Wicked Pleasure (23 page)

Okay, he had her there. If Brynn were hers, she'd probably be the ultimate jealous bitch. She wouldn't be able to handle that, even if she knew it wasn't his fault. It surprised her to realize how fierce she could feel about this imaginary relationship that definitely
wasn't
going to happen.

Kim had to tell the truth. “I'd want to rip out her heart and kick her very dead body down the stairs.” Whoa, mega-violent images here. Her family would stand and applaud if she brought the same savagery to her demon hunting.

“That's what I thought.” No self-pity, no accusations, just acceptance.

It was the acceptance that got to her. “There's something not right about this whole thing. Ganymede said you didn't have any demon characteristics. Why not? And if you're a demon, why hasn't an archdemon or some other demonic authority figure ever contacted you? Oh, and another thing, demons are evil in all things. For example, Kiki cheated you on that mattress. After we'd left the store, I glanced at your receipt. She charged you more than the price on the tag. I didn't say anything, because I didn't think either of us wanted to go back.”

“And your point is?” Sarcastic but interested.

She drew in a deep breath of courage and voiced the thought that must've been forming ever since he told her about Ganymede's comment. “How do you know you're really a demon? Sure, you woke up believing you were one. So what? I mean, now that I realize there's a whole underground of supernatural beings out there, I think some of them might be powerful enough to wipe your memory clean and give you a whole new purpose in life.”

“Why?”

She shrugged. “Just because they can? To demonstrate their power? I don't know.” Her theory sounded farfetched, but not any stranger than a demon that didn't remember hell.

She thought about her theory and her aching feet during the next fifty-five minutes as they covered every inch of the Wild West. For a chance to slip her feet from Sparkle's tootsie-torturing shoes, Kim even talked Brynn into taking a short stagecoach ride. Surprise, surprise, she forgot about demons for a short time and had fun.

Now they stood outside a building with a Coming Soon banner stretched across the front. Kim looked up at the sign above the door. “The Cock Crows at Dawn?”

Brynn grinned as he led her around to the back. “The best little bordello in all of Texas. Donna named it. We'll go in the back so no one will think it's open and follow us inside.”

“You think there might be demons inside?” The streetlights didn't reach back here, and night closed around them as Brynn searched through his keys before opening the door. Spooky.

“No.” He strode through the darkened building until he reached what must be the front parlor. Then he drew the heavy drapes closed across the window and threw a switch next to an impressive-looking fireplace. Fake flames created a credible impersonation of a blazing hearth. The light from the flickering flames cast a constantly changing pattern of shadows across the room. “But it's almost time for the compulsion to hit.”

“And?”

“And I'd like to test it this time.” He glanced at his watch. “It should begin in about two minutes.” He sat down on a plush crimson sofa.

Kim sat beside him. And waited. And then waited some more. After a few minutes she had to look away from the silent man beside her. It was sort of like waiting for a hiccup when you thought they were over, but you sat almost afraid to breathe for fear they'd come back one more time. But then this was a lot worse. Brynn's hiccups had lasted five hundred years.

The room was everything a bordello parlor should be. Red that bled down walls and gathered in the crimson puddles of area rugs. Velvet that coated everything like red mold—drapes, chairs, their sofa, and a huge round couch in the center of the room. Silver candelabras that rested on the intricately carved tables scattered around the room as well as on the piano.

Ladies of the night who'd never ever need breast enhancement smiled down from paintings hanging on the scarlet walls. Fine, so she was jealous. All in all, it was an awesome whorehouse.

Kim wanted to look at her watch but controlled the urge. Brynn didn't need any reminder of the time creeping by. The compulsion must be a lot more than five minutes late this time. Whatever the reason, she was fiercely happy for him.

Finally, when she didn't think she could stand the silence for one more minute, she felt him shift beside her. She could feel the sexual flow of his change wash over her, so when she turned her head to look at him, she knew what she'd see.

He'd already stripped off his shirt, and she knew she should speak up right now. But a tiny unrepentant part of her waited a moment to enjoy the sculpted perfection of his muscular chest. The otherworldly beauty of his face caught at her and shook her in its sensual teeth.

He leaned close, his heat and scent of aroused male making mush of her common sense. Kim understood why down through the centuries women had taken what he offered. He was raw sex and all the fabled delights of the flesh.

“Take my body, Kim. Use me in any way you want.” His husky murmur said he'd never needed anyone as much as he needed her.

Low in her belly, heat coiled and spread. Representatives from the parts of her responsible for primitive erotic stimulation whispered,
We took a vote. We all agreed. Go for it.

She wanted to. She
really
wanted to. She couldn't. He was a strong man—yes,
man
—who was helpless now and needed
her
strength. She sighed. “I don't want your body, Brynn.” Sometimes moral victories sucked lemons.

He leaned even closer, his whiskey-colored eyes reflecting the fire's glow. “But I want yours, Kim.”

Brynn watched her eyes widen, her lips part, and for one scary moment he thought the compulsion still held him. He wanted her that badly.

He wanted to cover her mouth with his, slide his fingers along her sleek inner thigh, and take joy in the first real sexual excitement he'd felt in five centuries.

“Are you okay, Brynn?”

She moistened her lips with the tip of her tongue, a nervous gesture he found sexier than all the erotic acts countless women had practiced on him. He growled his appreciation.

She stood and then walked away from the sofa. “Is that a player piano?” She didn't turn to him.

Brynn sensed her uneasiness. He'd better keep his growls to a minimum. No matter what doubts she might have about his demonic nature, he was still a demon until proven otherwise. And she was still a demon hunter.

“The compulsion is gone, Kim.” He rose and then hesitated before walking to stand behind her. “But I still want you. I haven't said that of my own free will in five centuries.”

She turned slowly to look at him. He'd expected to see fear in her eyes, but it was something very different he saw there.

“I want you, too.” Her lips curved in a warm smile that touched all the important parts of his body and fed his growing arousal. “And I guarantee I've never said that to any demon before.” She slid her fingers the length of his bare arm. “It scares me.”

He moved closer, invading her space. She swallowed hard, and his gaze slipped to the base of her throat where he knew her pulse beat hard and fast. He'd never shared Eric's fascination with the female throat, but right now he thought Kim's neck was a definite sexual hot spot.

Kim couldn't back up because the round velvet couch was behind her. She sat. “You do looming well.”

Brynn smiled at her, allowing her to see all the sexual knowledge in his eyes, all the pleasure he could give her.

Her smile faded, to be replaced by something darker, more elemental. “Talk to me, Brynn.”

He wanted to keep this light, playful, but he couldn't. “This is all new to me, but I don't want to waste one minute of my time with you. We don't know what will happen in the next few days.”
You might decide to embrace your demon-destroying side. I might be claimed by the archdemon.

Did he believe that would happen? No, but through the centuries he'd learned he couldn't count on anything remaining the same except the compulsion. And now even that was changing.

He reached down and slipped off her shoes.

She sighed her relief and wiggled her toes. “I'm crippled for life, but I'll have to tell Sparkle they worked.” She offered him a teasing grin, but there was a question behind it.

Brynn smiled back, the remembered smile of the sexual creature he became during the compulsion, the smile that filled women's eyes with lust. He didn't know any other smile that said what he wanted. “Let me show you what I've learned of pleasure.” He slipped easily into the language of the compulsion.

Her expression said she wasn't too sure about his wording. She studied her toes rather than meet his gaze. “Something about that doesn't sound right, like you're bringing all those women from your past into the room with us.”

“Believe me, you're the only woman in this room.” What could he say to her? When it came to sex, he didn't know how to be anything but what he'd always been. And this
was
about sex. He wouldn't let it be about anything else.

Kim studied him, and she must've seen something in his eyes, because she nodded. Slipping out of her jacket, she dropped it to the floor. Then she handed her purse to him. “Please put this in the kitchen we passed on our way in. I don't think Fo needs to enlarge her life experiences any more than she has today.”

The pocket of her purse did some serious vibrating. “You're no fun, Kimmie.” Fo was in full whine. “I want to see. Why can't I see? Besides, I sense a demon nearby.” She paused to consider her demon statement. “Of course, it might not be a demon, because all entities feel the same to me.” Fo qualified her statement a little more. “Okay, so I don't see any demons. But one might be around. Somewhere.” She sounded hopeful.

Brynn didn't wait for Kim to answer. He took the purse into the kitchen and set it on a chair. Then he put Fo on the table so she could see her surroundings. “A lesson in human interaction, Fo. Sometimes, people need privacy.”

“Humph.” Fo didn't sound convinced.

“And if you see a demon, just yell, and we'll come get you.” Leaving Fo a little less disgruntled and on the lookout for rogue demons, he went to the back door and locked it before returning to the parlor. Kim was still sitting on the couch, but he sensed her sexual excitement had given way to doubts in the few minutes she'd had to think. Damn.

He'd deal with them. “Second thoughts?” He knelt in front of her, making himself shorter, less threatening.

“Try third and forth.” She reached out to run her fingers through his hair.

And even though he knew his hair couldn't “feel,” he'd swear each strand she'd touched turned to liquid fire.

“I was into the moment. Translation: my lust burned with the white-hot intensity of a thousand suns. Diane Chambers,
Cheers.
And I think she was talking about hate, but it fits lust, too. Now I've had time to think.”

Brynn smiled. “Ah, the brain. The body's ultimate party pooper.” He cupped one of her feet and massaged gently.

She frowned. “Here and now might not be the best place and time.”

“I'm a big fan of spontaneity.” Brynn switched to her other foot. “But you're right. This isn't the best place for all the things I want to do to you. Besides, we have to be back at the castle by six.”

Kim nodded as she reached for her shoes. She was disappointed that he'd given in so easily. Which made no sense at all. It was dumb to even think about rolling around on the floor of a bordello with a man who might or might not be a demon. And she'd known him how long? Uh, one night and two whole days. Amazing what kind of stupidity hormonal surges caused.

She still wanted him. “Right. Let's get going. By the way, how many minutes past the hour did—”

He abandoned her feet to press his body against her knees. Surprised, she forgot about her shoes in favor of leaning back on the couch to keep distance between them.

His eyes gleamed with the feral glow of a hunting cat. “But pleasure takes many forms. I think we have time to explore one of them. Hmm?”

Kim was lying almost flat on the couch, supporting herself on her elbows. “I think we can squeeze in a mini-pleasure session.” She fixed her gaze on his sensual mouth. Yep, tons of pleasure potential. “But I'll be looking forward to the extended version with lots of time to savor you.” She watched his sexy lips tip up in a smile that made her clench her thighs.

Scary. Kim hadn't made love with many men, and she'd never made a decision this fast and felt this definite about what she wanted. She'd take what she could get, when she could get it. Her yearning for Mr. Ordinary was fading fast in her rearview mirror.

Brynn held her with his gaze as he leaned over, pressing his body against her thighs, her stomach. She spread her legs on either side of him to make it easier. Her breathing quickened, and her heart pounded. Her body hadn't taken long to get into pleasure mode.

Her feet were still on the floor and he was still kneeling, but he was a lot taller than she was. His yummilicious chest brushed her breasts through her top, and her nipples hardened into sensitive nubs. She didn't know if she'd survive the pleasure-pain when her bare breasts actually touched his skin.

His face was close to hers, his mouth so near she felt his breath warm on her cheek. His heat touched her in an elemental way, singing through her in waves of anticipation.