The Unlikeable Demon Hunter (Nava Katz #1)(77)

He slid his arms around my waist. "Give me something."

His words warmed me into submission. I hadn't messed up. Whatever he wanted, I'd give. I ran my hands around to the small of his back. "Anything."

Samson's fingers bit into my hips. "Make him hurt."

I didn't even need to think about how. Rising onto tiptoe, I kissed Samson.

My fingers tangled in his hair. Nipping, licking, tongues tangling, moans that vibrated through me.

Say what you will about my issues, they brought me to my senses, blowing away Samson's hold on me. I pushed against his chest.



       
         
       
        

Samson let me go, staring in bafflement.

Using his demonic compulsion on me, because I had no doubts about his status anymore, wasn't what had me racing for the door, lightheaded. It wasn't even thinking a kiss was the one thing that could hurt Rohan. It was the fact that I'd broken my kiss embargo with someone who wasn't Rohan and wanted to cry over the loss.

I fumbled for the door handle needing air. Needing to collect myself because, just no. I ran out, my legs giving out on me about ten feet outside the door.

Anya caught up to me. "Are you all right?" She shot a concerned glance at Samson's trailer.

Not in any reality. "Can you get me a taxi?"

"I'll get you a driver. Come." I followed her on shaky legs over to a bearded Teamster who introduced himself as Jan and offered to drive me back to the Praha WS.

I zipped up my coat with clumsy trembling fingers, not able to get away from there fast enough. Only once I was halfway back to the hotel did I realize I'd failed to get the meet-up for tomorrow.





22





Drio answered my frantic knock on Rohan's door.

"I messed up."

He pulled me inside. Rohan wasn't there.

Drio didn't say a word, just let me sit down and waited. The story tumbled out of me. "I knew intellectually what Samson was capable of. But I hadn't truly understood. He made me feel things."

My hand shook on the shot of bourbon Drio had given me. Between the bitter ache of my failure, the fading rush of adrenaline, and my brain trying to lockdown replays of my epiphany, it was a miracle my motor skills worked at all. "I had to get out of there and I didn't get the meeting for tomorrow."

"It's a setback. It's not the end of the world."

"I should have handled the situation better. I know I didn't have the ritual blade to kill him and I couldn't use my magic and tip our hand, but I should have –"

"Screw that." Drio was furious. Weirdly, not at me, but on my behalf. "We fight evil. That means we do whatever necessary to stay alive and fight another day. A plan is not worth your life. Not worth any part of your body or well-being." His eyes narrowed at the way the glass shook as I held it in my lap. "You ever feel threatened like that? Go off-book and flambé his dick."

I was starting to realize that off-book and me might not be the best pairing. I'd gone off-book contacting Gelman, resulting in my possession of a secret ritual that could get me and my brother killed. I'd gone off-book by creating Lolita, resulting in …

I shot back the booze. 

"We're so close," I said. "I was scared to blow it. If the Brotherhood learned I was responsible for Samson getting away?" I rubbed my temples.

"We've all screwed up."

"You get more leeway than I do."

"True." Drio took my glass, holding it up in question. I shook my head. "Doing what we do, it's easy to get caught up in the rush and charge forward into danger. It's fun and hell, the Brotherhood encourages it." He rubbed his finger over his glamoured up Rasha ring. "Battling darkness, we become convinced that light shines out our ass." He tapped his head. "It fucks with us because if our big heroic quest is the only thing that matters, failure stops being an option. Any action, any emotion not related to the cause pales in comparison. Then one day we get a harsh reality check and understand what failure really is."

I barely dared to breathe, more curious than ever about his story.

His cell went off, ending sharing time. Drio glanced at the screen, then tapped it a couple of times. "Hey Ro, you're on speakerphone."

"Lolita there?" In addition to voices in the background, I heard snatches of musical instruments.

I pressed my palms into the tops of my thighs with a brief irrational fear that he'd forgotten my real name. "Yeah. I didn't get the meeting. I'm sorry."

There was silence on the other end. "We'll Plan B it."

"Ro, I got you some water." Lily was with him.