Hunter's Blood (4 page)

He touched her chin, so gentle. She pressed her cheek against his fingers, and her voice cracked to a whisper. "I thought you didn't care for me," she said thickly. "I thought—"

Faint green glitter sparkled onto his shoulder.

Gina's heart somersaulted. And she dragged her burning knife from its sheath and stabbed.

The air howled, and split apart inches from his ear.

Hot ichor splashed. A lock of Luka's crisp black hair sliced free and fell. And Gina grabbed a slithering demon tentacle with all her strength, and held on.

Luka flung himself into a backflip. Steel sprang, and he twisted in midair to land on his feet with swords drawn. Green flame crackled his aura bright, and he leapt again, straight for the rift. Dived in, blades first. And disappeared.

Gina yelled, her blood racing, and pulled on the rough tentacle as hard as she could. She struck out with her magic to rip at the demon's tough-scaled skin. The monster struggled and thrashed, swinging her off her feet. But she held on. The air shrieked in agony as the rift tore wider, tormented screams echoing from inside. Ichor splashed, mixed with fresh crimson blood. And out tumbled Luka, bloodstained and coated in sticky hellfilth, crushing the demon's wailing, bloated head in a bulging headlock. A demon of gluttony, its flabby jellyfish body sickly pale and stinking.

Swiftly, Gina flung out her magic, mingling it with Luka's to strengthen him.
Sparks
flashed and sizzled on the demon's skin. It howled, its twin gaping mouths just black holes ringed with jagged four-inch teeth, rancid with chewed flesh. The stink made her gag.

The demon cackled and swelled its foul body, trying to suck itself back into hell. Gina slashed desperately with her knife, and Luka with his sword. A severed tentacle splattered to the ground, suckers grasping like tiny mouths. The demon shrieked and spat acid curses, but the rift splurted open, and with one final thrash, the demon tumbled out, and landed in a fat squid-like heap on the hissing concrete. A magical cocoon crackled over its skin, trapping it so it couldn't move.

Luka hit the ground beside her and rolled to his feet, sword poised. Green smoke hissed, and Gina's pulse jerked in alarm. "Contact," she snapped.

He froze, like he'd trained her to do. With a flash of her knife, she slashed his buckle straps, sending his burning shoulder guard spinning to the ground. Hungry green acid bubbled through the leather in seconds, leaving nothing but stinking smoke.

Luka blinked. "Thanks."

She grinned, in triumph and relief. "Getting careless, old man?"

"Screw you, Santangelo." His bloodstone flashed, and he tossed a handful of glittering green pins into the air. They danced, weaving a fiery web to sew the rift shut.

"So witty. I'm speechless." She drew the air taut with magical fingers, dragging the torn edges in tight until the rift healed.

He grinned back, re-drew his left-hand sword and spun it, testing the weight. "Wait till you hear my pick-up lines."

"Thought I already did." She couldn't help but blush. He was smeared black with hellfilth, hair plastered to his face with sweat and blood. He was breathing hard, his massive chest heaving. His muscles bulged, brutally masculine, his massive arms pumped tight, and a jagged rip in his trousers exposed a long, hard-muscled thigh. As she watched, the cuts on his cheek healed, his vampire blood repairing the damage. His lantern eyes flashed hot with the fight, and green flames licked his skin and flickered in his dirty coal-black hair. The air around him crackled, ripe with raw power.

She trembled. It wasn't natural, the way she felt about him. She wanted him to possess her utterly. Push her down beneath him and do whatever he wanted to her.

And maybe, he still wanted her too. Wanted more than just her magic, or a quick, forbidden fuck.

The trapped demon howled ugly laughter from two throats, flailing misshapen tentacles. Its guttural voices grated in discordant chorus like grinding glass, making her blood run cold. "Burn in hell, Hunter," it rasped. "She won't save you a second time."

"Don't count on it," Gina said coolly, and stabbed for the monster's sin-black heart.

It screamed, a nerve-tearing screech straight from the bowels of hell. It writhed, tentacles flopping, but it couldn't move or fight. And Luka raised his swords and slashed them crosswise, slicing the demon's head from its body.

Acid rained, hissing on the alley walls. The head toppled, and splattered to the ground, limp and silent.

Luka pushed her behind him, shielding her. The dead demon's skin bubbled and spat, and the body liquefied, leaving only a black and bloody mess that leaked over the pavement and dripped down a rusty sewer grate.

Gina let out a breath.

And a wet demon tentacle wrapped around her neck and yanked her backwards, squeezing like a boa constrictor.

Pain crushed her larynx to fire. Her knife fell from numb fingers as the demon found a nerve centre on her shoulder and jabbed it hard. She gulped, but no air forced in. And a razor-toothed mouth latched onto the curve of her waist, and munched tight.

She yelled, muffled, agony ripping wild. She whiplashed her magic, but the monster already had hold of her, and her flashing spellcurrent only bunched its muscles tighter. She couldn't breathe. Couldn't fight.

The severed tentacle. Damnation.

Never cut a demon prince in two unless you're chopping off its head. Luka's voice echoed in her memory, lessons from years ago. Level six and above can regenerate. You'll only have to kill both halves. All you're doing is doubling your trouble.

Her vision blotted black, and she fell.

Chapter Five

Gina fell senseless in the demon's grip, and Luka's blood boiled in fury.

No. Not her. Not now.

No room to slash. Not with her flesh in the demon's mouth. He dropped his swords and dived, grappling with the rotting demon tentacle squeezing her throat.

His fingers sank into oily, rancid flesh. The stink made him retch. The demon had already grown a second head, fat and rotting with scarlet pustules, and it cackled and howled in delight, fresh teeth springing from its jaws. "See, Hunter," it hissed, dripping with hatred. "I told you I'd be baaack. Your woman tastes sssooo goood. I'll fffuck her. I'll ssswallow her tongue. I'll chew on her pretty ssskin for a thousand yearsss, oh yessss…"

That familiar, hateful voice hit Luka like a stab in the guts.

Alaliel. Hellcrusher prince of gluttony. The monster that tortured him for five excruciating years.

He wanted to scream until his throat bled. He'd thought it trapped, chained deep in a pit in the seventh hell by a riddle, his last desperate trick of wits. What's found and lost and will be found again? he'd asked, and empty-hearted Alaliel couldn't answer. But it had escaped, and now it was bent on bloody vengeance. And it was using Gina to get it.

He staggered, losing his grip, his magic faltering with doubt. He'd thought the monster defeated, but he'd failed. He didn't know if he could do it again. If he could take it again. So much pain…

Evil memories swamped him. Skin ripping from his muscles, joints popping apart, Alaliel's satisfied grin. Guts spilling, his own blood slick on his tongue. Dismembered, raped, endlessly tormented, only to be revived the next night to start again. And Gina, her husky voice so calm in his head, her imagined fingers soothing on his brow, her kiss so cool and sweet on his acid-scorched lips.

He thought he'd kept her memory safe, where Alaliel couldn't see. He was wrong.

Only she had kept him from breaking. And now the demon had her.

Rage tore electric through his muscles, searing his doubts away. His bloodstone throbbed in fury. Fresh magic coursed through him, as strong as it had ever been.

If he didn't believe, she'd die. Failure wasn't an option.

"Let her go, you fucked-up torture queen." Green lightning leapt from his fingers, and he sprang over the demon's twin heads for his weapons. He hit the ground and rolled, lighting to his feet with swords in hand.

Alaliel cackled with its second head, the first still with its teeth clamped tight in Gina's side in a river of crimson blood. "Can't slash my heads off now, Hunter. Have to cut through her firssst." Its tentacles wrapped her body, sliding between her legs, over her eyes, into her mouth. Her limbs flopped, limp.

Luka launched a kick at Alaliel's flabby second head and crushed it into the ground with his boot, jabbing his right-hand sword point at the monster's throat. "What's found and lost and will be found again, asshole?"

Alaliel giggled and thrashed, ichor splashing. "I'll sssuck her eyeballs out and chew them in front of you—"

"She is." Luka's rage bubbled over, and magic flared along his blade, melting the demon's foul skin. "She's the answer, you brainless devilslime. Now drag your putrid ass back to hell." And he poised his left-hand sword, and stabbed the demon in the head.

The first head.

Right through Gina's belly.

Demons couldn't withstand cold spelled steel. But vampires could. He only prayed she'd strength enough to survive.

Magical flames roared, consuming Alaliel's body. Alaliel howled, and tried to let go. But Luka's sword pinned the demon in place. It screeched and thrashed, burning flesh flailing, and with one last howl of defiance, it sank its second set of teeth into its own tentacle and tore a piece away.

Luka ripped his sword free and sliced off the second head. The demon flopped, and let Gina go, black blood spurting from its wounds. Luka jammed his boot on the thing's tentacles and slashed again. The remaining head splattered. He dragged the dying demon away, and it hissed a vile curse from its gaping neck and melted in a hiss of flame and acid. The severed tentacle whiplashed into the air, and wormed through a pinprick in the hellflux and away.

He cursed, and somewhere a window shattered. No time for the chase. Drake, O'Hara, it's heading your way. It's a hellcrusher prince, and it's mad. Suggest you give it a wide berth.

Without waiting for an answer, he scrambled to his knees and swept Gina into his arms.

So still. So pale. Her eyes lay closed, curling lashes dark on her cheek. She barely breathed. Blood gushed from her belly, soaking her leathers. Too much blood. The wound was grotesque. She'd never heal.

His muscles shook. Found, lost, and found again. He couldn't lose her now. He'd thought he only wanted her magic. But he wanted so much more.

"Gina. Love. Wake up." He kissed her, desperate. Her lips were so cold. He slashed his tongue across his fangs, letting hot blood flow into her mouth.

Drink. Please. Swallow it. You have to wake. He reached across the psy-link, stroking her mind, trying to rouse her. Her heartbeat fluttered weakly. Not the fiery light of life he longed for. Unbearable cramps seized his heart, stealing his breath. Damn it, Gina. Don't make me say it.

She choked, and swallowed. Her lips moved against his, and she let out a shuddering breath. "Luka…"

The knot in his chest dissolved, and he could breathe again. He folded her against his chest, pressing her lips to his throat. Drink me. Take it. Take my strength, angel. It's yours anyway.

"But…"

Just do as you're told, Santangelo. For once in your life.

She coughed, wincing, but a faint smile touched her pale lips. Yes, sir, she whispered, and weakly sank her teeth into his throat.

Chapter Six

Bright light, wonderfully warm. Sparkling magic wrapping her like a blanket. Lips, caressing hers to dizzy pleasure, a fierce heartbeat strengthening her, a warm body comforting against hers. And the most delightful taste in her mouth, like liquid sunlight, pulsing with sweetness and heat and life itself…

Gina forced her eyes open.

A darkened room, sheer curtains floating in warm breeze. Cool sheets soothed her cheek. Strong arms folded around her, a warm male body curled against her back. The scent of pine and iron told her it was Luka. Shirtless, clean, his hair falling over her shoulder.

Her memory fuzzed, confused. Was this his place? How did she get here? And what was that dream? She shivered in remembered pleasure. Surely they hadn't…

No. She still had her shirt and panties on. And in the tiny lamp's light, she saw he lay outside the sheets, still wearing his ripped leather trousers. Just sleeping. Pity.

Gingerly, she touched her belly, where a bruise ached faintly. Apart from that, she felt wonderfully rested, energy pulsing in her veins. Her skin tingled with latent magic. She exhaled, and her breath glittered green.

She'd never felt so alive. And still more demons remained to hunt. Gently, she pushed Luka's big arm aside, ready to get up.

In a flowing motion, he sprang to kneeling and hugged her against his chest on the bed, snatching his bloodstained sword from the sheet and igniting his protective magical aura around them both. "What? What happened?"

"Nothing." Her heart pounded in his embrace. "It's okay. We're okay."

He didn't let go. Didn't drop his sword. His heartbeat thrummed against her back, swift and irregular, and she realized he was sweating. Fevered, his breath short and shallow, his hand shaking around the sword's grip. His aura flickered, still bright but fizzing dim, and his bloodstone stung her back like ice. Too cold. Too weak.

She turned in his arms, cupping his fevered cheek. "Luka, it's okay… Hells, you're on fire. What happened to you?"

"Nothing." But he stared at her, transfixed, green eyes burning like hellflame with hunger and raw desire.

Gina swallowed. "Tell me."

"The demon attacked you. I had to… It wouldn't let go. I had to hurt you."

"But I'm okay—"

"I stabbed you in the belly, and then I fed you." He dropped the sword and pushed her away with a shaking hand, gentle but definite. "I'm sorry. There was no other way."

Images flashed bloody, dizzying her. Luka diving into hell, the hungry demon chewing on her flesh. Luka's sword, piercing her belly, the pain pale compared to the burning agony of being eaten. And then blood, like liquid ecstasy in her mouth…

Aghast, she stared. He was fevered because she'd drained him. His vampire body was trying to compensate and failing. His magic flickered because she'd stolen it.

His bloodstone was fading, cold. He was dying because he'd saved her. The man she'd thought had walked out on her because he didn't care was giving his life for her.

"No." Her voice wavered, and she steadied it. "It doesn't have to be this way. You can drink from me."

His gaze darkened, and his fangs clicked out, hungry. But he shook his head, and turned away with an effort. "The demon might come back. I need to protect you. I can't do that if I've made you weak—"

"Or if you drop dead from shock! We can share. You know we can." Desperate, she gripped his arm, trying to pull him around, and her newly stolen magic tingled under her palm.

But his strength was still fierce. And in a flash he grabbed her wrist and yanked her against his naked chest, his mouth an inch from hers. His tongue flicked over his fangs, and her own canines snapped out in response, aching with longing.

Their gazes locked. "Take me, Luka," she whispered, and licked her lips, seductive. "You know you want to."

His eyes flashed scarlet with brutal hunger, and his whisper dripped hot desire into her veins. "Be sure. I'm on fire for you. Once I start, it won't only be blood that I want."

Her breasts ached against him. A hot, wet ache swelled in her sex. She wanted him more than ever. "I don't care. Take me—oh!"

She thudded flat on her back, Luka atop her. Damnation, he was fast.

"I tried, Gina. I tried not to care. But you mean too much. I can't give you up, not now." Already, he nudged her thighs apart, and nuzzled her throat with a hungry growl. Heat sparkled her nerves, and as she had so many times in her dreams, she grabbed his sinful coal-black hair and dragged him down to her.

He kissed her, feverish, his tongue urgent. She opened her mouth, and he caught her bottom lip between his teeth with a possessive snarl. "So sweet," he whispered, and dived for her throat.

No foreplay. Thank heaven. She needed him too much. He just mouthed her chin up, and drove his fangs in deep.

Oh, god. Pain pierced her, glorious. Blood spilled, hot and pulsing. Burning shivers wracked her body. His lips closed on her bleeding skin, his tongue lapping, the most intimate kiss. He buried his hands in her hair, arching to press himself between her thighs, and she wrapped her legs around his hips and held on.

And then he sucked.

Pleasure exploded, zinging from deep in her belly to her fingertips. Her nipples tingled hot. Her muscles shuddered, clenching, tension spilling out of her. She cried out, helpless. Nothing had ever felt so good.

He drank deep and rhythmically, growling, and she moaned and pressed against him. God, it was like sex, moving together, sweet friction rubbing deep inside her. She laughed, lightheaded. His heartbeat thudded in her blood, matching her own. His back flexed under her palms, and she reached for his ass to pull him onto her, only to be met by the waist of his trousers. Frustration nipped at her. She wanted him naked. Wanted to be naked under him.

Urgent, she wriggled her hands between them for his buckles. His cock jerked when her palm grazed it through the leather. Her mouth watered. So thick and hard. Just like she remembered. She fumbled the buckles open. His cock sprang out, the scorching hot length filling her hands, and briefly, she felt faint.

He snarled, stretching his head back with her blood on his lips. At his throat, his bloodstone sizzled in sweat, his magic newly restored by her blood.
Sparks
danced in his wet black hair, and his eyes glowed golden with desire. "Touch that again, and you'll get it."

He was so beautiful, her breath caught. But her heart ached, too, warm and wonderful, and she wanted to close her eyes, block out what that melting heat meant. Men didn't stay with her. She daren't open her heart. But need throbbed inside her, and she dived upwards, snapping twin slashes over his collarbone. "Bring it on."

Luka grinned, and dived for her. Swiftly, he was naked, her hands clutching at his as she helped him. He tore her shirt open with his teeth, baring her breasts and licking up the remaining trickles of blood. Her nipples strained hard, wanting. She arched her back with a helpless moan, and he suckled first one breast and then the other, torturing her nipples until she sobbed. She needed him now. Needed him to complete her. She'd waited for him too long already.

She fisted shaking hands in his hair. "Luka, please. Love me."

He tossed his head, loosening her grip, and bracing himself on his hands, he ducked swiftly and sliced her panties off with his teeth. Not even a scratch on her skin, and he nuzzled the crease of her hip with a lustful snarl. His gaze shone bright as he let it linger over her naked sex.

She moaned and pushed with her hips, urging him on. But he returned to kiss her lips, lowering his big body onto hers. He was breathing hard, but he gentled the kiss, soulful, his tongue stroking hers. "Shh. Slow down, love. This is our first time. It won't be the last. Let me please you."

His words made her eyes sting with long-suppressed tears. "Yes."

He folded his fingers through hers, guiding her wrists to the mattress above her head and holding them there. She clutched him tightly, her pulse aflame. She felt so close to him, so wanted. How she'd ever imagined he'd leave her…

Luka arched his massive body, pressing his hardness against her where she was hot and slick. When he nudged her entrance, she hooked her thigh around his hip, and with a long hard thrust, he took her at last.

She cried out as her flesh parted for him. So deep, so strong. He filled her like no man had, like no other man ever could. Denial was useless. She was his, and he hers.

He seated himself fully with a deep, sexy groan. "Hells, woman. You're so hot and smooth. So beautiful."

And then he started to move, and all thought of words fled.

Pleasure ignited again in her blood, deeper, hotter, more breathtaking. He made her feel so sinfully good. She rocked her hips against him, pushing him deep, gasping with every thrust as he stroked that secret place inside her. Their sweat mingled. Her breasts slicked against his chest. Tension coiled again in her belly, her passion driving her to new delights.

He held her wrists with one hand and brought the other to her lips, pressing his own wrist to her mouth. "Drink me."

She bit, and his blood burst into her mouth, hot and glorious like melted sunshine. His hard length jerked inside her, pleasuring her deep, and he groaned and sank his fangs into her neck.

Oh. Oh, sweet heaven. Her pleasure exploded, white-hot flames of passion that burned on and on, consuming her. Her flesh clenched around his hardness, milking it, and when he sucked harder and thrust deeper, she climaxed all over again, a cry of wild delight stealing her breath away.

He slowed, and released her, and gently slipped his still-rigid cock from her body. The bite on his wrist closed over, and she caressed his shoulder, breathless and dizzy with pleasure. "But you didn't…"

He trailed hot kisses down her body, leaving curls of golden flame that lingered over her skin, a magical echo of his dark caress. His heartbeat pounded in her ears, strong and rapid, and his breath was ragged. "Love, that was the orgasm of the century," he growled, nibbling at one taut nipple. "I just didn't come yet. Now shut up while I make up for lost time." And he nuzzled his way between her legs, teasing, his wet hair falling over her belly.

She ran her hands into those luxuriant locks, breathless as he licked inside her thighs. Already, her sex ached for more. "Again? I don't think I can…"

Then try harder. He caressed her sensitive folds with his tongue, then slipped inside.

Her hands fisted in the sheets as he licked her to heaven, swirling his tongue over and around her swollen bud, coaxing it out for her pleasure until she writhed and moaned and thought she could take no more. And then with a tiny sting of fangs he drew blood, and sucked her into his mouth. Blood rushed hot and hard to the spot, throbbing strong and fast as he swallowed her, and she climaxed so hard, spots dimmed her vision black.

Almost before she recovered, he was inside her again, holding her close, sliding his arms beneath her body and gripping her shoulders tightly. He flexed powerful muscles, gliding his hard cock in and out, building her up with him, and she raked her hands in his hair and bruised his mouth with hers and whispered his name, over and over. Luka, my love. I've missed you.

I've dreamed of you, angel. You'll never know how much it meant.

And finally, his pulse quickened, and his breath roughened, and flames ignited green on his sweat-slick skin as he pounded into her. Her nails raked his back, drawing sweet blood. He strained deep inside her with his mouth on hers and emptied himself with a whispered groan—Gina—and his flames sizzled over her skin, her pleasure peaking once more with his, impossible and delirious.