Jaxson was a moron. How in the hell did the three of them end up mucking through sewers, after having lost all signs of the beautiful half-demon?
Yes, her scent had disappeared by the open manhole. But if he hadn’t been so enraged at her defiance, he might’ve looked around a bit more before blindly leaping inside.
She said he’d regret following her, and he fucking regretted it. One point for the beautiful blonde.
If it wasn’t for their demonic abilities to see more clearly in the dark, they’d be entirely lost. Instead, they could sense the malicious creatures hiding in the shadows, even if the bastards knew better than to attack them. But as hard as they looked, they couldn't see any signs of Lily.
“Now what?” Zane asked, his question curt and irritated.
“We keep going.”
Ian sighed loudly and stopped walking. “There’s no way she’s still down here. She led us here and then returned to the surface, probably laughing her ass off at the idea of us stuck down here.”
“What if we leave and she’s still in the sewers?” Jaxson’s hands tightened into fists at just the idea of the little woman trapped in the dark with danger lurking in every shadow.
“We won’t be of any help. None of us can use our noses down here, and we can’t spot her.”
Jaxson hated how logical Ian sounded.
“I’m with Ian on this one,” Zane said. “I’ve stepped over so many dead rats that I’m seriously rethinking my life choices right now."
Part of Jaxson wanted to argue, just for the sake of arguing. It was their job to keep Lily safe, and they’d already failed, but instead, he nodded. “Alright, we surface.”
It took a while to find a place to climb out, and a hell of a lot of strength to lift the manhole and escape. Once they did, he was sure they made the right choice. Walking in brown water and smelling like shit was the last thing he wanted to do on his first day back on Earth.
Ian replaced the manhole, and they all collapse onto a bench just outside a park that was squeezed between buildings. “What now?”
“I got nothing,” Zane said, stretching out his long legs. “Maybe take showers, order pizza, and watch porn?”
Ian laughed. “I mean, about Lily.”
Drunk partygoers stumbled past them on their way to the nightclubs. Some of the women looked back at them. Jaxson noticed the second they saw his face. He felt like a fucking Frankenstein as they turned and hurried away.
Lily never looked at me like that. He frowned and pushed the thought aside, but his mind remained consumed by the half-demon once more. He couldn't think of anything but Lily and an emotion he couldn’t name.
“We can’t go back without her,” Jaxson said, leaving no room for argument.
Neither of his fellow Defenders responded for a long time. They just sat, feeling like failures, and stinking like failure… and shit. Yet another thing that wasn’t in my plans.
Finally, Ian sighed, loudly and annoyingly. “Then, what do you want to do?”
Damn it. I got nothing.
Jaxson shrugged. “Walk around until we find her, I guess.”
Somewhere far from them, they heard a loud noise. All three men stiffened. Was that a gun shot? Or fireworks?
From another direction, they heard two men shouting angrily. An old thought drifted into his mind, something his mom always used to say. Nothing good ever happens after 1am.
Suddenly, he felt anxious. It was dark. The city was filled with drunk creatures, and Lily was somewhere out in the night, putting herself in harm’s way. Of course they couldn’t just go home and eat pizza. Not until they found her.
Rising from the bench, he picked a street at random. Ignoring the complaints of the two shifters behind him, he walked for another hour, following his instincts at every turn. He inhaled deeply and froze, finally catching her scent on the wind. The two men stopped behind him and inhaled deeply.
“She was here not too long ago,” Ian said.
Jaxson didn’t bother to answer. He picked up her trail and started walking.
Eventually, they came to a dark street filled with warehouses. Most of the buildings looked old and out of use, and no cars were parked along the street, nor were there people walking.
Inhaling again, he wrinkled his nose. There was water nearby, heavy and tainted by pollution. And other retched scents he didn’t want to name.
“What the fuck is she thinking, going somewhere like this?”
Zane took his place beside Jaxson. “This is going to be harder than I thought,” he said.
“Keeping her safe?” Jaxson asked, still staring at the dark buildings around them.
Yes, it will be.
Zane shook his head. “We’re shifters and demons. Our instincts are to protect what’s ours. I don’t know about you, but my dragon thinks she belongs to us. The problem is that she's different from any other woman I've dated. She puts herself in danger, not for the fun of it, but because she believes in what she’s doing. We can’t take that away from her, but we also have to keep our animal-sides from going insane.”
Ian laughed.
They both turned to look at him. “What?”
Ian’s eyes twinkled. “That was just… very astute.”
Zane grinned. “You’re not the only one who can be all deep and shit.”
Jaxson almost smiled, but Ian was quick to kill his good spirits. “She might be in a dangerous situation. We can’t just go in, guns blazing.”
“What’s your plan then, genius?”
Ian frowned for a long minute. “Our animals are quieter than we are, so I’m thinking we shift and sneak in.” Then, his gazed moved to Zane. “Except you. Your dragon isn’t exactly quiet and unnoticeable, you’ll have to do your best in your human form.”
“I can be quiet!” Zane said, sounding annoyed.
“Yeah, but a giant dragon might give us away…”
Zane pouted for another second. “Fine, but tomorrow I’m glamouring the shit out of myself and going for a long flight.”
Only a dragon would be so prideful in a situation like this…
Inhaling again, Jaxson walked slowly until he picked up her scent again. They followed the sweet smell a little longer until they reached the outside of a particularly rough looking building. Slinking to the shadows, they were about to shift, when some instinct made every hair on Jaxson’s body stand on end.
“I think she might be in trouble.”
Not bothering to shift, he ran straight for a door at the side of the building. Ian and Zane were at his heel. He pulled on the handle and, when he found it locked, anger rushed through him. He took a deep breath and yanked, snapping the lock as quietly as possible.
He slipped inside, with Ian and Zane at his heel. Drab yellowish bulbs hung in the center of the room, casting shadows around massive stacks of boxes. He started forward quietly, using the boxes as cover, and paused when he caught a motion not far ahead of them. In the center of the room, Lily squared off with a man.
Every protective instinct within him roared to life. Zane started forward, but Jaxson caught his arm, without taking his eyes off the man. The same instinct was running through all of them, but they needed to find a better position before they could strike.
“So that’s it! The game’s over! I caught you. You tried your little tricks, and they failed terribly. So now we’re left with the only possibility… you need to trust me, which means coming with me.” Lily’s voice rang out in command, leaving no room for arguments.
The man shook his head. “Like hell I’m going with a Hunter!” He paused, studying her. “No matter how much I’ve enjoyed our games.”
Lily put her hands on her hip. “I’m getting tired of this shit. I mean, different day, but same story, right? I try to help someone, but they don’t have the common sense to realize it.” The man opened his mouth to respond, but she kept talking. “But listen up, because whether you believe it or not, I’m trying to save your life. The Hunters have noticed exactly what you’re doing around here, and they’re waiting to spring their trap. If I was a betting person, and I am, I’m guessing they’ll act tonight when your powers are strongest. And if that happens, well, you’re going to notice really quickly the difference between me having a frank conversation with you and what the real Hunters are going to do when they catch you.”
This guy has powers? That means he can attack from afar. We need to reach him. Fast!
Jaxson made the slightest gesture to Ian and Zane and then they moved slowly away from Lily, toward the unknown man, slipping behind the boxes quickly and silently. All of them understanding what needed to be done, without speaking the words.
Jaxson’s thoughts raced. He didn’t like this one bit. When attacking an opponent, it was wise to know their strengths and weaknesses, but this tiny man didn’t feel like a dangerous magical creature. His hands twitched around him like a mage who didn’t know how to use his powers. And he was petite, even compared to Lily. And yet, he was inching closer to her with each passing second.
He wants to hurt her. And if he’s drawing closer, it’s because he knows he can.
When the three of them reached the boxes beside the strange man, they lingered, watching for their moment to attack.
The man inched a little closer to Lily.
She raised a brow. “You really going to try it? I mean, come on. I won’t let you hurt me.”
The man smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
She sighed. “Fine then, if you don’t want to trust me, at least get yourself to safety. Leave. Find another town. And this time, don’t use your powers like a spoiled child running wild in a candy shop.”
He froze, raising a brow. “You really don’t plan to just force me to go with you?”
She shrugged. “I want help. But I can’t if you won’t let me. So yeah, I’ll let you go. Even if I know you’ll end up dead.”
He looked uneasy as he ran a hand through his dark hair. “I’m not admitting anything… but why do you care what I do?”
Her mouth curled into a smile. “I don’t know. Maybe I have a soft spot for idiots.”
To Jaxson’s surprise, the man laughed. “Even if you’re a liar trying to trap me, I think I like you.”
She winked. “I have a way of growing on people.” Then, her smile faltered. “So, are you going to take my advice?”
“I wish I could, but I have this energy to spend. And it’s driving me crazy… crawling beneath my skin like a thousand bees. I got to let it out, and then I’ll go. Promise.”
She frowned, her stance widening. “I’m sorry, but if I let you, you’re dead. And I’ll be damned if I let that happen… even if you are a likable idiot.”
Jaxson saw the muscles in the man’s legs tense, as he prepared to jump and Jaxson leapt forward, knocking him to the ground.
Ian and Zane were beside him in an instant, the three of them pinning him to the ground.
“Who the hell are you?” The little man asked. “Hunters?”
Lily’s voice came from far behind him. “No, they’re demons. Dumbasses who thought they were protecting me!”
“Really?” The man’s expression changed to the strangest look of curiosity.
“Guys, get away from him! Now!”
Jaxson frowned. “We've got this!" Jaxson said, trying to reassure her.
The little man’s mouth widened into a smile. “Or do I have you?”
Green light flashed from the man, flooding the room and temporarily blinding him.
He heard Lily swear right before he was struck by something. In a blink, he found himself lying on the concrete floor with Lily sprawled on top of him.
“Did he get you?” she asked, grabbing his face. He blinked slowly and looked up, suddenly awkward when he realized she was looking directly into his eyes. She let loose a string of curses that would make a sailor blush. “Oh course he did!”
"Son of a bitch!" she shouted.
Jaxson watched, still confused, as she turned to look behind her where Ian and Zane were lying on the ground. A green light shimmered around the two demons before it vanished. The little man was gone, but what had he done to them? “What happened? Where—?”
She cut Jaxon off before he could ask. “He expelled enough magic to get himself out of here.”
So, I guess she’s safe. Jaxson's muscles relaxed. Whatever happened to the three of them, they could handle, as long as they’d protected her.
And whatever the little man did didn’t exactly hurt. All in all, it wasn’t their worse encounter with a magical being.
Lily moved against him and suddenly Jaxson was horribly aware that every delicious inch of her body was touching him. He was surrounded by her soft skin, her generous curves, and her sweet scent, and it was amazing. Despite his best intentions, he felt his blood rush below his belt.
Her expression was irritated as she stared at Zane and Ian. She struggled to sit up, and then moved so that she was straddling him. When her gaze jerked back to Jaxson, he knew she felt his arousal.
Energy arced between them as his breathing increased and his heartbeat raced. If she leaned down right now, if she kissed him, touched him, or gave him the slightest sign that she wanted him, it’d be over.
It’ll be worth anything to touch her again.
“What did that asshole do to us exactly?” Zane asked. “I feel… different. Kind of tingly.”
Jaxson frowned. Was the way he was feeling because of the strange man’s magic? Or because every nerve in his body was begging to fuck the beautiful blonde?
Her gaze jerked away from his, and she broke away from him and stood.
“What do you think he did, you morons?” With each word, her voice sounded less husky and more angry.
Jaxson climbed to his feet, ignoring the way his body hummed with need. “He was going to attack you!”
Her glare swung to him. “He was just trying to touch me, which I never would’ve been dumb enough to allow.”
Ian stood, his expression troubled. “Why, Lily? What did he do to us?”
She threw her hands in the air. “What all Leprechauns do! The little bugger played with your luck! And if what he’s been doing lately is any indication, you three are about to have a very dangerous next twenty-four hours. In fact, you might not even live that long.”
“This is a joke, right?” Zane asked, staring between her and Jaxon. “Leprechauns can’t possibly be real.”
She rolled her eyes. “Says the dragon-shifter who also happens to be a demon.”
Jaxson’s brain finally started spinning. “So this means…”
“That this might be your last night on Earth.” For the first time, Jaxson could hear the worry Lily was so desperately trying to hide.
“Is it really that dangerous?” Zane looked unconvinced.
She looked at each of them, her big eyes filled with concern. “Worse.”
So a demon who secretly works as a double-agent for the Hunters thinks this is bad?
Damn it. Then it probably is bad.
Saint Patrick’s Day was supposed to be about liquor and sex. Not magic. Not danger. And certainly not leprechauns or bad luck.
At least it didn’t used to be. Does everything have to be worse as a demon?
Fucking Saint Patrick’s Day…