Coven of the Raven: box set

by Shona Husk

  “When a warrior fronts up for battle he knows there is a chance he could die. I accept that. People who manifest demons don’t.” He paused and frowned, then typed up another note. What if the manifestation isn’t accidental? What did he mean by that?

  “But you can watch me die.”

  “No, I won’t let that happen. I intervene and give them chances to give up the demon. I can only exorcise a demon that the person wants to release. I’m doing my best.”

  “What if I kill him?” If killing her husband was the only way she could be free, she’d do it. Wouldn’t she?

  “If you honestly thought you could do that, you wouldn’t have run. You’d have shot him or smothered him and claimed self-defense. It’s not just a man you’re fighting.”

  “Why do you do it if you can’t save anyone?”

  He looked up at her, a frown forming. “What did you say?”

  “Why do you chase demons when everyone you want to save dies? It’s not like you can bring her back. Louise was killed by a demon, wasn’t she?”

  She watched as his jaw clenched. Then he pulled up a specific incident from his database. This was Louise’s death. He tilted the screen so she could read it better and she leaned forward, her head resting on his shoulder.

  He moved his arm so it wrapped around her waist. “I’d dated a cheerleader for three months before Louise. When we split, she started up with the phone calls and following me and Louise everywhere. One night she showed up with a demon in tow. You can read the rest—what actually happened, not what the paper wrote.”

  And she did. Whole gruesome account. It was no wonder he had nightmares. How many other cases gave him nightmares?

  “That’s when you swore to stop demons from killing.”

  “Not that night as I was knocked unconscious by her demon, but soon after… I’d had the guts ripped out of my life. I didn’t know which way was up. Sometimes I think I should’ve killed Tahlia when I realized what was going on, but they really would have had me for murder, and how would I explain that? The cops watched me for months hoping I’d kill another woman. You have no idea what that’s like.”

  No, she didn’t. “But when I die, you’ll be connected to me.”

  “You’re not going to die.” He almost sounded convincing. “This is the biggest breakthrough I’ve had.”

  “It sounds like the same kind of jealous demon.”

  “That’s what made me wake up. Cory said something similar to Tahlia.”

  “Tahlia died, too.” A fiery, horrible death.

  Noah held her a little tighter. “That doesn’t always happen. Sometimes the manifester lives, but they are a mess. Their mind has been ruined as well as their life.”

  “You follow up.”

  His shoulder moved beneath her in a shrug and she didn’t press. It was easier to change course a little than to press him harder for answers.

  “What is this note about the fire? Why do you think you caused it?”

  He gave a low laugh. “Until recently I was able to set things alight with a thought.”

  She sat up and looked at him. Her body twisted and she placed her hand on his chest over the raven “Really? That is so cool. Like real fire, light-a-candle, burn-down-a-building fire?”

  His lips curved. “Yeah. Real fire. I was angry for a long time about what had happened. Fire is an easy expression of that but a hard spell to master and use safely.”

  “But you did.”

  “Mason made me because I was a hazard—literally. I spent hours practicing. And now I’ve lost it. I’ve lost the anger.”

  “That’s probably a good thing.” Holding onto it couldn’t be healthy. “Did the fire stop you from getting a demon?”

  “Maybe if I’d bottled it up I would have cracked and something would have snuck in. I want to get my fire back.” He closed the laptop lid and placed it on the bedside table, then looked at her. The cut and bruise on his cheek were dark in the soft light. He didn’t seem like a demon-fighting witch at that moment, but there was a hunger in his eyes that couldn’t be hidden.

  She leaned up and kissed him. “I wish we’d met differently.”

  “Yeah.” He drew her onto his lap, his fingers sliding under the t-shirt and tracing over her bare skin. Then his lips were moving down her neck and his hands were pulling off her T-shirt.

  He hardened against her as she rolled her hips and moved closer, wanting to feel him pressing against her, teasing and tempting. This had nothing to do with her list, or the need to feel alive after being attacked. They were two people in bed who had found something better to do than sleep. She cupped his face and kissed him, her tongue flicking against his. His fingers pressed into the back of her hips, dragging her against his length. Her panties were getting wet already.

  It was lust, pure and simple. She knew that. Right now that was all she wanted. To want and be wanted. Her nipples brushed against his chest. If it weren’t for his clothes and her underwear, she’d be on him already. Her pussy tightened at the thought. Twice in one day. That was twice more than she’d had in the last year.

  With a twist of his body he flipped her onto her back. She gasped as he pressed against her, hip to hip. Then he was stealing her breath, again, with a kiss as he moved, rocking his hips so his shaft rubbed against her. She slid her hands down his sides, wanting to get her hands into his jeans so she could feel the heat of him in her.

  “Not rushing this time,” he murmured against her neck, his lips and tongue and teeth on her skin as he worked his way lower.

  She lost the delicious feel of his shaft pressed against her pussy as he drew her nipple into his mouth and gently sucked. Then his teeth raked the skin, making her back arch and sending sparks of heat into her belly. She’d like for him to rush and be there, filling her, resting over her and kissing her as she came. Her hand slid between them, felt the waistband of his jeans, then eased in, her fingers brushing the smooth heat of his cock. She almost shivered with delight. She’d forgotten how good it could be to feel a man—and have one feeling her. One who seemed actually interested instead of doing it for his own pleasure.

  Noah pulled away and drew her panties down. He kissed her inner thigh.

  Oh god, it had been a long time. As his breath tickled her pussy, she almost threw caution to the wind. Instead she propped herself up on her elbows and shook her head. “That’s not safe.”

  She hadn’t asked his history before, and the horse had already bolted on that conversation. She should’ve asked him afterwards, straight after. They should have made time for this talk, but she hadn’t really expected it to happen again.

  He looked up at her. “I know, I’m not asking for anything but a taste. I haven’t tasted a woman since Louise.” He kissed her belly. “I’ve always used a condom. I haven’t been careless.” He kissed a little lower. “Just don’t ask numbers because I wouldn’t be able to tell you.”

  He knew he was a slut and, while he wasn’t apologizing for it, he was well aware of how it must appear. Her stomach flopped over. She didn’t want to know, either, but she was guessing it was more than her pathetic three. When Cory had stopped sleeping with her she’d gotten tested, just in case he’d been sleeping with someone else.

  “Tell me you’ve been tested sometime.”

  “Yes. But six months ago.” His fingers brushed the lips of her pussy, her skin was slick and she was aching for his touch. Her resistance was melting. “I don’t usually do this. But you said it had been months, and since you’re asking the questions, I figure you’re safe…and I’m hungry for a taste.” His lips pressed against the crease in her thigh. So close. Just the idea of him sliding his tongue over her clit and dipping into her folds was making her belly tight with need.

  “I am.” Her eyes fluttered closed as he ran his tongue over her sex.

  He spread the lips of her pussy, his finger sliding into her core as his tongue danced over her clit. This was not a Band-Aid fuck. This was something else. He gave her
clit a suck and her hips jerked off the bed. Pleasure spiraled through her blood until she felt like she was floating, every thought focused on what he was doing. Her fingers scrunched the sheets and her legs were doing an undignified tremble. He’d found a rhythm and was sticking to it, as if he knew that would make her come.

  She bit her lip but the moan slipped out as her belly contracted and her pussy clamped around his fingers. She needed him in her now. She grabbed his arm and tugged him up. He wiped his mouth on his arm and moved over her.

  “Still need that first aid kit, honey.”

  Fuck. She rolled over and reached over the bed, tearing open the front pocket and yanking out the kit. His teeth raked over the curve of her butt, his fingers were doing things inside her that weren’t helping her coordination. The lid sprung open and she grabbed and packet.

  She rolled over and refused to hand it over when he held out his hand. “I can do it.”

  He rocked back on his heels and undid his jeans, shoving them and his jocks down. His cock jutted forward from a nest of dark hair. Guys that looked like Noah didn’t just fall out of trees. It was no wonder he was never short of partners. Don’t think about being older and plainer and softer. He had abs…she wasn’t sure she had any. She rolled the rubber on, feeling like a teenager again with all the old insecurities. Did he want her or was she just here? Convenient and easy? Shut up. He just begged to go down. And she’d let him. Because of who he was or because she’d wanted it bad?

  He pushed her back onto the bed as soon as she was done, a smile on his lips and his shaft nudging her pussy. She tilted her hips and he eased in, her body quivering, every nerve already sensitized. Oh, that felt so good, the slow, rocking, deep thrusts.

  His lips brushed her cheek, but she turned her head to catch his mouth. Her leg hooked over his hip, allowing him to go deeper. She moaned into his mouth.

  “Come for me again.”

  Oh, she would. Her eyes closed and she met every thrust, urging him faster.

  “Like that?” His voice was deep and rough and sent a shiver through her. He was determined to make this good for her.

  “Yeah.” The climax rippled through her, tearing away all thought. His beautiful body above hers as he ground into her, taking himself over the edge with a groan before resting over her, his weight on his elbows, his mouth only a whisper away from hers. That she’d made him breathe fast brought a smile to her lips.

  This time he didn’t pull away immediately. His fingers toyed with her hair and they lay together, their bodies cooling.

  “I’ll get tested.”

  “That’s what you’re thinking of right now?”

  “I’d forgotten how good it can be.” He eased away and walked out of the bedroom. The tap ran in the bathroom, then he was back. “You can’t sleep across the bed.”

  Maybe not, but she didn’t want to move, either. Her limbs were boneless. He picked up her legs and swung them around, then got into bed. He wasn’t kicking her out or moving to her bed. He was going to sleep next to her. She swallowed. What did that mean?

  She wanted to ask, the words were on her tongue, but whatever was going on felt as fragile as a glass bubble. One wrong move and it would shatter, sending shards everywhere, cutting both of them.

  She liked him…liked him because he was trying to save her? Because he was hot? Because he made lust into something to be explored not denied? It didn’t matter when her life could be counted in days. Her eyes began to burn.

  “Don’t think about it.” He pulled her close, tucking her against him, her back to his chest.

  “Demons or sex?” She tried to keep her voice light and failed. A tear traced down her cheek and then she sniffed. Guys loved girls who cried after sex.

  “Both. I don’t know the answers for either. Let’s just see what happens.” He moved and the light went out.

  But she couldn’t just switch off her thoughts. It wasn’t that easy.

  Chapter 14

  Noah woke, and for a moment he wasn’t sure where he was or who he was with. He never slept next to someone. Or at least he hadn’t in the last five years. Rachel was curled up against him. Her honey-colored hair spilled onto him. If he was smart, he’d get out of bed and go and shower and get ready to move, and stay moving. It was bad enough he’d slept with her twice, now he’d woken up with her in his bed; lingering would only make it worse.

  What would be worse: hurting when this all went south or the regret of not making the most of what time he had with her? He had the horrible feeling it was the latter. He didn’t want to even consider what that meant. It was one thing to get busy, quite another to accidently go from being an item on her list to being her lover.

  He was definitely becoming her lover. The taste of her was still on his tongue. The way she’d wriggled and squirmed. He’d enjoyed making her gasp and groan. It had meant something because he knew her. He cared about what happened to her, and not just because of what it meant to him. She deserved a chance to be happy and have a life away from her dick of a husband.

  He looked at the curve of her back, the way her ribs moved with each breath. Peaceful. Not like last night when she’d been hungry and sweaty and urging him on. He carefully rolled over and slid his arm around her waist. A few more moments. He could steal a little happiness. Take a line from her list for himself and live like it could be his last day.

  Despite risking his life on a regular basis, he lived as though each day was a trial to get through, a test he had to pass, instead of something to enjoy. He placed a kiss between her shoulder blades. He’d blamed everyone else for taking his life and leaving him with nothing, which wasn’t true. He’d never bothered to find a new life. He’d just gritted his teeth and hoped for the best, and that wasn’t enough. Living was about finding those moments that made you smile between the fights.

  Rachel had shown him that in a few short days. Whatever happened, she’d live on in his memories, and he’d honor that by remembering to find something to enjoy every day. Maybe he’d make a list of all the things he wanted out of life. He closed his eyes and tried to think of a few, but all he came up with was stopping Cory from killing Rachel because he wanted to take her to the Icehotel. He didn’t even like snow. However, it would be fun to be there with her, sipping champagne.

  But that was her goal, not his.

  Get tested. He knew he’d said that last night, and he meant it. The idea of being inside her without a rubber, and of having her tongue circle his shaft, was almost too good to be true. He wanted that. He wanted to wake up with her again.

  It took a moment, but he knew what that meant and what he wanted.

  A relationship.

  That was almost enough to make him throw himself out of bed and scrub away last night in a hot shower. He took a couple of deep breaths and didn’t move. This was already messy and he was expecting to get hurt. Hell, he knew he’d get hurt. So there was no risk. He was already standing in the middle of the mess and he was enjoying it. For the first time in years he didn’t feel guilty for living. He’d been fighting the guilt about surviving by going after demons. Guilt was the personal demon he’d been in danger of getting…not one brought on by anger intent on destruction.

  He closed his eyes. The scent of Rachel’s skin filled his lungs. He felt the spark as he held the fire spell in his mind. The lighter was weighty and full. He wanted to test it out, make sure that he could light something up, but he didn’t need to. That kind of thing couldn’t be faked. His lighter was full of the need to live, not just go through the motions. It was full of Rachel and their time together.

  “You’re tapping again,” she mumbled and covered his hand with hers.

  He hadn’t realized he’d been doing it. He let the spell dissipate and opened his eyes. “It’s probably time to get up and get moving.”

  “That’s your grand plan?”

  “At the moment.” He needed a better one, but he wasn’t ready to stand and fight. “I have to find a way to help Cor
y.”

  “Wait, what?” She rolled over and faced him, blinking her eyes as she woke up fully and fast. “You want to help him?”

  “That’s the best way to save you. Help Cory shed his demon.”

  She touched his cheek. “He doesn’t like help, sees it as weakness. He hated going to physio.”

  “And that’s why he has a big, bulky demon with horns to prove how tough and scary he is.”

  “How do you get him to shed his demon?”

  Very few people gave it up willingly; sometimes the demon could be tempted away and the new host would give it up. Most of the time it all went bad—or the ones he’d read about had. He’d never tried it, but then, he didn’t usually get called early enough. Quite often, man and demon were one when he saw them. That hadn’t happened yet, so there was still a chance to save Cory. “By having a demon intervention.”

  “You are kidding. Aren’t you?”

  He wished he was. “We tell him he’s possessed, and if he lets it go it will be okay. If he doesn’t let it go, the demon will consume him.” That Cory already knew about his demon didn’t give Noah much hope, but it would give him a chance to learn more. The question he wanted to know was what had Cory deliberately done to invite the demon in to the crack in his soul? He may not have used magic to summon it, but that didn’t mean he hadn’t welcomed the demon.

  Perhaps Tahlia had also prayed for revenge and had let the demon slip into the crack. Most people would resist the invasion, a few would succumb and suffer—like the woman on the train. But what if the invitation was what made the demon dangerous? Accidental manifestation versus deliberate manifestation. Even if that was the answer to his demon riddle, it didn’t help him solve his immediate Cory problem.

  “And then?”

  This was not what he wanted to talk about first thing in the morning. Or maybe he just wasn’t used to it as no one had ever known what he was before. “If it gets that far, we’re all dead. The demon gets what it wants, then it kills Cory and the cops are left wondering what the hell happened.”