Dark Promises 2: Demonic Obsession Read online

  “I’ll kill him,” he said, stopping just inches from her. “It wasn’t his place to tell you that.”

  “Well, I’m glad somebody did.” Her heart broke all over again. What would she find out about him next? Her hand rested on the cell phone clipped to her pants pocket. “You told me you were some kind of bounty hunter. That’s a pretty far cry from hired killer. I think you need to leave now before I call the police.”

  “Fine, I’ll go,” Eric growled, pushing himself away from the car. “You made a mistake not leaving with your family. One of these days you’re going to need me, and I’m not going to care. I’m not going to hang around so you can judge me for things you don’t understand.”

  He stalked off across the parking lot, leaving Ellie to sink into the driver’s seat of the car and rest her head on the steering wheel, her body wracked with sobs. The anger in his eyes had been unmistakable, but so had the pain. She’d really hurt him this time. Yes, he’d kept the truth from her. Yes, he’d tried to boss her around. But maybe, just maybe she was overreacting. If she really thought about it, he was a heck of a lot better equipped to deal with demon slaves and the like than she was.

  She lifted her head and watched his retreating back as he walked across the parking lot. A sigh escaped her lips, both from frustration and longing for what they’d shared. Despite his behavior, and even though she didn’t quite understand his reasoning, she didn’t want him out of her life. Her anger dissipated, leaving a hole inside her.

  She ran her fingers over her totem and wiped her eyes. Without really thinking about it, she reached out to him mentally. At first she felt nothing, but then his defenses came down and he let her in. She heard no words, only felt his comfort wrap around her like a warm blanket—like a hug. She smiled to herself at the gesture. When he slipped away, quietly closing the mental door, she felt bereft, and more alone than she ever had in her life.

  Chapter 15

  Eric walked up to the hotel room door and opened it with his key card. He was about to step inside when he felt it. There was someone out there, watching him. He let the door close and pocketed the card, turning slowly. He didn’t see anyone, but he felt the presence in every cell of his body.

  Ellie? No, it couldn’t be, not after the argument they’d had that afternoon. It felt like her, though. Her energy had imprinted itself in his mind, and he couldn’t shake her away. She’d done the unexpected when she’d reached out to his mind. He hadn’t even known that kind of a connection was possible. His head hurt, and his muscles were weary. He had to find a way to make things right.

  “Hi.” Her voice came out of nowhere, and suddenly she was standing right next to him. She smiled almost shyly, a flash of nervousness across her delicate features.

  “Ellie,” he breathed, wondering if she’d dissolve into the air if he touched her.

  “I’m sorry to come without calling first, but I had to talk to you.”

  “It couldn’t wait until morning?” He hoped against everything he knew about her that she’d come to make amends. He didn’t want to lose her—wouldn’t allow that to happen—but he wanted her to make the first move. Had she by coming here tonight?

  Her next words seemed to confirm his hopes. “I didn’t want to wait.”

  “Do you want to come in?” He shoved the door open all the way and she tentatively stepped inside.

  “So what was so important that it had to be said tonight?” he asked, his entire body tense with waiting for her response.

  “I’ve been thinking about you all day.”

  He let out the breath he’d been holding with a whoosh of air, warning himself not to read too much into her words. Until she came out and told him she wanted to work things out, it would be best if he didn’t assume anything. “Really?”

  She walked toward the bed, slowly, her eyes taking in the details of the sparsely decorated room. His gaze locked on the sway of her slender hips under the long skirt she wore and his mouth ran dry. Something primal inside him turned over, making him want to take her in a way he’d promised himself never to do. He bit back the growl that threatened to erupt from his throat and wrestled the urge that beckoned him to claim her in every possible way—the way he was meant to take the woman he’d chosen as his mate.

  Would she allow that?

  He circled her slowly, coming to a stop behind her. She looked over her shoulder at him, her tongue darting out to wet her lips. The sight of the small, pink, bit of flesh was all it took to get him rock hard. He shook his head, fighting to not attack her like his body demanded. He couldn’t make her understand the need coursing through his veins. The best thing for both of them would be to get her out, as far away from him as possible.

  “Ellie, you have to go.”

  She shook her head slowly, almost imperceptibly, as she turned to face him. She ran a finger down his chest as she spoke, leaving a trail of electricity in its wake. “You don’t have to hide yourself from me, you know.”

  “You make me crazy.” He grabbed her hand and brought it to his mouth, nipping the finger she’d tormented him with.

  “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

  “A little of both.” He drew in a deep breath, her scent enveloping him and adding to his agitation. “I’m more demon than man right now, Ellie. This would be a good time to run.”

  She glanced toward the door. “Why do I think you’d chase me and enjoy every second of it?”

  She was probably right, but he had to at least try to keep her from getting hurt. “You don’t understand. I’m trying to warn you that I could be dangerous right now.”

  The scent of her arousal filled the air, and he inhaled deeply. With every breath, he tried to fight the monster raging inside, but he couldn’t hold it back much longer. He’d frighten her, if he showed her what he really wanted. Not only that, he might actually hurt her. He wouldn’t mean to, but the urges were too strong for him to handle right now.

  Her lips parted as he took a step closer. He expected to see fear in her eyes, but didn’t. Instead, her gaze held the same raw arousal as his. It didn’t make any sense. He wasn’t like her. They were of two different races. Why did his body respond to her so strongly? And why did hers react in the same way?

  He growled a low, harsh sound that reverberated through the room. He couldn’t understand the desperate need to mate with her—a human woman who couldn’t even carry his children. She could never be like him. Never. Mating should not have even been a consideration. He’d known her for days, not a lifetime, yet the connection between them told a different story. He knew her as surely as he knew his own name. She was made for him, as ridiculous as it sounded. She belonged to him, now and forever, even if she refused to accept that as fact. His groin tightened at the thought. Human or not, Ellie Holmes was his. He’d claimed her just as surely as she’d claimed him the second they’d met.

  He’d heard all his life that when he met the woman destined to be his mate, he would know her without question. He’d scoffed at the idea, deeming it too crazy to believe. Now he knew different. But the fact that he cared didn’t stop the animal need rampaging inside him. He threw his head back and fought for control in a last ditch effort to get a grip before he tore her clothes off and took her before she was ready. In the end, it didn’t matter. It was already too late.

  With all the self-control he could muster, he gently moved aside her hair and touched her neck. His senses went wild as flames of desire licked up his body. He sucked in a sharp breath and squeezed his eyes shut against the sensation. It was too much. He couldn’t take it. Surely emotions this strong would kill him.

  “What’s wrong?”

  He could barely breath, barely speak. He felt his control draining away, but was powerless to do anything about it. “I’m not exactly in very good command of myself here. You might want to leave.”

  “Eric?” Ellie’s voice was suddenly uncertain, wavering. His gaze never broke from her as he circled her again.

  �
��I’ll warn you one last time, Ellie. If you don’t leave right now, I will hurt you. I won’t want to, but I won’t be able to help it.”

  “You would never hurt me.”

  He shook his head, willing her to understand. “I’m not human. It’s not the same, no matter how much I try to pretend. I want to be with you, but I need more than I can ask you to give.”

  “You can ask anything of me. Don’t you know that by now?”

  The thought left him a little bitter. He didn’t need to add his…idiosyncrasies to her already long list of problems. Still, she was here and he couldn’t help what happened. He circled her again, getting closer than ever. “I think between your family and friends, you have enough people to take care of. I’m not going to be another one of your projects.” He pushed the strap of her tank top off her shoulder as he walked by. He stopped in front of her, leaning against the bed. She might take it as a casual pose, but he was ready to pounce.

  “Stop it.” Her command lacked authority, and he knew he had her.

  “I don’t think so.”

  She stood there, still and cool as a marble statue, but he felt the fire burning just beneath her skin. It mirrored the lava churning inside him, rearing to break free.

  “I don’t think you’re ready to know who I really am, Ellie.”

  Even as he said the words, he knew how untrue they were. She was ready, more than that if he read the look in her eyes correctly. She was just as turned-on as he was, but could she handle him the way he wanted her? He really had no idea.

  “I’m not walking away.” When she spoke, her voice held renewed conviction. Her choice was evident in her heated gaze.

  The energy in the room could barely be contained, and he needed more of it. He needed it all, whether she truly was ready or not.

  Her body tensed as he pounced and wrapped his arms around her waist, flinging her to the bed. The air rushed out of her lungs audibly as they hit the mattress, Ellie on her stomach with him on top of her. Not in the mood to waste time on preliminaries, he stripped her out of her skirt, tearing the fabric from her body to bare her nude flesh.

  It was quite a sight, his Ellie flat on the bed, her impossibly fair skin glowing in the dimly lit room. It almost put him over the edge. Almost, but he held tight to the thin thread that was left of the control he prided himself on. Pushing himself away, he stripped off his clothes and pulled her to her hands and knees, dipping his fingers into her already swollen sex. He wasted no time on seduction—it wasn’t necessary. Ellie moaned and pushed against him. She was wet, so wet, and he couldn’t wait. He pushed her forward on the bed, angling her toward the headboard and lifting her wrists in his hands. “Hold on,” he told her, pushing her hands closer to the wooden slats that made up the headboard.

  “What?” she asked, her tone confused. He bit down on her shoulder.

  “Do it, Ellie. Hold on, and don’t let go.”

  She did as told, reaching her hands out to grasp the wood. Her body bent at a ninety-degree angle, her arms outstretched in front of her—like an offering. He loved the idea.

  “I can’t hold on long like this. My arms will get too tired.”

  “You’ll be fine.” He caressed the smooth, unmarred skin of her back, running his hands across her to memorize every inch. Then, without any warning to her, he mounted her from behind. He pushed his cock into her tight sex, pulling her hips back against him at the same time. Ellie screamed with the force of his thrusts, pushing hard against him, but he knew he couldn’t have hurt her—she was too wet for that.

  “Quiet,” he growled, not wanting the neighbors to call the police. He didn’t need any interruptions. After a few more harsh thrusts, amazingly, Ellie came hard, her entire body convulsing. Still she held onto the headboard, quivering with the force of her orgasm. He felt her relax under him, going almost boneless. He leaned over her and clamped his teeth into the skin where her neck joined her shoulder. She cried out sharply as he tasted blood. It didn’t take much more for him to follow her over the edge, filling her with his seed. He leaned hard on her when he came, and Ellie collapsed. He pressed her into the mattress with the entire weight of his body, running his tongue over her moist neck. Sweat clung to them—hers, his, it didn’t matter. The moment had been incredible, and well worth the wait.

  And then it hit him, what had happened. What he’d done to her, his human woman. A cold knot tightened in the base of his stomach and he rolled off, sitting on the edge of the bed. He should have had more control over himself than that.

  “Eric?” Ellie asked softly, her tone filled with doubt. “What’s the matter?”

  She put her hand on his shoulder and he shrugged her away, his body felt bereft of the warmth almost instantly. “I’m sorry, Ellie. I shouldn’t have done that.”

  “I don’t understand what you think you’ve done.” She sounded slightly insecure, and it made him feel even more guilty.

  “I was wrong to take you that way. You deserve better than to be treated like some kind of animal.”

  She laughed behind him. “Is that was this is about? Do you think you’ve offended me? Trust me, Eric. It would take a lot more than sex to scare me off.” She paused, and when she spoke again her voice was filled with wonder. “Actually, I kind of liked it.”

  “No. You can’t. We shouldn’t be together.” No matter what his body told him. “I could really hurt you someday.”

  “You wouldn’t. You just proved that. You’d never hurt me.”

  He turned around and glanced at the wound he’d inflicted on her neck. His teeth marks stood out red and angry against her pale skin. A drop of blood formed at the edge of the cut and he bit back the urge to lick it away. He felt his cock start to harden again, despite his efforts to leave her alone. He’d marked her, and his body didn’t want to let him forget it.

  She moved closer and cuddled him from behind, her front pressing against his back. Her arms came around him and she rested her cheek on his shoulder blade. “Please. You told me before to trust us. I have. Now I think you need to.”

  He extricated himself from her arms and walked across the room, needing to get away from her comforting warmth. It scared him. Set him on edge. What had he done to deserve her comfort? Nothing. He’d lied to her, seduced her mind, marred her perfect skin with the imprint of his teeth. He ran a hand over his face. He couldn’t let this continue. She’d only end up resenting him in the end.

  “What’s the matter now?” she asked. He glanced down to see her standing right in front of him. He’d been so lost in his thoughts that he hadn’t even heard her walk across the room.

  “Nothing. You…you should go.” She’d never understand his life. She’d never really accept him for what he was. He had to let her go before it was too late.

  “No.”

  He looked deep into her eyes, the single word hitting him in the chest—knocking the wind out of him. She could stand up to him now, when she’d only seen a small bit of what he was capable of. She really had no idea what she’d be in for if she stuck around. He leaned forward and tentatively licked the wound. She shivered and made a small sound deep in her throat. The coppery taste of her blood was strange on his tongue, yet familiar at the same time. His mate. How would she feel when she found out the truth? He looked up at her and smiled weakly, still uncertain. “Are you sure this is what you want? Do you really want to be stuck with me for the rest of your life? Because that’s what’s going to happen if you don’t turn around and walk out that door this minute.”

  “As strange as this sounds, that’s all I’ve ever wanted.” She glanced toward the bed before bringing her gaze back to his.

  What he saw in there made his heart clench. She was too good for him. He didn’t deserve her—but he was selfish enough to keep her, anyway.

  “I don’t know what’s going on,” she continued, confusion warring with a deeper emotion in her tone and gaze. “I…I feel as if I’ve been waiting for you all my life. I know that doesn’t make any
sense, but it’s true. I told you I used to dream about panthers as a girl. I still do. And since I met you, the dreams have only gotten stronger. But they’re different now. It’s like you’ve always been there, in the back of my mind, but I didn’t know it until you came here.”

  He opened his mouth, but closed it when he realized he didn’t know what to say. Her confession shocked him, scared him, and made him believe that maybe everything would be okay. All his life he’d been trying to find that one force that held him down, anchored him to the world. Ellie did that, and more. Could it really be this simple? He shook his head. A deep sense of foreboding told him no. Nothing was this simple, and nothing this good could last. Had they been doomed from the beginning? He didn’t like that thought at all.

  He pushed away the sense of dread when Ellie took his hand and led him back to the bed. She smiled and lay down on the mattress, tugging his arm and bringing him with her. He rested on his back and she put her head on his chest, gently stroking his side with the tips of her fingers. “Whatever is haunting you, Eric, we can work it out. Everything is going to be fine.”

  Fine? He hoped like hell that she was right.

  The longer they lay entwined on the mattress, the more he noticed the tiny jolts that ran through his nerves when her fingers grazed his skin. He placed his hand over hers, as if to still her movements. She kissed his chest, her tongue laving his nipple; his cock started to harden again. He groaned and she smoothed her hand over his abdomen, teasing him lightly with her fingernails and sending shivers through his gut. Letting his head drop back to the pillow, he closed his eyes and silently begged for control. He didn’t want to take her again so soon, not when he’d been less than gentle with her only minutes ago.

  She wrapped her hand around his cock, bringing him to full attention in seconds, and he snapped his eyes open. “What are you doing?”

  “Just lay back and enjoy,” she told him, a coy smile on her face.

  “You should try to get some rest.” He made one last plea for his sanity, because the way she stroked him was slowly driving him insane.