“Just promise me you won’t do anything that will get you killed. I just got my immortality, I don’t want to lose it on the same day.”
He gave her a hard kiss. “We being mated just gives me another incentive to get rid of the bastard.”
Brisa silently nodded. She had to trust that Darius knew what he was doing. She watched him walk out of the door in the kitchen that led to the backyard. When he headed past the pool and hot tub to a long stretch of lawn, she raced to the dining room where there were a set of french doors that gave her a better view.
Darius stood with sword in hand and waited for the demon to put in an appearance. Seeing him like that, Brisa could see the ancient knight he’d been. All he was missing was chain mail and armor.
Not like the other time, the demon didn’t give Darius any warning that he was nearby. The demon didn’t taunt him with a disembodied voice, nor did he force a shift on Darius. One second the demon wasn’t there and the next he was, his sword slashing toward the man she loved.
Brisa felt her heart jump into her throat, but breathed a sigh of relief when Darius easily blocked the hit with his sword. This fight, he did seem more focused. Unlike the last time, the demon didn’t gain any ground. Watching Darius, she decided his movements were beautiful and deadly at the same time.
The demon must have sensed that he wasn’t going to win. He disappeared. Brisa thought for sure he’d taken a coward’s way out and run. But he reappeared behind Darius. Not thinking of her own safety, she ran out of the house toward them, screaming a warning at Darius. He blocked the hit that would have skewered him in the back.
“Brisa,” he yelled, “get back in the house.”
Too late she realized her mistake. The demon disappeared again only to appear in front of her. She didn’t have time to turn and run before he had her held with her back to his chest, an arm around her middle and a knife held to her throat.
Darius gave a bellow of rage and advanced on them. The demon held the blade tighter against her skin, making Brisa hiss with pain when it cut her. “Stop right there, warrior. You want your precious mortal to live, you’ll put down your sword.”
Seeing Darius start to lower his weapon, Brisa said, “Don’t, Darius. He won’t let either one of us live, you know that.”
Darius took another step closer, and the knife cut a little deeper. Brisa felt they were at a standoff. She racked her brain to think of a way to get herself out of the spot she’d stupidly put herself in.
A low growl brought her out of her racing thoughts. While she’d looked away, Darius had shifted to his other form. This time she didn’t think the demon had used a spell on Darius. Her mate didn’t seem surprised by it. If anything, a look of determination came over his face.
Moving faster than she could keep track of, Darius ripped the demon’s knife from her throat and shoved her aside. Brisa spun around, feeling blood dripping down her chest, but didn’t pay it any heed. Her attention focused on the scene that played out before her.
Darius took hold of the demon and quickly seemed to catch his gaze with his own. The demon suddenly gave up the fight as he stared into Darius’ eyes.
“Evil,” Darius growled. “Time for you to face your judgment.”
A dagger appeared in his hand, but it wasn’t gold. This one looked to be some kind of black metal. Darius cut the demon across the chest with it, the sound of sizzling skin followed. Darius released the demon as he seemed to fade out of sight, screaming with rage.
Once they were alone, Darius growled as the change swept through him until he again stood as a man. He turned to her and opened his arms. Brisa ran into them, holding him tight.
“Is it over?” she asked.
“Yes. I sent him to Anubis to be judged.”
She pulled away only far enough to look at Darius. “I thought you couldn’t do that.”
“While he held you, threatening to end your life, it brought on the change.”
“And the dagger?”
“Something new, though I’ve always had the ability to will any weapon I need into my hand. I just thought of what I would need to send a demon back to the underworld to face Anubis.”
Brisa tucked her head under his chin. “That’s one demon down, but how many more are out there hunting the rest of the warriors like you?”
“I don’t know, but I’m sure Anubis will warn them.”
Darius let her go, then scooped her up in his arms. “Right now, I’m just happy I sent the one after me to a place where he can’t ever hurt us again.” He carried her toward the house. “That taken care of, I’m going to make love to you for the rest of the night.”
Brisa wrapped her arms around her mate’s neck and whispered all the dirty things she wanted to do to him in his ear. She soon found herself laughing as Darius put on a burst of speed no mortal could manage and had them up in the bedroom where he showed her how much he loved her over and over again.
The End
About the Author
Marisa Chenery was always a lover of books, but after reading her first historical romance novel she found herself hooked. Having inherited a love for the written word, she soon started writing her own novels.
After trying her hand at writing historicals, she now writes paranormals.
Marisa lives in Ontario, Canada, with her husband and four children. She would love to hear from you, so drop her an email.
Marisa welcomes comments from readers. You can find her website and email addresses on her author bio page at www.ellorascave.com.