distance and grabbed her arm. “Killing one demonii is a helluva lot different than battling a horde of them. They get you, you will die. Do you hear me?”
“I am aware of the risks.” She tried to shrug off his hold. “Getting hurt is part of the job—collateral damage and all that.”
His ire shot up at her careless words, at the utter disregard for her life.
“You think this is some thrill-seeking adventure?” He yanked her to him. The delicate, musky scent of her arousal wasn’t helping matters, and all he could focus on was laying her on the table and tasting her right between—
“I know exactly what I’m doing.” Her hands slammed against his chest and slapped him back into awareness.
“What? Being on top of the fuckers’ menu list?” he growled in her face.
She leaned back and rammed a finger into his chest. “I’m willing to risk that to keep this place safe. How about you?” she challenged with another poke.
His blood buzzed in fury. He was seconds from kissing the hotheaded female into submission. Instead, he grabbed that annoying finger and bit it.
She froze.
Deliberately, he licked her finger, slowly sucking on it, and saw confusion tingeing the desire in her eyes. A strangled breath escaped her, and she tugged her finger free, balling her hand into a fist.
“This isn’t about me,” he said, edgy now. The taste of her on his tongue made him all too aware of how easily she was getting past his rigid control.
She glowered at him, but kept her hand at her side. “Fine, don’t answer me. But until you’re willing to do so, you don’t have the right to tell me what to do.” Then she tipped her chin at him, stubbornness written all over her tempting face. “How did you find me?”
Protective urges he thought long dead, burst free. He didn’t want anything to happen to her. But from her mulish expression he was fast losing ground.
“How I found you?” he repeated. “For that answer you’d have to be alive to find out, because I sure as hell am not getting into that right now.”
“What is wrong with you?”
“Your unbelievable recklessness is what’s wrong! Demoniis arecruel, vicious, and cause death wherever they go. They’re nothing like the demons who choose to—”
“I’m well aware of what demoniis do. I’ve seen it.”
“If you know the risks, then stay off the damn streets!”
“Oh, cut the crap. You want me to stay off the streets, then come up with a better explanation than the one you gave me.”
“You’re one pig-headed female,” he bit out in frustration. And had to clamp down the urge to shake some sense into her. “You want a reason?” His voice changed, filling with menace. “Hunting demoniis is my job. The gods help you, I find you on the streets, I will lock you up some place if it means keeping you safe.” His eyes bored into hers. “Go ahead, test me.”
She whirled away, outrage sparking off her. “You’d have to catch me first!”
The door banged shut on her words.
Scowling, Aethan stormed out of the gym. Echo had no clue how far he’d go to keep her delectable ass safe.
CHAPTER 6
Echo drew in a breath as she stepped out into the chilly evening air. She still seethed with irritation and the icy touch of early winter felt good on her heated face.
Lock her up, will he ?
She’d see about that. And that infuriating man had bitten her again. Okay, maybe it was her fault for stabbing him with her finger. Dammit, it was just her finger, not like she used a dagger.
She pulled on her coat and took the few stairs up to street level. Backpack hitched over one shoulder, she hotfooted it toward the warmth and comfort of the Peacock Lounge on East First Street.
Echo pushed open the door to the bar. The overwhelming odor of beer, fried food, and smoke greeted her. A flat-screen TV, suspended above the corner of the bar, replayed highlights from a recent hockey game.
She found Kira taking orders at a table. There was a
“I am aware of the risks.” She tried to shrug off his hold. “Getting hurt is part of the job—collateral damage and all that.”
His ire shot up at her careless words, at the utter disregard for her life.
“You think this is some thrill-seeking adventure?” He yanked her to him. The delicate, musky scent of her arousal wasn’t helping matters, and all he could focus on was laying her on the table and tasting her right between—
“I know exactly what I’m doing.” Her hands slammed against his chest and slapped him back into awareness.
“What? Being on top of the fuckers’ menu list?” he growled in her face.
She leaned back and rammed a finger into his chest. “I’m willing to risk that to keep this place safe. How about you?” she challenged with another poke.
His blood buzzed in fury. He was seconds from kissing the hotheaded female into submission. Instead, he grabbed that annoying finger and bit it.
She froze.
Deliberately, he licked her finger, slowly sucking on it, and saw confusion tingeing the desire in her eyes. A strangled breath escaped her, and she tugged her finger free, balling her hand into a fist.
“This isn’t about me,” he said, edgy now. The taste of her on his tongue made him all too aware of how easily she was getting past his rigid control.
She glowered at him, but kept her hand at her side. “Fine, don’t answer me. But until you’re willing to do so, you don’t have the right to tell me what to do.” Then she tipped her chin at him, stubbornness written all over her tempting face. “How did you find me?”
Protective urges he thought long dead, burst free. He didn’t want anything to happen to her. But from her mulish expression he was fast losing ground.
“How I found you?” he repeated. “For that answer you’d have to be alive to find out, because I sure as hell am not getting into that right now.”
“What is wrong with you?”
“Your unbelievable recklessness is what’s wrong! Demoniis arecruel, vicious, and cause death wherever they go. They’re nothing like the demons who choose to—”
“I’m well aware of what demoniis do. I’ve seen it.”
“If you know the risks, then stay off the damn streets!”
“Oh, cut the crap. You want me to stay off the streets, then come up with a better explanation than the one you gave me.”
“You’re one pig-headed female,” he bit out in frustration. And had to clamp down the urge to shake some sense into her. “You want a reason?” His voice changed, filling with menace. “Hunting demoniis is my job. The gods help you, I find you on the streets, I will lock you up some place if it means keeping you safe.” His eyes bored into hers. “Go ahead, test me.”
She whirled away, outrage sparking off her. “You’d have to catch me first!”
The door banged shut on her words.
Scowling, Aethan stormed out of the gym. Echo had no clue how far he’d go to keep her delectable ass safe.
CHAPTER 6
Echo drew in a breath as she stepped out into the chilly evening air. She still seethed with irritation and the icy touch of early winter felt good on her heated face.
Lock her up, will he ?
She’d see about that. And that infuriating man had bitten her again. Okay, maybe it was her fault for stabbing him with her finger. Dammit, it was just her finger, not like she used a dagger.
She pulled on her coat and took the few stairs up to street level. Backpack hitched over one shoulder, she hotfooted it toward the warmth and comfort of the Peacock Lounge on East First Street.
Echo pushed open the door to the bar. The overwhelming odor of beer, fried food, and smoke greeted her. A flat-screen TV, suspended above the corner of the bar, replayed highlights from a recent hockey game.
She found Kira taking orders at a table. There was a
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