After Dark (Between the Veils Series, Book One) Read online

  “First of all, I’m not that desperate I can’t go a week without an orgasm and second…” She closed the distance, brushing her lips across the shell of his ear, smiling at the gravelly rasp that rumbled free. “I never said I didn’t find the men here…attractive.”

  She heard him swallow thickly as his head turned ever so slightly toward her. “All the men?”

  “Not all of them, Avery. Just one.” She nipped at his lobe before backing away. “And if you must know, you were right. I did bring something to help curb the need. But it’s for emergency purposes only.”

  Avery’s mouth twitched then curled into a stunning smile. “You are truly wicked, darling.” He grabbed a chair and sank into it. “So what did you really discover…besides that I got about as much sleep as you?”

  She shrugged, joining him at the table. “Not much. There are a bunch of websites about demons, but they all deal with ones straight out of the bible.” She shook her head, the strange, prickling sensation she’d felt by the tomb resurfacing. “Now call me crazy, but I get the feeling this demon isn’t part of the great apocalypse foretold in Revelations or anything. I think there’s a very specific reason it’s here.”

  “I agree.” He glanced away, looking as if he wasn’t certain whether to continue or not. He turned back to her, a resigned expression on his face. “Okay, this is going to sound crazy too, but…I have a theory.”

  “Go on.”

  He cursed then muttered something under his breath. “First, we both know ghosts are merely spirits that haven’t crossed from our plane into the next. That they’re, in essence, still on our side of the veil.”

  She nodded, not sure where he was headed. “Agreed. And I assume we both concur that for spirits to cross that veil takes a large amount of energy, or some kind of spell.”

  “Right, but I find it odd to think that demons have the ability to simply cross back and forth whenever they feel. After all, they should be trapped on the other side unless summoned somehow.”

  “So you think someone summoned this thing?”

  “It makes sense. Think about it. Any moron can find a summoning spell on the Internet without really knowing what they’re doing. They go to the cemetery, say the incantations and bam, whether intentionally or accidentally, they get themselves a demon. The spell gives said demon just enough energy to materialize in the shape we saw, but not enough to actually take its true form. Maybe it claimed its summoner as its first victim or maybe the jackass just realized they’d gotten in way over their head and decided to tuck tail and run. Either way, now this creature is trapped, between the veils in a sense, until it either gains enough energy and becomes corporeal, or…”

  “Or we send it back to wherever it came from.” Fear tickled the edges of her consciousness at his words, but she did her best to ignore it. “So this bastard is sucking people dry in an attempt to stay on our side of the veil until it has enough power to take its true form.”

  “Or until it loses so much energy it has no other option but to allow its essence to return to the other side…or dissipate. Who knows what really happens to demons once they’ve been forced across the barrier?”

  She pursed her lips, considering his concept. It made a weird sort of sense. She met his intense gaze. “Guess that means we need to find out who summoned this thing and how. Maybe then we can figure out a way to send it all the way over, if we don’t get killed in the process first.” She motioned to the medallion. “It looks like relics don’t do that much in the way of protection, so I’m guessing crosses and holy water probably aren’t that effective, either.”

  “I wish I knew for certain, but from the looks of that medal, the prospects aren’t promising.” He glanced up at her. “I’ve heard salt can deter them.”

  “As can prayer, they say, but…” She shook her head again. “Are we really going back there?”

  Avery raised a brow. “Are you telling me you’re not the least bit curious as to why you’ve been targeted?”

  She swore under her breath. Damn him. Why did he seem to know her so well? “You know I am, otherwise we wouldn’t be having this conversation.” She glanced down at her wrist. The symbol had faded, but the rough outline was still there.

  Avery sighed and cupped her hand in his. She drew a sharp breath at the sudden rush of heat from his fingers into hers. She’d felt the same reaction last night when he’d traced his thumb along her jaw before claiming her lips.

  Her breath hitched when he traced the outline of the star, his touch reverent. She raised her gaze to his, pinned by the warmth in his expression.

  He gave her a genuine smile. “I won’t let that thing get you. I promise.” He reached for the medallion, holding it out to her. “Do me a favor and wear this. I know it might not do anything but…it can’t hurt.”

  She nodded, twisting in the seat so he could clip it behind her neck. His fingers trailed across her skin and she wished he’d stop touching her. One more pass of his hands and she just might grab him and pull him in for another taste of his mouth. “What if it goes after you this time? What if I’m not strong enough to save you?” She turned back to face him.

  The playboy grin returned. “Not a chance. I’ve seen firsthand what a badass you can be.”

  She released an exasperated sigh, preparing a comeback when footsteps echoed on the hallway behind her. She jumped, pulling her hand away as a man walked into the lounge, his boots tapping the floor as he headed for the coffee machine. His hair was longer than Avery’s with just a hint of a wave, but his eyes were the same bright blue when he turned to look at them. She frowned slightly. She’d never seen him before and wondered who Avery trusted enough to crash his private party.

  “Sorry, bro, didn’t mean to…interrupt.”

  Temperance pursed her lips, preparing to tell the jackass he wasn’t interrupting anything, when his words hit home. “Brother?” She looked from Avery to the man and back again. “There are two of you?”

  Avery laughed, ducking as the man swatted at his shoulder before he leaned against the wall beside Avery. “Actually, I have three brothers, but I assure you, darling, there’s only one of me. And little brother here isn’t half the fun I am.”

  “Or half the asshole.” The man pushed off the wall, extending his hand to her. “I’m Blake Smith, Avery’s technical specialist. And you must be Temperance Dunnigan…talented ghost hunter and ever-present thorn in my brother’s side.”

  She couldn’t stop the smile from spreading across her lips as she shook Blake’s hand. “Pleasure to meet you.” She glanced over at Avery, noting the way he watched her every movement as if her reaction could somehow hurt him. “And while I’m not so sure about the talented part, I’ll fully admit to being a pain in Avery’s backside.”

  Blake chuckled, taking a swig of coffee. “Now there you go being modest. Believe me, Avery has cursed your name enough times I hear him call it in his sleep.”

  Avery swore, pushing to his feet and shoving his brother aside. “And you say you’re only half the asshole I am?” He turned to her. “Blake is what you’d call a reluctant hunter. I’ve persuaded him to accompany me on a few missions, but he generally prefers to remain behind the scenes, making temperature reading jackets, digital recorders, advanced electromagnetic units…that sort of stuff. If it beeps, records or glows, he’s the reason behind it.”

  “And apparently towing cars in the middle of the damn night.” Blake nodded at her. “Your vehicle is back where it belongs, though your driver’s side window was busted when I got there. I taped it up and cleaned out the glass, but you’ll have to check to see if they took anything.”

  She waved off the concern etched in his face. “It’s fine. That car is older than me, but it gets me where I need to go. I have a friend who owns a car shop back home. He’ll give me a good deal on a new window. Besides, after everything that happened last night, a broken window is a pretty small price to pay.” She gave him an appreciative smile. “Thanks for fetching
it for me. I should have just driven it back myself, and saved you the bother.”

  Blake scrubbed his hand down his face, giving them both a hardened stare. “And been demon food? No, Avery did the right thing dragging your ass back here in his car. Which brings me to my next question. Why are you two still intent on going after it again?” He pinned Avery with a firm glare. “While I understand you’re more than reckless with your own life, aren’t you the least bit concerned that thing will hurt Temperance?” He motioned toward her wrist. “More than it obviously has already?”

  “If I was worried she’d get hurt, I wouldn’t have asked her here in the first place.” Avery gave her a warm smile. “She’s hardly fragile and more than capable of handling whatever we encounter.” He winked at her. “In fact, she’s damn near as good as me.”

  Temperance gave Avery a guarded nod. She hadn’t expected him to praise her abilities, and the simple admission that he believed in both her and her skills, sent butterflies skittering through her stomach.

  Blake shook his head, patting Avery on the shoulder before taking her hand and raising it to his lips, lightly kissing the back. “My brother may be an arrogant ass, as I’ve heard you call him, but he’s right about one thing. He’s good, though I think you might be even better. Either way, I trust he won’t let anything happen to you out there…at least not from this demon. Now, trusting he won’t try anything…”

  Avery swore again as he shoved Blake back, breaking their contact. “And you say I’m a jackass.”

  “Hey, I’m just making an observation, or was that not thick, sexual tension I felt when I walked in here?” He sighed. “Either you two will kill each other, or…”

  Avery gave his brother a mocking grin. “Or what?”

  “Or the next time I see you both, it’ll be at your wedding.” He dodged Avery’s attempted slap. “Okay, okay, relax. I’m off to grab the gear you asked for. I’ll put it in the back of the car before you leave. In the meantime, I suggest you stock up on all things holy.”

  Temperance watched the man leave, drawn to the easiness of his gait. Where Blake seemed to take things in stride, Avery sought them out. There was no doubt in her mind—he was the more aggressive of the two.

  “Are you staring at his ass because you’re happy to see it go, or because you like the view?”

  She turned back to Avery, shaking her head at his comment. “I’m still trying to accept you aren’t the only Smith and that your little brother seems…”

  “Boring?”

  She snorted. “I was thinking more along the lines of normal.”

  “Normal is highly overrated, darling.”

  “Now, Avery, that isn’t jealousy I hear in your voice, is it?”

  He moved, closing the distance between them as he pinned her against the wall, his chest pressing firmly against hers. Her breath left her on a raspy moan as his lips descended beside her face, coasting over the line of her neck. Goose bumps followed the soft caress of his mouth, threatening to take her to her knees.

  “Suggesting I’m jealous means you feel the same need I do. You just aren’t ready to admit it. But to answer your question, yes, it is jealousy if you’re in any way attracted to him.”

  Temperance forced herself to swallow, her throat suddenly dry. Just hearing the honesty in his voice hit her harder than the slow glide of his hand across her hip. She shifted her gaze, meeting his as he pulled his face back.

  She opened her mouth to speak when his hand settled on her waist, cradling her hip in a warm embrace. Words tumbled into a husky moan when he smiled and dipped his head toward her, nipping at the corded muscle along her shoulder. Even through her shirt, she felt the hot rasp of his tongue followed by the firm press of his lips. Her eyelids closed as she tilted her head, granting him better access. A gravelly rumble preceded the soft flick of his tongue as he tasted her skin, leaving a light sheen of moisture behind.

  Temperance fought for breath, her chest struggling to expand against his weight. Every feeble attempt only succeeded in crushing her breasts tighter against his chest as her nipples beaded into hard buds. She thought he whispered something in her ear, but she couldn’t make the syllables out above the pounding of her pulse. Colored dots flashed across the blackness as she finally forced her eyelids back open.

  Avery stared down at her, his added height making her feel small, feminine. He didn’t try to kiss her again. He merely watched her with those expressive eyes. She darted her tongue out to moisten her lips, cursing when his gaze fell to her mouth, his eyes clearly telling her that next time, he’d be the one to lick her lips.

  She pressed her head against the wall, fear gnawing at her gut. She liked the way his weight held her immobile, trapping her without making her feel trapped. She stole a quick breath, hoping her voice didn’t crack when she spoke. “I’ll admit he’s attractive but…” She swallowed again when his gaze hardened. “He’s not you.”

  One side of his brow arched. “Is that a good thing?”

  “I guess that depends.”

  “On what?”

  She slowly blew out the breath she’d stolen, watching it rustle the edge of his shirt. “On how far we decide to take this.”

  The edges of his mouth twitched. “I thought you didn’t do casual well?”

  “And I thought you weren’t asking for a one-night stand?”

  The smile that slowly spread across his lips made the room dim. He leaned in, teasing her with a light brush of his mouth across hers. “Sounds like it’s a good thing, after all. And I’m more than tempted to show you just how far I want to take this, but I can hear the others milling around. I’d hate for them to catch us like this before I send them on their assignment for the day.” He made one more pass with his lips then stepped back, putting a few feet between them.

  Temperance swayed, the sudden loss of his body shifting her balance. She palmed the wall, hoping it simply looked as if she were pushing off. But as their gazes clashed, she knew he hadn’t missed his effect on her.

  She straightened her shirt, wondering when her hands had started shaking. “I’ll go pack a bag for the cemetery. I’ll meet you at your car later.”

  He nodded his agreement just as four of the other investigators clamored into the room, pushing at each other to reach him first. Avery gave them a halfhearted smile before drawing their attention with some well-meaning words and a promise of spiritual encounters. They hurried behind him as he left the room, his low voice bouncing off the lounge walls.

  Temperance listened to him leave, still too lightheaded to move. What the hell had she done? He’d given her the perfect opportunity to bow out, yet she’d taken the bait and admitted she had absolutely no intentions of walking away…from the investigation or him. Hell, she’d all but told him she wanted him as her lover.

  A weary sigh escaped her lips as she stumbled to the table, bridging her weight as she drew a deep breath. Chances were, she was just another notch on his four-poster bed, and that she’d regret ever accepting his invitation to New Orleans. But as she brushed her fingers over her neck, following the same path his mouth had trailed just moments earlier, she knew it didn’t matter. Demons and ghosts be damned. She was going hunting, but the only spirit she intended on catching was Avery Smith.

  Chapter Four

  Avery scrubbed his hand through his hair as he grabbed his keys and headed for the main door. He’d spent the morning talking with the other investigators, convincing them their time was best spent touring the Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville, a couple of hours drive north of New Orleans, than trying to unearth local ghosts during the celebrations still rioting through the streets. He’d called in more than a few favors to arrange the trip, including an overnight hunting session and access to all the equipment he wasn’t taking to the cemetery. Blake had gone ballistic when Avery had asked him to head the expedition, once again reminding Avery how he preferred to stay behind the scenes. But with a fair amount of groveling—and a promise to concede t
o Blake’s request for a much needed vacation—his brother had finally agreed. Of course, Blake knew the real reason he wanted the other investigators out of the way, but he’d done his best not to smile smugly at Avery as the man had packed their truck with gadgets and headed out.

  Avery sighed. Temperance was definitely going to be his downfall. That, or his greatest achievement. Either way, he’d taken a plunge off the deep end, and he wasn’t sure whether to swim to shore or let the current carry him away. For the first time in his life, he felt uncertain. And he’d never had that problem around women before. Shit, he’d never stopped long enough to worry before. If a lady wasn’t interested, he just shrugged it off. He knew his personality wasn’t for everyone, or his job, and he accepted that. But for some unfathomable reason, he cared what Temperance thought of him. And the fact she perceived him as an ass bothered the hell out of him.

  He cursed, jogging down the steps as he headed for the parking lot. He knew his television interviews had painted him in a less-than-desirable light, but he’d always just assumed that came with the territory of being somewhat famous. He’d never stopped to think that it might drive a wedge between him and the one lady he couldn’t get out of his mind. Ever since her little confession this morning, he’d daydreamed about having her. How good she’d feel naked against him. How loud she’d scream his name as he tasted her release on his tongue. It’d taken an obscene amount of concentration just to listen to the other investigators talking without hitting his head on the wall.

  And I thought you weren’t asking for a one-night stand?

  Her words echoed in his head as he rounded the corner and walked across the pavement. Was he really prepared to commit to a relationship? She’d made it more than clear she wasn’t interested in anything less. That alone should have been cause for a full retreat. But imagining her in his bed on a somewhat permanent basis had only inflamed his desire until he’d spent the better part of the morning with his dick pushing against the confines of his pants. And if that wasn’t enough, her perfume had somehow transferred onto his shirt, and he’d been forced to inhale the fruity perfection for hours.