Chapter One 

“Angel, you know I love you more than I love my purple cashmere scarf, but if I don’t get away from that damned mosquito, I’m going to squash him!” I can feel the tears of frustration building at the back of my eyes. The pull to bond with him is getting stronger with each passing day. It’s a miracle I have held off this long. 

“It can’t be that bad. Why don’t you just move rooms?” Gawd! If she only knew I was feeding off of her and her mates' sexcapades. I swear those three could keep my succubus side fed for a year from just one week around them, but I have been slowly healing from my oh so sweet stay with the ArchAngels. 

“Darling, I brought your lunch.” The sound of Knox's voice grates against my nerves. How does he do this? He always knows when I’m hangry. It’s a living nightmare to be this close to him, yet feel so far apart. I breathe in through my nose to try to curb my tongue, a sweet tangy goodness assailing my senses. Fuck! He really did have the chef cook up some sweet and sour steak. My mouth starts watering to the point I have to swallow. I want that dish so bad, but not from him. It will only bring us closer together if I accept it. 

I growl, and my eyes glow with purple Hellfire as I turn on him. I have to force myself to knock the tray from his hands without whimpering. The clatter of dishes bouncing off the stone floor leaves no satisfaction within me.

“Look here, you overgrown chihuahua! DO NOT CALL ME DARLING!” My fists clench and unclench at my sides, as I fight the urge to hit him upside the head again. His eyes flash a glowing red before settling back to their rich chocolate brown. I swear his bedroom eyes make me weak in the knees more often than not. 

“AliStacia, try to eat something. Anything! For god's sake, you haven’t eaten in three days.” I can’t help the laugh that slips from my lips. If he only knew I had the chef bringing me these wonderful creations he has made. This is one time I don’t mind being someone’s guinea pig. That man can cook!

“I do not find you starving yourself funny, Darling. You need to heal.” My hand swings out, slapping him across the face before my brain can catch up. Oh shit! I really just did that. What the hell is wrong with me? I stiffen my spine and narrow my eyes as he cups his cheek, his eyes glowing that gorgeous red I can hardly resist. My hands find my hips, to keep me from slapping him again.

“I warned you, Old Man. And you just won't listen. Well, hear this.” I step right up into his personal space, his unique amberwood and spice scent wafting all around me. I clench my thighs to keep myself in check and scream in his face. “I AM NOT YOUR DARLING!”

Angel is suddenly between us, one hand on Knox's chest, pushing him back from me. I gnash my teeth together as I see her touching him so nonchalantly. I will not snap at her for defending me, but man do I want to snatch her hand off of him. If she wasn’t mated to those two damn hawt males, I think I would be jealous a teeny tiny bit with her touching him. 

“That’s enough. Knox, back the fuck up off her. Can’t you see she’s about to tear your head off?” She turns to me and rolls her eyes, mischief dancing within their midst. “Damn dominant males never know when to just shut it and play with you instead of argue.” 

“Mmmm… A little play time goes a looong way.” My voice drips with sensuality. I turn, putting a little extra sway in my hips as I head out of the room, leaving a stunned Knox gasping like a fish out of water. 

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Just as the dawn is casting pinks, purples, and misty orange over the horizon, Knox walks into my room, and the only thing he is wearing is low riding flannel pajama pants. Showing that delicious V that we all know leads down to… Nope, stop that train of thought, girl, this is not a free for all bounce house here. My brow wrinkles in confusion. What could he possibly want, this close to his coffin time? Without saying a word, he lays on the opposite side of the bed. I bolt upright, openly staring at him.

“What, and I can’t stress this enough, the FUCK are you doing in my bed?” A small grin crosses his lips as he folds his arms behind his head. I reach over, shoving his side. He ain’t budging, but he does give a low chuckle. Nope, not having this. I turn and plant my feet into his ribs and shove. The floor vibrates as he lands on his back and hollers out. I smirk and lay back down.

“AliStacia! What is wrong with you?” Is he really asking that, when he’s the one that crawled into my bed?

“You ain’t sleeping with me. Go back to your own bed.” I roll over, giving him my back. I so don’t want to argue with him this morning.

“This IS my bed. This IS my room. You are in my bed, and I intend to sleep in it.” I feel the bed shake as he crawls in it again and I sit up, seeing him laying the same exact way, completely without a care.

“What are you doing, mosquito? I’m trying to sleep here!” I can feel the purple flames flickering in my eyes with my anger. He smirks at me and closes his eyes. “No! You are not sleeping here. You gave this room and bed to me, that’s a YOU problem. Now get out!” The only response I get is him wiggling his hips to get more comfortable. WHAT THE HELL!

“Good night, Darling.” His words grate across my skin like liquid flames of hell. I throw the covers back and jump out of bed. Not caring if he sees me in my tiny black boyshorts, and purple batty tank top, I hurry to the door and escape that beast of a man, before I do something we both regret. Like kissing those sensual lips, or licking him from his chin down to that delicious little V that leads to… 

“Fuck!” I yell down the hall. I seriously need to stop thinking of him this way. My gawd, what is wrong with me? And why do I feel this damned pull getting stronger. I wander down to the second floor, only to find myself looking down at Heathen, sitting with his arms crossed over his chest, leaning back against Mick’s door. I look left and right. No other guards are about. With a sigh, I sit beside him and curl up. This stone floor is freezing on my ass, literally. These tiny sleep shorts don’t have enough material for stone sleeping. I wiggle closer to Heathen and lay my head on his shoulder. I feel his body stiffen, and his breathing pauses for a moment before resuming. Yet he hasn’t relaxed.

“Do you want me to move, Heathen?” I lift my head and look over at him as I fight a yawn, my eyes start to water, and I cave. I yawn so hard my jaw cracks, causing him to break from playing statue, and whip his head my way. I blink slowly, only to open my eyes to see him bending down towards me. He scoops me up, opens Mick’s door without even bothering to knock, and carries me in as Mick sits up sputtering.

“What are you doing?” Heathen ignores Mick and lays me down on the bed, before leaving the room just as quickly as he entered.

“Ummmm… Morning? I swear I didn’t ask the giant brat to bring me in here. I would have slept on the floor beside him.” I glance over at Mick, and he’s gritting his teeth. The little vein in the middle of his forehead looks like it’s playing the drums with all the pounding it’s doing.

“What do you mean by sleeping on the floor? What happened to Knox giving you his room and bed?” Oh yeah, Mick is livid. I start to slide off the bed, but feel my wrist snatched and I’m pulled back towards the middle of the bed. “Answer me, Stacie.” His voice may be soft, yet the red sparks are playing in his eyes again. My shoulders slump, and tears build behind my eyes.

“He is in that bed, Mick. And I can’t stay there. Demons and Vampires aren’t supposed to mix like that,” I barely whisper, yet somehow he hears every word. Or maybe he feels the turmoil brewing inside me, one never knows with Mick and his magic. His arm snakes around my waist and pulls me close to his body, forcing me to lay with him.

“Stay here through the day. Get some sleep before you run. I’ll guard you.” My head snaps back so fast I think I give myself whiplash. Mick has his eyes closed, a small smirk playing across his lips. “Don’t give me that look. I know you are planning on ditching us. Angel even feels it. Now go to sleep, Little Troublemaker.”

I lay back down on my side, wiggling back to rest against the one man I know won’t touch me that way, my mind wandering back through the last few days. Arguing with Knox is one of my favorite pastimes here, yet I can’t think of any time, nor place, I have given my plans away. My mind keeps drifting back further and further as I succumb to sleep. Dreams of dancing at the exclusive demon club, Shadows, bounce through my mind.