The Devil In Disguise (Bad Things #1)(55)

I need her once more.

Not just once. He wanted her a thousand more times. A million. He wanted her forever, but the devil didn’t get a happy ending. That had never been in the cards for him.

She would be happy.

She would also be far away from him.

“There it is,” Mina murmured against his mouth. “That’s what I missed. That’s how I know it’s you.”

He didn’t know what that meant, Luke just understood that the woman in his arms was the most important person in his world, and he was about to lose her. He scooped her into his arms and carried her back to his home. The home that had always felt more like a prison until she’d arrived.

He kissed her as they walked up the stairs inside. Her body was soft and warm, ever so perfect. When he touched her, he felt good.

They reached the landing. His head lifted and he just f*cking feasted his eyes on her for a moment. He wanted to remember her, needed to remember her. Because he’d be living for centuries without her.

“Why do you look so sad?” Mina asked him.

He knew her voice would haunt him. The voice that had first enraptured him. Then bewitched him.

“Because I want you too much,” he said.

She smiled at him. “There isn’t such a thing. You can never want me too much.”

She didn’t understand. He would have to tell her, but…after. After he had one last time with Mina. After he felt her body against his. After he touched the only heaven he’d ever found—with her.

But her smile slipped. “Wh-what about Rayce?”

“He made it out.” He’d seen the wolf flee.

Her eyes seemed to darken. “They took Julian away. And Eli—he was hurt so badly.” She pushed against his arms and he put her down on her feet. Her body had gone tight with tension. “We have to get them back.”

“I will.” He was far from done with Garrick McAdams and his agency. “Don’t worry, Mina. I don’t lose those who are mine.”

“There’s that word again. You and your brother sure like to throw it around a lot.”

He’d thought she was his. No, he’d hoped. And he’d ignored every sign to the contrary. “I swear, I will get them out.”

“We should go back now,” Mina argued. “We need to get there—”

He pressed a kiss to her lips. “We left the place in chaos. They will have called in every bit of back-up that they had. Dawn is here, and the time to attack isn’t now. I will hit them at night, and I won’t leave without my men.” At night, when my strength is always greatest.

“We will attack,” Mina said, giving a hard nod. “You and I. Look, okay, I get that the last big rescue plan didn’t go over so well.”

No, it hadn’t. Because he’d underestimated his prey. He hadn’t realized that the humans had been given extra help in their battle.

Someone gave them Ori. And…someone had given them the bullets they’d used to rip through his wings. Normal bullets would never be able to pierce him. His brother had denied the betrayal, but…“You told me that they kept other paranormals.”

Mina nodded.

Those paranormals had given up his secrets. The dark paranormals had turned on their leader.

But was it possible that Leo’s brethren had also fallen captive?

It would explain a lot. If Leo had spoken truthfully and truly not betrayed Luke, then maybe he’d been involved because he was trying to help his own kind, too. Maybe…

“You have that look again,” Mina whispered. “Like you’re sad.” Her fingers pressed against his cheek. “I don’t want you to be sad, Luke. Not ever.”

Soon, he’d lose the only reason he ever had to be happy. “I’m going to make love to you, Mina.”

She flashed him the smile that made his heart ache. “I was rather hoping you would. Especially after that ever-so-sexy way you carried me up the stairs.”

He blinked at her and the ache he felt turned warm. Mina did that. Still surprised him. Still enthralled him. He would never quite figure out the way her mind worked.

But he would mourn her loss forever.

I’ve only known her for days. How did this happen? How?

“I don’t understand the power that you and your brother have.”

Few did.

“He…healed me, right? Is that something he can do, because he’s…from the light?”

No, it’s something he did because you are of the light, sweet Mina.

“And you were a dragon.” She gave a quick, nervous laugh. But she kept touching him. “You are the fiercest thing that I’ve ever seen.” She sounded admiring, not scared.

And Luke realized the truth. “You are the fiercest thing I’ve ever seen.”

Her smile notched up, its beauty nearly blinding him. How will I live without her?

He turned his head, caught her hand, and pressed a kiss to her palm. She’d been through so much, and blood still lingered on her clothes. That just wouldn’t do. He wanted to take away her pain. To wash it all away…

He took Mina to his bathroom. Soon the shower was on, blasting water down. He stripped Mina, taking his time, using gentleness and all the care he possessed. He wanted her to know how much she meant to him.