Bane (The Devil's Roses #2) 1

He laughed bitterly, "Mad? What? Why ever would I be mad? Oh you mean because my girlfriend was secretly dating some kinda dead dude and then she sorta died and we never really broke up she just vanished leaving me, her family and everything. Oh but I guess you never really vanished, I mean we did see each other that one day where you were murdering that man in the alley. I mean that counts right?"

She swallowed hard looking at him, "I'm so sorry."

He shook his head, "Save it Aims, maybe it wasn’t all your fault but you’ve handled this badly. You can't just cut me out and then show up and expect we aren’t going to talk about it."

"I know."

"You have to let me in. You have to tell me what it all is. There cant be an us if it's only me here ripping my heart out and handing it to you to crush over and over."

A tear dripped from her eye, "I know." It ran down her still cheek falling to the ground below. The sound resonated across the open space.

He stepped towards her but she stepped back. Her back hit the garage door. He grabbed her hands and pulled her into him, "No matter what happens I will find a way to be with you Aimee, even if it means death but you need to be honest with me."

She felt anger raging inside her. She pushed him slightly knocking him back a few steps, "No Shane."

"What is it you do exactly? I saw you in that alley Aims, the man was dead but it was like he just fell asleep, no marks, no wounds. Just dead."

She slumped against the garage door, "I'm death. I'm an idiot actually. I wanted to live." She looked up into his eyes feeling hers glistening and her lip trembling, "I wanted to be with you Shane, that’s all."

He nodded, "I know Aims that's what I want too."

She rubbed her forehead, "I'm a reaper, a grim reaper. I touch you and my fingers pull your soul out and free it from your body. They don’t have any choice, they just do it."

He took a step closer, "Can you control it?"

She shook her head, "Not completely. It's only been a year and a half."

"Why are you so strong?" He took another step closer.

She could feel him in the air around her. She savored the smell closing her eyes breathing it in. After a few seconds of imagining the life they could have had she spoke flatly, "Demon blood."

"What?"

She sighed letting him walk the whole way back to her and wrap his warm arms around her.

"Demon blood, I drank it. It killed me but at the same time made me, well this. I told you this all last year, none of you believed me remember."

"I remember. Have you killed innocent people or only criminals like the guy in the alley? Do you eat food? Do you sleep? So if you're dead are you like a vampire?"

She laughed realizing how annoying it truly was and how badly she must have driven Aleksander crazy when she quizzed him about every detail constantly.

She opened her eyes and smiled at him, "Yeah. But I don’t drink blood like them, I eat off of the tiny spark that happens when a soul is set free. It's like a tiny whisper of energy that happens as they die and their soul is freed."

He cringed, "Kinda sick and yet somehow I still want to rip your clothes off."

She laughed but he bent his warm face into her neck sending chills roller coasting up and down her spine.

He stepped back looking at her, "We can find a way."

She nodded letting him pull her in kissing her, she let the dream be real for a moment. She winked them into his bedroom.

Shane shivered slightly for a second trying to ignore the flash of travel. He kissed softly along the side of her mouth. He kissed her cheek pressing his soft lips against her face, almost sucking slightly with every touch of his lips. He kissed her lower lip only making her tremble. His hands slid up and down her back caressing her but also massaging deeply. She closed her eyes feeling her breath increase. Her mouth watered thinking about his tongue sliding into her mouth again.

He bent slightly and began kissing down her throat and collarbone. He kissed her shoulder pulling her shirt to one side. His hands came around the back of her tracing the lines of her torso and waist. His warmth against her stomach made her ache. He lifted her shirt off. She remained motionless terrified to touch him. A tear found its way from her right eye and slid down her cheek.

He bent kissing the tear away, "We'll never be apart again Aimee."

She nodded letting herself go. She put her hands on his strong chest undoing the buttons of his uniform. She smirked thinking about how hot it was seeing him in it.

He smiled back at her, "Like the uniform?"

She nodded touching the fabric, tracing the pockets in the shirt and nametag. She finished undoing the buttons to find a white cotton t-shirt underneath. He pulled his work shirt off letting it fall to the floor. His arms looked bigger with the thin white cotton stretched across them. His chest flexed under her scrutiny. She ran her hands across his body as if daring herself to touch him even though she could take it all away with one slip. His life lost for the need filling the pit of her stomach.

She smirked as her fingers found their way to the button of his pants. She looked up into his face watching his response as her fingers undid his pants.

He watched her as if daring her to do it. The moment the pants were undone he grabbed her cupping her ass with his strong hands pulling her up into him. She wrapped her legs around him as he carried her to the bed. She could smell him in the sheets as he laid her down gently. His lips finding their way to hers. His tongue caressing hers as his lips gently sucked. She bit her teeth into his lower lip pulling it slightly. His hands fumbled with her pants undoing the black tight skinny jeans. He cursed slightly at the difficulty he had getting them off. She laughed knowingly.

She lay on his bed in nothing but her white panties watching him stand to remove his police pants and cotton t-shirt. She smiled at the site of him. He looked like an underwear model with muscles in places most guys didn’t have. His golden skin rippled in the muted light of his room. He lay down beside her pulling her into him, she loved the feel of their chests crushing into each other as his hands and arms encompassed her. The warmth of his body pulled her into him making her forget everything about the last year and a half. It seemed as if it were only yesterday she had lost her virginity to him. His touch was more needy this time, he wasn’t rougher just more desperate to touch her. He kissed along her neck caressing her breasts, pinching her nipples. His hot touch sent shock waves through her body. His mouth made its way to her breasts. She shivered in anticipation as he finally closed his mouth over her nipple. She cried out in pleasure. His magical touch brought every nerve ending back to life as he paid homage to every inch of her. She forgot everything in her life and swore if she lived only moments longer she would die complete. He pulled her panties off kissing his way along her thighs.

Suspense nearly killing her as she watched him remove the last of his clothing, his white boxer briefs. His arousal was magnificent. He moved over top of her sliding between her legs kissing her intensely. His mouth devoured hers as he found his way inside of her. Pleasure filled her driving her to move against him.

His hands lifted her into him as she pushed back writhing in ecstasy. They moved together rocking against one and other until each of them was overcome with ecstasy.

Aimee had never been loved until that moment of that she was certain.

Chapter Eight- The Kiss

Ari

He bent and picked up firewood carrying it in the house. His muscles were unbelievable for a guy his age. She watched him like a stalker, she couldn’t take her eyes off of him. As he passed by the window he looked up and smiled directly at her winking. She stepped back blushing, she'd thought she had been covered by the thick black curtain that hung in the window.

Ari bit her lip and tried to push him out of her head. She stood in the shadows counting the minutes before she could run from the study until she heard a creak outside of the study door. Her first instinct was to hide, she could wrap herself in the curtain and not breath but she knew if it was Lucas outside her door she would be discovered. He seemed to be able to find anything. She couldn’t imagine him able to get into the house so quickly. She held her breath hearing her own heartbeat pounding in anticipation. She had watched him over the months. His senses were uncanny and when she asked Lydia what he was she always said everyone had to speak about themselves when they felt ready. Lucas had not told her anything about himself except that he was Fae, which seemed fine with New Ari but annoyed the life out of Old Ari.

The dark study was eerie which normally she would enjoy, she like dark places where she could hide. As the study door opened she realized she didn’t want to hide.

Lucas stepped through the study door. He watched her from the entrance of the door that he left ajar. He was learning about her, paying attention to the things that would set her off, closing the door would have been too much for her. He smirked taking another step, this one slow and purposeful. He held his hands at his sides, she noticed how large they really were. New Ari was planning her escape from the room but her old self shut it down. Ari took control and remained beside the window and the large curtain draping against her side.

Her face flushed as she watched him cross the room slowly in silence. He never reached for her again knowing it would be a trigger to New Ari who hated men and tight spaces. She felt his warmth close in on her personal space. He loomed over her taking up the entire room as she could see it. He bent slowly lowering his face to hers, she never closed her eyes. She watched as his handsome face was lowered to hers. She had never kissed a boy before, she had never been touched romantically before. His soft warm lips brushed against hers sending an electric shiver through her body. His lips settled for a moment as if letting her get used to the feel of him against her then they deliberately moved sucking hers in, licking and pulling. She mimicked his movements letting him sweep her up into the moment. She never knew a moment could be so delicious and soft. New Ari even conceded she had never felt a passion so soft and sweet as this one. His hands crept along her sides, holding her hands. He smiled as he kissed her putting her hands on his chest. Her face reddened burning against his. She let her hands touch his chest, she let herself feel him. He was real and he was kind. She felt a tear slip from her eye. He pulled back looking at her, "Was it too fast Ari? Did I scare you?"