The Demon Within (11 page)

Heat moved under his skin wherever they touched and spread, warming his face. Her disdain fired his temper. No one laughed at him. He was a warrior who had lived thousands of years. Even his fall from Heaven had not made him react so strongly. That punishment he deserved. This was something else.

He stared at her, exhilarated at the fight. The perverse side of him enjoyed seeing her beneath him and under his control. Raising a brow, he bared his teeth in a smile that had been known to send his opponents running.

He leaned closer, stopping a hairsbreadth away from touching his lips to hers. “And yet, here you are. Beneath me.” It was only then he became aware she was more than bones and muscles.

The light scent, a smell unique only to her, wrapped around him. Head tilted, he followed the source, unaware of moving closer until she made an uncomfortable sound at the back of her throat. Warmth from her neck reached him, pulling him closer, and he located the source. Cinnamon and spice. Not a perfume but a delicious fragrance she exuded that called to him.

The way she shifted and constantly moved under him clouded his mind. His body tensed as if the signals in his brain were confused. It wasn’t unpleasant, but it was nowhere near comfortable. More like static crawling across his skin. The unexplained need to get closer enveloped his body. Almost as if he wanted to taste her. The sensations were an annoyance he wanted to swat away but couldn’t quite reach.

As an angel, he’d never come into close contact with humans. Never touched one like this.

Where Caly was soft, he was hard. Even with the size difference, she fit against him. Her tempting warmth seeped into him, and he had to move before she branded him further.

But not yet.

Not only did his body react unpredictably, it did so without his approval. He pressed closer, needing to touch her like an uncontrollable craving. Common sense warred in him that if he didn’t move soon, she’d fight him again and he wasn’t sure who would come out on top. He wasn’t sure he’d mind if she won just to see what she felt like over him, touching him of her own free will.

The thought shook him to the core.

He needed distance now.

“How about we make a deal?” Her mouth opened to interrupt him, but he spoke quickly. “We both stand and discuss this like adults.”

Her eyelids slitted, and he knew he’d made a tactical error.

“Get off me, you great lummox.” She twisted beneath him, trying to buck off his weight.

He sucked in a deep breath and let loose a sharp whistle loud enough to make even the dead want to cover their ears. He stopped only when she stilled. Her eyes narrowed, promising retribution, and part of him relished the opportunity. “Do you think we could manage to stand in the same room without bloodshed?”

It unnerved him that he couldn’t tell what went on in her mind. Since his descent, his ability to scan a person’s mind had been severely limited. With her, there was nothing but a wall. He waited for her reply, barely aware he held his breath. If he didn’t know better, he would swear he was almost anxious for her answer.

“Deal. Now get. Off. Me.”

Cautious and reluctant at the same time, he loosened his hold on her arms, his hands lingering, tracing her skin for a second. The contours of her body had his own reacting more violently, demanding that he pull her closer. Even though they’d fought, he felt more comfortable with her than all the time he’d spent in his human form.

He allowed her to keep her knife, not out of carelessness on his part, but an honest expectation she’d keep her word. He wanted her to feel at ease with him. This would be a step in the right direction. He had other things to worry about, like the way his body ached to touch her again.

Usually, just the thought of touching a human repelled him. Not her, though. She was different in every aspect. He didn’t want to move away, which should have horrified him.

He pushed up on shaky arms, his heartbeat ricocheting in his chest. He balanced on hands and knees above her, ready to move away, when the blade came to rest against his throat. The metal heated his skin but otherwise, did not draw blood. He froze and stared at her in silent accusation.

Although he might marvel about the novelty of emotions and physical sensations, they led to a whole set of complications he had no way to combat.

“You gave your word.” He could hear the shock and confusion in his own voice. He’d been so sure she was honorable, disappointment trickled through him. When would he learn not to trust humans?

Caly pulled her legs out from under him. “And I haven’t shed a drop of blood.” She crouched less than a foot from him, balancing on the balls of her feet. “I think it’s time you answer some of my questions now. Demons burn in hellfire when they touch iron, yet you withstood the touch of metal twice.” She re-gripped her knife, one finger at a time, never once taking her gaze off his. “What the hell kind of half-breed are you?”

Chapter Nine

T
here was something about the man that drew her gaze and begged her to take a closer look. Strength and power emanated from him, giving the impression that she could rely on him.

A lie, of course.

The color of his eyes couldn’t be distinguished from the blackness around them. Until he got closer. Then they was pure dark, sable brown and inviting her to reach out and touch him.

Leather jacket, white shirt and a mouth-watering view of him in jeans were enough to make her sit up and take notice.

Unfortunately for her, he wasn’t a
real
man at all.

His eyes shifted once again, signaling a move. Muscles tensed as she readied the blade, but she stayed her hand. Her hesitation disturbed her. Oscar had warned her more than once that all demons were evil and should be destroyed. She didn’t want to believe him, but in her line of work, she had little proof otherwise.

Except this man saved her life at the temple.

No, not a man.

Demon.

Her fingers trembled as her mind fought years of training, but she couldn’t make the kill. One strike and everything would be over.

It would be quick.

He wouldn’t suffer.

Much.

Still she hesitated.

Slowly, he drew away from her blade, and she let him. Her mind screamed that the decision would jump up and take a chunk out of her ass later, but she couldn’t make herself do it. Crouched less than three feet away, they studied each other. For a statue and a demon, he played the part of a man quite well.

A whisper of regret curled around her that he wore modern clothes, but no way would she miss the chance at seeing him in those pants.

He was an exact replica of the statue from the temple.

Except in vivid, living color.

Powerful muscles strained as he gasped for air, and she couldn’t prevent her gaze from absorbing every inch of him.

From their tussle, his shoulder-length dark brown hair rested carelessly around his head. His lean frame did not display a wrestler’s bulk. Instead, the demon had more of a lean, mean appearance. The way he moved, the way he flexed, indicated how a well-muscular machine should function.

And did he have moves.

Embarrassment burned her ears as she remembered the way he’d pinned her beneath him. The feel of flesh and blood man, all hot and warm, heated her body. Under different circumstances, a different man, she wouldn’t mind—

Control yourself
, she scolded silently. “State your business and leave before reinforcements arrive and dust your ass.”

The corner of his lips quirked with humor, but his mouth refused to form a full smile. Disappointment sliced through her.

What nonsense was this? She needed to focus before she really screwed up and actually jumped the creature’s bones. A tsk-ing sound drew her gaze to his lips, and she watched him shake his head once, very slowly.

“You made your friends promise not to leave the group. After you left, they decided to check in on you in the morning.” He did smile now, his teeth straight, white and perfect. The crowning piece was the dimple that pushed his smile to devastating.

But with that look in his eyes, the better word might be ‘delicious’.

“We’re alone until morning.”

Hormones out of whack, Caly couldn’t detect if he’d made a suggestion or if her sexually deprived body made her hear things.

Her job didn’t exactly draw in the guys. The few she’d met were either adrenaline junkies or totally naïve. Neither type could swallow that there was something beyond the normal that ran loose in the world, so she’d stopped trying and kept the two different aspects of her life separated.

For the last year, Oscar had run her ragged. It hadn’t left her much spare time to linger at the singles bars. The last time she’d gone out, she’d spent the whole night dodging creeps. One went so far as to touch her ass, and she dropped him to the floor.

They’d asked her to leave and not return.

Now she realized she should’ve tried harder. At least to hook up with someone if only to rid herself of this blasted urge. But every time she searched, all the good guys were either taken or possessed. Neither would lead to a relationship. And neither would a demon.

Whoa! Hold up. She didn’t want a relationship and definitely not with some demon reject.

“State what you want or get out.” Caly stood abruptly. Pain sliced through her ribs and robbed her of breath, but she refused to let it show. Blood rushed to her head and the room tilted. Jaw clenched, she focused on his face and prayed she didn’t pass out.

She refused to be vulnerable, especially in front of this egotistical jerk.

Gratification filled her the way he twitched to keep her in view when she stood. She didn’t think she could go another round and survive. She sheathed her blade and retrieved the other. A good fight usually energized her. This skirmish left her exhausted. Earlier she couldn’t sleep, now she feared she’d have to battle to stay conscious. “I want you gone.”

She couldn’t force him, and that frustrated her more than anything.

“You’ve made that more than obvious.” He rose in increments as if she were an animal he was trying not to provoke. “Too bad we can’t always get what we want.”

The way he knew how she’d react to him threw her off stride. She buried it and concentrated on his words. “Explain.”

“Let’s make it simple. Your blood woke me from my slumber. I am a guardian. It’s my job to guard you.”

Caly barely managed to stop herself from rolling her eyes. “I can take care of myself.” One might think to have a demon on their side would be a good thing. Caly knew better, knew by experience that only bad things followed. The reminder hardened her resolve.

“So you can and quite well. But not all the time. You couldn’t at the temple. And not so long ago, I had you pinned to the floor.” His gaze slid down her body.

The glance happened so fast, she thought she imagined it. His golden brown eyes darkened to sable as they had when they’d fought.

And then it was gone. Whatever spark she’d seen, it disappeared like it’d never been.

“You’re human. Humans are weak.”