Page 38 of Torn Between Two Worlds

“You want to say something? Anything at all, Ci?”

“Sorry. I'm just so surprised you're here. How long are you here for? Do we have time to run to Amecci's?”

“Two days. It's the only time I could get off, only being there a few weeks. But I needed to see you. I missed you. Girlfriend or not, you're one of my rocks, and I couldn't resist stopping in. I've already been to my parents’, can't say they approve of me coming here, but I need some quality friend time.” He let go of her and walked to the couch in the living room. “Come over here and watch some American TV with me. I didn't realize how much I'd miss it.”

Laughing, she joined him and relaxed into an old routine. Familiar, home, everything that she always loved about him, but she suddenly didn't want to be doing anything with him. She found herself silently wishing for Stryder's research to finish a whole lot quicker. She couldn't forget him, even with Derrick in the room. While it frightened her, she couldn't deny the happiness the idea of being his brought her.

She sighed as she gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “You do know that you can't keep doing this, right, Derrick?” While she really had enjoyed a little break from vicious attacks and lust-inducing demons, she hadn't been able to shake the annoyance that Derrick had just shown up.

He wiggled his eyebrows at her and kissed her forehead. “I know. It was selfish, and I'm sorry. But we seem to do good as friends. Come on, two whole days and no sexual activity? I'm impressed with us. I kinda thought I'd get lucky, anyway.” He winked.

She laughed, slid out of the car and walked to sit in the driver's side. He'd pestered her to drive, so she'd let him. “Yes, I suppose we do. And Derrick, I am glad you came. But honestly, we need to give each other space you know?”

He nodded. “I know, Ci. I do. I was missing home, and I think I may have used you a little bit. I hope you can forgive me.”

She winked at him and laughed. She'd always loved how he could go from playful to serious so quickly. “Absolutely, Derrick. And you still owe me one Italy trip. I refuse to let you back out of that deal, mister.”

He returned her wink and vanished into the terminal.

She put her foot on the gas and pulled away from the curb. She wanted to get back to her apartment and see if Stryder had shown up. Being apart from him when she didn't want to be showed her what was in her heart; which would be how hard she had fallen for Stryder. The two days were horribly uneventful. Pizza stops and movie watching. They were perfect. Only they weren't because she missed her infuriating demon Guardian.

She hadn't been able to get Stryder out of her mind. And, boy, had she tried. She was going to have to talk to Stryder. He really believed she was his mate, the good to his evil. He really deserved to find that female, and she'd always wanted some fantastical romance. So what if it meant possibly being madly and crazy in love with a demon. She was picking Stryder, that was all there was too it.

Just what happens if you really aren't that person for Stryder?“Well, that would be impossible, according to Fasheem.”What about the whole his world is fake thing?Where would you live?The conversation with herself continued on for the drive from LAX to her apartment, and then up the stairs to her apartment and to bed with her later that night. Back and forth, it went with no end in sight.

“I just have to get a new Guardian, so it doesn't get in the way of us learning each other. I'll do it tomorrow.” With a heavy heart, she hoped her choice was right, and that she wasn't just picking Stryder because of lust.

20

She openedher eyes to see Stryder's looking into hers. His gaze was intense, filled with the same heat as always and glowing. He wasn't smiling. In fact, she looked carefully and saw that his upper lip was distorted, pulled back into a snarl. Reaching her hand out, she gently placed her fingers on his lip and rubbed. His fangs were out. He was letting the demon control him, not the angel blood.

“We need to talk. Actually, I need to talk, and you need to listen.”

She screwed her face in confusion. What on Earth was going on? He couldn't possibly know she was going to ask for a new Guardian. Could he? Was he taking it the wrong way? Shit, she didn't even know if she could explain it all, she was just going to close her eyes, cross her fingers and do it.

“What about?”

“What about she asks? Of course, she asks.” He pushed back from the side of her bed, stood up from the desk chair he was in and ran his hands through his hair. “We have to talk about what you said to me the day before you left, and then what I saw when I tried to come and tell you something. I tried to tell you that Jonathan isn't the underling we thought he was. He's one of the commanders all right, second in command for the entire fucking Initiative. And, instead, I smell you and some other male all over this bed.”

His voice held a dark tone, and fear gripped her, he sounded irrational. His had encircled her wrist before she could blink and a slight tremor of pain erupted at his roughness. Would he listen to her? There was only one bed in the apartment, and she and Derrick had shared with her under the covers and him over.

His voice was barely above a hiss, and she wished like hell they were on his side, so she could have some of that power they had discovered the other day. But she could still send him back. She tried to push his weight off of her, and take her wrist back from his painful grip, but failed.

“Stryder, my wrist, you're crushing it.”

For a split second, his eyes were blue again, while he released her wrist. Then he had her pinned against the bathroom door, her head spun at the speed he had moved them across the room. Yet, he hadn't hurt her at all when he pushed her into the wall. His weight was pushed against her so fully, she could feel how erect he was. She was losing her sense of logic as wetness pooled between her legs.

“Stryder, I'm sorry. Derrick and I, he showed up, and nothing happened. There's just one bed, Stryder. Nothing happened. I didn't lie to you. I want you, this mate thing and all.”

His body ground against hers, and she groaned, even screamed a little trying to get him to ease up.

“No shit, sweetheart.”

Hearing the nickname spit with such venom again hurt, she hadn't noticed how much she liked when he called her it kindly.

“Thing is, you said you were falling in love with me last time you were with me. Now I get it's probably confusing, thinking you were meant to be with a human and finding out that you're really meant for me. So, just this once, I'll trust you that nothing happened.” He buried his face in her neck and inhaled deeply. “Because while I can smell a man on your bed, I can't smell him on you.”

He finished his sentence by covering his mouth over hers. His tongue pushed its way into her mouth, and she opened for him, completely. Her body rubbed against his as his tongue fought to control hers. His hands dug into her ass, grinding her against his erection and drenching her in her own wetness. When he pulled back, it was with a low growl. His hands dropped from her butt, and she cried out at the loss of contact.

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