Dark of Night: Beautiful Monsters: Ashwood Red

by Lane, Jex

  “Would you like to see what I really look like?” he asked, breaking the silence.

  She looked up. “You don’t look like this?”

  “This isn’t my true form, no. Although it is the one I spend the most time in. I’ll show you, but if you start to panic or try to attack me, I’ll put you under a hold again. Deal?”

  She braced herself, unsure what to expect—he might be hideous or terrifying. But if she was going to be working for these creatures, she should at least know what they looked like. “Show me.”

  He removed his suit jacket and began to unbutton his shirt. Kat tried not to let her jaw drop as she watched the sexy man undress in front of her.

  5

  Darius

  Darius widened his shoulders a little, satisfied by the reaction he was evoking from Kat. She tried to hide it under a masked expression, but her arousal scented the air.

  He slid his shirt off with practiced grace and set it beside him on the bed. When he removed his shoes and socks, Kat’s eyebrow lifted.

  “You’ll see,” he said with a smile. At least she didn’t seem threatened by him anymore. Human reactions to seeing an incubus in true form for the first time always varied, but if they were agitated to begin with, it rarely ended well.

  He stood and unbuttoned his pants.

  “What are you doing?” Kat asked, trying to look anywhere but his crotch.

  Darius paused, and when she looked back to him, her cheeks were red.

  “I’m not taking them off. I need a little room to grow. Unless you’d like me to remove my pants. I’d be more than happy to.”

  The red on her face deepened, and Darius’ incubus side stirred within him, thrilled by her response.

  “N-no,” she managed to say, her eyes drifting over his body.

  Darius knew it wouldn’t be long before he fed off her. And, gods, did he want to feed. Since the moment he sat on the bed his cock had been half-hard, demanding attention.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  She nodded, and he held his hands up. The tips of his fingers transformed into small, sharp claws. From the top of his forehead, two horns emerged, black at the base, blending to a royal blue, then lightening to a cream color at the tips. They twisted along the top of his head before curving upwards. As his feet turned into hooves, his body grew a few inches, putting him at just under six feet.

  Kat’s eyes went wide as she watched him change. If she was amazed now, she was going to be blown away by this next part…

  Making a show of it, Darius allowed his eyes to glow their natural azure color, and the top of his helixes pressed into points, giving his ears an almost elf-like appearance. From behind him, he snaked his tail out of the top of his pants and looped it around his waist a few times.

  She stood from the bed, watching his tail’s arrowed tip twitch. “Holy—”

  Before she finished, his leathery wings snapped out of his back, expanding across the room as he stretched them. Their color the same as his horns—black fading to a deep blue and finally cream along the highest bone ridges.

  “—shit.” She took a small step forward, and Darius retreated a step. She smiled. “You have claws and gigantic wings, and you’re worried about me punching you?”

  Darius chuckled. “Fair point.”

  She began to walk around him, and he stilled, letting her study him. Enjoying it.

  When she had made a full circle, she reached her hand out and stopped short of touching his wing. “Can I…?”

  Devil, he wished she would. “You’re welcome to touch me anywhere it pleases you,” he said, letting his voice drop an octave on the ‘anywhere’ so she wouldn’t be confused by his meaning.

  Her eyes rolled, but she touched his wing all the same. She pulled away when he fluttered them, then reached back out and ran her hand along the leathery flesh between the bones.

  “Incredible.”

  “Oh for Pete’s sake,” a gravelly voice said from the doorway. “I leave for three minutes and you’ve already managed to take off half your clothes?”

  Darius looked over his shoulder and grinned at Lock. He didn’t think the cowboy had any sense of humor, but it seemed he did.

  Kat took a few steps back, and Darius felt deeply disappointed her hand was no longer touching him.

  “I’m just joshing the incubus, darlin’. It’s good he’s showing ya what they look like.” Lock rubbed his chin. “There’s a few things I wanted to go over about bein’ a hunter, and I ain’t gonna sugar coat it for you—it’s a hard job and not one you can leave. Once in, you owe the corps thirty years. And if you want your life extended, it’s longer. It ain’t glorious neither. It’s a war and you’re a soldier, one that is expected to follow orders. You’ll kill vamps, lots of ‘em, but most of your time is going to be spent on tedious tasks, like escorting lords like him around—”

  Darius wasn’t exactly happy being called a ‘tedious task’. With no small amount of resentment, he forced his body to return to human form and began to redress.

  “—or standing guard or sitting your ass out in the freezing cold waiting for a vamp to come along…get the idea?”

  “It sucks, I get it,” she said.

  “Good. One more thing, one out of every thirty or so incubi gets real big and strong. They’re the warrior class. We fight alongside them. When they’re severely injured, they need sex to heal. It’s one of our duties. If you’re adverse to the idea of fucking them, you can still train as a hunter, but you won’t be stationed anywhere with fighting.”

  If Kat was unhappy about the idea, Darius couldn’t tell. But he frowned at the mention of warriors. Growing up in this household—a household full of fighters—he had assumed he would become one. A foolish boyhood fantasy that never came to fruition; incubi couldn’t choose what they became. Of course, that didn’t stop Tane from always reminding him how weak he was by comparison.

  Lock, who spoke more words than Darius ever expected to hear from him, continued his speech. “Tomorrow night I’ll take you over to the academy, and you’ll be placed with a cadet team. Your training will begin then.” He handed her a phone. “I’m programmed in there, as is Darius. If you need anything, call.”

  “And the runes?” Kat asked. “When do I get them?”

  “When you’ve proven you’re a good fit. Lord Darius, would you mind waitin’ outside?”

  It took Darius a moment to process the dismissal—by a hunter no less. Lock, even with his standing, didn’t outrank Darius in this situation. It’d be different on a battlefield or if they were facing a security threat, but here, the hunter had no right to dismiss him.

  Darius suppressed a growl and forced himself to smile as he met Kat’s eyes. “It was lovely meeting you, Kat. Please do not hesitate to call on me if you have any questions.” He gave her a shallow bow and left the room.

  Outside, he huffed and crossed his arms. The hunters standing guard in the hallway took one look at him and decided it was a good time for them to do a patrol sweep elsewhere.

  A few minutes later the cowboy emerged, closing the door behind him.

  “You better have a good reason for dismissing me,” Darius said.

  Lock rubbed his stubbled chin. “Give her a few days before you try to fuck her.”

  “I wasn’t going to—” When the hunter commander narrowed his eyes, Darius tried something different: “Maybe she needs comfor—” And when Lock rested his hands on his hips, awfully close to his crossbows, Darius gave up. “Alright, fine.”

  “And if I hear you’ve used anything but your charm to get her in bed, I’ll destroy your reputation.”

  Darius’ first instinct was to push back at Lock, tell him that there was no way a hunter could ever ruin an incubus of his standing…but that wasn’t true. As one of the High King’s personal guards, the amount of power Lock could wield with just a few words was staggering. But as far as Darius knew, Lock had never ruined anyone. Rosaline had described him as quiet and steady; slow to
anger.

  “Why do you care so much about her? Do you desire her?” Darius asked, surprised by how raw and needy he sounded.

  “No. I’m a happily married man. I don’t step out unless the job requires it. It’s just…she reminds me of someone I used to know is all.”

  “Who?” he asked, relieved, and not the least bit concerned about prying. He was, after all, a social incubus.

  “Respectfully, my lord, it’s none of your damn business. Now, go feed before you start rubbin’ up on me.”

  Darius shouldn’t have allowed himself to get so hungry. And he realized now that his body was releasing pheromones trying to attract prey; that was likely why Lock had kicked him out of the room. He looked longingly at the door—Lock blocking his line of sight—and resisted the urge to bust it down and ravage her.

  “Go feed,” the hunter repeated.

  “Fine.” Darius spun and stomped away.

  * * *

  Darius grabbed the hips of a blonde woman sitting in his lap. She grinded her crotch against his suit and his trapped cock pressed against her underwear. Darius could see her lust; it shed off her in an alluring golden light. He began to feed, bringing the sexual energy inside of him but it tasted disgusting.

  He pushed the woman out of his lap, and she tumbled onto the floor of a private room in his favorite feeding ground: the nightclub, Veil. She looked up in shock, and a hurt expression crossed her face. Darius pushed a hold on her before she could begin to complain. She sat silently.

  Beside him on the couch, Tane, who had already finished feeding and dismissed his food from the room, slipped his dick back into his pants. “What the fuck’s wrong with you tonight?”

  “I could ask the same of you. You’ve been in a piss poor mood since we got here.”

  Tane ground his teeth. “It’s this new vampire my father’s breaking. He’s obsessed.”

  Typically, Darius would pry until he heard the full story but he couldn’t find it in him to give two shits about any vampire right now.

  Tane looked at the woman still on the ground. “You don’t want her?”

  “No,” Darius said. He knew who he wanted: Kat.

  “Good, I’m still hungry.” Darius dropped his hold, and Tane helped the woman up. “I apologize on my friend’s behalf. How about we have some fun instead? My dick is twice as big as his. I guarantee you’ll enjoy it more.”

  Darius rolled his eyes. Tane was always so proud of his monstrous cock, even if most human women could only take about half of it into them. But as expected, the woman surrendered to Tane’s kiss.

  Tane broke away for a moment. His eyes flashed purple at Darius. “Join.”

  “No thanks.”

  “Feed or I’ll fuck you. I’m sick of smelling your pheromones.”

  Darius growled at him.

  The asshole loved throwing his weight around. He was, after all, a warrior. Stronger, faster, more aggressive. Physically he was a near duplicate of the Lord General, with a strong jaw, broad shoulders, dark blond hair, and the same deep blue eyes in his human form. It was a shame Tane possessed none of his father’s class, presence, or poise.

  Darius found it amazing that Tane even had friends with the way he treated people. Darius only tolerated the guy because they were the same age and had been raised together—it was expected of them to get along.

  “Fine, you fuck her, and I’ll feed,” Darius said.

  Tane pulled the woman into his lap. Darius got up and stood behind her. He leaned in to kiss her neck, and fed for a few moments, his insides twisting with disgust. Nauseous, he broke away and left the room. Tane yelled something but Darius couldn’t hear the words over the loud, pounding music, nor did he care.

  He needed to get out of here. Needed to see Kat again. Hunter Commander Lock could go screw himself.

  6

  Kat

  Kat sat cross-legged on the bed surrounded by paperwork and books that Lock had given her to read. She had changed into an oversized shirt that kept sliding off her shoulder.

  Her eyes glossed over as she tried to make it through a legal form that outlined what her commitment to the Hunter Corps would be. It was hundreds of pages long.

  Ten pages in, she gave up. She flipped to the last page and signed it. She didn’t really care what they’d be making her do so long as she could kill the Pale Man. Even if one of her new duties included having sex to heal incubi.

  Strange. But maybe it wouldn’t be so bad; she’d be saving someone’s life after all. Maybe.

  There was a knock at her door.

  She slid off the bed, crossed the room to the door, and Darius stood waiting on the other side, wearing a suit even this late at night. Did he ever wear anything comfortable?

  For a moment, he looked distressed, but when his eyes met hers, his face lit up.

  Kat held onto the door, not swinging it open all the way. “What are you doing here?”

  “I…” he fell silent, and his eyes began to burn blue at the edges. He took a step closer to her.

  “If you’re here about the paperwork, I’ve signed it. Although it seems kind of silly, it’s not like you can take me to court if I break the rul—”

  Darius reached out and ran his hand along her jaw, caressing it. “I desire you.”

  Meeting his eyes, Kat’s heart rate skyrocketed, the thrum filling her ears. She had trouble making sense of his words. No one this hot ever went for someone like her. Plain. Bossy. Focused. Wild hair that did whatever the hell it wanted no matter what product she put in it. Why was she thinking about her hair right now?

  The incubus’ hand felt soft yet strong. She lowered her eyes to his sculpted chin and watched as he leaned in, slow and careful. His lips neared hers. His breath smelled sweet.

  Her stomach fluttered. But before she gave into the feeling she broke away and stepped back into the room.

  Darius didn’t seem to understand what was going on. He stood in place, stunned as if he couldn’t believe the kiss didn’t happen. She took in a long breath and tried to ignore the heat that welled in her torso. “I flipped through a book Lock gave me about incubi. We’re food to you.”

  “I—”

  “Food. And no offense, but I’m not that interested in being your dinner. Also, you aren’t allowed to take me against my will. That’s the rule, right? Incubi aren’t allowed to influence hunters. We’re off limits unless we engage first. Or you’re dying.”

  “Yes, but—”

  Wearing her best I-don’t-want-to-hear-your-excuses face, Kat put her hand on the back of the door. “Well, if there’s nothing else, Lord Darius of House Tarrick, I have some reading to do. Please excuse me.”

  Darius barely managed to step out of the room before she shut the door in his face.

  She leaned against it and let out a deep sigh. Wow, he’d nearly kissed her, and she nearly let him. What the hell was she thinking? A meal. That’s all she’d be to him. He’d turn on the charms, have his way with her, then leave to feed on someone else. She had gone through that once in her life—not the being fed on part, but the being used and left part—and she wasn’t willing to go through it again.

  She pushed off the door, heading back to the boring paperwork waiting for her, and stopped when Darius knocked again.

  Kat almost ignored it, but then there was another knock, this time quieter, almost sad, if a knock could be sad. She gave in and opened the door.

  Darius stood there, his posture slumped and defeated, his face serious. “I apologize for my behavior. I misread the situation. The last thing I want is for you to feel uncomfortable around me. Please forgive me.”

  His apology sounded sincere at least. “Alright. It’s okay. But keep your hands to yourself from now on.”

  Darius looked at his hands then clasped them behind his back. As Kat moved to close the door, he took a step into the room. “If you’re done with your paperwork, perhaps you’d like to take a tour of the estate.”

  “It’s a big stuffy cast
le with lots of boring art. I’ll pass.”

  For a split second, disappointment crossed Darius’ face, but he hid it fast. It amused Kat. This incubus wasn’t giving up, and the harder he tried, the harder she wanted to make it for him. Not that she would ever allow herself to become food, but his efforts were charming.

  “Perhaps you’d like to see the academy then. It’s going to be your home while you train, longer if your team is assigned permanently to Ashwood.”

  Yes. Kat wanted to get over there and start her training. “I would, but…it’s like eleven p.m.”

  He chuckled. “We’re at war with vampires, who have an extreme aversion to the sun. Ashwood is fully staffed twenty-four-seven, but most warriors and hunters keep night hours.”

  Oh.

  Darius motioned to the hallway. “Come. I give you my word I’ll behave.”

  Kat grabbed a jacket, tossed on the heavy boots she usually wore when she went out to kill vampires, then stepped out of the room, brushing past Darius. She nearly froze when his masculine scent floated past her nose. Part of her wanted to spin around, bury her face in his shoulder, and inhale him.

  The notion passed when Darius led them down the hallway. “For your information, contracts are important to us. It is one of the responsibilities of this house—one of my responsibilities—to ensure they are upheld throughout our society.”

  “What happens if someone breaks a contract? What if I got the runes then left?”

  Darius turned abruptly. “Are you planning on doing that?”

  “I—”

  “We’ll kill you.”

  “What?”

  “If you had read the contract you’d know that. We’re at war with creatures that want to enslave, torture, and destroy us. We don’t tolerate deserters. If you want out, tell me now. I can help you. But this is your last chance to say no.”

  Kat had thought about it. Getting what she needed then taking off to kill the Pale Man, but she didn’t want to be on the run from a whole army of hunters. Besides, what else did she have? Her family was dead, and the money her parents and grandmother left her was running out.