Demon's Destiny Page 14

  “What? The Lord of the Underworld can’t like plants?” He went back to pruning a bush full of red flowers. Their pungent aroma burned Baal’s nose.

  “Spill. I know you have the details.”

  Hades stood and stretched. “Fine. She fought with Zarek and won. Well, at least, proved she was capable of defending the fae.”

  The tic started in Baal’s temple and only worsened as the god replayed the story of what had happened. He was going to put that female over his knee. “I need to go punish my mate,” he growled and vanished.

  He took himself back to the bedroom, threw on a pair of jeans then headed into the other room. Ranata stood in front of the window looking outside. He stormed across the room, surprised she never sensed he was coming.

  Good.

  When he reached her, he grabbed her by the waist, spun her to face him then pushed her against the glass, pinning her arms over her head.

  “You will never, and I mean ever, place yourself in danger again,” he commanded. Her eyes lit and went as wild as a feisty cat. Perfect, she was sexy as hell when pissed.

  “You’ve no room to talk.” She struggled to free herself, but he was having none of it. “How dare you place yourself in danger?”

  “Let’s get one thing straight. I’m all for equal rights, but if you think I will ever allow you to fight my battles then you’ve thought wrong,” he replied.

  He felt her reaching for his magic. No doubt, she intended to steal it to escape, but he blocked her.

  The look of surprise on her face was priceless. “How?”

  “I am the strongest demon in Hades’ army. Why do you think he chose me as your mate? You can’t best me, sugar. You can only take what I give you.”

  His little fae seethed and was currently weak as a mortal. He planned to take full advantage of the situation. He pressed against her and nipped at her bottom lip.

  She tried to turn away, but he simply suckled on her neck.

  “Damn you,” she whispered, and when she turned to face him, he claimed her mouth. He swept his tongue in and tasted every inch of her. She melted into him, and he had to fight to keep from chuckling. He knew what she wanted and broke off the kiss with another nip to her swollen lips.

  “When this started, I told you I could never give you my heart. It was broken long ago.”

  “Then why do you care what I do?” she asked, lifting her chin.

  “Because somewhere along the line, I was blindsided. Some damn female wove my heart back together then stole it.” He pressed his forehead to hers. “Damn it, woman. You know my past. Don’t make history repeat itself. I love you, and I will tear the universe to shreds if anything happens to you.”

  “I… Did you just say you love me?” Her blue eyes widened, her nervousness evident as she nibbled her bottom lip. Had he fucked up by admitting his feelings? He’d been positive she felt the same way. The last time they were together he’d thought something had passed between them. No matter.

  “I did. So, what of it?”

  “I just wanted to make sure I’m not hallucinating.” Her eyes became hooded. “Are you going to do something with me?”

  He leaned in and nipped her earlobe. “Oh, am I ever.”

  She sucked in a breath. “I need…”

  “I know.” He needed her, as well, and planned to have her. Kissing her, he ran his hands down her arms and along the bottom of her breasts. He cupped the full mounds and rolled the nipples between his fingers.

  She moaned, gripping the waistband of his jeans. “Too many clothes.”

  “I can fix that.” He debated whether he should simply wish their clothes off or…

  He grabbed the hem of the pink tank top she wore and ripped. Rose-tipped breasts greeted him. “Oh, yeah, that was much more satisfying than zapping them away.”

  He bent his head and latched onto a nipple while he snaked his hand into her panties. She was wet, and it was his turn to groan. He wanted to devour her, but first, he would bring her pleasure. He slipped one finger into her hot sex, then a second. She ran her hands through his hair and moved against him. He freed his fingers and spread her moisture across her clit.

  “Oh, damn,” she cried out.

  Damn was right. He couldn’t take any more. Her arousal filled his nostrils and thickened his cock to the point of painful. He pulled back and, with a quick jerk, had her panties off, along with her torn top. Her naked beauty stood before him like a goddess, begging to be worshipped.

  He flicked his wrist, and his jeans disappeared, freeing his erection. A look of disappointment came over her.

  “You screwed me out of stripping you.” She stuck out her bottom lip.

  “Oh, I’m going to screw you all right.” He dropped to his knees, pulled her left leg over his shoulder and spread her tender, pink flesh. He ran his tongue over her clit.

  “Christ.” She tugged at his hair. “You keep that up, and I’ll be coming in seconds.”

  Precisely what he’d intended. He showed no mercy. Sliding his hand up her thigh, he inserted two fingers, shoving them deep then pulling them out until he had a fast rhythm going. He continued laving his tongue across her clit, and it wasn’t long before he was rewarded with her screaming in ecstasy. Not giving her a moment to regain her composure, he gently lowered her leg to the floor then rose. Pressing her against the window, he cupped his hands under her ass and lifted. She instinctively knew what he wanted and wrapped her long, slender legs around his waist. He reached down and guided his cock to her entrance.

  With a quick thrust, he was deep inside her. He was home, and the demon inside him growled in contentment. She clawed at his back, and it only served to fuel the fire that burned inside him.

  He groaned as he slid in and out of her tight sheath, and he swore he’d never tire of this woman. Gone were the days of jumping from bed to bed, and he realized that while he had indeed loved Beth, it had been nothing compared to what he felt for Ranata.

  She tugged on his hair and pulled his mouth to hers. She was a needy wench, and he loved her even more for it. Her kiss burned with passion as her tongue caressed his. She pulled his bottom lip between her teeth and bit gently. It was enough to send his cock pumping his seed deep inside her.

  She peppered kisses along his jaw and up to his ear. “I love you, too.”

  He grinned, and his cock hardened again. “Let’s go back to bed. I plan to fuck you until you can’t walk.”

  She smiled wide. “Let’s go, big boy.”

  Ranata hid in the shadows beside Kalin and Baal while they watched Raven, who was followed by at least ten demons as she strolled through a shopping mall as though her life were perfectly normal. Baal had shrouded the three of them in magic so they couldn’t be seen.

  “We can take them, no problem,” Ranata said.

  Kalin nodded. “The rest of our warriors are reinforcing our shields back home. We have no idea how long before Lowan realizes she’s gone, but when he does, there’ll be hell to pay.”

  Baal rubbed his hands together. “I’d love a piece of that fucker.”

  She touched his shoulder. “We’re not here to confront him.” She realized he wanted revenge for what the demigod had put his sister through. She did, too, but not at the expense of lives and most certainly not her mate’s. “Can you two take care of the demons? I’ll grab Raven.”

  Baal feigned a yawn. “Those demons are dust under my boot. Nothing but a speck.”

  She tried not to roll her eyes. “I’m going in.” The mall was deserted, except for her sister and the posse following her, so Ranata flashed into Raven’s path.

  Her sister’s jaw dropped, and she glanced over her shoulder. “Ranata, what are you doing here?”

  “I’m here to fetch you.”

  Raven’s eyes narrowed. “Don’t be stupid. And how the hell did you get here?”

  “We need to go.” No sooner had the words passed her lips than Baal and Kalin attacked. Fire came from nowhere, and she grabbed her sist
er by the arm. “We’re leaving.”

  She flashed back to the castle and to the room they’d prepared for Raven.

  “How did you do that? Where are we?” Raven looked like a scared little girl, and all Ranata wanted to do was pull her sister into her arms and promise everything would be okay.

  Sugar, you know what has to be done.

  She’s my sister.

  I know, but it’s for the safety of both of you, as well as all the fae.

  I’m going. She flashed then stood outside a force field that surrounded the room. Raven tried to walk toward her but bumped into the shields.

  “What the…?” She placed her hands on the invisible wall. Panic etched heavy lines across her face. “Ranata, let me out!”

  “I’m sorry. This is for your protection, and that of our people.”

  “No. You don’t understand. He will kill you. He’s a monster.” She dropped to her knees and sobbed.

  Ranata’s heart shattered, and she fought back her own tears.

  “Raven, I have so much to tell you.” She joined her sister on the floor and placed a hand on the force field Kalin and Baal had set up around the room. Hopefully, Lowan would be unable to detect Raven, and it would give them time to figure out if he had a tracking spell on her, or something worse.

  “You’re not safe. Once he knows I’m gone, he will hunt me down and punish us both. Please, if you love me, let me go.”

  “It’s because I love you that you’ll stay. We have people here, Raven. I met mother while you were away.”

  “Momma?” Raven was suddenly like a small child, and Ranata wished she could reach in and pull her sister tightly to her.

  “Yes. Let me tell you about her. She was a brave, wondrous woman, and she was a queen.” Her tears stung her cheeks. She’d had so little time with her mother. Not even the allotted hour because of Zarek and his games. She made a mental note to corner the god and demand a do-over.

  “A queen? Now, you’re telling tales.” Raven sniffed.

  Ranata couldn’t help a soft chuckle. Her life indeed seemed like a fairytale. Now she was the queen of the fae, and her Prince Charming was a devilishly handsome demon. How had she gone from serving drunks in a remote dive bar to this? She had to pinch herself to make sure it wasn’t a dream. She found the telepathic link to the cook and asked for a tray of food and drink to be brought to them. She and Raven had a lot to catch up on.

  Baal held Ranata in his arms, both of them still glowing after a long session of lovemaking. “Woman, if you insist on rubbing your foot up and down my leg, I’ll be forced to take you again.”

  She nuzzled his neck. “Is that a threat?”

  “A promise.”

  “Then I shall keep at it.”

  “You’re insatiable,” he laughed.

  She bit his shoulder. “I am, but only when it comes to you.” She sighed. “I can’t believe how things have changed between us.” She sat up, her eyes wide and staring right at him. “You promise you’ll never leave?”

  He understood where her fear came from. Everyone she’d ever loved had left her, and even he, in the beginning, had vowed never to give her his heart. What a damn fool he’d been, but he’d only been trying to protect himself. He stroked her cheek. “All the demons of Hell could never take me away from you. You’re stuck with me.” To prove his point, he opened up and let his emotions flow into her. “You own my heart now. Take care of it.”

  She smiled and snuggled back into him. “I will cherish it forever. So, what happens next?”

  “Aidyn has called a meeting later this week with all the factions. Lileta and Caleb will attend for the Draki. Katie, Seth’s mate, will represent the gods, even though she was sworn not to interfere. You will be there for the fae, and I for the Kothar race. I think you should take Kalin with you,” he urged.

  “I agree. He’s anxious to enter the fight. Do you think Lowan will ever be destroyed?” She had switched to tracing circles on his chest.

  “Yes. I have to believe he will. Though, now, I wonder about this other that Hades mentioned.” He kissed the top of her head. “Once this is over and things are back to normal, would you consider maybe part-time residence at my home in Hell?”

  She lifted her head. “I’d love that. I kinda like that place.” Her brows furrowed. “What about the casino?”

  “I don’t need to be there all the time now. I have good managers. Besides, it’s not a place to raise children.”

  “Children? I hadn’t thought about that.” Her face became panic stricken. “Oh, Baal. I want children, but now is not the time, and we’ve used no protection.”

  “Easy. Unlike other immortals, I can make myself sterile or fertile at will. When we are ready for children, we’ll discuss it further.”

  “Well, isn’t that convenient,” she smiled.

  “Can be.”

  She tucked back into him. “Do you think Raven will be safe? She seems pretty accepting of who she is.”

  Baal snorted. He’d been down to pay a visit with Raven, and she’d been conversing with Kalin—or rather, the fae commander had been busy telling her how things were going to be. “I’m sure Kalin will see to her safety.”

  Ranata chuckled. “I’ve noticed he is rather bossy with her, but he’s helped us connect using our telepathic link. I’m grateful to him for that. When do you think it will be safe to let her out?”

  “I’m leaving that one up to Kalin. Soon, I’d think, since the lab rats have cleared her of any tracking devices.”

  She slapped him on the arm. “Those lab rats are my friends.”

  He rolled her onto her back and poised himself over her.

  She squealed.

  “I love you, sugar. If they’re important to you, then they’re important to me.” He gazed into her blue depths. “You remember the demon from the night I rescued you?”

  Her pupils dilated. “Yes.”

  “Will you still love me if I tell you that was me? I shifted so I could get in there and make them think I was the one they were sacrificing you to.”

  Her features softened. “You did that for me?” She palmed his cheek. “I will love you no matter what.”

  “And I will do whatever it takes to protect you. Always.” He slanted his mouth over hers and was about to nestle his cock in her warm depths when a siren sounded, indicating intruders had broken through their barriers. Baal leapt from the bed and dressed in seconds, taking a dagger in each hand. He looked back at his mate.

  “Dress and arm yourself, but do not leave this room unless I give you the all clear.”

  He flashed.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Ranata quickly dressed and grabbed the weapons Kalin had made for her.

  Baal, what the hell is going on?

  A couple of Lowan’s minions have managed to get in. Nothing to worry about. They’ve been dispatched, but stay put. I’ve placed guards around you.

  She paced their bedroom. How did they get in?

  Investigating that now.

  She continued her pacing then panic set in again. “Shit.”

  Raven? Are you okay?

  She chewed her lip, waiting for an answer, but seconds ticked by and nothing. “Fuck this. I’m not hiding in my room.” She flashed to the lower level where Raven was staying and crossed the room.

  “Raven?”

  “Well, Your Highness. You arrived quicker than I’d hoped.”

  Ranata spun around and found Heremon with a knife to her sister’s throat. “What the hell?” She’d known she didn’t like that fae.

  “Don’t even think to call for help. I’ll know, and I’ll take her head off,” Heremon growled.

  Did she dare contact Baal? What if Heremon wasn’t bluffing? She couldn’t take that chance with her sister’s life. “What do you want?”

  “First thing. Drop that dagger and kick it toward me,” he commanded.

  She obeyed without hesitation.

  “Good. Now, the three of us are leaving
. Lowan wants his bitch back, and you’re going to sweeten the pot.”

  “No. Take me, but leave Ranata here. I’ll go willingly,” Raven said.

  “Sorry, not part of my plan,” the fae replied.

  “What makes you think you can get away from here with both of us?” Ranata inquired. She needed to think fast. She had no idea how skilled Heremon was, but she had to assume, since he was much older than her and born fae, he would be more powerful. Still, if she let him take her and Raven out of here, they might never survive. The thought of losing her sister again and maybe never seeing Baal sat like lead in her gut.

  A portal opened across the room. Heremon shoved Raven forward. “You first, Your Highness.” He jerked his head at Ranata.

  “You kill her, and Lowan will surely have your head.” Ranata stood her ground, hoping to buy some time and searched for the magic belonging to her mate. Heremon shifted his weight. Her statement succeeded in making him nervous.

  “Lowan will thank me for taking out the bitch. He’s not fond of those who betray him.” He pressed the blade against Raven’s skin until blood trickled down her neck. If he’d meant to get a reaction from either woman, he’d failed. Ranata kept her cool while fighting an internal battle. She realized she had no clue how to get her sister away from harm without endangering Raven further.

  An idea came to her. “Heremon. What has Lowan offered you? Money? Power? I will give you more.” She opened herself to Baal and focused on the scene in front of her. Without words, she let her fear pour from her and hoped he would understand they were in trouble. If Heremon sensed her fear, he would think nothing of it.

  Heremon laughed. “I want your kingdom, Your Highness. Lowan has promised it to me, and unfortunately, your death and that of your sister must come to pass. You’re the last heirs, so with you gone, I can finally rule.”

  She fisted her hands. “You were responsible for killing my mother!”

  “I let his goons in, but I took her life myself. She never saw it coming.” He cackled like an old woman, and Ranata’s temper flared. She wanted the man dead but wasn’t sure she could end a life.