The Demon Hunter (25 page)

They were alone, completely and utterly alone and in the dark, no one would notice them. The water reached the junction of her thighs and she sucked in a sharp breath. For a brief moment she paused as the gentle waves tickled sensitive regions she’d best not mention. Taking in a deep breath and ignoring the odd ache that spread low across her belly, she stepped further into the water hoping it would numb her desire.

“Remember, you have to completely submerge.”

She nodded, wondering over his curt tone. Why did he have to be so damn unemotional about everything? Gritting her teeth, she bent her knees and dropped under water. Icy cold surrounded her, gripping her tightly within its chilled fingers. Oh, she knew Devon had more important things to worry about. But she couldn’t help but wonder if when all this was done, he would still want to be here. Frantically she rubbed the clay from her body, then set her feet to the rocky bottom and pushed toward the surface.

She was gasping for air when she came out of the water. “Oh God,” she whispered, clutching her arms around her waist and heading toward the shore where Devon waited with her robe.

“It’s done,” Devon stated.

How she wished she could so easily wash away her feelings toward him. Her feet hit the gritty sand, the night air that had felt so warm, now chilled her damp flesh. “I’m fr…freezing.”

He wrapped the robe around her and pulled her close to his warm body. As much as she wanted to push away and assert her independence, she could only sink into his form and take his comfort for her own.

“How do you feel?” he asked, his breath warm against her temple.

“B…better. Much.” Even though the robe and his clothing separated them, his body heat brought life back into her muscles, and she realized she felt whole again, in charge of her own being. She took in a deep, shuddering breath and closed her eyes. As much as she wanted to head back to the pub and get dressed, here… now… with Devon holding her close, she couldn’t seem to move.

His large palms cupped her back, spreading warmth down her spine. Hotter than was normal. Surprised, she tilted her head back. “You’re so warm.”

He gave her a crooked smile that tugged at her heart. “I can raise my body temperature. I thought it appropriate, at the moment.”

His gaze dropped to her chest. Frowning, he slipped his fingers under the crystal and lifted the necklace, studying it. The brush of his fingers sent her pulse racing. “Is it working?”

“Seems to be.”

He stepped back, leaving her trembling and alone. “Sit.”

Mostly because she was still so cold, she didn’t argue and lowered herself to the grass, huddling in her robe. Devon sat across from her and wrapped his hands around her left ankle, pulling her leg straight. He rested his fingers around her foot, the heat seeping into her numb toes and making the skin tingle.

“Ohhh, that feels so good,” Ellie murmured, pulling the edges of her robe closer.

Slowly, he worked his hand up her ankle, to her calf, massaging the muscle, warming her skin. “You need to always wear the necklace, at least until you leave the town.”

You
not
we.

She nodded, but then she would have agreed to anything at the moment, his hands felt so damn good. At her knee, he switched legs, warming the lower half of her right side. Here, with the moonlight shining above, the white stars twinkling upon a black velvet sky, she felt close to heaven. And Devon’s touch, a heated temptation that whispered up her legs, lulled her into a false sense of peace.

“It’s important,” he said softly, his heated fingers lingering at her knee. “To learn to control your powers.”

She nodded, barely hearing his words, barely caring, only interested in the way his hands were moving up her thighs. In his wake, heat whispered over her skin, tingling through her muscles and moving further…further up her body. His fingers brushed the insides of her thighs, his gaze locked to hers. Ellie sucked in a sharp breath, holding her gaze steady. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Being intimate with Devon was supposed to be a one-time thing.

“I was worried about you,” he admitted.

The words wrapped around her heart. “I’m okay.”

As his hands hovered right where the hem of her robe had bunched, so close to her very core, she thought she’d die. She waited for him to pull away, to explain to her all the reasons why they could never be together. Yet, he didn’t.

“We will help you…” He paused, that pulse in the side of his temple thumping wildly. Ellie didn’t dare breathe. She could feel the desire coming from him in waves. Knew he wanted her as much as she wanted him. Damn it all, why didn’t he just take her?

He cleared his throat, his attention on her legs. “We will help you train, and—”

“Devon,” she interrupted.

He lifted his gaze to her. “Yes?”

“Kiss me.”

He paused for the briefest of moments, just long enough to worry her. Then slowly, ever so slowly she thought she might actually die from anticipation, he planted his hands on either side of her and moved forward.

Ellie closed her eyes as his lips touched hers, savoring the feel. It was a soft kiss, a hesitant kiss. Devon was holding back, and she knew if he thought too much about what they were doing, he’d realize what a mistake they were making. She couldn’t let that happen. Ellie reached up, clutching the front of his t-shirt and pulled him closer. They fell back together upon the soft grass, his heavy body pressing into her. They were headed over the edge, but she wanted to take that fall with him.

“God, you’re so lovely,” he murmured against her mouth.

Sweet words that left her heart pitter pattering against her ribs. His tongue dove between her lips, sweeping into her mouth for a devastating kiss that she eagerly welcomed. If she had been standing, her knees would have buckled. As it was her entire body trembled with a want and need she didn’t fully understand. While his tongue worked its magic, his heated hands moved up her thighs spreading warmth and beauty across her body.

Hesitation fled and only pulsing desire remained.

Devon shifted, his knee nudging her thighs apart as his hand slid down her flat stomach to the soft curls hiding her femininity. “So lovely.”

A heated finger slipped between her folds. Warmth penetrated her body, quivered through her core, leaving Ellie gasping with pleasure. While his thumb found the sensitive nub, his mouth moved to her jaw line, lower to her neck.

“It’s a constant struggle when I’m with you,” he whispered, slipping his finger into her tight sheath.

Ellie moaned, arching her back and taking him deeper. How had this happened? A week ago she’d been completely fine doing garden tours at Crestmoore Manor, and now… now she felt as if she’d never be content again, not without this man inside of her. Now. Damn it, he needed him now.

“This wasn’t supposed to happen,” he whispered.

His hand found her right breast, cupping the soft mound. Her breasts grew heavy, her nipples hard peaks.

“How bloody worried I was about you. I can’t sleep…. eat…think…”

“Stop,” she demanded.

Devon paused, his confused gaze meeting hers.

She gripped his shoulders. “Stop doubting. Stop trying to fight it.” She brushed her hands down his chest. He didn’t protest when she tugged at the hem of his t-shirt and pulled it over his head. Didn’t even argue when she found the button on his shorts and tugged them down far enough for his erection to spring free.

Need rose within her, twisted in her gut so strong she couldn’t deny the feeling. When she cupped his hard shaft in her hands, Devon sucked in a sharp breath. Watching the pleasure upon his face was almost her undoing. He was beautiful. A gift from the heavens. And for now, he was hers.

She moved her fingers down the velvety rod, marveling over the feel of him. With a growl, Devon nudged her thighs further apart and settled the thick tip of his erection at her entrance. He might not like it, but he wanted her as much as she wanted him. For now, it was enough.

Ellie arched her back, taking him deeper. “Please, Devon. Now.”

Devon surged forward, sinking into her body with a groan of surrender. Pleasure and aching need combined, twisting through her in a way that left her breathless. Ellie wrapped her legs around his thighs, holding him close. As he began to thrust into her, pushing himself further and harder into her body, her soul, all worries ceased. She knew in the end he would leave, but for now she would take what pleasure he gave.

“How I’ve wanted you since the moment I saw you,” his voice came out harsh, breathless.

Ellie drew her hands up his muscled chest, over his broad shoulders. She couldn’t stop touching him, couldn’t get enough. She arched against him, finding his rhythm so easily, as if they were meant to be together. The world faded and only they remained, bonded together. Devon surged into her deep, so damn deep. It was too much… all too much. Her fingernails bit into his shoulders, holding onto him as if she could keep him to her forever.

A fine sheen of sweat covered their bodies, his chest rubbing against her hardened nipples in an erotic way that drove her to the brink. Ellie’s body tightened, the pleasure almost unbearable. She felt his shaft harden inside her and knew he was about to come. The realization sent her over the edge.

Her own body exploded, rippling pleasure building and bursting within, while white stars danced against her eyelids. She heard Devon’s cry and felt him come inside her. She was in heaven.

And for a moment, Ellie swore she saw a piece of Devon’s soul. And she knew, in that moment, that it would be pure hell when he left.

Chapter 14

How they’d ended up in the small bed together, she really hadn’t a clue. After being intimate, she’d fully expected Devon to shake her hand and be on his way. At the least, she’d expected him to avoid eye contact and mumble something about how they couldn’t be together for some stupid reason. Instead, he’d helped her pull on the robe, then had taken her hand and led her toward the pub, not speaking a word, the moonlight and silence of the night enough.

They hadn’t parted ways upon entering the pub, heading toward different bedrooms. No, instead he’d led her toward the room that had apparently been his. Although the bed was small, forcing her to practically lay atop him, she wasn’t complaining. She didn’t want to be alone in this rambling building she didn’t know, yet sensed was full of unseen things. And she didn’t want to be alone after experiencing what she had with Devon, the intimacy that only a good cuddling could satisfy.

Yet, for some reason, lying there with his arms wrapped around her, it felt much more intimate than when they’d had sex near that lake only an hour ago. She hadn’t slept with a man, actually
slept
, in years. In fact, she wasn’t sure when the last time she’d spent the night with a man had been. But how the hell was she supposed to sleep with her heart thundering and her mind racing with emotions she’d never experienced before? How was she supposed to sleep knowing that he obviously cared, completely and totally, about her? Unable to stop herself, her fingers moved up his flat stomach, over the dips and mountains of muscle, not an ounce of fat on his toned body.

“Devon,” she whispered, speaking no louder for the house was too quiet, too watchful.

He didn’t respond, but she knew he was awake. She hadn’t argued with him when he’d led her to his room, nor when he’d settled on the small bed with her. No, sadly, she’d been only too eager to cuddle with the man. So much for not getting involved. But now that night was fading and the birds were beginning to chirp, she felt slightly vulnerable. As if their time together was slowly ticking away.

“Tell me how you met Ashley.”

Yes, she was fishing. But damn it all, how could she relax in the house of the woman Devon obviously cared for? He took in a deep breath and released a sigh full of emotion she wasn’t sure she wanted to understand. “I come from a long line of warrior angels sent to earth to send unwilling spirits to the other side. Cristian is also one of those angels. We grew up together, most warriors do.”

Of course she realized how strange the world could be, how inexplicable life was. Yet, the idea that there were angels on earth controlling spirits and sending them to the other side… weird indeed.

“So you want me to not only believe in angels, but also ghosts?” she teased.

“I want you to believe in what you see, what you have witnessed.”

And she had witnessed it all. Yes, she believed. Of course she did. And frankly she was relieved to finally have a name for what she was, validation for the things she had experienced. She snuggled closer to his warmth, attempting to savor the moment as much as she could. She knew soon enough this would all change. In only a few hours she’d start training, whatever that involved. Every day without a battle was to be savored, who knew what would happen tomorrow.

“You said you had died. How?”

He slipped his fingers through her hair, playing with the strands, the caress of a lover. She wondered if he even realized what he did. Most likely not.

“I was married.”

“I know.” Her heart skipped a painful beat she tried to ignore. Devon,
her
Devon had been married to another. The idea sent an unwanted ripple of jealousy through her body. She sure as hell didn’t own him, and he’d made it painfully clear he didn’t want a relationship. She supposed that was why his past upset her so; he’d had a life, a family when he was so against any relationship with her. Damn it all, the realization stung.