“Ewan, stop! Please!”
Words reached his ears as though spoken through a long tunnel, or from under water. Muffled and unintelligible. Incomprehensible to the singular focus of his mind. Ewan stared down at the male whose throat he gripped, seeing, but not comprehending. His was simply another body to put down. Another foe to decimate. Another threat to eliminate in order to protect his mate. Battle rage held Ewan in its grip.
Kill. Kill. Kill.
“Ewan!” Again a voice tried to break through the endless black and instinct that drove him. “Listen to me! You’ve got to snap out of it! Saeed isn’t a threat! Don’t make him hurt you!”
The words had more form this time, but Ewan was unable to grasp their meaning. His grip tightened, constricting the throat under his palm. He’d tear the male’s head from his shoulders and move on to the next. One by one until his mate’s safety was guaranteed.
“Ewan! Gods, listen to me!”
The urgency of the tone spoke to a part of his brain that had been switched off. He recognized his mate’s voice and some shred of awareness returned. Ewan gave a violent shake of his head in an effort to bring himself back into the moment. Sasha was trying to convey something to him, but his mind had shifted into autopilot a while ago and taken him to that dark place where memory and cognizant thought didn’t exist. He was in the full grips of battle rage and bringing himself out of it was a feat he wasn’t sure he could accomplish.
“Don’t hurt him! Please!”
His mate pled for someone’s life. Ewan gave another shake of his head as his eyes began to comprehend exactly what they were looking at. He held the vampire Saeed in his grip. A slight twist, and Ewan could separate the vampire’s head from his shoulders. His rival for Sasha’s love would be dead. Gone forever. Nothing would stand between them …
“Saeed, please!” Sasha tugged at Ewan’s fingers in an effort to loosen his hold. “He doesn’t know what he’s doing. Don’t hurt him! Ewan, listen to me! I’m safe. We’re safe. But we won’t be for long. You’ve got to come back to me! We’ve got to get out of here. This place is burning to the ground!”
It wasn’t the vampire’s life Sasha begged for. It was his. A grayish white glint of metal caught Ewan’s eye and he looked down to see the tip of a dagger pressed against his throat. The vampire was poised to drive the blade home. A quick slice would partially sever Ewan’s head. It wouldn’t take much for the vampire to finish him off. Sasha implored the vampire to spare him even though Ewan had his fists wrapped around the male’s throat.
Color bled into Ewan’s vision as conscious thought returned. The tendrils of heat that coiled within him retreated. He released his grip on Saeed’s throat and fell backward as the battle rage began to ebb and drain from his body. Sasha’s cry of relief drew his attention as he turned toward her. A small crowd had gathered around them. Sasha, Lucas, the other vampire and dhampirs from Saeed’s coven. Drew kept a safe distance from them all as he watched tentatively from the battle arena and the silver cage that began to melt as the hellfire ate away at it.
Gods. What a fucking mess. The bodies of demons littered the floor. Blood and carnage surrounded them. Ewan let out a shuddering breath as he took stock of Sasha’s disheveled form and the blood that stained her shirt and crusted her hands and arms.
She could have been killed. He could have lost everything that meant something to him tonight. Fear punched him in the chest and stole his breath. They’d come out on top, but if the vampires and dhampirs hadn’t shown up, the outcome would have been completely different.
Ewan pushed himself to stand and reached for Sasha. She flinched and took a tentative step back, her brow furrowed. Afraid? Her scent soured as her heart rate increased. He’d always known that once she saw what he truly was—witnessed the unchecked beast that lived within him—that she would run from him. Hurt sliced through him, sharper than the vampire’s blade. Sasha should have let Saeed kill him. Because there was no way he could live with her fear and revulsion.
Lucas pushed his way toward the center of the circle and began to shove the gawking bodies of curious dhampirs toward the front of the building. “This place is coming down around us! We need to get out of here!”
The iron rafters creaked as they melted under the heat of hellfire. A section fell just beyond the battle arena and Ewan’s gaze met Drew’s as his cousin turned and ran for the exit. He was in the midst of hostile territory and Ewan didn’t blame him for cutting a hasty retreat. Sasha might have been terrified of him. She might not have wanted to have anything to do with him. But that wasn’t going to stop him from getting her the hell out of here. Whether she liked it or not, she was his mate. And he was sworn, bound, dedicated to protect her.
“Everyone out!” Ewan’s voice boomed. “Now!”
Bodies scattered at his command. He reached for Sasha, unconcerned with whether or not she wanted his hands on her and scooped her up in his arms. The building’s integrity disintegrated under the hellfire’s supernatural flames and it began to collapse as each rafter gave way. Ewan held Sasha tight against his chest as he dodged the rubble that rained down on them. He shifted, turned, bent his body over Sasha’s as a chunk of glowing red iron struck his back and sent him to his knees.
Sasha’s grip tightened on his shoulders as he let out a grunt of pain. Her gaze met his and for a moment, he almost thought her expression was one of concern. He pushed himself up, determined to get them the hell out of there. The molten iron burned like a motherfucker but it didn’t compare to the lick of hellfire on his skin. He’d be all right. He’d heal. He just needed to get Sasha to safety.
“I won’t let anything happen to you, Sasha,” he said close to her ear. “I promise.”
Her grip on his shoulders tightened and the tension in her muscles relaxed. He pushed his battered and exhausted body as hard and fast as it would go, close on the heels of the dhampirs and vampires who were in full evacuation mode. The ceiling continued to fold, threatening to overtake them and Ewan pushed harder. The entrance to the building was nothing more than flimsy metal frames now empty of glass and Ewan pushed off, throwing his body through one of the openings as he held Sasha close to his chest.
He spun midair and landed hard, the asphalt scraping the skin from his back as he skidded to a stop. He kept his arms tight around Sasha, protecting her. He’d be damned if she sustained so much as another scratch tonight.
“Are you okay?” Ewan murmured between labored breaths. The exhaustion of days of torture, physical exertion, and battle rage threatened to lay him low. “You were wounded…”
In the background, the building collapsed completely, engulfed in supernatural flames. Not even the protective glamours put in place would protect this place from the prying eyes of humans for long. The Sortiari were bound to get involved now. They wouldn’t tolerate any creature violating the sacred secrecy of their world. Sasha didn’t meet his gaze. She didn’t stir. Didn’t utter a single fucking word.
“Sasha?” Fear rose hot and thick in Ewan’s throat. “Sasha? Talk to me.”
“I-I heard you.” Her voice barely broke a whisper. She trembled in his arms and the scent of her fear burned his nostrils. “On the phone. With Gregor.”
Fuck. Ewan pushed himself upright and set Sasha on her feet. No wonder she was terrified of him. She’d thought he’d betrayed her. He cursed Ian Gregor. Cursed his birth, his very existence, and the vendetta that had caused so much pain and suffering. Ewan put Sasha at arm’s length so he could look into her eyes while he spoke to her. So she could use every single one of her senses to recognize the truth in his words.
“What you heard was a lie.” Ewan reached up to lay his palm to her cheek and she flinched. Her fear, her doubt, gutted him and he was desperate to assuage it. “Gods, love. I could never hurt you. I would never betray you. My life, my allegiance, everything that I am is yours. If you doubt that, doubt the sanctity of this vow, or my love for you, then take your blade and run it through my throat. Believe me when I tell you that death is the only option to living without you.”
Sasha brought her gaze up to meet his. Her lips parted and her brow furrowed. “You love me?”
He’d been a fool not to tell her sooner. Had wasted countless opportunities to make sure she knew—without a doubt—how he felt and what she meant to him. But he’d been a coward. Scared of his own gods-damned heart. Silenced by emotions he’d thought destroyed over the course of centuries of suffering. No longer. The only thing that frightened Ewan was the prospect of a life without Sasha in it. And he’d be sure to tell her every day for the rest of their lives how he felt about her if she’d let him.
“I love you, Sasha.” Ewan took her hand in his. “I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone or anything.”
* * *
Sasha’s chest was close to bursting. Only the return of her soul rivaled the warmth, the fullness that Ewan’s words evoked. He wanted her. Over everyone. Over anything. Over everything else in his life. She was first. She was his choice. He loved her.
“I love your strength and your fire. I love the spark of life you carry within you that never dulls. I love your wit and your intelligence. Your prowess in battle, your independence. Your fierce loyalty and the way you protect those you care about. I love your sense of honor. I love your gentleness. Your compassion. I love your beauty, inside and out. I’m lost to you, Sasha, and there’s no going back.”
His words stripped her bare. Everything she’d ever wanted to hear from him and more. To her right stood Saeed, Diego, and members of her coven. The family not of her birth, but of her choosing. Ewan was her family now as well. She chose him. She loved him. And if Saeed, or any of the others loved her at all, they would accept Ewan as she accepted him. For the male he was and not the history that shaped him.
“I love you, Ewan. So much. More than I ever thought it could be possible. I love your heart and your soul. Your protectiveness and every gruff inch of you,” she said with a smile. “I love the parts of you that you might not like. The parts you try to hide. The tether might have connected our souls, but I fell in love with you.”
Ewan took her in his arms and crushed her body to his. Sasha felt the rapid beat of his chest against hers and she held him tighter. Gods, she never wanted to let him go.
“I almost lost you tonight and it scared me half to death. Don’t ever do that to me again, Ewan. We’re in this together. Where you go, I go.”
“Where you go, I go.” He spoke the words against her temple. Kissed her there before moving to her cheek, across her jawline, to her mouth. He kissed her gently. Slow and soft. And through the simple act, Sasha felt all of the love he had for her and more.
“I hate to break up the lovefest, but we should probably get out of here.” Lucas stepped up beside them, tentative, as he kept an eye on Ewan. “I don’t know about you two, but I’m not interested in waiting around to see who else might show up.”
Ewan glanced over at Lucas and Sasha was relieved to find not an ounce of animosity in his gaze. “You’re right. We need to get out of here. I’m not interested in tangling with any more demons…” Ewan paused. “Or anyone else.”
What he omitted spoke volumes. Sasha didn’t need to hear the words out loud to know Ewan worried Ian Gregor might show up with a squad of warlords at his back. She glanced at Ewan and then quickly at Saeed and then Lucas. Her apartment was compromised. They’d find no safe haven there. Sasha and Ewan were officially outcasts. She had no idea where to go.
“Come home, Sasha.” Saeed stepped forward. He was a little worse for the wear, his usually pristine clothes tattered and stained with blood. It’d been a long damned time since they’d fought side by side and Sasha couldn’t help but find it a little bittersweet. Saeed’s gaze wandered to Ewan and back to Sasha. “Both of you.”
Relief flooded Sasha. Hope coaxed a smile to her face. Maybe instead of thinking of this as the end, she needed to remind herself that it was merely a new beginning. For all of them. “Thank you, Saeed.” Emotion cracked Sasha’s voice.
“Thank you.” Ewan’s rough tone vibrated against Sasha’s chest. “For your offer of shelter, for your help tonight, for protecting her.”
Saeed gave Ewan a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. She didn’t expect them to become one big happy family overnight. But maybe, this was a good start.
Sasha awoke with the setting sun. Saeed had boosted security at the estate, bringing in a private firm for the next couple of months. It was a necessary precaution, one Sasha agreed with. And whereas she didn’t think the demons would pose a threat in the future, the same couldn’t be said for Ian Gregor and his band of warlords.
“Now that you’re awake, you should feed.”
Sasha’s lips curved into a smile. “Concerned for my well-being?” Her voice was still heavy with sleep. “Or more concerned with pleasure?”
Ewan gathered Sasha in his arms. His naked body against hers was an indulgence she’d never tire of. “Both, love.” He put his lips to her four head. “Always both.”
The previous night felt like a dream. Or rather, a nightmare. Sasha still couldn’t believe how close she’d come to losing him and a tremor of fear settled in the pit of her stomach.
“Why are you afraid?” The comfort of Ewan’s voice calmed her.
“Just thinking about last night,” Sasha said with a guilty laugh. “We were lucky.”
“That we were.” At least she could count on Ewan to never sugarcoat anything for her. “But we are here now. We are alive. We are safe. And we’re together. That’s all that matters.”
Gods, how she loved him. “You’re right. And I won’t ever let a second of our time together go to waste.”
Sasha rolled and settled herself atop his chest. Her legs straddled his hips as she let the slick warmth of her pussy slide against his shaft. Ewan’s gaze heated as he groaned. His hands came to rest at her hips and he lifted her as he thrust upward and slid inside of her.
Ewan sat upright on the mattress. His arms went around Sasha and held her tight. The roll of her hips was slow. Precise. Languorous. There was no more reason to rush. Their nights together were no longer numbered. Doubt no longer lingered between them. Their tether was secure and Sasha basked in the warm confidence of Ewan’s love.
“This isn’t feeding.” Ewan kissed her throat. Her collarbone. Over her shoulder. “You took some serious damage last night. I want your strength fortified.”
If Ewan thought she could get through this interlude without burying her fangs into his flesh, then he didn’t know her very well. “Have you ever known me to resist the call of your blood in these moments?”
She pulled away to look at him and he flashed a rare smile that squeezed her heart like a fist. “No, love, I haven’t. And I hope that never changes.”
Pleasure radiated through her as she continued to ride him. Her breath hitched in her chest and she let her head fall back on her shoulders. “Never,” she promised him. “Now, fuck me harder so I know you crave me as well.”
“Always.” Ewan held her tighter. He thrust his hips and drove hard and deep just how she liked it. “Not a day will go by that I won’t crave you. Your scent. Your taste. Your body. Your fierce beauty. I crave you like a drug, Sasha. I won’t ever get enough.”
Sasha bent over Ewan and nuzzled his throat. Her tongue flicked out before she sealed her mouth over the vein and sucked gently to coax it to the surface. He kept his unhurried pace, each thrust of his hips meeting the roll of hers. A satisfied groan rumbled in his chest as her fangs broke the skin and the euphoric bliss of feeding from her mate’s vein stole over her.
She could stay this way forever. Each powerful draw of her mouth caused Ewan’s body to tense along with hers. Her muscles tightened, her stomach coiled tight. Her clit throbbed and her pussy squeezed his shaft as the orgasm burst over her, tingling and pulsing, each wave more powerful than the last. Sasha pulled away as deep sobs of pleasure built in her throat. Ewan braced his arms behind him as he met her passion with wild, desperate thrusts. He leaned forward and swallowed her cries as he put his mouth to hers and fucked her harder. Deeper. Each drive of his hips more powerful than the last.
His body went rigid as he came. Sasha took him as deep as he could go, reveling in the sensation of his shaft pulsing against her, the wet, warmth that flooded her and bathed them both in the aftermath of their passion. Sasha bent to Ewan’s throat. The punctures had healed, but she returned to catch the remaining rivulets of blood on her tongue. Ewan let out an indulgent moan as he kissed her shoulder, to the swell of her breasts, upward. His hand came to rest at the back of her neck and he guided her mouth to his and kissed her with all of the passion they’d just experienced and more.
Sasha had never dreamed she’d find a love like she’d found in Ewan. And likewise, she never dreamed she could feel so content. So complete. So utterly sated and spent. She was boneless, helpless, in his arms. Lost to him. And she hoped she was never found.
“I love you, Ewan.” She’d tell him every opportunity she got for their rest of their lives. So many obstacles lay before them and even though their differences seemed insurmountable, she knew they could conquer anything as long as they were together.
“I love you, too.” His golden brown gaze met hers and in it Sasha saw the proof of his words. His lips quirked into a mischievous smile. “Should we venture out from your bedroom tonight? We haven’t had any excitement in twenty-four hours. Stirring up your coven seems like it might fit the bill.”
No rush on this earth equaled the thrill she got from just being in Ewan’s orbit. He was the ultimate adrenaline rush. The perfect drug. Everything she’d ever needed and more. “I think that’s a great idea,” she said. “You know what’ll really get the ball rolling? Drink the Cokes Diego has stashed in the fridge.”
Ewan laughed. “That’s one way to break the ice.”
Every night from here on out would be an adventure, and Sasha couldn’t wait to experience each and every one.