Demon Night

nothing says I can’t shoot him full of venom every month and then use my fists. Maybe that’d be more satisfying than just killing him once.”
    Oh, Ethan. Her chest ached. Of course he knew it wouldn’t be; but did he know his simmering frustration had slipped through his shields? She wanted to pull him in even tighter.
    After a second’s hesitation, she did. “I’ll still hold him down.”
    Ethan’s grin was a deep curve when he raised his head. “That’d be just fine. We’ll make good partners, Miss Charlie.” His grin faded, and the intensity of his gaze sharpened. “And I ain’t just saying that for fun, now that we’re relaxed and easy. We fit real well, you and me. Even though I’m like to go crazy at times trying to figure you out—but there’s no one I’d rather go crazy over.”
    Warmth stole through her. “It’s not difficult, Ethan.” His focus shifted to her teeth when her smile widened. “Just imagine me needy, and then imagine me afraid of it.”
    “If it were that simple, I’d have had you figured months ago.” His thumb brushed the tip of her left fang, and she shivered. “And if I’d have known that getting busted up and striking bargains would send you toppling over in love with me, I might have broken myself up a bit earlier than this.”
    “Oh, Jesus. That wouldn’t have been a good plan—and, anyway, I’m not that slow,” she said, trying to control her breathing as he cupped her breast. “I’ve loved you for a while now. I just didn’t know if you’d want it.”
    Ethan paused. “How’s that?”
    She couldn’t think of anything beyond his fingers against her nipple. “Until tonight, I didn’t know you needed anything from me so much that you’d lose control and take it.”
    He paled, and she caught his face between her hands. “That came out wrong,” she said. “I loved every second of it. Loved that you used me to get what you needed. I was with you the whole way; it just took me a while to realize what you were looking for. And even then, I was hoping it really was something you wanted, not a burden.”
    “It ain’t.” His voice was thick. “I want it, Miss Charlie. And you already know I’ll provide you anything you need, give you everything you want.”
    She didn’t let her gaze move from his. Anything above a whisper was impossible, and she pulled his face to hers, said against his lips, “I know.”

CHAPTER 29
    Ethan gave up trying to drift half an hour after sunrise. Charlie lay unmoving in his arms, her heart barely beating. He’d hoped that their hours together in bed would prevent the terror of the previous night from touching her dreams—and judging by the soft yearning in her psychic scent, the faint arousal, she’d escaped it.
    But he thought the yearning might tear him apart faster than terror would. Even the fierce pleasure of having her love didn’t cut the agony that she was still needing something—and that she was still not asking him for it.
    With a sigh, he forced himself out of bed, scrubbed his hands over his face and hair. He wasn’t overly fuzzy; having his brain smashed had gotten rid of most of it. Then he’d steeled himself against his rage and fear, focusing on Sammael, and not much else had gotten in.
    Leastwise, not until Charlie had said something about letting Sammael provide her blood.
    He hadn’t done right by her. He’d known she’d been trying to put him at ease, but the thought had provoked such a cold dread, he hadn’t seen much beyond making certain she admitted her need for him .
    And she hadn’t spooked, though he’d pushed her awful hard. Harder than he ought to have. He couldn’t regret it, not when it had drawn such a sweet declaration from her—but he also couldn’t shake the feeling that as far as she’d gone, he’d somehow ended up in the same place he’d started, and now he was flying to catch up.
    He sure as hell wished he knew what she needed—and if pushing again would just shove her farther away.
    Dressing took longer than normal; there was plenty of blood to vanish into his cache, all of it his. Forming his wings so as they could heal was going to hurt like a son of a bitch.
    But he did, and then groaned his way downstairs. No one was in the house to hear him, and when he saw Jake waiting on the deck outside, he was tempted to just turn around and lay next to Charlie until the novice went away.
    He sucked up his groans and lowered the shield instead. “Her eyes are