The Demon Hunter (32 page)

Rose turned reluctantly, not looking the least bit surprised to see them standing there. “About time ye two showed up. Been trying to call ye fer days.”

Cristian ignored the old woman’s sharp tone. The fact that someone or something had interfered with their phone reception didn’t surprise him in the least. His father at work, no doubt. “Who the hell is she?”

“Her name is Ellie and as far as I can tell, she’s the only one who can save yer sorry asses.”

Ashley looked as stunned as he felt. That little slip of a woman was going to save them? Ellie was going to kill his father? He’d like to know how.

“Hi.” With a reluctant smile she started toward them, that ponytail swishing back and forth over her shoulders. “I’m Ellie. I came with Devon.”

She came with Devon, as if he was a box of cereal and she the prize inside.

“Where is Devon?” Ashley asked. He could tell by the bemused look upon her face that she was just as confused as he.

Ellie brushed her arm over her forehead, swiping away the sweat, then stuck her hands in the pockets of her short, pink skirt. “Not sure.”

“And you’re…” Ashley glanced pointedly around the garden.

“Training. She’s an empath,” Rose snarled.

Cristian stiffened, his mind going back a hundred and fifty years.

“What’s the next powerful being to remember, Father?”

The man smiled down at him, the look of excitement in his eyes almost amusing. “An empath.”

Cristian lay back upon the ground, gazing up at the blue sky. He wasn’t nearly as interested in supernatural beings as his Father, but he wanted to please the man and so he pretended. “What’s that?”

He felt the whack to his head and bolted upright, rubbing the sore spot.

Father glared at him. “Pay attention.”

He knew, always knew when his mind wandered. “Yes, Father.”

His father leaned closer, those steel colored eyes making Cristian shift in unease. At times there was a gleam to his father’s eyes that he didn’t understand, that made him nervous in some way. “An empath has the ability to be whatever he or she wants to be. And that, is the most powerful being of all.”

“I’m sorry,” Ashley’s voice broke into his memory, forcing him back into the present. “But what’s an empath?”

“A being who can absorb other powers,” Cristian answered.

Rose’s gaze narrowed. “So, ye ken?”

Cristian nodded. “I know.”

Amazing. Utterly amazing that someone so normal looking could be so powerful. He’d heard that most empaths didn’t live past their teenage years. Too many powers at once usually destroyed them. His gaze dropped to the crystal necklace at her throat. The thing practically glowed with magic. “Yer protecting her?”

“Aye,” Rose grumbled, as if annoyed by the fact. “The necklace will keep her safe… fer now. Needs tae learn how tae protect herself though.”

“Well,” Ashley whispered, obviously as shocked as he. “Nice to meet you, Ellie.”

“How’s the training going?” Cristian asked. He didn’t dare get his hopes up, for his father was smart, too smart. But with Ellie at their side, they just might have a chance this time.

“Not well, but she’s getting there,” Rose explained. “Merely need another week… perhaps two.”

“It’s too late,” a familiar voice called out.

And just like that all his hopes were squashed by the very man who had once been his best friend.

****

At the sudden sound of Devon’s familiar voice, Ellie spun around. He stood in the shadows along the tree line, Camile at his side as if they’d only just appeared out of thin air. Even as she started toward them, Ellie realized there was something off in the way he stood, arched slightly toward his left side, his face tense. Camile stood with her arm around his waist…. a little too close to the proper Victorian man who only this morning had been annoyed with the witch. They couldn’t have made up that quickly.

Devon stumbled away from Camile and into the sun that managed to pierce the thick, gray clouds above. Light hit his body, making him practically glow. Ashley reacted first and it was only at the sound of her horrified gasp, that Ellie managed to tear her gaze from Devon’s handsome face and noticed the blood soaking the side of his shirt. So much blood on that white t-shirt.

Ellie blanched. “My God, what happened to you?” Ellie started toward him, but Ashley got there first. She reined in her annoyance, focusing on Devon’s injury instead of her jealousy.

“I’m fine. It will heal soon. You know how quickly we repair.” He settled on the stone bench near the wood’s edge. “Ashley, good to see you…again.”

Ellie stiffened, startled by his grin. He was wounded, avoiding eye contact with her, yet he could find it in himself to smile at Ashley. Although he swore he wasn’t in love with the woman, Ellie couldn’t help but wonder if he lied not only to her, but to himself.

“Ah have things to do.” Rose waddled off, disappearing into the trees, but no one seemed disappointed to see her go. Especially not Ellie.

Ashley sat next to Devon. “You idiot. What did you do?”

Her hazel eyes had gone soft. So, this was
the
Ashley, tall and elegant with her dark hair and pale features. She was like some Victorian goddess come to life. It wasn’t surprising that Devon liked her. A fellow American, yet Ellie felt anything but connected to her.

Ellie crossed her arms over her chest, forcing herself not to shove the woman aside. Ashley, who’s boyfriend, Cristian, pretty much looked like Ellie felt.

“Enough,” Cristian finally demanded. “Give him room to breathe, for God’s sake.”

He grasped Ashley’s hand and pulled her from the stone bench. Devon frowned, obviously annoyed by Cristian’s interference, but Ellie couldn’t have been happier. Unable to resist, she started toward him.

“Are you okay?”

He nodded and lifted the hem of his shirt. “Fine.” Although there was blood, his skin had already repaired. There were no cuts, not even a bruise. She pressed her hand to her heart, her knees weak with relief.

“We were attacked on our way back from town. Werewolves,” he spoke to Cristian and Ashley, avoiding Ellie’s gaze.

Yeah, they’d been annoyed with each other, but this was ridiculous. A low rumble of thunder shook the sky, yet no breeze swept through the trees and cooled the oddly hot day.

“How many?” Cristian asked.

“Two, but there were more. A pack.”

“Fortunately, this new spell I’d been working on proved to be a success,” Camile said.

Cristian raked his hands through his black hair. The large man looked uneasy. “He’s near.”

Devon nodded.

Ellie watched them, attempting to keep track of the conversation and understand their words, but it was like they spoke their own language. They finished each other’s sentences, knew what the other was thinking. They were all freaking soulmates. She tapped her foot impatiently.

“The town was empty,” Camile added. “Everyone gone. Either scared away, or taken.”

“So then, we wait?” Ashley asked.

No one said a word because obviously no one had any idea what to do. Ellie frowned. She’d put this ragtag group upon a pedestal, but they didn’t seem to know much more than she did. For one long moment, no one spoke, they all merely stared at each other.

“We can do nothing else,” Cristian said.

Devon stood. “I should clean.” He started toward the house without word to Ellie.

“We need to talk,” Ashley said, going after him. “We need to make a plan.”

Cristian reached out, grasping onto her arm. “Let him go.”

She frowned. “But…”

He shook his head, then looked pointedly at Ellie. Ashley followed his gaze and dawning spread across her pretty face. “Oh, right.” A knowing smile lifted the corners of her lips, as if they understood something Ellie didn’t. “Yeah, sure. Ellie should check on him.”

Ellie had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. They knew. Just freaking great. They knew that she and Devon had some sort of relationship going on. Or maybe she just looked like a jealous girlfriend.

“I’ll… go.” Ellie started toward the house, eager to get away from their watchful attention. More than eager to see that Devon was all right. She pulled open the kitchen door, but he’d already made it into the hall.

“Devon, wait. What happened?”

“I told you, we ran into werewolves,” he said, not bothering to slow.

Ellie gritted her teeth, she wasn’t sure if she wanted to hug him, or slap him. She caught up to him on the stairs. “Werewolves?” Christ, just when she thought she’d heard it all, some new supernatural being would pop to life. “You’re not going to… turn into one?”

He smiled, although he still avoided her gaze. “No.”

As they reached the second floor, he went into the small bathroom next to his bedroom. Ellie wasn’t about to let him escape.

“Let me help.” Before he could reject the idea, she slipped into the room with him. He’d already pulled off his shirt and stood at the sink. She could see the look of surprise in his reflection on the mirror. Ellie closed the door, trapping them together. He wasn’t getting away that easily. She grabbed a washcloth from the wire shelf above the tub, glancing at those beautiful wing tattoos across his back.

“You’re sure you’re fine?” She reached around him, turning on the hot water and tried to ignore the spicy male scent that permeated the quarters, making her knees weak.

He took a step back. “Quite well.”

Was it her imagination, or did his voice come out breathless? She didn’t dare look him in the eyes as she wrung the washcloth and faced him. If she looked him in the eyes, he’d know how much his close proximity affected her. She pressed the warm cloth to his rippled stomach and his muscles jumped, a slight quiver that almost made her smile. So, he wasn’t as immune to her as he liked to pretend.

“You’re trembling.” She swiped the blood away. His blood. If he had been human, he’d be dead, or a werewolf. The thought left her queasy.

“Yes, merely aftereffects of the spell.”

Liar
. “Spell?”

“Camile did a spell which made us transport to the garden. She saved us, really.”

“Does that mean you’re friends once more?”

“I’m not sure.” He reached out, grabbing the washcloth from her hand and stepping away from her.

Her heart squeezed painfully, her teasing nature gone. “Don’t shut me out.”

He lifted his head, meeting her gaze. “What do you mean?”

She swallowed hard, refusing to back down now. “Don’t shut me out. I need you.”

He closed his eyes, those long lashes resting against his cheeks. “You don’t. Hell, Ellie, you’re stronger than I am. You just need to believe in yourself.” He opened his eyes and the heat there stunned her. “You sure as hell can bring me to my knees.”

Her heart slammed wildly against her rib cage. “I try.”

“Oh, Ellie,” he whispered, leaning forward and resting his forehead to hers. “What will happen in the end when I must leave?”

When
, not
if
.
When
.

Her heart plummeted, but she smiled anyway. “I’ll survive.”

“I don’t know if I will.”

He dropped the washcloth into the sink and cupped the sides of her face. There were no more secrets, no more games. Devon molded his lips to hers, his tongue plunging into her mouth for a heated kiss. A tingling ache spread down her body like a wildfire. This is what she’d wanted, what she’d needed. Ellie moaned, sinking into his hard form. He could make her forget everything with a mere kiss. Make her believe in true love. In life. In happiness.

She slid her arms around his neck and stood on tiptoe, crushing her breasts to his chest. How she loved the feel of his body, the stark contrast of her form against his. How she needed to forget, for a moment, the hell they would soon face.

Devon groaned and tore his lips from hers.

“Don’t stop,” she panted. “Please.”

He grasped her wrists and pulled her arms from his neck. “Ellie, we shouldn’t.” His face was fierce with determination, but his eyes… his eyes told her the truth. He wanted her desperately.

“Last time, Devon,” she whispered. “It could be our last time.”

His jaw clenched, his eyes growing soft. “Don’t say that.”

She crushed her mouth to his once more. Devon groaned as his hands moved down her body to her bottom. That ache turned into deep desire. He cupped her ass and drew her up hard against his erection. He might not want to admit he wanted her, but he couldn’t hide his attraction. Each kiss, each stroke of his fingers, each moan, sent her pulse racing, her need flaring. Devon’s hands found the hem of her skirt. So good. So damn good.

“God, you’re beautiful.” His mouth moved to her jaw line, lower to her neck, while his hands…his hands moved up her smooth thighs, sliding underneath her skirt. There was no hesitation on his part. He slipped his finger inside her panties and between her sleek folds. Ellie cried out, arching into him.