Eternal Flame

by Valerie Twombly

  “Where did you meet him?”

  She lifted her gaze and looked back at her sister. “I’ve never seen him before in my life.”

  Jill’s mouth shaped into a silent ‘Oh’. “Maybe you saw him somewhere and don’t remember.”

  Again, she shook her head. “How could any woman forget that?”

  “You do have a point.” Jill wrapped an arm around Cassie’s shoulder, and they continued to walk down the sidewalk. A wicked grin curled on her lips. “Is he good in bed?”

  She gave her sister a sideways glance. “You’ve no idea.”

  Chapter Five

  Marcus had entered Roxie’s intending to do a little investigative work on Veronica. When he stepped inside, his eyes focused on the surroundings. The club was in full swing. A large u-shaped bar sat on the opposite side of the room with almost every stool occupied. The band on stage belted out classic rock while the dance floor shimmied with sweating, gyrating bodies. The scent of demons wafted from the crowd, but nothing to worry about. In fact, the owner Roxie was a Kothar demon. She’d been running this establishment for the last ten years.

  “Marcus, darling!” He recognized the feminine voice before the beautiful demon appeared by his side.

  “Roxie, love.” He pulled her into an embrace. Damn, she was still beautiful as ever. Golden hair piled up on her head with a few wisps cascading down her neck. Her skin was peaches and cream, with a body that men would kill to touch. In fact, many had. Roxie always held a fondness for Marcus, but he kept it strictly platonic.

  “What brings you here, sweetheart?” She arched a blonde brow, her sapphire eyes glistened with danger. “You’re not here to cause me trouble, are you?”

  “No, love. I’m here to investigate the missing human.”

  “Oh yes, such a shame.” She patted Marcus on the arm. “I hear Odage was seen with her, is this true?”

  “That’s what I hear. You know anything else?”

  Her head shook. “No, afraid I’m not much help. I understand Aidyn is king now. My sympathies to you on the loss of your queen. Let me know if I can ease your pain.” She winked.

  He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, darling, but you know we’re only friends.”

  She pushed out her red lips. “You can’t blame me for trying.”

  He smiled then moved into the crowd, intent on finding someone who had seen Veronica when his fangs lowered into his mouth. Spiced honey assaulted his senses. No, he thought. This couldn’t be happening, not now. He prepared to turn and flee when he met her gaze.

  His mate was here.

  Muscles flexed, and his cock grew stiff. He took several deep breaths and tried to center himself. He still had a job to do but moved toward her.

  After taking a seat, he knew at once it was her. Her aura matched his. Sweat beaded on his brow, and his jeans became uncomfortable. Desire burned him, he needed to bind their souls. He fought every instinct to pull her from this place and take her to his bed. She would never understand his kind and his desires. To her, he would be nothing more than an animal.

  Her beauty took him by surprise. Silky, brunette hair flowed down the middle of her back, and her hips cried for his palms to press against them as he slid in and out of her. He didn’t doubt their bodies were a perfect match. Her emerald-green eyes spoke of a burning passion. He sensed her attraction to him, but somehow, she thought herself unworthy. This upset him.

  He tried to speak to her and managed to get her name before she made her escape. He knew her scent and could follow her to the ends of the Earth. What the hell was Zarek thinking, he wondered. A human with no idea his kind walked beside them. No doubt she would break his heart.

  He stood to leave when a stunning blonde sat down beside him, giving him a wink. She wore a black dress with a low-cut top and a high-cut bottom. Nothing much left for the imagination.

  “Hey handsome, you here alone?” the female cooed.

  He eyed her cleavage while his cock deflated. She was a tempting morsel, and he hadn’t been laid in weeks. His mood turned sour. Normally, he would have fed on her then fucked the hell out of her. But not tonight, he had no desire for her.

  He dropped a twenty-dollar bill on the bar. “Sorry, honey, I have plans, but buy yourself a drink on me.”

  He headed for the door, his mind a total mess. Fuck you very much, Zarek. His mate had ruined him, already.

  When he stepped outside, he was ready to throttle someone. He couldn’t stop thinking of Cassie, wondering how she would feel beneath him. Would her flesh taste like spiced honey? He growled and shook the thoughts from his head then sauntered up to a nice-looking redhead who had given him the eye earlier.

  “Come walk with me.” His voice smooth as velvet, he placed an arm around her shoulder. The woman smiled and snuggled in close to him.

  He maneuvered her into the darkness, away from prying eyes. His body covered hers in an embrace, giving the impression they were lovers. “You have nothing to fear. I intend you no harm,” he purred in her ear. His voice mesmerized her.

  He suckled her neck, bringing the smaller vein to the surface. Guardians never went for the jugular. It was messy, and humans bleed too fast. Once he had the vein where he wanted, he secreted a numbing fluid from the tips of his fangs. The fluid ensured no pain when he punctured the skin.

  His fangs slid deep into her vein, and he drank. Warmth flowed down his throat, bringing power and strength back to his body. The burning in his belly disappeared, but a fire in his heart began. His mate was supposed to bring him life, not a stranger. Visions of him kissing every inch of Cassie’s body danced through his head.

  The woman in his arms gave a low moan of pleasure, snapping him back to reality. Her body trembled; he placed a hand over her mouth to stifle her cries as her orgasm took hold. Taking blood gave humans immense pleasure. It was a shame she would never remember it.

  When her cries died down, he retracted his fangs then ran his tongue along the puncture wounds, his saliva instantly sealing it.

  Within seconds, there would be no sign of what he’d done. He turned her back toward the crowd and whispered in her ear, “Thank you for your sacrifice. You will remember nothing of what happened.” Then he walked away, now only half the man he was when he entered New Orleans.

  * * * *

  Odage dressed in dark jeans, a crisp, white button-down shirt and a black jacket. Booted feet touched the sidewalk, breaking the silence of the quiet street.

  The neighborhood fit his needs. It sat on the outskirts of New Orleans. The residents spent their evenings in front of the television, absorbed in a reality show, never bothering to consider the realism in their own front yards. A few of the homeless picked through the trash, looking for food and trinkets the self-absorbed humans grew tired of and tossed like yesterday’s news.

  He scanned and found a tall man rummaging through the garbage in front of a small brick home. He assessed his prey. Six foot five, medium build, around forty—he looked undernourished. Perfect.

  He approached the man and spoke in a hushed tone. “Sir, may I buy you a warm meal and a cup of coffee?”

  The man looked up, his blue eyes misted. “God bless you, kind sir. I’d be much obliged. I’d be happy to repay you, but I have no money.” The man threw his shoulders back and straightened his spine. “I can work, though.”

  “Oh, I am sure we can arrange something, my good man.” Odage wrapped an arm around his victim’s shoulder and before the man could react, sank sharp teeth into muscle and bone. His incisors extended to pump poison into his whimpering victim. Partially shifting, he encased his prey in a black, leathery wing then waited for the poison to take effect.

  The victim’s heart pumped violently while a plea for help stuck in his throat. As soon as the chaos started, it ended. The body went limp, and Odage let him fall to the ground like a sack of garbage. He closed his eyes and shifted back to human form then scanned the area again for any approaching humans. It would take several m
inutes for death to come.

  Odage observed with a callous grin as the body spasmed in a violent fit. Spittle spewed from the man’s mouth, and his eyes rolled into the back of his head. With one last brutal shake, he gasped for breath then went silent. Odage looked at his watch, still time to attend the slave auction. Pulling a syringe from his pocket, he tapped it, making sure there were no bubbles. The green liquid inside cast an eerie glow before he plunged the needle into the man’s heart. He waited.

  His nerves stretched so thin they might snap as he paced back and forth on the sidewalk. He grew tired of waiting. The transformation took longer than expected. The demon who sold him the vile promised it contained the freshest blood. Had guaranteed it would bring back the dead, his own minion. Odage smiled, who knew the blood of a Kothar demon held so much power. No wonder they were prized in the slave market. Perhaps he should consider bidding on one himself.

  He glanced at his watch again; ten minutes had passed. He was about to give up hope when the man gasped for air. In a blink, he came to stand over the body, hovering while the man opened his eyes. Excellent, the minion’s eyes had changed from pale blue to black, indicating his soul now resided in the depths of hell.

  “Rise,” he commanded, taking a step back to survey his handiwork. The minion appeared younger and more solid. His muscle mass four times its former size.

  The minion looked at Odage and responded. “How may I serve you, master?”

  Odage spun around when he heard a voice behind him.

  * * * *

  After leaving the redhead a half hour before, Marcus’s temper hadn’t improved. So occupied with thoughts of Cassie that it slipped his mind why he’d been sent. Fucking Christ, maybe I should go back to Roxie’s. He scrubbed his face, no point in going back. He’d wait and see what the others had found out. One thing was certain, he’d better dampen his emotions before he scared the humans. How the hell had a slip of a woman gotten under his skin?

  Once inside the coffee shop, he spotted the other two warriors waiting. It was late, so they had the place to themselves. He pulled out a chair and poured a cup of coffee from the carafe that sat on the table. He didn’t care for the stuff, but needed something to wash the unpleasant taste of the redhead from his mouth.

  “So, did either of you have any luck tonight?” His voice sounded like gravel.

  Seth gave him a leveled look. “Yes. I located the gentlemen who witnessed her leaving the club four nights ago.”

  “And?” Shit, he hadn’t meant to sound so harsh.

  “Odage. I saw a clear image of him leaving Roxie’s the night the girl disappeared.”

  He turned to Garin. “What about you?”

  “The demons gave me the slip, but I did find out there’s going to be a slave auction later tonight. Problem is I have no idea where.”

  Marcus slammed his cup on the table, a crack split the side. “Damn it. We’ve got a dragon killing our queen and abducting human women, who knows why. Can’t the fucking demons behave themselves for once?”

  Garin shook his head. “What’s wrong with this picture?”

  Marcus glared at him. “What? Fucking spit it out!”

  “Since when did the Draki become our enemy? They’ve never been known to pull a stunt like this. True, they’re a moody bunch but never this,” Garin replied.

  Shit, he’s got a point.

  “Okay. Seth, continue working on the missing girl. Find Odage’s trail. Garin, find that fucking auction. Stay in touch, I’m going back to see Aidyn and tell him what we have so far.” He shot up, sending his chair skating across the floor.

  “And pick that up,” he yelled as he exited the door.

  On the street, Garin came up beside him. “So who pissed in your Cheerios?”

  He stopped in his tracks. “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “Oh come on. You either need to kill something or fuck someone. If your foul mood slams me any harder, it’ll knock me on my ass.”

  He raised a brow. “And here I thought I was doing a marvelous job of covering it up.”

  Garin snorted. “Pardon me, boss, but you’re a fucking bomb waiting to explode. Now, tell Uncle Garin what gives, and I’ll take you on in a sparring match when we get home.”

  It was the best idea he’d heard all day. At six-foot seven, Garin stood four inches taller and outweighed him by about fifty pounds. Like the rest of the warriors, he was a wall of solid muscle. Gods knew Marcus needed an outlet, someone to take his aggressions out on, and Garin fit the bill. His friend held the gift of fire and had no problem cheating in a fight. Asshole liked to burn his opponent. No problem, maybe the pain would sting him back to his senses.

  “You’re on but don’t be surprised when I rip your arms off.”

  Garin shrugged. “Go ahead, I’ll grow new ones.”

  “Not before I kick your ass.”

  “Seriously, what’s up with you?”

  He debated whether or not to tell, but decided to go ahead. “I have found my mate.”

  Garin’s jaw went slack. “Well that’s good news, why so pissed off?”

  “One, she’s human. Two, I have no time or need for a mate,” he forced the words from his lips.

  Garin blinked. “Holy fuck, a human? Christ, how many years you gonna have with her, fifty? What are you going to do?”

  The thought of losing another mate caused his vision to go red. He grabbed Garin by the throat and lifted him off the ground. “Rip your fucking arms off!” He was about to take the warrior on when fear wrapped around him, he dropped Garin on the ground.

  Garin reached out to grab him, “What the hell’s wrong?”

  “Fear, I feel fear!” He knew it wasn’t his own. It came from someone else, but who?

  “I’m not picking it up. For some reason, it’s locked onto you.”

  Marcus dropped his jaw when he realized where it came from. “Cassie’s in trouble.”

  Garin raised his brows. “Who?”

  “You go back home. I’ll catch up,” he yelled. He needed to get to Cassie fast. Her fear racked his body. He was stunned, her emotions ran through him. How?

  They weren’t even bonded yet. Where the hell was she? He closed his eyes and inhaled, his soul swam in spiced honey. Take me to her.

  * * * *

  Cassie swallowed a scream at the scene that unfolded in front of her.

  When she arrived home from the club, she decided to go for a walk. Ever since laying eyes on Marcus, she couldn’t get him off her mind. How the hell does a man from my dreams show up in person? This is so stupid. I need to stop thinking about him. I’ll never see him again anyway. Muscle and sinew flexed in her mind. Her nipples hardened at the thought of him touching her.

  “God, I feel like such a slut!” she mumbled to herself.

  Her pace quickened. However, the thoughts wouldn’t stop slamming into her brain. As she rounded the corner, she gasped at the sight of two men struggling with each other. One appeared to be—wait biting the other guy’s neck? Something was also wrapped around the man. It looked somewhat like a wing.

  Not knowing what to do, her mind in a panic, she hid behind a bush and watched between the leaves as the events unfolded. Fear wrapped its icy fingers around her and squeezed. Shit. Her cell phone sat on the nightstand.

  Her heart beat against her chest when the man dropped to the ground. Oh god, he’s dead.

  She leaned in closer when she spotted a vile and syringe come out of the man’s pocket. He filled the syringe with some green, glowing liquid then stabbed the unconscious man in the heart. What’s he doing? There has to be an explanation for all this. Maybe the guy is ill, and the other man is trying to help. Here she was a nurse, hiding behind a damn bush.

  What about the wing you saw and the person biting his neck? Oh shut the hell up, it was probably the shadows playing a trick on my eyes.

  It was possible she’d misread the entire situation and freaked out over nothing. She contemplated offering help
, but her body was frozen to its spot. After several minutes, she worked up her courage. Standing, she took a step toward them when the man on the ground stood. Hesitant, she strained to hear the conversation that took place between them, they were too far away. She cleared her throat. They turned and looked at her. The fierce-looking one with the black hair stepped forward.

  What to do now? “Do you need help? I-I’m a nurse.” Maybe that would save her, yeah right.

  “Shall I take care of her, master?” the other man asked.

  She took a step back and tripped, falling on her ass. The dark-haired man towered over her, the syringe still in his hand. He leaned over and inhaled.

  “Human. We’ll leave her.” Then he turned and grabbed the other man by the arm. Both disappeared into thin air, gone like they never existed.

  She began to sob. Oh god, oh god, oh god. I’m losing my mind, a brain tumor, yes; that’s it. I did not actually see two men just disappear.

  “Cassie?”

  She screamed and turned to face the voice who called her name. “W-who’s there?”

  The hulking shadow stepped closer into the street light. She scooted backward. “Stay away. I-I have a gun.”

  “It’s okay, don’t you remember me?” The hulking man knelt in front of her. How could she forget the man who haunted her nights? It was Marcus.

  She sobbed so hard her body shook.

  “Christ, Cassie, are you hurt?” He reached out and touched her, she melted into him.

  “N-No, I’m alright.” Strange sensations ran through her body. She wanted to curl up in his arms.

  She’d met him earlier, only learned his first name, but she knew every inch of him.

  “Do we need to call the police? Were you mugged? What happened?”

  “No, nothing like that.” Last thing she wanted was to involve the police. What the hell did she tell them anyway? At the moment, she was pretty positive she’d lost her sanity. After all, she’d seen a man with a wing disappear into thin air. A man who pleasured her nightly in her dreams came to her rescue. Yep, nuts. “Umm, can I ask a favor?”