Demon from the Dark (Immortals After Dark #10)(53)

He tongued her nipple as pleasure racked him, so strong he jerked from the force of it again and again.

With a final ragged moan, he collapsed over her body, relinquishing his bite with a tender kiss. “Ah, ara, you felt it.”





23




“You bastard!” Carrow pressed her palm to her breast, flushing from her reaction. “You promised you wouldn’t bite me! Does what I want matter at all to you?”

The demon stared at her as if dumbfounded, while she was panicked. She couldn’t catch her breath. There was still time for him to see her memories—out of context—still time for him to balk at the gate and doom Ruby.

“Let me up!” She shoved against him, grappling to get his weight off her. “I trusted you.”

“Carrow, I wanted—”

“I know what you wanted.” She’d offered herself to him, and instead of making love to her, he’d preferred to steal her blood.

That stung so much. At once, she felt both violated and rejected.

“Get off me!” When he wouldn’t, fury filled her. She launched him into the wall, feeling stronger than she had in years. And he’d fueled it. Which made her wonder—what in the hell had that bite felt like to him?

Rock dust clouded over him where he’d landed. Had she heard something snap?

As the dust abated, she gasped in horror. She’d launched him into the blade corner. His skin was gashed open in a dozen places, blood pouring. On top of that, one of his shoulders had been dislocated, and his right arm appeared to be broken.

Sympathy swept over her, and she rose to see to him. “Malkom, I . . .” She trailed off when blood trickled down her breast and dripped from the peak. Despite his injuries, his gaze was rapt on her nipple, on each droplet of blood.

She dabbed at the puncture wounds, and her regret vanished, resentment and doubt taking its place. Does he prefer my blood to my body? “Just . . . just get out!”

He gazed at her with guilt, even yearning in his blue eyes. But above all else, his expression looked disappointed.

Didn’t matter how he felt. That bite could spell her doom, Ruby’s doom. Ruby, who was sitting inside a cell, motherless, wondering if Carrow would ever return. “Out!”

With a frustrated growl, he left the chamber, limping away. How badly had she hurt him?

After he’d gone, she stared at the exit. For as long as she lived, she’d never forget the look on his face. The disappointment in his expression ate at her.

Which confused her. She cleaned up and dressed, then began pacing. He’d just hurt her, so she should want him to hurt in return. Yet he had her so mixed up.

She had the sense that he’d expected something specific from her—she didn’t know what. All she knew was that she’d let him down.

Agitated, she crossed to Lindt’s backpack for that flask of Jack Daniel’s, wondering, Is it still good? Of course. Alcohol was preserved in alcohol, after all.

As she stared at the bottle, she wondered how her life had come to this. She had an out-of-control, blood-guzzling demon as a would-be lover, a looming betrayal that she didn’t want to deal, and a little girl depending on Carrow to save her life.

She knew without a doubt that Ruby was going to turn her entire existence upside down. And still Carrow missed her like crazy, couldn’t wait to get their life together started . . . .

Getting sauced wouldn’t help anything. But it can’t really hurt either, can it? Carrow lifted the flask, knocking back a shot, savoring the burn.

What was she going to do with Malkom? Besides give him over to merciless mortals bent on experimenting on him.

Everything was so difficult between them. Why couldn’t Carrow have found a guy like Mariketa’s man? Her husband, Bowen MacRieve, adored and spoiled her. He was a gorgeous werewolf who was witty and fun.

Carrow was the mate of a demon who dug blood, possibly more than making love to her. One who couldn’t discuss current events or use silverware and had only recently been introduced to hygiene.

Mari had once mentioned that Bowen didn’t like to watch the same movies that she did.

Carrow’s man? He didn’t know what a movie was.

She couldn’t help but be jealous of Mari. They’d bonded over the fact that both of their parents had left them behind. It turned out that Mari’s had abandoned her to go fight evil and make the world better for their beloved daughter.

Carrow’s wanted to play golf on a perpetually balmy paradise plane.

Mari deserved everything fate was giving her. But I deserve loving parents and a great guy too, damn it!

Where the hell was Malkom? The clock was ticking, and he was the key to her and Ruby’s freedom. That’s the only reason I care where he is.

Bastard bit her! Again. Chugged her breast like a frat boy on a Natty Lite. He broke his vow.

Still, she had a lot of nerve to blame him for that, especially when she was on the verge of destroying his ability to trust forever.

Everything was so damned difficult . . . .

At the end of the flask, she concluded that she was now drunk—and that he definitely should’ve been back by now. Deeming herself powerful enough to fry a monster X if need be, she decided to set out after him. She filched a flashlight, then stumbled down the mine shaft.

Once she reached the exit and the wind hit her face like a slap, she slurred, “Fuggin’ hate this place!”