The Darkest Passion

sweet scent because Paris always smelled like that, and she knew Galen would be drunk very soon. She had only to wait.

She was too impatient to wait.

Her gaze raked over her own body. She still wore that T-shirt and jeans. They were plain but clean. And though they weren’t revealing, her breasts were so large they stretched the material. Several men had noticed her already and whistled as she strolled by. Outwardly, she’d paid them no heed. Inwardly, she’d thrilled at being viewed as something other than ugly, disgusting or at best, something to be tolerated.

She stopped at Galen’s table, and he looked up through the dark shield of his lashes. “Go away.”

Steady. Instinct demanded she attack first and ask questions later. Resist. Galen delighted in tricking the Lords, in sending Bait to distract them before acting. Today, she would be their Bait.

“You’re beautiful,” she said, and he was. With his pale hair and pale blue eyes, with his flawless features and sensual mouth, he was every woman’s fantasy. But he’d helped destroy her Aeron’s life, and for that he would pay. “I want you.” Dead, but she didn’t add that part.

He arched a brow. “Of course you do. You can’t help yourself. None of you can.” He almost sounded…upset by that. “Here’s a little news flash for you. No matter what I make you feel, hopeful for a future, a wedding, babies, you’re not going to get it from me.” There at the end, he’d been sneering. He drained the rest of his drink. “Now go away like I told you. I came here for peace and quiet.”

He was the second man to turn her away since her transformation. She couldn’t help herself; she slapped him. His head whipped to the side, and a trickle of blood formed at the corner of his mouth. Guess I’m stronger than I thought, she mused smugly. Good.

When he faced her this next time, his expression was lit with interest. “Why did you do that?”

“Perhaps you didn’t hear me when I said I wanted you.”

“And you thought slapping me would win me over?”

“You’re still here, aren’t you?”

He studied her before moving his gaze across the bar. “So where do you want me?”

“Bathroom.” No witnesses. Not for what she had planned. “And by the way. I don’t want to wed you and I don’t want your babies. We’re gonna have sex, and you’re gonna like it.”

“Forceful little thing, aren’t you?”

“You have no idea. So we doing this or not?”

Those lush lips twitched. “Let me get this straight. We’re going to the bathroom, and I’m going to fuck you, and you don’t even care to know my name?”

“I’d actually prefer it if you’d keep your stupid mouth closed.” Oops. Her hatred was slipping out.

“Well, well. You might just be my soul mate.” He was on his feet a second later, his chair skidding over the sticky floor. He didn’t say another word as he kicked into motion, arm snaking around her waist and pulling her along with him.

There was a woman in the bathroom, washing her hands, and Galen pushed her out without preamble.

“Hey,” the girl cried in irritation. She softened as her gaze raked him. “Hey.” Sultry now.

“Stay out or die,” he told her flatly. And then he slammed the door closed and whipped around to face Legion.

She trembled, she just couldn’t help herself. There was so much heat in his eyes she was momentarily shocked stupid. It was what she’d wanted from Aeron. What she might never get.

One step, two, he approached her. She backed away. Attack now. Kill him. But she didn’t.

“Scared?” he asked silkily. “You should be.”

She raised her chin, looked behind her—and saw the counter and the mirror. Her reflection stunned her. The fall of golden hair, just begging for a man’s hands. The wide, dark eyes so filled with longing.

Longing? She wanted him? Him? How could she want Hope? He was her enemy. He was Aeron’s enemy.

Strong hands banded around her waist and hefted her up. She gasped as she returned her focus to him. He was already working the button of her jeans. That button gave easily and then he was jerking them off her legs.

He chuckled. “No panties. You are eager for me.”

His amusement irritated her—even as it spiced her desire up another notch. That wasn’t because of him, she told herself. She refused to believe so. She’d wanted to have sex; that was one of the reasons she’d bargained for this body. She’d expected it to be with Aeron, though.

Yet he might never want her that way. Not really.

“Who said I was eager for you? You’re beautiful, yeah, but you’re just a substitute for someone else.” Truth. A truth she liked. She could use him. Have the sex she wanted and then kill him.

Galen’s eyes narrowed to tiny slits. “Is that right?”

“There you go, talking again. I thought I told you how much I hated that.”

“You’re the one who better watch her mouth.” With a growl, he ripped off her shirt. She wasn’t wearing a bra, either. He didn’t ask for permission, but leaned forward and sucked a nipple into his mouth. A mouth that was hot as fire and had her moaning. In pleasure.

This was…wonderful.

Yes. Yes, she’d have the sex she wanted. It would distract him so that she could more easily go in for the kill. That was all the rationale she needed to spread her legs and jerk him into her. His pants-clad erection hit her sweet spot, and she cried out.

Wonderful was not the word to describe that. Perfection was. How much better would it have been with Aeron, then? Aeron. She didn’t want to think about him right now. She only wanted to feel.

“More,” she found herself commanding. She arched into him, rubbing herself against him. Her skin was sensitized and only growing more so. There was an ache inside her, a heat like the one she’d seen in his eyes. Both were building.

“Don’t even want foreplay?” Galen worked at his pants, freeing his erection. It was big. So deliciously big. Demons often had sex while in hell—with each other, the damned souls—so she knew big was preferred and small ridiculed.

“What’s foreplay?” Truly. She had no clue.

He chuckled again. “I like you, female. I really do.” He tried to kiss her, but she turned her head. He followed the movement, and she turned her head again.

“No kissing,” she rasped. She wanted to, oh, did she want to, but kissing would kill him before she was finished with him. She looked like a human, yes, but her teeth were pure poison. She could taste it.

She settled her ankles on his lower back, digging in, forcing him to move against her. Mind…fogging…body… burning…

“Kiss me,” he commanded.

“No.”

“Kiss.”

“No!”

“Why not? Not like it’s anything special.”

“Cease…talking!” she growled.

His snarl was like a caress. “Fine. You want a quick fuck, that’s all you’ll get.” He gripped the base of his erection and aimed it between her legs, then he was thrusting forward, all the way inside her.

She cried out in pain, but the pain disappeared as quickly as it had sprouted, leaving only a feeling of utter possession. “More.” He stretched her, filled her up, and it was heady. No wonder all manner of beings did this so often.

“Virgin?” he gasped out, clearly shocked. Wonder of wonders, it appeared as if his expression was softening.

“None of your business. Finish.”

He bared his teeth at her, but in and out he pumped. The stretching and the fullness only increased, pushing