Sucker for Pain
Two days have gone by and I haven’t seen hide nor hair of Zeke.
When he left the loft the other day, he said he was going to round up his humans and get them caught up on the newest demons we encountered.
He’d explained that he thought, given the events of the last time we were all together, the news would be better received if I wasn’t there.
Two days is getting a bit excessive, and I can’t help but feel like he’s actually avoiding me. I trusted him with my secret—at least a good portion of it—because he asked me to. He can’t be mad now. He fell too, and that means there isn’t anything I’ve done that he can’t rival. Liar.
I’ve spent the past two days taking my frustration out on the punching bag hanging from the barn rafters.
Without knowing what else is roaming around out there, I haven’t hunted.
Fear isn’t the issue. It’s knowing when more training is needed.
I have to be prepared, and storing energy is my preparation.
Sure, I’ll conjure another storm before we fight, but that’s not something I can do every day.
At some point, even in New Orleans, people would get suspicious.
In the meantime, I’ve been working on my strength.
Starting by kicking the shit out of the bag again.
I’m thirty minutes into my boxing workout when the sound of tires on the gravel alerts me to someone’s approach—multiple someones.
I grab a towel and wipe the sweat from my forehead, slinging the wet cloth onto a nearby chair.
Zeke saunters in, two hundred pounds of well-muscled angel. If he had shown up two days ago looking like this, I might’ve jumped him, but today … not a chance.
“Hey, baby,” he croons, but I turn my back, effectively ignoring him.
He doesn’t get to disregard me for two days and then show up here like everything is fine. Doesn’t he know I’ve been questioning everything in his absence?
“Victoria,” he calls, sounding mildly peeved at my less-than-hospitable behavior. “You’re the one who chose a physical-only relationship.”
Ass. Hole.
Throwing my own damn words back at me is low. Or fair. But that’s something I won’t admit out loud.
“You can’t just ignore me.”
“Wrong,” I seethe.
I’m just about ready to tell him where he can go when I feel him at my back. His large hands come to my hips, pulling me back into his chest. His warm breath tickles my ears, and I try to repress the shiver it causes.
“You missed me that much?” he murmurs, and I turn to slap his chest.
“Don’t try to be cute, Zeke. I’m pissed,” I say, stalking off toward the loft stairs.
He catches me by the elbow, swinging me back toward him.
“Victoria, stop,” he begs. “Let me speak.”
I yank out of his grip, crossing my arms over my chest. It’s as much permission as he’s going to get.
“I did what we discussed. I rounded up the troops. They’re here, ready to start training,” he says, motioning toward the open barn door. “You don’t get to have it both ways. This is either a friends-with-benefits situation or it’s more. You choose, but you don’t get both.”
I hate him in this moment. Or more accurately, I hate his wise words and these damn human emotions swirling through me. It’s confusing. Maddening. Awful.
Instead of acknowledging either choice, I turn back to the present situation. Humans are here and ready to fight.
“They’re not going to get in my way?”
“Can’t promise that. But they are trainable,” Zeke says.
I suck my teeth before heading toward the driveway. Sure enough, a group of eager humans congregate around two additional trucks parked in the drive. Twice as many as Blaine’s original group.
“Guys, meet Tori,” Zeke says, saddling up beside me.
Names are rattled off in succession, but I hardly pay attention. I don’t need to know their names; I need to know if they can fight. More importantly, I need to know if they can be trusted.
Humans are easily swayed by dark forces. If their lives are offered in exchange for their abandonment of our cause, they’ll likely take it without a second thought. That doesn’t make them evil; it makes them human. Which is exactly why I’ve never agreed to fight alongside them before.
“What are you fighting with?” I ask, hoping like hell none of them say their fists. If that’s the answer, I’m going it alone.
A redhead with a face full of freckles steps forward. “Chad, ma’am. We’ve all worked with a coven—Dubai Coven of Savannah—to have blades, enchanted with angel rock, created.”
My eyes shoot to Zeke’s. I hope he can read my mind. What the actual hell. Humans working with witches? It appears the demons aren’t the only ones sidling up to the covens.
“Did you organize this pact for them?” I direct my question toward Zeke. He grins in reply. “Did you discuss the current demon situation?”
“He did,” Chad pipes up. “We’re ready to train.”
“You do realize that a hellhound was recently spotted,” I press, wanting to gauge just how much Zeke has told them.
“Yes, ma’am,” he drawls.
“And you understand that means Lucifer is on Earth?”
He nods. “We’re prepared to die if it means saving the human race.”
I huff, unconvinced that these men truly grasp the severity of Chad’s declaration. Either way, it’s their decision.
“Fine. Let’s train,” I say, walking back toward the barn with six humans lagging behind, none of which are Blaine and his crew.
“Who are these people?” I ask, as Zeke steps next to me. “Where’s Blaine?”
“They’re Savannah hunters. I met them last year. Blaine will be here. He needed some time to process everything.”
I roll my eyes. “He’s a pain in the ass.”
Zeke chuckles. “That he can be.”
We pair off, Zeke and I taking the lead. For over an hour, we practice fighting techniques, hand-to-hand combat and a cross between Muay Thai and judo.
I have to admit that the stamina and overall aptitude of the men is refreshing. A part of me had been convinced that they’d fall short, but Zeke was right. These men are skilled fighters.
Zeke and I are in a fighting sequence when he leans in and quietly says, “Are you going to admit I was right all along?”
My mouth forms a thin line, and I kick, trying to take out his feet. I miss, growling in frustration. I’m still miffed with Zeke, and his cocky attitude isn’t helping. Based on his grin, he knows he’s getting to me. I’m itching to wipe it off his face.
He takes advantage of my irritation and strikes back with his own kick. I fall heavily to my knees. My fists slam against the mat, anger rising at the fact that I was so distracted that I allowed him to take me down.
I spring to my feet, and we circle each other in crouched positions.
My black tank top hugs my curves and showcases the swell of my breasts.
I press my arms to my sides, forcing my cleavage to pop.
Zeke doesn’t miss the protruding globes, and it’s my turn to smirk, because he’s officially distracted.
He may be angelic, but not even that makes him immune to my female wiles.
I lunge forward, grabbing him by the neck and flipping over his body to bring him onto his back. I throw my legs over his chest so that I’m straddling him.
“How do you like that your human soldiers get to see you taken down by a girl?”
He leans up until our lips are just barely touching. “You’re far from a simple girl, Tori,” he says, nipping my bottom lip. “They’ve been warned not to underestimate you.”
I smirk, but it doesn’t last long. Zeke uses his weight to throw me off balance and onto my back, reversing positions with me.
“Have I told you how much I like having you underneath me?” he growls.
My frustration from earlier disappears, and suddenly a red-hot need sears me. I want him inside me.
“Head back to the hotel,” he orders the men. “I’ll see you tonight.”
The humans don’t stick around, chuckling as they make their way back to their trucks. They know full well what’s coming next, and they’re right to hightail it.
We don’t wait for them to retreat. Zeke pulls me to my feet and lifts me into his arms. With our lips fused together, he carries me up the loft stairs.
“Need a shower,” I murmur in between kisses.
In a matter of moments, I’m stripped naked and pressed against the shower wall, legs wrapped around Zeke’s waist. His mouth lavishes a pert nipple, and a moan escapes my lips. My hands pull at his hair, desperation mounting.
“Please,” I groan, begging for him to put me out of my misery.
Water cascades over us as he continues running one hand over the curves of my body, the other holding me in place.
“I missed you,” he grunts. “Need you.”
I nod my head, a silent plea for him to take what he wants.
I’m frantic for the same thing. My nails rake down his back and it only seems to arouse him more.
Without a word he slams up and into me. My head falls back, and my entire body comes alive at the feel of his thickness massaging my inside walls.
I bask in the pleasure, thanking whoever is listening for this moment. Why did I avoid it for so long? Nothing has ever felt this good. Every single touch has me feeling more alive than I ever have before. A future may not be in our cards, but this right here—I’m down for it.
After multiple rounds, we both collapse in my bed, sated and exhausted.
“That,” he starts, then stops, causing me to smirk into his shoulder.
“Was incredible?” I offer.
“Beyond,” he admits.
“I promised the boys we’d hunt tonight, but I’ll admit, I don’t know that my legs will work.” He chuckles.
“We have to,” I say, wishing like hell we could stay put. “It’s one thing fighting each other, but we need to rid the world of more demons.”
He kisses me long and hard. “Promise me you’ll be careful tonight,” he requests, and I narrow my eyes.
“I’ve been fighting demons since I fell, Zeke. Nothing has changed.”
“Everything has changed,” he snarls, kissing me roughly this time. “You’re finally mine and I won’t lose you, Tori.”
His words are sobering. I have enjoyed everything we’ve shared and yes, I might be softening to the idea of more with Zeke, but he’s ten steps ahead. We can’t really move forward until I’ve told him the whole truth, and even then, I’m not sure I can allow myself to open my heart completely again.
His phone rings, saving me from having yet another argument about this pseudo-relationship. I listen to his clipped discussion that lasts for all of two minutes.
“Zombies have been spotted just off Jackson Square.”
“Zombies?” I yelp.
“Get ready. We need to go.”
I spring from the bed, locating my hunting gear. All the while I’m replaying his words in my head. Demons, werewolves, hellhound, and now zombies. War is brewing, and as much as I don’t want to admit it, we aren’t prepared.