forgot about the panic when the public found a corpse ripped to shreds and hanging upside down. Rumors started about demons and witches. Our world was nearly exposed, not to mention your father’s rage unleashed black magick on the town. It took a year before the darkness was expelled and by then, four houses were burned to the ground, ten divorces took place, a host of kids fell prey to drugs. That’s what your father’s rage did.”
Troubled, she fell silent. She’d been blissfully ignorant of the happenings around her. Her mother had shielded them from it.
“Did you ever pause to think that maybe your father’s nature drew that killer to the house next door?”
“He changed when he married my mother. He wasn’t evil.”
Grayson stepped closer, forcing her to sit on the bed. “Like attracts like, darkness attracts darkness. When he wasn’t playing house, he sacrificed animals to keep his power alive. It drew evil straight to the source and suddenly that nice small town wasn’t so nice anymore.”
The venison stew in her stomach curdled. “It’s all lies.”
He leaned over her, caging her with his arms on either side of her body. Warm breath tickled her cheek, smelling of mints and whiskey.
“Sometimes we choose to ignore what our family does because it cuts too deep. But truth is truth.”
Insight came as the white light inside her hummed, pushing aside her demon half. Samantha reached up with one hand, hovering above his marred cheek. “Is that what happened to you, Grayson? Did you get that scar from someone in your family cutting too deeply?”
The Hunter yanked away, his mouth a narrow slash. “Keep out of my personal business, Samantha. This isn’t about me.”
“You’re butting into mine.” Sensing Grayson’s weakness, the demon nudged aside the angelic half.
“It’s my job. I’m a slave to duty. It’s what kept me ticking all these years.”
The jeering sarcasm hid something. She wondered what evil he’d witnessed all his years on this earth, what tragedy of human misery and suffering. Compassion filled her. She wanted to touch him, soothe away the strain on his face.
As she reached out, he jerked away. She dropped her hand with a shaky sigh. Getting close to this wolf was dangerous. He could derail her from keeping a sacred promise. No matter. Soon enough, she’d be on her way.
Grayson’s expression shuttered. “It’s late. I’m going to bed.”
Without saying anything, she went to the window, lifted the curtain. Freezing rain pelted the glass. She felt stronger, but the weather would wear her down fast.
Samantha turned, saw him tug the shirt over his head, exposing a hard male chest darkened with springy hairs. Fascination spiraled through her as she stared at his well-defined pectorals and flat stomach rippling with muscles. Low in her belly, a strange tugging ensued.
“What are you doing?” she demanded.
“I always sleep naked.”
Her breath caught in her throat as he unzipped his jeans, pulled them down. Commando. Crisp dark hairs surrounded a long, thick penis, impressive even at rest. She stared, transfixed.
Grayson shrugged out of his pants. He regarded her, as comfortable in his nudity as a wolf in his skin. “Get undressed, Samantha. Now.”
Chapter Three
“No. I’d rather walk naked through a snowstorm than sleep with you, wolf.”
Gray eyes the color of steel danced with amusement. “Did I say anything about sleep?”
Samantha glared at him. “We are not having sex.”
“Not now.” He gave another of those sexy, crooked smiles and went to a closet. He belted on a black robe. Samantha sighed in relief. Not that the view wasn’t nice but it was too damn distracting.
Grayson snagged a white robe off a hanger and tossed it at her. “Get undressed and put this on. Your body is sore and has been through too much. You need a soak in the tub. A little pampering will help you relax.”
After a week of tepid showers, the thought of a hot bath
Troubled, she fell silent. She’d been blissfully ignorant of the happenings around her. Her mother had shielded them from it.
“Did you ever pause to think that maybe your father’s nature drew that killer to the house next door?”
“He changed when he married my mother. He wasn’t evil.”
Grayson stepped closer, forcing her to sit on the bed. “Like attracts like, darkness attracts darkness. When he wasn’t playing house, he sacrificed animals to keep his power alive. It drew evil straight to the source and suddenly that nice small town wasn’t so nice anymore.”
The venison stew in her stomach curdled. “It’s all lies.”
He leaned over her, caging her with his arms on either side of her body. Warm breath tickled her cheek, smelling of mints and whiskey.
“Sometimes we choose to ignore what our family does because it cuts too deep. But truth is truth.”
Insight came as the white light inside her hummed, pushing aside her demon half. Samantha reached up with one hand, hovering above his marred cheek. “Is that what happened to you, Grayson? Did you get that scar from someone in your family cutting too deeply?”
The Hunter yanked away, his mouth a narrow slash. “Keep out of my personal business, Samantha. This isn’t about me.”
“You’re butting into mine.” Sensing Grayson’s weakness, the demon nudged aside the angelic half.
“It’s my job. I’m a slave to duty. It’s what kept me ticking all these years.”
The jeering sarcasm hid something. She wondered what evil he’d witnessed all his years on this earth, what tragedy of human misery and suffering. Compassion filled her. She wanted to touch him, soothe away the strain on his face.
As she reached out, he jerked away. She dropped her hand with a shaky sigh. Getting close to this wolf was dangerous. He could derail her from keeping a sacred promise. No matter. Soon enough, she’d be on her way.
Grayson’s expression shuttered. “It’s late. I’m going to bed.”
Without saying anything, she went to the window, lifted the curtain. Freezing rain pelted the glass. She felt stronger, but the weather would wear her down fast.
Samantha turned, saw him tug the shirt over his head, exposing a hard male chest darkened with springy hairs. Fascination spiraled through her as she stared at his well-defined pectorals and flat stomach rippling with muscles. Low in her belly, a strange tugging ensued.
“What are you doing?” she demanded.
“I always sleep naked.”
Her breath caught in her throat as he unzipped his jeans, pulled them down. Commando. Crisp dark hairs surrounded a long, thick penis, impressive even at rest. She stared, transfixed.
Grayson shrugged out of his pants. He regarded her, as comfortable in his nudity as a wolf in his skin. “Get undressed, Samantha. Now.”
Chapter Three
“No. I’d rather walk naked through a snowstorm than sleep with you, wolf.”
Gray eyes the color of steel danced with amusement. “Did I say anything about sleep?”
Samantha glared at him. “We are not having sex.”
“Not now.” He gave another of those sexy, crooked smiles and went to a closet. He belted on a black robe. Samantha sighed in relief. Not that the view wasn’t nice but it was too damn distracting.
Grayson snagged a white robe off a hanger and tossed it at her. “Get undressed and put this on. Your body is sore and has been through too much. You need a soak in the tub. A little pampering will help you relax.”
After a week of tepid showers, the thought of a hot bath
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