Authors: Violet Walker
When her body finally floated back down to earth, she limply raised her head. Damien was slick and sweaty, and he was watching her intensely.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Uh.” She pushed herself away. “I don’t know what that was.” Embarrassment flushed her cheeks, and she tried to avoid his gaze. “But, yeah I’m good.” She cleared her throat. “I think.” What had just happened? She felt like he’d stripped more than just her body. He’d stripped her very soul bare.
“Jade.” His hands gripped her. “Look at me.”
She rolled her shoulders around and finally met his gaze. “Look, I don’t know if this was some sort of tactic that you use to wrench the truth out of someone, but, I can assure you that I’m still sticking with my story. I’m not a demon hunter, and I’m not connected with your brother in any way.”
He reached up and stroked her cheek with his finger. “I know.”
She pulled away. “So I can go?” She eyeballed the exit and struggled to get herself back into her twisted bra and shirt.
Damien tensed under her. “You want to go?”
She shuddered as he stirred inside her and immediately moved. She grabbed her jeans and shimmied into them. “Well, yes. I mean, you have lots of things to do. A secret society to run. A brother to kill.”
“Jade.” He leapt to his feet, and she immediately turned her head to avoid staring at his glorious body.
“Damien?” She finished snapping her jeans and took a deep breath and she matched his gaze. Her whole body quivered in anticipation of what he would say to her. What was this thing between them that was so intense?
“You’re welcome to leave,” he said as he swept out his arm.
His voice was quiet and dangerous, and she felt everything inside her die. Of course she could leave. He didn’t need her anymore now that he knew she didn’t have anything to do with Cresher. She jutted out her chin. “Good luck,” she whispered and then fled for the door.
It wasn’t until she reached the streets that she looked back. Despair settled in her, and she clutched her abdomen and began trying to find her way back to civilization.
I
t took two days before Jade could finally open her bookstore. The keys jingled in her hands nervously as she looked around. “This is ridiculous,” she muttered. “Get it together, Jade.”
She slid the key in the door and opened it. “So there are hybrid demons running around. And one thinks you have something important. And his brother wants to kill him. And his brother gave you the two most intense orgasms of your life. You are not involved anymore. You are just a simple bookstore owner.”
“Are you now?”
Jade screamed and dropped her keys. Damian’s brother walked out of the shadows. “I’ve been waiting three days for you. Where have you been?”
Her head started to pound, and she stumbled back. Unlike when she was with Damien, all Jade felt was fear. “Cresher,” she muttered.
“Oh.” A large devious smile lit up his face. “I see you’ve been acquainted with my brother. Two intense orgasms you said? You should feel lucky. I don’t think Damien’s been with a woman in quite some time.”
She flushed. “What are you doing in my bookstore?”
“I wanted to see if you got a new shipment in with a book I might be interested in,” he muttered.
“I did, but someone else purchased it,” she said quickly. “I told you to leave your contact info, but since you didn’t, I sold it to someone else. But I’ll make sure to hold on to anything else interesting that comes in. Okay, bye!”
He closed in quickly, and she cried out in pain when he grabbed her wrists. He bent it back so hard she was afraid it would snap in half. “You may be immune to my powers, wench,” he hissed. “But that doesn’t mean I can’t hurt you.”
“What do you want,” she cried. True fear gripped her. Damien wasn’t wrong. Cresher was dangerous.
“I want my brother’s head on a stick,” he said as he twisted her arm behind her. “Have you ever wanted to murder a family member, Jade?”
She cried out in pain, and tears filled her eyes. He leaned in close and licked her ear. “Tell me his plan, Jade.”
“I don’t know,” she whispered. “I don’t know his plan. I just know he wants to kill you. He thought I was working with you. He didn’t tell me anything.”
He ran his hands down her body, and she shuddered in revolt. “Don’t,” she said through clenched teeth.
“You might not know anything, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be useful,” he muttered in her ear. “You’re his Conquiha. His one true love. And he’ll come for you without the brotherhood. That’s all I need to get rid of him once and for all.”
“His true love? I barely know him.”
“No, no, no, baby. Damien wouldn’t fuck you unless he felt a connection with you. You belong to him, and it’s going to be my greatest pleasure to take you from him.”
Jade struck out with her foot, and while she wrenched herself away, she barely made it two steps before he had her in a hold again. She felt something prick her neck, and for the second time that week, she passed out.
Damien tapped his finger on his desk. Jade had been gone for three days, but he couldn’t get her out of his head. Her hair wrapped around his fists. The sounds she made when he pleasured her. Her beautiful eyes when she stared at him. The intoxicating aroma of her body. The soft silkiness of her skin.
He groaned. God, he couldn’t get her out of his head. He barely knew her, but there something about her that spoke to him.
His phone rang, and he picked it up. “What?” he growled.
“Damien?”
He gripped the edge of his desk. “Jade. Are you okay? How did you get this number?”
“I’m fine. Actually, I’m not so fine.” Her voice shook, and Damien pressed his head against the wood.
He’d hurt her. But to be honest, she hurt him first. She jumped and ran out while he was still naked. What was he supposed to do? Stop her? “Jade,” he muttered, and he heard the pain in his voice. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m sorry too, brother.”
Damien froze. “Cresher.” Oh God. What had his brother done with her?
“I don’t know what your plan is, but you’re going to have to change it. I have your Conquiah.”
His Conquiha? His heart dropped. Of course she was. Nothing else explained the connection that he had with her. She belonged to him. And now Cresher had her.
“What do you want?” he muttered. Rage filled him. He would kill Cresher.
“I just want to see you, brother. Tonight.”
“Where?”
“I think you know where,” he said silkily.
Of course. The riverbanks where he’d first shown his brother mercy. “Don’t hurt her,” he said through gritted teeth.
“I’ll keep her alive as long as you get here,” Cresher hissed. “But you’ve taken everything from me. I suggest you be prompt, Damien.”
The phone went dead, and Cresher threw it across the room. “Damn it,” he roared.
He got up and started to pace. He barely knew Jade. If he went alone, he risked blowing it altogether, but if he didn’t go, Jade would die.
His Conquiha.
It wasn’t possible. After every mistake he had made, he didn’t deserve a mate. He didn’t deserve a true love. He didn’t deserve Jade.
And Jade didn’t deserve to be in the middle of this mess. But he’d dragged her into this. And he’d do everything he could to save her.
Even if it meant his life.
And Cresher was older and stronger. So it really might mean his life.
The quarter moon barely lit the path to the banks, but Damien would never forget how to get there. Every step of that night was imprinted on his mind. The march to kill his brother. The fight. The moment he realized he couldn’t it. And the pain he felt after he realized what he’d done. He’d picked his blood brother over his brotherhood, and he’d lived with his guilt every minute of every day.
The ghost of his past slid through him, but there was no way that he would let Cresher go this time. Not with Jade’s life hanging in the balance.
Only one of them would walk away this riverbank alive tonight.
Jade was lying in the sand with her wrists and ankles bound. She was awake, and he could see her eyes dart around in fear. “Damien!” she screamed. “It’s a trap! Run!”
He tensed, but no one jumped out of the shadows. He ran to her and tried to unbind her. “You need to run, baby. You need to run in case this doesn’t work out.”
“Damian.” She grabbed his arm. “It’s a trap. What are you doing?”
He cupped her chin. “Run. Be safe. For me,” he whispered.
The shadow flew at him in top speed, and they both tumbled on the bank. When they separated, Cresher crouched down in the sand. “Brother. So nice of you to join us. Unfortunately, your girl isn’t going anywhere. I’ve already started the ritual.”
Damian swiveled his head and stared at Jade. She was on all fours, and he saw her dry heaving on the banks. “What have you done to her?” he whispered.
“You took my demon. I can’t raise another one. But she’s immune to powers. And so she can host one.”
“No!” He ran to her side, and tilted her chin. He could see the shadows battling inside her. “Jade. You have to fight this.”
“She is mine, hybrid. And you cannot stop me.” Damien gripped her arms as the being spoke through her mouth. His raspy voice sent shivers down Damien’s spine, but he wouldn’t let go.
“Jade. A demon can’t take your body unless you let it. Fight it. Whatever Cresher did to you doesn’t matter. You have to fight this, baby.”
“Damien,” she said faintly.
“No,” Cresher roared. He launched himself at Damien, and they sent sand flying as their bodies tore across the banks. Strength battled strength as they dug into each other’s flesh. Something glinted into the moonlight, and Damien roared when a blade pierced his arm.
He broke away and grabbed his wound. Panting, he knew that Cresher was stronger than him. “Why are you doing this?”
“I don’t have to, Damien. You are my blood. Join me. We’ll rule the city together.”
“I’ve heard those words before,” Damien muttered. “All it did was prolong your life. Tonight, I will end it.”
“Damien.” Cresher looked at his brother with pain in his eyes. “I don’t want to kill you.”
“Only one of us is leaving this place alive,” Damien said. “This ends tonight.” He spared one more glance at Jade and saw the shadows overtaking her pupils. She was losing.
With a roar, he launched himself at Cresher. His brother’s speed and strength overpowered him, but Damien had one last trick up his sleeve. Just as his brother reached up to twist his neck, Damien pulled out the letter opener. He shoved it into his brother’s chest.
Cresher roared and stumbled back, but they both knew what had happened. “No,” he muttered.
“Saved a little demon poison just for you,” Damien muttered.
Cresher clutched at his chest and stumbled. “What have you done, brother?” he gasped.
Damien shook his head. “I thought this would hurt, Cresher. I thought losing you was worse than anything you could do, but now I just feel sorry for you. You had a powerful sector of the brotherhood under your thumb, and you could have done so much. But you chose this instead. There’s nothing left for you here, Cresher. I’m sorry that it’s come to this.”
“Save me,” Cresher pleaded. “Please.”
Damien stepped over him to let him die. Jade had fallen on the sand and was convulsing. He immediately pulled her into his arms. “Fight this,” he whispered. “You are stronger than this.”
“She’s mine,” the demon hissed. “Worship me, and I’ll give you the world.”
“I don’t want the world,” Damien said. “I want her. She’s my tether. I’ve never felt this bond with anyone. I love her, and I won’t let you take her. She won’t let you take her. She’s so much more powerful than you.”
She gasped, and her body twisted at an odd angle. “Damien,” she whispered.
“Hold on, baby,” he whispered. “Fight this.” He bent down. “I love you, and I’m not going to lose you now.” Then he touched her lips with his and melted into her. She fought him at first, but after a moment, she started responding to him. He opened his eyes and saw the shadows retreating. Finally, she gasped and he felt the fighting energy leave him. “Jade?” he muttered.
“I’m fine,” she whispered. She pushed at him, and he helped her sit up. “God, I feel like I haven’t slept in weeks.”
“Jade, I’m so sorry. I should never have let you leave. I should have kept you safe. This is all my fault.”
She reached up and touched his face. “Stop. Stop blaming yourself for everything. I was confused and freaked out. I left on my own accord.”
He rested his forehead on hers, and for a moment, everything was right with the world. “I knew I loved you from the first moment I saw you. You were my responsibility.”
“You love me? You don’t even know me,” she whispered.
“I know that were ready to sacrifice yourself for me. I know that you are the strongest person I have ever known. I know that you are beautiful inside and out. There is nothing else that’s important.”
She smiled, and his heart melted. “I freaked out after we…well, you know. I’ve never felt anything like that. It was intense and terrifying. And I’m just a simple girl. I don’t do intense and terrifying. I sell old books.”
“You do so much more than that,” he murmured.
She laughed. “I do love you. I’m just a little scared.”
He kissed her. “You take all the time you need, little one. I’m not going anywhere.”
“And Cresher?”
“He’s dead, baby. You don’t have to worry about him anymore. And you don’t have to worry ever again. I’ll take care of you.”
He held her until she regained her energy, and then he walked her back to his place. His Conquiha would never be alone again.