After Dark Read Free Page A

hello baby, those eyes...they were dark and hard and almost, well, empty.
    His eyes don’t matter. Angels and Sent Ones were demon assassins, and she was as close to a demon as a girl could get. After all, her ancestors hailed from the depths of hell. Long ago, fallen angels had mated with humans, and the children born from those unions had later mated with other humans, and her race was one of the results.
    Unsure of what to do, Bianka strode around her blond; he remained in place, even when she was at his back, as if he had nothing to fear from her. Maybe he didn’t. Obviously he had powers. One, he’d blocked her—she just couldn’t get over that fact—and two, he’d somehow removed her coat and all her weapons without touching her.
    “Are you an angel?” she asked when she was once again in front of him.
    “No. I’m a Sent One.”
    Poor guy, she thought with a shudder. Clearly he had no idea the crappy hand he’d been dealt. If she had to choose between being a Sent One and a dog, she’d choose the dog. They, at least, were respectable.
    She’d never been this close to a Sent One before. Seen one, yes. Or rather, seen what she’d thought was one of the winged warriors of the skies but had later learned was a demon in disguise. Either way, she hadn’t liked the guy, her youngest sister’s father. He considered himself a god and everyone else beneath him.
    “Did you bring me here to kill me?” she asked. Not that he’d have any luck. He would find that she was not an easy target. Many immortals had tried to finish her off over the years, but none had succeeded. Obviously.
    He sighed, warm breath trekking over her cheeks. She had accidentally-on-purpose closed some of the distance between them; he smelled of the icecaps she so loved. Fresh and crisp with just a hint of earthy spice.
    When he realized that only a whisper separated them, his lips, too full for a man but somehow perfect for him, pressed into a mulish line. Though she didn’t see him move, he was suddenly a few more inches away from her. Huh. Interesting. Had he increased the distance on purpose?
    Curious, she stepped toward him.
    He backed away.
    He had. Why? Was he scared of her?
    Just to be contrary, as she often was, she stepped toward him again. Again, he stepped away. So. The big bad Sent One didn’t want to be within striking distance. She almost grinned.
    “Well,” she prompted. “Did you?”
    “No. I did not bring you here to kill you.” His voice was rich, sultry, a sin all its own. And yet, there was a layer of absolute truth to it, and she suspected she would have believed anything he said. As if whatever he said was simply fated, meant to be. Unchangeable. “I want you to emulate my life. I want you to learn from me.”
    “Why?” What would he do if she touched him? The tiny gossamer wings on her own back fluttered at the thought. Her T-shirt was designed especially for her kind, the material loose to keep from pinning those wings as she jolted into super-speed. “Wait. Don’t answer. Let’s make out first.” A lie, but he didn’t need to know that.
    “Bianka,” he said, his patience clearly waning. “This is not a game. Do not make me bind you to my bed.”
    “Ohh, now that I like. Sounds kinky.” She darted around him, running her fingertips over his cheek, his neck. “You’re as soft as a baby.”
    He sucked in a breath, stiffened. “Bianka.”
    “But better equipped.”
    “Bianka!”
    She patted his butt. “Yes?”
    “You will cease that immediately!”
    “Make me.” She laughed, the amused, carefree sound echoing between them.
    Scowling, he reached out and latched on to her upper arm. There wasn’t time to evade him; shockingly, he was faster than she was. He jerked her in front of him, and dark, narrowed eyes stared down at her.
    “There will be no touching. Do you understand?”
    “Do you?” Her gaze flicked to his hand, still clutching her arm. “At the moment, you’re the one touching