A Dangerous Hunger: (The Sentinel Demons) (9 page)

“Not nearly as long as I waited for you,
mo grha
,” he growled, his nimble fingers unbuttoning her lightweight sweater to get to her flesh. The buttons popped as he grew impatient and ripped the garment open, tore the front of her bra in half and buried his face in her chest.

Talia cried out in relief as Drew ravaged her breasts, taking the hard, sensitive nipples into his mouth and sucking, bringing both of them to painful peaks. She leaned her head back with a moan that she barely recognized as her own as his large hands cupped her ass and pulled her wet core tightly against him, the denim between them an irritating barrier to what she really needed. Drew pillaged, and Talia responded with an elemental carnality that was overwhelming.

Her fingers speared through his hair, urging him faster, harder. His emotions were beating at her and suddenly, the door to her empath ability opened to Drew, and his ferocious hunger for her nearly made her come undone, as it roared through her body with a strength that would have knocked her sideways if he hadn’t been palming her ass to keep her in place. “Oh, God. Drew. I need you to fuck me right now.” She clawed at his buttoned-down shirt, popping the fastenings to get to his bare skin. “Mine,” she declared in a possessive, sultry voice as her fingers met the smooth, heated skin of his ripped chest. But it wasn’t enough. Not nearly enough. Her short nails dug into him, needing to mark him as her own. As Drew groaned against her breast, Talia nipped at his shoulder, the need to claim him overpowering her.

I’m feeling Drew’s emotions.

Yet…they weren’t. They were an extension of her own need. She’d opened herself to Drew, exposing herself to the innate desire of their souls to bind, and it was damn near excruciating. It was an insatiable, overwhelming drive to mate. And now that the door had swung wide open, she was unable or unwilling to close it again.

Drew had them both naked in a heartbeat, his strong hands lifting her off his lap and onto her knees. The floor was a gleaming wood, and it was hard, but Talia never noticed. “Now, Drew.” If she didn’t feel him inside her in the next few seconds, she thought she was going to die from unsated longing.

“Easy,
mo chridhe
,” Drew crooned softly in her ear as he covered her body with his, his chest against her back. He moved her hair aside and bit gently at the back of her neck, making Talia whimper in her need for him to mark her.

“I feel you, Drew. I feel us. Please,” she begged, not comprehending how Drew managed to live with this kind of erotic torture.

“I’ll give you what you need, Talia,” he answered gruffly, straightening, running a palm soothingly along her back.

His fingers delved between her thighs, and he let out a strangled groan. “Bloody hell. I can’t wait. You’re so ready for me right now.”

“Yes,” she said eagerly. “Yes.”

Drew impaled her in one smooth stroke, a thrust that left her breathless and sighing with the sheer bliss of feeling him buried inside her.

“No control,” Drew warned, his breath heaving as he pulled back and slammed into her again, his groin meeting her ass with a satisfying slap.

“I don’t care,” Talia panted. She wanted it rough and possessive, fast and furious. Nothing else would do for her right now, and she knew Drew needed the same thing. This animalistic joining was the only thing that would help either one of them now.

As Drew hammered into her with a driving force that slid her forward on the slick wood, all she could think about was the fact that she felt like she was going to fly into little pieces that would burst into flames. White-hot fire pulsated through her entire body, and she lowered her head to the wood, desperately pushing back against him, meeting him stroke for stroke.

“If you’re going up in flames, take me with you. We’ll burn together,” Drew rasped, his hands gripping her hips to hold her in place. “You’re mine, Talia. My mate. I won’t survive if you don’t take me as yours.” His declaration was possessive, yet eloquent for a man/demon who had known very little love in his life.

As a fresh rush of heat flooded her being, Talia knew she would never reject Drew. He meant too much to her now. He was the missing piece of her soul, the bright part, even though he thought his soul was dark. “I want to be yours,” Talia gasped, every nerve vibrating as she felt her impending climax. “I need to come. So bad.”

“Mine! My woman to satisfy.” Drew reached in front of her and stroked a hand between her thighs, finding the throbbing bundle of nerves between her wet folds. He worked her relentlessly, like a man possessed, his cock driving deep, his fingers working her slick clit until she was totally mindless.

Talia’s orgasm hit her with a force that would have sent her whirling into space if Drew hadn’t had her firmly in his grasp, one arm going around her waist as the force of her climax took her body over. Her channel gloved him tightly, milking his own release, ripping a tortured groan from his mouth as he buried himself inside her once more and held her tightly against him, as though he never wanted to let go.

Talia moaned as Drew straightened, pulling her limp body against him. Both of them were slick with sweat, breathing hard from the cataclysmic joining they’d both experienced. He stroked one hand across her belly while the other held her in a solid grip around her shoulders, holding them together skin-to-skin, his cock still buried inside her. “Will you really be mine?” he asked in a hoarse voice, his breath warm against her ear.

“Yes.” There was nothing else to say. She wanted to be with Drew worse than anything she’d ever coveted before.

Drew sat back, turning Talia and lifting her onto his lap, frowning as he saw her reddened knees. “I hurt you.” His fingers lightly traced the red areas.

Talia burst into laughter. “Like I really noticed? You just rocked my world. It was worth it.”

Drew kissed her, an embrace that was so adoring, so reverent, that Talia felt her eyes begin to water. After he ended the tender intimacy of his lips languorously exploring hers, he whispered huskily , “I’ll make sure you’re never sorry.”

Talia’s heart squeezed inside her chest, aching for Drew because this was one of his vulnerable moments, a time when he didn’t feel he deserved happiness. “I’ll never be sorry, Drew. You’ve made me happier than I ever thought I could be.”

Suddenly, both of them jumped as they heard a rumble that sounded like it had started beneath them and was moving closer and closer.

Drew dressed them with his magic, helping Talia to her feet. For the first time, she noticed that they were actually in a bedroom, a grand bed right across the room. Despite her alarm, she was hit by the irony that they’d just used the floor when such an enormous bed stood so close.

He wrapped his arms around her, and Talia reached out with her senses, trying to identify the roar vibrating through the house. She closed the door on her empath abilities and just tried to…feel.

It took Talia precious seconds to realize what the deafening noise really was. “Evils! I can feel their underlying presence. They’re trying to mask themselves by creating a diversion—”

Her alarm turned to all-out panic, but before she could finish voicing her suspicions to Drew, she felt herself being seized by sharp claws, and she sank into instant, complete darkness, her only comfort the feel of Drew’s arms still tightly around her as she succumbed.

D
rew had never been to the demon realm, but he knew immediately that was exactly where he and Talia had been transported. The noxious smell alone was a dead giveaway. He held his woman a little tighter, his arms tightening convulsively around her as he viewed his surroundings. They were locked in a cell, a prison that wasn’t quite small enough to make him react like he did in the punishment cell, but nevertheless, it was going to be a confinement he couldn’t flash his way out of. He had no power here in the demon realm, and he wasn’t much different from a human as long as he remained here.

He looked down at Talia, scowling as he saw the slash on her shoulder, a mark left by the Evils. He slapped his hand over the small cut to stop the bleeding with direct pressure to the wound. It wasn’t big enough to be harmful. It was a scratch, really. But his gut reaction was as strong as if they’d sliced up her whole body. One mark on her body, one second of pain, was enough to make him want to tear apart the Evil that’d left it there.

The bastards had obviously transported them quickly, fast enough that Talia was unconscious. “Assholes,” he muttered fiercely, shifting her body to lay her gently on the bench, the only item in the barred prison. He lifted his hand gently from her laceration. It had stopped bleeding, but he shuddered to think about the risk of infection in this squalid atmosphere.

Striding over to the front of the enclosure, he yanked at the bars, frustrated when they didn’t budge. Bloody hell! Did the whole demon realm reek as badly as the prison? He didn’t see another soul—the cells next to him empty—but he could hear the wailing moans of pain coming continuously from what had to be a short distance away. They were loud and probably human, and it triggered his instinct to protect all humans, a feeling he barely noticed because he was already overwhelmed by the more powerful drive to protect his mate. He needed to get Talia away from the demon realm, and he let out an anguished snarl as he fisted the bars of their cell and shook them. They barely rattled. His strength was minimal here, nothing more than that of a regular man, and it made him nearly insane.

“Drew?” Talia’s confused voice sounded weak in the large cavern where the cages were arranged.

The whole area was dimly lit, a gloomy environment that was enough to make him rush back to her and kneel beside the bench. Her eyes were open. Drew stroked her face with the back of his hand as he questioned protectively, “Are you hurting?” Kat had suffered a reaction to demon toxins when she and Zach had been attacked. They may or may not have injected them into Talia’s system, and he wasn’t certain he could stand to see her suffer that kind of pain.

“No,” she answered more clearly, moving up into a sitting position on the bench. “What happened?”

“We’re in the demon realm,” Drew answered, his voice dripping with anger.

“I remember now. There was a loud noise, a diversion, and then I passed out.”

“You were transported too fast.”

Talia lifted her sweater to her face, breathing through the garment. “God, it stinks.”

Drew wanted to tell her to breathe through her mouth, but the stench was heavy in the air, and he wasn’t sure what toxins were flying around in the room. He also wasn’t sure if allowing the fetid air a direct path to her lungs was such a good idea. “I know,” he answered simply.

“Are we stuck here?” she asked calmly, lowering the sweater and looking straight into his eyes.

“No,” Drew answered, irritated. He refused to believe they were stuck in this shithole indefinitely. He’d find a way to get her out. “I’ll figure out something. But I’m powerless here, Talia, much like a human.”

“Then we’ll think of another way,” she answered as she got up and strode to the door of their cage.

Drew marveled at the fact that Talia’s mind was racing through their options and collecting data as she retrieved every bit of information she knew about the demon realm. She wasn’t panicking or whining; she was trying to find a solution in that quick brain of hers. “You aren’t freaking out?” he asked, unable to stop himself. Any other human, male or female, would be pissing themselves right now, and for good reason. But not his woman, and he should have known better. Her lack of fear was one of the things that scared the shit out of
him
.

“Would it help either of us if I did?” she asked reasonably. “Drew, I’ve dealt with paranormal entities my entire life, and I’ve even dealt with Evils. I can’t say that I’m thrilled to be here, and yes, I’m concerned. Evils might be cunning and power-hungry, but they aren’t particularly intelligent. There has to be a way to outsmart them.”

“I’d rather have my powers so I could take their heads off,” Drew grumbled, amazed by Talia’s incredible composure.

This was the woman who was chosen as his mate. Not only was she beautiful, smart, and talented, but she was also fearless in the face of adversity. And he felt humbled once again by what fate had given him, a gift he didn’t think he deserved, but one he wanted with every fiber of his being. And she wanted him as well. What a lucky bastard he was. Now, if he could just get Talia the fuck out of this hellish place. “I don’t get how they even got us here. It shouldn’t be possible,” he contemplated. “They need a bargain to take you, and they can’t bring Sentinels here. They can only kill them in the human realm. They’re limited by rules, fewer rules than Sentinels, but they still have a few that are unbreakable.”

“But they’re evolving just like the Sentinels. They must be. They’re powerful. I can sense it when they get close enough for me to feel them,” Talia answered, turning to face Drew.

“The elders are more powerful than the others. The Evils you dealt with aren’t elders. The elders rarely leave the demon realm.” But they
had
left when they came to the human realm to attack Kat. Drew and his brothers knew the rules were changing; they just weren’t sure why.

Talia started as the door of the cell rattled, the metal giving way and suddenly swinging open. She jumped into Drew’s arms, moving away from the door.

“You need to leave. Now,” a low baritone commanded, the figure unrecognizable in the dim light.

“Kristoff?” Drew said cautiously, tightening his arms around Talia. Maybe she wasn’t terrified, but she wasn’t stupid either. She’d moved like her ass was on fire the moment the door gave way.

The Sentinel king stepped into the dim light, his expression grim. “I’m sending you back to the human realm. Before you leave, I need you to give some information to Hunter,” Kristoff demanded, his ice blue eyes shimmering in the darkened space.

Drew felt information transfer into his mind, sent to him by his king. “They’re coordinates. What’s there? And how can we leave here?”

“Hunter needs to find a…woman.” Kristoff’s voice tripped over the last word uncomfortably. “She’ll explain when he’s there. But it’s imperative that he gets there. And I’ve arranged a trade with Goran for your release. I may not have been able to take Hunter’s punishment in the human realm, but I can do a trade here.”

A trade? What the hell would Kristoff trade to get them released?

“You’re staying?” Drew couldn’t think of any other way Goran would have agreed to release them. What was better than a Sentinel and a special
radiant
? There was only one thing better, more powerful, and it was having the king of the Sentinels as a willing prisoner.

Kristoff inclined his head slightly. “You and Zach are in charge during my absence.”

“How long?” Drew asked impatiently. “How long are you going to be here in order to get us free?” He took Talia’s hand and they left the cell to stand in front of Kristoff.

“I don’t know,” Kristoff replied gravely. “As long as it takes.”

“We need you. You can’t do this. Take Talia out of here and I’ll stay if you need a casualty. Just get her to safety. The whole damn world is falling apart. You can’t be a prisoner here.” Drew’s frustration was rising. No way in hell was he leaving his king to be slaughtered here.

“I don’t die easily, Drew,” Kristoff said with a slight smirk. “They can hurt me, but they can’t kill me without difficulty. I can’t say the same for you. Take Talia to safety and bind her to you. Once she’s bound and her power is released, they won’t pursue her. They want her because she has a very dangerous
radiant
ability that hasn’t yet been released.”

“What?” Drew asked desperately.

“I don’t know for sure, but something bad enough for them that I almost couldn’t get them to agree to a trade.”

“Why trade at all?” Talia asked, her brow furrowing in concentration. “You’re the king, and we’re small comparatively.”

“You’re far from insignificant to the survival of mankind, Talia,” Kristoff informed her. “You’re the future of the Sentinels and of humans. Your power is essential in the righting of the balance of good and evil.”

“Why?” she asked inquisitively. “And how do you know that?”

Kristoff’s gaze softened as it landed directly on Talia. “Because you’re my daughter.”

“That’s not possible.” It took Drew a moment to even comprehend what Kristoff was saying, but when he did, he balked. “Sentinels don’t have children unless they’re mated. Are you saying that Talia’s mother was your
radiant
?”

“Regretfully…no. I met her mother only once, but I was enchanted with her. I never knew that she was pregnant, and I didn’t know I had a daughter until today. We’re forbidden to have real relationships with humans, but I never forgot your mother, Talia. I wish I’d known you were my daughter.” Kristoff’s eyes shone with remorse as he looked at Talia. “I…learned that her pregnancy was foretold in the prophecies, but it was unrecognizable and vague. It was only discovered recently.”

“H-how did you find out? And why did it happen at all?” Talia was visibly shaken, her fingers trembling as she nervously tucked a strand of hair behind her ears.

Drew looked from Kristoff to his woman, the emotion between the two of them almost palpable in the toxic air around them. Talia looked vulnerable, shaken, her emotions conflicted. Her thoughts were racing along with her emotions, the questions shooting through her mind like lightning. But underneath the logic, Drew could feel her longing for the father she’d never had.

Kristoff appeared remorseful and Drew could sense that his king’s longing for his daughter was as great as Talia’s.

“I told Drew your connection to a demigod was probably strong. It is. I was a demigod before I became the Sentinel king. Although I’m a Sentinel, I still retain my powers as a demigod. I still shouldn’t have been able to father a child, but it was fated,” Kristoff admitted, his eyes never leaving those of his daughter’s. “I’m sorry, Talia. I don’t regret that you exist. I only regret that I never knew.”

“If you didn’t know, then it isn’t your fault,” Talia told him reasonably. “My mother was never bitter. And she didn’t hate you. She just never had much to tell me about you because she was only with you for one night. But I wondered.” Talia fidgeted nervously. “Are you disappointed? I’m not beautiful like my mother, and I don’t resemble you at all.”

Drew had to hold back a growl. Talia was beautiful. She just didn’t realize it.

“No,” Kristoff said in a low, husky voice as he moved closer to Talia. “You’re unique, wonderful, and smart. I’m proud to call you my daughter. When you started investigating the Sentinels, I started paying attention. I watched you, fascinated by the way your mind worked, by your intelligence. I was drawn to you for some reason, and I’m fairly certain that my close proximity was probably what set off your compulsions to research. When Drew mentioned them, I suspected that almost immediately. I assumed it was because I still had demigod blood and the way I watched over you so closely just kicked in your instincts. I didn’t know you were my daughter, but I should have suspected something wasn’t right. I felt the connection, but I never would have imagined we were related that way. I did know you were a special
radiant
, but I had no idea you were my child.”

“You knew she was my
radiant
,” Drew answered adamantly. “That’s why you sent me after her.”

“Let’s just say I had a strong suspicion,” Kristoff replied vaguely.

Strong suspicion, my ass.
Drew knew that Kristoff had known exactly what he was doing when he’d sent Drew after Talia.

Drew watched as Kristoff placed a gentle kiss on the top of Talia’s head. “You’re my daughter.” Kristoff’s voice was rough with emotion. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do to protect you now. Go back to the human realm with Drew. The future of the Sentinels and humans depends on you being there.”

“What about you?” Talia asked tremulously, a lone tear rolling down her cheek. “We can’t just leave you here. We can’t. I just found you. I have so many questions—”

“Save them for later and I’ll answer every one. Right now you must go,” Kristoff said forlornly. Looking at Drew, he ordered, “Don’t return. Do what you can about the chaos happening on Earth with the humans, but don’t come back here. Both of you will be sick from the toxins here, but it won’t be as severe as Zach’s illness. Unlike Zach, you came here unwillingly, and the penalty for being here won’t be severe. But don’t come back. The Sentinels have no immunity and no powers here. Coming here would be suicide for them. Keep them safe. I expect you and Zach to obey my last command. And get Hunter to those coordinates.”