It was the longest two minutes in the entire history of the universe.
When the car finally pulled up in front of the tower block that hosted his casino, hotel, and private apartment, Kain was shaking from head to toe. His hands were clenched hard around two chunks of the now-demolished back seat.
“We're here, my Lord,” Thomren said, slipping into a more formal tone. The shift was undoubtedly linked with the man's personal experience of what it was like for an unmated demon to be around a Breeder in heat—and his understanding of what would happen if he accidentally pushed his Lord's temper right now. “Do you need… anything? For her?”
Kain knew what Thomren was asking, and thanks to the small reserve of reason he had left, he could appreciate the man's diplomacy and attempt at ensuring the girl's survival. Whether it was to preserve one of the rare mates or to attempt to save his master from the guilt of killing a Breeder, Kain wasn't sure, but in either case, he was thankful.
“I won't harm her,” he grunted, taking a few quick breaths when the girl sucked wetly at his Adam's apple and pressed against his thigh to alleviate a little of her need. “I swear it. Do not tell anybody about her. I will call you in the morning.”
“If you picked her up where you sent the crew to clean up, they'll be able to smell her all over it.”
Damn. He was clearly not thinking straight.
“Fine. Muzzle them. If one word gets out about her, tell them I'll have their heads, you hear? I'll decide… tomorrow... oh, fuck!”
He arched against the ruined back seat when Selma's aimlessly roaming hands finally found the bulge in his pants that was nearly tearing his zipper in its attempt at getting free.
“I will take care of it. You get inside and take care of her… They get real vicious if you let them get too wound up.” There was laughter, and sympathy, in his underling's voice.
Kain growled, more at the Breeder currently attempting to free his cock than at the other demon, and finally let go of the chunks of car seat so he could wrap his arms around her and push out of the car. His focus was solely on the private back entrance to his domain flanked by two armed guards—men Thomren would also need to keep quiet.
The two men went rigid when Selma’s intoxicating scent hit their nostrils.
Kain let out a deep snarl in their direction, clutching the girl tighter. She clung to him like a baby koala, causing him to feel every one of her curves as he carried her, but he was too far gone for it to make much of a difference.
“She is mine!” he hissed when one of the guards, Brethor, took a step toward them. “One more fucking step and I swear it'll be your last!”
The underling blinked, one foot frozen mid-air, and shook his head from side to side as if to rid himself of the lustful haze spurred by the Breeder's proximity.
“Hold your breath,” his older and wiser comrade choked out next to him.
Kain watched with narrowed eyes as Brethor did as instructed. Clearly struggling with his raging instincts, he stepped back into position before staring into the distance with a tormented expression.
Kain rushed past them and into the building, pushing back the urge to fight the male who’d thought he'd get to mount a female belonging to his Lord Protector. Nothing but wasted time and—eventually—regret would come from slaughtering the man, and all he needed right now was to get the girl up to his chambers.
He went straight for the private elevator, easily holding Selma with one arm as he pushed the top floor's button with more force than necessary. Leaning his head on top of hers, he breathed in her scent. The gentle nature of it calmed his violent instincts, and he nuzzled deeper into her messy hair with a relieved sigh.
“I will take good care of you. I promise,” Kain mumbled in response to the wordless noises the Breeder was muttering into his shoulder and chest. He was fairly sure that her discontent was centered on the lack of sexual stimulation he was providing.
He caught sight of them in the elevator's mirror and grunted in annoyance. They were both splattered with blood, and she was dirty, tear-stricken, and not at all in the sort of condition a prized female should be kept in. It tore at his primitive desires to protect, and he knew he’d need to patch her up and soothe her before he could mount and claim her.
Kain paused in his musings, biting off an angry growl at his easy slip into the role of a male claiming his mate. He was not mounting, nor claiming the frail-looking girl, and unless he got himself moderately in check, he'd kill her with the dark magic emanating from his core in slow pulses.
Even more frustrated with the situation than before, he didn't wait for the elevator to open when the small bell announced their arrival at the top floor. Shifting Selma to one hip, he kicked the doors ajar and stomped through the debris toward the only apartment on this floor of the high-rise. It took him seconds to unlock the front door and type in the code, and then he was finally within the safety of his own walls.
He didn't pause as he strode straight to his bedroom and deposited her on the sturdy California King-Sized bed flanked by four carved, wooden posts.
Selma whined at being separated from the comfort of his body, but then seemed to realize where she was. Her slim fingers clenched in his black sheets as her gaze quickly darted around the room, lingering on the bed beneath her. Then she turned those lovely chocolate-colored eyes on him once more.
Kain groaned with want at the complete surrender in them and had to grasp at the nearest bedpost to stop himself from ripping the clothes from her body so he could ravage her.
“Take me.” Her voice rasped in an odd mix of a plea and a command. “I need you. Take me now, please!”
As if he had to be reminded of how much she needed to have his cock fill her greedy little cunt—the air was laden with the smell of her heat, mingling with the musk of his own hormones.
“I can't. I need to heal you first, and then I will help you.” His hand clenched around the wooden pole marking one of the bed's corners while he desperately tried to regain a bit more control.
She might have been too far gone on the magic to feel her injuries, but he’d never forgive himself if he hurt her further while he sated her.
