Damned and Desirable (Eternally Yours Book 2) (36 page)

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Authors: Tara West

BOOK: Damned and Desirable (Eternally Yours Book 2)

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“Get him, Jack!” I squealed, clasping my hands together as my dog pounced on him.

Shadow’s arms flailed wildly before I saw the flash of steel. Just as he was about to drive the dagger into my dog’s heart, I hit it with my wind, knocking it out of his hand, but not before the blade sliced open Jack’s shoulder. I screamed as Jack howled before falling on top of the bed.

Shadow jumped to his feet, a triumphant gleam in his eyes as he turned to me. “I’ve never liked that dog.”

Anger surged inside my skull as I threw a blast of wind at him. He flew back and smashed into a bedpost before wrapping around it in a swirl of darkness. Where had he gone?

My gaze darted to my dog. He was panting hard as blood oozed from his wound. I worried that Shadow had used a poison-tipped blade, just as he’d used on Callum. I had to pour holy water on Jack before he turned to dust, but first, I had a demon to kill.

I fell onto the table and jumped to the floor as the massive doors leading to the hall swung open.

Sarge was standing there, scythe drawn. “I heard screaming.”

“Shadow!” I cried. “Watch out. He’s disappeared.”

“Stay down!” he commanded, his features hardening as he raced to me.

My gaze darted to the doorway leading to the garden. The holy water was there. All I had to do was scoop up a handful and race back to Jack without getting killed.

I screamed when Sarge grunted and stilled in front of me, hovering there for an eternal second before crumbling to the floor, Shadow’s blade sticking out of his back.

“Nooo!” I fell to his side as he gaped at me, holding out a hand and trying to speak.

“Ash, I….” He disappeared in a burst of dust.

I jumped to my feet, unleashing my wind, blowing back candles, drapes, and oversized chairs, not caring who or what I blasted so long as I got that son-of-a-bitch who’d banished my friend.

Above me, Jack was whimpering. “Hang on, buddy.” I turned, racing toward the garden. I would not lose another friend on my watch. Just as I was about to cross the threshold, darkness overtook me. Where there had been bright light before me, I saw only blackness, crowding my mind with confusion.

I spun in circles, trying to figure out where I was, feeling like I had fallen into a void of depression and fear. Oh, dear God, this was it. Shadow would stab a hole through my heart and cast me down to the fourth dimension.

“Aedan!” I screamed. “Help me!”

A heavy boom shook my bones as the light snapped back on. I turned around gaping up at Shadow, who was hanging upside-down in Garf’s grasp. Aedan was standing beside him, scythe unsheathed and aiming at the base of Shadow’s skull.

“Garf,” I gasped. “How did you catch him?”

Garf flashed a baleful grin and tapped his head. “Nephilim use brain to find Shadow.”

Of course! Their echolocation. I had thought they could only see in the dark while in demon form.

Shadow cursed and banged Garf’s knee while he swung like a pendulum. All the while, Aedan shot eye daggers at Shadow while holding the blade at his throat. I knew he was itching to use it.

“Are you all right, Ash?” Aedan asked, not taking his eyes off Shadow.

I ran my hands down my arms as my gaze drifted to the pile of dust on the floor. “I’m fine.” I bit my knuckles to keep from sobbing. “But Sarge was dusted.”

“Ash, look at me.”

I jerked, swiping a stray tear at the sound of Aedan’s commanding voice.

He held me in his gaze for a long moment. “We will get Sarge back when we save Callum. I promise.”

I choked back more tears, unable to answer. I cringed at the sound of Jack’s low whine.

Oh, no! I will not lose him, too!
I pointed at the demon squirming in Garf’s grip. “Don’t let Shadow go!”

“Yah,” Garf answered.

“Where are you going?” Aedan called, but I was already running out the door.

I grabbed a goblet off the blanket and practically dove for the pool. I scooped up the water, sloshing it on my hand as I raced back inside, past Garf and the pendulum demon and up the bed to Jack. Much to my relief, he hadn’t turned to dust. His chest rose and fell with each strained breath as blood and puss pooled around his shoulder, staining the sheet beneath him.

He whimpered as I poured water on his wound. His eyes shut, and my heart slowed to a dull thud as I waited for them to open. Soon his breathing returned to normal and those big brown eyes fluttered open. He sat up with a resounding bark and then planted a big wet kiss on my lips.

“You really are a guardian angel,” I said with a smile as I hugged and kissed my dog. “Thank you, God,” I whispered, “for sending him to me.”

I didn’t care to stay and watch the Nephilim decapitate Shadow with his own poisoned blade and then cast him into a lake of fire. Not that I was complaining. Decapitations just weren’t on my list of fun evening entertainment. They ranked down there with going to monster truck rallies and attending Amway meetings. Besides, I figured I’d seen enough blood and gore to last me an eternity.

King Og and Garf took us to a secret chamber where they revealed the portal to Earth. And much to my disappointment, it wasn’t an elevator, but rather a long-ass flight of stairs going up a dark and musty cavern. Fun times. Too bad I didn’t have my wings.

Garf sat on the ground, sobbing like a baby as we shared our goodbyes. Jack tried to soothe him with lots of licks and tail wagging, but that only made him cry harder.

“Don’t cry, Garf.” I leaned up and squeezed his neck. “You know I’ll be back. I promise.”

Of course I’d be back. I had two friends waiting for me to save them, and then there was that whole prophecy thing. If I really was the Nephilim’s fallen angel… who was I kidding? Of course I was, and I was somehow supposed to lead them all up to Heaven. Needless to say, I couldn’t wait to get that part of my afterlife behind me.

“You good friend.” Garf said as he patted my head a little too hard. “Thank you, fawen angel.”

Aedan shook hands, or actually thumb, with the king. “We will go straightaway to Heaven and plead your case, as well as our friends and kin in the fourth dimension.”

I snaked my arm through Aedan’s, pulling myself close to him and relishing the warmth of his bare skin on mine. When I got back, I was going to institute a new rule that Aedan had to wear a toga whenever we were alone. Not only were they easily accessible, he looked damn fine with all that muscular man meat hanging out. When the king cleared his throat, I forced myself to get my hormones in check. There would be plenty of time for victory sex later.

I beamed up at King Og. “I am sure there is something the Holy Ones can do.”

The king bowed to both of us, his eyes gleaming with the same sparkle as the star around his neck. “Thank you, Grim and angel.”

“No, thank you.” My throat tightened with emotion as I tried to find the right words. “Not only for your friendship but for helping me find a purpose in my life, for making me feel for something beyond my own needs.”

We parted once more with hugs, and thankfully, neither of the giants did permanent damage to my ribs. It took us way too long to climb those stairs. Holy buckets, I thought my legs would collapse beneath me. My jokes about seeing Aedan’s hairy balls underneath his toga wore thin, and so did my breath as I followed him up the final flight. Jack’s tail was drooping by the time we reached the cave. I had no idea where we were, and I didn’t care. I just wanted to get home.

Much to my relief, Aedan banged his scythe on the ground, and an elevator materialized out of nowhere.

“After you,” he smiled, bowing like a gentleman as he ushered me onto the platform.

I sank against cool metal, heaving a sigh as the elevator lurched. My hair frizz caught the static off the wall, and I could literally feel it springing to life. I swore when I realized I should have dunked my mop in the Nephilim’s holy water. Damn. I reminded myself to dive into the pool head-first on my way back down.

“I need a hot bath,” I groaned. “And a tall drink.”

Aedan wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me against him.

“I’ve got a need for you to fill,” he growled.

Heat crept into my cheeks when he pressed his groin against my hip. “Do you?”

“Yes. Right here.” He nibbled my ear as he dragged my hand toward his rather stiff and large bulge.

Oh, my goodness! Either Aedan had stuck a rock in his toga or climbing stairs until his butt cramped made him horny.

“Aedan, don’t.” I tried to push him away, but not really. Truthfully, all that staring at his hairy balls had made me horny, too. “Jack’s looking at us,” I giggled as he trailed kisses down my neck.

As I listened to the familiar sound of him licking his ass, I realized he probably wasn’t interested in what we were doing. Eventually, though, he would tire of chewing on butt munch and look up.

“I don’t care,” he rasped as his lips sought mine. “I need you.”

“Oh, Aedan.” Loathe though I was, I broke the kiss as his roving hands slipped under the hem of my toga and straight for my “Oh, God, yes!” spot. I pushed him. “Stop, or I’ll tear off your clothes.”

Last naked guy I’d seen in an elevator scarred my eyeballs for life. Not that Aedan would scar my eyeballs. Far from it, but if we got caught, our bare humping asses would probably be plastered all over the Purgatory papers.

He ignored my protests, showering kisses on my cheek, nose, and brow. “You are the most incredible, caring, loving woman I’ve ever known, and I can’t believe you’re mine. Do you know how much I love you?”

“Mmmm. More than you loved Mar, I hope.”

He pulled away at that, looking down at me with an intensity that took my breath away. “More than I’ve ever loved any other woman. More than I love my very soul.”

I gaped at him before a slow grin spread across my face. “I guess that’s enough.”

We fell into each other’s arms, alternating between laughing and kissing when the elevator dinged.

“Welcome to the Penthouse,” the intercom voice purred. “Access granted.”

Holy crap! I got my wings back!

THE END

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Get ready for
Damned and Desperate, Eternally Yours Book Three
coming out in print and on ereader January 2015.

My afterlife had sunk to a new level of desperate, all because some badass demons banished my friends to the fourth dimension of the fiery pit.

When I signed up for this rescue mission, nobody told me about the mosquitos, hives, and sweltering heat. Those I could handle. Add a sinfully sexy boyfriend with serious trust issues, three temperamental giants, and a really hungry demonic dragon, and this trip to Hell had become the trip
from
Hell.

And I forgot to pack my sunscreen.

BOOKS BY TARA WEST

From the Something More Series

From the Whispers Series