Grave Destinations (18 page)

She laughed. “That’s the point.”

She licked her lips, her free hand braced against his shoulder. Her eyes locked with his, heavy-lidded and dreamy, and his heart swelled with unchecked emotion.

Yes.
This was what he’d missed for almost a century. Connection. Belonging. It sizzled in his bones and in his blood, touching a part of him he’d thought no longer existed.

So caught up in the moment, he’d forgotten all about the demon. Alarm bells rang inside his head as his vision began to flicker. In a panic, he slapped up the mental barriers, desperate to stem the surge of power blasting through his body.

Too late.

The demon stormed past his defenses like sand between his fingers.

 

Ruby watched as Jack’s expression switched from
oh, baby
to
holy shit
in under a second. His muscles stiffened beneath her fingers and his eyes flashed silver.

“Jack? Jack, what’s wrong?” She pushed back on her heels, the passion in her body chilled to ice.

His head tilted a little to the left, and his grin looked totally alien. “Jack’s not available at the moment.” It was Jack’s voice, coming from Jack’s mouth, but it wasn’t Jack speaking. His tone had taken a roughened edge, his features tinged with savage amusement. Then the amusement faded, replaced with feral hunger. “But I’ll be happy to take care of things until he comes back.”

“Oh, no, you don’t,” Ruby said, not sure if she should be scared or angry. Since the demon had the nerve to interrupt them just as they were about to get down to business, she decided to run with anger. “You bring him back this instant.”

“Sorry. No can do.” The demon chuckled. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting for this moment? I don’t plan on taking a back seat to the action this time around.”

“Well, then, you’re not going to get any action at all.” Ruby scrambled off the bed and scooped up her panties. “Either Jack’s in the driver’s seat or I’m out of here.”

Jack’s body pushed up from the bed, following Ruby as she rummaged about the cabin for the rest of her clothes. He leaned close as she bent to retrieve her bra, his palm firm against the small of her back. “You act like you have a choice in the matter,” he murmured, the underlying threat unmistakable.

Terror tightened her throat and set her heart to racing. Would he force himself on her? Was she strong enough, skilled enough, to fight off his advances? She knew how to defend herself but wasn’t sure if she had the skills required to take down a horny demon. But then she remembered something Jack had told her about the curse, about its need for a steady diet of sensuality and arousal.

She turned, tipped up her chin, and met the demon’s silvery stare. “You don’t operate on force or fear. From what I understand, it’s quite the opposite.”

He tilted his head as he took a step back, and Ruby’s hopes rose.

“Now, you give me Jack and I’ll give you—give you both—what you want.”

“I don’t think I believe you.” His gaze blazed a path up and down her body and she couldn’t help but notice that he was still fully erect. “You’d fuck him, knowing I’m still here, watching you through his eyes? Feeling what he feels? Feasting on your essence?”

Yes, because he matters to me.
“Seeing how he can’t get rid of you, I guess there ain’t much choice in the matter.” She skimmed her fingers across his abs and felt the muscles quiver beneath her touch. Looking up, she forced herself to gaze into eyes that were both foreign and familiar. “Besides, you’re the one who’s kept Jack alive all these years. Kept him all strong, and young, and healthy. For that I have some measure of appreciation.” Her hand moved lower, lower, until her fingers brushed over the thickness of his erection. She smiled at his sudden sharp inhale. “So what’s it going to be?”

Silver eyes watched her, heavy with arousal but wary with distrust. “No tricks?” The demon stood so close she felt the heat of his breath against her bare skin.

“No tricks. I give you my word. But I do require one more thing.”

“What is it?”

“Your name. I make it a practice to know whom I’m sleeping with.”

The demon shook his head. “Names hold power. The last person to gain that knowledge used it to imprison me in this pathetic mortal shell.” He glanced down at the body he shared with Jack in disgust.

“Oh, for Pete’s sake, I’m a reaper, not a witch.” Ruby let out an exasperated huff. “Would it make you feel better if I took an oath not to use your name against you?”

He lifted a shoulder. “Maybe.”

“Fine.” She propped her hands on her hips. “I swear in the name of all that’s good and holy not to use your name against you in any way, shape, or form. Happy?”

“I suppose.” His lips pressed together, his expression indicating he still felt torn about whether or not to trust her with his name. Considering what happened the last time he divulged that information, she kind of understood his hesitation.

There was a long, uncomfortable pause. The demon remained silent for so long her nerves began to fray. Finally, he offered a reluctant, “Gilrov.”

“Is that your first or last name?”

He shook his head. “Neither. Just Gilrov.”

Ruby smiled. “Okay then, Gilrov. Give me Jack and we can finish what we started.”

“Very well.” Jack blinked twice, and the silver in his eyes flickered, dimming back to their natural brown. His face held a look of absolute horror as control of his body reverted back to him.

“Holy fucking shit. Are you okay?” He gripped her shoulders a little harder than he probably intended, easing up when she winced. “Sorry.” His eyes continued to scour over her body, searching for any outward signs of trauma.

“I’m fine, darling. Me and Gilrov took the opportunity to arrive at a mutual understanding.”

The lines between his eyebrows deepened. “Who’s Gilrov?”

“Your little”—she made a vague gesture with her hand—“friend.”

Jack blew out an unsteady breath, raked his hands through his tousled hair. “All this time I never knew it had a name,” he said, his face a patchwork of mixed emotions.

“Well, now you do.” She ran her hands up his chest and over his shoulders. “Enough about Gilrov. Where were we?”

He looked down at her with utter confusion. “You still want to—”

“Of course I do.” She ground her hips against him, grinned when she found him more than ready. “Why wouldn’t I?”

He shrugged, obviously uncomfortable. “Well, there’s the risk it’ll take over again.”

“He.” She nuzzled his neck while her hand trailed down his body. “Gilrov’s a he. And like I already told you, he and I came to an understanding. He’s promised to take a backseat while I enjoy the finer aspects of your company.”

“And you actually believed—” He groaned when her hand wrapped around his shaft and began to stroke.

“Yes, I do. We made a deal that I expect him to honor.”

It thrilled her, the way he reacted to her touch. That sharp intake of air, followed by the long, shuddering exhale. Heat smoldered in his deep brown eyes, his focus on her and her alone. It left her feeling sensual, and empowered, and more turned on than she’d been in a very long time.

“I don’t trust him,” Jack choked out, his muscular chest heaving with restraint.

“Now’s a good time to start.” Sweat beaded across his brow when she quickened the pace of her strokes. “You keep forgetting that I’m immortal. I can’t get pregnant, I’m immune from disease, and I absolutely, positively cannot die. You have nothing to worry about.”

Understanding dawned in his eyes, and a look of relief crossed his face.

“Now are you going to take me to bed or what?”

 

Jack didn’t wait for a second invitation. With one arm wrapped around Ruby’s waist, he dragged her down to the mattress. Stretching out beside her, he reveled in the warmth of her touch, the smell of her skin, the throaty moans she made when he found a particularly sensitive spot.

It felt strange, trying not to worry about the demon taking over. A part of him still remained on alert, waiting for the slightest signs of betrayal. To his surprise, the demon kept his word and stayed dormant beneath the surface, glorying in the buzz of sexuality but making no moves toward mutiny. One by one, Jack lowered his shields, waiting for the curse to press the advantage but ecstatic when it failed to happen.

The scent of arousal hung heavy in the air, thickening with every moan and gasp. He took his time exploring her body, finding all the sweet spots that made her whimper with pleasure and squirm against the sheets. Her mouth and hands explored him in return, stoking fires wherever she touched, branding his soul with her essence.

God
, he’d forgotten how wonderful it felt, the punch of emotion that elevated sex from a simple coupling to an act of beauty. It only happened with the right person. He felt so close to her, so connected, like she’d become a part of him, and he a part of her. His heart swelled with the realization that she was all he’d ever wanted. All he’d ever need.

When he couldn’t wait any longer, he rolled onto his back, pulling her on top.

“Wasn’t this what you were going for earlier?”

She licked her lips and nodded.

In an instant she straddled him, her expression so filled with unchained emotion it made his chest tight. She bent down and kissed him, long and slow and deep, not stopping until they were both dizzy and breathless and damn near out of their minds.

He lifted his arm and ran a hand through her thick, red hair. Her lips were swollen, her hair disheveled, her pale skin flushed and glistening with sweat. Those gorgeous green eyes glinted with passion, their focus locked squarely on him. Bar none, it was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen in his entire life.

“My God, you are so perfect,” he whispered, unable to tear his gaze off of her.

She smiled at that, as if it was something she was unaccustomed to hearing. “You’re not so bad yourself.” She kissed his jaw, his throat, his chest, shimmying down his body until her hips matched up with his.

He could feel her sex now, hot and wet and more than ready for him. It would be so easy to seize control, to thrust up into her heat and surrender to the sweet oblivion she offered.

But then he felt Gilrov stir in his blood, straining against the bonds of the flesh. Searching for a weakness, for a means to take control.

“Wait!” Too late. Pleasure swamped him when she took him inside, and he surrendered himself to the ecstasy of Ruby.

He steeled himself for the mutiny that never arrived. The demon shimmered just beneath his skin, a soft warm hum infused with an essence of contentment. If he didn’t know better, he’d say the demon was . . . happy.

Ruby braced her hands on his shoulders as her hips began to roll in a slow, steady rhythm. Reaching down, she gripped his hands and guided them to her chest.

“Touch me.” Arching her back, she offered herself to him. She groaned when his hands caressed her breasts, rolling the nipples between his thumbs and forefingers.

Christ, he loved the way her body responded to his touch. Uninhibited. Enthusiastic. Like she was made for him and no one else. The thrust of her hips quickened, her breath coming out in pants and sighs.

She threw her head back, and her hair cascaded past her shoulders. Eyes closed. Mouth open. A bead of sweat rolled down between her breasts. Her teeth sank into her lower lip as a whimper rose in her throat.

She was close, he could feel it. Tremors echoed inside her body, coiling tighter and tighter toward release. He matched her thrusts, each stroke sparking more heat and friction. The air in the room turned hot and humid, thick with the sounds of skin slapping against skin. Harder. Faster. Frenzied. At last, her body stiffened above him and the whimper turned into a moan.

Her muscles trembled as her climax pulsed around his cock. The sensations dragged him over the edge, triggered an orgasm so intense he saw spots in front of his eyes.

Ruby collapsed on top of him, her face buried in the crook of his shoulder. “Do you always curse when you come?”

He barely registered the question through the fog of postcoital bliss. “No. Did I?”

Ruby nodded. “You strung a whole bunch of them together to form one gigantic curse word. It was quite impressive.”

“Huh. I don’t think I’ve ever done that before.” He pressed a kiss against her hair. “I guess you’re a bad influence.”

Her body shook with silent laughter as she moved off him and lay by his side. Tucking her close, he savored the feel of their skin stuck together, the sound of their breathing in time to the pounding of his pulse. Gradually, his heart rate slowed, the cloud of euphoria giving way to the pull of fatigue.

“Stay the night,” he murmured, his limbs growing heavy.

She didn’t say anything, but snuggled a bit closer. A contented hum slipped past her lips as she hooked her leg over his.

Eventually, Jack drifted to sleep, unable to stay awake any longer. For the first time in years, his dreams were filled with hope, and light, and the promise of a new beginning.

The sun shone high in the sky when he woke.

Alone.

A
nother morning, another round of sparring with Dmitri. He’d hauled Ruby out of bed before the sun broke over the horizon, giving her barely enough time to pull on shorts and a tank top before dragging her up to the fitness center. After fifteen minutes on the treadmill and a few short rounds of stretching, they faced each other in the aerobics room.

Truth be told, she welcomed the distraction. Her mind was a jumbled mess of emotions, tugging at her from so many directions she couldn’t think straight.

Funny, sex usually centered her mind. But what she’d experienced with Jack seemed like so much more than just a roll in the hay. Something had shifted deep inside her last night, something that thrilled and terrified her at the same time.

“Don’t try anything fancy,” Dmitri instructed, snapping her from her thoughts. He’d yet to mention the fact that she returned to their cabin in the middle of the night. Hadn’t bothered to ask where she’d been or what she’d been doing. Odds were he already knew and preferred not to discuss it. “Demons are stronger and faster, so your best chance is to stick to the basics, fight dirty, and show no mercy.”

“Got it.” Pushing Jack out of her mind, she focused her attention on her opponent.

Dmitri lunged for her, and she dodged his advance with a quick dart to the left. Whirling around, she made contact with a kick to the back that sent him stumbling forward.

“Very good.” He spun toward her, a look of approval on his face. The dark stubble shadowing his jaw made his teeth look even brighter than normal. “But don’t stop there. Press the advantage when the opportunity presents itself. You may not get a second chance.”

He came at her from a different angle this time, countered her blow with an open palm strike to her right shoulder. Knocked off balance, she tripped over her own two feet and tumbled to the floor. A bolt of pain flashed through her upper thigh, but she shook it off as she sprang to her feet and away from his advancing grasp.

Considering Dmitri’s superior strength and ability, he took great pains not to harm her. He never struck with a closed fist, never used more force than necessary to drive his point home. That said, he didn’t exactly treat her with kid gloves.

He came at her again, snatching hold of her wrist and yanking her against his chest. The heat of his body warmed her back as one muscular arm snaked around her neck, placing her in a loose chokehold.

“Under normal circumstances, you won’t have much time before you run out of air.” A flex of his arm added a light pressure against her throat.

Acting on instinct, she dropped her right leg back behind his. The shift in posture gave her the advantage she needed. She drove her left elbow into his torso, using the change in leverage to jar him off balance and break from his hold.

“Well done.” He lifted his shirt and rubbed the sore spot on his abs.

Taking his advice, she didn’t give him the chance to recover. Kick to the stomach. Shot to the ribs. A left lead followed by a right cross. She spun around, building momentum for a roundhouse kick.

His arm shot out, caught her ankle in midair.

“I told you not to try anything fancy. Now you’ve overextended and left yourself vulnerable.” Chest heaving, he cupped her leg at the knee with his free hand. “An opponent could easily break your kneecap in this position.”

“Point taken.” Ruby hopped on her one free foot, waving her arms for balance in an attempt to keep from falling flat on her butt.

Dmitri released his grip, and her leg dropped down to its natural position. “Good. Now let’s run through some drills.”

They spent the next half hour practicing different holds and how to counter them. Pressure points. Submission holds. Techniques for disabling a stronger opponent.

They were taking a water break when the door to the aerobics room swung wide open and Jack stepped inside. The sight of him made her mouth go dry and turned her insides to mush. The questions swimming in his eyes made her regret sneaking out of his bed the night before.

“What are you doing here?”

Eyes never leaving hers, Jack gestured toward Dmitri. “He invited me.”

“He what?” Ruby turned toward Dmitri, her brows raised in silent question.

Dmitri took a long drink from his bottle of water before answering. “If he insists on interfering, then we must gauge his abilities and ensure he is prepared to contribute.”

Translation: Dmitri wanted a valid excuse to tear the stuffing out of Jack.

“I don’t know about this.” Ruby chewed on her thumbnail while she tried to think of a way for Jack to avoid getting beaten to a bloody pulp.

“What’s there not to know about?” Defensiveness crept into Jack’s tone as he tossed his towel to the floor by the water fountain. White cotton stretched tight across his back when he knelt to re-tie his shoelaces. “I’m a big boy. I can handle myself.”

“I’m sure you can.” He’d handled himself just fine in Nassau. But a purse thief was child’s play when compared to a man who’d been trained to kill and was itching to knock his block off.

Dmitri chugged the last of his water and dropped the empty bottle in the trash. He stalked toward the center of the room, eyeing Jack like a lion tracking a gazelle. “What’s your preferred fighting style? Kendo, dambe, jujitsu?”

“I . . . I don’t really have one.” Jack followed Dmitri, stopped a few feet short.

Dmitri’s eyes narrowed. “Have you had any training? Did you serve?”

“Yes, of course I served.”

“What branch?”

“Navy.”

“How long ago?”

A few heartbeats passed before Jack responded. “I was drafted in 1917.”

Funny, how the answer failed to faze Dmitri. He snorted, his upper lip curled back in disgust. “Okay, so you have zero functional combat skills.”

“I can take care of myself when the situation arises,” Jack said, the anger rising in his voice.

The corners of Dmitri’s mouth twitched. “Then why don’t you show us what you can do?”

“Wait!” Ruby strode across the room and cut in front of Dmitri. She was powerless to stop the inevitable train wreck, but she might be able to minimize the damage. Leaning close, she murmured, “No closed-fist shots.”

His head dipped down in her direction, the challenge clear in his voice. “Why not?”

“Because he’s not much good to us if he can’t blend in with a crowd.”

Dmitri rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger. “Good point, even if that’s not your true motivation.” Before she could deny the insinuation he added, “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure he remains pretty for you.”

“Thank you.” It was a token consolation, but it was the most she could hope for given the circumstances. She walked back to the side of the room and sat on the floor by the water fountain.

Dmitri stepped back with his left leg, his body facing Jack at a forty-five-degree angle. Knees slightly flexed. Hands dangling loose at his sides. Eyes void of emotion. Lord, this wasn’t going to be pretty. “Let us see what you’re made of, shall we?”

 

Jack stared back at Dmitri, wondering what he’d done to make karma bite him on the ass this early in the morning.

Truth be told, he simply wasn’t a fighter by nature. Yes, he’d gotten into plenty of scraps during his impetuous younger days, but as an adult he’d learned to avoid confrontation whenever possible. Partially because he didn’t think it was necessary to resolve every dispute with brute force. But also because he distrusted the curse and didn’t know what would happen if it took control in the middle of a heated altercation.

Prior to the scuffle in the Bahamas, his last fight happened because he’d made the mistake of putting the moves on another man’s woman. The guy was drunk and highly pissed off, so he’d only needed a few carefully placed blows to take the guy out of commission. Then he’d apologized and bought them both a round of drinks before relocating to another bar across town.

Dmitri promised to be a much more difficult opponent. Actually, he looked like the kind of guy who snapped spines for shits and giggles.

He had to admit, he wasn’t exactly looking forward to getting trounced in front of his woman. Actually, he’d much rather be talking to said woman. Just the sight of her knocked the air from his lungs and roused the demon from its state of dormancy.

He was dying to ask why she’d snuck out of his bed after he’d fallen asleep. Sex was sex, but what they’d shared seemed like so much more. At least it did for him. Did she feel the same way, or was last night nothing more to her than a simple exchange of physical pleasures?

“You look well rested this morning.” Dmitri moved in close, his voice too low for Ruby to hear from the other side of the room. “You must have fed well last night while you fucked her.”

Jack stiffened. His blood pressure kicked up as his hands balled into fists. “What happens between me and Ruby is none of your damn business.”

“I beg to differ.” Dmitri sneered at him with obvious disdain. His arm shot out, and Jack blocked the blow. “You’re nothing but a leech on humanity. Sooner or later she’ll figure this out for herself.”

“I didn’t ask to be cursed,” Jack growled through gritted teeth. Anger rising, he took a swing, but Dmitri dodged the punch like it had been thrown in slow motion.

“Perhaps not, but that fails to absolve you from responsibility.” In a blur of movement, Dmitri landed an open hand blow to his chest that knocked the air from his lungs. “And I doubt it has ever stopped you from preying on defenseless women.”

The curse flared to life, a surge of fury coursing through his veins. Jaw locked, Jack inhaled through his nose, forcing the beast back under control.

“How many have you killed?” Dmitri’s lips peeled back from his teeth. Lashing out, he swatted the side of Jack’s head so hard his ears rang. “A dozen? More?”

He pictured Victoria on their wedding night, her eyes wide with shock and wonder as the life force drained from her body. The guilt nearly doubled him over. “Just one, before I learned how to control it.”

“Ah, so you weren’t to blame.” Dmitri’s mocking tone made Jack’s blood boil. “I’m sure that helps you sleep at night.”

“It doesn’t. I think about her every goddamn day.”

The demon strained against its bonds, but Jack managed to hold it in check. He tracked Dmitri’s every movement, searching for an opening to exploit. The asshole dropped his guard for a second, long enough to land a quick jab to the stomach. It felt like he’d just punched a concrete wall.

Dmitri didn’t so much as flinch. Crouching low, he jabbed the heel of his hand to Jack’s kidney. Jack’s knees buckled as he dropped to the ground, the pain like electricity searing through his lower back.

A flash of vision, and Jack almost lost control. He pushed back against the mutiny, asserting his dominance through sheer force of will.

In the distance, he heard Ruby say, “Dmitri, that’s enough.”

Dmitri watched from a few feet away, patiently waiting for him to recover. He’d barely broken a sweat. “A woman like Ruby must be a great prize for you.” He glanced in Ruby’s direction, a hint of worry shadowing his face. “She’s the gift that keeps on giving.”

“I said that’s enough.” The concern in her voice was replaced by anger.

Jack shook off the pain so he could think more clearly. With unsteady legs, he pushed to his feet. “The gift that keeps on giving? What the fuck are you talking about?”

“Don’t play stupid with me.” Dmitri’s accent grew thicker as his anger intensified. “She’s immortal. An endless buffet for a creature of your kind.”

It took a few moments for the words to sink in. “Are you implying—”

“Dammit, Dmitri—”

“I’m not implying anything. I’m stating a simple fact.” Dmitri huffed in disgust. “Filthy fucking parasite. Is it a game for you? Do you enjoy watching them fall before draining them dry?”

That did it. Jack released his hold on the demon, embracing the burst of power that raced through his body. The effect was similar to an adrenaline rush. Accelerated heartbeat. Muscles more responsive. Increased strength and speed. With a growl, he charged toward Dmitri. Coming in low, he caught the big Russian bastard by the waist and rammed him against the wall. By some miracle, the mirrored glass didn’t shatter from the force of the impact, but the resulting boom echoed across the room.

His fist plowed into Dmitri’s stomach. Once. Twice. A third time and Dmitri grunted. Dmitri countered with a blow to the back of Jack’s head that made him see stars. A knee to the gut and Jack lost his grip, staggering backward across the hardwood floor.

Ruby shouted something at Dmitri, but Jack’s ears were ringing too loudly to pick out the words.

Dmitri advanced on him like a tank across a battlefield. His face held no trace of emotion, just the ruthless intent of an apex predator. Jack blocked his first punch, deflected the next two. The fourth landed low, leaving Dmitri open to a left cross to the jaw. His head snapped back, his eyes momentarily losing focus.

“Is that the best you got?” The bastard smiled, a film of blood staining his teeth. He answered his own question with a lightning-fast shot to Jack’s stomach.

A wave of nausea ripped through him, and for a moment Jack thought he might throw up.

Iron hands gripped his shoulders, pushing downward in an attempt to drive him to the ground. When he locked his knees, Dmitri swept his legs out from under him.

The next thing he knew, he was facedown on the floor, gasping for air. Dmitri didn’t give him the chance to catch his breath, swooping down on him like an eagle from the sky. Arms pinned. Head pressed to the floor. Knee painfully wedged into the small of his back.

Dmitri bent down, his breath hot against Jack’s left ear. “How disappointing. I assumed you would present more of a challenge.”

Fingers dug into his hair, yanking Jack’s face up to meet Ruby’s wide gaze.