Pleasure radiated throughout her body. "Ah, yes!" No pain. Only rapture. "More ..." "More ..."

Another forceful stroke.

With nothing to distract her, Carrow noticed how perfectly he ground against her c.l.i.toris with each thrust. How his sweat-slicked hips rubbed between her sensitive thighs.

How he filled her so deeply, she felt as if he were a part of her. One being, unending.

"Cannot stop again, witch," he growled against her nipple.

When he drew his hips back, she cried, "Whatever you do, don't stop!"

Now his female wanted him to continue. Grappling for control, determined to feel her come, Malkom did.

He bucked against her, once and again, until he found a driving rhythm.

"Drink me," she moaned as their skin slapped. she moaned as their skin slapped.

He rose up on straightened arms. "What did you say?" Another plunge of his c.o.c.k made her plump b.r.e.a.s.t.s quiver. The tips were puckered, still moist from his tongue. Had he heard her right?

"Take my neck ..."

"Cannot." Already, he doubted he could deny the tugging grip of her s.e.x in the final moments. Already, he doubted he could deny the tugging grip of her s.e.x in the final moments.

Much less while her blood coursed through his veins.

Her head thrashed. "Suckle blood from my breast, like you did before."

"Carrow! Be silent, silent," he hissed, even as his gaze was riveted to that soft, giving flesh. So easy to pierce her pale skin. To drink from her, pleasuring her.

What would it feel like to have his fangs and his shaft within her body, both gloved by her sweet skin?

He shook his head hard, struggling to outlast her, to keep from tasting her. Her throaty moans had grown constant, her nails digging into his back, clutching him close. She was on the edge, and he was determined to take her over. Cleave to me, witch Cleave to me, witch....

Pounding betwixt her legs, driven by her lush heat, he gripped her nape, yanking her up. "I cannot give you up. Never Never will I release you." will I release you."

Cleave to me!

"Demon ..." Her anguished expression transformed to one of ecstasy, her eyes glimmering like stars. "Oh, you're making me-" She threw back her head and screamed, "Malkom! Yes, yes! yes!"

He felt her squeezing as she began to come, clenching round his shaft as he'd imagined so many times.

But 'twas all so much better than his fantasies. Her scent, her cries, the way her body writhed wildly beneath his. Plunging into the wetness of her o.r.g.a.s.m...

"G.o.ds, Carrow Carrow!" he bellowed. He was about to explode, the seal soon to be broken, his s.e.m.e.n climbing. For four hundred years he'd waited to e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.e, to offer his seed to another.

When he'd grown so large he could barely thrust inside her, when he was about to come harder than he ever had in his life, his mind whispered, Nothing but need. Nothing but need.

Chapter40

"Wh-what?" Carrow didn't understand. "What did you do?"

Malkom had pulled out pulled out?

He'd finished on her belly, heaving over her as he'd yelled her name. And it felt like a slap in the face. He hadn't even broken his demon seal, hadn't e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed with his release.

Now he collapsed atop her, his heart like a drum, his hips still languidly rocking.

Be glad, Carrow. You don't need a baby. So why did she feel like crying? "Okay, you can get up now." So why did she feel like crying? "Okay, you can get up now."

He raised his head as if with difficulty, the corners of his lips curling. "I do not know if I can move, ara ara."

That half grin was almost her undoing. He looked so boyish, his face relaxed, his eyes now that steadfast blue.

"At least not until I take you next." He began hardening atop her.

"Get off me."

He frowned at her tone, levering himself up on his elbows. "I have hurt you?"

He had, just not in the way he thought. She scrambled back, out from under him.

" Channa Channa, what? Did I do ... wrong?"

"Just give me a second, Malkom." She couldn't even process this. The best s.e.x in her entire life, the strongest emotional connection she'd ever felt, and he'd gypped her. Why would he do that? How How could he do that? could he do that?

He'd seemed utterly lost right before he'd come.

But then, he didn't trust her. And deep down he could even hate her. Probably both.

All she knew was that he'd defied his demon instinct, denied himself that kind of pleasure, to make sure she didn't get pregnant with his baby.

Though he'd vowed never to release her, never to give her up, he might hate every minute of having her.

"Why will you not look at me?" he asked when she began dressing. "Are you angry about how I ended? Is that wrong to your kind?"

"I just didn't expect you to do that."

"I know. 'Twas nigh too good to pull away."

She muttered, "Second slap of the night," then added, "Yet somehow you found a way to."

"You are upset about this? I did not know you wanted a child."

Once dressed, she faced him. "I didn't. I don't!" She brushed her damp hair from her forehead. "I don't necessarily want a kid, but I thought you needed to break the seal and obey your instincts and all that. Since I'm your mate."

"Those drives were ... pressing," he said, sounding as if he'd just uttered the understatement of the century. "I am very stunned I could deny them."

"If those drives were pressing, pressing, then your motives for pulling out must be as well. Look, I understand why you did it. If you got me pregnant, then I could blaze and you'd never know where your all-important heir went to." then your motives for pulling out must be as well. Look, I understand why you did it. If you got me pregnant, then I could blaze and you'd never know where your all-important heir went to."

He frowned at some of her words, then seemed to take in her meaning. "An heir to what, Carrow?" he snapped. "I left any wealth I had behind, for you!" Clearly reining in his temper, he said, "I am speaking of how my child would be treated."

"What?" Third slap of the night. "You think I would mistreat my own baby?"

"Just as you said, some things you cannot risk. I must be there to protect my offspring."

"From whom?"

"From anyone or anything," he said. "Ruby has no parents and is dependent on fate-dependent now on my goodwill."

"Your goodwill goodwill?" She wanted away from him. Unfortunately, in this case at least, she wasn't stupid. There'd be no flouncing away, not when she had Ruby with her. Malkom was right-they'd have to stay with the big gun for as long as he'd let them.

No matter that he'd just made her feel dirty and lacking. I want my powers back! I want my powers back!

"You know 'tis true. And I would not have my own so vulnerable."

"You forget-Ruby has me."

"Do you think I could ever ever forget that, witch?" forget that, witch?"

Carrow had heard of loves that could trump all obstacles. But then she'd also heard that there were things couples couldn't come back from.

She was beginning to fear that she and Malkom might not get past this.

He stabbed his legs into his pants once again. "You are angry with me and have no right to be."

"And you're treating me like some evil b.i.t.c.h who'll abscond with your kid. I'm not like that. I'm actually not that bad a person." She knew he'd had a tormented life, knew he'd experienced hardships she couldn't even imagine. Carrow could understand his mistrust. But I don't know what to do about it. But I don't know what to do about it. "Will you ever see past what I was forced to do? Or will you always think I'm a liar?" "Will you ever see past what I was forced to do? Or will you always think I'm a liar?"

"What would you do then, if my seed took?"

"I wouldn't keep your child from you." As if she even could. It struck her that Malkom was in their lives now. For better or worse, he was on this plane and would never willingly be parted from her.

Maybe he was right to keep an emotional distance. Their relationship was likely doomed.

So why had she felt that unwavering certainty about him? Husband, Husband, her heart seemed to cry even now. her heart seemed to cry even now.

"You said you'd wanted me to claim you in Oblivion," he grated. "You could have gotten pregnant then. Did you give no thought to that?"

"I did."

"And?"

"And I thought that my life was already changing radically because of Ruby. And that little girl fills me with contentment like I've never known. So why wouldn't another child do the same?"

"So 'tis all about your your happiness. You would have raised happiness. You would have raised my my child while I was imprisoned in that place?" child while I was imprisoned in that place?"

"I know you don't believe me, but I vowed to my G.o.ddess Hekate that I would come back for you. I swore that I wouldn't stop until you were freed. I don't know what to do to convince you of that."

He looked like he wanted to believe her so badly. Then his expression grew closed-off once more.

"I asked you a question before, and I want the answer," she said. "Yes or no. Will you ever see past what I was forced to do? Because I'm beginning to suspect you will always hate me, will always think I'm deceiving you."

"And what would you do if that were the case? Nothing will change by my answering either way."

Still he'd evaded the question. She pinched her forehead. "Then what do we do now?"

"We did things your way; now we will do them mine," he said, his tone as cold as frost. "I am going to protect you. I will even protect your adopted one. Expect nothing more."

Her lips parted. When he was done with her, Carrow's heart would be as broken as his was. Maybe worse. She asked softly, "Will that be enough for you?"

"It must be for me, as well as for you. I usually kill those who betray me. Count yourself lucky."

Chapter 41

I 've been taking my knocks, Carrow mused, staring at the peeling ceiling above her bed. While Ruby snored from the other bed, she thought back over the last three days on the island. Carrow mused, staring at the peeling ceiling above her bed. While Ruby snored from the other bed, she thought back over the last three days on the island.

Malkom had been so kind to the girl, but he'd been icy to Carrow, barely speaking to her, barely looking at her. He refused to sleep inside, preferring to camp out between the neck of the sandy peninsula and the cabin. She liked to think he did this solely to protect them, instead of to distance himself from Carrow.

With Ruby, he was all patience and kindness. And the girl was fascinated with her "stepdemon." Apparently, she'd explained the term to him-and he hadn't denied the t.i.tle.

Ruby had fun with him, following him everywhere, and he didn't seem to mind. Several times a day, Carrow saw the big demon on his way to some task with a tiny witch huffing after his long-legged strides. He'd taught the girl how to tie special knots, and together they brought back fish and berries.

Carrow could tell he even enjoyed it when Ruby sang "Particle Man." But it made sense. He'd been alone so long, the sound of a child singing must be pleasing, no matter the tune.

Last night, Ruby had asked for Malkom Malkom to hold her hand at bedtime. Carrow had stood at the doorway, watching as he'd patiently waited for Ruby to fall asleep. He'd gruffly told her, "Dream well, to hold her hand at bedtime. Carrow had stood at the doorway, watching as he'd patiently waited for Ruby to fall asleep. He'd gruffly told her, "Dream well, deela deela." Demonish for doll doll.

With each second he'd remained at that bedside, Carrow had become even more convinced that Malkom was the one....

Sometimes Ruby would report in on things they'd done.