She was feeling scorched. “Okay, look, there’s a dead demon on the floor. How about we just talk about this other stuff later?” Because she had another demon to catch. A demon who thought he was getting away with her cash. As if she’d just kiss that dough good-bye.
Her gaze darted to the distance between her and Az. Alright. That looked like enough space between them. Well, enough for a good head start anyway. Jade spun away from Az and raced for the door.
He caught her. Just appeared right in front of her. She screamed in surprise and then again in real fear when his hands closed around her.
“Don’t kill me!”
But his mouth pressed against hers. Stole the words. His tongue thrust into her mouth.
She had the knife in her hand. She could use it on him. Could shove it right under his ribs and twist for optimum pain.
She’d done that to a man before.
But Az hadn’t hurt her. He’d killed twice, both times to protect her. He could destroy with a touch, but right then, his hands were light upon her skin and his mouth was almost caressing hers.
So she didn’t shove the knife into his ribs. Instead Jade lowered the weapon.
“Good choice.” He growled the words against her mouth as his lips lifted. “You don’t kill me, and I won’t kill you.”
Fair plan. Then his mouth came back to hers. Just the touch of his lips, and dammit, she wanted. She’d tried to play it safe with him, tried the whole do-the-freaking-right-thing routine, but—
But Az seemed to want her just as much as she wanted him. So Jade’s mouth widened. Her tongue met his. She tasted. She took. She craved so much more.
His hands were on her ass now. Pulling her up against him. There was no missing the hard length of his arousal. Death and desire.
Some men fed on that dangerous combination.
So did some women.
Jade pushed her left hand against his chest. The demon. Her mouth broke from his. “I have to . . .” She shook her head, then just twisted away from him.
He watched her with an unblinking stare.
“The demon’s got my money,” she said, breath rasping.
“I’m not letting him get away.” Luckily, she’d become pretty good at tracking over the years. Good for a human, anyway.
She eased around him. Az didn’t stop her, though she expected him to.
Wanted him to?
Jade rushed forward—and nearly slammed into the chest of a tall, smiling god.
Big, dark. Features so perfect it had to be a sin.
“Is that a dead demon in my bar?” He asked, voice almost. . . amused.
His bar?
But before Jade could answer, the guy shook his head. “Really, Az, I’m beginning to think you enjoy playing down here.”
Playing?
Then the man’s eyes locked on her. His blue eyes were just like Az’s. Only one glance into this man’s eyes and her heart felt chilled.
“And what have we here?” He drawled, lifting a hand toward her. “Something tempting . . .”
“Don’t touch her.” Az’s snarled order. Then he was there. Moving in that too-fast way of his that still freaked her out. He put his body between her and—
“Sammael, don’t ever f**king touch her.”
But this Sammael just laughed. “Language, language . . .” he chided. “Each day you just seem to grow more and more like the whole f**king rest of us.”
She peeked around Az’s shoulder and saw Sammael’s gaze rake him.
Sammael asked, “I guess you’re not so perfect anymore, are you, brother?”
Az lunged forward and grabbed Sammael. Okay. Right. Family thing. Whatever. She had her own business to take care of. So Jade took that moment to dive for the door.
There was a demon out there someplace, with her last wad of cash. She should have known five grand was too low a price to pay for death, but she’d been desperate.
Once she got hold of that thieving demon, he’d be the desperate one.
Surprisingly, Sam didn’t fight. Az shoved his brother to the ground and expected to feel a bolt of lightning hit his chest.
But Sam was too busy laughing. “I knew,” Sam threw out, “I knew the longer you were down here, the more tempted you’d become.”
Sam was right. Damn him. The feelings and needs and wants were pressing on him all the time. Constantly tempting him.
No wonder humans were so drawn to sin. If Sam hadn’t interrupted, Az would have taken Jade right there.
“She’s gone, you know,” Sam said as his laughter slowly faded, and he rose to his feet. “Ran away like a frightened rabbit.” He frowned. “You know, on second thought, perhaps you should go in easy. A human truly isn’t the best choice for your first lover.”