleeves had been torn off. Damn those demons for touching my woman.
“Why me?” she asked through a tight jaw.
“Because you’re mine. They can’t kill me, but they can prevent me from uniting with my Mate.”
“Mate.” She huffed as she slouched. “You’re insane. I don’t even know you. You—I—I’m only seventeen, this can’t be happening.”
“Eighteen on Friday when you graduate.” He inched toward her, and she didn’t bolt. Progress noted. “You can’t deny what you saw.”
She stopped breathing. Literally.
“Sadie. Do you trust me?”
“Hell no.” She threw her focus to the ground, then to him.
He probed her mind and found a sense of trust despite her denial. Yes. She did trust him. Again, it might be only on a subconscious level, but still. He picked it up. He would show it to her. Prove it.
“Tell me about when you ran. How did Aggie capture you?” He stopped with five feet between them.
Something about Aggie and the demons’ behavior didn’t add up. The demons knew Theo dominated their realm because of his creator, The Great One, but despite that reality, he sensed a confidence in their ability to overcome him.
Especially in Aggie.
Sadie shifted away until she met the curb beside the Ninja. She glanced down, around, then back to him. “I ran. Like a complete and total idiot. No phone. No supplies. No destination.” She shook her head. “I know better than that. My sensei taught me better.
”
“And taught you well. I saw you fight.”
The stiffness in her posture relaxed a fraction. The hard edge of her jaw softened as her lips morphed from the tense, thin line to the plump, full, heart-shaped lips he’d come so close to kissing.
Finally.
The need to unite with her, if even just an embrace, nearly knocked him down. He bit the inside of his cheek in distraction.
She dipped her head. “Thank you. I was sprinting to my bike, even though I had no keys, when your guy, Aggie, rammed into me from the side.”
“You often disregard your perimeter?” he asked.
The stiffness and tension returned. “Of course not. I mean, excuse me all to Hades and back.” Her voice boomed, commanding, from deep within her stomach. “I’ve been through a lot this past week. I mean, you show up out of nowhere and mess with my entire life. Stir up things that don’t need stirring right now. Not with finals—shit, I have my last final tomorrow—graduating, starting a new job.” She launched toward him and slammed her open palms into his chest.
It did little to jar him, but still, it took him by surprise. Justin sucked in a deep breath behind him.
“And now you’re talking all Mate this and Mate that and a thing called Aggie wants to kill me.” She jammed her hands into her hair and squeezed her eyes shut. “My brain is going to leak out my ears.” She showed him her back.
That, too, told Theo she was beginning to trust him. She’d left herself vulnerable.
He started to step in and circle his arms around his distraught Mate, but paused. No. He needed to take things slowly. He glanced at his brother, who shrugged. Of course he didn’t understand how to care for a woman. The longest he’d ever been with one was to get his pleasure—possibly hers if she were lucky—then he cleared the female’s mind of him.
Theo was on his own with this wonderfully complicated woman.
The short time he’d known her, he’d already realized how strong, intelligent, and incredibly sexy she was. To graduate from college in only two years, and at the age of eighteen, showed she was determined, too. How could he not respect that?
“I’m sorry, Sadie. I know this is a lot to take in.”
She humphed, but remained where she was. Not that her back wasn’t beautiful, but he’d rather see her eyes.
“It’s very difficult to learn about the supernatural world surrounding you. Most humans aren’t ready for it. Not sure they ever will be.” He cleared his throat. “But you’re a part of that world now. A very important part. You must understand.”
“So, I’m just expected to drop everything? I mean, you say I can’t go home, so what am I supposed to do?” She clenched her jaw and punched the air. “What do you expect from me, Theo?”
“You’ll come with me.”
Her back shot straight. Along the corner of his vision, Theo saw Justin step back, eyes wide and shaking his head.
And then Sadie whirled. Her fist collided with Theo’s jaw with force enough to crack it. His eye nearly exploded with pain. Heat seared up his neck and to his cheek, beginning to heal the vicious injury.
She crouched in fight stance and said, “Like hell I’m going with you.”
Chapter Fourteen
Today had been the longest day Sadie had ever known. And she’d known a few. What frustrated her beyond imagination was the fact that there was a six-foot-tall god of a man sitting in her dorm room across the hall at this very moment.
She stepped into the steaming spray and let the water course down her body. The wimpy, standard-issue dorm showers left her in want. Knots hardened her muscles along her neck and shoulders.
Tension. And not just from this supernatural nightmare she’d been thrown into. Her last final was tomorrow. Well, later today. It was nearly one in the morning by the time she’d convinced macho man to let her come home.
Of course she had to compromise and allow him to stay with her. He evidently thought it meant sleeping in her room since he’d plopped onto her couch. She’d meant one of the couches in the common area.
She’d clarify that with him after a refreshing shower.
Only a few days left of this dorm bathroom. At least no one else was in here since it was so late.
When her sign-on bonus hit her bank, she was all about setting up her own place. She’d saved up barely enough money to make the deposit to secure an apartment less than a mile from Bendz Chem so she could walk or bike to work. Then she had two weeks to get up to Colorado and find that nurse who’d been on shift when Sadie’d been dropped off as a baby.
And with such an amazing job, she could hire investigators to help find her parents.
A wave of nervousness churned her stomach. A new job. On her own.
Didn’t matter. She’d be fine. Everything would be—
“Sadie, is that you in there?”
It was Dasha’s voice. She spoke in a hushed whisper, but it was so loud she may as well have spoken normally.
Sadie pulled the curtain back enough to stick her face out. There stood her friend in short PJ bottoms and a tank top.
Dasha crossed her arms over her chest, probably to hide the fact that she wasn’t wearing a bra, and jutted out her hip.
“What’s wrong?” Sadie asked.
“What’s wrong?” She shot her hands up. “What’s wrong?” Her voice cracked on that one. Theater majors tended to be overly dramatic.
“I’ve been psycho-dialing your number. No answer. Here I am thinking you’re dead on the floor because you might have a concussion or something.” She shook her head and grabbed a quick breath. “But nooo, that totally hot giant piece of god answered your door when I tried to pound it down. What. The. Hell.”
“Mind if I finish my shower first?”
“Only if you’re done in about two seconds. Come on, what’s going on?”
Sadie dipped back under the stream of water and washed the rest of the conditioner from her hair. “Nothing. He’s just…um…sticking around for a while.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Sadie switched off the water and grabbed the towel from the hanger. “Just—well—that guy who tried to grab me. I’m nervous about it, so he offered to stay.” The curtain flew open. “Hey!”
“Oh, please. Get over your modest self.” Dasha waved her out of the stall. “Talk.”
A pounding at the door nearly knocked it off its hinges. Jeez, everyone’s all up in my business.
“Sadie,” Theo said through the wooden door.
She slumped. Dasha’s eyes went wide.
“Answer me or I’m coming in.”
She wasn’t sure how, but Dasha’s eyes went even wider.
“I’m fine,” she said.
“I’m coming in.”
“No. Don’t. I’m—”
The door opened a few inches. “Get decent. I want to make sure you’re okay.”
“Holy shit, Sadie,” Dasha whispered.
Sadie held the towel tight around her and pulled her long hair over her shoulders to cover more of her exposed flesh, then stepped partially behind her friend.
Heat steamed her cheeks, and deep within her chest, the smallest flutter swam through her heart. Theo was overbearing and overprotective, and didn’t listen, yet the thought of his seeing her—or rather, needing to see her—did something to her insides.
Something naughty.
He’d been open and brutally honest about who he was, more what he was. All his actions showed he had her best interest in heart, to the point that he was downright bossy and controlling. Sure, it pissed her off a little, but mostly…it felt good.
Someone totally dedicated to her, focused on her well-being. For so many years she’d had to take care of herself—the only one she’d ever been able to depend on.
Theo stepped into the steamy bathroom and locked gazes with her. Instantly, the hard features that ruled his beautiful face softened. He let out a breath, then shifted his focus to Dasha. “Everything okay in here
?”
“I told you yes,” Sadie said, hoping she came off as pissed, but she was pretty sure she sounded like a lovesick idiot.
“You yelled.” He held the door open with his body.
“Dasha scared the crap out of me. It’s fine. Go.” She shooed him away with her free hand while her other clutched the towel as if it were a lifeline.
He swept a look around the small bathroom. Three shower stalls lined the wall behind her. Sinks filled the far wall, and mirrors the other.
“I’ll be right across the hall.”
“Figured, considering that’s where my room is.” She crossed her eyes.
His brows furrowed, then a smile curved his lips. Slowly, he backed away, and the door clicked shut.
“That was…amazing.”
“Please.” Sadie came out from behind Dasha and went to the mirror where she’d left her beauty kit. Out came a pick, and she started working on her hair. Despite conditioner, her hair was so long it still was a pain to get through, even when wet.
“He’s staying with you?”
“Sort of. What the heck are you still doing up?”
“Um, hello. Worrying about you, dork.” She hopped up and sat on the counter. “Plus, my shoulder still hurts from smacking the wall. Can’t get comfortable and those pain pills make me puke. Stupid muggers.”
Yeah. Muggers. That’s what happened. Sadie could only wish. “But you’re okay?”
“Fine. You? Hey. You got sliced good. What—wait, where?”
Sadie slapped her hand over her forearm. “Um…”
“No ums, girl, what the hell is going on?”
Sadie slouched. “Okay. So. You’re my best friend, right?”
“Your only one, genius freak. Spill.”
Thirty minutes and two more check-ins from Theo later, Sadie’s hair was almost completely air-dried, she’d changed into yoga pants and a tank top, and Dasha had nearly passed out twice from disbelief. Sadie had told her best friend everything.
“That tattoo just showed up? Kind of like Mr. Hercules?” Dasha grabbed her arm. “Demons? Really?”
Silence filled the restroom as Sadie let it sink in. Not just for Dasha, but for herself, too. She didn’t know what to make of everything. Especially the feelings she had for a total and complete stranger. He talked of her being his Mate…as in mate. That just didn’t compute with her.