Of course, she’d usedthatexcuse when she came to Earth over two years ago, pretending to be his betrothed, wanting to stay in this world. But Aethan didn’t bend, determined to send her back. Týr was the one who made it easy to remain for a while, then Michael offered her the job of being a Guardian.
Thank Gaia, it all worked out.
“You okay?” Aethan asked, stopping near her, gunmetal gray eyes scanning the area. The moonlight glinted off the silver hoops in his lobes and highlighted the lighter streaks in his multi-hued deep blue hair. “I sensed the blights from the Dark Realm here.”
Her stomach heaved. Tell him that one of them had ambushed her and seduced her senses? Ugh, no! Then they’d sure as hell lock her up for her own safety. Bet none of them ever had demons sending them into a stupor of fascination.Grr. She wanted to skewer the vexing demon.
“What happened, Ely?” Aethan demanded, a tinge of concern in his voice at her lack of response. His gaze did a quick skim over her, checking for injuries, no doubt.
Stars! Her slow-moving brain would be the death of her. She flicked back her braid. “Demons,” she said and started walking. “I came across several blood drinkers fighting over a human. I took care of them.” A half-truth.
“And the victim?”
“I healed him, did a memory wipe, and sent him off.”
“Good.” Aethan nodded, easily keeping pace with her rapid strides. “There’s been a spate of attacks in Chinatown recently. Could be the same horde.”
“I’ll keep an eye out for the asses.”
He raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging his mouth. At her cussing?
“Those jackasses will try anyone’s patience,” she muttered.
“Yeah, they do.” Smiling, Aethan did a quick survey of the alley before he dematerialized.
Maybe she should’ve revealed what had really occurred. But her mouth flattened in irritation, remembering. She must have lost her ever-loving mind for a second, caught in those glowing topaz eyes. Because consorting with the enemies she certainly wasn’t. Except now she did bear a grudge for the know-it-all jerk. Small of her, but she didn’t care. She would hunt down his sexy demon-ass and make him pay. Not because he’d addled her brain, but for being one of those vile blood-drinking scourges. His fangs and action revealed the truth.
They ranked on the same level as demoniis, belonging in the darkest pits of Gehenna, a place even demons feared, to burn forever in its eternal flames.
And she would be the one to send him there.
CHAPTER4
Nate reappearedin an alley near the biker’s bar, a gust of noise whooshing over him as the bickering fuckers also took form, having followed him.
“She’s mine!” A lanky demon bared his fangs, his features distorting to demonic.
Derrodus grabbed Lanky by the throat. “Do you know who I am?” his voice dropped to guttural, his bony form escalating in size. Lanky snarled, black claws exploding, and they ripped into each other.
Nate wanted to walk away and leave these imbeciles for the Guardians to finish off, but his name could be thrown out there.
“Enough!” he snapped, freezing them. “Do you even know who—whatshe is?”
“Don’t care!” Derrodus glared, dark eyes spitting red sparks. “The female’s mine!”
“She’s a Guardian,” Nate bit out. “She had all those demons who tried to attack her nailed to the building with only her mind. Humans don’t possess that kind of ability. Touch her, and you’ll have the rest of them on our asses! Be grateful I hauled your hide off the human you’d been feeding on before she appeared, or she would have sent you straight to Purgatory!”
“So?” the prick countered, his chest puffed out in his usual show of dominance. “Unless they plan on coming to the Dark Realm and Eurymos’ Run, where they’ll all be a feast for everyone, I don’t think so. But if things went to shit, you’ll make it right for me sinceyouwork formysire.” His dagger appeared, and Derrodus pressed the tip into Nate’s chest, making his point. “And next time, don’t interfere when I find my feed source, or you will regret it.”
Fed up to his eyeballs, Nate grabbed Derrodus by the throat, talons digging into his flesh, and yanked him close. “I don’t give a rat’s ass who you are. You don’t mess around on my turf. Or I’ll send you back to your sire with your guts torquing your throat.”
“Let me go,vyerav’k!” he wheezed the insult, eyes bulging. He grabbed Nate’s wrist, trying to break free, black claws puncturing his skin.
A spasm of pain hit, triggering the one along his spine, but Nate didn’t let go, driving his point home. “You get me?” he asked, tone glacial, fighting the urge to kill the prick.
Scowling, Derrodus gave a stilted nod.
“Good.” Nate jerked his fingers free. Derrodus stumbled back, pressing his hand to his torn throat. “Don’t ever follow me again. We are not friends.”
