Devoted to the dark, p.10
Devoted to the Dark, page 10
“I don’t blame you,” I told her. “If your work is done, what else are you supposed to do? Well, I think I should probably get going.”
“Oh? Didn’t you need to speak to your father?” I could almost hear the alarm bells going off in her head. I had spooked her.
“Actually, I just remembered I have a meeting. And I’m not that fond of the old man—but don’t tell him I said that.” Now we both had a secret.
She relaxed a little bit. “Oh, okay. Well, it was nice chatting with you, Miss Elisa.”
“You, too—” I paused. I hadn’t even asked her name.
“Maria,” she told me with a bashful smile.
“Maria. It was nice speaking to you as well.” I raised my hand and spun around, headed for the door. She followed me, which I thought was weird at first, but then I remembered it was her job.
Maria opened the door for me. I told her goodbye again, and then stepped outside into the fainting sunlight.
“All right,” I said under my breath, stalking back to my car. “Maybe Daemon doesn’t like it when I show up unannounced, but he’s going to have to get used to it if he wants my help. And even if he doesn’t know he wants my help, he will when he hears what I found out.”
With a new confidence that perhaps I could do something right, I got into my car, took several deep breaths, and headed out of my father’s estate without even having to see the bastard.
Maria had proven very useful, and she didn’t even know it. I hoped it stayed that way. She seemed like a nice, innocent girl, which I could relate to. It would be a shame if she ended up just as fucked up as I was.
CHAPTER 16
DAEMON
Tilda was like a sponge, soaking up everything I told her about how she could improve her fighting skills. In the practice ring with her, I felt an energy I hadn’t had in a long time. It was like having a protégé, someone who really wanted to absorb everything I had to say to her. Most of the time, I didn’t work with our new recruits directly, leaving that to my brothers or lieutenants, but with Tilda’s enthusiasm, I realized I missed that.
“When you were battling Igor, he brought his arms around on you a few times, and you didn’t get out of the way quite quick enough. You’ve got to remember to get your own arm up to block.” I showed her what I was talking about, and we tried a few practice steps before I went at her for real. This time, she did exactly what I’d told her to do, deflecting my blow.
“That’s great,” I said encouragingly. “Keep that arm up and sweep to the opposite side. Great job, Tilda.”
“Thank you, Daemon.” Her smile beamed, even as she readied herself for another attack. “I’m trying to improve myself so I can prove that I will make a good soldier for you.”
“You’re doing a great job. But let’s try something harder.” Without holding back this time, I came at her. She tried some of her usual moves on me, but I was going at full force now, so I wasn’t easy to stop.
Within seconds, I had her from behind, her arms pinned at her sides. Tilda struggled against me, but there was absolutely no way she was going to be able to break my grip on her. I was just too damn strong.
“All right, in this position, there’s really only one thing that you can do to break your attacker’s grasp,” I explained, still holding her. She stilled so that she could understand me. “Bring both of your legs up as high as you can at the same time and throw yourself down toward the ground.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, a bit of hesitation in her voice.
I almost laughed. “Yes. Just try it and—”
Before I could even finish the sentence, Tilda did exactly as I’d instructed her. She lifted up off the ground, her feet in the air, bringing me forward with her as she lurched toward the ground. Immediately, my grip on her body slipped, and she came free.
What I wasn’t expecting was for her to bring her leg around in a sweeping motion as she crouched before me. She knocked my feet out from under me, sending me sprawling on the mat.
With the wind knocked out of me, I lay there on my back as her tiny form pounced on me, holding my arms and legs down. In a moment, I would recover enough to knock her aside, but if she had a knife on her, that was it; I was done for.
“How is that?” Tilda’s smile was just as bright as always as she grinned down at me.
The pain in my gut began to subside as I nodded at her. “That was great.”
She laughed. “Maybe I will make a good soldier sooner than you thought?”
I wanted to answer her, but I heard a gasp from the doorway and the sound of high heels hastily retreating across the floor. Tilda and I both swiveled in that direction. Familiar blonde hair spun out like a cape. All I could mumble was, “Well, shit.”
“Who’s that?” Tilda asked as I wiggled my way out from under her. “She’s very pretty. Nice childbearing hips. You should go after her if that is your woman, Daemon.”
I picked myself up off the floor. “Yeah, thanks, Tilda,” I muttered, listening to her laugh as I hurried after Elisa. What the fuck was she doing here anyway? Did she think it was okay for her to just show up at my doorstep whenever she damn well pleased?
“Hey!” I shouted, catching up to her right before she headed up the stairs that led out of the gym and back to the main part of the house. “Why the fuck are you here? I told you we were done. Did you not understand what that meant?” Of course, even as the words left my mouth, I knew I didn’t mean them. I’d felt bad about the situation the other night, but at the same time, I’d done what needed to be done.
She spun around with fire in her eyes. It was almost enough to knock me flat, just like Tilda had just done. “I see you’ve already moved on.”
I chuckled under my breath, which made the sparks in her eyes flame up even higher. “It’s not as if you and I were ever a thing, Elisa.”
That made it worse, as I knew it would. “Fine. Then I guess you don’t want to hear what I found out.” She started up the stairs again.
Instinctively, I reached out for her, pulling her back to me. “What do you have to say to me, Elisa?”
“It doesn’t matter. Why don’t you just go fuck your new girl? Maybe she can find out what you couldn’t figure out for yourself.” I had never heard her speak with such venom. It was kind of a turn-on.
But it also pissed me off. “If you just came here to bust my balls, you obviously know where the door is. You can get the hell out of here.” I let her go and turned away, knowing she wouldn’t be able to leave, not like this.
“I came here because I know where Ragno is going to be tonight. I thought you might be interested in knowing where one of the deadliest men in the city is going to be tonight. But then, maybe Miss Tiny Tits already filled you in.” She jerked her head in the direction of the sparring room.
A laugh died in my throat at her name-calling. Tilda’s boobs were a little on the small side, though Igor hadn’t seemed to mind. “You know where Ragno is going to be?”
“Yes, I do. Good luck finding out.” With that, she spun around on me again, but my hand reached for her, and I brought her back to where I was standing.
“Come on, Elisa. That was Tilda. She’s one of the new girls I was telling you about at dinner. She’s a tough kid, wants to help, so I’m training her.” Stroking her cheek with my thumb, I waited for some of those embers to begin to smolder behind her icy blue eyes. “You’re jealous?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe a little.”
I smiled at her, knowing I was going to have to smooth things over a little to get her to talk. If she really did know where Ragno was going to be tonight and she’d taken the chance to let me know, perhaps she was more loyal than I’d given her credit for. “Tilda’s not my type. We were just having fun.”
“Oh? You were just having fun?” I’d inadvertently reignited a spark. “She’s from the brothel, right? I knew that you were a badass, but I didn’t think you were a pig.”
“Elisa, you saw us. We were fighting. That’s all. Why the fuck would I fuck her in the gym, huh? I’ve got a nice big bed upstairs.”
“Yeah, well, maybe you fucked her there, too,” she said, pulling her arm free.
Growing tired, I pressed the heel of my hand into one eye socket. “Elisa, either tell me what the fuck you found out about Ragno or don’t. I’d like to know, but now I’m beginning to think you just came here to spy on me and you don’t know shit. If that’s the case, get the fuck out of my house.”
I could tell she was torn between calling my bluff and marching right out of there, but Elisa still had a soft spot for me. “He’s been hanging out at a club downtown almost every night. I’m sure he’ll be there again tonight.” Her chin was raised in confidence.
“That’s it? Do you even know the name of the club?” I folded my arms across my chest, waiting.
“Yes, I know the name of it,” she spat at me. “It’s Kelly’s Hall. Sounds like a bingo parlor to me, but I thought maybe you could find some way to plant the tracker on him while he’s at the club.” My eyebrows lifted the moment she said the name of the club. I barely heard the rest of her statement. “What? You know it?”
“Yeah, I’m familiar with Kelly’s Hall.” For some stupid reason, I felt my cheeks heating up. I hoped she wouldn’t notice. “I’m a member.”
“Oh.” Her forehead crinkled. “You have to be a member to get into this kind of club? I thought it was a bar or something, not like a country club.”
I almost choked. “Uh, it’s not. It’s a different kind of club.” I made a face that I thought she might be able to read, but clearly, my innuendo went over her head. Oh, sweet, naive Elisa.
“Oh, like a golf club or something?”
My mouth dropped open. I stared at her blankly for several seconds before coming to the realization I was just going to have to tell her. “It’s a sex club, kitten.”
Elisa took a moment to register what I’d said. “A what?”
“A sex club? A club people go to in order to have sex?”
“Oh.” Her face turned a shade of white that looked ghostly even for her. “Right. And you’re a member?”
I shrugged. No need to give away all of the details. “You think Ragno is going to be there tonight?”
“Who?” she asked, still clearly thinking about the sex club.
“The killer your father brought to town.” I smirked at her, watching her face turn from pale to crimson.
“Yes.” She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. “Yes, I think he’ll be there.”
“Cool. You wouldn’t believe some of the stuff I’ve seen there. Women all tied up, their breasts spilling out of their bustiers, lots of whips, group sex.” I could tell she was getting hot just thinking about it. Part of me wanted to pounce on her the same way that Tilda had pounced on me a few minutes ago, only with different intentions.
“Sounds interesting.” She ran her tongue along her bottom lip, batting her eyelashes at me.
Moving closer to her, I asked, “Are you brave enough to go to a sex club with me, baby?”
Elisa bit down on her bottom lip, and I could practically hear her body humming with anticipation.
Running my finger along her arm, I asked, “Were you jealous when you saw me with Tilda?”
She was obviously taken aback as she looked up at me, shrugged, then nodded.
“Do you think she’s sexy?” I asked her.
Immediately, her eyes narrowed as she took a step back toward the stairs, obviously not understanding why I was asking.
With a chuckle, I took hold of her arms and pulled her to me, knowing she could feel my stiff dick pressed up between us. “Relax, baby.” She didn’t, but she also didn’t begin to struggle to get away from me. “I’m only asking because I wonder if you think Ragno will think Tilda is sexy.”
Realization dawned on her. Elisa’s lips parted, forming an O before her head rocked back and forth again. The plan had been revealed to her. “I see,” she muttered. “Yeah, I think Ragno will find Tilda sexy.”
“All right then. Let’s get ready to go to the club.” My smile widened as I reminded her, “The sex club.”
Elisa bit her bottom lip again and let out a little whimper. My night had just gotten a little more interesting.
CHAPTER 17
ELISA
Standing in front of the full-length mirror in my bedroom at the apartment, I pulled my hair up on top of my head and turned my face one direction and then the other, trying to decide on whether or not to go with an up-do or just let it flow naturally. I never felt like I made the right decisions about anything. From my hair to my outfit to my life choices, it seemed like I was always fucking everything up.
Even the dress I had picked out didn’t quite seem right to me now. Short and black, it was flirty enough, but Daemon wasn’t just taking me out for cocktails at a regular bar. No, we were going to a sex club, and I had no idea what to expect. It wasn’t like I’d ever been to a place like that before. My cheeks pinked just thinking about it, and I felt a ripple shoot down my spine. Daemon had been to places like that before, apparently. He said he was a member of this club, after all, so I couldn’t help but wonder what he had done there. Did he go there with someone special or just show up and have sex with a random stranger?
I didn’t want to think about Daemon with other women, but I did want to think about Daemon’s hot body dripping with sweat as he thrust into me—hard. Fanning myself, I took a few deep breaths and reconsidered the dress. I had a few numbers in the closet that were a little sexier. If I was ever going to wear those impulse buys, perhaps now would be the best time.
Walking over to the closet, I slid some hangers containing dresses that definitely wouldn’t work out of the way and looked at some options. My mind went back to that Tilda woman I’d seen on top of Daemon when I’d walked in on them together earlier today. Who was she really? And what was it about her that had intrigued Daemon enough to take her under his wing? It didn’t seem to me that he did that sort of thing very often, especially not with women.
What was Daemon planning on having Tilda do once she got to the club? He hadn’t really clued me in on any of the details, but I had an idea. God, it made me jealous to think about how strong this woman must be. To live through what she’d gone through, being used as a sex slave, and then just get right back up and volunteer for more dangerous jobs, she must be someone pretty fierce.
“All you are is a pathetic loser who can’t even place a tracker on a mark,” I muttered to myself as my eyes fell on a short, tight, red dress that was made out of a fabric with the look of silk but the texture of plastic. Yeah, if I was going to wear this ever in my life, now would be the time.
Slipping out of the black dress, I kicked it aside, figuring I’d hang it up later, and slid the red dress on. It was tight enough that doing so wasn’t exactly easy, but I managed. Zipping it also required feats of flexibility I almost wasn’t capable of pulling off, but somehow I managed. I bet Tilda would’ve been able to get into the dress no problem.
I wanted to dislike her and think that she was probably after Daemon. After all, he was amazingly hot and drew people to him like a magnet with his animalistic sexual prowess, but I’d gotten no indication that he was interested in Tilda that way, and I had no reason to think she was after him either. It didn’t make my thoughts any less self-deprecating as I went back to the mirror and finished working on my makeup.
I decided to put my hair up in a clip that I could easily take down if I decided it wasn’t working. Would the sex club be hot—temperature-wise? Probably so. Having my hair up would be a good idea. It didn’t look bad, did it? I wasn’t sure.
As I was pondering whether or not to just take it down, I heard a quick knock on my door before it swung open. Sara stood there, her eyebrows raised as she folded her arms under her chest and studied me. I had gotten used to her knocks being sudden and meaningless. How many times had my best friend walked in on me changing clothes? Too many to count. Thankfully, I’d gotten over any kind of shyness around her long ago.
“Where the fuck are you going?” she asked, watching me from the doorway for a moment before she entered the room and plopped herself down on my bed. “Girl, you look hot as hell.”
I couldn’t help but smile at her in the mirror. “Um, I’m going to a club with a guy I met a few weeks ago.”
“A guy?” she repeated. “You met a guy a few weeks ago and you haven’t told me about him until now? Is that where you were all that time? Not on some weird-ass honeymoon trip with your entire family?”
My mouth opened and closed as I pondered how to answer her question. Ordinarily, I wouldn’t have hesitated to tell Sara when I met a guy. Before I finally found Daemon again, none of the guys I’d met really mattered, and I knew it, so I’d told her everything. But now, this particular guy fell into the category of “Sara was safer if she didn’t know.” Also, everything with Daemon was so complicated, it was easier to just shrug it off like it wasn’t a big deal—like he wasn’t a big deal.
“It’s just a guy I met at one of the events surrounding the wedding,” I said. “He’s taking me to club where things tend to get a little naughty, I guess.” I sounded like a naive schoolgirl talking about s-e-x for the first time. “Do you think I should leave my hair up?”
“A sex club?” Sara clapped her hands together as she let a rush of air out of her lungs. “Oh, Elisa, how you have grown up these past few years!”
I wasn’t even sure what that meant. “Up or down?” I asked her.
“Oh, definitely up, but then, put it in a ponytail before you put the clip in so that if he takes it down, he’ll have something good and strong to hold on to.” She raised and lowered her eyebrows in a devious way, and we both giggled.
She was right—a ponytail would be better. I worked on switching the hairstyle while she sat there watching, dying to ask me a ton of questions. “So what’s his name? What’s he like?”
