Demon Romance- Finding Fortunes Read online

  “She’s very delicious looking, but that’s not why I called. Her name is Sierra Mason.”

  Damien hissed. “As in the Masons?”

  He opened the folder on his desk. “Daughter of Daniel and Clarice Mason.”

  Preston waited for Damien’s mind to catch up. “Daniel was the grandson of Craw Mason. He’s still active?”

  “He’s been wheelchair bound for four years. His only son, Garret, was murdered three years ago, and Clarice Mason died just last week.”

  “Any other relatives?”

  “Daniel and Sierra are the last living Mason’s left. The name dies out with her death or marriage.”

  “It’s not the name that concerns me. Does she know who you are?”

  “Without a doubt.”

  “Preston,” Damien said warningly. “Why did you accept her application?”

  Preston flipped the folder pages and stared at the picture of the handsome young man. “Do you remember Hollis?”

  “The kid that wanted to help you a few years ago? Sure. Why?”

  “Hollis was Garret Mason. He was killed because of me.”

  He could hear Damien cursing on the other line. “That kid’s death is not your fault.”

  “And now I know how you feel when I told you that Ortho was not your fault. His mother was looking into Garret’s death when she died as well. And let me tell you, they did not die easily. I’m fairly certain that we’re looking at a nest.”

  “Are you mad? It takes a full blooded demon to call a horde to a nest.”

  Preston pulled out the photos of the bodies. “I’m just telling you what it looks like. I’ll show you the photos tonight.”

  “You will stay away from the Mason girl. I have enough problems with Cresher. I don’t need you bringing a demon hunter into the circle.”

  Preston tapped his finger on the picture of the young woman. Even in her photo, he could see her young life, her vitality. It called to him. “The problem, Damien, is that she’s actually quite perfect for the position.”

  “So help me,” Damien hissed.

  “Go back to sleep, Damien,” Preston murmured. “We’ll talk more tonight.” He absently hung up on his old friend, and stared at her picture.

  If she knew that he was responsible for her brother’s death, she’d try to take him down into tiny little pieces.

  And maybe it was because he felt that he deserved it, but he told his receptionist to cancel the rest of his interviews.

  He wanted to keep Sierra Mason close.

  Chapter Three

  Sierra watched the hustle of people around her, and for a moment, she wondered what it would be like if all this was real.

  She hadn’t expected him to hire her. He clearly knew her reasons for being here, but maybe he wanted to keep her close. In any case, she tried to forget for a moment that Wellington was the enemy. She tried to forget that she’d lost her brother and her mother to demons; she tried to forget that demons even existed. She looked around and was desperate to play the part. She was the new fish in a big pond. She was the college graduate with her first big girl job. She’d landed the job that everyone in her department would have killed for.

  But, none of it was real.

  The supervisor was halfway through the tour when Preston stopped them. “Thank you, James. I’ll take it from here,” he said as he looked directly into her eyes.

  Sierra’s training kicked it. She didn’t blush or stammer or shake. She stood stock still, muscles tense, waiting to see what his next move would be.

  If James thought it was odd that the CEO of the company wanted to give the new girl a tour, he didn’t let on. He simply shrugged and wandered off to get coffee.

  “Ms. Mason,” Preston said with a nod.

  “Mr. Wellington,” she answered in a cool voice.

  He stepped back into the elevator. “Why don’t you join me? We’ll take a look at the HR department upstairs. “

  She smiled. “I’d prefer to take the stairs. I like to try keep moving whenever possible.” There was no way she was getting into that elevator with him.

  A slow smirk spread across his face. “Ms. Mason, there are cameras in the elevators.”

  “And you control both the people who control the cameras and the people who review the tapes.”

  He didn’t move. “My reputation in this company means quite a bit to me. I would not jeopardize it in any way.”

  Sierra sighed and stepped into the elevators. She moved to the far corner and reached inside her blazer. He immediately raised his eyebrows. “If you remove a weapon in this vicinity, security will have you escorted out within minutes.”

  She gritted her teeth and kept her hold, but she didn’t slide the blade out.

  “Ms. Mason, can please tell me why you applied for this position?” He leaned against the paneling with the ease of a cat. He knew that in a fight, he could easily overtake her, and she knew it. Still, she’d come too far. She wasn’t going to back down.

  “Why Mr. Wellington, I believe I’ve already answered that question,” she mocked. “Most of my peers would do anything to be in my shoes right now. Why don’t you tell me why you hired me? I’m sure many of your applicants were better suited.”

  He smiled. “I like your confidence.”

  She felt a shudder run through her, but she maintained her posture. The elevator dinged, and she waited for him to exit first.

  “Ladies first,” he said with a gesture.

  People were waiting on the other side to get on, so he slipped by her. His hand brushed the small of her back, and she stiffened. The shivers that he elicited were not from panic but from pleasure. Even the way he smelled made her dizzy, and she tried to not to show it. “I love a demon with manners,” she murmured.

  It was the first time she’d admitted that she knew him, and he laughed. “And I love a hunter with spunk.”

  She looked down the hall. “This isn’t HR,” she said accusingly.

  “No. This is the records room. I imagine it’s where you truly want to be, so I decided I’d simply escort you here. It would save us both the trouble.” He bent down and ran his lips over her ears. “Try looking for the Slavante Brotherhood.”

  She pushed away from him. “No touching,” she muttered.

  He smiled and straightened. “If you find whatever it is you’re looking for, keep in mind that the job offer is real. And it is yours.”

  “Is that a bribe?”

  Preston shrugged. “I rarely need to bribe to get what I want. You didn’t go to college to sneak into my facilities. You clearly love what you learned. I’d like to help with that.”

  She watched as he backed away. He was a puzzle. Of course he wasn’t just going to open us his records room for her without wiping away any incriminating evidence for her. How stupid did he think she was?

  But she’d put on a show. She’d flip through his files, and tonight, when he was out, she’d come back for the real thing.

  Breaking into a high security facility wasn’t as hard as she expected it to be. One well-placed crystal with a whispered sleeping spell had the guard fast asleep. It was a small crystal, and he’d be awake in under an hour, so she would have to work quickly. She scanned the card she’d swiped earlier from security, and she was in. First, she hit the security office. Another crystal and another sleeping spell had all of them knocked out, and she quickly shut down the cameras.

  She took the stairs two at a time, and she was standing at his locked door in under ten minutes. So far, so good.

  Sierra swiped the card again and held her breath. She wasn’t one hundred percent certain that the card would activate his door, but it clicked, and she swung it open with ease.

  The office was dark, and she didn’t bother with the light. A new quarter moon showed brightly enough, and she made it to the desk easily.

  She was just about to tackle the computer when a file on the desk caught her eye.

  It had her name on it.

 
With trembling hands, she picked it up.

  “If you look at that file, there’s no going back.”

  She gasped and looked up. Preston moved out of the shadows slowly. She immediately reached for her blade, but he put his arms up. “I’m unarmed.”

  “A demon is never unarmed,” she hissed.

  “Half-breed demon,” he said with an easy smile. “My powers are ill suited for a fight. That’s why I’m corporate.”

  She stilled. In truth, she had no idea what his power was. She’d never seen any evidence that he’d used it. “And that power would be?”

  “Manipulation.”

  Her eyes widened. “That’s a pretty handy power to have in a fight.”

  He shook his head. “It doesn’t always work, and panicked or adrenaline driven individuals are hard to manipulate.”

  “Are you manipulating me?”

  “You’d know if I was. It’s not without its side effect.” He paused. “I can show you if you’d like.”

  “And make me throw myself out your window? No thank you.”

  He smiled. “Sierra, if I wanted you dead, you’d be dead.” He hummed a few bars, and suddenly every muscle in Sierra’s body weakened. Her body reacted to the sound, and she felt immense pleasure. Her skin tingled, and her heart pounded, but she was happy and free.

  When the song ended, she had him pressed against the wall with a blade to his throat. She gasped, but she didn’t move. If even one muscle tensed, the blade would pierce his skin.

  “Nice trick,” she whispered as she eased the blade down.

  He shuddered with visible relief. “I need you to trust me, Sierra.”

  She pushed against his chest. “Just because you gave me the opportunity to harm you doesn’t mean I trust you. There’s a difference between physical manipulation and mind fucking. You’re probably excellent at both.”

  “Maybe the fucking part,” he said with an amused glint in his eye.

  Vivid images of them naked and intertwined distracted her, and she swallowed hard. What was wrong with her? She was here to avenge her family, not get fucked by a demon.

  “What the hell do you want from me?” she said.

  “I want you to have what you’re looking for,” he said. “But I also want you to understand the dangers of the truth. This world isn’t as black and white as you might imagine, and there is a far greater threat roaming the streets. If you take this step, you may not survive.”

  “Are you threatening me?” she hissed.

  He shook his head. “The opposite. I feel compelled to protect you,” he whispered. She didn’t even have time to think before his mouth descended on hers.

  Her liquid heat immediately pooled through her as he kissed her. It was unlike anything she’d ever experienced. Logic in her head screamed to pull away, but her body wouldn’t listen. Her arm immediately came up to capture those curls and draw him in deeper. Someone was moaning. Was that her?

  His tongue swept in, and suddenly they were moving. She bumped into the back of the desk, and her legs widened as he settled between them.

  Suddenly, he hissed and moved away.

  She gasped. In her moment of weakness, she accidently nicked him with the blade. Smoke rose from the wound, and he hit the wall moaning.

  “Shit,” she muttered as she advanced on him. She hadn’t meant to hurt him. At least, not yet.

  He put up his hand. “It’s fine,” he managed. Her mouth dropped open as she watched the wound close.

  “Dear God, what are you?” she whispered. “That should have severely wounded you.”

  He shuddered. “Yes, that’s quite a weapon you have there. A spelled blade. Rare.”

  “You seem fine,” she said as he steadied himself.

  “And maybe one day, you’ll find out why.” He shook his head. “Take the folder home. I implore you to burn it, but if you decide to open it, you can come find me. But once you see the truth, there is no backing out. There are few that can protect you.”

  She snorted. “And I suppose you’re one of them?”

  He looked at her mournfully. “I fear that I may not be enough.” He backed away and melted into the shadows.

  The wound closed easily enough, but he hadn’t counted on the blade being spelled. Of course she’d dabbled in the black arts. She was a Mason.

  It didn’t deter his desire for her.

  Ever since she’d walked through the door to interview for the job, desire had coiled inside of him. He pushed it aside. There were more important things at stake.

  But having her so close to him had pushed him over the edge. And the taste of her on his lips was nearly driven him insane.

  It was an accident. He could see the horror on her face, but it reminded him of the dangers of her kind. The huntress was dangerous. The situation was dangerous. And he’d do well enough to leave her alone.

  Chapter Four

  The file was open on her seat as she drove like mad to his address. She’d waited hours, staring at it, wondering if she should open it. Her dreams of a normal life would go up in smoke as soon as she peaked, but blood was thicker than that.

  He had a file on her brother. He had a file on her mother. He had a file on some group of demons, and he had proof of a nest.

  A nest for God sake. Those were supposed to have been wiped out centuries ago.

  The dagger was in her hand when he opened the door, and blind rage had her holding it at his throat. “What the hell is this?” she screamed as she flung the folder down.

  He disarmed her easily, and she was so shaken that she didn’t even care. “Tell me,” she pleaded.

  He waited until she was calmer. When the sobs ceased, and she leaned against the wall, he began to speak.

  “The Slavante Brotherhood is an international organization. It’s made up of powerful group half-breed demons trying to protect humanity. We’re not all bad, Sierra.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t believe you.”

  “We’ve existed for several centuries, but we keep to the shadows. Occasionally, a hunter stumbles upon us, but the consequences are usually disastrous. At one time, we tried to form an alliance with them, but you lot are thick headed. After too much blood was spilled, on both sides, we decided to remain anonymous.”

  He poured her a glass of whiskey and handed it to her. She’d swallowed it in one shot before handing the glass to him. The fiery liquid warmed her belly, and she felt some of her shock subside.

  “A few years ago, a hunter began stalking us. We kept an eye on him, but he kept an even closer eye on us. The things he knew shocked even us. He wanted our help. He wanted my help.” He cast a mournful look down. “He said his name was Hollis, and he’d found a terrifying trend. He thought a full blooded demon walked the city streets.”

  She stared at him. “Garret was helping you?” she whispered. It couldn’t be true. No Mason would have been caught dead helping a demon. “You’re lying.”

  He stared at her. “I am not. He understood the growing threat that was upon us, and he thought we’d work better together than against each other. It got him killed, and it will get you killed as well. You need to walk away, Sierra.”

  Her hands were shaking as she reached up and slapped him. “How dare you. How dare you tell me this. Garret was my brother, and I refuse to believe that he’d keep this from me.”

  “I didn’t know he had a sister. He didn’t even tell me his real name. None of that is what is important. I got your brother killed.”

  “Stop saying that,” she hissed. She gripped the dagger tightly in her hand. This is what she’d come here for. She’d come here for proof that he’d killed Garret, and now that he was giving it to her, she didn’t want to hear it.

  “If he wasn’t working with me, he’d still be alive. I don’t know what came after him, and I’ve been searching for three years. But it is my fault. Your brother and your mother are dead because of me.”

  “Stop,” she screamed. She dropped the dagger as she rea
ched up to slap him again. It barely phased him, and she reached over to pummel him in the chest instead. Over and over again, she hit him until her arms grew tired.

  He caught her just before she fell, and he dropped his head down to capture her lips.

  It wasn’t a light kiss like before. He wasn’t easing her or even tasting her. He was distracting her, drawing the pain away, and immediately, she reached up to curl her fingers in his hair. She wanted more. She needed more.

  “You have to go,” he gasped as he broke away from her. “Sierra, you have to go.”

  “I don’t have to do anything,” she muttered as she reached up again. She heard him swear an oath before his lips crushed down on hers again. Desperately, she pulled at his shirt. She wasn’t going to be happy with just a kiss. She needed so much more.

  Sierra grappled with the buttons until she’d finally ripped the shirt away. The muscles of his chest rippled as she stroked his chest and abs. Flaring heat soared through her body as he rained kisses down the column of her neck.

  “Sierra,” he murmured. “We shouldn’t do this.”

  “Shut-up,” she murmured. He picked her up, and as she wrapped her legs around his waist, he pressed her against the wall. He was long and hard between her thighs, and she rubbed herself on him mercilessly. Even through the fabric of her panties and his pants, she could feel him throbbing.

  He hissed as he ripped her shirt away and thumbed her nipples through her bra. She whimpered, and he pulled the bra to the side, freeing her breasts. She arched into his touch as his rough skin rubbed, pulled, and ignited her.

  But it still wasn’t enough. She wanted those hands in other places. She rubbed up against him until he was practically panting. Dropping her, he fell to his knees and nuzzled between her legs.

  “Oh God,” she muttered as he pushed her skirt up higher around her waist and pulled her lacy panties aside. As if he had read her thoughts, he brushed his thumb across her nub, and she nearly screamed.

  “So sweet,” he murmured as he lapped his tongue over her. “Baby,” he moaned, and he pushed a finger inside her.