Strange Familiar

The minute she touched her door, she knew Kane was inside. Relief, sharp and instant, flooded her body. Quietly, she entered her living room. The lights were off, but she didn’t need to see to feel him there.

Still, she wanted to see. With a quick, practiced gesture, she motioned a lamp on.

“That’s a pretty good trick.” His voice floated from a dark corner, gravely, low.

Shit. Somebody was in a great fucking mood. “Kane. Are you okay?” She probed the shadowed corner, almost unconsciously gesturing for more light. She needed to see him. She walked closer, careful. Now that she knew he was a demon, caution ruled.

He ignored her question, staring at her as she sat on the edge of the couch, her knee almost, but not quite, touching his. “Where have you been?” he asked. “You smell like something familiar.” He sniffed the air. “Just another little perk to being your animal. I seem to have the ability to smell things. Isn’t that fucking fantastic.”

“I went to see Aunt Herman.”

“Of course you did. And what exactly did you say to her?”

“She told me some things. Some things you’re not going to like. Things she should have told you a long time ago.” She should have shut up. She would need backup if she continued to enrage an inexperienced demon. But she couldn’t stop. “When I made you my familiar, it brought things out in you, things Aunt Herman had buried since you were born. I’m not sure how she did it…but now they refuse to stay hidden.”

“Could you be a little more cryptic?”

She swallowed. Her gaze skipped from his dark, glittering eyes, familiar and strange at the same time, to his hard body, sprawled with deceptive looseness on the chair. “I’m sorry. This isn’t easy, Kane.” Now is not the time, Olivia. And for once, she heeded her inner voice. “I think you should have a talk with Aunt Herman. She has some things to explain to you.”

“But I’m not at Aunt Herman’s. I’m here. And since you’re so obviously in the know, I think you should explain things.” He leaned toward her, his eyes so dangerous she couldn’t help but gasp. “What’s wrong, little witch? Are you afraid of your animal?”

“You’re not my animal, Kane. To be a familiar is an honor, not an insult.”

He lifted an eyebrow, easing back into his chair. “Why doesn’t that warm the cockles of my heart?”

“There are other things to consider…”

“And you’re about to tell me what those other things are, yes?”

She shook her head. “No…I can’t. I’m not safe with you.”

He barked a sharp laugh, but didn’t disagree.

She shivered, rising to her feet with a smooth, quick motion. The kitchen would ease him, at least a little. “Let’s have some coffee, Kane. Some dinner.”

His hand shot out and snaked around her wrist. He jerked her to his lap, his grip strong, so strong.

Ordinarily her power would have risen at a threat posed to her, but he was her familiar. Her power was attracted to this man, not threatened by him. Still, she called her power, forcing it around her like an invisible, shielding cloak.

“Hmmm,” he said. “You really are afraid. I can smell your fear.”

“I’m not afraid.” She was sure her scoffing fooled no one.

“Know what else I smell?” His body was so warm against her, so right. He slid his fingers between her legs, his skin hot even through the thick fabric of her jeans. “Sex.” He rubbed her crotch. “Lust. Need.”

She closed her eyes, her body more than willing to forget her mind’s fear when he was touching her. “Kane…”

“Yeah.”

She leaned her cheek against his forehead, her breath caught somewhere between her lungs and her throat, refusing to move in either direction. “I can’t think when you’re touching me.”

He increased the pressure, his fingers seeming to know exactly where to touch. “So don’t think.”

Breathless, she straddled him, yanking her top over her head with one quick pull. Breasts heavy with desire, she guided an already swollen nipple to his lips.

He growled, pulling her nipple into his mouth and sucking with an almost painful intensity.

She threw her head back, neck straining, breasts thrusting. “Ah, Kane…”

He tore his mouth away and pushed her to her feet. “Get your pants off.”

She kicked off her boots, nearly falling in her hurry to get undressed and back to him. Naked, shivering from overpowering desire, she leapt once more into his waiting arms, a leg on either side of his big body.

He dug his fingers into her hair and captured her lips, kissing her so deeply she wasn’t sure where she ended and he began.

She rubbed her body against him, and his clothes against her naked skin only heightened her sensation. He dragged his lips from her and cupped a breast with one hand, leaving trails of blistering heat wherever he touched. She became nothing more than a nerve ending of craving. She couldn’t find control, didn’t want to. All that mattered was his lips, his hands, his…

Excitement raced through her body at the reddish glow she saw lurking in his eyes.

The demon was nearly free. And she, for the first time in her life, was about to do the unthinkable. She was going to fuck it.