Claimed by Light (3 page)

“Ah, yes. I pegged you for an older brother.” She nipped at his ear. God, she loved this flirting. It was so easy with him.

“Let’s get a drink.”

The slow song that had brought them close morphed into something completely opposite of what she’d wanted. Might be time for that drink after all.

She diverted her attention to his delicious-looking lips. For that moment, the loud music dissolved into varying tones and pitches, and the rest of the people blurred out of focus. All she saw was his smooth, tan skin and tempting mouth.

Cupping the back of his neck, she drew him in. Her no-kissing rule be damned. Whatever it was about him demanded she have a taste. Soft lips touched hers with an electric jolt. He took in a sharp breath, then tightened his hold.

Despite the sweaty bodies and sweet scent of alcohol surrounding them, Halena picked up his scent. Like it imprinted on her somehow. She knew she should release him, because she was tiptoeing around the idea of this being more than a one-night stand, but she couldn’t—more, her body refused to.

His arms felt absolutely perfect around her. They were strong, like he could actually take care of her.

Wouldn’t that be nice?

Finally she broke off the kiss, hands still on his neck, fingers combing through his hair. Just a taste for now, but later, hopefully, she’d get to take a long drink.

Chapter Three

“This is quaint.” Halena tossed her clutch onto the table beside the door as he set the keys on the dresser. He couldn’t quite turn and face her yet.

Hell, he wasn’t even sure if he could go through with drugging her.

He had to. Following Votar’s instructions to the letter, including prepaying for this room for a month with no housekeeping, was part of keeping Addie safe.

If only she didn’t look so sexy, wasn’t so funny. Hell, she coordinated two charities with her spare time and loved baseball. How amazing was that?

No. He couldn’t do this. There had to be another way to fulfill this contract with Votar. To save Addie.

Two arms snaked around his waist, one hand sliding over the front of his jeans.
Holy hell!
No hiding what the feel of her curves against his back did to his body.

Nipping at his neck, she moved her hand up and down the front of his jeans again.

“No strings, frat boy,” she said as she worked on the button. “Just here. Just now.”

“Don’t you want that drink first?” He stayed her hand before she got him so worked up he couldn’t say no. He needed to get that drug in the drink. This couldn’t go any further.

“Later.” She whipped him around and closed in. “I’ve already broken my no-kissing rule at the bar, so why not dive in feetfirst?”

Dodging her kiss, he held her face steady, staring at her. “Halena—”

“No strings,
mon chéri,
” she whispered, shifting her focus to his mouth.

Damn it, when she licked her lips like that… He should get the potion now and end this.

Her hands slid up his chest and gripped his pecs. No way should he even be considering this with all the shit going on with Votar. Why’d everything have to get so fucked up? Just one night. Slade could enjoy her for a little longer, then…
No
. It wasn’t right. He—

“Slade. I—”

“Fuck it.” He crushed his lips to hers.

Fisting her hands in his hair, she opened for him. A rush of her fresh scent burst in his mouth, sweet from the soda with a bite of alcohol. Drawing her in with each stroke of her tongue, he fell further down the rabbit hole. There was no coming back. He deserved every bad thing that would happen to him for doing this.

But he couldn’t refuse her. Didn’t want to.

A moan vibrated from her chest to his, and her body softened, molding to him.
Son of a bitch
.

He nipped at her skin as he trailed to her neck. Sliding his hand along her bare spine, he found her ass. Such a firm, sweet ass. Gripping the back of her thigh, he hiked up her skirt. She captured his mouth, no longer the flirty, controlled chick at the bar. Nipping and sucking, she teetered on a little wild.

And that just got him going more.

Massaging her ass, he moved her against him. Only a thin layer of her panties separated them.
Not for long.
His finger snaked beneath the fabric and found her heat.

“Mmm.” She hummed as she relaxed against his touch. “
Oui
, just like that.”

“Lena,” he said into her neck as she clenched around him.

He spun her toward the bed, and she let out a squeal.

“That’s my new favorite sound,” he said as he tackled her neck with a playful bite.

He wanted to taste every bit of her smooth flesh. Needed to.
What is this chick doing to me?
He plowed a trail to her chest, while he worked the dress over her shoulder. He had to see the body beneath it.

The fabric fell away on one side, exposing her full, pert breast. Of course she’d be perfect. She clamped her legs around his waist, and his control broke. Feasting on her tender flesh, he started moving. Soft whimpers sang their approval, and he picked up the pace.

Nothing on Earth could have stopped him.
Almost to the cliff.

“Slade,” she gasped as fingernails raked along his back. Had he not still been wearing his shirt, she might have broken skin.
So hot!

“Go. This is all you.” He rolled his hips, and she held on as her body shuddered beneath his.

He’d never seen a sexier sight and doubted he ever would.
Ever
.

“Mon Dieu!”
She let out a long breath, then pawed at his shirt. “You’re entirely overdressed.”

He leaned up, and she jerked the fabric over his head.

“
Perfect
.” She grinned. “I knew you would be.”

She couldn’t be more wrong.
That’s it. I’ve got to end this right now.

…

Slade swept a look from her face to her feet. That just fueled the fire to blazing levels again. “Lena, I—”

She pressed a finger to his lips, then claimed them with a bruising kiss. No time for talking. Not when he’d just sent her leaping into oblivion the way he had.

She’d never felt more alive than with him, so free. He chased her worries away with each kiss. Each lick. Each moan. Right now, she wasn’t a Gatekeeper to Hades, and she wasn’t utterly alone.

No. She was just a woman. A strong, sexy woman who, at the moment, was everything Slade wanted. Even if it was temporary, he wanted her. She could give him what he needed.

For tonight, anyway.

His big hand found her breast again, and she leaned into his touch, already heating up for another round. Trailing her fingers along his stomach, toward his belly button, she whispered into his mouth, “No strings.”

One flick of the wrist had the top button of his pants undone, and she slowly dragged the zipper down. Sliding her tongue between his lips, she eased her hand into his boxers.

He rocked into her, planting a harsh kiss on her lips as she touched him. A moan vibrated from him so deeply it streaked through her abdomen. Slade was her world. His mouth, tongue, lips—every part of him. She’d make him feel good. Nothing was more important.

“Lena,” he gasped against her lips. “I’ve…” He eased away from her touch, breathing heavily. “God, you’re so sexy. Why’d you have to be so…amazing?”

“What’s wrong?” Pushing his hair from his face, she kissed his mouth.

It was a stupid rule she had about not kissing people, anyway. Lips were magical. Addicting. Or maybe it was just
his
lips and how
he
touched her. It was desperate, yet tender. And the way he’d taken care of her needs first… So different from her other hookups.

No,
he
was different.

A rush of heat surged through her chest. Yes, there was something about him. It tickled her consciousness, just out of reach, almost like his thoughts were on the verge of whispering to her.

They’d been quiet this entire time for some reason, but now…his thoughts must be intense if she was going to get a glimpse. Surprisingly, she found herself
wanting
to hear them. To feel him inside her.

Pulling him back down to her mouth, she pressed a light kiss to his lips. “I want you, Slade.”

“I better…” He sat up and scrubbed his face. “Let me get something.”

Touched by his thoughtfulness, she smiled. Not that she could get pregnant—well—Theo’s Mate, Sadie, had, so maybe… No, that had something to do with Sadie being part angel. Hell, the girl had wings, and she rivaled the strength of a centuries-old Shomrei warrior within weeks of mating Theo.

No. Gatekeepers couldn’t procreate, but it wasn’t like she could tell him that.

Slade shuffled into the bathroom, and she scooted farther back on the bed, peeling away the rest of her dress. Her body hummed with satisfaction and anticipation. If the foreplay was any indication of how he was in bed, tonight would be epic.

He strode out from the bathroom, his jeans buttoned.

“Everything okay?”

Staring at her bare body, he nodded, but his grin didn’t trigger a spark in his eyes. She’d have to work on that. Sitting up, she waved him to her. “Let me help you out of some of your clothing, frat boy.”

He paused for a breath, then sat on the bed beside her. Holding her gaze, he cradled her cheek and grazed his thumb along her bottom lip, tripping a quiver in her heart.

She opened her mouth and nipped at him, then sucked the tip of every one of his fingers. Such strength, yet such tenderness.

“I don’t know where you came from, but I’m glad you found me.” Twining her fingers with his, she eased him forward, needing to taste his lips again.

A wave of dizziness swarmed over her, followed by a chaser of heat through the chest. Her heart sputtered, then hiked up into a sprint. Slade’s image rattled before her so wildly, she latched onto his biceps to steady herself.

“Slade?” Darkness crept into the corners of her vision. He faded away. She felt like she was falling. Jumping off a cliff into nothingness.

“Slade?” Her voice was louder that time but sounded muffled. What was happening?

A gentle hand cradled the nape of her neck and eased her back against the pillows. Only Slade’s warm body didn’t cover hers. A chill did. A dark, ominous chill.

She ordered her bobbing eyes to focus. Slade kissed her lips, then her cheek. “I’m sorry, Lena. So fucking sorry. I had no choice.”

No!

Chapter Four

Slade looked down at the unconscious beauty in his bed. He brushed the wine-red hair from her forehead. The way her eyes had shot open just before she fell into unconsciousness would haunt him forever.

She’d trusted him. Opened herself to him, and he couldn’t resist. What was it about her? He had to turn her over to Votar, but all he wanted to do was protect her from that asshole.

He reached for his discarded shirt to put on her. He couldn’t let Votar come and get Lena like this, so he eased her up and worked the too-big shirt over her head to cover her nakedness. She had a body he could easily get lost in, and almost had, but he didn’t deserve any satisfaction or pleasure.

Slade brushed his thumb over her lower lip, wincing at the poisonous trail left along her tender skin. She’d never seen his trickery coming.

He stepped into the bathroom and ran steaming hot water over his poison-laced fingers. As if that would purify him. No, he was going to burn in Hell for this.

On his way to the desk, he saw Lena’s tiny purse halfway under the bed. He squatted and snatched it from the black void.
Heavy little thing,
he thought as he hefted it up, and something clanked.

He glanced around the room, then slowly pulled the zipper back. The nearby desk light flickered off something.
Strange.
His fingertips found cool, smooth metal, and he eased it out.

Why in the hell would she have an eight-inch blade in her tiny purse? And one so…ancient-looking?

He tipped the weapon to the side and saw etchings along the silver blade. Gripping the black leather hilt, he held it up. A slight hum emanated from the dagger—or he was losing his mind. More than likely it was the latter, because how could a weapon hum?

One fire at a time—his sister.

He sat at his desk, setting the purse and weapon beside his laptop. A few strokes of the keyboard later, and he was on his sister’s Facebook page. Her status still read, “Miss my big bro. Hopefully he’ll be home soon.”

Slade’s heart crumbled. She hadn’t changed her status in a few days. It absolutely killed him to leave her and Grams the way he did. But Votar didn’t give him much choice.

He opened an email and typed:

Dear Addie,

Love you, sis. Miss you so much. You’ll get this letter after I’m gone. But I had to let you know that everything is fine. I’ll be fine. Stay on the straight path, Addie. You’re meant to do great things. To make this world a better place. You’re strong. Mom and Dad would be proud of you.

I know I am.

Love,

Slade

He read the email once more, then scheduled it to send in a few days. The pain in his chest lessened a little knowing she’d get that and hopefully be able to move on after he was gone.

But what would happen to Lena? Damn it, why’d he have to go and give her a nickname? And why’d he let things go so far with her?
Stupid ass.

Now he was second-guessing everything.

A sudden pounding at his door had him on his feet. He shoved the dagger from Lena’s purse into his boot.

The door burst open. “Were you going to alert me to her status?” Votar’s voice boomed through the room.

Slade slapped his computer shut. “Just getting things together before I called you.” He set the thin laptop in the center drawer of the desk.

The demon stood over Lena, ogling her body. Her long, bare legs were crossed at the ankles, and the T-shirt he’d put on her covered her to mid-thigh. Almost.

“Ohhh, Slade. You naughty boy. You
did
have a little fun with her, didn’t you?” His voice was raspy. “I smell you all over her. And quite a bit of arousal, too.”

“Fuck you.”

“You’re lucky she didn’t awaken. She’d kill you if she knew you drugged her. Painfully, too. She’s quite vindictive.”

“Who is she?” Slade eased toward the demon.

“A Gatekeeper to Hades, a strong one. Vicious to our kind.”

Our kind
. Slade wasn’t fully demon yet, but getting there, and the sound of
our kind
was like nails grating on a chalkboard.

“Strength you’ve never seen before. Immortality—even from beheading.” He shook his head. “Protective barrier around her neck so we can’t kill her.”

“If we can’t kill her, how is she part of my transition?”

Votar dragged his finger along her leg to the hem of the T-shirt. “Our Oracle, Bastian, has had some interesting visions regarding you and this Shomrei warrior. But the damn things are difficult to interpret.”

Tell me about it.

“So, I need her to…test out a few of our theories.”

“Meaning…” I stepped toward the bed, fighting the urge to smack Votar’s hand away from Lena.

“None of your concern. Your objective was to drug her. Now come on. We need to get her secured before that drug wears off.”

“What’s a Gatekeeper?” Slade gently coaxed her to a sitting position. Her limp body sagged to the side.

“The Great One—or God as the humans sometimes call Him—created Gatekeepers to guard the gates and splices to Hades. If any of us get through them, they’re alerted and send us back with their damned Mavet daggers.”

“Mavet…”
Oh shit,
was that what he’d just shoved into his boot?

“That’s the only thing that can return us to Hades, permanently.” Votar shook his head. “Speaking of… Did she have a purse or bag with her?”

Slade nodded to the desk. “Didn’t check.”
Holy shit!
Slade had a weapon that could vanquish Votar? As in, banish him to Hades?

“Pick her up. We need to get out of here,” Votar said as he opened Halena’s purse.

Slade hoisted her into his arms and cradled her close. Warmth rushed over him, and he nestled her in until her forehead tucked to his neck. The new strength he’d been given as a demon-to-be sure came in handy.

“Can’t believe she didn’t have a weapon with her. They always—” He eyed Slade. “Was one strapped onto her body? Did you see anything?”

“No.” He gulped.

“Not that we could touch the thing to take it with us if it were here.” Votar tossed the purse and stomped toward Slade.

“What happens if we touch it?”

“Melts your skin to the bone, rather painful, I’m told.” Votar brushed his knuckles down her cheek and let out a growl. “Damn angelic beings.”

Then why could Slade touch it? Right now it was tucked in his boot and against his skin.

“Where now?” Slade asked, trying really hard to ignore the acidic rage simmering in his gut at the fact that Votar was touching her.

He smiled. “I’ve got a compound outside of town.”

“We’re staying here in France? Why not go to Hades?”

“Not going to chance the gates or splices. Can’t have these Shomrei tracking us down quite yet. Trust me. You do not want to fuck with Gatekeepers. Especially the leader, Theophilus. He’s the eldest of them and the strongest. Thankfully, my predecessors have left me many tools to hide from them.” He ushered Slade into the hallway. “My SUV is out front.”

Slade hoisted Halena up tighter and made his way down the hall to the stairwell.

Carrying her down the stairs in silence, he followed Votar to the SUV. He settled her into the backseat on her side, then crawled in beside her.

“You get up front and drive. I’ll watch her.” Votar yanked Slade out by his wrist. “I might want a little taste on the way before she wakes up. She’ll be a bit…feisty when she comes to.”

Slade seized Votar by the shoulder and pushed him away. “You’re not touching her.”

A roar ripped through the darkness, and in the next instant, Votar’s steel grip tightened like a noose around Slade’s neck. The demon slammed his back against the car.

“You dare challenge me?” Fangs slid out. “I’ve sliced through necks for lesser.”

“Then do it!” The thought of Votar hurting Lena carved a hole in his chest, but he couldn’t do shit about it. The demon was too powerful. “Kill me!”

Votar snarled, but he released Slade.

“You’re lucky I’m in a good mood, fledgling.” He shoved Slade to the side and whipped out a pair of silver handcuffs. “Even Theophilus couldn’t break through these, so this bitch sure won’t be able to.”

Grabbing the cuffs, Slade stepped in front of the open door to the backseat. No way was Votar getting through. He easily could, Slade knew that, but for some reason he didn’t.

That meant Votar needed him, and for more than just getting Lena. Maybe there was hope to find a way out of this mess after all. Not that God was listening to him anymore, but he still threw up a quick prayer, because if he couldn’t find a way out of this, he’d be demon soon and God would forever turn His back on him.