Demon by My Side(29)
But if she was going to go rogue, she wanted one last taste of her forbidden enemy.
“Why?” he asked.
A thousand lies leaped to her tongue. Any one of them would appease him without leaving herself vulnerable, but when she opened her mouth, she found herself speaking the truth. “Because you are too bloody addicting for my own good. I want you and I hate you for it.”
A wry grin split his face. “Hunter, I think we agree on something.”
His mouth captured hers before she could comment. Darcy closed her eyes, reveling in the feel of his lips on her for just a moment. When they touched everything else fell away. Their problems, their loyalties, didn’t matter. The only important fact was how perfectly they fit together. It was horribly unfair of the universe to finally send the one man for her, only to make him her enemy.
She parted her lips under his to deepen their kiss. One hand dived into his hair while the other palmed the vial from her pocket. Darcy kissed him with new desperation as she twined her arms around his shoulders. Her thumb rested against the vial’s stopper. She could pour the potion on him so easily.
Except her heart clenched at the thought of betraying him this thoroughly. She knew she should be concerned about the vengeance he’d wreak when he caught up to her but right now, with his hands on her body, she didn’t want to disappoint him in any way. A ridiculous notion for a hunter.
His hand drifted to her lower back as he pressed closer. “More,” he breathed against her lips.
“Yes,” she agreed, knowing they had two very different ideas about how this embrace would end.
He kissed her hard and she melted against him. Her thumb popped the lid on the vial yet still she hesitated. Once she did this, no man would ever kiss her with such desperation again.
“My hunter,” he whispered.
Pain lanced through her. “Never,” she replied softly and tipped the vial.
He jerked back from her as the cold potion splashed over his neck.
“What did you do?” he growled.
Darcy dropped the vial, careful not to get any of the mixture on her skin, and stepped back. “What I had to.”
He took a step toward her and stumbled.
Darcy backed away. The one and only time she’d used this potion before, the effects had been instantaneous.
Jaral made it all the way to the bed before his knees buckled. He fell hard and Darcy winced at the crash. One hand clawed the blankets of the bed as he tried to right himself.
Darcy crouched down to his level, careful to stay out of arm’s reach.
“Will find you,” he vowed, rage filling his expression.
She smiled sadly. “I know.”
“Why?” Black claws stretched from his fingernails as he tore the carpet beneath him.
“Because I don’t work with demons,” she said. “I will close the rift and then you can come at me with everything you have, okay? But I have to do this first.”
“Darcy…”
“Sleep,” she breathed. “Sleep.”
She could see him fighting the spell but the potion was far stronger. With a last accusing glare at her, he dropped to the ground.
Darcy waited a moment to make sure he really was down for the count before grabbing her bag from the bed and racing from the bedroom. She scooped up her files from the living room and ran for the door, her cell already in her hand.
“Darcy?” Cailin asked when she picked up.
“I need an escape,” Darcy said without preamble. She skidded to a halt before the elevator and punched the button. “Jaral took me to a hotel. I—”
“You’re at the Rex. I’m waiting outside.”
“What?”
“You didn’t think I’d get worried when you vanished without a trace? I’ve been driving around for hours looking for you.”
“How did you find me?”
She heard Cailin sigh. “You know how weak my magic is. I did what I could but I couldn’t zero in on your location until just a little while ago. Something changed.”
“I was unconscious,” Darcy offered. The elevator doors opened before her and she jumped in.
“That would do it,” Cailin said, sounding a little bitter. “My magic isn’t strong enough to find you if you were out cold. My parents could have done it but it’s all hands on deck down at the docks. Blake and I have been looking for you but there was no one else to spare.”
“I’ll be down in a few minutes if you can be waiting outside the lobby,” she said, watching the numbers decrease above the doors.
“I’ll be there. And be careful. Demon hotel and all.”
The doors opened and Darcy stepped out into an ornate lobby. Several demons stood behind the reception desk running the length of one wall. Guests milled about the center of the room, seemingly unaware of her presence.