Claiming of a Sex Demon (6 page)

The door to the local pub came within view, and soon the door
was flung open under his grip. The commotion of his entry caused the afternoon
crowd to holler in his direction.

“No shirt, no service, demon!” The drunken slur echoed in
the room.

Reza came to a dead stop and turned in the direction of the
voice. Spotting the smiling male, Reza strode over and drove his fist into
teeth. Blood soaked his hand.

Two men leapt on Reza from behind, but he threw one over his
shoulder and turned to punch the other in the gut. “What the fuck?” He growled
at the unexpected attack. A jab came back, but Reza didn’t dodge it. Instead,
he welcomed the pain. It only slightly numbed the ache in his heart. Another
blow came his way. Reza threw his fury back into action, his fist becoming a
sledgehammer directed at the nearest midsection. An attack came from behind,
but Reza kicked back and the man fell to his knees clutching his balls.

“Hey!” The bartender roared from behind the counter. When
Reza kept throwing fists, the giant troll slammed a hand down on the bar and
roared once more, thick saliva dripping from jagged teeth. Reza paid it no
heed, exerting all his frustrations in the fight. The three men battling
against him got in a blow here and there, but for the most part, Reza was
beating them to a pulp.

The massive seven-foot troll exploded into the middle of the
brawl. Locals flew from the fray, thrown by a gargantuan grip. They landed
nearby, the weight of their bodies causing thunder as they fell. Reza turned,
but the beastly bartender brought a meaty boulder of a fist down on his head.
The force of a wrecking ball sent Reza to the ground, his consciousness
dimming.

“No fighting in my bar! Especially not before noon.” The
troll spat down at Reza before driving a murky green foot into his gut. The
sharp toenails of the troll drew blood.

Reza gasped for air, but managed a croak as he spit blood on
the floor. “Get me a whiskymead.”

Air whooshed out of his gut as the troll’s foot slammed
forward once more. “Since you missed it the first time, that was me telling you
to get the fuck out.”

Reza rolled over and let the wood floor cool his skin. He
stared up at the grotesque troll. “Whiskymead to go then?”

A giant fist descended toward Reza’s head, but he rolled
away and it crushed through the floorboards. Using the momentum, Reza got to
his feet and left the disgruntled bartender behind. Barreling through the exit,
he was immediately accosted by a female.

“Hi. I saw you walking through town.” The soft voice held a
well-practiced purr, meant to entice him. He looked down at her. She had dark curls
that spilled down past an ample bosom. She pushed it out toward him, but gasped
at his bloodied state.

“Are you okay?” Her hands caressed the contours of his
pectoral muscles, pushing herself into his space. He inhaled the scent of her,
gaudy and overwhelmingly floral. Not crisp and clean like the scent of Emmerie,
who smelled of river water tumbling through a meadow of lavender. “Do you wanna
come to my place? I can clean you off.”

Her sensual promise wasn’t lost on him, but the thought of
being with her made Reza want to vomit.

“Just point me to the nearest meadshop.”

Instead of answering his request, she glared at him, pulling
the string loose on her top so her breasts became further exposed.

Reza looked down and met her gaze once more. “You’ve come undone.
Which way to the grog stop?”

The glare continued, but she pointed a finger down the
alley. “Take a right. If you keep going you’ll find my place. If you come by
later, I’ll forgive you.”

Reza walked past her, not caring that his shoulder nudged
her on the way. She stumbled and her hatred drilled a hole in his back. Yet
she’d still take him into her bed. Talks of the talents of a sex demon traveled
fast in most towns.

First stop, grog. After that, the only thing that could cool
his rage, a cold bath. And he knew just where to get one.

* * * *

Emmerie laid in bed for hours. The process of doing nothing
wasn’t new to her. Her depression left her motionless in the dark enclosure of
her home on many occasions. This time was different. Lying in bed, she listened
to the soft thrum of her heartbeat. Should she listen to her heart and go
tearing into town after Reza? Or should she let him go and venture out on her
own? The only thing she did know was that being with Lennox was no longer an
option.

Well, if she did start a new life on her own, lying in bed
pondering her sorrows would not be a good start. Emmerie picked herself up and
prepared to head out. It was a warm day, so she didn’t bother grabbing her
cloak, instead, she grabbed a towel and headed to the lake. Stepping into the
warm sun, she recalled the comforting sensation of Reza’s hot skin against hers
in bed at night. Sleeping with a man like that, she’d never need a comforter
again.

Finally, the cool lake loomed ahead. The thought of a long
swim under the sun made her smile. The next best thing to being in Reza’s arms.
But as the clearing came into view, she realized someone else had the same
idea. She halted in her tracks, the encounter with the ruffian still a
frightening reminder that she could easily be overpowered if she fell into the
hands of bad company.

Even from afar, she recognized the dark hair plastered to a
pale, angular face. Reza was lying on the water, his gaze focused up on the
sky. But she knew if he looked her way, she’d see his eyes of bright amber
penetrating the depth of the forest. Emmerie hid behind a tree instead of
stepping into the clearing. Although she’d wanted a swim, watching Reza glide
through the water was just as good. His long body glided across the surface,
his muscular arms powering him through the lake.

Without warning, he suddenly looked her way. Emmerie darted
behind the wide tree and waited for a moment, clinging to the hope that she
remained unseen. Gathering her courage, she peered around the bark. What she
saw made her mouth water. But she wanted to run.

Reza had seen her, and he stalked through the water toward
her. With every step, more and more of his body was revealed. His hard abs
glistened like granite as droplets of water caught the sun. The water dipped lower
and lower, until it splashed against the hard cut V at the bottom of his torso.
She knew what came next. The water gave way to Reza’s manly flesh. He wore no
shorts, and his growing erection was exposed before her eyes. The evidence of
his arousal was matched by a dedicated gaze. Even if she hid behind the tree
once more, she was sure his sensual stare would penetrate straight through the
wood and render her motionless.

As he stalked forward, she was his prey. One look from him
caused her heart to stop and her knees go weak. Peeking at his hard shaft left
her wet.

“What are you doing here?” The voice was low,
barely-contained fury.

Emmerie stepped from behind the comfort of the tree. “I came
for a swim.” Her voice escaped in nothing more than a coward’s mumble. She
looked down to avoid his solemn gaze but encountered his hard, wet stomach.

“You’re in dangerous territory, Emmerie. Go home.”

Emmerie tried to move, but her limbs wouldn’t work. Reza’s
gold stare had locked her knees. He stepped closer until they were only a
breath apart. She smelled honey mead on his breath.

“Last chance.” His hard jaw was set. For the first time, the
male looked every bit a sex demon. If she didn’t go, he would take her. And she
would let him.

She would run, but not home. Emmerie smiled and sprinted
forward past Reza, nearly knocking him over as she ran toward the lake. Wind
rushed past her and ushered free a laughter that had long been trapped inside
her. She would be free, if only for a few minutes.

As the lake neared, she didn’t look back. Emmerie tore her
clothes off piece by piece. She reached the lake’s edge and leapt in, the water
splashing against her as she ran deeper. The depth of the lake finally
swallowed her and Em just barely peeked from the surface. She turned back
toward the tree line, but Reza was already entering the lake.

* * * *

All the anger in Reza’s body had fled when Emmerie rushed
past him with a smile on her face. She ran toward the lake with reckless
abandon, and for a split second, he thought she would run away with him. Only a
fool wouldn’t run after her. Reza was at the lake’s edge in an instant, craving
to run his hands over Em’s subtle curves. They were hidden beneath the surface
now, but as she leapt into the water, she’d become an erotic mermaid.

Emmerie turned and he crashed into her, capturing her lips
in a desperate argument. His tongue sought hers. He explored the inside of her
mouth as his hands pulled her body closer under the water. She shivered
slightly, but he didn’t think it was the temperature. His teeth captured her
bottom lip. Only one reason could make him let go.

“Run away with me.” The words escaped before he knew it. Would
she forsake him?

Her sapphire gaze met his with longing. Instead of replying,
she threw herself into him. Together they sank back into the water. Emmerie’s
body relaxed atop his, and he welcomed the chance to be her personal floatation
device. Her breasts rested atop his skin like floating lotuses, although no
flower could rival her beauty. Her long, blonde hair was wet up to her cheeks;
it splayed across his torso and into the water as they drifted together. He
drank in the sight of her, only to be interrupted by Emmerie’s passionate kiss.
She kissed him so hard water tickled his ears. He would have drowned if it
meant he could receive more of Em’s passion. His hands went to her round
derriere and squeezed hard. She moaned amidst the kiss and it caused him to
become harder than belief. She made him ache.

“I want you, Emmerie. All of you.”

“Why? Because I’m the only girl who hasn’t let you make love
to them?”

“No. Because you’re the only one who wants to make love.
Everyone else just wants a talented fuck.”

A pink glow took to Emmerie’s cheeks. She was more damn
innocent than she knew. But he loved that about her. He wouldn’t call her
naive, but she saw the world for its best possibilities.

He lifted her chin so her crystal gaze met his. “I love to
make you smile.”

Her lips curved up just a little. “Then wait for me. Please
understand. I want it to feel right between us. I don’t want to feel guilty if
we make love behind my husband’s back.”

Her lip quivered and he dropped his hand from her chin. She
thought he wouldn’t wait. “I apologize for my behavior, Em. You’re my lifemate.
I would wait forever for you.”

“Good.” She exhaled and he was happy to see her visibly
calm.

“No, not good.” He chuckled. “Tolerable.”

She punched him through the water and it splashed against
his chest. Her laughter brought him to a new high.

“Friends for now. But after it’s done, I’m going to have
your body for days. We’re going to experience pleasure together in every single
way. I want to introduce you to what you can expect for the rest of your life.”

Again, she blushed. But this time, her smile stretched high
into her cheeks and she nestled into his body, just holding him. Gods, it felt
right. “You’re so warm.”

“I don’t want to risk getting you sick though. The sun will
be setting soon. Perhaps I can take you home and make you dinner?”

“You’re going to make me dinner?”

“Before I came here, I lived with my sister. She can’t cook
to save her life, so I was forced to learn my way around a stove.”

“The sight of you in my kitchen is the only thing that could
make me leave this lake.” Emmerie pulled him close and kissed his shoulder. But
then she froze. Tension stilled her body and goose bumps covered her flesh.

Reza immediately went on the defensive and reached a new
fury when he realized he didn’t have a blade on him. He turned to where
Emmerie’s gaze was plastered on the clearing. He caught sight of a man on the
horizon, and realized that Emmerie wasn’t in danger. She was in despair. The
man stood on the forest line, but Reza could still make out his features. He’d
seen the same man in the bar, and he hadn’t been on the man’s good side then
either. The man held a dangerous glare in his eyes, but turned and departed
through the forest.

“I’m sorry, Emmerie. I know in a small town, gossip can
travel fast.”

A whimper caused him to look up at Emmerie. She was crying.
Her lip trembled, but he cupped her cheek in his hand. He looked deep in her
eyes, willing her to believe it would be okay.

“That was my brother.”

Reza took her home through the woods, but she hadn’t been
hungry for the dinner he cooked. It looked good. He used everything in her home
to craft something that resembled culinary splendor. But her stomach ached with
disappointment. Her brother had looked at her with disgust.

“Please eat something. I know you’re upset, but at least put
some bread in your stomach so you don’t feel weak.”

“Too late. A sex demon moves into town and I just lose all
my principles.”

Reza’s fist clenched where it rested on the table. “It’s
more than that and you know it.”

He stood to leave, but a new agony flooded Emmerie. “Wait.”

His eyes flickered like flames, and Em observed the way his
jaw was set. He waited for her to speak.

“Don’t go into town. Stay here. It won’t be safe. Look, I’ll
eat bread.” She took a hunk out of the bread to convince him.

“I don’t have fear of the locals. You think I haven’t been run
out of a town before?”

She stopped chewing on the bread. Thinking about him with
other women made her ache just as bad as when she’d seen her brother in the
woods. “Stay for me then. Please. I don’t want to be alone.”

He turned to meet her gaze, and in the dimly lit home, his
eyes were lanterns, glowing with intent. “For you.”