Leander was furious with Araminta for not leaving the moment he’d commanded her to. She should have gone to safety as he’d ordered her. But at least she was inside the car and away from the fight. That was something.
He was quickly learning that Araminta might appear to be meek and mild, but she was really a lioness in disguise. She was stubborn and didn’t take orders well. He only hoped that trait didn’t get her killed. They were in a fight for their lives and it was his duty to protect her.
The demon fighting him wasn’t the smartest one he’d ever come across, but it was incredibly strong, its dense body made for wielding weapons and destroying weaker foes. He knew the other remaining demon was creeping around behind him. Leander also knew he had to kill both demons quickly. With Araminta still here, he was handcuffed. He couldn’t move away from the car for fear one of the demons would go after her. He had no idea what their orders were from Hades.
He struck hard and low, literally slicing the demon’s legs out from under it. His sharp blade sliced through bone, muscle and sinew as though it were water. Leander gave thanks that he had enough of his power to conjure both clothing and weapons. He wasn’t nearly at full strength, but he had more than enough power and sheer brute strength to protect himself and Araminta.
The creature fell to the hard concrete but didn’t stop fighting, and wouldn’t until it was dead. Demons were tough bastards. Leander aimed his sword at the demon’s neck just as he heard the screeching tires of a car. He finished off the demon with one final thrust and whirled around in time to see the remaining demon flying over the hood of the car before going airborne. Araminta had struck the creature with the car.
Leander didn’t pause to think about everything that could have gone wrong, how the demon might have been able to punch out the glass of the windshield and skewer Araminta with his sword. Leander launched himself into the air and landed behind the demon, swinging his sharp blade with all his might. The creature sensed him at the last minute, but it was far too late. Leander hit the demon with his sword and a blast of power. The demon lost its head and its remains burst into dust, scattering in the breeze.
Breathing hard, Leander stalked toward the car. He didn’t know if he wanted to hug Araminta or toss her over his knee and beat her. As he approached, she unlocked and shoved the passenger door open. “Get in.”
He willed his sword away and climbed into the metal vehicle. It was a tight fit as the space was small and he was not. He’d barely gotten the door shut when she took off. The tires squealed, rubber burned and then they were on the road.
He braced his arms and legs to keep from flying forward when she suddenly braked. He knew what a car was, but being in one was a totally different experience. He and his brethren had been moved around in the closed back of a truck for many years, but this was different, more real.
She sped off again, and the speed at which they moved thrilled him. It was faster than any horse could ever go.
“What the hell was that?” Her knuckles were white against the steering wheel and her arms were stiff with tension.
“You should have left when I told you to.” He clenched his hands into fists to keep from reaching for her.
“No shit, Sherlock.” She shot him a glare and immediately looked back at the road, but not before he caught the hint of tears in her eyes. “I couldn’t leave you behind. Not to face those creatures alone.”
Something inside him crumbled and his heart began to ache. Leander studied Araminta as she guided the car through the traffic, weaving in and out of lanes. No one but his fellow warriors had ever stood beside him. She was human and easily killed, yet she hadn’t run from the demons, but had protected his back instead. Her courage humbled him but did little to quench the fury flooding his veins.
“I can handle a few demons. But I was at a disadvantage because I had to protect you as well.” He took a deep breath and tried to rein in his temper, knowing full well he’d never do anything to hurt her. He needed an outlet for his anger. If he couldn’t beat her, he could always fuck her until they were both too tired to walk.
His cock stirred and he growled. Right now, he couldn’t take either action. All he could do was replay the fight in the garage and think of all the things that could have gone wrong.
Araminta pulled over to the right, the sudden move shoving him against the car door. “Get out.” A car horn blared behind them, and a car pulled around them and sped off.
He studied her pale face in the streetlights. What was wrong with her? They needed to get far away from here. “What are you talking about? We don’t have time to stop. We need to keep going.”
Her glare got even fiercer. Wisps of hair had escaped her braid. Her bottom lip was red and damp and he knew she must have bitten it more than once during the fight.
She pointed to the door and he caught the fine quiver in her fingers. “Get out.”
Goddess, she was magnificent. He really wanted to kiss her, to take her down onto the seat and fuck her until they were both lost in mindless pleasure.
“If you don’t want to have to worry about me get your ass out of my car. I can take care of myself.”
She was kicking him out. Trying to get rid of him. Anger and fear warred for supremacy within him. “Hades will send demons to kill you.” They had to stay together. It had nothing to do with the way she felt in his arms and had everything to do with his honor. He needed to protect her.
“Then that’s my problem, isn’t it?”
Leander raked his hands through his hair and his elbow hit the window. He started to swear but swallowed the foul language, not wanting to upset Araminta any more than she already was. He was jammed in here so tight he wasn’t certain he’d be able to get out. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm.
What was it about Araminta that made him crazy? His lion roared inside him, a sharp reminder of what he knew to be true. She made him nuts, scared him to death, because she belonged to him.
Never in his tens of thousands of years of living had he had something to lose. He and his fellow warriors were friends, brothers even. But they were all battle-hardened warriors and knew they might fall one day in the service of the Lady. This was different. Araminta belonged to him. And he belonged to her.
He reached out and touched the side of her face. His fingers were rough against her petal-soft skin. She shuddered and briefly closed her eyes before glaring at him again. She truly was a worthy mate for him. Suddenly, he wanted to smile and laugh but refrained because she truly looked angry with him.
He leaned forward and brushed his mouth over hers. Her lips tasted sweet, but they also tasted of remembered fear. Her skin was salty and musky with the remnants of terror. She’d faced four demons and hadn’t run, hadn’t left him.
“You scared me.” It was the closest he could come to an apology because he still believed she should have left him behind to fight on his own. Her safety was everything to him. It was a stark realization to come to, that this human’s well-being meant more to him than anything else. More than freeing his goddess, more than his fellow warriors, more than his own safety.
“I don’t understand you.” The anger seemed to drain out of her, leaving only fatigue and wariness behind.
“I know.” He brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. He could lose himself in her beautiful misty-gray eyes.
“You don’t look very comfortable. There’s a lever under the front of your seat. Just pull it up and push and your seat will shift back.”
He did as she told him and the seat slid, giving him more legroom. He still couldn’t say he was comfortable, but at least he didn’t feel quite so hemmed in.