Taken By Desire: Demonic Desires Book 1 Read online

  “She’s beautiful, but what happened to her?”

  He supposed she deserved to know the entire story. After all, she could very well be carrying demon DNA. “A long time ago, she fell in love with Zolar. He presented himself as a caring god and her father gave his blessing for them to marry. Shortly after, Zolar killed Uuna’s father and plotted to take over the city. Uuna knew he would likely kill her and all the inhabitants of Oshivana as well. So, she sent her people into hiding and used a spell to cloak our world. Unfortunately, she has been locked in stasis ever since.”

  He raked his fingers through his hair. “Her soul exists in the Pits, but her body is trapped here. Legend has said one of the royal families would one day be able to open the passage here. The prince would kill Zolar, thus freeing Uuna and bringing our world back to its former glory.”

  “The prince is you, isn’t it?”

  He nodded. “My father’s Oracle said I was destined.”

  She looked back at the sleeping goddess. “Wow, that’s a big burden. What about the DNA thing?”

  “While I was away, Fang discovered a scroll that indicated when Uuna asked her people to flee. She decreed the males from the royal army to spread their seed in the human world. Apparently it was a precautionary measure, in case we became extinct.”

  Her eyes widened considerably. “Wow.” She stared at the goddess and the silence between them ticked by until she finally opened her mouth. “I have to admit, I’m curious what my results would have been.”

  He tried to hide his smile. “The goddess’ scepter will tell you. Right here, right now.”

  “Really? How.”

  Rather than tell her, he decided it was better to show her. So he pricked his finger again and let the drops hit the bowl. “Watch the stone.”

  She focused on it. “It’s changing color. What’s that mean?”

  “The dark blue means a full blood royal demon,” he replied.

  She gave a soft giggle. “Well then…Okay, I just bleed into the cup?”

  Aimee ran her finger over one of the tridents, then let the blood droplets fall into the cup. Within seconds, the stone changed color and Greydon felt his fangs grow. He couldn’t be sure if it was from the scent of her blood or what he saw on the scepter.

  “It’s not as dark as yours, but it’s still blue. Does that mean…”

  “You carry the DNA,” he whispered.

  She pulled her bottom lip through her teeth. “How can you be sure? I mean, have you checked someone that your positive doesn’t carry it?”

  “No, but from what I’ve learned if you were fully human the color would remain white. While your color wasn’t as deep as mine, it’s still blue as hell.” So many things raced through his mind; he was having a hard time sorting them out. The desire he had for her was the biggest and now he knew why. He’d bonded with a demon—a partial one—and apparently his demonic side had somehow known when he drank from her. However, he had to remind himself he had wanted her before the blood bond. Hell. His head began to hurt. He needed a little distance, so he moved to the bank of windows that overlooked the city below.

  An empty city that looked like its people had fled in a hurry. As he stared at the stone homes dotting the landscape, he could almost imagine the stories they could tell. If he thought hard enough, he could see the cobbled streets come to life full of people, children playing and life as he’d never known in full swing.

  Aimee came up next to him. “It’s beautiful. It’s kinda how I’ve always imagined Atlantis would look if it were real. I mean…”

  Greydon couldn’t look at her. “It’s what your legend is based on. This is the lost city your people call Atlantis.”

  She shook her head. “How the hell can this be Atlantis? I thought it was under water.”

  He turned to face her. Everything about her drew him in.

  Their eyes met.

  “As you can see, it isn’t under water. At one time our people interacted with yours, yet never knew who or what we really were. When the humans who frequented here began to get grand ideas of overthrowing the royal family, they were sent away. The legend of Atlantis began.”

  “Wow, I’m still not sure what all this means.”

  “It means I’m supposed to bring it back to life. I must destroy a god, reinstate a goddess to her rightful place and rescue my people. Not necessarily in that order.” He looked away again. “I’ve never felt more alone in my life.” He had no idea why he’d found it necessary to make that confession. A warm hand touched his arm and with it came comfort and a burning need he could no longer deny.

  He spun and before he could stop himself, he cupped Aimee’s cheeks and brought his lips to hers. For a moment he could feel her tense, but then she relaxed into him and parted her mouth. He swept his tongue in and tasted every inch of her. The flavor of apricots burst on the back of his tongue and he moaned. Her softness pressed into him and caused a painful erection against his jeans. It took everything he had not to strip them both and bury himself deep inside her. He knew he shouldn’t even kiss her. It was unfair to both of them, and he needed to stop before he went too far.

  With great reluctance, he broke off the kiss and touched his forehead to hers. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.”

  She laced her arms around his neck. “I’m not sorry—that you did, that is.”

  He slid his hands down her arms as he stepped back. “You don’t deserve this. I dragged you into my world and then created a bond with you. It’s wrong.”

  She tilted her head and studied him for a moment. “That’s not true. Yes, you brought me into your world, but had you not shown up that night, those demons would have killed me. You said so yourself. And you created the bond to once again save me. It’s me who has caused you all this grief.”

  “Hey, we’re back,” Fang yelled out. Greydon, both relieved and irritated, wanted more time with her. But he knew the longer they were together, the harder it would be to let her go. He was crazy to think she would ever want a life with him.

  “Come on, we’ll find a room for you and Bethany to stay in.”

  Chapter 15

  Aimee flopped on the bed while Bethany poked about the room. Greydon and Fang had scouted around and decided to use the suites below the tower where Uuna was fast asleep. The girls had taken the quarters at the end of the hall. Upon first entering, they had stood in the door with mouths agape.

  White marble floors, vibrant fabrics and two fireplaces had only been the start. They still hadn’t checked out the entire apartment once they’d found the luxurious bedrooms.

  “This place is the cat’s ass,” Bethany announced while she flitted about the room.

  “Uh huh.”

  Bethany flopped on the bed beside her. “Okay, you’re a thousand miles away. Spill.”

  She rolled onto her side and propped herself up on her elbow. Aimee would have to come clean or her friend would never relent. “He kissed me.”

  “No.” Bethany smacked her on the arm. “Details!”

  Aimee snorted. “It was nice…very nice, and I didn’t want it to end.”

  “Really?” Bethany shifted so she was sitting, “That’s so unlike you.”

  “I know. You wanna hear something crazy?”

  Her friend rolled her eyes. “You mean something besides the fact that you’re part demon, and we are in the real Atlantis with a couple of hot guys?” Greydon had shared the DNA tidbit with both Fang and Bethany as soon as they had returned. He’d also insisted that her friend test too, but she’d come out all human.

  Aimee flopped on her back and stared up at the white ceiling. “I know I should feel freaked out about carrying demon DNA. I mean that’s just messed up in so many ways, but I’m not. For once, I finally feel like I know what I’m supposed to do.”

  “And that is?”

  “I need to help Greydon somehow. The burden he carries right now is more than any person should have to bear alone.” She’d always felt like s
he never really fit in anywhere. She loved running the bookstore, it was her passion, but had never figured out what was missing in her life.

  Bethany rolled off the bed and stretched. “Sweetie, I’ve always said you were destined for bigger things. Hanging with a demon prince never crossed my mind, but I think you need to do whatever your gut says.” She leaned in and planted a kiss on Aimee’s forehead. “You know I love you and will back you no matter what.”

  “Thanks, that means a lot to me.”

  “Good. Now I’m going to my room and soak in that kickass bathtub then crawl into bed. I’m beat.” Bethany headed for the door.

  “Night.”

  As soon as her friend had left, Aimee swung her feet over the edge of the bed and padded across the room. Too many things raced through her mind; she couldn’t sleep. Instead, she would wander the grounds in the hope of running into Greydon.

  Greydon and Fang checked the perimeter of the compound to be sure there was no trouble. Greydon didn’t trust Zolar, even if it was impossible for the god to enter. It would only be a matter of time before the god succeeded in finding a way in.

  “So, how do you feel knowing that Aimee is part demon?” Fang asked.

  Greydon shrugged. “How am I supposed to feel?”

  The demon protector snorted. “You have the fucking hots for her. Why won’t you simply admit it?”

  Greydon stopped outside the front door to the palace. “Just like you to speak what’s on your mind.”

  “Will you deny it?” Fang raised a brow.

  Greydon laughed. “No, I guess I’m not.”

  “Well that’s good because her scent is all over you. So, what are you going to do about it, or have you already?”

  “I don’t know.” He opened the door, crossed the threshold with Fang on his heels and immediately sensed Aimee’s restlessness. He was driven to find her. “Fang, I have something I need to do.”

  “Of course you do.” The demon walked in the other direction, laughing to himself.

  “I’m glad he finds this humorous,” Greydon mumbled under his breath as he followed both Aimee’s scent and the pull his tie had to her.

  Seconds later, he found himself standing in the doorway of the expansive library, staring at her as she stood in front of the fire. The black yoga pants formed to every inch of her lean body and the pink tee allowed her midriff to peek out.

  “You look far away.”

  She jerked and spun to face him. “I didn’t hear you. I wasn’t tired so thought I’d come in here.”

  He walked into the room and made himself comfortable on the couch in front of the fireplace. “Something bothering you?”

  She rubbed her arms as if cold, but he knew better. She was anxious about something. He could smell it. “I’ve been thinking. I want to help you, but I’m not sure how. Maybe you can guide me in the right direction?”

  He cocked his head and stared at her, then patted the seat next to him. “Come sit and we can discuss it.”

  She plopped down beside him and stared straight into his eyes. “I want to get one thing straight. I know you think that your attraction to me is from the blood bond, and maybe it is. However, I’m attracted to you as well and I have no bond to blame. I liked the kiss, and well, I hope you’re not discouraged from doing it again.”

  At a loss for words, he figured the best place to start was with her request to help. "Okay, let's deal with one thing at a time. I think you might be a big help in deciphering our society. We're taught when we are very small about this world and what happened here. However, there are many gaps. You studied ancient languages and have a love for old books."

  She nodded. "I think I know where you might be going with this. You want me to do some digging around here to see what I can learn?"

  "Would you mind?" he asked, watching her eyes light up and a big smile spread across her lips. He realized he liked seeing her happy.

  "Absolutely! I would be honored. I have to admit, it would also give me a chance to learn more about my supposed heritage.”

  "I guess you probably have a lot of questions. I know I sure as hell do. In the morning, Fang and I plan to go back to the compound where you were held, and see if we can locate the others."

  Aimee stared off into the flames. "I'm sure by now they know I'm gone." Her pleading gaze came back to meet his. "You have to save the other humans there too. God only knows what they've done to them."

  The need to provide comfort coursed through him so he brushed his thumb down her cheek, desiring the intimate contact. “I’ll do my best, but you have to understand. My people, and especially my brothers, come first. After that I will not hesitate to save who I can.”

  “Of course I understand, and I wouldn’t expect any less.” She leaned into his palm and desire darkened her hazel eyes.

  He couldn’t stand it anymore, so he leaned in and brushed his lips across hers. He wanted more, and even though she’d admitted being attracted to him, he still held back. However, it took him by surprise when she placed her palms on his chest and pushed him back into the couch. Her lips never broke contact with his and when he could go no further, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Her tongue pressed and he opened, allowing her to sweep in and taste him. She positioned herself between his spread legs and the next thing he knew, she was grinding against his swollen erection.

  She laced her fingers in his hair as her tongue continued to plunder his mouth. Never before had he given control to a woman. He wondered why, since he was loving every second of it.

  He slid his hands down her back and cupped her ass, digging his fingers into the firm flesh. She moaned into their kiss and pressed harder against him. Heat radiated between her thighs and caused his shaft to ache. He needed both his cock and his fangs buried deep inside her, but damn he had to stop this and quickly.

  Aimee was on her way to a slow boil as she pushed up Greydon’s shirt and ran her hands along his hard muscles. She was about to throw caution to the wind and let her desires rule her every move. There was no doubt in her mind she wanted him, craved him like one might a drug. Though she couldn’t wrap her mind around the craziness of it, she decided to simply follow her body’s demands.

  She broke from their heated kiss only long enough to pull his shirt over his head and toss it to the floor. Planting butterfly kisses on his chest, she gave him a playful nip and the grip on her ass tightened.

  “We shouldn’t be doing this,” he whispered.

  “I think that’s supposed to be my line,” she mumbled while kissing her way back to his mouth. His words finally sank in through her sexual haze, and she leaned back and looked into his green eyes. They were ablaze, and she swore he wanted her. “Greydon, am I out of line? I mean I know you kissed me first, but…” When she looked away, he placed his fingers on her chin and pulled her gaze back to him.

  “Sweetheart, I know you can feel my erection, which I might add is damn painful right now. I want you, but I don’t want you to have regrets.”

  “I’ll regret it more if I walk away now.” She wasn’t even sure she could walk away. Was it possible to already have strong feelings for him? She drew on her courage. “I like you, Greydon. Probably more than I should, and I guess if that presents a problem then I should go.” She pulled away, ready to run from the room, but he caught her wrists and kept her pinned to him.

  “No, you misunderstand. I’m not sure if having you this once will be enough for me. I was attracted to you from the moment I dragged you with me to save my life. Taking your blood intensified it and then forming the bond…” He released her wrists only to cup her cheeks and pull her closer. He brushed a gentle kiss on her lips. “I can’t get you out of my fucking mind,” he whispered against her mouth, and she melted into him.

  “I don’t want you to leave, Aimee. I need you to stay here with me, even if you decide it’s only for tonight, but I hope you’ll give us a chance.” He slipped his tongue past her lips and together they performed a passionate due
l. Her heart raced and her pulse pounded at the bundle of nerves between her thighs. She was about to give herself to a man who was so far removed from any she’d ever known: strong, fierce and the leader of a world she was still trying to understand. He was a demon, capable of things she couldn’t even imagine. All of that should have scared her, but instead she let her emotions and desire drive her.

  “I’ll stay.”

  He moved his hands under her tee and slid up to her naked breasts. He cupped them, gave a gentle squeeze then ran his thumbs over her nipples, causing them to harden to painful peaks. When he rolled them between his fingers, she could feel the rush of moisture to her core. If she was already this aroused, how the hell would she manage to keep her shit together? She needed to have him deep inside her and waiting wasn’t an option.

  In one swift motion, he had her shirt off and his lips wrapped around a taught nipple. She cried out in pleasure and ground her sex into his hard cock while cursing the clothes between them. When he switched to the other breast and slipped the nipple between his teeth, she almost crashed and burned.

  “Greydon, I need your pants off and you inside me,” she whispered.

  She wasn’t sure how but he had rolled off the couch with her in his arms and planted her on her feet. “Don’t move,” he growled.

  He grasped the band of her yoga pants and slid them down her thighs. When they pooled at her feet, he carefully lifted one foot and freed the clothing. He lifted the other and tossed her pants aside.

  “Damn you’re perfect,” he moaned and placed a kiss on her belly while he shoved the table aside to make room. “I’m going to lay you on this rug and feast on every inch of you.” Again, he lifted her then laid her gently on the fur rug situated in front of the fire. His tongue was molten lava as he licked his way from her breasts, down her stomach and to her pelvic bone where he stopped and lifted his head to grin at her.

  “Oh, please don’t stop,” she pleaded, her voice thick with passion.