Hunted by Darkness (Darkness #4) (25 page)

“Maybe we can get him down here of his own free will.” Ian grinned wickedly.

“You guys are totally psychotic.” Cynara shook her head at them, but her tension was totally gone now. She probably thought they were kidding anyway.

Bo took another bite of his pizza, surprised at how at ease he felt around Rory and Ian. The four of them standing here, eating food at four in the morning, felt like the most normal thing in the world. For so damn long he’d felt alone. He knew he was lucky he’d had a mother who loved him, who raised him right, but to gain more family after so many years was a gift he was incredibly grateful for.

Chapter 18

“Can I ask you something?” Nyx murmured against Bo’s chest, her voice drowsy.

The past two days they’d done nothing but have sex. Well, mostly nothing else. Bo had rarely taken a break from work in his eighty years on this realm, mainly because he liked what he did, but he and Nyx deserved the downtime. Truth be told, he couldn’t keep his hands off her. It didn’t matter that he’d marked her, that she was his, he felt this driving urge to claim her over and over. “Sure.” He kissed the top of her head, held her close.

Her naked body was stretched along his and he loved the feel of all that bare skin against his.

“You don’t have to answer if you don’t want. I just know you spent a lot of time behind the red door. Before.” Her tone was neutral.

He inwardly winced, had known this was coming. While he didn’t particularly want to talk about it he knew they should get it out of the way.

She looked up at him, her gaze clear. “I just wondered if there was
stuff
you did in those rooms that you might want to do with me.”

Oh.
He hadn’t been expecting that. His dick got hard—harder—at the thought of doing everything he’d been fantasizing about. It was like he couldn’t focus on one thing. Fuck. He needed to answer. He cleared his throat. “I want to do anything you’re comfortable with. Anything, anywhere. We’ve got all the time in the world.” She’d been a virgin until recently so he hadn’t wanted to rush anything. But the thought of tying her up, taking complete control…yeah. That was going to happen soon.

Her mouth tugged into a smile. “Good. Maybe next time we’re at work we can christen your office. I’ve had some dirty thoughts about doing it on your desk.”

He groaned, brushing his mouth over hers. He’d never brought a female into his office for sex but for Nyx, he’d definitely make that exception. Over and over.

As another thought occurred to him, he pulled back a fraction, but kept her close. “Are you okay with me still running the club, now that we’re mated?”

“Of course. As long as you don’t mind me still working there.”

The most primitive part of him hated it. “You don’t need the money.” That much he knew without a doubt. She’d never said how she came to be so wealthy or exactly how much she had, but as the daughter of a goddess, he could figure it out.

She snorted, making little circles on his chest with her fingers almost absently. “Neither do you.”

True. He shrugged.

“I started working there because I wanted some experience in the human realm and because I’d heard your club was an all supernatural one. Made it easier to just be myself. I’m not saying I want to work there forever, but right now I’m having fun figuring out what I want to do.”

“You’re part owner now anyway,” he murmured.

“What?” Her hand stilled on his chest.

“You need to sign a few things but I started the process yesterday.”

Her eyes were wide. “You didn’t have to do that.”

“I know. I wanted to. I own a lot of companies, but this one is my favorite and it’s where we met. You should have a stake in it too.”

“Just when I think you can’t get any sweeter.” She shifted so that she was on top of him and straddled him.

Shuddering, he raked his gaze over her sleek, naked body. He ran his hands up her hips, over her ribs and cupped her breasts—

A sharp knock on his bedroom door made him freeze. “Bo!” It was Ian.

Someone better be freaking dead. “I’m busy.”

“You’ve got company on your front lawn. Looks like fae warriors.”

Nyx moved off him lightning fast. He wanted to tell her to stay put, that he’d take care of this, but knew that wasn’t going to happen. It took restraint he didn’t know he had not to go all caveman on her. His female was more than capable of taking care of herself.

“Give me a sec,” he called out, grabbing a pair of discarded pants as Nyx dressed in jeans and one of those filmy, flowing tops.

He grabbed a gun from his closet, tucked it in the back of his pants. Then he pulled a blade from one of his drawers, kept it at his side. He preferred to fight hand-to-hand in combat, but sometimes weapons were unavoidable.

“It could be my father,” Nyx murmured, pulling the door open. Her expression was apologetic.

“If it is we’ll deal with it,” he said. Then to Ian. “How many?”

His brother, dressed in combat gear, already had his talons unsheathed on one hand and a wicked-looking blade in his other. His eyes had gone shifter and for the first time since meeting him, Bo had an idea what kind he might be. He pushed back his shock. There’d be time enough to ask the male what he was later.

“I see five. Could be more hiding in the trees. Rory’s getting Liberty in lockdown with a full range of weapons right now. He’s gonna join us in less than sixty seconds.”

“My house is spelled, protected. They won’t get in here.” Not unless they had dragons attacking it or maybe RPGs might do some damage. He’d worry about those possibilities later.

“Exactly how big is your property?” Nyx asked as they reached the foyer.

“About five acres, give or take. But the gate and walled areas are spelled too. Whatever happens in here, humans won’t see any of us. They’ll just see my car parked out front.” Most of his vehicles were in his garage but he kept one right in front of the main door for a quick getaway if necessary.

“About that…” Ian trailed off.

“They hurt my ride?” He’d left his vintage Mustang out today.

“It’s on fire.”

Bo’s rage burned bright as he yanked open the front door to see five fae males, all in warrior garb on his front lawn, just as Ian had said.

And his car was smoldering with smoke billowing up in black plumes. Yep, someone was going to die. It didn’t matter that Bo could fix it. Messing with his ride was a declaration of war. And if these fools thought they could take Nyx, there were no words to describe their stupidity.

“I could just transport them all to Antarctica and leave them.” Nyx’s voice shook with rage as she stared out at the males.

“You know any of them?” he asked as they descended the steps. The males were tall, with ivory skin, and they all had black hair like her. With supernaturals it could be hard to distinguish true age. They looked to be in their thirties but that could be deceiving.

“Yes,” she said through gritted teeth. “The one in the middle is the male I was supposed to be mated to. His name is Vesa.” Her words were quiet enough for only him and Ian. “Let me try to talk to them, see what this is about.”

Ian just snorted. “It’s about you.”

Bo didn’t fight his instinct as he moved in front of Nyx when they’d rounded the smoking car. “Get off my property,
now
,” he snarled, letting his beast show in his eyes.

The tallest of the five stepped forward. He was good looking in the way only supernaturals could be. Classically handsome, with slightly pointed ears. His jaw tightened as he looked first at Bo, then rage flickered across his features when his gaze landed on Nyx.

“This is what you threw me over for?”

“We met one time, dude.”

Under any other circumstance Bo would have found Nyx’s use of the term “dude” funny. “You don’t speak to her. Ever.” His voice sounded more animal than human. His demon rippled at the surface, clawing, ready to take over in a second. Unlike shifters, who sometimes struggled with their shifts, his change would be instantaneous.

The male drew out a short sword. “I’m here to fight you to the death. You took my female and I’m here to demand recompense.”

Bo rolled his shoulders once. Oh yeah, that was something he could get on board with. “Just you and me. Winner walks away free and clear.”

Nyx stepped in front of Bo and faced the male. “Are you freaking kidding me? He didn’t take me, you moron. I’m a person, no one owns me. You can work that crap out with my father, but you and I—there is never going to be an us.”

“I’m aware of that,” the male snarled. “I wouldn’t want you now anyway, whore. I still have the right to fight your male.”

Nyx took another step forward, the ground beneath them rumbling as she moved.

Bo grabbed her arm. “Let me do this.” Because in the supernatural world, power was the only thing that mattered. He needed to kill this male, to show the other fae that he would and could kill for his female. It would send a message.

When she looked up at him, annoyance on her face, he shook his head once. “I know you can kill this male.” Or more likely all of them. “I need to do this for us.” And okay, for himself.

She paused once, nodded, then stepped back. Worry flickered across her features, but then she masked it. Good, he didn’t want her fearful for him. She needed to know he could take care of her, defend her. Even if she didn’t need him to. “If any of your warriors try to interfere I reserve the right to kill them,” she said to the fae male.

The males just chuckled—as if they thought that idea was hilarious. Bo resisted the urge to smile at their stupidity. They must truly have no idea how powerful she was.

Ian cleared his throat. Loudly.

“Fine, and he reserves the right to kill them as well. Do you agree to the terms?” she demanded, every inch the haughty princess.

Bo loved it.

The fae male nodded. “Agreed. No one interferes. If they do, both sides reserve the right to respond in self-defense.”

“Weapons?” Bo asked, figuring the male would want one.

“Blades,” Vesa said, withdrawing another short sword.

Bo held up his blade as well as his talons. “These are my blades.”

A nod. “Fine.”

Nyx grabbed his arm, yanked him down for a quick kiss. “Be careful,” she whispered low enough for only his ears.

Just like that the others moved back, giving their leader space. Bo was aware of Ian and Nyx stepping back as well, and even of Rory stepping outside, but he kept the majority of his focus on the dark-haired male.

He’d never battled here, never killed anyone on his home turf. There was a first time for everything.

The male stepped wide, starting to circle him in a dance Bo was familiar with. They would test each other, look for strengths, weaknesses.

Keeping his stance loose, relaxed, Bo rolled his shoulders as he circled with the male.

“I’ll kill the female when I’m done with you,” the male snarled, moving in a fraction.

Bo knew that wouldn’t happen. Mainly because this male wouldn’t attempt to kill a fae princess. He knew that much about fae politics. Also because he wasn’t remotely strong enough to take on Nyx. But the words set loose his demon half, gave him the freedom to let everything else go and attack.

There was no coming back after threatening a male’s mate. Nyx was everything to him, his reason for breathing.

Vesa swiveled his swords with clear skill, the blades whistling through the air with the quick movements.

Too bad for him Bo wasn’t going to attack straight on. Though he knew the male expected it.

With about fifteen feet of space between them, Bo took one lunge at the male, inwardly smiled as Vesa moved into his warrior stance, struck out at Bo.

Using all the power in his legs and the momentum of his lunge, Bo sprung into the air, jumping up over the male. As he flew over him, he sliced his talons against Vesa’s face and the side of his neck as he passed. Not a killing blow, not even a debilitating one.

But it would piss off the male, make him look weak. Bo didn’t want to just kill him, he wanted to send a clear message, humiliate the male before he dispatched him to Hell.

Using his demon speed, Bo sliced at the male’s back, shredding through his tunic and digging through skin in rapid-fire slashes.

The male howled, turned with his blades swinging.

But Bo was too fast. He ducked one blade that would have sliced at his head, then struck out at the male’s other arm, nearly severing it completely. The short sword fell to the ground with a clanging thunk.

The male screamed, the sound agonizing as he drove his remaining blade at Bo, trying to hit him anywhere.

But the male was too weakened and no match for Bo’s fighting skills. He’d known it by the way the male had shown up. If he’d been a true predator he’d have just infiltrated the house or gone after Bo elsewhere. Somewhere like the parking lot of his club. He wouldn’t have announced his presence and he sure as shit wouldn’t have made a production of burning Bo’s car. This male was weak.

Vesa’s blade glanced by his ribcage, barely breaking the skin.