Page 10 of My Demon Mate

“My name is Raven,” a deep, seductive voice says. “I am here for Everest.”

Like I have no control over them, my tired feet move of their own accord to the front door. It’s like there’s a thread attached to the voice, and I have to follow it to get to the prize.

What is the prize?

A hot fucking man in a white linen shirt and expensive jeans, that’s who. Wow, I can see why he’s called Raven. His hair is jet black, pushed back from his forehead so I can see his entire face. His eyes are bright, but also black, if that makes sense. There is a … light shining behind them as he looks at me. His plush lips curve up into a smile as our gazes meet, those bright eyes roaming over me. His straight, thin nose gives his face a devilish look. He’s too beautiful for words.

His smile drops almost immediately when his stare roams over my face.

My dad looks over at me, raising his hand as if to hit me. “Get the fuck back inside. This don’t concern you.”

The man—Raven—shifts his gaze to my dad and his eyes go even darker. “On the contrary, Jack.” My dad starts, no one having said his name in years. I don’t even remember my mother saying it before she took off. “Everything about Everest concerns me.” Raven walks up the two steps of our porch, standing toe to toe with my dad. It’s not until then that I realize how tall Raven is. Before he stepped inside, he was almost eye to eye with my dad. Now he towers over him.

I’ve never seen my dad with this look on his face. He’s always tormented me and my mother, before she left, knowing he could beat us if we got too mouthy. But with this man so close, towering over him in this imposing way, my dad swallows roughly. He’s afraid.

“Everest, I am here to take you away,” Raven says, though he doesn’t look away from dad. “If there are things you need, grab them now. You will not be coming back.”

“Like hell,” my dad says, seeming to have gotten a bit of courage back. “He’s not going anywhere. I forbid it.”

Raven takes a step closer to my dad. “Do you plan to stop me?” When there’s no answer, my savior finally looks over at me. “Go get your things, Everest, baby. We are going.”

Not needing any more of a push, I shuffle to my room, packing the things I want to take with me quickly. It’s stupid, wanting to leave with a man I don’t know, but it feels right. And it’s better than being here. There’s nothing Raven could do to me that my father hasn’t already done.

How does this hot stranger know my name? Or even my father’s name? Questions to ask when I get the chance. But not in this house.

Once I’m packed, I limp back to the front of the trailer, finding my dad and Raven in the same position, as if they didn’t move a muscle the entire time I was in my room.

When he sees me, Raven holds out his hand. On instinct, I grab it, standing almost behind him. I’ve lost my mind, trusting a fucking stranger, but what do I have to lose? My father beats me, my mother is gone, I have one friend and I only met her days ago. Going with a stranger isn’t even that risky when I have the life I do.

My dad’s lip curls up when our hands connect. “I should have known you really were a fa?—”

“If you want to keep your tongue, do not finish that sentence.” Raven’s voice is low, but it’s full of a threat that he has every intention on carrying out.

I expect my father to say the horrible slur just to see what happens, but to my surprise, he clamps his mouth shut. His glassy eyes burn into my face though and I step more behind Raven. Why do I trust this man I haven’t even formally met?

Needlessly, I whisper, “I’m ready.”

Smiling over at me, Raven says, “I can see that. Let’s be off.” His smile has my heart beating double time, and I lean into him. His scent is intoxicating, spicy—like a banked fire—and masculine. Who is this man?

Before we depart, Raven eyes my father. “Do not come looking for him. Do not send the police after him. If you do, I will end you. Do I make myself clear?” The growl in Raven’s tone is apparent and far sexier than it has the right to be.

I’m almost giddy with excitement when my father croaks, “Clear.”

With that, Raven pulls me behind him, taking me away from a place that’s made me miserable for more years than I can count.

He leads me to a sleek black car with black leather interior. It looks like it cost a pretty penny. When I sit in the passenger seat, I melt into the soft leather, breathing in the scent of new car. I’m not sure I’ve ever smelled new car, but I automatically know this one is fresh from the assembly line.

After I settle in, Raven reaches across my body to buckle in my seatbelt. “I can do that,” I whisper, though it’s already done. I’m not sure I could’ve twisted around and pulled the belt across my body anyway. My ribs are hollering at how fast I’ve been moving, the pain making it hard for me to draw in a full breath.

Raven shrugs, gently straighten the belt across my chest. “Not to worry. I want to make sure you are safe.”

A shy smile eases across my lips. I should be wondering who this man is, not being pleased at his thoughtfulness.

He rounds the hood of the car and slides behind the wheel. The car starts up with a gentle hum, and I lean back, letting my head drop back against the headrest as Raven drives me away from what used to be my home.

I don’t know why I feel so deep in my bones that I won’t live there anymore. We’re barely twenty feet from the trailer, and I already know I won’t go back there and stay another night. I’d rather die first.

We’re only driving for a few minutes when Raven asks, “How badly are you hurt?”

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