She bit back a moan, more anguish swelling through her like a flood…
No, not hers—
His.
“Nik, stop, stop!” She slapped her palms on his chest to push him away.
There’re no broken bones, no gushing blood on his chest.
Shadow shifted to her knees then stilled, the truth hitting her like a fist in her heart. Being what she was, she should have known from the beginning, but his shields had been unbelievably strong. She had no idea, until now.
There was so much dark energy inside him, worse than all the demons she’d fed from. If she gave him relief, then he would know the truth. But how could she not help the man she was starting to feel so much for, so much that his very pain drew her across the continent? He was in agony.
“Nik, let me help you.”
“No! You can’t help me. No one can.” Even his voice didn’t sound like his usual low tone, but guttural and rusty. He worked feverishly, yanking out more of the ice fragments she barely felt. “You have to get out!” The fear in his eyes terrified her. “The fucking demon moon is mere seconds—” His chest rose and fell, he hauled her to her feet and dragged her toward the door. “Lor—”
“No!” Shadow slapped her palm over his mouth, pressing her other hand to his chest. “Don’t call him.” She dropped her mental shields, letting her need take over. He jerked as if tasered as she drew on the thrashing energy…no, not energy but malevolent souls inside him.
This time, she had to take it all.
And save him.
“What the fuck—what are you doing?” he snarled, grabbing her upper arms.
Shadow did the only thing she could. She rested her brow on his sweat-damp chest as the rush of vigor from the feeding gushed through her. It was like finding an oasis after a long, long drought. Every part of her stuttered awake. She couldn’t move even if she wanted to.
Nik froze.
Oh, God. Please, please don’t hate me.
Then a soft groan escaped him, and his hands lowered to her hips.
Shadow bit her lip and glanced up, knowing what was happening. Her feeding had awakened his desire. His grip tightened, and she swallowed. She didn’t want him to want her this way, held in the grip of her feeding.
His head lowered and eyes shut as if drawn within himself to what was happening.
Shadow became aware of his cool, damp skin beneath her palms, the rapid thudding of his heart… Her gaze traced the sculptured lines of his cheekbones, the straight nose, and unshaven jaw, finally settling on his sensual lips—lips that could give her so much pleasure.
As the darkness in him faded, he blinked and shook his head, eyes flashing back to its icy green hue and locking on hers, sending prickles of unease down her spine. “What did you do?” he rasped.
How did she explain what she had done, with him looking at her as if he didn’t know her? Why didn’t he succumb to the lust like the demons did?
She clenched her fingers and stepped back. “I gave you ease.”
His stare didn’t waver. “What are you?”
“I’m human. What are you gonna do, huh?” she burst out. “Kill me because I’m like those vile things you exterminate? Go on then, do it!”
Nik slowly shook his head. Whether to clear his thoughts or not, she wasn’t sure, but trepidation squeezed her stomach.
The door slammed open, metal clanging against stone. Shadow squinted at the bright silhouette of the angel, Lore. “Human, I sensed your fear—” He grasped her arm.
“Don’t touch her,” Nik snarled, dragging her back.
“You appear to be in one piece except for the sparkling personality,” he told Nik, “So I assume she’s in no danger.”
“Get the fuck out—”
“What the hell’s going on?” a new voice demanded.
Shadow blinked at the other massive guy standing at the entrance with hair like lightning and irises an eerie demon red.
Those unsettling eyes narrowed. “Let her go, Nik.”
“Come near her, and I will kill you.”
“Fuck this—” Red Eyes dove for Nik, who shoved her away as the two men’s bodies hit the wall. A chilling roar broke free.
Oh, god, oh, god! She hadn’t meant for any of this to happen. Terror flaying her at the fight between immortal warriors, one she’d inadvertently started, Shadow ran.
Chapter 15
Shadow shut the door to an unused bedroom on the first floor where she’d sought refuge, and sagged against the wood, gulping in huge amounts of air. What had gone wrong with her attempt to succor him? Demons usually reacted within a few seconds of her touch, caught in the throes of lust at her feeding, but not Nik.
Yes, desire had blazed in his eyes, but he’d withdrawn from her as if trying to figure out what was happening. Then cold anger settled over him, chilling her. Why the anger? Because she’d kept this part of herself hidden from him?
Scowling, Shadow marched across the dusty floor. Silvery moonlight filtered in from the two grimy windowpanes, shedding a little light into the shabby bedroom. She groaned and slumped down on the bare mattress of the old, carved four-poster bed.
The door crashed open, slamming against the wall.
She leaped up. Alarm bells clanged in her head, warning her not to run as Nik stalked inside, bare-chested, and looking like some ancient warlord god out for vengeance, his inked skin glistening from sweat.
“I told you to leave. You didn’t. Why?” His cold words froze her in place.
Her stomach hollowed out at the detached manner he watched her from a few feet away, hands hanging loosely at his sides. A bruise marred his jaw, but his irises flared as her gaze met his, scorching her like living flames.
Her throat dried up, words refusing to come out.
She’d never seen Nik this furious. Sure, he wore a cold look most times, but now he smoldered like the rapidly melting polar ice caps, with no escape for her.
Darn it. Was he not aware of what she’d done for him? She shrugged. “I did leave.” Well, eventually.
“Don’t push me, Shadow.” That icy stare narrowed. “What did you do to me?”
So he did know.
Like she’d tell him anything now, the ungrateful wretch. “You mean, what did you do? Throwing out those ice splinters like I was the enemy?” A low blow, but Nik in this mood worried her.
His lips tightened, and he prowled closer. Hastily, she backed away, the bed stopping her retreat. “What are you gonna do, huh? Punish me for helping you?”
In that annoyingly fast way of his, he grasped her wrists and wound them back around the bedpost, his bare chest brushing against hers, distracting her for a moment. Then something solid tightened around her sleeve-covered wrists. She tugged and frowned when she couldn’t free herself. A faint chill seeped through the material into her skin—
Oh, no, he didn’t!
“What the hell, Nik? You cuffed me with freakin’ ice!” Her heart slammed against her ribs. “You can’t just restrain me to the bedpost!”
“In this place, I can do whatever I want.” He stepped back. “You ran from me in the castle, at the club, and now. This is a little insurance as we talk.”
Talk—talk? “I’m not talking to you while shackled.” Clamping her mouth tight, she tugged her hands, but the damn ice had no give. She glowered at him.