“Do you want to tell me more about the woman now?” He smirks over the coffee cup before taking a sip.
I shake my head. “No…not really.” Nia is a hellhound shifter. I can’t believe it. “I took a hellhound to the pound.” It all makes more sense now.
Death chokes out a laugh. “Yes, seems that way. The question is, what does she want from you? Although I can guess.” He cocks his head.
“She told me she needs my help. She said she’s in trouble.”
“That’s putting it mildly. Gaire is a shitstorm of trouble. Nia went against a direct order, one given by her master. Then she disappeared. He’s out for blood. He will destroy all who stand in his way.”
“She’s gone,” I say simply. “As much as I feel for her…” I shake my head. “I don’t want to get involved. I can’t! You know that.”
He lifts his brows. “I think it might be too late for that.”
“The hell it is!” I glare at Death like he’s the one who caused this all to happen in the first place.
Death shrugs. He puts down his coffee cup. “I thought you should know what was going on. If an angry asshole arrives at your door, you’ll know who he is. You can prepare.”
My blood immediately starts to boil at the prospect. “He’d better not…if he knows what’s good for him.”
“Don’t underestimate Gaire.”
“Gaire can go fuck himself,” I grind out.
“You really need to—” Death gets ‘the look’.
“You’re being summoned.”
He nods. “It gets old. I’m tired!” Death rubs a hand over his face. I notice for the first time how pale he is. That he has black smudges under his eyes.
“You okay?” I ask.
He heaves out a sigh and nods. “Take care of yourself. I think you’re right about staying clear of this mess.” He groans, looking pained. “You know where we are if you need help. I need to go.” Then he disappears.
My mind is crawling with unanswered questions. I shove them all aside. I feel bad for the hellhound, but… No. Just no!
Not.
My.
Problem.
7
Rage
Later that night…
It’s dark. All is quiet.
I hear the clock ticking in the hallway, and the soft noises of the refrigerator in the kitchen. There are crickets chirping, and in the far distance, dogs are barking. A breeze is blowing softly through the trees outside my window.
I don’t hear her, but I do catch her scent. Wild and exotic. Nothing remotely like a dog at all, so I’m assuming she’s in her human form. I hear her heart beating in her chest as she draws nearer. She’s nervous. She should be. What the fuck is she doing in my house? Why is she back? When she’s almost standing over me, I leap up.
I grab her wrists and pull her onto the bed, flipping her over so that she’s on her back. Her eyes are wide, and she’s breathing hard. “You could have told me that the dog bed would’ve worked just as well as the sofa.” I use my body to hold her down. Her arms are above her head. I hold them down too.
“You know?” she whispers.
“Yes.”
She tries to pull free, her features changing to reflect her focus and determination. I hold onto her tightly. “Stop!” I growl, irritated that yet again my body is responding to her. She’s naked and underneath me. Her hair has spilled across the pillow. Her breasts are full. Her nipples are as plump as fuck. My dick is taking note.
She sucks in a breath and looks between our bodies. I’m glad I decided to wear sleeping shorts to bed. I had a feeling she might turn up. Right now, my dick is straining against the fabric. I can’t help it. “Why are you here? What do you want?”
I see her throat work. “I already told you.”
“You need help. You’re in trouble. Your ex is after you,” I deadpan.
She nods. “Yes.”
“I’m not your guy,” I say as I get off of her. My jaw tightens when she stays right where she is, namely, on my bed. She pulls herself onto her elbows. She has this tiny strip of hair between her legs, which are open. I know when I’m being played. I keep my eyes on hers.
“You are exactly my guy.” She sits up, with no shyness about her nudity. Now I know why. She’s a shifter.
My sleeping shorts are tight. My cock feels like it’s throbbing. I don’t try to hide the fact that I’m horny as fuck. I don’t try to make explanations for the fact, either. She’s naked…in my house…in my fucking bed. “I’m not your guy. You can forget that idea and move right on.”
“There is no one else strong enough to help me. It’s you or…” I see her eyes fill with fear for a moment before she schools the emotion. Only, I’m still not buying it.
I throw out the start of a laugh. It sounds like a bark gone wrong. I clear my throat. My lip twitches. “You’re really good.” A class-A manipulator if I ever saw one.
“It’s the truth.” She stands. “There are very few people strong enough. Almost all of them are affiliated with Hades…or the Underworld. They can’t help me. You can! You’re the son of Ares…lord of war, bloodlust, and chaos. Lord of destruction. You’re also my only hope.”
“I’m not buying it.”
“It’s the truth.”
“There must be someone else. Anyone else! Did you know I have a brother?” I find I don’t like the idea of Nia going to Maddox. Even though I am suggesting it. I go on anyway because it makes sense. “Maddox might be willing to—”
She shakes her head. “Your brother doesn’t have your strength. He doesn’t have the power that you do. Besides, your brother is…nice.” She shrugs. “Nice won’t work. Nice is no good. Nice doesn’t work for me at all! I need the opposite of nice. I need you.”
I frown but only because I understand.
“Ares may have fathered you both, but it’s clear who follows in their father’s—”
“It’s a ‘no’ from me. Let me show you the door.” I wait for her eyes to well with tears. There’s a sick part of me that’s hoping she’ll offer me sexual favors again. Not that I would accept. None of those things happen.
She folds her arms. “What happened to you?” she asks me. It’s clearly a serious question. “I mean aside from being the bastard son of Ares.”
I grunt. I’m too taken aback to say anything.
“What made you like this?” She gives me a dirty look, dragging her eyes from my head to my toes and back again.
“Made me like what?” I bite out.
“You’re an asshole! Who doesn’t like dogs? I’ll tell you,” she goes on before I can say anything, “no one, that’s who. Only an uncaring mochyn doesn’t like dogs.”
“What the hell is a mochyn?”
“Look in the mirror, and you’ll see one. My mam warned me about people with a dislike for animals. She warned me about people like you.” She widens her eyes, which are fucking beautiful, just like the rest of her.