Brady’s Hellion

by

Linda Wisdom

SMASHWORDS EDITION

* * * * *

PUBLISHED BY:

Linda Wisdom on Smashwords

Brady’s Hellion

Copyright © 2010 by Linda Wisdom

Smashwords Edition License Notes

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BRADY’S HELLION

Prologue

Favors made up Brady Hayes’ life. Calling them in. Owing them. Personally, he preferred the former since it made his job easier when someone could provide whatever he needed. That same job was miserable when an owed favor had to do with Shar, one of the lords of the Underworld. That kind of deal was pure hell, pardon the pun. But it wasn’t a good idea to just didn't blow off Shar. Not if you wanted to remain intact. The last guy who blew Shar off was shipped home in a million tiny boxes tied in neat little bows using the guy's guts. Nope, not a pleasant prospect at all.

This was why Brady was down here in the intense heat and darkness in response to Shar’s command. He tried not to make eye contact with the woman seated behind the reception desk. She had to be as tall as him and he was a hefty six foot four. He bet she could take down a tank on a good day, her skin was pale as chalk instead of the tan he'd picked up while working in the Middle East, her black hair showed no gleam of health and her lips and nails were the same ebony as her hair. He was amazed she wasn't sweating buckets in the black leather dress that fit her like a condom. She kept looking at him as if he was dinner. He didn't think she was thinking of a few sexy little nibbles either. More like she wanted him in every damn course including dessert! He kept his eyes trained on the coffee table in front of him and ignored the severed fingers that wiggled inside the cursed wood.

"There you are, Brady." The tall portly man in a charcoal wool suit straight from Amani’s latest collection appeared at the inner office door looking more like a successful financier than your typical everyday dark lord. Brady knew better than to underestimate him. The guy had balls of sulfuric acid. Literally. "Come in, come in. Hold my calls, Morticia," he instructed.

"Morticia? You're kidding, right?" Brady followed him into a large rock-walled office that seemed a good fifty degrees hotter than the reception area.

"Better than her real name, which is Annabelle. Besides, I always had a hard-on for Morticia Addams." Shar gestured for him to be seated and took his place behind a mile-long desk hand-carved from lava. "Thank you for coming so swiftly."

"You said I owed you one." Brady preferred to remind the man exactly why he came so quickly. He wondered if anyone had the guts to tell Shar he resembled the actor who played Elwood in The Blues Brothers except the dark lord was a better dresser. And if they did were they still intact.

"Still, I appreciate it.” Shar beamed which was also downright scary. The man didn't seem to understand that smiles were meant to be happy, not horrific. "I have a job for you."

"A job," he repeated, getting that sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Shar’s jobs never ended well for anyone.

"I used the term you owing me a favor because I knew you would respond to my summons faster, but I am more than willing to pay you for your time. What I need here is the best and we all know you're the best in your business." Shar grimaced. He fisted his hand and struck his chest. "I apologize. Lunch is just not settling right today.” He released a belch that rocked the room along with a smell of something rotting. "There, that's better. Now, what I need is your services as a bodyguard."

"But you have something like a thousand bodyguards down here already," Brady pointed out. No way would he stay down here on a daily basis. He'd melt to nothing in no time.

"I need someone to watch over a family member." He grimaced and belched again. "While I love Renalda's bloodworm pie it doesn’t love me," he muttered. "I chose you because I require someone discreet for this job. And while you are rough around the edges, you are excellent at what you do plus you know how to keep your mouth shut when it is necessary."

Brady shifted in the chair that seemed to shift with every move his body made. If he wasn’t mistaken something was slithering up toward his crotch. "Sure, I do private security sometimes, but your people," he paused wondering if it was PC to call them people since by no stretch of the imagination had they ever been even remotely human, "they might be better suited for whatever you want."

"They wouldn’t be at all appropriate for this kind of work." Shar leaned back and pressed his fingers together, the razor-sharp tips resting just under his rounded chin. "I’ll be honest with you, Brady. While my private security guards are excellent at what they do, they are used to coping with situations Below, not up above. They aren't equipped to handle a situation like this one even if it's nothing major. I feel a human would blend in better. And since you have the skills, I immediately thought of you."

Danger, Will Robinson! Danger! clanged inside Brady's head. The only reason he thought of me was because I owe him that damn favor and he knew I’d have no choice but to do whatever he needed. Shar doesn’t like it when someone says no.

"What do you need me to do?” He had visions of his having to ride herd over the Hounds of Hell or worse.

Shar smiled. "It has to do with my baby sister, Raven."

"You have a sister?" Okay, not too tactful a way to put it. Even dark lords could have family.

"Actually, she’s my stepsister.” Shar glared at a pile of paperwork that magically appeared on a corner of his desk. The papers immediately burst into flames. "The politics down here have become unbearable." He rested his arms on the desk, hands laced together. "You could even consider this a vacation. My stepsister is visiting an island resort in the Pacific and in a sense, I would like you to look after her."

Brady stiffened. "That sounds more like a babysitting job.”

"Not babysit, I just want you to keep an eye on her and keep her out of trouble. Make sure no one bothers her." Shar made a face, which for him meant his face shifted in multiple directions as if it was fashioned from warm wax. "Raven has a mind of her own. She doesn't realize that the mortal world isn't like it is down here. I’m willing to allow her this time away, but I still want to know that she will be all right up there. I know you will keep an eye on her, but of course, she can never know I hired you. The consequences, well, she does have a temper." He tapped his fingers on the surface of his desk. A slip of paper silently floated upward. Shar handed it to Brady.

The number of zeroes he looked at was enough to quiet any misgivings he had about the assignment that literally was from hell. His smile was a lot more affable.

"When do I start?"

Chapter One

"Hello baby," Brady ignored the nasty tingle on his butt. It was bad enough Shar insisted on marking him, but did he have to mark him there? Brady's argument that Raven would recognize the mark on his wrist for what it was was met with a "that can easily be taken care of" and next he knew the mark was burned onto his ass. Shar's argument that it was purely for Brady's protection was bullshit, but no way you could argue with a dark lord and survive being torn limb from limb after losing said argument. Plus since there were no photographs of Raven, he was assured the mark would alert him when she was close by. He was also promised the mark would be removed once his assignment was over. Yeah, like Shar’s promises were ever kept if they weren’t to his advantage.

He had to admit if he was supposed to protect a woman there was no better place to do it than at this exclusive resort set on a remote Pacific island. After a little judicious bribery alerted him to his charge’s presence on the beach he sauntered out to the thatch-covered beach side bar that bisected the pool and beach and settled on a stool. From there, he had a good view of both areas along with an even better observation of the bikini-clad beauties lying out by the pool and stretched out on chaise lounges arranged along the white sandy beach. A few interested looks sent his way indicated they wouldn't mind getting to know him better. Too bad he was on the clock.

Brady learned there wasn’t a problem asking for someone named Raven. He should have known better since Cher and Madonna had no problem just using one name.

"Who do we have here?" Behind the protection of his dark glasses he was able to study the beach. So far, every brunette he noticed didn’t create even a tingle in his ass. Even a dark-haired woman with pale skin that looked as if a dose of sun would set her on fire produced nada. He began to wonder if the mark was put there just because Shar wanted to hear him yelp when he’d been branded. "So what the hell is the dark lord’s baby sister doing out here in the sun and sand?” he muttered. “You’d think she’d prefer some dark ugly dungeon with all sorts of torture instruments.” He grinned at a shapely redhead in an emerald green thong bikini who twitched her hips when she walked past. “Still, who am I to complain?”

As his gaze again swept the length of the beach, he noticed a feminine figure making her way out of the water. He moved on since he was convinced she wasn’t the one. Then the burning tingle on his ass intensified to an all out burn. He swung back to the woman he'd first dismissed until the stinging wound warned him he was looking in the right direction. The longer he looked at the woman, the stronger the fiery sensation.

"No way," he muttered, staring at the woman walking up to the registration desk. "Holly shit! I’m expected to babysit Malibu Hellion Barbie?”His mental computer noted that the object of his scrutiny was probably five-foot-six or seven equipped with long legs that was all too easy to imagine wrapped around his hips. She boasted the lean body of a disciplined swimmer and bronze tan of someone who didn’t believe there was such a thing as skin cancer. Did dark lords’ sisters have to worry about skin cancer? To further confuse him was a wealth of sunny blonde hair tied up in a perky ponytail worthy of Gidget. The curvy body that inspired more than a few fantasies rolling around in his head wore a turquoise and white bikini and he could see the glint of a blue stone nestled in her navel. She looked fucking good for someone who had to be a few thousand years old. But what surprised him the most was the surfboard she carried up the sand.

Brady picked up his Jack Daniels on the rocks and downed it like medicine. Considering the way his heart seemed to stop when he saw her and his ass feeling like he was sitting on a volcano, he felt he needed the sharp bite of alcohol. She was not at all what he expected.

No doubt about it. That bastard Shar was enjoying some insane joke at his expense.

*****

She was free!

Raven couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this liberated. She did it. She finally stood up to her brother and took back her life. No more Shar looking over her shoulder, telling her what she could and couldn't do, and explaining she had to remember he was a highly-placed politician and she had to act accordingly. And once that lecture was finished he rolled into his long and boring speech about fulfilling their family destiny.

For one glorious month she didn’t have to attend tedious business functions with her brother and endure polite sneers and side glances because she didn’t fit the preconceived notion of what a dark lord’s relative should look and act like. It was bad enough her stepbrother planned to use her to further his own objectives no matter how she felt about it

Yeah, like she was going to wear black and look pasty-faced the rest of her existence.

It took a lot of bargaining on her part, but demons are good with negotiating. Between threats that involved turning Shar inside out, tears in hopes he’d feel guilty – he didn’t – and flat out pleading, she finally managed to talk her protective older brother into allowing her to leave Below and venture into the mortal world. Before, she’d only seen it on viewers and experienced it in fantasy rooms. Once here, she quickly learned she saw in her realmwas nothing compared to the real thing. And now that she was here, she was determined to never go back. As far as she was concerned, someone else could take up the family duties.

Raven was staying up here in the sun and she was going to have the life she felt she deserved. One where she didn’t have interfering, even if well-meaning, relatives who totally cramped her style. Plus Shar and her mother had plans that involved her settling down with the mate of their choosing. They talked about how some politically based marriages could succeed personally. Their example was Shar’s marriage.

Oh right. It was a well-known secret that Shar’s wife Matthis, was fucking every member of her private guard.

She wasn’t going to allow her family to dictate her future the way they had her past.

She stopped at the chaise lounge that held her towel and beach bag. She dug her toes in the sand lifting her face to the sun.

This was the world she belonged in.

Raven looked as if she wasn’t doing anything more important than standing there enjoying the heat stealing through her body. Except there was the sensation that someone was watching her. It wasn’t anything unsettling, more a heated exchange that sent her pulse racing. She set her surfboard down by her chaise and made a casual sweep of the area to see if she could find her secret admirer.

It turned out not to be too difficult. And what she saw she liked. Very much. He looked to be several inches over six feet, which went very well with her lean five-foot-ten. Muscles that she gauged didn’t come from a gym, short-cropped brown hair and one of those little beards that should make him look like a university professor but made him look hot instead. She could see a jagged scar running up the outside of one leg to burrow under the hem of his khaki cargo shorts. She flirted with the idea of wondering just how far up that scar traveled. He looked incredibly fit otherwise. Extremely fit. No, amazingly sexy with an olive-green t-shirt that stretched over a broad chest. At first sight she would assume he was a soldier here on leave, but she couldn’t imagine a regular soldier could afford an exclusive resort where a week’s stay typically cost the price of a small car and that was just for one of the low budge rooms.

She was positive it wouldn’t take much to find out who he was. The nice thing about being a dark lord’s sister, even if only a stepsister, was the powers she had. But she didn’t want to use her gift. And as tempting as he was, she told herself she didn’t want a man either.

She came here to lie on the beach, soak up the sun, surf, and see how many umbrella decorated drinks she could down in one evening. Sex wasn't on her to-do list.

Still, a sweep of her eyes in that direction gave her a new look at the man, sprawled in the tall cane-backed stool that because of his height was more like a chair. His legs were spread out in front of him making him look like some sort of Grand Poobah. She wouldn’t have been surprised if a serving girl approached him on her knees and serviced him. Dark glasses covered his eyes, but she knew he was watching her with an intensity she could feel like a layer of heat covering her skin.

And this heat was nothing like the heat at home.

Determinedly turning her back on him, she picked up her towel and dried her arms and shoulder then bent over to dry her legs so that he had a perfect view of her ass.

No reason not to give him something to look at.

*****

Whoa Mama! Brady almost choked on his drink. Luckily, the burning from the mark disappeared as soon as he acknowledged his charge. Considering the way his dick was standing at attention he was amazed that Shar trusted him to watch over this incredibly sexy woman when the overlord insisted Brady was there to keep her safe. But who was going to keep her safe from Brady?

“Raven is young and isn’t well-versed with the outside world. I’m also worried about someone taking advantage of her,” Shar had told him.

“Are you talking physical danger?” He didn’t even want to think what would be after any of Shar’s relatives or if bullets could stop them.

“I’m in a political battle down here, Brady,” Shar said pompously. “Some factions don’t agree with my vision of what we need to do next. I’d hoped that Raven would help the family in furthering my agenda, but she has this crazy need to visit the human world. She has this crazy idea she needs freedom to do her own thing.” He shook his head in frustration. “I’m certain once she has thissilly vacation she’ll come to her senses and do what’s right for the family.”

Brady began to wonder if this Raven wasn’t some bratty teenager who was prone to temper tantrums. “I still say you’d be better off using your own people.”

“That wouldn’t work well at all. They don’t do well among humans.” The dark lord grimaced. “There have been incidents in the past that are best not to be repeated.”

Brady thought of the private guards he passed as he was escorted to Shar’s office. Each one a healthy eight-foot-ten inch of pure muscle, soulless eyes that could see even through pitch-black, hooked nose that could track down anything living or dead, razor-sharp teeth that could probably tear steel apart. Yep, Definitely not creatures to let loose on unsuspecting humans.

“You see…” Shar hesitated, “the time will come when Raven will have to assume her duties down here. It won’t be long before she can no longer ignore family obligations”

“So you’re letting her out to sow her wild oats, so to speak,” Brady said.

Shar beamed “Exactly. Perhaps it will be easier for her once she truly comes to realize her destiny is down here. Many of us go through this time where we think life is better up there, but it doesn’t take us long to realize we need to be with our kind. While she’s there, I need to know she won’t make any undesirable alliances. I know what can happen during this time.” He coughed uncomfortably.” “Iif you’re there, you can befriend her in order watch over her properly. She’ll have her time away and come back ready to work for the family’s best interests.”

Brady wasn’t sure he liked the idea of anyone having to live Below even if this Raven had obviously grown up here. Still, he’d be a fool to turn down the job when Shar was offering a lot of money. “Just tell me where to catch up with your sister and I’ll make sure she’s kept safe and sound,” he assured the creature.

“Oh yeah, I’m only too happy to keep the lady under observation,” he murmured, lifting his glass to catch the bartender’s eye. In seconds, he had another JD on the rocks sitting before him.

This was the cushiest job he’d had since, well, ever.

Feeling a twinge in his thigh where a knife had sliced in too deep, he stretched out his leg. At least the bastard with the knife wasn’t going to cut anyone ever again. When he looked up again, his charge was missing.

Fuck!

“Hi, Mike, could I have a Tie Me To The Bedpost! please?”

Brady didn’t need the burning sensation across the mark to warn him who was standing nearby. He looked up and found Raven standing at the end of the bar. The drink name fostered all sorts of fascinating images, every one of them having to do with the two of them naked, a variety of silk scarves, and massage oil. If he wasn’t careful he was going to explode here and now. He shifted to give his aching balls a little more room.

“Sure thing, Rae.” The bartender left Brady without hesitation and mixed the drink quickly, adding a bright orange stirrer in the glass before handing it to her.

She offered Brady a brief smile and concentrated on her drink.

There was never a better opening. “Interesting drink name.” Okay, not scintillating conversation, but he was never one for small talk.

“The gift shop has a tropical drink book and Mike’s letting me try every one listed in the book,” she replied, edging up onto a barstool.

“Are you going through it alphabetically or by the most interesting ones first?” he asked, intrigued by her vacation hobby.

“Rae’s trying the fun sounding ones first.” Mike grinned. After catching a look in Brady’s eyes he quickly moved on to another customer at the other end of the bar.

“You do pretty well with that board out there,” Brady commented. “No offense, but aren’t long boards pretty heavy for someone as lightweight as you?”

Raven grinned. Brady couldn’t believe that this beach babe grew up in the Underworld where the a black on black wardrobe, deathly pale skin, and red glowing eyes were the norm. No way anyone would assume she was related to Shar.

“The good thing is once I’m out on the water the waves do all the work for me. I’m just out there for the ride. As for when I’m back on land, it takes some muscle to bring it in. I consider it a good upper body workout.” Her comment immediately brought Brady’s gaze to her tits. She ignored his less than subtle perusal and sipped her drink. She smiled and nodded. “This is definitely another one I like. I’m Rae.” She held out her hand.

Brady found her skin warm from the sun but not moist like Shar’s skin had been. He didn’t miss the small shock that zipped along between their hands and judging from the slight widening of her beautiful blue eyes, she felt it too. He silently applauded her for not jerking her hand back.

“Brady. So are you here for the surfing, Rae?” Damn, he might be better at this small talk than he thought he was.

“Sun, sand and relaxation. What about you?”

Since he’d planned on striking up a conversation with her as soon as he could, he had his story prepared. But now that he’d met her and gazed into eyes he felt he could drown in, he wished this meeting wasn’t deliberate. He wished they could have run into each other in a bar, talked a bit, he’d invite her out for dinner, and maybe there was a chance more would happen. They were going to be there for a month, so there was hope. Instead, in case Shar had a way of watching, he was determinedly keeping his eyes on her face and not on her barely covered breasts. Was there a chance she was tanned all over? He wouldn’t mind finding out.

“I’m here on some R&R. I’ve been overseas a lot and wanted some downtime,” he said, knowing his vague answer would imply he was in the military instead of his usual gig as an independent contractor. He sorely needed the sharp bite of the JD he was sipping. Since he’d quit smoking, he needed something to keep his hands busy. Hell, he felt like a hormonally challenged teenager. Was there something about Raven that gave off some sex pheromones? He wouldn’t be surprised given the way bartender Mike hovered nearby. As it was all Brady had to do is look at the sunny blonde sitting nearby and he felt his tongue hanging out and his dick all ready and willing to dive into action.

Down, boy, he mentally admonished his randy body part. We don’t want to be pulled down into some demon world, do we? We’re here to protect Raven, not fuck her.

Except at that moment Raven leaned forward, resting her forearms on the bar top which gave him an even better view of what looked like a perfect set of tits. Not so large they’d smother him and not so small he’d never find them. Nope, just the right size for him.

She was still looking at him in a calculating way he swore was a tactic he’d used many times. He never minded a direct woman. It was always nice to know you were on the same page.

He waited for her to suggest they meet for dinner. He’d respectfully decline and still manage to be in the hotel restaurant the same time she was. He didn’t want to appear too eager to spend time with her.

“So Brady.”

“So Rae.” He grinned, mimicking her tone.

Her voice was low and held a husky tone that flowed over him like warm water. “Do you surf?”

Chapter Two

“Not good, Rae. Not good at all,” Raven muttered, as she stripped off her bikini and stepped into the shower that resembled a rock waterfall. “Why not bore the man into a coma? There were a million questions you could ask him other than if he surfed?” Which surprised her when he admitted he did surf but hadn’t had the chance to go out for some time. Still feeling like an idiot with her question, she made her escape as soon as she could and retreated to her suite before she screwed up any more. Who knew carrying on a conversation with a human man could be so difficult?

She stood under the flowing water and looked at the bottles of body washes and bath oils set on the shelf like a smorgasbord of scents. Shopping proved to be a feast for the senses as well as the eyes as she indulged in bright colored clothing with not a hint of black anywhere along with cosmetics and bath and body products that would keep her smelling delicious for a lifetime. After settling on a bottle of body wash guaranteed to make her smell like crème brulee, she took her time with her shower. A lavish application of matching body lotion left her glowing all over.

“Brady Hayes.” She rolled the name around in her mouth liking the way it sounded. She appreciated what she’d seen the moment she stepped out of the water and noticed a man who sat head and shoulders above the others. Rugged, muscular and above all else, hot. Now that was the kind of vacation souvenir that didn’t show up in any of the gift shops.

A few bills slipped to one of the bellmen earlier gave her the information that Brady’s suite was two doors down from hers. Not that she planned to visit him on the spur of the moment. She just liked having the knowledge. In her family, knowledge was better than gold.

As Raven left the bathroom, the sharp tang of something unpleasant struck her nostrils. She muttered a nasty curse used in her world and walked over to the coffee table. A many-petaled flower lay on the wood and she knew it hadn’t been there when she went in to take her shower and definitely wasn’t something the hotel maid would have brought in. The purple petals were so dark they appeared black with sharp spines shooting out of the middle. The Astay flower was a rare species in her world and highly prized. She personally considered them ugly and smelly. And she knew this could only come from one individual. “Bastard.” She made a face and went to the closet, digging in the rear for a small leather case. The only thing she’d brought from her world. Demon magic insured no one would see it. Gray dust from one of the vials sprinkled over the flower caused the bloom to disappear in a puff of disgusting oily smoke.

“Yuck.” She coughed and waved the fumesaway from her face. She stared at the burned mark on the table’s surface. She dug through the case and found a tube of a dull yellow colored salve that smelled just as bad as the flower, but she knew it was effective for what she needed it for. A smear of the salve on the wood returned the surface to its usual highly polished sheen.

“It seems some don’t understand what one month of not contacting Raven means,” she murmured, returning the case to the closet then viewing the contents. The idea of wearing something that would catch Brady’s eye was foremost in her mind. “You’re not here for that, Raven, you’re here for sun and surfing,” she told herself. Her gaze settled on a white lace dress that didn’t look the least bit old fashioned or virginal.

Just the ticket.

*****

Brady felt his jaw drop to the floor when he watched Raven walked into the restaurant. The strapless white lace dress that looked as if it could slide off her body if she breathed wrong exposed a hell of a lot of tanned skin. Blue stones dangling from her ears matched the one that he’d seen in her navel that day. Not that she needed any jewelry to make her stand out. When she acknowledged him with a smile, he gestured for her to join him. One look at her and he knew he wasn’t about to have her sitting by herself. Some guy would be hitting on her before she could sit down. He hadn’t missed the lustful looks directed her way as she crossed the restaurant. It was amazing she still had her clothes on.

“Take pity on me. I’m not too keen on eating by myself,” he explained when she took the seat across from him.

“I don’t think anyone has ever pitied you,” she teased, accepting a menu from the maitre‘d.

As dinner progressed, Brady refused to believe that this woman who looked as if she was made to spend her days in the sun was Shar’s stepsister. They were about as opposite as two creatures could be. He wondered if the mark had made a mistake because there was no way she wasn’t human. Except while the mark didn’t burn each time he looked at her, there was a definite tingle.

“So where are you from, Rae?” Yep, he was getting better at this small talk.

“The southern hemisphere,” she said with a vague wave of the hand. “What about you?”

“My birth certificate says Seattle, but my old man was in the army so I guess you’d have to say I’m from all over. We moved pretty much all over the world.” He gazed at the creamy expanse of skin above the band of lace that caressed her tits. The swell of her breasts rose up just enough to catch a man’s attention. He noticed he wasn’t the only one.

You’re here on bodyguard duty, bub. You’re supposed to keep her safe from harm, remember? The brain in his skull reminded him. I don’t think Shar meant that you could ogle his stepsister even if she looks like every man’s wet dream.

You can’t tell me you’re not going to jump a sweet thing like her? The brain in his pants had other ideas.

Brady decided to let them fight it out while he listened to Raven’s story. He had to admit she was good. She made herself sound as if she hatched from The Brady Bunch. Considering what he already knew about her he thought she obviously had no idea how scary that concept was. But then he’d never been a fan of The Brady Bunch. In his opinion, they practiced way too much togetherness.

But he did know one thing. He wanted to be alone with her and find out just what was under that wisp of lace called a dress. For now, he’d behave and concentrate on his mahi mahi and coconut ginger rice and try not to notice that Raven ate with a sensuality that was downright appealing to his senses.

“Is that why you went into the military? Because of your dad?” she asked, picking up one of her coconut shrimp.

“They let me play with guns,” he admitted, doubting the flippant comment would unsettle her the way it had other women. Judging from her grin, it didn’t. He watched her bite into her shrimp and had a momentary vision of her biting into him that same way. He decided there was no way Shar could keep on an eye on what was happening here. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have hired Brady. He glanced at the tiki torches dotting the pathway to the beach.

“How about a walk on the beach?” he suggested after taking care of the dinner check. He had never been this attracted to an assignment before. But then, he’d never been with anyone like Raven before. If he wasn’t mistaken, that attraction was very two-sided and he wanted to capitalize on it.

Her face lit up at his suggestion. “I’d love it.”

She’s a job, bub.

Brady muted the volume to that part of his conscience. Yeah, he planned on keeping her safe even if it appeared the one he needed to keep her safe from was him.

The moment they reached the beach, Raven slipped off her sandals and dropped them to the sand. Brady followed suit with his shoes. Soft giggles escaped her lips as they walked along the water’s edge with the waves slowly foaming around their bare feet. Pretty soon they were far enough away from the hotel that the evening breeze carried hints of the band playing in the resort’s bar. Raven hummed along to the faint music and executed a few dance steps that even in the sand looked graceful.

“You act like this is all new to you,” Brady commented.

Her smile dimmed. “In a way, it is. I’ve never traveled much.” She moved a step ahead of him and stopped facing him. “I like you, Brady.”

“Thanks. I like you too.” Finally, he could say something that wasn’t a lie. He found lying to her burned through him like an ulcer. She was gorgeous and funny and sexy and he couldn’t remember the last time he enjoyed spending time with a woman the way he did with her. It was more than the idea of taking her to bed. He enjoyed talking to her too and that was something Brady didn’t always consider when he was with a woman.

Raven moved closer until her breasts brushed against his shirtfront. A rich scent of something that seemed familiar coupled with a hint of citrus teased his nostrils. Underlying it, he could inhale the even richer scent of an aroused woman. She was rapidly becoming an addiction to his blood and that proved dangerous. He wondered if Shar would insist on a slow and painful death if he knew Brady was having some pretty wild thoughts about his baby stepsister.

She fingered one of the buttons on his button-down print shirt. He’d figured if he were going to a Pacific island he’d dress the part and picked up a variety of shirts worthy of Magnum.

He slipped an arm around her waist, bringing her even closer against him.

“You going to slap my face if I kiss you?” he whispered, needing to find out just how sweet she tasted.

“Not as long as you kiss me now.” She lifted her face. With the pearly rays of the moon playing over her delicate features, she looked like an ethereal goddess. He refused to believe she could be from the dark side.

Never one to turn down an invitation, Brady kept one arm around her waist and lifted the other so he could trace her face with his fingertips. He rubbed his thumb across her lower lip, feeling the soft plump skin give way under his touch. He followed it with the lightest of touches of his lips. As their lips met, the same shock he felt when they first touched hands was stronger this time. It was as if a soft voice in his head urged him to take it all when what he really wanted was to take it slow and easy. He wanted to savor this woman the way he enjoyed a glass of single malt Scotch. One sip at a time.

He nibbled his way across the slightly open seam of her lips then delved inside to find her taste headier than the Scotch he first compared her to. Her tongue danced with his, mimicking what his body wanted to do with her. His mouth then slid up to her ear, finding that sweet spot just behind her lobe. Her soft moan spurred him to nibble further while his hand at her waist moved upward to cover her breast. He felt her nipple push hard against his palm. He moved his hand in a slow circle, feeling the plump contours. Needing more contact, he edged his knee between her thighs. In response, she rotated her hips, rubbing against him.

“Brady,” she moaned, moving her hand down to caress the bulge tenting his shorts. That electric shock fairly screamed through his body. Hell! If it happened just from her touch, what would happen when they got naked together? Forget Shar. He wanted Raven in his bed.

“I want to look at all of you.” This intense desire was new for him and would probably get him in a shitload of trouble, but he had to know how close reality was to his imagination. “I want to dance naked with you in the moonlight.”

Her smile sent a wave of heat through him as she leaned back at the waist and gave a sexy little wiggle. The top of her dress fell as if by magic. Hell, for all he knew, it was magic. Her skin gleamed like pure gold under the moon, her tits high and firm, the peaked nipples a deep pink color with arousal. His mouth fairly watered for a taste and he was never one to deny himself. He dipped his head and covered one breast with his mouth, his tongue curling around her nipple, feeling it harden even more against his tongue. Her throaty moan was music to his ears.

Then sanity reared its ugly head and while he was willing to ignore it, he knew he couldn’t do anything that would embarrass Raven. He was past caring if anyone else was taking an evening walk on the beach, but why give them a show? He reluctantly dragged his mouth from her breast. Her sigh of disappointment told him she felt the same way he did.

“While the idea of dancing naked with you in the moonlight seems better all the time, I think we’re kind of out in the open here,” he said in a ragged voice. “No use giving anyone else a show.”

Her face looked a little darker. Was it possible she was blushing?

“This isn’t normally me.”

He smiled at her soft-voiced admission. “Me either.” He looked around and noticed one of the beach cabanas a short distance away for those who wanted to enjoy the beach without the sun. Right now, it offered them the kind of privacy they required. “That’s why I thought we could look for a nice retreat.”

Catching the direction of his gaze, she smiled. “What a lovely idea.” Pulling herself out of his arms, she spun around and ran toward the cabana. A flash of white momentarily covered her back as he realized she had shed her dress along the way.

Before Brady could blink, she was inside the beach shelter. “Fuck me,” he muttered.

“Only if you get in here!” Her laughter easily carried to him.

He didn’t need to be told twice. By the time he ducked inside the covering flaps, a very naked Raven was stretched out on the double chaise. He left one flap partially open to allow moonlight inside.

“You’re very overdressed for this venture, Brady.” She lay back on the cushion, stretching her arms over her head that thrust her breasts up into two pleasurable mounds. The blue stone in her navel winked in the darkness.

He didn’t miss that the lady was a natural blonde. As he walked toward her, he pulled his shirt over his head then dropped his pants in one easy motion. He was grateful that it was too dark for her to see the mark on his butt. He had an idea it would be an instant mood killer.

Raven sat up, one leg extended, the other bent at the knee in a seductive manner. But it wasn’t his rampant dick her attention was centered on.

“Oh Brady,” she murmured, reaching forward to trace her fingertip along the scar on his leg. The newly healed area was usually sensitive to touch in a painful way but the throbbing he felt from Raven’s touch was pure pleasure. It was as if she was healing him from the inside out. She leaned over closer and pressed her lips against the wound, sending that same electric shock throughout his system. “When I saw you this afternoon I wondered where the scar ended.” Her fingers danced along his bare hip where the red and puckered skin gave way to smooth and tanned. She laved the wound with her tongue then looked up with mischief in her eyes. “It appears something else is requiring my attention. My, you’re a big man all over, aren’t you?”

Before he could say a word, she had her lips covering the head of his cock, her throat muscles relaxing as she took all of him in. Brady hissed a curse as he cradled the back of her head with his hands, steadying her as she slowly moved her head up and down, using her teeth to add a pleasurable friction to her action.

He closed his eyes and just allowed himself to savor the warm wet feel of her mouth on him. When she lifted her lips, the tip of her tongue swiped across the slit at the top of his cock then started down again. He felt his balls tighten to the point of pain and he knew he didn’t want the first time to be like this. He gently urged her away and pressed her back against the chaise, following her down.

“I’d like nothing more than to return the favor, but I don’t think I can wait. I need to be inside you,” he muttered, nudging her thighs apart. He still tested her readiness, feeling her dampness before he settled between them. With one thrust, he was buried to the hilt. Her vaginal muscles contracted tightly around him, moving in a countermotion to his thrusts. He looked down at her face, watching her eyes glow with an unearthly blue light as she raised her hips to meet him. He’d never been with a woman who was his equal in passion.

He bent his head and fastened his mouth over one nipple, grazing the tight pink bud with his teeth just as she’d done with his cock. Raven arched upward and wrapped her legs around his hips. As he felt her muscles tighten even more around him, he reached down and flicked his thumb against her clit.

Her eyes widened to saucer-size as the tremors raced through her body. “Brady,” she whispered in his ear just before she came apart in his arms.

He was positive the whole damn interior of the cabana glowed the same blue light he’d seen in her eyes.

Chapter Three

“I hope you don’t think I’m normally that easy.” Brady pulled on his shirt and shorts. There were times when it was a good idea to go commando. That way there was one less piece of clothing to find.

A naked Raven was curled up on the chaise looking like a sleepy contented cat. He swore she was even purring. He was tempted to pull off his clothes and have a repeat of the last couple hours. But if he wasn’t mistaken, he heard members of the security staff walking along the beach probably making sure the guests weren’t making use of the cabana the way he and Raven just did.

He looked down at the woman he likened to a work of art. He learned that her skin was tanned all over and that some kind of small shock wave occurred when she stroked his dick. Not that he was complaining. The woman had magic hands and he wouldn’t mind them stroking him all the time.

“While I’d like nothing better than for us to stay here and watch the sunrise together, I think the resort’s security people are making their rounds,” he murmured, glancing at his watch and surprised to find it was after three a.m., which meant they’d been out here for about five hours. He walked out to the cabana’s opening and picked up her dress.

Raven released a soft sigh and rose up onto her knees. The blue stones in her navel and in her ears seemed to wink at him.

“You are incredible,” she said, slipping the dress over her head and smoothing it into place.

Brady’s hands itched to do the smoothing for her, but he knew it would lead to a repeat of what had been going on for the past few hours.

While he hadn’t been a sex hound since his early twenties, he hadn’t been a monk either. But he could truthfully say, he’d never been with a woman like Raven.

He leaned over, trapping her between his arms, as he slowly and thoroughly kissed her. She smothered a low laugh as her tongue darted into his mouth, coaxing his out to play.

“Okay, minx.” He playfully slapped her on the butt and hauled her off the chaise. “We gotta get out of here before we get busted by Security for having cabana sex.”

“Won’t happen.” She looked smug, as she looped her arm through his.

“Why? You gonna smile and charm your way out of a lecture.” He grinned since he so badly wanted to point out the sated sleepy look on her face would be more than enough proof they weren’t out here stargazing. They slipped through the cabana’s opening and stood outside, breathing in the night air sharp with the scent of the sea.

“Sometimes people don’t notice me.” Raven slid her hand down to curl her fingers through his.

“Baby, there is no way people wouldn’t notice you.” He allowed her to take the lead.

She lifted her head, listening as two male voices sounded closer. She looked back at the cabana with a faint hint of sorrow on her face as if she was mentally recording an important memory. “No, really, you’ll see.” She tugged on his hand.

As they retraced their steps at the water’s edge where the gentle swells rolled up to cover their bare feet, they soon saw the faint outline of two men walking in their direction along the upper part of the beach.

“Just watch,” she whispered.

Brady was ready for at least an inquiry if they were staying at the resort and a request for proof, but the two men didn’t look their way. They continued talking in low voices and walked past them as if they didn’t exist.

He knew he was good at slipping unnoticed in and out of dangerous situations, but there was no way he could have walked past someone the way they just had and not be acknowledged even if it was nothing more than a nod of the head. He and Raven might as well have been invisible for all the notice they were given.

“I get it. You’ve got super powers,” he teased. Considering her family tree, he was positive she had way more than super powers, but since he wasn’t supposed to know exactly what she was, he had to play it cool.

“If you don’t want someone to notice you, they won’t,” she pointed out.

”As a soldier aren’t there times where you need to hide from the enemy?”

“I don’t quite think of hotel Security as the enemy, but yeah, there’s been few times.” Give or take several thousand. “So what do you do when you hide from Security?” he whispered in her ear, punctuating the words with a quick flick of the tongue. She shivered under his caress.

“Take more than five items into a store dressing room, have more than fifteen items in my shopping cart at the grocery store. It’s the little things. “ She bumped her shoulder against him.

“Cutting in front of someone in line?”

“Oh no! That would be just rude!” She released the soft throaty giggle that shot a line of heat along his spine. He’d always thought giggling women were annoying. Raven was proving to be the exception. But then, Raven was proving the exception to a lot of things.

Guilt wormed its way through him. He didn’t like that he had to lie to her when in many ways she’d been so open with him. He hadn’t expected her to confess that her stepbrother was a dark lord Below, but over dinner he still felt he got to know her pretty well. While she was sexy as hell, she didn’t flaunt it and her conversation didn’t center on her hair, nails, clothes or what she did that day. Considering he’d been on many dates with women like that, no wonder he’d rather go overseas for a good battle than have dinner with a woman.

Raven was proving to be the exception all the way around. So much so, he even considered returning Shar’s very nice fee since the head demon was already paying for his stay at the resort. He quickly banished that thought. A man had to make a living and if it involved spending time with a beautiful woman, who was he to turn it down?

They made their way past the reception area and to the elevator with smiles that refused to quit.

“What floor?” Brady asked as a matter of courtesy even thought he already knew exactly where her room was.

“Fourteen.” She issued a small smile that held a few secrets.

“Same as me.” He punched the button and leaned against the wall, watching her.

She couldn’t help but notice his scrutiny. “What?”

“How can someone look as fresh and gorgeous at three o’clock in the morning as they did at two in the afternoon?”

She beamed. “It’s all magic.” She held up her hands and wiggled her fingers.

“Magic, huh?” He grinned, pretending to play along.

She leaned forward and whispered, “Yes, lots of special girl magic. It’s called concealer and highlighter that I lay on with a putty knife.”

He reached out and gently rubbed his thumb across her cheek and down to the corner of her lips. He leaned over more and followed the same path with his lips. “I don’t taste a speck of makeup on you. I didn’t earlier either.“ The elevator stopped and the door slowly slid open.

Raven pulled her room keycard out of a hidden pocket in her dress and indicated which door was hers.

“I’m down that way.” He cocked his thumb in that direction before taking the keycard from her and inserting it in the slot until the light turned green.

“Thank you for a lovely evening,” Raven said softly, the smile on her lips telling him just what she was thanking him for.

“Meet me for breakfast.”

“I usually go surfing around five.”

He grinned. “You’re not going to make it easy for me, are you?”

Raven tapped her forefinger against her chin in thought. “Yes. And I’m not acting coy. I meant what I said earlier. This isn’t normally like me.”

Brady easily read the hidden words. “I didn’t think you were, Rae. What I felt was an intense attraction that you also felt. We acted on it tonight. I’m asking for you to meet me for coffee, orange juice, eggs, bacon, and toast or your choice of muffin,” he gently teased. “Maybe we could take a drive around the island. I heard there’s a waterfall on the other side of the island that’s worth seeing. Or we could check out the tennis court, play a round of golf if you’d prefer that, although I should warn you that the last time I tried golf I broke more than my share of windows. I want to spend time with you even if we do nothing more than lay out on the beach,” he said seriously, knowing he meant every word.

Her lashes swept down; hiding the eyes he enjoyed looking into. “I guess I could miss surfing one morning. I’ll meet you at the lanai restaurant at eight. “

Brady brushed his lips across her forehead. “If I don’t leave now, I won’t leave at all,” he whispered. “Good night, beautiful Rae. I’ll see you at eight. Don’t forget to use the security lock.”

“Good night, Brady,” she whispered back and then slipped inside her room.

He waited until he heard the quick click of the security lock then moved down to his own room. Out of habit, he checked the traps he’d laid to make sure no one uninvited entered his room then stripped down for a quick shower. Just as he got ready to step into the shower, he inhaled the scent of Raven’s perfume on his skin. He reached in, turned off the water, and walked back into the bedroom. He decided he’d rather sleep with her scent surrounding him.

*****

Raven’s smile disappeared as she crossed the room. She wrinkled her nose against the pungent aroma filling the parlor.

“Not again.” She retrieved her case from the closet and pulled out the vial of gray dust to sprinkle over the Astay flower that lay on the coffee table in the same spot the first one had been. “If I’d known this was going to happen I would have brought more dust.” Within moments, the reeking purple flower from the depths of her realm was gone but a wine colored envelope with her name written on the front appeared in its place. Without caring about the contents, she sprinkled dust over that too.

She opened the balcony door to let in the fresh sea air and release the smell of burned flower and envelope.

She paused and walked out onto the terrace to view the ocean that looked a deep navy rimmed with white foam in the darkness. She leaned on the railing, enjoying the quiet of the night.

She had come up here to find a way to escape family duties. To find the kind of life she could never have Below. The last thing she expected was to meet someone like Brady.

When she had dinner with him, she hadn’t expected their evening to end the way it did. She thought they might have a few after dinner drinks; flirt some more and that would be it. But it felt so right. He felt so right. The pleasurable ache between her thighs was testimony of that. Brady was a large man all over and while he admitted he couldn’t wait, he still made sure she could accommodate him without discomfort. After that first time, they couldn’t get enough of each other. She could smell his musk on her skin, the taste of his cock on her lips and the feel of his heavy body against hers. Her breasts even tingled from the rasp of his beard when he nuzzled them. Males where she came from didn’t have beards, so it was a new sensation for her. One she liked very much. Actually, she liked everything about Brady. And she knew Brady liked her as well as desired her. Raven felt something warm settle deep inside her as she courted the idea of something more than a vacation romance.

Her smile disappeared as quickly as it appeared. Her family. Especially Shar. He wasn’t fond of humans. He wouldn’t care if she fucked a human’s brains out then threw him down Below. But he would care if she felt emotion for one and not with the idea of keeping one as a pet. Then there was Brady. What would he think if he knew about her origins? She was lucky she didn’t resemble her family members. She was considered a rarity among her kind. One that came along only every ten thousand years or so which was why Shar wanted her to go along with his plans for a family alliance with Pahso’s clan. She was highly prized and her wishes were ignored.

“Not in this millennium or the next,” she murmured, pushing herself away from the railing and returning to her room.

She slid naked between the sheets and snuggled down among the pile of pillows she kept around her.

She had a month to plan a permanent escape since there was no way she was returning Below. Thirty daysto ensure that Pahso realized there was no way she would become his mate and bear his ugly spawn. She knew ignoring his flowers and notes wouldn’t do the trick, but she needed some time to make sure she worded everything just right so there would be no discussion on the matter.

Meeting Brady was proof her initial decision was correct. She didn’t belong Below. She belonged right here.

She fell asleep with a smile on her lips and a mental note to wake up at seven.

*****

“You can leave the whole pot, darlin’, “ Brady told the waitress as she filled his cup. She gifted him with a flirtatious smile and promised to return with a filled coffee carafe along with a second cup.

He swore a shift in the air alerted him to Raven’s presence. He looked toward the entrance to the patio-dining restaurant to see he was right.

Raven wore a bright pink vest-like top that bared her arms and flat belly and matching shorts with cargo pockets. She smiled and headed straight for him. He noticed a glint of gold on one toe. Damn, he always had a thing for a woman wearing a toe ring.

As he watched her make her way between tables, he noticed not one person, meaning male, looked up as she passed by. He refused to believe that not one man noticed someone looking that good. When he saw the glint in her eye he knew the reason.

“Good morning,” she chirped, sliding into the chair across from him. “Ooh, coffee! Please, say you don’t mind.” She reached across the table and picked up his cup.

“I take it black and strong,” he warned her. “And careful, that’s hot. It was just made.”

She lifted an eyebrow. “So do I.” She sipped without a wince. “Just what I needed.”

“Here, you go, hon.” The waitress left a second cup and filled it with a smile at both of them. She flashed Raven one filled with envy. “You know what you want?” After taking their orders, she rushed off.

“You pretended to do that invisible thing again, didn’t you? That’s why not one guy drooled as you walked by.” Brady tried to rescue his cup, but she refused to give it up.

“I like drinking out of a cup that tastes of you,” she murmured, smiling over the rim.

Damn, if that didn’t wake him up better than a gallon of high-octane caffeine injected directly into his veins!

“Not safe to tease a hungry man, darlin’.”

She ignored his warning as she added more coffee to her cup. “I couldn’t resist it.”

“I’ll remember that.” He focused on her pink glossed lips resting against the cup’s rim. Lips he wouldn’t mind seeing wrapped around his… He shook off the thought as the waitress appeared with their breakfast. “How about we take a drive around the island after breakfast? We could take a look at that famous waterfall they talk about? I can sign out a Jeep from the front desk and have the restaurant make up a lunch basket for us.”

“I can be ready any time.”

That he didn’t doubt.

*****

An hour later they were in a small open-air Jeep that hugged the narrow road leading up the mountain. A lunch basket was in the back seat. Brady’s hand was sure on the wheel as he raced up the road. He was happy to see that the speed didn’t frighten Raven; instead she seemed to revel in it.

“The Concierge said it’s about a half mile hike inland once we park,” he told her, later pulling into a small paved parking area. A small wooden sign by a nearby path indicated the direction for Woman of Secrets Falls. “Legend has it if you tell the woman living in the falls your deepest dark secrets she will keep it safe for you.”

“Sometimes it would be nice to have someone you can trust.” She looked off into the distance.

“Yeah,” he quietly agreed, pulling the basket out of the back of the Jeep with one hand and taking her hand in the other.

The climb was an easy one and they soon found their way to an outcropping of stone that overlooked a deep blue pool of fresh water and the falls that spilled into it.

“This is incredible,” Raven stood at the railing, looking down into the water with its rainbow of colors.” She bent further over the railing.

“Hey, I don’t think you want to take an unexpected swim.” He stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, resting his chin on the top of her head. “You take that steep a dive and you could end up in some serious hurt. I’m not sure I’d want to carry you all the way up that hill either.”

She laughed. “I don’t weigh all that much! Besides, I’d be fine. The water’s deep enough for a dive even from up here.” She looked over her shoulder with a glint of mischief in her eyes. “Wouldn’t you like to check out the swimming conditions down there?”

“Even if there are No Swimming signs posted?”

Raven made a show of looking all around. They were the only ones there. “Come on, Brady, be bad with me.” She lowered her hand to caress the front of his shorts. She found the zipper tab and slowly lowered it, delving inside. She circled his rapidly expanding cock with her fingers.

“You like breaking the rules and pushing limits, Brady,” she murmured. “I see it in your eyes. In the way you carry yourself. This isn’t all that big of a rule.”

He moved his hips against the stroke of her fingers. “What makes me think you didn’t wear a bathing suit under your clothing?”

“Good guess.” She gave his dick a soft pat and zipped him back up. “There wouldn’t be such a well-worn path if it hasn’t been used a lot.” She moved out of the security of his arms and headed for the end of the curved railing. “Come on, Brady. Let’s be bad together.”

Before he could react, she had her clothes off, stood at the edge and with arms outstretched, executed a perfect swan dive.

“Rae!” He ran to the edge and looked over to see barely a splash of water when she landed. He was ready to follow her over when a blonde head appeared on the surface.

“It’s wonderful, Brady! Come on!”

“I like my bones in one piece,” he called back. “I’ll take the path.” He snatched up her clothes and the basket all the while muttering she could turn him old before his time.

“Are you coming in?” Raven rolled over and floated on her back in the middle of the pool.

“If a family with kids shows up you’re going to give them an education.” He toed off his shoes and pulled his t-shirt over his head. “After seeing you, no red-blooded boy will find anyone comparable.”

“Setting high standards is always good.” She floated lazily around the perimeter of the pool. “Come in and play Sink the Torpedo.”

Brady closed his eyes. “Damn, you’re killin’ me.” But he shucked the last of his clothing and made a shallow dive shooting straight for Raven who laughed and swam toward the waterfall going behind the sheet of water.

The two laughed and chased each other in the water until Brady dove under and swam up, grabbing Raven. She shrieked with laughter and tried to kick out of his hold with no success. But then she wasn’t trying very hard. Paddling gently with her hands, she slipped her legs around his waist. Her mouth was cool and wet but quickly warmed by his kiss.

“You’re more a little crazy,” he told her, inserting a finger then two into her and wasn’t surprised to find her wet for him. She moaned softly and rotated her hips to his touch. He alternated between slow dips to quick flicks that quickened her breath. He kicked his legs to keep them afloat.

“And I bet you jumped out of an airplane with a parachute that for all you knew might not open. Who’s the crazy one?” Her lips feathered over his face.

Brady held his cock and guided it inside Raven’s pussy, thrusting upward in one smooth stroke.

Raven held on to his shoulders, pushing down as he thrust up. “See, you are crazy,” she murmured against his lips.

Brady’s euphoria was diverted when voices sounded from overhead; two of them suspiciously sounding like kids. “Oh hell,” he muttered. With them in the middle of the pool there was no way they wouldn’t be seen. “It can’t be.” Now he understood the meaning of the term ‘the thrill is gone’.

Raven wiggled her hips to catch his attention. “It’s all right,” she whispered with a smile. “No one can see us.”

“Rae, we’re in the middle of the pool giving the kids an excellent view of outdoor sex.” He gritted his teeth.

“And maybe Mom and Dad will get ideas,” she joked. “Trust me, they won’t see anything.” She nipped his shoulder. “They only see water.”

“Honey, did you get a good picture of the falls?” A woman’s voice was heard.

“All of you stand there by the railing and I can get one of all of you along with the falls,” a man directed.

“Dad, can we go swimming down there? It looks so cool!”

“No swimming allowed, sport.”

Brady waited for kids to yell and parents threaten to call the authorities, but it didn’t happen.

“Sweetheart, it’s huge!” the woman said.

Raven’s shoulders shook with silent laughter as she dropped her head to his shoulder. His hips moved upward, feeling the tight clench of her vaginal muscles

“This supposedly was a volcano. It probably won’t blow again any time soon.”

“Says you,” Brady muttered, feeling the sensation build by the second. At the last moment, they slid down under water. He was positive the water up top looked as if sharks were thrashing about. When they finally surfaced, the family was making noises about leaving.

“Okay, you made your point,” Brady said, as they swam back to the shore.

Raven squeezed the water out of her hair and shook herself free of excess water. “I’ve heard that public sex adds to the experience.” She shot him a mischievous grin. “They were right.”

“Oh yeah, shoots the heart rate right out of the ball park.” He pulled the blanket out of the picnic basket and spread it out.

“Brady?”

“Huh?”

“Do you have something you’d like to tell me?”

The hint of fury in her voice was his first clue that all was not right.

His second was when what felt like a firecracker zapped his ass.

“What the fuck!” He jumped and turned around to find Raven the hellion. The air fairly crackled around her, instantly drying her hair and flying around her face. Even nude, she presented a formidable picture. Her eyes were glittering blue orbs that looked as if they could melt steel and right now, the one they wanted to melt was him. He started to ask her what the problem was when it finally hit him.

She’d seen the mark.

“Who are you?” Her voice throbbed with rage. “No one can hide their origin from me, yet you’ve managed to do just that. And no lies. I don’t tolerate untruths.”

Brady didn’t doubt that she wouldn’t hesitate in turning him into an oilyspot if not worse. Who knew she had this kind of temper?

“It’s not what you think. And I’m very much human,” he said quickly, holding up his hands in what he hoped stood for surrender even in her world.

She swallowed several times. “Who sent you?”

“Shar asked me to keep an eye on you.” He winced, aware how that was going to sound. By the look of betrayal that crossed her face, it hurt even more than he feared.

“My…” she licked her lips. “My stepbrother hired you to pick me up. To fuck me?”

“No,” Brady hastened to assure her. “He just wanted me to make sure no one bothered you.”

“So you fucked me so no one would bother me?”

He knew he was in deep shit and sinking fast.

“Raven, honey.” He started toward her.

She held out her hands. “Do not call me honey and don’t you dare try to touch me!” She blinked rapidly then frowned as she swiped something damp from her eyes.

Deciding he’d have better luck reasoning with her if he was dressed, he quickly pulled on his shorts and t-shirt while she picked up her clothing and put it on.

“Shar promised me this time was my own,” she muttered. “He said he would leave me alone and now I find that he hired someone to…” She stopped and dropped to the ground. “He lied to me!” She looked up at him with angry damp eyes. “Get out.”

“Raven, I can’t leave you alone.”

“Your job is done here. Don’t worry, my stepbrother will still pay you for your services,” she said bitterly. “

He knew he had to take the chance even if she could turn him into a charcoal briquette.

“He was only thinking of you, He asked me to keep an eye on you from a distance, but then I saw you…”

Lightning cracked overhead. “And you thought I was a sure thing. I lived up to it, didn’t I?”

“No, I never thought that. What I thought was that I was looking at a beautiful, funny woman who I wanted to see more of. Not as a job, but because there’s something about you that makes me want more,” he admitted. “I’ve never made love to any of my clients, Raven.” He deliberately used her real name. “What we had last night and just a few minutes ago, well, it was magic. It was something I never felt before. Maybe we haven’t known each other that long, but I want to know more abut you. I want to learn what makes you tick. Your likes and dislikes.”

A slight softening of her features had him hoping he was getting through to her.

“You knew me because of Shar’s mark.” Her gaze drifted downward.

He nodded. “But that’s all. Everything that’s happened between us is just us, no one else. Hell, for all I know, Shar would probably have me boiled in oil for what we’ve done.”

“Oh, no, that’s only for minor offenses,” she murmured, sniffing loudly. “So you knew all along about my family and it didn’t disgust you?”

“If you saw my family on a Saturday night, you wouldn’t worry so much about yours.” He chanced moving closer to her.

Raven refused to look at him. “I have to think about it.”

As long as she didn’t toast him, literally, he was willing to take it.

Chapter Four

Lunch turned out not to be as awkward as Brady thought it would be. Raven was unexpectedly quiet and he didn’t coax her into conversation but let her take the lead.

“How do you know Shar?” she finally asked, nibbling on chunks of pineapple and papaya.

“He showed up about four years ago when I was in Afghanistan. Did me a favor and when I said I owed him, he told me he’d take me up on it when the time was right. After that, we’d run into each other every so often.”

“Did you know then what he was?” She looked down, her loose hair spilling around her face.

Brady shook his head. “Not until later. “

“Many men would have run from him.”

“Yeah, well, I’ve been called crazy in my time.”

“What did he tell you about me?” She still concentrated on the sweet fruit.

“Not much. That you’re his stepsister, I can’t see the family resemblance anywhere, by the way, and that you were basically taking a vacation before assuming some family duties.” His stomach twisted as he uttered the last words. After twenty-four hours he already knew he didn’t want to give her up.

All he had to do was first persuade her not to hate him.

“Raven?”

She lifted her head. He was ready to shoot himself for the pain he saw on her face.

“You really hurt me,” she murmured.

Shit.

Raven looked off into the distance then turned back to him. “Would you have ever told me the truth?”

“I’ll be honest. I don’t know. My work involves a lot of secrecy.”

“But you weren’t told to keep a low profile with me,” she pointed out.

“No, but I shouldn’t have….”

“Made love to me?” She finished the sentence for him.

He nodded.

“Do you regret it?”

There was no hesitation when he shook his head.

Raven put the container of fruit to one side and dropped to her hands and knees, crossing the blanket in feline grace that had him turning into sex hound and seeing the enjoyment of the position she was in.

“Mind out of the gutter, Brady,” she murmured, lowering herself onto his lap. “I don’t know what’s happened, but it feels so intense…so incredible, that I want to see where we would go from here.” She studied his face, searching for answers.

“Then we’re in agreement.”

She settled herself more firmly on his lap and felt his cock rising up seeking her pussy. She smiled. “I’d say we are.”

*****

Raven entered her suite and almost backed out again.

“Why can’t anyone take a hint?” She pinched her nostrils with two fingers and walked into the room that was filled with the Astay flowers all throughout the parlor and bedroom. She had just used the last of her Grey dust when a small black flame appeared on her desk.

“Raven, you have been gone too long.” Pahso’s ugly mug appeared in the flame.

“Not long enough.”

“You must return to plan our nuptials. It is necessary that they take place before the next meeting of Shar’s family and my own,” he ordered. “A portal will open not far from where you are.” His black eyes slid over her with avaricious glee. “The sooner we mate, the sooner our offspring will appear.”

Okay, that was it!

She stood in front of the desk so he wouldn’t miss her words. “Get this straight, Pahso. I am not marrying you, ever. I told you that before I left and I’m saying it again. Don’t tell me I’ll change my mind, because it isn’t going to happen. I’m staying up here and you’ll just have to look for another mate to breed with.” She waved her hand over the flame. It promptly disappeared and she used a spell to lock down a return visit.

“Raven?” A flame popped up.

“No!” While the spell locked out Pahso, she’d now have to come up with another one for Shar. This was her vacation, damn it!

“I allowed you to go up there to find out that life Above isn’t for you. Now you tell Pahso you won’t accept him as your mate. You can’t do that. Think of the family,” he appealed.

“I’m not cut out for what you want of me, Shar. I don’t want darkness. I want light. I want sun and the sea and beauty,” she explained.

“It can’t be.”

“Yes, it can. As long as you give your approval and I now beg you for that approval.” She knew she needed to quit now and let her stepbrother think it over. “And Shar.” She paused a beat. “Remove the mark from Brady’s ass. It wasn’t nice to drag him into family matters. I want your promise that you will never do anything to harm him.”

Shar looked alarmed. “What has been going on up there?”

She smiled. “I’m still not entirely sure, but it will be fun to figure it out. Good-bye, Shar. Remember you promised that this time was my own.” She cast another lockdown spell to make sure Shar didn’t reappear.

She took a deep breath. She’d done it. She’d officially broken with her family. By informing Shar she wasn’t returning Below, she was turning her back on her family and all family obligations.

She hummed a tune under her breath and danced around the room in sheer joy. She was free! Free to pursue anything she wished to. Her list was short and to the point. It all had to do with Brady.

*****

On the way back to the hotel, Brady had stopped so they could watch the sun set.

“When it appears as if the sun hits the water you’ll see something that looks like green fire on the horizon,” he told her, keeping her in his arms as they watched the sun’s descent.

“Magic,” she said, smiling up at him.

“Magic,” he agreed, kissing the tip of her nose.

Raven decided she had a month to find out just what was going on between Brady and her. She told herself if it turned out not to be something lasting, she would still go on and make a new life for herself. There was still no guarantee that Brady wanted more than this month with her. But she didn’t feel that he was lying to her or faking what he felt for her.

When she left Below she had no idea a new life would throw her into the mainstream so quickly. Or that she would enjoy it so thoroughly.

“Tomorrow, we go surfing,” she murmured against his throat, inhaling the musky scent of his skin coupled with the minty soap he used. She couldn’t wait until she got him into a shower with her. Talk about showering a man with scents good enough to eat! She smiled and pressed a kiss against the hollow of his throat.

“Depends on what time we wake up.” He nuzzled her ear then flicked his tongue inside the hollow. She shivered under his caress. “Did I ever tell you there’s nothing better than make up sex?”

“Yes, you did and I agreed. Both times.” The slow beat of the music vibrated throughout her body. The stop in the club after dinner for dancing turned out to be an excellent idea, although other ideas were popping into their imaginations. She hazily thought what it would be like to dance with him naked in the moonlight. Or even revisiting the cabana where she learned what true magic was.

“Dancing is like fucking to music,” Brady’s words were whispered against her cheek as he trailed his mouth across her cheek.

“You are such a romantic.” She nudged her hand between their bodies, tucking her fingers in his shorts waistband then upward to rest her palm against the warm hair-roughened skin of his chest. “You know, we could hear the music just as well from my room.”

“And here I was going to suggest the very same thing.” He grabbed her hand and gently bur firmly led her off the dance floor.

Luckily, they didn’t have to wait for an elevator and were in her room within five minutes. Raven breathed a sigh of relief there were no more ugly and smelly Astay flowers waiting for her. She opened the drapes, allowing the moonlight to spill into the room.

She tugged at his shirt. “I think I like you better naked.”

“Funny thing, so do I, but it’s you I like better naked.” He made short work of her sheer top and flirty skirt. She had kicked off her high-heeled slides the moment they entered the room. “Woman, you’re going to turn me old before my time.” He slung her over his shoulder and headed for the bedroom.

“Brady!” Her squeal as she bounced onto the bed turned into a soft sigh when he followed her down.

“Now for some savoring.” He kissed the top of each breast, and then moved down the center of her chest. He dipped his tongue into her navel swirling it around the stone, nestled there. He glanced up. “It matches your eyes.”

“It’s my birthstone.”

He lightly circled the stone with his fingertip then moved further downward to blonde curls curving her center. He watched them wrap around his fingers before trailing down to the pink slit that was already moist with arousal. He dipped a finger in then slowly stuck it into his mouth, slowly licking her juices off the digit. “Why have a snack when I can feast.” He nuzzled his way through the curls and lapped the moisture pooling at her labia.

“Brady!” Her gasp was abruptly cut off when he pressed his palms against her inner thighs further widening her to his gaze and enjoyment.

“You taste the way you look. Sweet and spicy.” He blew gently against the ultra-sensitive skin bringing her up off the bed, but he wasn’t finished. He grasped her hips to keep her still while he ran his tongue across the dark pink skin. When he nibbled gently on her clit she about shot off the bed. But he wasn’t about to let her go that easily. Each time she begged him to end it, he backed off just enough for her to catch her breath then he started in again with delicate licks, stabs of the tongue, and nibbling until she was ready to fly apart. When she threatened to drive a fiery spike where it would hurt the most, he relented and moved in for the kill. The last nibble on her clit sent her over the edge. Before her internal earthquake subsided, he moved up and thrust deeply into her, driving as hard as he could, pushing her even further than before. His own orgasm erupted as she sunk her teeth into his shoulder. Brady poured himself into her until he felt he’d been wrung dry. To keep his weight off her body, he rolled to one side and brought her close against him.

“It just keeps on getting better.”

“We haven’t even started yet, darling.” Raven sat up and pushed at him until he rolled over onto his stomach. She straddled his hips, sitting on his ass. She leaned forward, pressing her hands on his back, trailing them down in a motion that was part massage but also sent a vibration clear through his bones and setting up a heat that was surrounding his cock.

“What is this?” he asked, half soothed and half aroused. He thought the latter was gaining on the former.

“A massage.” Her thumbs dug deeply into the indents by his ass but instead of the muscles relaxing, he felt that heated tingle again.

“This isn’t like any massage I’ve had and I’ve had my share.”

“I’m sure you have.” She chuckled in his ear. “This is a special massage. Just relax and enjoy it.”

He tried to shift to ease the pressure off his dick that was eager for more playtime. “The enjoying part is easy. Relaxing is going to take a lot more work.”

Now the vibrating heat was moving through his body like a shaft of fire.

“Tell me, Brady, have you ever read the Kama Sutra?” She breathed in his ear.

“No, but I’d be only too happy to hear all about it.”

“Why hear when we can try it. There was something I found very interesting.” She leaned over, brushing her breasts across his back and whispered in his ear. The more she whispered the more Brady’s cock got interested.

He rolled over and grabbed hold of her so she wouldn’t tumble off the bed. “I’ve always believed in a careful study of good literature.”

Chapter Five

There was no sound, nothing other than an odd shift in the air that brought Brady wide-awake. He remained still there, his eyes closed but all senses on high alert as he tried to figure out what woke him up. He didn’t need to hear sirens, gunfire or rockets exploding to know something was wrong.

After assuring himself that whatever caused the unease in his blood wasn’t in the room, he slowly pushed the sheet aside and crept out of bed. He made his way to the balcony and looked down, scanning the pool and beach. The lack of moon didn’t help, but luckily, he had excellent night vision.

There!

He carefully backed into the bedroom.

“Raven.” He shook her shoulder then covered her mouth with his hand. “You have to get up and get some clothes on.” His whisper didn’t travel any further than her ears.

She merely nodded and slid off the bed, blindly grabbing shorts and a t-shirt out of dresser drawers and putting them on. “What is it?” she whispered, watching him quickly pull on his shorts and a t-shirt and his shoes.

“We have to get out of here. Stay here until I get back. I’ll only be a moment.” He snatched up her key card and eased his way out of the suite.

Raven started toward the balcony to see if anything was visible from there when she heard the click of her door. Brady slipped back in, carrying a backpack.

He grinned at her questioning look. “I’m like the Boy Scouts. Always prepared.” He opened her mini bar and emptied it of bottled water and cans of energy drinks, adding them to the ones he’d taken from his mini bar.

“What is going on?” She caught his furtive glance at the balcony and she started toward it.

“Not now.” He zipped up the backpack and grabbed her hand, pulling her to the door. He opened it a crack and peered out. After a long moment, he gestured for her to follow him. He pressed his fingers to his lips to indicate she remain quiet.

Raven remained on his heels as they crept down the hallway. Instead of heading for the elevator or the stairs, he chose a room that overlooked the back of the hotel. She watched him withdraw a small zippered case and use what looked like one of their key cards in the slot. He breathed a sigh of relief when it flashed green. He pulled her inside the room.

“There are people in here,” she whispered. “Let me ensure they don’t wake up and see us.”

“All we need to do is be very careful and very quiet.” But the lack of energy in the air bothered him and he moved whisper quiet toward the bed to check the couple lying there.

Raven held her breath until he returned to her and urged her toward the balcony.

“Are they—?” She didn’t want to think the worst.

“It looks like they were drugged,” he said grimly. “But it means we need to be out of here fast.” He looked over the side of the balcony as he took a rope out of his backpack.

Raven felt a bit queasy as she stared at the stretch of concrete below. “We’re on the fourteenth floor,” she protested, remembering to keep her voice soft even if the room’s occupants couldn’t hear her.

His teeth flashed white in the night. “Then don’t look down.” He efficiently tied a length of the rope around her waist. “Just think of it as a rock climbing wall at the gym.”

“I’ve never done that. I don’t like heights.”

Brady grinned and pressed a hard kiss on her lips. “You dove off that cliff.”

“That was different! I was falling into nice soft water. Not the chance of landing onto a very hard pavement!”

“Then you’ll just have to trust me, baby.”

Raven barely managed to smother her scream, as Brady seemed to toss her overboard, although he was lowering himself and her at the same time. He remained even with her, silently ordering her to look at him and not up or down. Not that she could look down even if she wanted to. She hadn’t lied to Brady. The idea she could fall onto the pavement had her feeling nauseous and dizzy. It was only by focusing on his face and the glint in his eye that she managed to make it to the ground without having a full blown panic attack.

Once they reached the ground, he had the rope off her in quick order and back in his backpack. He pulled her around the perimeter of the hotel and toward one of the popular hiking trails leading up the mountain.

Raven remained quiet and close behind him, sometimes even touching his back for reassurance. She was a demon with more strength than the average human and gifts that she could call on to protect herself and Brady, but she didn’t feel this was the time to bring them on. Every so often he stopped to look down at the resort. He eventually steered her off the trail and they moved upward at a fast and steady pace. He didn’t stop until they were a good distance up the mountain and in a protected area that overlooked the resort.

Never so happy to stop, Raven dropped to the ground and just sat there.

“This will help.” He bumped her arm with a bottle of water.

“If this is your idea of a pre dawn hike, it so sucks,” she grumbled, drinking half the contents of the bottle before slowing down to only take small sips. “What was really wrong with those people? And why is it so quiet down there?”

He dropped down beside her and rummaged through his backpack again, bringing out a couple of packets and a pair of high-powered binoculars. He dropped one packet in her lap. “Trail Mix. You’ll need the energy.”

“A triple espresso would have been better.” She opened the packet and picked through the contents, eating the chocolate candies first then the cashews and peanuts.

Brady upended his packet and poured the contents into his mouth. “The raisins won’t hurt you,” he said, amused by the way she carefully picked around them.

She wrinkled her nose. “You can have them. I won’t even tell you what they remind me of.” She set the packet to one side. “Now are you going to tell me what’s going on and why we snuck out of the resort?” She glared at his back as with binoculars in hand he edged closer to the edge. “Brady!” She smacked his back.

He ignored her for about five minutes then looked over his shoulder. He gestured for her to join him then scooted back, settling her in front of him and handed her the binoculars.

“Look down there at about two o’clock,” he murmured.

“Two what?”

“Think of a clock and look in that direction.”

He kept his arms around her and guided the binoculars. When he heard her swift indrawn breath he asked, “What do you see?”

She handed him back the binoculars. “They shouldn’t be here. It’s not allowed. It took me centuries to gain permission to come up here.”

Brady took another look, the binoculars bringing the images so close he felt as if he could reach out and touch them. Not that he cared to touch what he was looking at.

The leader of the group was in no way human even if he tried to look that way. The stiff way he walked and the way his head moved in an odd manner told him what he was looking at came from Shar’s part of the world. The creatures behind the leader didn’t bother with a human disguise. Their reptilian bodies reminded him of the creature from Alien times fifty as they slithered down the walkway. And here he thought Shar’s private guards were ugly.

What the hell did they do to the people down there and how were we spared? Or were we?

Then Raven’s words kicked in. They shouldn’t be here.

He turned around and faced her. “What the fuck are those things?” Brady’s whisper may have been barely audible, but he may as well have shouted the words for the fury in his voice. He laid his binoculars to one side. He’d seen enough to last a lifetime.

Raven’s shoulders rose and fell in a deep sigh. “The leader’s name is Pahso and those are his private security guards.”

“And you know this because?”

She looked down at her fingers lying in her lap. “Shar and Pahso are looking for an alliance between the two familes that will gain both sides a great deal of power in my realm. I’m the conduit. I told my stepbrother I wouldn’t marry Pahso. In our world, knowledge is power. I learned that Pahso wants to destroy Shar and gain all that he has. . I told Shar what I learned in exchange for my coming up here for a month. If Pahso is here, that means that Shar didn’t find anything wrong with his dealings and even though I told them I will not take Pahso at my mate, they still consider the betrothal is on.”

Brady felt the bile travel up his throat at the thought of the creature down there being linked to Raven. The idea it would actually touch her had him thinking murder.

Shar expected Raven to marry something like that?

”You’re engaged to that thing down there?” He made it a strict rule to never mess around with married women or even engaged ones. He might not have a lot of principles, but those were two rules he never went against. “Shar never said anything about you being engaged. He only talked about your duty to the family.” He snorted. “But I guess that’s part of your family duty, isn’t it?”

“No!” Raven protested. At his glare, she lowered her voice. “It’s not what you think.”

“Then why don’t you tell me what it means.”

She winced at his sarcasm. Not that she could blame him. “Arranged matings are normal among the higher families. My stepbrother set this one up. It’s considered to be an excellent alliance between two powerful families who help rule our world. Shar sees it as a good political move that will further his own ambitions.”

Brady felt sick to his stomach. “What you’re saying is he’s selling you for political favors?” Damn, why had he taken this job? Correction, Shar called in a favor and to be honest, Brady had no choice no matter how Shar made this assignment sound like your everyday bodyguard job.

She looked everywhere but him. “I told you. It’s done all the time.”

“So you’re saying that thing down there is here to claim his bride whether you want him or not?”

She blew out a breath and nodded jerkily.

He wondered why Shar hadn’t clued him in on Raven’s pre-marital status. “But you said you bargained for a month for your getaway.”

This time she did look at him. “That’s correct. But Shar didn’t know that I have other plans. I had already intended on not going back. Not that I would tell Shar that at the time. I-ah-told him when I talked to him that last night. I also talked to Pahso and informed him that in no way would I ever be his mate.” Her gaze flickered down toward the resort. “I guess Pahso didn’t like what I said. He’s not used to not having his way and he especially doesn’t like being told no.” A shiver worked its way over her body. Even in that short time, Brady knew every emotion that had gone through her. Seeing her experience fear was a new one.

“He wants you even if you don’t want him?”

“He prefers it if someone objects.” She looked away again then turned back to him. “You have to get out of here, Brady. Pahso, well, he could hurt you badly. Bad enough that you would pray for death.”

Translation, he’d tear Brady apart until there was nothing left to mail home.

He held her shoulders, forcing her to look at him. “So what are you saying? That you’ve changed your mind and decided to marry tall, slimy, and ugly after all?”

Her tongue appeared, dampening her upper lip. “Normally he couldn’t have come here without permission. Either he’s gained it or he now has enough power that he doesn’t require authorization to leave the realm.”

Damn, she was gong to cry. He didn’t think demons had the ability, but he saw the moisture pooling in her eyes and he sensed they’d overflow any moment now. If she cried he was well and truly lost. He gripped her shoulders and pulled her roughly against him. His tongue thrust into her mouth, tasting the heady spice that was pure Raven even as he pulled her tank top up to her waist and shorts down her hips. Understanding his intent and wanting it just as badly, she unzipped his shorts and straddled his hips. As their mouths devoured each other, he held her hips and pushed her down even as his cock surged upward. Her pussy was wet and open; sucking him in until her damp curls nestled against his balls. When he opened his eyes, he found hers already open. This time they were an even deeper blue as if the color matched the intensity of her passion.

“Does he do this to you?” he asked roughly, thrusting upward and keeping her firmly in place. He needed this connection more than he had any other time. Needed the feel of her body surrounding his. “Can he make you scream his name?”

“No!” she sobbed. “I’ve never—“ She pulled in a deep breath as she tried to gather her scattered thoughts. “I never would do such a thing with him! He doesn’t believe in creating pleasure, only pain! He doesn’t want his mate to enjoy but to suffer extreme agony.”

He felt fierce satisfaction to know she’d never had sex with that creature, but it didn’t stop him from pushing her as far as he could. He rolled forward until she lay on the ground with him over her. His hips couldn’t stop pumping as he sought the high only Raven could give him. He felt the blood flowing from his dick up to his brain and back again. Raven wrapped her arms and legs around him while her tears stained his shoulder. Her fingertips pressed against his spine, sending a flash of fire upward.

“I won’t go back. I won’t go back,” she repeated over and over again.

Brady froze. That sick feeling was coming back. “Is that what this is about? You saw me as a way to stay here?” Sure, at first he’d lied to her about his motives. Could she have lied to him too? Was she that much of a manipulator? Anger simmered low in his belly.

Raven correctly read his thoughts. “No. I might do everything in my power to stay here, but I would never lie to you or use you.” She framed his face with her hands and pressed her lips to his but he lifted his head from hers. Hurt flashed across her face, but she never veered her eyes from his face.

He felt his balls tightening and the sheer force of his orgasm ripped through him like a freight train. As soon as he could, he rolled off her and sat up, panting.

“I never lied to you,” she whispered, reaching with shaking hands into the backpack for tissues. She froze when she saw his Glock tucked into one corner and a money clip securing an impressive amount of cash. She looked up and shot him a look meant to set him on fire. He was surprised that didn’t happen. She pulled her shorts up over her hips and tank top down over her breasts. She moved away a few paces and sat with her legs curved under her. For a moment, her eyes flashed that unearthly blue color, a hint of her heritage. “I’m not the one walking around with my stepbrother’s mark burned on my ass.”

Brady relaxed at her show of temper. Here was the ball of fire he’d known from that first day. Then he saw the hint of vulnerability in the set of her shoulders as she retrieved her discarded packet of Trail Mix and picked through the rest of the contents and still leaving the raisins alone.

Damn, he thought of her as someone who could handle anything thrown at her. So far, she’d given as good as she got. He never pushed a woman the way he’d just pushed her. Any further he would have called her a demon whore. Something told him he would have deserved everything she did to him if he’d tried that kind of shit.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, reaching out for her. “And believe me, I’ve never said that to another woman.”

She delivered a punch to his stomach that drove all the air out. He choked. “Okay, you’re not ready to accept my apology just yet,” he wheezed.

“I hate you.” She pressed her forehead against his chest. “You are a brute. You lied to me. You fucked me as if you meant it. You wanted me to eat raisins and I hate raisins.” She sniffed. “And you smell really bad.”

Brady wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on the top of her head. He smiled as he listened to her whispered rants and curses she rained on his head. More than a few had him worrying about his masculinity. Once she ran out of steam, he planned to do just what she wanted-fuck her like he meant it.

She suddenly became silent. “And you are so not getting make-up sex.”

Brady settled for raining kisses on her face. “Okay, we’ll call it ‘Raven’s punishing Brady’ sex.”

She thought about it for a minute. “Okay.”

Chapter Six

Rough appendages that were razor-sharp claws dragged Brady away his protective curl around Raven’s sleeping form. He lashed out at the evil-smelling bodies surrounding him and was struck in the face for his trouble. Raven woke up immediately and screamed as she was likewise brutally pulled to her feet. Brady was only grateful they’d put their clothes back on after the last time they fucked. He didn’t consider it a good idea for the lizards to see them naked. He was furious enough with himself for not taking proper precautions to make sure they weren’t found this easily. Although he knew there weren’t all that many places to hide on an island.

He fought their restraining hands until a blow to the head had him seeing stars. Through the haze he saw Raven creating her share of damage with a few well-placed kicks and punches until one of the creatures grabbed her from behind and hauled her over its shoulder.

“Don’t resist, Rae,” he called out. “Don’t give them a reason to hurt you.” Fear built up like acid in his belly at the idea of what they might do to her.

“They don’t dare harm me,” she sneered, biting the creature’s shoulder and spitting out the chunk she took out. He screamed a curse and dug his claws down her bare legs. “I am sister to Shar, second-in-command and next to ascend to the Dark Throne. By the time my brother finishes with you there will be nothing even for the maggots to feast on.” Her shriek could have shattered glass as she continued raining curses on them.

One of the creatures roughly shoved its claws against Brady’s shoulder blades forcing him forward. Brady hissed at the acid dripping from the nails. “Something tells me she was serious with that last threat,” he muttered. “And I’m included with that do no harm bit.” A ringing slam to the back of his head forced him to his knees. “Damn!” He ignored the cackling chuckles as he slowly got up then found himself the creamy filling in a creature sandwich as one walked on either side of him as he and Raven were herded down the trail.

As they grew closer to the resort, they saw Pahso ordering his demon gang around and feasting on the koi that had been swimming in the small pond by the reception desk.

Brady looked over at Raven who had been dumped onto the ground. Her hair was tangled around her shoulders, a faint bruise marred her cheek-he’d get the asshole that did that to her-and she looked as if she’d been pulled backwards through a rabbit hole not to mention pissed as hell. She never looked more beautiful.

He cursed and fought the creatures that dragged him onto the patio dining area and received more than his share of punches to the abdomen and face for his trouble.

“Leave him alone!” Raven ordered, delivering a few kicks to her captors with little success. One delivered a stinging slap to her face that left her looking dazed. She quickly recovered and swore at them.

“If you hurt her, I will tear you apart with my teeth!” Brady yelled at the two creatures pulling Raven beside him.

Their dark chortles sounded like cackles as they pushed him down to the ground. Raven was pushed to one side. As she stumbled, a circle suddenly appeared on the ground and she was effectively trapped within its invisible confines.

“The females are used to pain. It is their lot. You took what was mine. I claim it back.”

Brady lifted his head and faced the creature that tried to look human., He could tell there was nothing human about the thing even if it was dressed like a clichéd thug in jeans, black t-shirt and shit kickers. Its shoulder-length hair hung down its back in a mass of oily black curls. A stench of sulpher permeated from its skin and stung Brady’s nostrils.

“I smell your cum on the female,” the creature hissed, swinging what Brady could only call a bad-ass sword guaranteed to slice him in half as easily as if he was soft butter. “The female is mine and you have desecrated her. She will be punished for that and so will you.”

“I am not yours, Pahso!” Raven shouted from the sidelines. “I told Shar. He will be angry if you dare harm me.”

“Raven, shut the fuck up,” Brady ordered, not taking his eyes off what might look human but sure as hell didn’t sound or smell human. Man, this thing stunk worse than a landfill under a hot sun. “Like the lady said, she doesn’t belong to you.”

A hint of a black forked tongue appeared past the creature’s lips as it circled Brady who turned in a tight circle so he wouldn’t end up with a surprise attack.

“What did you do to all the guests and staff?” he asked. He didn’t want to think of the number of causalities involved if the creature had his way.

It smiled, if the stretching of what must be its lips could be called anything remotely like that.

It flicked its fingers as if they held no importance. “They are all asleep.”

“He must have used a slumber spell. It would be an easy matter to use one that would affect everyone but us,” Raven called out. “Since this is considered purely a family matter he would be barred from harming everyone here. They won’t awaken until this is finished.”

Brady did not want to think what finished meant. He had an idea it involved blood and pain. Namely, his.

Pahso’s slitted eyes momentarily slid over her in a caress that was like black pitch. He turned his head and smirked at Brady.

Just seeing his action had Brady wishing for a long hot shower with plenty of soap. He hated to think what Raven felt like. Judging by the look on her face, she wanted to tear the creature’s head off.

“Shar spoiled you shamefully. He allowed you to run free when you should have been properly trained to stand by my side as my mate and perform your duties in a proper manner,” it hissed. “It appears I will have to train you myself.” The lust glittering in its eyes sent a wave of disgust through Brady’s body. He didn’t want to contemplate this thing touching Raven with even the tip of its finger.

“Shar doesn’t control me! I told you before, Pahso, that there will be no mating ceremony.” Raven started to lunge at it, but the edge of the invisible circle bounced her back hard enough that she almost fell on her ass. She settled for pounding her fists against the invisible barrier and screaming threats at Pahso that curled Brady’s hair and had him grateful she was on his side.

Shit! Brady had no idea what insanity he was caught up in, but it was definitely not good. If he wasn’t careful he had a bad feeling he could end up being dragged off to some dank hole populated by things that were pals of the psychopath facing him. Not to mention it was waving around a sword with the intent of cutting off his head and possibly his dick and not necessarily in that order. Brady was determined to not be dragged off to any hellish dungeon minus any body parts he considered important.

What kind of brother was Shar that he allowed this thing to come up here and just take Raven as if she was nothing more than chattel Were politics that important to him that he would honestly want her to be with something this revolting?

He jumped backwards when the sword came too close for comfort. What he wouldn’t give for his Glock right now, but one of his captors had crumpled it up like it was a toy made of tin. Maybe it wouldn’t have killed the thing, but he figured he could do a lot of damage to it. All he knew right now was that he had to do whatever was necessary to keep it away from Raven.

The creature laughed as it lunged at Brady again forcing him to jump backwards. He windmilled his arms as he narrowly missed falling into the pool. He jumped to one side and moved until he didn’t risk a dunking he knew he wouldn’t survive.

Damn, he really hated being on the defensive! He was good at hand-to-hand combat, but this kind of fighting was new to him. Give him a crazed terrorist any day. Them he could handle. He yelped when a line of blood appeared across his chest.

“You son of a bitch, this is my favorite shirt!” he shouted.

Pahso smirked. “After I have cut you into tiny pieces and feed you to my pet, your shirt will not matter.” A flick of the blade caught Brady’s cheek leaving behind another stinging line of blood.

“Sword!” Raven shouted, throwing out both hands in Brady’s direction.

He almost fell over when a flash of fiery light revealed a sword in his right hand. He shot her a quick mental thank you before grinning at Pahso.

“The female cannot do that!” the creature screamed, stamping its foot in fury. “This is our battle.”

“If he is to fight for me, he will fight by our rules!” Raven argued. “I can provide him with comparable weapons. This will be a fair fight, Pahso!”

“I don’t think shit for brains knows what a fair fight is.” Brady threw a smirk at the creature.

Brady swung the heavy sword in a wide arc, hearing a faint singing in the blade. There was no doubt there was a dark magic embedded in the metal and the last time he hefted anything close to a sword was when he was eight and pretended to be a Jedi Knight with his light saber. But he’d been in trickier situations and gotten out of them in one piece. Of course, then it didn’t have to do with his soul or a demon lizard. He felt Raven’s eyes on him, sensed her fear and something warmer that he was afraid to put a name to. “Hey, shit for brains, you don’t look so brave now that we’re on even footing,” he taunted.

Big mistake. This time when the creature lunged, he didn’t stop. It was pure reflex that had Brady lift his heavy sword to use as a shield. The force of the blade striking his sent a vibration through his body. It was sheer force of will that kept his hands wrapped around the hilt and not dropping it. He pushed back, wielding the sword, managing to slice the creature’s arm. Black blood streamed downward in a thick mass.

Rage shot through its gold eyes and it lunged again, swinging wildly but with the purpose of hacking Brady to bits. Brady ignored the aches and pains and fought to keep the deadly blade away from any part of his body.

Raven fought the circle holding her, but Pahso knew what he was doing. As long as the circle was invoked, she couldn’t move outside of it and was effectively in his power. She had hated him Below and up here her feelings toward him tipped into revulsion. All Pahso wanted was her family connections, so he could move up the ladder and eventually destroy Shar. That was the piece of knowledge she’d used to gain her vacation along with his promise he’d hold off any betrothal announcement between her and Pahso. Shar hadn’t wanted to believe her, but he agreed to investigate the matter. She thought once she made it up here, she would have the chance to fully escape. Instead, it appeared all she did was endanger the lives of the people here. No matter that Pahso claimed they weren’t harmed, but Brady was definitely in danger of losing his life. Because of the circle she couldn’t fight by his side, but she was able to provide him with a proper weapon. She felt dampness on her cheeks and lifted her fingers to touch the tears trickling from her eyes. It had happened before when she explained everything to him. Tears were unknown to her and now she had cried twice. If only Brady knew what a gift he’d given her.

She remained quiet because she feared words would distract Brady. She knew Pahso was lethal with a sword. She just hoped that Brady would survive, but if he didn’t, she did know that she would do everything in her power to ensure Pahso paid for her lover’s death.

Brady felt his strength slipping. A severe beating tended to do that. So far he’d managed to protect himself from major damage although that last cut burned like a son of a bitch. He hated to think what coated that blade.

As he backed up, looking for any kind of advantage, he caught a glance of Raven, trapped in her hellish circle. She looked scared to death and not at all like someone who might see this kind of combat on a regular basis. But what did it to him were the tears tracking her cheeks.

No way he would allow that thing to touch her. He dug down deep for strength and somehow managed to find it. Cuts and bruises didn’t seem to hurt as much as he lifted the sword higher and roared a battle cry as he surged forward. There was no hesitation as he swung the sword in an arc that connected with Pahso’s neck, the sound like a knife slicing through a juicy melon. The creature’s eyes momentarily widened then turned a flat black color before his head tipped to one side and his body to the other. Black blood bubbled out of his body in a steaming mass just before it burst into flames.

Brady looked at the other creatures. He hefted the blade, broadening his legs in a battle-ready stance as he waited for them to rush him and finish the job their boss had started. Instead they disappeared in a puff of red smoke.

“Brady!” Freed from her circle, Raven toward him but before she could reach him, another creature appeared and kept its arms around her waist. “No!” She hit it with her fist.

“Get your paws off her!” Brady roared, advancing on it.

“Brady, don’t.”

He spun around, his sword ready. Shar, attired in another immaculate suit, faced him.

“He’s one of mine,” the dark lord assured him.

“Then tell it to let her go,” Brady snarled, refusing to back down.

“Don’t hurt him!” Raven yelled, struggling to get free but having no success.

Shar faced his stepsister. “You cannot stay here, Raven.”

“Yes, I can!”

He shook his head. If Brady didn’t know better, he’d even think regret was written on the creature’s face, but what dark lord knows the meaning of regret? The kind of regret Brady sensed he was going to feel for a very long time if he couldn’t find a way out of this for the both of them.

“I killed your choice of mate for her,” he stated, hoping he was thinking like they would. “That makes her mine.”

“In your world, perhaps, but not in ours. Raven comes from a very strong lineage,” Shar explained. “One that doesn’t include a human in any form except as a pet. And I am afraid you would not make an acceptable playtoy.”

Raven pushed against her captor’s arms. “I mean it, Shar, do not hurt him!”

“Silly female, I don’t intend to harm Brady. He kept watch over you while you were here and he has been suitably compensated for that task.”

“Take the fucking money. I don’t want it.” Brady had a very sick feeling about this. That he just might lose this particular battle. He’d fought for his life many times, but he’d never fought for someone who mattered to him as much as Raven did. And now he would lose her because of a damn political battle. He cleared the emotion clogging his throat as he prepared to do something he’d never done before. Beg. “Please, leave her here with me. I will do anything. Give up anything. Everything.”

Shar shook his head. “This isn’t her world and while you have the heart of a warrior, you still wouldn’t fit into ours. You have something we don’t have, Brady. You have a conscience.”

“I meant what I said. You can’t take her,” Brady growled, holding the blood-smeared sword away from his side. If he had to give up his life for Raven, he would do it without a second thought.

Rather than growling back or smirking like that damn Pahso had, Shar’s expression still held regret as if he truly felt sorry for Brady.

“I had no idea this would happen, Brady, or I would have found someone else to look after Raven,” Shar told him. “Emotion isn’t understood in our world. What you two had was up here. If it will make it easier, I can wipe away memories of her. You can return to your life thinking you had a nice vacation and nothing more.”

“You do and you’ll find your head in the same condition Pahso’s was.” He wasn’t used to experiencing fear, but he sure felt it now. Then he looked at Raven, still help captive by the guard. No one’s hands belonged on her but his.

Brady advanced on the creature, ignoring the guards’ low murmuring that signified they wouldn’t mind turning this into a bloodbath.

Shar looked at the guard holding Raven and snapped his fingers. At that same instant, Raven’s eyes widened to saucer-size.

“No!” she screamed, realizing his intent.

In a heartbeat, Raven, Shar and his guards were gone. Even the corpses of the creatures Brady and Raven had killed were gone, not leaving even a hint of the death and destruction. The sword disappeared from Brady’s hand and he stood there alone, the artificially slumbering guests and staff ignorant of the slaughter that had taken place on the serene island.

And Brady, the guy who never flinched from danger, who faced death with a big shit-eating grin, threw back his head and let loose the angry cry of an animal who’d lost his mate. When his throat could no longer work, he slid bonelessly to the ground with the stark realization he’d just lost what mattered to him most.

Epilogue

If misery had a name it would be Brady Hayes.

It had been three months since he got back from the resort and not one day passed that Raven’s name didn’t enter his mind or her voice didn’t haunt his dreams.

True to his word, Shar’s payment was in Brady’s bank account, but he hadn’t touched a penny. If there were a way to return the money he would have done it along with a suggestion of where Shar could shove the money. He turned down jobs and spent his days on the beach. There he would watch the surfers and imagine one of them was Raven riding the waves.

And each night, he’d drunk himself into a stupor so he could sleep.

In a word, he was a fucking mess.

It hadn’t made matters any easier when his pals tried to do their best to pull him out of his apathy after he returned from the resort.

After Raven was taken there was no reason for him to remain. What surprised him the most was all the guests and staff waking up without any idea a demon war had been waged there. The scary part was that there was no record of a Raven registered there. When he broke into her room he found no hint of her ever staying there. It was as if she never existed except in his memories and his heart. Within an hour of Raven’s disappearance, Brady felt a horrible burning on his ass and discovered the mark was gone. Damn thing hurt more coming off than when it was placed. With nothing there to hold him, he boarded the next plane out.

When the doorbell pealed, he was tempted to ignore it, but past experience warned him the pounding on the wood would come next and he’d think about shooting his friends, no matter how good their intentions were. He pushed himself off the couch and stalked to the door, throwing it open with the intent of causing serious pain on whoever dared disturb him.

“Look, I have no desire to get drunk, get laid or…” he growled. He stopped short at the woman standing before him.

“Are you sure about that second item?” Raven asked in a low voice that he swore held a hint of uncertainty.

He didn’t hesitate in hauling her into his arms and holding her so tight she squeaked.

“Breathe! Brady, I have to breathe!”

He loosened his hold but not by much as he leaned back far enough to study her. Blonde hair, blue eyes, big smile and three months later she still had her tan. Her white knit top barely covered her flat belly and the scrap of denim disguised as a skirt showed off her long legs that he recalled wrapped beautifully around him when he made love to her.

“Why? How?” He shook his head. “Tell me this isn’t a drunken man’s dream.”

“Then you don’t mind I showed up here?”

“Hell no!” Brady whooped loud and long, swinging her around in a tight circle. Her laughter was music to his ears. He kicked the door shut and swung her up into his arms and carried her over to the couch. He settled her on his lap, his hands tightly holding hers as if afraid she’d disappear. “I don’t know and I don’t care how you got away from there. You’re not going back.”

Her smile trembled at his fierce declaration. “Do you mean it? You really are happy to see me?”

“Hell, yes! You belong with me and this time he’s not taking you from me. We’ll find a place on the beach where you can surf all you want and we can dance naked in the moonlight. But I want you someplace safe, so they can’t ever come after you again.” He tracked every feature. For once his memory hadn’t faulted him. “I’ll find someone who can help me with that. I promise there won’t be any surprise visits from the family.”

Raven placed her hand against his cheek. He swore her face fairly glowed. “I have something for you.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out a black envelope, handing it to him.

He accepted it warily. His name was written in bold purple script across the front. “This isn’t going to explode or melt me, is it?”

She shook her head.

He tore one edge off and watched a folded piece of black paper slide out. He unfolded it and stared at the neatly printed lines.

Brady,

You have given my stepsister a gift that she would never have found down here. It is something found among your kind, not ours. Therefore, if your feelings for her have not changed, which I have an idea they haven’t, then she is yours.

If that is the case, naturally, some changes will have to be made, as Raven will not be allowed to return to her home. With the next dawn all memory of her past life will be erased with new memories of a human upbringing to take their place. Raven will be as human as you are. And by your accepting my stepsister as your mate, your memories of your meeting and all that happened at the resort will also be erased and new ones will take their place.

If your feelings have changed, Raven will leave and you will never see her again and all memory of her will be gone come dawn. Don’t consider this a threat. I’m only doing what would be best for you both. We don’t use the L word down here. At least, not the L word you appear to feel for Raven. But I would say that is the L word Raven would use in regards to you and I sense that is the word you associate with her.

The decision is yours.

Shar,

Lord of the Dark

P.S. This letter will disintegrate the moment you finish reading it

Brady yelped when the paper and envelope burst into flame and was soon reduced to a fine ash.

He looked up at Raven. “Do you know the contents of this letter?” And received a barely perceptible nod. “Did you honestly think I wouldn’t still want you? Hell, Raven, I haven’t forgotten a word, a gesture, since that day we met.” His throat felt suddenly raw with emotion. “I even went back to the portal Shar had me use that first time, but it was closed.”

She sucked in a deep breath at the realization he had tried to come after her. “It was just as well. Entering it without an invitation would have at the very least sliced you to ribbons.”

“You won’t miss your old life? Your relatives?”

She shook her head. “Shar finally came to realize that I no longer belonged there.” She uttered a watery chuckle. “I think it was all the tears. They don’t understand that kind of tears down there.”

“And Shar’s dreams of using you to further his political dynasty?”

“Did I tell you I have two thousand stepsisters? He can choose one of them.” She leaned forward and buried her face against the curve of his neck. She inhaled the warm musky scent of his skin. “We don’t dream, but down there I dreamed of you every night. I told Shar he would have to destroy me, because I would never do what he wished. If he thought Pahso’s destruction was bad, he hadn’t seen anything yet.”

Brady’s chuckled rumbled deep within his chest as he hugged her tightly again. “My bloodthirsty Hellion Barbie!”

“You fought Pahso for me. You risked your life when you didn’t have to.” She pressed butterfly kisses all over his face.

Her wiggling in his lap quickly had his dick standing at attention and ready for action. A less than subtle hint Brady wasn’t about to ignore.

“You know what?” He stood up, easily hefting her up in his arms as he carried her to his bedroom. “Dawn will be here in roughly sixteen hours, twenty-two minutes.” He stopped and looked down into her upturned face. One he intended to look at for the hundred or so years if he could have his way. “Remember that thing you did?”

One eyebrow arched upward. “Thing?”

“That tingly thing where you-ah-,” he ducked his head and whispered in her ear.

“Oh, that.” She ran her fingertips across the back of his neck. A flash of red and black trailed down his back then moved around to his front.

“Whoa Mama. Yeah, that.” He carried her into the bedroom and dropped her unceremoniously on the bed then dropped down beside her. Within seconds, she was stripped of her clothing and his t-shirt and shorts lay on the floor. Raven’s giggle soon morphed into a breathy sigh. “You don’t think Shar could let you keep that skill, do you?”

“Brady!” She reached out and circled his cock with her fingers and gently squeezed.

He closed his eyes and just wallowed in the sensation of her hands on him. “Then, again, I’m sure we’ll do just fine without it.”

###

Author Biography

Linda Wisdom was born and raised in Huntington Beach, California. She majored in Journalism in college then switched her major to Fashion Merchandising when she was told there was no future for her in fiction writing. She held a variety of positions ranging from retail sales to executive secretary in advertising and working for a personnel agency.

Her career began when she sold her first two novels to Silhouette Romance on her wedding anniversary in 1979. Since then she has sold more than eighty novels and one novella to six publishers. Her books have appeared on various romance and mass market bestseller lists and nominated and winning a number of Romantic Times awards and Romance Writers of America Rita Award.

She lives with her husband, Barney, her spoiled mini white Schnauzer, Syd, an equally spoiled parrot and Florence, her tortoise with attitude, in Southern California.

A number of Linda’s backlist books, including her Hex paranormal series, have been optioned for film and television.

She is a two time Rita finalist and winner of varied awards over the years.

You can find information on Linda’s books at http://www.lindawisdom.com

Table of Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six