Demon Love Read online

  He watched as her face flushed bright red but her hand never wavered. “I’d be a fool to fall for talk like that.”

  Thor sighed. So much for the truth helping. “True, but think about this. If I came here to kill you, I would have done it first thing. I wouldn’t have taken the time to enjoy a drink or show you the weapons. And I sure as hell wouldn’t have given you a chance to get the drop on me.”

  Emotions played across her face as she slowly lowered the gun. “I hope I don’t die regretting this decision.”

  He crossed the distance between them and gently removed the gun from her hand before placing it on the kitchen counter. He brushed a strand of blond hair back from her face and looked into large turquoise eyes. Her lips were parted, making her look so damn sexy he wanted to take her to bed and not leave for days.

  Instead, he let the backs of his fingers graze the soft warm skin of her neck before stepping back. “I’m going to leave before I do or say anything more that’s unprofessional. See you at the office later. Bring your coat and don’t let anyone else touch it.”

  Thor didn’t stop as he made his way to the front door, afraid that if he did, he would give in to the urge clawing at his insides to take her. He’d almost made it safely out of the house when he heard her behind him.

  “You do know I wouldn’t mind some unprofessional behavior between us.”

  He closed the front door behind him and walked away. It was the hardest damn thing he’d ever done.

  “Are you sure this is what you want?” Midnight asked from the other side of his desk at the United Realm Security building.

  No, Kendra thought as she tried not to show her true feelings. Midnight had the uncanny ability to read a person and to know when they were lying. And she totally sucked at telling lies. “Yes, I’ve given this a lot of thought and I want a transfer.”

  Midnight reviewed the paperwork in front of him and then looked back up at her. “I’ll see what can be done, but it might take some time.”

  “I understand.” Hearing a noise behind her, Kendra fell silent. Turning, she noticed the hard look in Thor’s eyes as he stood in the office doorway. She turned back to Midnight as she stood. “I need to get ready for the briefing. Thanks for your time.”

  Thor didn’t move from where he stood, so Kendra was forced to squeeze by him to get out the door. As she did, their bodies brushed against each other causing heat to pool in her belly.

  She made her way past him without saying a word or making eye contact and headed straight to the break room for a quick cup of coffee before the meeting started. There were four team leaders in the Houston area, Midnight, Navida, Erik and, of course, Thor. All were from Torlin and all were master demon- fighters. At the evening briefing, the teams were given their area to patrol and updated reports on what was happening at other invasion sites around the world.

  With the cup of steaming coffee in hand, Kendra went to her desk and opened the folder that awaited her. Each team consisted of eight people who worked to cover a ten square block area of downtown Houston. The territory didn’t sound large, but when you were chasing, or being chased, by several madder-than-hell demons, it was a lot of ground to cover. As second-in-charge, it was her job to be as prepared as Thor. Which normally wasn’t a problem, but tonight her mind wandered to Thor and his visit. After he’d left, she’d been unable to fall asleep until much later. She truly hoped he meant what he said, because that had spurred her into coming in early to speak with Midnight about a transfer. She’d decided to take the first step, because it was painfully obvious he wasn’t going to do a darn thing but be professional.

  There were other relationships between team members. Some were open about them and others kept them on the down low. The only regulation against such relationships stated that Lead Hunters could not be involved with a direct report. Even if something did happen between Thor and her, she wouldn’t be held accountable, but Thor could lose his position and/or be forced to return to Torlin. Not liking either of these options, she’d come in early to request a transfer to another team.

  There was a noise at the opening to her cubical, and looking up she smiled. Noah Campton, a teammate and friend was standing there. “Hey, what’s up?”

  “I was checking to see how you were doing after getting ashed,” Campton stated as he leaned one shoulder against the opening.

  “I’m good.”

  “Are you sure?” Campton asked with honest concern in his voice.

  She smiled. He reminded her of an overly protective brother. “Yes, I’m positive. Now, you’d better get a move on or you’re going to be late to the briefing.”

  “Yes ma’am.” Campton stood straight and gave her a little salute as he turned and walked away.

  With a slight laugh and a smile, she took both the coffee and folder with her as she headed to the briefing room, also. The room was almost full so she took a seat at a table in the second row.

  Erik, the fourth Torlin team leader, walked in and went directly to the front, taking charge of the briefing. The chatter in the room immediately silenced when he stepped up to the podium. Kendra did a quick scan of the room and spotted her other team members, but no Thor. She started flipping through the folder as Erik spoke, jotting down notes as he went. She jumped when a warm body slid into the chair next to her. The unmistakable aroma of soap and earthy cinnamon assaulted her senses and she knew without a doubt it was Thor.

  He leaned into her as he reached across her and pulled the paperwork closer so he could see it, too. He stayed with their shoulders touching and she felt as if an electric current was flowing through her body. Beneath the table, his warm thigh pressed against hers and her heart rate sped up. She glanced to the right and saw Thor’s strong profile and wondered if he felt the heat between them the way she did. From all appearances this was just another meeting to him. Then he turned his head enough that she could see his eyes. Black and silver swirled together filling his eyes with a passion that took her breath away.

  The meeting ended and Thor spoke for the first time. “Stay.”

  She closed her folder and gathered her items as the others cleared the room. There was something in his tone she didn’t like. “Is there a problem?”

  Thor looked about the room before making eye contact with her. “You’re going to ride shotgun with me tonight. It was decided earlier you shouldn’t be out there alone.”

  Kendra felt anger ignite deep inside her. “You’ve got to be kidding. I haven’t ridden shotgun since earning my first badge, and I’ll be damned if I’ll do it tonight.”

  She pushed her chair back and went to stand. Thor’s hand shot out and wrapped about her arm, keeping her in place. “Let me go.”

  His face was nothing but hard angles. “Not until you listen to all I have to say. We all ride second seat at different times. This has nothing to do with your ability. It’s purely a safety factor.”

  Kendra pulled her arm away from his grasp. “It’s a slap in the face and you know it. It will make everyone think you don’t trust me to do my job, no matter the reason. I won’t let that happen.”

  Thor’s eyes narrowed. “You ride with me or you go home until we have this situation resolved.”

  “Home!” She looked around to make sure no one was within listening range. “You never said anything about this when you dropped by my house earlier.”

  He moved slightly, blocking her view of everything but him. “The decision wasn’t final until Navida, Erik, Midnight and I met a couple hours ago.”

  She was so angry at this turn of events that she didn’t know what to think. “You can’t take me off the street.”

  “We aren’t doing that.” His voice softened ever so slightly.

  She stood, unable to stay seated any longer. “You might as well be, and you know it. This one move strips me of all the respect I’ve earned as a hunter. Especially in the eyes of the Torlin team members.”

  Thor stood and took a step closer, but she didn’t move.
There was no way she was going to give an inch. “Believe what you want, but at the team lead meeting this afternoon, the other three wanted you benched until this is cleared up. I fought to keep you working. This is the compromise.”

  Her anger melted away leaving only confusion. “Why did you do that?”

  “I knew if we pulled you from the team, you’d feel as if we didn’t trust your skills or instincts.” His eyes shimmered as they transitioned from black to silver then back.

  She took a deep breath as she tried to ignore the sexual tension that suddenly rose between them. “How did you know I’d feel that way?”

  Thor leaned so close his breath whispered across her ear when he spoke. His chest brushed against hers causing her nipples to tighten. Her breath caught in her lungs and she froze.

  “Because, I would feel the same way.” He straightened and looked into her eyes. His gaze drifted down her body, then back to her face. “We hit the streets in fifteen minutes. Be ready.”

  She watched him walk out of the room, and finally released her breath. For a brief moment she wondered if maybe she shouldn’t take the time off and then immediately dismissed the thought. She retrieved her coffee cup and papers and then headed back to the break room for another quick cup of coffee. She had the strangest feeling it was going to be a very long and tense night.

  Thor waited beside his customized 1969 Dodge Charger RT Hemi. The vehicle was decked out with all the latest gadgets for demon-hunting. Normally, he didn’t allow himself any extravagance while living on another world, but Earth was different. The beauty, the people and their culture filled a hole in him. He lived a simple life here on Earth. The Charger was number two on his list of things he most wanted, and it was the one luxury he allowed himself. Considering Kendra filled the number one slot and was totally off-limits, he consoled himself by purchasing the car of his dreams. Even though he enjoyed the car, it did nothing to satisfy his cravings for her.

  The door to the building opened and a few hunters walked out. Kendra broke away from the small group and headed toward him. He couldn’t take his eyes off her. The woman’s long-legged stride, shapely body and shoulder-length blond hair fascinated him from the first moment he met her. With her, though, it went beyond the normal lust he was used to feeling for select other women. This went deeper and stirred the beast that lived inside of him, and that had him worried. He was walking a very fine line here. Those from Torlin were forbidden to release their inner creatures for any reason outside their world, which hadn’t been a problem for him until he met Kendra. Now, the beast was pulling at its chain wanting out to claim its mate. He had to get himself back under control, if not they’d be taking the Charger for an entirely different type of ride tonight.

  Kendra stopped in front of him. “Does the car come with the position? All you team leaders drive the best muscle cars around.”

  Thor opened and held the passenger door for her. “There is nothing like this where we come from. So it’s a novelty for us and we can’t seem to resist the speed and power.”

  She laughed and her face lit up. “Well, don’t feel bad. Only a crazy person would turn down a car like this.”

  Closing the door, he went around and climbed into the driver’s seat. Kendra’s scent, a mix of lavender and spice, filled the small space. It called to him like pollen to a bee. He started the car and pulled from the garage and into the last few minutes of daylight.

  “Growing up, this used to be my favorite time of day. Now it’s the saddest.” Kendra stared out the window as the last few people on the streets headed for the safety of home or shelter.

  Thor gripped the steering wheel hard. “How old were you when the first portal opened?”

  “Thirteen.” She watched as people ran inside. “We weren’t always scared of the night, you know. There was a time when we would camp under the stars and enjoy the nighttime as much as the daylight hours. Now there are entire generations growing up who never spend a minute outside after dark.”

  “The portal between the two worlds should have never been opened.” Thor also knew without it he’d have never found her.

  “No, it shouldn’t have, but both of our governments should be held accountable. If they hadn’t tampered with nature, the gateways would have remained closed forever.”

  He glanced over at her and his breath caught in his lungs at her sheer beauty. Turning his attention back to the road, he cleared his throat. “They should, but they won’t be. Torlin officials were arrogant enough to think they could contain the demons and none would ever escape to your world. No one realized the beast would be able to travel through the openings. It had never happened before.”

  “It seems government officials are the same no matter what realm you live in.” Kendra turned in her seat to face him. “Is it true your father is a demon?”

  “Yes.” Thor parked at the corner of Travis and Austin as the last of the evening light faded from the sky. In two more weeks there would be another full moon, a blue moon, and he would be fighting the demons coming through the gate and the one within. He was no longer sure which he feared most.

  “What is he like?”

  Her question was earnest and filled with honest curiosity, not the disdain that sounded in the voices of most people who knew the truth about him. “You have to understand, my father has feelings and morals which set him apart from the demons we track down and eliminate. He has managed to hang on to his humanity, where others don’t. It is the emotional, rational part that allows him to stay in human form and not turn.”

  She checked her watch. “We still have thirty minutes before full sunset. Is it true your father can change back and forth whenever he wants?”

  Thor reached across the small space and brushed his fingers across the back of her hand. Her skin was soft and warm. Here sat everything he wanted, everything he needed and exactly what he couldn’t have.

  He pulled his hand back and looked into her large, sensual eyes. “Those of us born of mixed blood live with the constant desire to transform. Most can go back and forth, but it’s said each time you change you lose a portion of your humanity. Eventually, you don’t have the desire or strength to change back to human form.” She studied him and he wondered if she could see the beast that lived inside him.

  “Have you ever changed?” Her voice was soft when she spoke.

  Coldness ran through him at the question. He could lie, but if he told the truth then maybe she would stop looking at him with desire in her eyes. “Yes. After my mother was murdered, my father and I went after those responsible.”

  Kendra’s eyes filled with compassion. “Why was she killed?”

  His voice was rough when he spoke. “My father is demon while my mother was human. There were both demons and humans who felt they should never have married. It was the demons who took action against my family.”

  “So you became a hunter for revenge?”

  “No, I had my revenge. I became a hunter so others would not have to suffer the way my father and I have.”

  Kendra gave him a heartbreaking smile as she took his hand in hers. “Funny, we come from different worlds, but we both joined this organization for the same reason.”

  He knew all too well she signed up because her family had been killed by a group of demons and couldn’t help but wonder if she hated the demon side of him. There were times he despised that side of himself and those moments seemed to be coming more frequently. He often thought he should return home, where people accepted demons more readily, but he didn’t fit in there, either. Mixed bloods were as just as shunned there. He could simply ask her what she thought of him, but he’d rather face a hundred hellhounds than hear this one woman dash his dreams. “Time to get ready for work. I have the feeling it’s going to be one bad night.”

  Chapter Three

  Six hours later, Kendra was wondering if Thor’s demon side gave him a sixth sense into how the night would turn out. The demons tonight seemed to be out in full force and m
eaner than ever. Currently there were half-a-dozen hunters fighting way too many demons on one city block. It was totally insane, Kendra thought as she blasted a demon back to the hell it’d come from. The weapon she held vibrated signaling it was out of ammunition. Damn, now all her guns were empty.

  “Kendra! Behind you.” Thor’s voice was clear and strong over the ensuing battle.

  She turned in time to see a two-headed winged Urgan launch two arrows at her. The first dart flew past her face, so close she felt the breeze. She wasn’t so lucky with the second one—it tore through her pants and grazed the side of her leg.

  Pain radiated up her leg as she sprinted down a dark alley in an effort to ditch the Urgan chasing her. There was nothing to take cover behind, so she ran deeper. With her blasters empty, the only weapons she had left were antimatter grenades and her dagger. She knew there was no way she could use the dagger on the two-headed beast and survive. That left using the antimatter grenades, except now she was trapped in the dead end alley where she couldn’t get out of range of the grenades’ blast.

  They’d been taught to use their Torlin combat coats as cover during their training. The grenade would literally disintegrate anything within a ten-yard radius. She’d witnessed a demonstration once before, and even though that person lived, she wasn’t happy about trusting her coat with her life.

  She pulled her dagger, but knew there was no way she could take the monster with it. With the other hand she retrieved an antimatter grenade as she ran deeper into the alleyway. From the time she flipped the switch, she’d have twenty seconds to take cover. Releasing the safety, she dropped the grenade and ran, counting off the seconds in her head.

  “Kendra, where are you?” Thor’s voice carried down the dark street.