H Mallory - To Kill A Warlock

That's when I snapped.

Demon blood is extremely potent and powerful. If humans drink it, it makes them stronger, faster and longer lived. If a creature of the Netherworld drank it…

“What the fuck are you doing?” my voice blurted out before I could stop it.

Knight's vice-like grip around my waist didn't prevent me from attempting to attack Dagan, intent on doing any sort of bodily injury I could manage. But, first, I'd have to wrench the creature from his chest.

I didn't get far before Knight grabbed me around the waist and pushed me back against the wall. He wrapped his hands around my throat, holding me immobile. Gritting my teeth, I raked my fingernails into the skin on his hands. He didn’t even flinch.

Instead, a slow smile spread across his lips. “Don't mind her, she gets jealous.”

The creature continued licking Dagan's chest, but Dagan was focused on me. His eyes threatened murder in no uncertain terms.

Okay, I'd basically just blown my cover and probably Dagan's and Knight's-if they were, in fact, not involved with the creature. But, at this point, I couldn't say I cared. All I knew was Dagan was nurturing the creature with his blood which meant the job of taking her down was going to be a hell of a lot harder.

With renewed determination, I clawed at Knight’s forearms. He glared at me with the promise of retribution.

He suddenly let go. I slumped back against the wall, sucking in a gulp of air. Knight didn’t glance back, but continued to stare at me. “I'm sorry, but I think my little hell-cat here has had enough for the evening.”

The creature laughed and continued sucking at Dagan. Meanwhile, Knight latched onto my arm and forced me out the door. He slammed it shut, and dragged me through the club as if I were a two-year old having a tantrum.

“Let go!” I demanded and glared into his steely eyes, awaiting the detonation of his fury.

He gave me a shove out the back door and I tripped over my ridiculous heels, falling to the ground as embarrassment claimed my cheeks. It was bad enough Knight was fuming at me but I had to go and demonstrate the fact that I was less than accustomed to high heeled footwear. “Get in the goddamned car,” he grumbled. I stood up and shook off my embarrassment-it wouldn’t do me any good. “I'm not going anywhere with you.” “Don't make me lose my temper.” “I've had enough of you and your orders,” I snapped, wiping the asphalt crumbs from my palms.

Knight balled his hands into fists as he approached the Wrangler, pulling my keys from the exhaust pipe. I’d put them there since I had no pockets. He unlocked the driver's side door and pulled the seat back, slamming the door as he started the car.

“Where do you think you’re going?” I asked, livid that he'd taken it upon himself to steal my car.

“Either get in now, or I'm leaving you here.”

I stormed to the passenger door and threw myself into the moving car as he peeled into the street. “You have some goddamned nerve,” I started.

Knight shook his head. “I don't have the patience to deal with you now. You just blew any chance we had of nabbing the creature.” He glanced at me, and his eyes were filled with a rage I’d never seen before. It intimidated me a little.

“As if you have any interest in catching the creature,” I snapped. He faced me and I continued railing at him. “I'm onto your little plan, Knight. I know you're the creature's real master.”

He hit the brakes so hard, I banged my forehead on the dashboard. Not enjoying the feeling, I pushed myself back into the seat and put on my seat belt.

“What did you just say?” he said in a low, dismal tone.

Although it probably was going to be the last mystery I solved, I couldn't help but gloat. I'd figured out his little plan as easy as you please. I was no fool. “I know you're the keeper of the creature. I figured it out tonight.”

He laughed, and it was a caustic sound. “You are an idiot.”

“Don't pretend you aren't,” I said, ignoring the “idiot” part. “And that incident with the creature's blood was really great, by the way. So, let's get this over and done with. Stop the car.” He laughed again. “You want to fight me? You know where that got you last time.” “Well, I doubt you're going to just let me take you into custody, are you?” He shook his head. “Nope, I'm not.”

He took a left at the first street we encountered, and I faced a long alley of nothing but trees on one side and the county dump on the other. Perfect for our needs. He parked the car and opened the door, dropping the keys on the seat.

“Come on, then,” he said.

I opened my door and exchanged my ridiculous heels for sneakers with just a thought and some fairy dust. Okay, so a red cat suit and white sneakers didn’t exactly go together but what did I care? I'd probably be too dead to worry about it soon enough.

Knight had already made his way into a clearing between the trees, and he'd thrown his leather vest to the ground. He stood naked except for a pair of black jeans and a grimace.

“Come and get me, Dulcie.”

I couldn’t entirely rely on my physical abilities or I'd be dead, Knight being way stronger than I. And, he couldn't be entirely immune to magic; otherwise, I couldn't have dressed him, right? Hopefully the answer was a resounding yes.

I braced myself in front of him and shaking my hand until a mound of fairy dust appeared, I imagined a pair of solid, silver handcuffs. When I felt the cold metal in my hand, I knew what I had to do. “It doesn't have to be like this, Knight. You can come willingly.”

He laughed, and in a split second, was on me, pushing me into the ground. I tried to throw him off with a bolt of energy, but he acted like I'd just blown on him. He pushed on my arms until they were immobilized against the dirt. Then he straddled me, holding my legs to the ground until I was as helpless as a turtle on its back. “I'm not the creature's master, Dulcie.” I squirmed under him, outraged when I realized he wasn't going anywhere. I was a goner. “It all fits, Knight.” “It fits if you're looking for it to fit. Don't throw it on me because you're looking for a scapegoat.”

“Then what was that part with you rubbing her blood?” I insisted. Remembering the obscenity, I glanced down at his hand which still bore the red stains. “Or was that just some sick, twisted fantasy of yours?”

He chuckled. “I needed her blood so Sam could do a tracking spell on her. I ‘spose you could say I'd guessed the night might not work out exactly like I'd planned. Guess I'm getting to know you well.”

Boil his brains for thinking of every possible angle. There was a reason he was such a big wig of the A.N.C. And he hadn't gotten there with his pretty face. Embarrassed though I might have been, I was also relieved to find Knight wasn’t the creature’s master because I had to face it-I sort of…liked him.

He chuckled, drawing my attention away from my inner monologue. “I believe we've been in exactly this position before. I'll have to ask you again, are you going to behave if I let you up?”

“And I'll have to again say yes,” I snapped.

The smile disintegrated from his lips. “I prefer you underneath me anyway.”

A thrilling tingle crawled up my spine and wedged itself in my stomach. I knew he was going to kiss me, and I wasn’t about to stop him.

His lips were forceful and demanding, almost lacking in tenderness. I wrapped my arms around his neck and welcomed his tongue, meeting it with my own thrust for thrust. He pounded his pelvis against me and kissed me even harder. The fingers from one hand entangled themselves in my hair while his other hand tiptoed down my neck and chest until it found my breast. He teased the hardened flesh of my already erect nipple through the vinyl of my cat suit as I arched underneath him.