AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Well, you didn’t explain any of this to me. Perhaps if you were more forthcoming in explaining all of these rules, I’d make better decisions,” I said, feeling the color coming back into my cheeks.
“You are right about that. I will certainly be outlining the rules more clearly so you’ll not misbehave in the future.”
“Misbehave? Who do you think you are? My overprotective brother? Never had one. And I don’t need one now.”
He moved even closer. I started to step back. A strong arm shot out, gripping the top of my shoulder. His thumb pressed gently along the side of my neck over the cuff of my denim jacket. Surely he felt the quickening speed of my pulse. Was that his intention?
“No. I am not your brother.” His hand shifted underneath my hair, his fingers curling around my nape. His possessive grip sent a shiver down my spine. “Nor do I want to be,” he emphasized with a deep rumble. “However, I am your protector, whether you would choose me or not. If you value your life, or at the very least, your eternal soul, then you must trust me and do as I say.”
Speechless, I nodded, unable to think clearly for the moment. His fingers tightened around the back of my throat, his thumb stroking my pulse in a strangely soothing manner. I can’t begin to describe how distracting that was.
“Good.” His gaze slid to my lips. I wished he wouldn’t do that. Or maybe I wished he would. Often. My thoughts spiraled in a million directions, unable to move in any coherent way. I tried to cut the tension crackling between us.
“Demons have a hierarchy? Like a class system?” I was aware I was nearly whispering, my questions sounding feeble and irrelevant.
“Yes. There is a hierarchy in heaven. There is a hierarchy on earth. There is a hierarchy in hell. That is the way of the world—every world.”
“I don’t know the difference between a lower and a high demon. You’ve told me little about them, except for the fusing thing.”
He nodded in agreement. Small victory, but victory nonetheless. He still hadn’t pulled away. His thumb trailed down over my collarbone. Since the moment he touched me, a pervasive warmth had slipped in over my own protective blanket, draping down over my chest and limbs.
“So, Little Red wants to play in the deep, dark woods,” he mumbled almost to himself. His dark gaze feral, his grin flashing white teeth. “Let us go straight to the wolf’s den, then.”
His hand dropped to mine, swallowing it whole. The mantle of electric warmth continued to spread, sealing to my body like a glove. It didn’t feel suffocating. On the contrary, the sensation comforted me like a cozy fire in the dead of winter.
Jude pulled me toward the stairs. I took two steps to his one. “Wait, where are we going?”
“I had an appointment tonight. You might as well come with me. Actually, this turn of events will be quite enlightening.” He gave me a wicked grin. “For you.”
The sudden image of a mischievous child dangling a minnow over a shark tank popped into my head.
“What kind of an appointment?” I didn’t like the sound of this.
“As you said, I have not been as forthcoming as I should’ve been,” he said in an evident tone of mockery, leading me across Decatur along the left side of the Square.
“You didn’t answer my question.”
Evasive bastard.
“Smile. You are about to get many answers to many questions. I am going to introduce you to a high demon.”
8
“What! Are you out of your fucking mind!”
He led me down Royal Street, slowing his stride so I might keep up. “Some might say so.”
“Why didn’t you tell me there was a high demon in New Orleans? And why in the world would we be going to meet him?”
We took a right on Toulouse. He pulled me closer. I knew it had nothing to do with a desire for intimacy but more to become my shield.
“My intentions were to educate you on the nefarious underworld that has surrounded you your entire life when we met on Monday. However, due to the fact that you foolishly decided to play spy under the guise of strolling with a lover under the moonlight, I have decided to accelerate your schooling. Training starts tonight.”
Geez, could this get any more humiliating? I had to defend myself on at least one point.
“He’s not my lover.”
A sidelong glance full of threatening heat. What did that look mean? Ugh. I hated when my voice sounded sulky and petulant. I felt like a grade-A moron already, but Jude had a way of making me cower farther into my shell. He was so…intense.
