Emerald Fire (6 page)

Sarah crossed the large expanse, sank onto the soft leather sofa and watched the waves roll onto the beach through the wall of glass. She took a deep breath to steady her nerves. Instead, her heart rate increased. The smell of cotton soaked in sunshine drifted past and caused her mouth to water. She quickly realized Elias stood in front of her with glass in hand. It was him. He was the reason her blood burned through her veins. She reached for the glass, surprised at how steady her hand was. “Thank you.”

He held out his other hand. “Walk with me.”

Again, she was unable to resist. Her body moved on autopilot when she placed her hand in his. Searing heat stung her, almost sending her to her knees. She flashed her best smile. “You were going to show me where the photo will be hung?”

“Yes.”

He led her up a winding staircase to an open loft. Sarah’s sandals sank into thick, forest-green carpet as he led her to a stone fireplace. She glanced at the four matching, cream-colored chairs sitting back to back. Two faced the open hearth and the other set faced the railing and showed a panoramic view through the glass wall below. The space was perfect for a gal to curl up with a good book.

Elias unwrapped the framed picture and placed it over the mantel. He took a step back to admire his new acquisition. “Perfect.” He turned to face her. “Much like the person who took it. Don’t you think?”

She tried not to blush at his remark. Compliments were something she’d grown accustomed to so why did this one affect her? “It’s almost as if the photo was taken with this spot in mind.” The vibrant colors of the ocean’s sky brought out the tones of the room. “This is a nice room. I like it.” She hoped she’d done a good job evading his question.

Elias smiled and set his glass on a side table. “I like to sit up here and read when I have time. Night is my favorite.” He looked up at the ceiling, and she followed his gaze.

“Wow, it’s spectacular.” Above their heads was one of the largest skylights she’d ever seen. She found herself envisioning a clear night with hundreds of tiny stars shining their brilliance into the room.

He took the glass from her hand and placed it next to his. “You are welcome to view it anytime.” He stepped into her and wrapped his fingers in a loose tendril of hair. His eyes darkened with desire. “As silky as I expected.”

Sarah’s heart raced. She wanted to back away yet found her feet refused to obey. Her emotions confused her, but before she could analyze them further, his lips were on hers. His tongue in her mouth, sliding across hers, scorching her, sending heat to her core and making her want to do naughty things to him.

As quick as he kissed her, he pulled away.

“And you taste as sweet as I imagined.” He rubbed the back of her neck. “I never thought to find you here.”

She finally gained command of her legs and took a step back. “W-what do you mean find me?”

He tilted his head, and his brows slanted downward. “You can’t tell me you don’t feel it. I knew the moment I scented you.”

Sarah took another step back. Her mind refused to admit she knew precisely what he was indicating.

Elias moved forward, stalking her like prey.

She swallowed the lump of desire in her throat, refusing to give up control. “Feel what?”

He moved closer until his body pinned hers against the wall. His erection ground into her belly, and she fought the urge to free it from the confines of his jeans.

“We are mates.”

“Not possible,” she whispered but knew damn well he was telling the truth.

“Oh yes, my beautiful demon.” He backed off slightly, confusion written on his handsome face. “Why do you seem frightened?”

Sarah let a breath escape, and her lids slid shut. Visions of Brock came to mind, and the words of her parents echoed in her head.
There are two kinds of mates.
Wonderful. She spends years searching and now this. “I’ve already found my mate.”

Elias crossed his arms over his chest. “Yet he hasn’t bound you together. Why?” His voice had lost its soft edge.

She raised her chin. “We’ve only met.”

“I see.” Lines at the corners of his eyes creased slightly only giving a hint of his amusement. “Then you must make a choice. Tell me, have you fucked him yet?”

She fisted her hands. “That is none of your damn business.”

His brow arched. “Oh, but I disagree. I deserve the same advantage as him. After all, you will be spending eternity with one of us. Wouldn’t you rather have the one who brings you the most pleasure?” He let his power slide across her breasts, causing her nipples to pebble.

She snaked out her own magic and slapped him across the face. He lifted his hand to touch the pink skin. A smile formed on his lips.

“Feisty. I like that.” He shoved his hands in his pants pockets. “I apologize. I’m normally not an ass, but I find you make my blood boil.” He tipped his head. “Please forgive me.”

Her mind was muddled, and it was hard to think around him. She needed to leave and quickly. “I accept your apology. I really have to go.” She turned to head down the stairs, but he grabbed her arm.

“Please. If I promise to behave, can I see you again?” His looked at her like a sad puppy.

Shit.
There was no way to refuse him. He was like a drug in her veins and she craved more. Sarah reached into her pocket and pulled out the card where he had written his address. “Here. My number is on there. Call me, but not before tomorrow night.” She tossed her hair back. “I have a date.” She turned to flee, but once again, he stopped her progress.

“One more thing, Sarah. Be mindful in the human world. Never let your guard down.”

She had no clue what his cryptic message meant but shook her head then fled down the stairs and out the door she’d come through. She never looked behind her, but sensed he followed her with his gaze. She slipped into the driver’s seat and rested her head on the steering wheel.

“I’m so screwed. What the hell am I gonna do?”

* * * *

Sarah showered, put on a pair of faded, denim capris and a tank top. She didn’t bother to apply makeup and pulled her hair into a ponytail. She wanted Brock to see her in a more natural state, curious if he would still find her attractive.

It dawned on her what she was doing as she chopped vegetables for the salad.

“Shit.”

Yep, she was testing him. She wanted to see who would be the better match.

She tossed the knife down in irritation and scooped the carrots into a bowl. “Why should I feel guilty?” She grabbed a cucumber and placed it on the cutting board. “I have two possible mates. I should be thrilled.” However, she really liked Brock, and even with his baggage, she could see herself spending eternity with him. Something about him felt right.

The doorbell rang, and now, the question was did she confront him about being her mate? On her way toward the front of the house, she decided to wait and see if he brought it up first. She swung the door open. “Hi, come on in.”

Brock crossed the threshold and handed her a bouquet of yellow roses. She accepted and brought them to her nose, inhaling deep. “Oh these do smell good. Thank you, they are beautiful.” Flowers were a good sign. “I have a bottle of wine ready. Would you mind opening it while I put these in water?” she asked, walking back toward the kitchen.

“Sure thing.”

Sarah pointed to the bottle of Merlot on the counter next to the two glasses and opener. She reached for a crystal vase in the cabinet and filled it with water. After arranging the flowers, she turned to place them on the table and stopped briefly. Brock had his back to her, and she couldn’t stop her gaze from roaming down his backside.

She bit her bottom lip.

The man’s ass could be considered a lethal weapon in many states. It was enough to bring any woman to her knees, including her. Sarah couldn’t help the naughty thoughts roaming through her mind. Like skipping dinner and having him right here in the kitchen. Then the living room, in her bed and later in the shower. She smiled at her wickedness as she walked to the table and placed the flowers in the center.

“So how did it go today?” She stepped in beside him and placed a kiss on his cheek as if it was something she’d been doing for years.

He handed her a glass of wine. “I made some real progress. The inside is now empty and the stuff hauled off to the thrift store. Tomorrow, I have some help coming, and we plan to paint then replace all the appliances to updated ones.” He took a sip. “It will take a few days, but I hope by the end of the week, it will be ready to hand over to the local rescue.”

She looped her arm through his and led him to the couch. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to help you.” She searched his eyes, looking for signs of distress. “You did okay by yourself?”

He pulled her into his lap and wrapped his free arm around her waist. “Don’t worry about it. I needed to do this alone.” He took a sip from his glass. “It was good therapy.” He squeezed her hip. “Enough about me. How did your showing go today? Did you sell all your pictures?”

Sarah’s stomach twisted. She hadn’t planned to tell Brock about Elias, but now, it seemed like a lie not to do so, and she had too much respect for him. “I sold all but a couple. I also made a connection with a local gal who’s interested in putting some of my work in her store.”

He set his glass on the side table and wrapped his other arm around her, pulling her into him. “That’s wonderful. I’m happy for you.”

The need to lock her lips to his overwhelmed her. She set her glass down, leaned in and ran her tongue along the seam of his mouth which opened, allowing her entry. She wasted no time pushing inside, tasting every inch of him. The deep, woody flavor of the Merlot mingled with his own spiciness and sent liquid fire burning through her veins.

Every inch of her body begged to be caressed by this man. She broke the kiss, finding herself out of breath. Sarah assessed the situation and compared Brock’s kiss to the other demon. Elias had left her feeling as if she had no control. Had she spent another minute with him, she was sure they would have ripped off each other clothes and fucked right there on the floor.

Brock had sated her initial urges last night, and now, she found his kiss left her wanting to explore. The need to become intimately acquainted with every inch of his body was bone deep, and the thought of pleasing him warmed her. She asked herself the most important question a potential mate could ask.
Could I love this man?
Without a doubt, she would give her heart, body and soul to him. Elias? Well, she just wasn’t so sure if a relationship could survive past the initial burn.

Brock tipped his head to the side. “What’s troubling you?”

She pulled her bottom lip through her teeth. Already, he was in tune with her emotions. It was time to confess. “Brock, why have you not mentioned anything about us being mates? You’re older than me so I know you’ve sensed it.”
The little spark that simmers until it becomes an inferno. The part of our soul that says we belong together.
She felt it. Was it possible he didn’t? She’d never heard of that happening and, now, found herself in a panic thinking she’d just made a fool of herself.

His shoulders dropped, but his expression gave nothing away. “Yes, I sensed it last night but wasn’t ready to bring it up.” He reached up and caressed her cheek. “I’m sorry, darlin’, but I’m just not ready for a mate yet.”

“I understand, but you can’t mourn forever.” He’d already spent too much of his life in pain. She wanted to see him happy, but was she the one who would bring him that happiness? Maybe, she was wrong about which relationship would crash and burn.

“You’re right, of course. I’m in agreement to see where this leads, but I’m not willing to rush. The last thing I want is to hurt you.” His hand moved to her shoulder and squeezed. “Something else is bothering you, though. I can feel it.”

Sarah stood, not wanting intimate contact when she told him about Elias. “Another demon stopped by my booth today. He purchased one of my pieces and asked me to deliver it.” It suddenly dawned on her Elias had never paid her. That would have to be dealt with later. She wrung her hands and chose her next words carefully. “He is also my mate.” She watched Brock’s eyes darkened briefly before returning to their normal brown. It was his only indication of emotion.

“Did you sleep with him?”

Though she was expecting those words, they still caught her off-guard. “No, but he did kiss me.” Her skin warmed as she remembered Elias’ tongue sliding into her mouth. She tried to brush it off and replace it with images of what she wanted to do with Brock.

“I see. And did you come to any conclusions?”

Did I catch a hint of jealousy in his tone?
Maybe, it was her imagination or wishful thinking. “I really don’t care to see him again. However, I did tell him he could call.” She closed the distance between them and sat beside him. Her fingers touched his arm, and a shiver crept across her. “I want to give us a chance though.”
She let her fingertip glide up his biceps and under the sleeve of his T-shirt. “Do you mind if we skip dinner and go directly to dessert?”

He raised a brow. “What did you have in mind?”

She moistened her lips and wondered how he would receive her idea. “How do you feel about giving up control and letting me pleasure you?” Would tonight give her the answer she sought? She wanted Brock to be the one but knew she had to tread lightly. She also knew she
would have to give Elias the same consideration. Mating for life was a long time for a demon.

A twinkle showed in his eyes, and his bottom lip curved into a grin. “I’m a modern-day demon and believe in equal rights.”

Sarah rose and held out her hand. “Good. Come with me then.” She could hardly keep from running up the stairs.

Chapter Seven

Brock followed Sarah across the living room, up a set of wooden steps, down a narrow hall and to what he assumed was her bedroom. His cock was fully awake with anticipation of what was in store, but his brain was another deal all together. When she’d told him about meeting another mate, his vision had hazed. He’d tried to cast it off as concern for her safety, but he knew better.