“Run!” he snarled, punching one plague in the face. She’d probably never visit a club again. The other demon growled like some escaped animal and dove at him.
With a shriek, the woman leaped up and scampered off. They probably hadn’t taken much if she could move.
He nailed one in the gut with several ice spears, trapping him, wheeled around for the other. “You couldn’t fucking remain in the Dark Realm?”
“Why?” the demon growled. “When the cattle’s better here—”
Nik kicked him in the belly. The demon stumbled and doubled over. Nik grabbed his head, kneeing him in the jaw. Bones crunched. The dickhead’s screech ricocheted in the alley, then he shot up, landed a few blows. It barely made an impact as Nik punched him again and again.
“You know the laws of this realm, yet you break them.” Had he come a few minutes later, the female would have ended up another statistic.
“Nik!”
He glanced back. Shadow hurried to him in those impossibly high heels. Pain bled through his rage as if determined to cleave him in half.
“Stay back,” he snarled, summoning his Gaian sword. His weapon took form in an eddy of gray smoke, the black blade reflecting dully beneath the moonlight. He swung his sword beheading his prey. The demon crumpled to the asphalt, his head rolling away. As the body and skull disintegrated into goo and vanished, his dark soul hovered then disappeared into the ground, back to Purgatory.
Jaw clamped, Nik spun around for the other scourge he’d trapped to find Shadow standing over the decomposing body, her obsidian dagger in her palm, dripping blood.
She had killed the demon, stealing the fight he needed so damn badly to get through this night. The red streaks in her eyes glowed from her feeding. Theós, he was one fucking mess of agony. His possessive mating instincts demanded he find and kill the demon for touching his mate. But the fucker was an innocent.
Inhaling harshly, he dismissed his sword.
“I’ll take you back.” Nik reached for her. But the second he touched her, his control snapped.
He slammed her against the wall, his mouth coming down on hers, hard and furious as all the pain and anger inside him surged free. He picked her up and braced her against the surface, needing to claim her again. She was his. His mate!
Her legs tightened around his hips, her fingers digging into his back, her mouth moving in sync with his as she kissed him back, everything about her consuming his thoughts—
“Nik, wait-wait.” she gasped against his mouth.
Panting like he’d sprinted through every alley in New York, he lowered his head to her shoulder.
Her lips pressed to his ear. “I didn’t feed at the club. I couldn’t do it.”
At her soft words, his head snapped up. But the evidence in her eyes stirred up all the inadequacies of his past and present, at never being good enough. And now, especially for her. “Don’t—”
She put her fingers to his lips, stopping him. “The demon I killed just now, the one you trapped with ice, I took his.” She gave a little shoulder lift. “He was evil and dying anyway.”
Feeling as if he’d swallowed gravel, his throat clogged at the rush of emotions flooding him. His eyes burned. “Stars, Shadow. You couldn’t tell me this sooner?”
He lowered his mental block, and her warmth surged through their mate bond in a heady glow.
“And miss all this wild, sexy lovin’ from my savage immortal?” She nipped his lower lip then kissed him again. “It does turn me on heaps, by the way…” A feminine eyebrow wiggled in teasing.
He huffed out a laugh, the heaviness inside him dissipating like mist, filled only with warmth and tenderness for his female who gave him something he never thought he’d ever have—her unreserved acceptance.
“I’m crazy about you, agápi mou, and need you so damn much! But not in this stinking alley. Later, when I get back.”
She laughed and kissed his cheek. “Can’t wait.”
“And just for messin’ around with me,” he growled, “there will be reprisals.”
“What? Cuff me with ice again?”
“If that’s what it takes.” He lowered her to her feet. “But now that we found a satisfactory way to aid you, I’ll bring you out on patrol when it’s time for your feeding, and keep you safe while you do this.”
She smoothed her skirt. “So basically, I’ll be like one of the warriors, heading out at night to kill evil demons?”
Nik’s eyes narrowed. “No. I’ll do my job finding those scourges. You’ll only be here to get what you need. I’ll take you back to the castle after.”
She rolled her eyes at his non-negotiable tone. “Nik, I can fight. And I’m not giving up trying to help the homeless.”
He stilled as the mystical Gaian sword imprinted on his biceps stirred, an abrasive sensation crawling down his spine. Fuck. He shoved Shadow behind him as several humanoid demons took form, summoning his sword again.
Shadow, can you get back to the castle? he telepathed her, keeping his focus on the horde, hoping like hell Shadow could summon her dematerializing ability.
I’ll try.
Several hellfire bolts shot toward them.
Nik flung out a hand, and an icy wave dosed the fiery arrows coming at them. He dove into the demons, his sword swinging. No one would hunt his mate. Ever.
Shadow scrambled to summon her dematerializing abilities, but it was like grasping at air. Her heart in her mouth, she willed her obsidian dagger instead, the snarls and grunts growing.
Before she could jump into the fight, uneasiness stirred. Her gaze darted around her, so sure someone was watching—
A demon rushed her.
Oh, shit. Adrenaline pumping, she charged, went in low and rammed her blade straight into his heart. The hellrat shrieked and stumbled. She recalled her dagger.
“Shadow?” Nik yelled.
“I’m fine! Dematerializing isn’t working—”
A black mountainous shape took form, sailed over the demons, knocking her to the asphalt. Her dagger fell. Pain jarred up her spine. Hot, acrid breath coasted over her skin. Terrifying, glowing red eyes nailed hers.
The hellhound.
Oh, god, oh, god! Terror streaking through her, she lifted her arms to block her face, didn’t want to see its cavernous mouth or fangs about to snap her head off. Her palms hit its chest, her fingers encountering hot, short silky pelt. Wait, it wasn’t attacking her?
Her lungs burning for air, Shadow remained motionless and cautiously peered up at the hellhound, her palms still planted on its massive, heaving chest. She frowned. Then it hit her—
Agitating dark energy rushed through her like a flood, soothing, nourishing, amping up her symbionts’ dull throbbing to one of giddy delight.
Crap, no wonder it didn’t attack.
She—her symbionts—were feeding, but unlike her usual horny demon donors, the hellhound appeared comforted. Wow. Good, for her, she hoped.
But veering on the side of caution, she lowered one hand and summoned her dagger, just in case. Heck, she wasn’t an idiot.
A long, hot wet tongue swiped her face. Ugh! Even the darn hell-animals licked her, too. Grimacing, she pushed the beast’s ginormous head away and sat up.
“Shadow!” Nik stood a short distance away, sword in hand, his horror bleeding through to her.