“Dump him on the couch,” Ethan gestured at the front door. “I’ll keep him distracted until you return.”
“Leave him tied up,” Cassius said and vanished into the house. “I don’t want to have to chase your brother down.”
“Like I don’t know how to deal with a possession,” Ethan countered, his hissed retort echoed down the quiet street.
“Is this a common occurrence for Detective Carter?” Lara asked, leaning into the driver’s seat.
“Possession is a potential hazard of his job.” Ethan sank down, balancing on the edge of the seat. “This is not his first experience, but he’s been more cautious since the last one nearly killed him. I’m surprised he allowed your husband to get that close to him.”
“I may have distracted him.”
Ethan’s eyes slid over her body. “Yeah, I could see that.”
“Not like that. I was trying to escape Milo—my ex—and your brother came to my rescue. Milo attacked him when his back was to the house. I’m so sorry.” Lara sank her teeth into her lip. Did Ethan blame her for his brother’s possession?
“Dane is a stubborn bastard; you don’t need to worry about him.” Ethan offered her a crooked grin, glancing over to his left as Cassius reappeared in the driveway. “Now, if you excuse me, I have to get back to the horrors of my house.”
“I thought you were human.” A wrinkle etched itself across her forehead.
“I am.” Ethan winked. “I have twins.”
CHAPTER 10
“So, where are we off to now?” Lara’s voice resounded in his ears as Cassius drove. He was focused on getting to Benjamin’s as fast as he could.
He hadn’t seen him in ages, but Cassius knew if anyone could fix what had happened to Dane, it would be him. An exorcism... it would require the advice and guidance from none other than a priest. And Benjamin was just that. Or at least that was his intention the last time they spoke.
They had been best friends years back, but once Cassius revealed that he was a vampire, Benjamin turned his back on his friend. It was because of this very reason that he didn’t like parading around in a black cape with his canines in full display. Blame it on insecurity issues, but it wasn’t his fault. He’d lost a good friend because of it, and now, now Cassius was desperate enough to put the past behind him.
“We’re going to see someone I know,” he answered, never taking his eyes off the road. He stopped at a red light.
“Someone you know, huh? And does this person happen to be male or female?”
Was that a pang of jealousy lacing her tone?
Cassius turned his gaze to Lara. Her gorgeous green eyes stared back at him, and although she wasn’t wearing anything fancy, and she’d been through an ordeal, fighting against the ghost of her ex, she still looked beautiful. So much so that the urge to take her right then and right there on his back seat was becoming tempting. His desire for her grew, the restraint of his pants holding him back.
Fuck, I wanna taste her all over again.
Cassius needed to stay focused. He adjusted himself as best as he could without being too noticeable. He shook the thought from his head, trying desperately to think of something, anything, else. “His name’s Benjamin, or Ben... last time I saw him, he was on his way to becoming a priest.”
A shadow of a smile pulled at her lips. “A priest? Isn’t that like—”
“He disowned me long ago.” Cassius ripped his gaze away, focusing back on the road ahead. “As soon as he found out who I really was... said I sold my soul to the devil.”
A low chuckle escaped her throat. “Well, you kinda did, didn’t you?”
“I don’t work for anyone but myself. Now come on.”
“Huh?”
Cassius swerved, making a sharp right onto a dead-end block. “We’re here.” He parked the vehicle in front of the house on the street. He stepped out of the car, slammed the door shut, and waited for Lara to make her way around it. Typically, he’d have been a gentleman and walked over to her side, helping her out. But right then, thinking of Benjamin and their past, he was on edge.
And he was irritated. He hated asking for favors. Especially when those favors were from people who had turned their back on him.
His eyes landed on Lara’s figure as she walked up to him. “Your friend lives here? This place looks abandoned.”
He swallowed hard. As frustrated as he was right then, and Lord knew she was working his nerves with her constant questions about Ben, he wanted her. Maybe if he could fuck her really hard and good once more before they went in on this Godforsaken mission, he could let go of some of the stress.
Pound her out real nice till she’d scream his name in ecstasy.
Fuck! If this was how it was going to be every time she’d come in ten feet of him, he’d be in trouble.
But, oh to make her come again and feel her sweet secretions coating him...
Cassius lowered his gaze to the ground before him and took a few steps toward the house. “I never said he was my friend.”
Silence. She said nothing for about ten seconds before he felt her walking rapidly behind him.
“I’m sorry, I just assumed—”
Cassius spun around and grabbed her wrists, holding them out in front of her. Breathing heavily, he towered over her, and with his gaze, stared deeply into his eyes. “Don’t. Ever. Assume. Ever.” He wasn’t going to hurt her. Her ex had done enough of that by tying her up and trying to take advantage of her.
No. He just needed to turn his desire for her into something else. Something that would distract him, so they could get through this Goddamn evening.
As he gently squeezed her wrists, he could feel the blood flowing through her veins, and it made him hungry. Hungry for her, and in the worst way possible. Would she let him taste her? Really taste her. Not just her body, but the supply of hemoglobin and plasma, keeping her alive?
No. He couldn’t do that to her. Unless she wanted it, and he knew she didn’t. At least not yet.
Cassius thought she’d be scared as he grabbed her, but once he loosened his grip on her further, he felt her relax even more so than she already was. He dropped his hands from her wrists completely, letting his arms hang to the side.
She searched his eyes, looking for something. What exactly? Forgiveness, maybe? But dammit, he wasn’t cross with her. He just wanted her. Too damn much for his own good. He had her earlier, but it wasn’t enough. He needed more of her. Much more of her. Maybe it had something to do with his dark nature, but something inside of him, the way he craved her and wanted her every time his eyes would land on her, was so intense. He couldn’t remember ever wanting anyone remotely as much as he did her. He knew he needed to get a grip, but he just couldn’t suppress the way he was feeling inside.
But shit, why should he hold back how he was feeling about her? She was what he wanted, and from the looks of it, he was what she wanted as well.
So why was he fighting his feelings?
Because if you don’t focus, you’re going to screw up, and it could possibly cost Dane Carter his life.
Would that be so bad? He chuckled to himself at the thought. He knew he couldn’t let that happen, but oh, if it wasn’t tempting.