Taken by Sin

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Mandy sat in the corner of the seedy bar appropriately named The Bomb, scanning the activity around her, soaking in a bottle of beer and the atmosphere, and trying to avoid her own muddled thoughts.

Grounded. Banned from work. Michael thought she was frozen with fear and unable to pull the trigger.

Ha! Bullshit. She’d show Michael she could get the job done. All she had to do was find a demon. And what better place for a demon to hunt for victims than a bar that catered to the drunk and senseless? Easy to take them down when they weaved their way out of the club and into the parking lot.

She’d scouted all the hot spots over the past couple days. Nothing better to do, since Michael wouldn’t let her work-though she’d kept her eyes and ears on the pulse of Realm activity, so she knew what was going on. Through their investigations the hunters had discovered some strange attacks that could denote demon activity, both in this area and in others. Fortunately not yet as widespread as they’d feared, but definitely growing. Mandy had feigned disinterest, but oh, she’d been listening, especially when the report zeroed in to this area specifically. One body had been found a block from here, the corpse seemingly emaciated, as if it had been drained of every liquid. And finger marks were noted on the victim’s throat. Cause of death was listed as strangulation, but the Realm knew better. Mandy had snuck in and studied the files when Michael wasn’t around. It appeared another victim had turned up a few blocks away, right behind The Bomb’s sister club, The Shelter.

She rolled her eyes at the irony of the name. Hadn’t provided much shelter for the poor dead victim, had it? Autopsy reports indicated hard-pressed impressions of fingers on the throat, including puncture wounds, which the police surmised were caused by some kind of small tool like an ice pick.

Or a demon’s sharp claws, but the coroner hadn’t guessed that, unsurprisingly.

So there she sat in her perfect spot in the darkened corner, her gaze pouring over every table, every patron seated at the long, scarred bar, searching out anyone who just might fit a demon’s profile. She picked out what she thought might be a few suspicious characters, and kept an eye on them. Tall, dark, and handsome types who seemed cold and aloof, with the kinds of smiles that didn’t quite reach their eyes. Then again, that could be just a normal guy thing. How would she know? Still, worth a try anyway. She did her best to throw off signals that made herself approachable, but not too easy. And she made it appear as if she’d been drinking. A lot.

Which in the eyes of a demon looking for food made her prey.

When one of those types approached her, she leaned back in the booth and propped one of her booted feet up on the threadbare vinyl seat.

“You alone?” he asked.

“You blind?” She shot it back dripping with sarcasm, not wanting to appear too available.

Not at all deterred by her attitude, he slid into the booth alongside her and held out his hand. “I’m John.”

How nondescript. She slid her hand in his, noting the icy cold fingers barely touching hers before he pulled away. Bingo. “I’m Mandy”

“So what are you doing here tonight, Mandy?”

She decided she’d play it like a woman who’d just gotten dumped and was looking to rebound in a hurry with some anonymous guy. She gave him a half smile. “Getting drunk, John. What about you?”

He lifted his beer. “Same. Not much action, though.”

She gazed around the bar. “It’s a slow night. Are you looking for some action?” She made a point of giving him the once-over, hoping she could fake some glimmer of attraction.

“Who wouldn’t be? You’re gorgeous.”

She took a drink of her beer to hide her grimace, then forced a smile afterward. “Thanks. You’re not so bad looking yourself.”

“You wanna dance?” he asked.

Someone must have pumped a couple quarters in the jukebox, because there seemed to be music playing. Really lousy music.

“Uh, sure.” She stood and followed him across the floor, stomping on cracked peanut shells on the way. He held out his hands and she stepped into his arms, trying not to shudder in revulsion when he touched her.

God, he was cold. And it was like ninety degrees outside, not much cooler in the bar. These demons were going to have to do a better job of masking the chill factor.

He laid his cheek against hers. “You smell really nice. Like vanilla.”

“Thanks.”

“Your skin is soft, too.”

Is this what went on between the opposite sexes, this lame search for something romantic or sexy to say? If it was, she realized she hadn’t been missing a damn thing all these years.

“I bathe regularly. Glad to know it’s effective.” Really, she was at a loss here. All she wanted to do was kill this thing, not make a date.

The killing part took front and center when he grabbed her ass and pulled her against what appeared to be a rather sizeable erection.

Now he really was going to have to die.

Plastering on what she hoped was her sexiest smile, she leaned back. “Got something in mind?”

“I think you know I do.”

Gag. She lowered her voice in an attempt to sound sexy. “Then let’s get out of here. My car’s in back. I’ve got a nice big SUV” With weapons in the backseat.

“Sounds great. Let me go pay the tab and I’ll be right behind you.”

She let her lips brush his. “I’m counting the seconds.” Until you’re dead.

She turned on her heel and went out the door, stalking to her car, shuddering off the effects of that thing touching her. She clicked the remote on the SUV and went straight for the backseat, climbed in and left the door open. She grabbed the pistol and slid it behind her back, then scooted into the far corner. Silence was on, safety was off. She was ready for him.

For it.

While she waited, she reminded herself this thing wasn’t human.

And it wasn’t Lou. It was okay to kill it.

As the demon approached her vehicle in the deserted, dark alley, she caught the telltale glow of his pale blue eyes and knew with full certainty that she’d found the right target. She grinned as he ducked his head inside the SUV

“Ready for me?” he asked.

“More than. Come on in and shut the door behind you.”

His teeth gleamed white as he pulled the door closed and slid across the bench seat until their thighs touched.

She had to force herself to stay put and not move away, especially when he loomed over her, his intent more than obvious. He was going to kiss her.

Okay, she could handle this. It would make her job easier.

“You are so beautiful.”

The demon needed some original lines. Did women fall for this shit? He leaned in, his eyes glowing an unnatural blue as he pressed cold lips to hers. She fought to keep her lips moving, trying to act like she was into it while she moved her arm from around her back, insinuating the gun between them. In a lightning quick moment she pressed the barrel of the pistol against the demon’s middle.

He had no time to react, and Mandy didn’t give herself time to think or to focus on his face. She pulled the trigger, the force of the blast catapulting the demon off her and across the vehicle. It slammed against the door, blood spraying everywhere. She fired again, once, twice, three times. Again and again she pulled the trigger, emptying the clip containing the liquid nitrogen. The demon had long ago stopped moving, the clip was empty, but she kept pulling the trigger. Sweat poured from her body, soaking through her clothes. She wasn’t even seeing the creature anymore.

All she saw was Lou’s face swimming in front of her, the sadness in his eyes as he crumpled to the ground. He knew the price of what he’d asked of them, but he’d asked it anyway. She’d see his face every day, every night, until she died. She’d relive the horror of what she’d done, just as she was doing right now.

Then she couldn’t see anything at all, her vision distorted by tears.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, continuing to press down on the trigger. “I’m so, so sorry.”

What seemed like hours later, Mandy was still in the backseat, staring at the dead demon. Her fingers had long ago gone numb, still wrapped around that pistol, still in full press on the trigger.

She swiped at her eyes. How long had she been there, frozen in some cosmic funk, sitting in the car with a dead demon?

She was going to have to move, and soon. The bar would be closing. People would come. They’d probably notice the dead body slumped against the back window, the splotches of blood on the windows. She was surprised someone hadn’t come along and seen them.

God, she was such a mess. Stiff, sore, wrung out.

But she’d managed to kill the demon-at least, she figured it was dead. She raised her boot and gave it a hard kick between the legs. No reaction.

Okay, it was dead. She grabbed it by the collar and pulled it facedown onto the floor of the backseat, then crawled into the driver’s seat and started up the engine, cranking up the heater. Despite the sweltering humidity outside, she was shivering cold. She drove to the compound, her mind on autopilot, refusing to think about anything that had happened. When she reached the compound, she pressed the remote to the security gate and announced her arrival, then indicated on her comm that she was coming in with a dead demon.

She backed in and techs were there waiting to unload the carcass. She slid out the door and tossed the keys to the waiting tech. “It’s in the backseat,” she said, then scooted by a waiting Michael. She felt his stare on her as she walked into the center and down the long hallway. She made it into the elevator, hoping Michael would want to see the demon, but he stepped into the elevator with her. She pushed the button for the second floor.

Michael didn’t say a word. Neither did she. When the doors opened, she hung a right, stopping at her room to key in her code. She pulled the door open and turned around to face him.

“Do you mind?”

“Yes, I do.” He stepped in and closed the door behind him.

She rolled her eyes and moved into the room, unbuckled her belt, and pulled clips of ammo out of the pockets of her camos. She lifted the tight shirt off and threw that on the little sofa, then toed off her boots.

Clad in only her tank top, camo pants, and socks, she glared at Michael. “I’d like to take a shower. I have blood all over me.”

“Did you have a good time tonight?”

“Yeah. I killed a demon. You should go check it out.”

“You look destroyed, Mandy”

She dragged her hand through her hair. She’d purposely left it down and loose tonight to look more attractive. Normally she had it pulled up or braided. Now it was a tangled mess. “I need to brush my hair. Sorry if I don’t look my best.”

“That’s not what I’m talking about. There are dark circles under your eyes. You’re pale as death. You look ragged. Have you slept?”

Sleep? What’s that? “Of course. I’m fine. Did you hear me say I shot a demon? Are you at all interested in my report?”

“Eventually. I’m more interested in you. Something happened in that cold room the other day with the demon.”

She waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. “It was nothing. I’m over it. Did you hear what I said? I killed a demon tonight, Michael.” She needed him to hear her. She needed to get back in the field. She really needed a shower. The smell of demon blood was making her dizzy, nauseous. Michael’s face began to swim before her eyes. Shit.

“It wasn’t nothing. You look pale. Oh, Christ, Mandy put your head down.”

All she heard was his voice buzzing in her ears. He reached behind her and grabbed the nape of her neck, shoving her head down between her knees.

“Stay there. Don’t move.”

It wasn’t like she could sit upright. Not with the room spinning. Her whole body began to shake. This wasn’t good. What the hell was happening to her? Some kind of delayed stress reaction or something?

The last thing she wanted was to fall apart.

Correction: The last thing she wanted was to fall apart with Michael in here. She’d held it together just fine the whole way back here. Why did he have to follow her to her room?

“Get out, Michael.” She was going to throw up. She had to … oh, man, this sucked. She pressed her fingers to her temples. She was hot, cold, sweaty. What was happening to her?

Michael came back a few seconds later and swept her hair away from her nape. Something cold and wet pressed to the back of her neck. It felt good, helped to stem the nausea some.

He squatted down in front of her, stroked her hair while he held the washcloth against her neck. “Better?”

“Yeah.”

“Let’s get you up.”

Get up? No way. “I’ll be fine here. You can go now.”

“You’re covered in blood, Mandy. It’s all over your hands and your face.”

She wrinkled her nose. “Ick.”

If she kept her eyes closed, the dizziness wasn’t so bad. She could just stay like this. But suddenly hands slid under her arms.

“Come on. We need to get you cleaned up.”

She didn’t want to get up. She wanted to go to sleep, to shut everything off, to stop thinking and feeling for a while. “No.”

“Yes.”

She was lifted, cradled against Michael’s chest. Really, she wanted to protest. She wasn’t a little thing, not petite like many women. She was almost six feet tall and not at all a lightweight, yet Michael carried her effortlessly into the bathroom. She heard the sound of water turning on. The shower.

He set her on her feet, leaning her against the cool tile wall, then she felt hands at the button on her camos. Her eyes shot open.

“I don’t think so.”

“Can you do it on your own?” He took a step back, only an inch or so. Her fingers fumbled at the buttons, her legs rubbery and unsteady as she began to slide down the wall.

Fuck. “No.” She fell back against the wall, helpless.

“You want me to get one of the female techs to come in and help you?”

“Oh, hell, no.” That would be just what she needed, some twit, gossipy female whispering about her. At least she could trust Michael not to blab about her failures. “Just do it.”

Michael undid the button and zipper on her pants, let them drop to the floor, then wrapped his arm around her while he lifted her tank top above her head. As she stood in her bathroom with the shower running, clad only in her bra and panties, she realized that no man had ever seen her in this little clothing.

And it was about to get worse than that.

“Hold on, Mandy.”

“Uh-huh.”

He bent down and she felt his hands on her hips as he dropped to the floor.

“Lift your foot so I can get your socks off.”

She cooperated to the extent she was able, her gaze drifting down to see Michael’s head against her thigh. She laid her hand on top of it. Soft, silky hair, just as she’d imagined. Too bad she was too dizzy, too sick, to really enjoy this, because Michael was a hot guy.

He stood and gazed down at her, something unfathomable in the depths of his blue eyes. “Can you get in there on your own?”

“Um. Sure.”

“Okay. I’ll let you take it from here, then.”

He let go. She wobbled and her knees buckled.

“Shit,” Michael said, grabbing her around the waist.

“My thoughts exactly.”

“Hold on to this.” He grabbed her hand and pulled the shower door closed, putting her hand on the towel rail outside the door. “Don’t let go. I’ll be right back.”

“Uh-huh.” Like she could go anywhere. Between the wall and the rack, she was good right here.

But Michael didn’t leave. He took a couple steps back and started undressing.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Taking off my clothes.” He kicked off his boots, then dropped his pants-oh, my God, he went commando. He did want her still standing, didn’t he? Why was he torturing her like this? And then he pulled his T-shirt off, revealing one tight, expanded chest with a smattering of dark hair.

She might be dizzy and sick, but by all that was holy, she wasn’t dead. Her mouth watered at the sight of all that male flesh. Dark, tanned, delicious. She couldn’t come up with enough adjectives to adequately describe the body being revealed in front of her. Really, she was weak enough already. This was agony. She had no experience with men. Especially naked men. Tall, well-built naked men. Damn.

And then he moved in, swept his arm around her and pressed his naked body against hers. She couldn’t breathe.

“Your body is hot to the touch, Mandy”

Yeah, she was hot all right. This wasn’t helping any. “I think I can probably handle it on my own.”

He cocked a brow. “Really.”

She managed a short nod. “Yeah.” She palmed his chest. Oh, man she really wanted to touch him, let her hands wander down his sculpted abs to that dark hair below, and points further south. “Let me give it a shot.”

“Okay.” He pulled the shower door open. She turned and her legs buckled. Michael was right there to catch her, his arm sweeping under her breasts to pick her up and brace her back against his chest. “I think I’ll just step in here with you.”

His deep voice reverberated against her back, his warm breath ruffling her hair. “Fine.” She gritted her teeth, figuring she had to get this blood off. And she was too dizzy, weak, and sick to do anything about him being naked, so she figured this was going to be completely innocent.

Michael walked her slowly into the shower and under the spray. And oh, sweet heaven, it felt so good, the hot water cascading down over her face. She closed her eyes and let it cleanse her. She could already feel the demon’s blood washing away. She needed it to go away. She needed all of it to go away, especially the memories. Maybe those could slither down the drain, too.

Michael kept his arm firmly around her, and she had to admit, it helped. So did the water, offering her some clarity. He took a step back and grabbed the shampoo, poured it over her head.

“Lean against me,” he said.

“Like I have a choice?” She did, and he washed her hair. The act was so painfully intimate because no one had ever done it for her before-not that she could remember, anyway-and because no man had ever touched her this way. Hell, no man had ever touched her. The guys in the Realm would never let anyone close, and she hadn’t exactly lived a normal life. She wasn’t used to this kind of intimacy. Even though she knew Michael was just being kind. It wasn’t like he was interested or anything.

He dipped her head forward, rinsed her hair, applied conditioner and rinsed again. Then he grabbed the bar of soap and began to run it over her body. All. Over. Her. Body. Her arms, her back, sliding his soapy hands down her spine, stopping just short of her butt. And even though she wore bra and panties, this was delicious.

And he was, after all, naked.

She so wanted to explore that. She wanted to be naked, too.

Clearly she was starting to feel better. A lot better. So much better that the shock of awareness slid through her senses, overpowering everything but the man behind her. She shivered, goose bumps prickling her flesh, which had nothing to do with the soap and everything to do with his hands on her. He smoothed his hands over her hips, digging his fingers in and stalling.

“Turn around so you can rinse your back under the water.”

His voice had changed, dropped an octave and had an added edge to it. She took it easy as she turned, then tilted her head back and opened her eyes.

His eyes looked like a coming storm, dark and intense. He reached for her shoulders and helped her take a step back under the water as she rinsed.

Then she made a fatal error. She looked down, casually glancing over his body.

Unaffected? She thought him uninterested? Um, no. He was most definitely interested. Her gaze snapped up to his face. His lips curled in the most devastating smile a man could give a woman.

“Sorry. I can’t help it,” he said, as if he had to apologize for being hard, for being so utterly masculine he took her breath away?

For the first time in her life, Mandy realized that she was, in fact, a woman. Before, when she’d been with the guys, they were … family, or fellow hunters. There had never been a man/woman thing between her and any of the guys. Hell, she’d been one of the guys.

But she stood almost naked in the shower with Michael, and for the very first time she felt like a woman. Dizzy and nauseous with whatever this thing was that gripped her from the inside out, but even that couldn’t stop the rush of her sexual awakening. Despite how she felt, she wanted to explore. She was twenty-three years old, sick, disgusted, and she might never get another chance.

She placed her hands on Michael’s shoulders.

He lifted his hands, rubbed the soap, and gently washed her face. “You still had a few spots of blood there.”

He seemed to have trouble speaking, like his voice was hoarse. She tilted her head back and rinsed her face, then shook the water droplets off and opened her eyes to look at him again. “Thanks.”

“How do you feel?”

Hot, shivery, turned on, weak. She felt so many things at once she couldn’t begin to describe them all, not when most of it made no sense to her. “I’m okay.”

“You ready to get out of here?”

“No.” Not yet, not while she still had a chance … “This hot water feels really good, Michael. I’m still a little shook up. Please stay in here with me.”

The way he looked at her-she wished she could ask him what he was thinking.

“Okay.”

She smoothed her hands over his shoulders, then down his arms. Soft skin over such incredible strength. His muscles flexed under her questing hands.

“What are you doing, Mandy?”

She didn’t-couldn’t-look at his eyes. “I’m touching you.”

“Why?”

“Because I’ve never done this before.”

She felt that tension increase.

“What?”

She swept her gaze up to his face, figuring she owed him the truth. “I’ve never had an opportunity to touch a man before, Michael. Please don’t stop me.”

Michael held his breath, a thousand thoughts running through his head, most of them screaming at him to get out of the shower, now.

He’d done this to help Mandy, to clean her up, to try to get her warm. Her skin had been icy cold despite the sweltering heat outside. She’d been pale, obviously in shock, and God only knows what else had been going on in her head. Covered in blood, she’d sauntered in spouting off and so sure of herself, but the haunted look in her eyes told him she’d been teetering near the edge-and about to drop.

He’d been right.

But now? High color fused her cheeks a dark pink. Her hair streamed like raven rain down her back and over her shoulders, barely covering her full, upturned breasts. Her bra, soaked through, revealed everything, as did the tiny panties resting on her his. Dark brown nipples peaked and hardened against his chest.

His cock stood rigid betwen them, throbbing with a mind of its own. It was telling him to take her, to lift her leg over his hip, push her against the tile wall and slide inside her. She’d be hot, gripping, pulsing. She could ease both their aches.

He had no right thinking that.

And now, if what she was telling him was true …

“Mandy are you a virgin?”

She lifted her fingers to his lips, stroked his bottom lip in awe. “So soft. How can a man’s mouth be so soft?”

She looked at him with such wonder and curiosity, tearing his resolve into ragged pieces. He’d never had a woman look at him like that.

“Answer me, Mandy. Are you a virgin?”

She lifted her gaze to his. “I’ve lived with the Realm since I was a kid, since Lou rescued me. I’ve been sheltered by demon hunters. I never had a normal life. I never dated. I’ve never had a boyfriend. I’ve never even been kissed, Michael. I missed everything. I’m twenty-three years old and I’ve missed everything.”

Christ. So tough on the outside, such a warrior, and yet such unbelievable innocence. How had this happened? Mandy was on equal footing with the mightiest of the demon hunters. He hadn’t expected this. He wasn’t prepared for this, not this incredibly beautiful, vulnerable woman standing naked in his arms.

“I want a kiss, Michael.” Tears filled her eyes. “Would you at least kiss me?”

The mutinous, buck-the-rules Mandy the one he fought with daily-he could handle her. This one? Soft, vulnerable, desirable-he had no idea what to do with her.

He was a Keeper, her Keeper. Her superior. He had no business touching her, being with her like this. This was a line he shouldn’t cross.

He’d already crossed it in spades.

And he wanted more.

He cupped the back of her neck and drew her mouth to his, pressed his lips against hers in a kiss so featherlight it made him ache inside.

She let out a little sigh against his mouth, then leaned forward, her breasts pillowed against his chest. Oh, man, he liked the way she felt against him. He deepened the kiss, sliding his lips along the seam of hers. Her bottom lip trembled. He was going to have to take this slow. She was weak, sick, and he felt like an asshole for doing this when she was in this condition, but God, how could she have never been kissed? That wasn’t right.

And you’re making excuses for doing something you shouldn’t be doing

Yeah, he was. He didn’t care. Mandy whimpered against his mouth and his balls tightened in response. He let his hands roam along her back, traveled down to the dip where her lower back ended and her phenomenally great ass began. He cupped the globes, drawing her forward against his cock, rubbing her slick heat against the rock-hard part of him that ached to show her what it could be like between a man and a woman.

He separated her lips with his tongue and she parted for him, letting him slide inside to taste her. Hot, soft, he wrapped his tongue around hers, showed her what it was like to play, to lick, to enjoy the touch and taste of another.

She inhaled deeply, her fingers digging into his arms. He knew this was sensory overload for someone so inexperienced, was awed that he could give this to her, and knew he should slow things down. She might not be a young teenager in the throes of her first journey into passion, but Mandy was still new at all of this. And she had other things going on in her head, things she was no doubt trying to push away. What a great way to forget.

Sex was always a great way to forget. He knew that better than anyone.

Was he helping her by doing this, or hurting her?

As her Keeper, he should force her to face reality. As a man, he couldn’t care less what her motivations were. He wanted to make love to her.

Talk about conflicted.

He pulled his mouth away from hers, leaned around her, and turned the shower off.

“Water’s getting cool,” he said.

“But-”

“Wait,” he said. He pulled open the door and stepped out, leading Mandy. He grabbed the big towel and threw it around her so she wouldn’t get chilled.

“I’m not cold.”

He dried her body, her hair, then took another towel to dry himself.

“Michael.”

He cupped his palms around her face. Damn she was beautiful. Innocent and sultry, provocative and naïve.

He wanted her. The hell with protocol and doing what was right. He was going to have her. But not in the shower.

“Michael, please.”

“Shut up, Mandy.” He scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom, deposited her next to the bed, holding tight to the towel around her. “How do you feel?”

“I feel fine.”

“Good.” He let her towel drop, then swept her damp hair away from her neck so he could press his lips there. Her pulse beat fast, her skin was hot, but she was standing on her own now, so at least he didn’t have to worry about her collapsing on him.

He threaded his arms around her, needing to touch her. Her wet bra pressed against his chest and he lifted to look at her. “Let’s take this off.”

She nodded, no hesitation on her face. He released the clasp and pulled the straps down her arms, then drew the bra away from her breasts, revealing dark nipples that puckered to hard peaks under his gaze. His cock lurched to attention, and Mandy looked down, then back at him, offering up a tremulous smile.

She was always so hyperconfident in everything she did. Except this. Now she looked unsure of herself. He kind of figured her bravado was an act she put on, and seeing her now proved that. Underneath her swagger was a woman very unsure of herself. For that he was going to take his time and make this special for her.

He crouched down and reached for her panties, slid them over her hips and down her legs. She stepped out of them and he grasped her ankles, then smoothed his hands over her calves, the backs of her knees, her thighs. She truly was a beautifully made woman. Not thin, but well muscled. He loved that she had flesh on her body, something to touch and grab on to.

And her scent-fresh from her shower, and yet the musky scent of arousal drew him to her. He pressed a kiss to her inner thigh, then lifted her leg and positioned it over his shoulder. Her legs trembled and he looked up at her.

“You okay?”

She nodded, bit down on her lower lip, watching him.

He pressed his nose against her sweet flesh, inhaled her scent, then swept his tongue along her sex, feeling her body quiver in response. He reached up and she took his hand, grasped it tight as he latched on to the tight bud there and sucked. He heard her gasp, felt her response, which fueled his eagerness to please her. She tasted like warm honey and he captured it with his tongue, slid inside her to taste more of her, then tucked a finger inside her tight folds, feeling her clench around him in response.

He heard her, every sound she made, from whimpers to moans to the steady increasing of each breath. Only this time it wasn’t shock that drove her breaths, it was pleasure. He took her there with every lick, every swirl of his tongue around her clit, every thrust of his finger inside her, until he felt her convulse around him, her leg squeezing against his shoulder.

“Michael.” She moaned his name in a low throaty whisper as she came, thrusting her sex against him as an offering that he took gladly, lapping up her gift with a hunger that drove his own desire to a wild fever.

When she settled, he stood, reaching behind her to cup the globes of her ass and bring her against him, shuddering at the contact of their bodies. He wanted this as much as she did. He’d tried to hide behind his job, but from the moment he’d met her he’d felt the sparks between them, had known there was … something. But he’d denied it, deprived himself of this expression of passion that he needed as much as she did.

And now he was torn between wanting to take his time, take hours, to explore this with her, and needing to make her his right now, as fast as he could. Because he didn’t want to wait to be inside her. But everything-all of this-was new to her. And he had to take it slow.

He swept his hands over her buttocks, the small of her back, and upward, just feeling the softness of her skin. She leaned into him, following his movements, caressing him the way he had done to her. She laid her hands on his shoulders, then swept down his arms, slid her arms around his waist to palm his back. Every move she made was tentative, watching for his reaction.

“Touch me,” he said. “I like it.”

She pushed back, looked at him, and oh, man, did her bold appraisal of his body turn him on. It made patience that much harder. Among other things.

When her gaze swept over his shaft, then up at him, he nodded. She circled him with a light grasp.

“Harder.”

She did, her grip strong. He sucked in a breath of pure pleasure. “Oh, yeah. That’s good. Now move your hand.”

She did, stroking him light and easy at first, then with a firm grasp and steadier movements. He clenched his jaw and held on, letting her explore, learn the feel of him, but God help him it was hard to hold back when all he wanted to do was let go.

Finally, he grasped her wrist. “I don’t want to finish before we start.”

She lifted her gaze to him and quirked a smile. And still, the look on her face was so innocent, it tore him to pieces. He took her mouth, drinking in the taste of her because it had been so damn long since he’d been anywhere near anything so pure.

He held her tight, crushed against him, afraid he was hurting her. But the feelings inside him were so intense he felt like he was losing control. And it was important that he be in control. He pulled away, took a step back.

“What’s wrong?”

He shook his head. “Just need to take a breath. Being with you … I kind of lost it there.”

She moved back in. “Quit worrying about whether or not I’ll break, Michael. I’m strong. And I need this. Just love me.”

He nodded, jerked her against him and fell onto his back on the bed, pulling her with him. Not wanting to scare her, he rolled to the side so she faced him, but she surprised him by pulling him on top of her.

“I want to feel your weight on me when you’re inside me.”

Mandy always surprised him. Maybe that’s what attracted him to her. He’d never met a woman like her before.

She braced her hands on his chest, and widened her legs so he could settle between them.

“Now, Michael. I’m tired of waiting. I’ve already waited a lifetime.”

Yeah, she had. And what he was about to do would irrevocably change their relationship.

But right now he couldn’t muster up a single objection to why he shouldn’t, even though there were hundreds. Not when this lush, beautiful woman lay underneath him, lifting her hips in silent invitation.

He positioned himself at her entrance, and thrust. Mandy tilted her head back and gasped, and he stilled, feeling the heat and wetness of her surrounding him, the sensations of her body convulsing around him. He cupped her cheek.

“Mandy. Look at me.”

She opened her eyes, and he closed the gap between them, kissing her deeply sliding his tongue between her parted lips, forcing her attention on their mouths, his tongue. Soon, her tension melted away and he began to move against her, slow and easy until he felt her responding.

He’d never felt anything so perfect, from the way their bodies fit together to the way it felt to be inside her. And Mandy lifted her hips, asking for more, giving him what he needed-more than he ever expected.

Because the look in her eyes was magical, luring him in much more than physically. She drew him closer, with her midnight hair and lush body, and he rocked against her, never wanting this to end. He wanted to stay like this-inside her-a part of her forever. Where there were no demons and no war, only pleasure and kissing and sharing this incredible experience with a woman he felt closer to after such a short period of time than anyone he’d ever known.

Was that even possible?

It had to be, because he felt it, their fingers entwined, their bodies joined, moving in unison as they climbed together. He waited, grinding against her, taking her there again, and when she fell, this time crying out and trembling against him, he went with her, and the orgasm was so powerful the intensity of it shocked him, pouring out of him from every nerve ending, leaving him spent. He collapsed on top of her, breathing so heavily it left him light-headed.

Soaked with sweat, their bodies still tightly strung together, Michael didn’t want to move. Especially since Mandy stroked his hair, one leg slung over his back.

“It would be okay if we ran off together and pretended the rest of the world didn’t exist, right?”

She’d read his mind. “Oh, sure.”

Her laugh rumbled against his chest. “I knew you’d see it my way.”

He finally managed to lift his head. Her lips were too much for him to resist, so he kissed her again, what he thought would be a short peck turning into something deeper, something that made his blood run hot and made him grow hard again.

“We both need another shower,” he said.

Mandy arched a brow. “Time for lesson number two.”

He grinned and got up, pulling her into the bathroom with him, then turned on the shower.

Then his phone went off. He pulled away, staring down at the pile of clothes they’d left on the bathroom floor.

She grasped his wrists. “Don’t.”

The shock of his phone ringing was like a slap of reality. “I have to.” He bent down, fished the phone out of his pocket, frowned at the number. He stood and flipped the phone open.

“Yeah.”

He listened, mentally cursing as Derek filled him on what he’d found.

“We’ll be on the road in an hour. We’ll meet you there tomorrow.” He closed the phone, turned to Mandy

“We’ve got to go,” she said.

With a sigh, he touched his forehead to hers. “Derek’s found Dalton. He’s in Louisiana.”

She inhaled, let it out on a shaky sigh. “Well, this is damned inconvenient.”

Yes and no. He had been so caught up in her, he had almost forgotten his mission. Men should never lead with their dicks. He should have known better.

“Mandy. You have no idea how much I want to … linger here with you. But you and I both know this can never be.”

The soft, dreamy look in her eyes died. She pushed away from him. “Oh, of course. How convenient for you to figure that out now. I get it. Thanks. You can go now.”

He knew he was going to hurt her, that she was going to take this wrong. “Mandy.”

She skirted around him. “Get out of my bathroom, Michael. I need to shower and pack.”

“Are you feeling all right?”

“I’m fine now.”

He didn’t believe her. Nothing about this was fine.

And if he was a lot less honorable, he’d take a few extra minutes-or an hour or two-and finish what they’d barely started. Because he wasn’t finished with Mandy Not by a long shot.

But he was right. Where was this leading? He was a Keeper. Keepers that had … mates, put those mates in danger. The Sons of Darkness didn’t want Keepers to continue the line.

Being with Mandy would put her at risk and he refused to do that to her.

He couldn’t lead her if he allowed anything to happen between them. He couldn’t help her if he got too close to her. And helping her, making a good hunter out of her-that part was his job.

Wasn’t it?

Hell.

He grabbed his clothes and dressed, then went to his room, took a quick shower, and packed up. By the time he went back into her room, she’d already showered, her damp hair pulled up into a ponytail. She was dressed and jamming things in her bag, her back turned to him. He wanted to go to her, to kiss her, to taste her again, touch her skin, breathe her in, to spend hours-days-hanging out with her. He craved being with her, felt cheated because they’d only just started. But what he wanted and what he had to do were two different things.

Just like always.

“I’ll be downstairs in a few minutes,” she said.

“Fine.”

He left the room, hoping she’d understand, that they could talk on the road, but he had a feeling that what had just happened had driven a wedge between them.

And just when they’d started to make progress. Now he had to figure out what happened to her tonight, what was going on in her head. Yeah, she’d killed a demon, but it had cost her.

Too much to talk about. Nothing resolved. Mandy’s issues, these new demons they’d discovered, not to mention the biggest issue of all: the two of them.

Now everything would have to be put on hold, because they had to go find Dalton and deal with him.

Shit.