Unearthed (12 page)

“Weren’t you told to back off?” she snapped. Very mature and productive. Just because she couldn’t control her hormones. He was so damn close to perfection and took the whole bad boy thing to an entirely different level. Literally.

He popped an eyebrow, crossing his arms and stepping in front of her. “How did you know that?”

“Rumor.”

“Really?”

“Just because you’re not in the loop doesn’t mean there isn’t one.” If he saw her react, he’d use it against her. She knew it. So she mirrored his calm, why-would-I-give-a-shit attitude. “Do demons have names?”

“Of course we have names. And, unlike angels, we don’t get all snobby about people knowing them.”

She waited silently.

“Oh,” he said finally. “It’s Davyn. Congrats, now you have something to curse while you’re dying.”

“So Davyn, if you were told to back off, why aren’t you?” Not that she was surprised—she wouldn’t have either.

“Shockingly, I don’t spend a lot of time doing what other people tell me to do. Plus, watching you and your humanness bluster around makes me giggle. That I get to look at your ass is an added bonus. But the biggest and best reason is because after Lamere kills you, somebody needs to kill him.”

“He won’t kill me.”

“I like your confidence, puppet. I really do. It’s cute. But it’s also grossly inappropriate and is probably the thing that will get you killed. Unless it’s one of the
other
things that gets you killed.” He shrugged. “We’re talking about one of the most immoral vamps since the histories were written. And that’s saying a fuckload, considering vamps have never been known for their generosity and ability to let things live. Lamere is smart, knows the city better than we do, and probably works out a lot. Who knows? Maybe he’s careful about his diet and sticks to drinking from humans who don’t have diabetes or high triglycerides. Blood Lite.”

“You know what’s going to kill me?” she asked. “The mixture of your long-windedness and bad jokes. I think they’ve sucked all the oxygen out of this building. So if you could either get to the point or get out of my way…”

“I bought a new shirt. Like it?” He held his arms out to the sides, exposing a black t-shirt that clung to his chest and had ‘demon’ written in bold lettering across it. “I thought it would be helpful, since you seem to forget sometimes.”

“It’s…nice.”

“Glad you like it. ’Cause I got you one too.” She fumbled when he tossed her a rolled-up bundle, not exactly expecting any of this.

“A demon shirt?” She shook it out and held it up. The word ‘human’ was written twice—once upside down and the other just underneath but right side up.

“I had it printed that way so both of us can read it. If you don’t like it, I’ll give it to the next hunter I run into. You know, after you’re dead.”

“No, I…I love it. It’s without a doubt the best gift I’ve ever gotten from a demon.”

“Good. So now that we remember what we are, how about the one of us who’s mortal backs off?”

“That’s not going to happen. Do you want the shirt back?”

He didn’t move, just studied her for a minute. “I’m trying to warn you here, puppet. You can’t compete in this.”

In almost every way that was true. But if the contest was about who wanted it more and who’d sacrifice everything to get it, Keira would already be picking out a good spot for her trophy.

“You said I could kill him.”

“No, I didn’t. You need to listen to what I say and not to what you want to hear. Did I say you could have a chance? Yes. Did I say you would
stand
a chance? No way. Because that would be a lie. And while demons lie all the fucking time, this time I’m not. You know, because lying is sinful and you know what happens to sinners.” He laughed.

“Then help me.” She’d never get rid of him and, truth be told, he might come in handy someday. “Let’s work together instead of just getting in each other’s way.” Probably the worst idea ever. Addison and Parker had warned her to stay away from him. Advice given by the two smartest women she’d ever met, and Keira was doing the exact opposite of what they’d told her to do.

They weren’t here, though, and they hadn’t been in Lamere’s torture chamber. They hadn’t lived in hell for three years like she had. Like Davyn had. She didn’t know much about demons, but she knew no human could understand what it had been like and what it had done to her. What she dreamed of every night and woke up expecting every morning. Jolting up from the mattress, shaking and confused, not knowing where she was. Only able to breathe after she’d felt the softness of the bed under her, something Lamere would never have allowed. Unless she was in his bed, praying he’d accidentally drink too deeply, or bleed her too much, and she’d die.

A demon would know, understand, have caused it in others, and felt it. Because hell couldn’t possibly be worse than where she’d been. Where she still was when her needs got overwhelming.

“Are you always so serious, puppet? Do you ever take time off from the scowling?”

She could ignore his insults, but she couldn’t do this alone. So as much as she hated it, she needed his help. There was only one way to get a demon to do anything you wanted them to.

“I’ll make you a deal,” she said, glad her voice didn’t betray her desperation.

“What do you have that I want?”

“I don’t know. There has to be something. Something you can’t do that I can.”

Even as he chuckled dismissively, she knew he’d already thought of something. His eyes were too intense, his body leaning towards her.

“What is it?” she asked.

“There aren’t many things I can’t do for myself. But yeah, I can think of one.” He winked. “You might even enjoy it.”

She blew out a puff of air. “So predictable. Just like every other male. Let me guess: you can’t suck your own cock.”

His eyes widened with mock horror. “I would appreciate it if you’d avoid using that kind of language in front of me, hunter. I’m very sensitive.” His smile grew. “Although you’re right—I can’t suck my own cock. Even if I could, I don’t think I’d be into it. Not nearly as hot as being inside someone else’s pretty mouth.” His gaze dropped to hers. “Guess what I’m going to be dreaming about tonight. But only
dreaming
about, because demons and humans don’t go well together. In fact, I could be executed for any of the many, many dirty things I want to do to you.”

“I thought execution wasn’t a big deal for you.”

“Nothing you could provide me would be worth the pain of hell, I know that.”

“Don’t worry, I’m not putting out to get your help.” Not like it sounded terrible, of course. Even though Addison and Parker had said sex with a demon left a human destroyed, Keira wasn’t entirely human. At least not in terms of injury and healing. She could take the heat, just like she had the last time she’d fought him.

She had. She’d taken his heat. An idea started spinning, but didn’t latch onto anything. There had to be something.

“What else do you have to offer?” he asked, exposing his interest even more.

“I have a book about demons.”

“Not interested. I already know about demons.”

“I didn’t mean I would give you the book. It’s too valuable and there’s too much useful stuff in it. For instance, you’re a Fosfer demon, right?”

“Yeah,” he said warily.

“You’re stubborn and rude and arrogant.”

“Huh. I guess there
is
some useful stuff in that book.”

“That isn’t in the book—I was just telling you that you’re stubborn, rude, and arrogant. But it taught me about your weaknesses, aside from the salt thing that everyone knows.”

“When you go back to the library, you should let the librarian know that book is all wrong. Fosfer demons don’t have weaknesses.”

“Every being has weaknesses. The glamour you use to be corporeal creates heat, right? And if you can’t get rid of that heat, you set fires.”

His expression hardened. “Where did you get the book, puppet?”

“Doesn’t matter. What
does
matter is that if you don’t control your heat and release it somehow, things burn. But using your glamour is hard work. So your...stamina isn’t that good.”

“My stamina is just fine. If I could show you how fine it is, I would.”

“How long can you keep it up? Your glamour I mean. An hour tops, right?” She felt the corners of her mouth lift and saw his do the same. Oh shit, they were flirting. You don’t flirt with a demon without flirting with death.

“Hours, maybe days depending on a few factors,” he said. “Wait, what are we discussing again?”

“Glamour, of course. Your kind has never developed more...endurance, because you don’t need to stay corporeal for too long. Just enough time to put evil thoughts in people’s heads.”

“All you need to know about my endurance is that it’s
waaaay
more than you could ever handle.” He turned to go. “By the way, I don’t put evil thoughts anywhere. I work with what’s already there. All demons do is suggest someone use what already exists. We don’t change natures, we nurture them.”

She needed to focus or things were going to go farther off course. There was only one thing she wanted from this demon, and it had nothing to do with all the images currently swirling around her mind.

“Isn’t there something that you need to stay in a physical form for more than an hour to do?”

“Sure, but I thought you said you weren’t putting out,” he said, smiling. “Doesn’t matter anyway. Because even if I did, I would need—” His smile faded.

She watched him do the math, getting more nervous the longer he kept her waiting. Everyone wanted something they couldn’t have. That was central to how his race could do what they did. There had to be something he desired that he couldn’t have without her. And that wouldn’t kill her in the process. Maybe she should’ve mentioned that earlier.

He stared at her so hard, she wondered if she was blushing. When he scratched the stubble on his jaw, she wanted to touch it too. To know his heat. To know if he would burn her. She reached towards him, coming back into reality and intelligence before he noticed. Her fingers dug into her thighs.

“You would be my outlet,” he said. “You’d let me put my heat into you when the pressure got too bad, before things got dangerous. That’s what you’re offering?”

I guess I am.
She nodded slowly. “If I can do it without burning to death.”

“It would be dangerous. You know that, right? I’d be hotter than I was the other day. If we did this I’d need to use you as much as you can stand.” He stalked her, each gliding step closer filled with a you-just-made-a-big-step-towards-the-white-light feeling. But she refused to be intimidated, or at least show him how intimidated she was. This was her only shot, and if he hadn’t already killed her, he wouldn’t decide to do it right after she offered to do him a favor.

“Can you feel me, puppet?” he asked when he was about two feet away, the warmth of his body seeping through her clothes.

“Yes.” Knowing what was coming forced her back a step. 
Damn it.

“It’ll only get hotter. You sure this is what you want?”

“Just...go slow.”

He reached towards her cheek, his hand stopping about an inch away. Her skin felt like it was baking or like she’d fallen asleep in the sun and woke up burned. But nothing she couldn’t handle.

“How much can you control your temperature?” She’d already touched him a couple times—sometimes it burned and other times it didn’t.

“With a healthy balance of rest, food, and mind play, it’s the equivalent of a bad human fever. But you’re right, the longer I use my glamour, the hotter I get.” He moved his hand down to her neck as if he were caressing her, touching her like a lover would, but from an inch away.

“If you act as my outlet, it will burn,” he said quietly, watching her, looking for signs of weakness or a change of heart probably. She’d never show him either. “A human could never handle it.”

“Yeah well, I’m not quite human.”

“I know. If you were, I wouldn’t be this close to you right now. But regardless of how quickly you heal, it
will
burn.”

“Touch me.” She didn’t know why she said it. Well, yes, she did, but she didn’t want to think about it now. She just wanted to feel, to know how much it would hurt and how good it could be.

As he held her eyes, she saw his doubt. She also saw his desire. For her or for what she was offering him, she didn’t know. He brushed his fingertips along her jaw. She clamped her teeth together and closed her eyes, absorbing the pain, living in it until it didn’t hurt anymore. Until it was pleasurable, sending a different kind of heat through her.
More
. She wanted more. Needed it...and him.

“Is that all you can do, demon?”

“You have no idea what I can do, puppet.” His voice was so low, so quiet, she wasn’t sure if she’d heard him or was just imagining this whole moment. “Or what I want to do.”

“Show me.” She stumbled back as the fire intensified. Her eyes popped open when she felt his hand close around her jaw, his body hard against hers. She couldn’t speak, too overwhelmed by the sensation of his incredible heat covering the front of her body. Everywhere they pressed together aching. She stared at his lips, wanting to feel them too. To feel his tongue in her mouth, burning her from the inside, filling her.

As if he knew, he leaned down, his lips hovering just out of reach, releasing a growl from deep in his chest. “I’ve heard burning to death is a terrible way to die, puppet.”

“Then it’s a good thing I didn’t put it on my list of things to do today.”

The longer he stared at her, the more she thought that he might have scribbled it on her list for her. She swallowed, trying to focus, to use her head instead of letting her body take over.

“Do you want what I’m offering or not?” she asked.

“Fucking-A, I want it.”

“Good.” She took a deep breath, knowing she was about to do something very stupid. If he wasn’t so close…if she could think straight…“There’s one more thing.”

He chuckled, backing up a step. “It’s bad form to add things once a deal has been agreed upon.”

“Did you learn that from your boss?”