Chapter 6

Once Cain and Landon reached the bar, Landon quickly ordered the drinks.

“What’s this about?” Cain asked him catching Landon off guard. “Why are you here?”

In an effort to control his anger, Landon had tried to pace himself, but Cain hadn’t allowed it.

“Very perceptive. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised considering you know exactly what I’m feeling at all times. So I shouldn’t even have to ask you, but I will anyway. What’s going on between the two of you?”

“I’ve been guarding her for three months along with Jacob and Benjamin. We’ve become friends,” Cain said, his tone revealing nothing.

“She’s mine you know,” he said sternly as the bartender placed their drinks on the bar top.

“This isn’t a pissing contest, wolf. My relationship with Jocelyn is none of your business. As a courtesy to you because I already figured as much, I’m telling you there isn’t anything romantic about it, so you can cut the bullshit and be real with me,” Cain said matter-of-factly.

Landon sized up the demon as he swigged his whisky straight. “She was standing close to you today, hanging on to your shirt like her life depended on it.”

“I can’t control her anymore than you can. The sooner you realize that, the better, and I will not push her away when she needs comfort. It may be your job to do so, but you aren’t,” Cain said. “Calm down, wolf. Isn’t this what you wanted to hear?”

Landon couldn’t calm down. His female was being protected and comforted by another man—a demon—and it didn’t sit well with him. He needed to be the one guarding her, protecting her, consoling her. But Cain was right, how could he if he chose to stay away from her?

“You’ve no intention of telling her?” Cain asked.

Landon remained silent, ignoring the same question everyone was so intrigued to know.

“She’s hardheaded and stubborn. She’ll continue living her life the way she pleases whether you approve or not,” Cain advised.

Landon’s face was anguished; Cain was his usual cool as they began walking toward the high-top table where Jocelyn and Olivia sat. Landon placed an apple martini in front of his sister who thanked him then he placed another beer in front of Jocelyn. As he and Cain sat, his pale blue eyes settled on her.

“Thanks,” she said quickly.

Olivia sipped her martini, then she asked Cain to dance. Landon’s stern gaze darted to his sister.

“Liv,” he warned.

“It’s just a dance,” she pleaded until he finally budged. His eyes trailed Olivia until they were on the small cramped dance floor. They danced. Cain two feet away from Olivia, clearly not wanting to goad Landon.

“You don’t even let your sister dance?” Jocelyn uttered.

“I’m very protective of her,” he admitted his gaze settling on Jocelyn as he switched seats, preferring to sit next to her and in clear view of the dance floor.

“How old she is?”

“A hundred and two.”

“Are you serious? And she can’t dance with a man?”

“She...” he stopped himself. He never let his sister out of his sight. He’d be surprised if she had ever been kissed. “When our parents died, she was two. I raised her myself. I guess I still see her as a child.”

“Clearly, she isn’t,” Jocelyn said as she pushed her long golden brown hair behind her, and her jasmine scent permeated his senses, teasing him.

His eyes gazed into hers once again. He forgot his sister, forgot he was in a pub in the city, and forgot at least a hundred people surrounded them. The sound of blaring music and laughter died out as he focused on her. What would he give to have her, to hold her in his arms just once? All he had to do was make a move, just one. Would she welcome him? Was she even attracted to him?

“Why are you here?” she asked, seemingly unsettled by his nearness.

He shifted his weight as he pondered what to say. Was honesty the best policy if he had no intention of following through?

“I came to see you.”

Jocelyn gulped her drink, finishing it. “I think I need something stronger.”

Although the beer Landon brought her remained untouched, she signaled for the waitress and ordered a rum and coke.

“Haven’t you had enough?” he asked.

“Did you come to see me because I disobeyed you?” she retorted harshly. “I’m not the obedient type, Landon. I don’t follow anyone’s rules except my own, which can get me in trouble sometimes, but that’s none of your concern.”

“No, I came because I wanted to see you.” Because no matter how much I want to forget you, I can’t. You’re haunting my dreams, and the sweetest dream is never enough.

“To spy?” she prodded as his gaze tore into her further.

“No, I—” His words were interrupted by a loud explosion.

Debris flew around the room as the patrons ran for cover screaming and shouting, dashing for an escape. Landon threw himself over Jocelyn, and they tumbled to the floor. He shifted her on top of him, and he landed hard on his back taking the brunt of the impact.

“Are you okay?” he asked her knowing she was bleeding. The smell of her blood caused his to boil. Its excruciatingly sweet scent floored him. She nodded.

He looked past her to the dance floor. His heart nearly stopped. It was on fire. No, Olivia!

He quickly jumped to his feet helping Jocelyn up. Pushing past people, he searched for Olivia. He felt Jocelyn’s heart rate speed up as he spotted Cain near the dance floor more than half his body covered in burns.

“Oh, God. Cain!” she yelped and pushed away from Landon toward Cain.

He let her go trailing behind, missing the warmth of her hand in his as he surveyed the bar. Wreckage lay scattered around him. Tables and chairs toppled over; spilled drinks and broken glass littered the floor.

Jocelyn kneeled beside Cain and took his hand in hers. “Cain, Cain! Wake up! Please, oh God!” she yelled in anguish as tears streamed down her face.

“Landon.” He spun around and spotted Olivia.

Relief flooded through him as she ran toward him. He wrapped his arms around her then he noticed they weren’t alone. He pushed Olivia behind him preparing himself to fight as he glared at the three Malums who stood a few feet from him. They attacked at once.

He shifted quickly and flung himself toward them. They tumbled to the floor. One slashed his chest with a knife as he tore open the neck of another with his teeth. He felt another stab on his back and quickly turned clawing the Malum in the face and flinging him backwards. He swiftly decapitated the other with his claws then tore its limbs apart before he finished off the other. He licked his wounds then shifted.

He was naked and unashamed. His gaze was solely for Jocelyn. Benjamin and Jacob appeared behind her and Olivia, blood smeared on their clothes.

“How many did you kill?” Landon asked.

“Four,” Jacob replied. “We need to get out of here fast.”

“Take Cain and Jocelyn, first. I’ll wait with Liv. Bring me a pair of pants if possible.”

When Jacob, Cain, Benjamin, and Jocelyn disappeared, Landon surveyed the area searching for any lingering threats. How had he not scented the Malums? They always smelled. It was an evil stench as if the years of spilled blood had marked them forever.

“He saved me,” Olivia blurted as tears welled in her blue eyes. “Cain, he pushed me out of the way.”

Landon reached toward her. “Don’t worry. He’ll be fine.”

Benjamin and Jacob appeared just in time with a pair of pants. Landon pulled them on, then the demons materialized them to Lucas’s home. They appeared in one of the lower levels of the apartment building, Cain’s floor. Lucas, Jenna, and Jocelyn surrounded Cain. Another demon was checking his wounds.

“There’s nothing we can do but let his skin regenerate,” a demon with green eyes and burgundy hair said. “It will be painful.”

Lucas nodded grimly and walked over to Landon. “Tell me what happened,” Lucas said.

“There was an explosion. Cain took the brunt of the impact.”

“He saved me.” Olivia spoke through tears. “He pushed me out of the way. It’s my fault. I wanted to dance.”

Jenna quickly walked over and placed her arm around Olivia whispering words of consolation.

“Was anyone else injured?”

“Mortals, yes. None dead, though. Police and paramedics are on their way. We eliminated seven Malums in total.”

Lucas ran his hands through his hair, clearly frustrated with the situation. “I’ve called Giovanni. He and several others are headed to the scene to wipe memories of those involved.”

“Has Jocelyn been checked for injuries?” he blurted.

“She has refused to leave Cain’s side. Much like your sister, she feels it’s her fault he’s injured.”

Landon sighed as he closed the distance between himself and Jocelyn who knelt beside Cain, her hand wrapped firmly around his.

“Let’s get you checked out.”

“No,” she replied harshly through tears.

“Jocelyn, we can do this your way or mine. I know you are bleeding. I can smell it.”

“Landon, I’m not in the mood for your bullshit right now. My friend was gravely injured, and I’m not leaving his side!”

“Fine, my way,” he said picking her up off the floor and taking her to another room.

She fussed the entire way while he reveled in her scent and the feeling of his arms wrapped around her.

“Put me down right now! Landon, I swear to God…”

He roughly dropped her on the bed shutting her up. She sat up in the lavish king size bed, her defiant stare squarely centered on him.

“Lift your shirt,” Landon demanded as he returned her defiant stare.

“No!” she screamed.

“Now or I’ll pin you down and do it myself,” he said calmly.

“Don’t touch me!”

“Do as I say, and I won’t have to.”

“No, I’m going back to Cain. He needs me,” she said as she stood and headed toward the door of the bedroom.

Landon wrapped his arm around her and carted her back to the bed. Grabbing both her wrists with one of his hands, he pinned them above her and trapped her by placing his body over hers. Her heart rate spiked as did his. Her jasmine scent and blood filled his nostrils. He closed his eyes enjoying having her sprawled beneath him. He grew hard.

“Landon, please…” she begged him.

“Jocelyn, this will teach you a lesson to listen to me,” he whispered in her ear and felt her skin erupt with goose bumps.

He slowly lifted her shirt slightly, revealing a cut near her ribcage. He leaned down over it, licking the blood off. It was warm and sweet, the sweetest. A moan escaped her. It was music to his ears. Like his dream, only better. His mind wandered. He should kiss her. Would she relish it as she’d relished his lick? Instead he let her arms go, and she pushed him away. He flew across the room hitting the wall then landing on his feet.

“Why?” she asked him.

Because I wanted to taste you, and I was right to want to. You taste painfully delicious. “Our saliva heals.”

“Oh,” she said solemnly. “I heal faster than humans anyway. There was no need.”