The night air

Shiva's eyes glimmered greedily as Rais showed her the contents of the case. She nearly reached out to take it, had almost extended her fingers in fact, when he closed it again and slid it away from her. Her smile faltered. She licked her lips, almost hungrily. Money was one of her favorite things in the world. It could get her anything. Not that she couldn't have it anyway. By force.

Momentarily distracted from her reward, Shiva blinked, surprised to find that Rais had stood, rounded the table to her. She released a small gasp as he forcefully turned her chair to face him, and thoughts of money momentarily drained away as she read what was clearly in his gaze.

" You are lovely," He raise his hand to her chin and lightly brushed his fingers down her neck t her collar bone.

Her breath caught pleasantly in her chest as his touch grazed her, but her smile was confident as it bloomed across her face. She was used to being wanted. In fact, it would have drastically deflated her pride if Rais hadn't made some attempt of an advance on her. He was a handsome man. One she admired, and she admired very few.

She watched him take a drink, listened to what he had to say, all with a very pleased and greedy smile on her face. At first, she'd come only for the reward, but, if Rais was up to it, she didn't mind spicing that reward up a bit. She didn't mind it at all. It had been a long while since she'd had someone worthy, someone whose hands would know just how to mold her, to touch her. With a slow, languid movement, Shiva carefully crossed one of her long legs across the other and regarded Rais carefully.

"Oh, Rais, you certainly know how to make a woman's blood boil," she purred, and then paused abruptly, her expression becoming dangerous as the waitress returned.

The human could hardly fathom what exactly she was tempting by her reaction to and around Rais. Certainly, it pissed Shiva off, and if Rais wasn't the most dangerous being in this place, then Shiva most definitely was. The human was encroaching on what she already saw as her territory. At least until they'd had their fun. It was best for all of them that the human hurried away again--though not without, Shiva noted, the squeeze from Rais.

Her smile turned slightly cold, calculating. When she had a man, she wanted their attention on her and her alone.

"What you suggest, I can't help to agree with. I want my toy back, just as you want yours, but if we enjoy each other between now and getting them, then I can't see why that would hurt." She licked her lips. "If we use Liam in the process, all the better. I'd like to teach him a lesson for desiring anyone more than me."

Now Shiva lifted her own glass, but she trailed a lazy circle around the lip with one of her fingers, the coy smile returning to her face as she turned to Rais again. She could feel her own blood heating.

"Mmm," she sighed. "Order whatever I want? What if what I want isn't on the menu?"

There was no mistaking the look in her eyes.

------

Liam was pleased that she understood demons well enough to take him seriously. He was more than anxious to get out of this place before Shiva returned for whatever she had up her sleeve. Demona was in danger here, and that was his number one priority. Get her to safety. Nothing else mattered. He couldn't lose her again.

He knew this, had known this, since she'd reappeared in Dark Mountain. Known it before then, when he'd lived without her. Now, riding on the bike behind her, feeling odd with his arms wrapped around her, taken for the ride, Liam had plenty of time to consider what he was doing. He could smell the sweet scent of her hair as it whipped around him, just as he'd smelt it all night, wrapped together with her as they slept. He wouldn't let his own mistakes hurt her again.

His hardened case was cracking and crumbling away. For years he'd been fueled enough just to be near her, to fight her, to feel her fury. Now he knew that he needed more. He knew what it was like to have her love him. He couldn't let that slip away again. No matter how much he feared it. It could very easily end badly for both of them. But he was selfish.

He always had been.

When they'd reached her cabin, when he was tucked inside it with her--safe for now--Liam briefly, crazily imagined staying here with her forever. It caused a tight band to form around his chest. He must surely have been going mad now. He wasn't the type for such commitment.

"This is home for me. The pc has a security system on it nothing can get past it. "

He looked at her, almost blankly, not comprehending what she was saying. It was hitting him hard: this desire to protect her, to be near her. It was dangerous. It was a weakness. Especially when demons entered the picture. But the demons were his own fault. He'd dealt with Shiva in the past. He was the one that had gotten her involved.

Without thinking, he stepped forward, wrapping her into his arms. His head tilted to the side, almost challenging, and his blue eyes peered down into hers.

"I almost liked it better when I was the only bastard you had to worry about," he admitted softly, his smile curving slightly outward.

Yes, they would be safe here. He would protect her. Even if her trusty security system failed. He wasn't afraid of the demons. He hadn't much else of his own to lose. Except Demona. God, it was insane to be attached. Like this. So dependant. But her body... it felt so pleasant against his own. He couldn't relinquish it.

He nearly growled as he ducked his head, pressing his lips to hers. Only for a second, before drawing away. He made himself let go because he was fearing the fact that it was becoming harder to do. He stepped away from her, keeping his easy smile on his face.

"So, now that we're stuck here. What's there to do for fun?" His mouth quirked as he lifted a brow. "Chess? Scrabble?"

Rais watched the waitresses ass as she swayed away but he also watched Shiva. She was pissed. Rais felt himself want her more. He wanted to watch those angry eyes follow him To watch her hiss and snarl. Rais thought about her being tied up on his bed with a pink bow around her chest. Rais licked his lips and picked up the menu.

"Mmm," she sighed. "Order whatever I want? What if what I want isn't on the menu?"

Rais raised his eye brow and looked at her over the menu. Just her eyes said I could eat you alive. Rais smiled and said," Well then I think I could find something better for you then this." Rais moved with is vampire speed and picked Shiva out of the chair and into his arms. With his height on her she was barley touching the ground with her toes. He wrapped one arm around her waist and his other hand slithered up her spin and into her hair.

" You see," Rais breath as he tightened his grip in her hair and brought her face inches from his." I think I could give you something you would like." Rais looked at her lips and back into her eyes. He could feel the stares of the waitress but no one else was really in the dinning area. He smiled and brought his lips just above hers and breathed," God your going to be fun." Rais could feel his body tighten with need. He wanted her so badly.

Rais kicked the bathroom door open as her carried Shiva with her legs around his waist. So what if anyone saw what he was doing he had the money to keep them out of his way. He let her slid from his grip and pushed her into the hard tile wall. Rais growled and drug his fingers into her shoulders as his lips smashed into hers. His body pressed against hers making sure that even if she wanted to get away or move she was stuck unless she poofed. stupid demon trick. " After this we need to get," Rais groaned and ripped Shiva's shirt off.


The bathroom was ripped apart. Not even the sink had been left on the wall. Rais grinned as he fixed his button up shirt and smoothed back his hair." Well then now that our romp is over lets find our toys. I want something to abuse and make crawl before me in fear." Rais looked at Shiva and smiled," Maybe later I can abuse you a bit before we have a bit more fun. He could feel her nail marks bleed slowly down his back.

Rais picked up his cell and smiled," So where do we start?"


XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So, now that we're stuck here. What's there to do for fun?" His mouth quirked as he lifted a brow. "Chess? Scrabble?"

Demona smirked and bit her lip," O twister would be fun." She jumped around the room and into his arms. her legs wrapped around his waist." You see my twister is a bit different. I spin in my head and you try to match my idea." Demona pulled her shirt over her head and looked down into Liam's eyes. Her playfulness melted away and her heart tightened. She was still trying to push away with ever light playful thing she tried to get his claws out of her heart but it only tightened them.

Demona slipped down and watched him. She just watched him. She wanted it to be special everything. Even though the first time was great she wanted this time to be them. " Okay lets not play a game but make this special. I mean we have had sex and shared but," Demona blushed and looked at the floor," I want this time to be love. I mean like making love. Its been a very long time since I loved anyone and well I have never made love made love. I sound like a teen getting it on for the first time..." Demona shook her head and grabbed her shirt from the floor.

" I am so crazed with lust and love I lose myself and what I want to happen sometimes. " Demona smiled and looked up at Liam," I love you Liam with all of my heart I have for a very long time. Were is that note I left you?" Demona smiled she wanted to keep it it was their first note. Silly things people in love do. " By the way what did you did you ask from the demon?"

Shiva wasn't really sure what happened. One moment she was sitting, the next she was wrapped around Rais, several curious, embarassed eyes locked on their tangled forms. But she didn't care. The grin that split her face was both pleased and malicious. She was almost ready to let them watch. Maybe they could liven it up by slaughtering some humans along the way. But then she found herself in the bathroom, Rais's strong, chorded body against hers. Things had broken, blood had been shed. It was a blur of chaos and excitement, and then it was over, and Shiva was left, panting and warm, Liam having all but vanished from her mind.

She was a greedy demon, and she wasn't ready to stop yet.

She nearly pouted when he pulled away, and might have called him back, looped herself around him again, if he hadn't promised that there would be more.

"I can hardly wait," she sighed, biting her bottom lip.

It'd been a long time. Perhaps Liam was the last that had satisfied her. She didn't want to have that kind of a gap between her fun again. She wouldn't have to wait long. After their work was done. After they had their toys back. That stilled her, at least for now. Things could be even more interesting with Liam back in her clutches. It'd really been too long.

"He'll be easy to find. I know all his secrets," Shiva explained, her voice soft but vicious.

She knew his secrets because she owned his soul. He would not be hard to find. Even if he had fled at the sight of her. A body could only be so camoflauged without its soul, and Shiva had a feeling he'd be wanting it back now. Of course. Now that he no longer needed her help. But that wasn't how the game was going to be played. Not at all. Shiva did not return what she received.

"Let me show you."

Pleased with an excuse to touch him again, to press her ample curves against his solid chest, Shiva stepped up to Rais, toe-to-toe, and wrapped her arms around his waist. She gave him one, malicious smile, and then, with minimal concentration, they both disappeared upon the spot, reappearing in the room that she had designated for them: the room in which she had found Liam waking from a bed he'd shared with another woman.

It was empty now, as she had expected it to be. Lifting a brow, Shiva stepped away from Rais and glanced around the room. Her nose wrinkled.

"It smells like piss in here." She pursed her lips. "Clever."

She stepped over a pile of discarded towels and began a small search of the room. They had most likely evacuated quickly. Perhaps they had left something of interest behind. She paused beside the bed, giving it a meaningful glance before she lifted her eyes to Rais.

"Perhaps this will come in handy later?"

She giggled quite girlishly before ducking out of sight. She reappeared only seconds later from her brief scavenger hunt beneath the bed with a crumpled piece of paper in her hand. She waved it triumphantly at Rais.

"Ah, let's see what we have here." She read it over, her smile growing wider all the while before she handed it over to Rais. "I believe you might want to read this."

-----

The confusing feelings rolling uncomfortably around inside him vanished when Demona lept into his arms, replaced by something entirely more basic and understandable. He grinned as she suggested Twister, imagining where that would take them. Whatever else was between them, their basic chemical attraction put Liam on steadier ground. He knew that he wanted her, that she wanted him, and that was fine. Fine by him.

He held her against him, his hands at her waist, and watched her amusment play out across her face. A rumble of desire was spreading through his chest. It seemed like the night before had been a dream. Too good to be true. He needed to relive it to know that it was solid. He wanted to kiss her. To take her. Maybe even here. On the floor.

And then her expression changed, shifted, became serious, and he froze in the act of ducking forward to kiss her greedily.

"I want this time to be love. I mean like making love. Its been a very long time since I loved anyone and well I have never made love made love. I sound like a teen getting it on for the first time..."

The uncomfortable feeling was back. The suffocating warmth, the desire to be more than he was. Had he been rash the night before? Had she needed something more, something better than what he'd given her before? He had been callous, of course. He was only a man. Even if he was immortal. He'd wanted her. For too long. How was he supposed to control something like that?

"I can't... I'm not... I don't know if I can be that man." His expression was grim, his jaw had tightened. "I'm still that monster underneath."

He looked away from her. What was he doing? He was a fool. Trying to take more than he deserved, more than he could handle. What they wanted was the same, but there were times when he could be a coward feeling inadequate. But he had to be what she wanted. If he wasn't, she'd find someone else, and the thought of her with someone else infuriated him. He'd kill the bastard that tried.

"I love you Liam with all of my heart I have for a very long time. Were is that note I left you?"

The angered expression on his face froze, and he was forced to look back at her. Each time she told him she loved him was like an arrow to the heart. It made him bleed, but he couldn't remove it. He wanted it there as much as he thought it'd be better gone. But he couldn't say no, and he couldn't turn away. This was what he'd wanted all along. He'd wanted her to need him until she couldn't stand to live without him. That was the only way they'd be even. He was an idiot.

"The note?" He'd forgotten it. Where had it gone?

" By the way what did you ask from the demon?"

Liam froze under her gaze, head to toe. His eyes darkened, hiding his secrets, but he didn't look away, though a tiny pulse beat under his eye. He didn't want her to ask this question. He couldn't answer it. He couldn't admit that weakness. Not to her. He wouldn't tell her. It didn't matter now, so he chose to ignore it, to make her forget it.

With the speed of an immortal, Liam had Demona pinned against the nearest wall. He'd slammed her against it with more force than necessary, rattling a few frames around them, and had her wrists above her head within seconds. His eyes were still a dark shade of blue, but the light in them had changed. There was a ghost of the past in them now. He strained against her, feeling her body pressed tight against his.

"Remind you of something?" he questioned. "How about the last time we met? The last time we fought?"

He ducked forward, knicking her chin with his teeth. He tasted the scent of the blood coursing through her veins there, at the softest part of her neck. He was half-tempted to taste it, to be angry and rough, but he remembered what she wanted, so he held back. Though he'd always liked the fight in her. It was different now, wasn't it?

"You want me to make love to you? I will. I want to. That's the difference between now and then. It's not just about the fight anymore. So let's forget it. The past is gone," he whispered.

He lifted his head and pressed his mouth against hers, harder than he'd meant to, drinking her in. His hands released her wrists and went instead to cup her face. He would try to be gentle.