Primal Heat 04 - Forever in Darkness

what her role was in this
world. And he knew about her. She wasn't sure exactly what he knew, but he had
a history, a knowledge, an intuition… something. She knew, because he'd
called her Catherine. Plus, the idea of her being in danger had unleashed
something so fierce and protective inside him that it made every part of her
respond, and the agony of the shadows in his eyes called to her heart.
    This man was so much, and she
wanted him. She needed him. She wanted to throw herself into his safekeeping
and climb inside his soul. "Yes," she said finally. "I am in
danger."
    His grip tightened on her, his eyes
blazing as he pulled her so tightly she could barely breathe. "You did
die, didn't you? Twice? That really happened?"
    Alice caught her breath at his
question, and she stiffened. "Why do you ask that?" How would he
know? Unless he'd been there. Unless he'd been part of it. Sudden fear congealed
inside her. Was that why he was familiar? Because he'd been there? Had he been
one of those sent to make sure she died? Was he her next ticket back to hell?
    Frantic, she pulled back, startled
when he loosened his grip enough to give her space.
    But she quickly realized that he
hadn't actually released her. He was still holding her, still in a position to
haul her back into his arms if he chose to. Her heart started racing again, and
this time, it wasn't from heated desire or intense sensual awareness. It was
the raw fear that she'd just met her next death.
    His eyes narrowed, and his fingers
tightened around her arms. "Catherine," he said softly. "You
don't need to fear me. I can't hurt you—" Then something flickered in his
eyes, a brutal acknowledgement that he hadn't actually spoken the entire truth.
He could hurt her. He could kill her. She could see it in his eyes.
    "Let me go," she gasped,
trying to struggle out of his grasp. It was too soon to die again. She needed
more time! She grabbed his hands and tried to pry them off her. Her hands
closed over his forearm, and searing heat burned her palm. She jerked her hand
back and saw what she had touched.
    Black brands in the shape of an
ancient weapon, burned into his flesh. Stunned fear shot through her and she
stared at him. "You're a Calydon."
    "Order of the Blade." There
was no mistaking the pride in his voice, but she didn't care, not anymore.
    She started to back up.
"Calydons are part demon," she said. "You're demon. You're
demon. "
    Ian narrowed his eyes. "I'm
not a demon—"
    "Of course you are! It's what
gives you your powers! Demon magic!" The scars on her chest from the last
attack began to ache, a reminder of what she was to the monsters of hell.
"I—"
    "Catherine!" He grabbed
her just as she lunged for the door. His hand closed around her arm as she
tumbled out into the back hallway.
    She tried to twist free, but within a split second, she found herself pinned against the wall by the powerful
warrior. His hips were against hers, and her hands were above her head. He
kicked the door shut, cutting them off from the rest of the world and isolating
her in the rarely-used back hallway of Deliverance.
    Her heart began to hammer, and fear
rippled through her. Fear and desire, in some inane mix of emotions. How could
she possibly be responding sensually when he had nearly attacked her and pinned
her to the wall? How could she be responding to him sexually regardless of what
he was doing to her? She didn't have physical responses to men. Not like this.
It wasn't allowed. What was going on? She swallowed, trying to keep her voice
steady. "What are you?" she demanded. "I need answers, and I
don't have time for this."
    "Don’t have time?" he
echoed, raising his brows. "What, do you have plans to die again? Got a
date with death you can't be late for?"
    She hesitated. There was that
question again. Why was he asking that? Didn't he know? Was he not there to
hurt her? "Did you kill me before?"
    His eyes narrowed. "You don't
remember?"
    "I—" She paused,
uncertain how much to share. Was he the enemy or something else? Something less
dangerous? Like her salvation, or something equally impossible and unrealistic?
    "Catherine." Ian's voice became
low, and it thrummed deep inside her. She became so aware of the heat of his
body as he pressed against her, of the cold wall on her back, of the pulse of
desire low in her belly.
    He took a lock of her hair and
wrapped it around his hand. "I need to know," he said, his dark eyes
searching hers, so full of agony and despair