Mate to the Demon Kings by Lacey Carter Andersen

13

Sharen followed Ryder,barely noticing as he stole a truck from the farm and drove them across town. It wasn’t until they came to an unfamiliar building that the full impact of their situation hit her. They couldn’t go to headquarters or to their home. So where were they going?

“Some place safe,” is all he said, a response that would have irritated her if she wasn’t so exhausted.

Right now I’d sleep in a trash can, if it meant I could recharge just a little.

He led her inside and down the stairs to a basement apartment. His every movement screaming of a soldier on the alert. She walked behind him, muscles tense, ready for any danger that might come their way. Ryder might radiate the strength of a demon, but he was battered and bruised. And even though he tried to hide it, she could sense his exhaustion growing with every step.

If something attacked them now, they’d be in a lot of trouble.

But to her relief, the hallway was silent. Nothing more than a stretch of blank walls illuminated by dim bulbs.

When he typed in the code on the keypad by a door, she half expected to find a roach-infested, hole-in-the-ground. But when he opened the door and turned on the light, she was surprised to see a more basic version of their home. It was sparsely decorated, but had a relaxed feel that spoke of her demons’ touch.

"Nice—what is this place?"

He grinned. "A demon has to keep some secrets… This place has everything we need for a few days, and even better, a lot of weapons."

She felt her tense nerves relax ever-so-slightly. “Sometimes I’m thankful you three are so damn paranoid.”

Walking in slowly, she gazed around in gratitude. The one bedroom apartment was set up efficiency style, with a small bedroom to one side, and a main room containing a tiny living room, dining room, and kitchen.

Basically… a slice of paradise after all they’d been through.

Without another word, he ushered her into the bedroom and led her straight to the bathroom. She felt like she should probably protest… but for the life of her, she couldn’t think of anything better than getting clean and crawling into bed.

He turned on the shower and undressed them both. When he moved her beneath the warm spray of water, he touched her bandaged arm. Pulling back the wrap slowly, they both stared at her perfectly healed, smooth skin.

She ran her hands along his body. The fight at their headquarters had been as brutal as she imagined if he still carried the evidence. The dark bruises decorating his skin looked painful, and the slashes from the angels’ blade had left raised scars over most of his body.

Kissing each wound, she touched him, worshipping him with her lips. She kissed him for every ounce of pain he’d gone through, and because she’d thought never to hold him again.

They cleaned each other with gentle touches, rubbing shampoo in each other’s hair and soap over their bodies. They remained in the water as long as they could, letting it work their aching muscles. When it grew cold, Ryder switched it off, and they dried each other.

Then, she stretched out beside him on the unfamiliar bed, her head on his chest and their hands locked. “I missed you so much.”

He kissed the top of her head. “I missed you too.”

Her heart squeezed. “What are we going to do? They have Alec and Kade. We have to save them. How can we ever be safe with Caine’s angels constantly surrounding us?”

Silence stretched between them for far too long. He finally answered. “How about we kill all of them?”

“Alright, let’s go with your plan,” she agreed.

He laughed, a soft sound. “Now that we have that figured out, I’m going to make love to you.”

Lifting her head, she stared at him.

“Sharen, I need to. I need to be inside of you. I thought—I thought I might never see you again.”

Something within her stirred, a longing to take away the loneliness and fear she’d felt since first seeing the headquarters covered in blood.

Leaning up, their lips met. At first the kiss was soft, tentative, as if exploring each other. And then, it grew harder, deeper. Her lips parted, and his warm tongue swept into her mouth.

She felt her body come to life. It sung beneath his touch. And when his hands moved up to cup her naked breasts, her skin tingled and her nipples hardened. His hands brushed her breasts, lifting her mounds as if to feel the weight. When he moved to her nipples, she gasped as his fingers pinched the peaks, sending heat shooting straight to her core.

He moved so that he was on top. Then, he broke their kiss, moving down her neck.

He sucked a path down her body, making the hairs on her body stand on end. When he came to her breasts, he took her nipples into his mouth and worshipped them with his lips.

She dug her hands into his hair, and leaned her head back, enjoying ever flick of his tongue, every spark of pleasure his touch brought.

When he started to kiss her belly, her body tensed, knowing what was to come. Her legs spread, and he shifted beneath her thighs. First his fingers teased her, stroking her bare mound. Then, he parted her folds and his fingertips slid along her folds, making her inner-muscles tighten in anticipation.

One finger buried inside of her, drawing a gasp of surprise from her lips. And then, when a second finger joined the first, his mouth lowered to suck her clit.

She never grew tired of this. This feeling that made her remember that she was alive. That made her feel as her demons wasn’t just a part of her heart, but part of her body too.

She pushed against him, rotating her hips to take him deeper. She moved against his mouth in a rhythm, her thoughts scattering with each incredible touch. When he sucked her clit deep into his mouth, she cried out.

This was what she wanted. This was what she needed.

Her orgasm came like an explosion, rocking through her body. Her hands suddenly dug into his hair, and she rode his face and fingers as if her life depended upon it.

When at last her orgasm calmed, he withdrew his fingers and mouth. Moving to lay on top of him, she wrapped her arms around his back, needing his closeness.

His big cock sunk deep into her ready channel, and the feeling, after her orgasm, was both pleasure and pain. But she knew. Knew this man could bring her to the edge again. And she was ready for it.

Her legs wrapped around his back, and his panting filled her ears. His big cock filled her so fully that her tight body seemed to shudder around him each time he pulled out and then slammed back in.

His movements grew more frantic. Her nails dug into his back, and then they were both coming. His hot seed spilled into her body as he roared his release.

She cried his name, over and over again, as her inner muscles squeezed him tightly. Her thoughts spun away, and her toes curled. For too long it felt as if the explosions of pleasure would rip her apart, but then, at last, her muscles relaxed, and the world came into focus.

Holding him closer, she buried her face into his shoulder, breathing in his spicy scent. This man was a part of her. She had missed him as desperately as air.

And then, she started to cry.

She felt silly, but Ryder only stoked her hair.

“I miss them too,” he whispered. “But we’ll get them back.”

She cried harder, everything hitting her at once. She might have Ryder back, but she’d never feel complete until they saved Kade and Alec.

Who would argue with her if Alec weren’t around? Who would sulk about everything but secretly enjoy it if not for Kade?

They were… hers. Hers to love and laugh with. Hers to touch and kiss. Hers forever.

And she didn’t know where they were, if they were hurt, or worse, if they were dead.

We need to find them. No matter what it takes.

When her sobs slowed and finally died away, she felt a little better. “Thanks.”

“Any time.”

He pulled off of her, and tucked her under his arm, wrapping the blanket around them.

“So,” she began, her eyes already closing. “What do we do next?”

Maybe he answered. Maybe he didn’t. She wasn’t sure, because sleep tugged her under.