Releasing the Hunter

She smiled at him and let him put his hands on her tiny waist.

The other two women sneered at her. She sneered right back and said, “You can get lost now. The main attraction’s arrived.”

They stomped off the dance floor.

One goal down, one more to go. She needed to get him outside so she could stun him with the holy water and salt. Then she’d take him somewhere she could bind him in a devil’s trap and ask him questions. After he told her what she needed to hear she would slide her long silver blade through his heart. Or throat. Either spot would do to kill him and send him back home.

Ivy moved a little closer to him, trying hard not to cringe, and said, “Let’s get out of here. My car is parked in the alley.”

He grinned at her, and then leaned down to her ear. “Sure, Ivy. I’d love to.”

Grinding her teeth, she took a step back from him.

“I saw you the second you walked into the club.” He still danced in front of her, wriggling his hips seductively. “A guy just can’t miss that devastating face and killer body. Get it, killer?” He licked his lips.

“What now?” she asked. She didn’t want to make a scene. He had the upper hand here. He knew she wouldn’t want him to do anything rash and start killing people.

“We could still go out back and get our groove on. I wouldn’t mind tapping that ass of yours.”

Her fingers were itching to reach under her shirt and pull out her blades. She wondered if she could instead reach for the holy water and splash him with it. It might be enough to subdue him so she could take him out. Except the crowd was pushing in on her and she had barely enough room to shift from foot to foot.

“I’m going to kill you.” She flashed him a big grin and as quick as she could reached into her cleavage and plucked out an ampul.

But he was quicker.

He pushed her into the crowd. She stumbled backwards, knocking over two people. By the time she righted herself, he was on the move.

He crossed the dance floor in seconds and made his way to the back of the club, shoving people to the side as he dashed past. Ivy followed him, trying not to ram into the same people in his wake.

She thought about unsheathing her knives, but knew it would be risky inside the club with so many people around. What if someone accidentally ran into her? There were no take backs in demon hunting. When a blade went in, that was it. There was no second chance. Her knives were lethally sharp, coated with salt and blessed by a priest. They were meant to kill. Demon or human, the result was usually the same.

He ran past the washrooms and through the kitchen. He was heading for the back door, that much she knew. She tried to keep up as best she could, but demons were fast and light on their feet. She’d even seen some run up walls and jump over cars. Agility was their strong suit.

Ivy weaved around the baffled kitchen staff; some were pointing to the back, cursing up a storm at having been interrupted. At least she knew which way the demon went.

The back door had just finished swinging when she pushed through it, one hand already snaking up her torso to snag a blade.

The second she was out the door, she hit a wall. Well, not a real wall, but a man built like a brick house.

She bounced off his chest and landed on her butt on the ground.

He reached down with his hand to help her up. “Are you okay?”

She took it and let him heave her to her feet, but she quickly let it go when she realized how hot her chest was getting. She glanced down and saw the glow of her amulet. It lit up the alleyway in blue.

“Damn it.” She reached into her shirt and grabbed her last ampul. Setting it in the palm of her hand, she smashed it against the man’s chin, then reaching down for her salt bag, she untied it and quickly dashed salt all over his head.

She stood back waiting for the wailing and the skin bubbling to begin. But nothing happened.

He just looked at her, a rather pissed-off look in his eyes, then wiped at the water dripping off his chin. The glass of the ampul made a nick in his skin. Blood beaded to the surface. He dabbed at it with his thumb.

“You’re not melting.”

He ran a big hand through his tousled dark hair, and then said, “Yeah, about that.”

Chapter 2

Ronan Ames knew exactly who he was standing in front of. Ivy Strom was legendary. Especially in the demon world. She looked exactly how everyone described her.

Gorgeous, with silky black hair, luminous blue eyes and a dynamite body, but as cold and razorsharp as icicles.

She’d removed one of her blades and had it pressed against his neck. “Are you a demon?”

He had to think about his answer. Because he knew if he gave her the wrong one, she’d slide that blade right into his throat.

“No,” he said, and then added, “Not really.”

She frowned, pressing the tip into his flesh. “Is it no, or not really?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Well, you better explain it before I run you through.”

“How about lowering the knife, and then I will explain.” He put his hands out to the side to show her that he wasn’t holding a weapon. He had a bunch strapped to his body, though, but he didn’t need to tell her that.

Ice-blue eyes narrowing, she lowered the knife and took a step back. He noticed she made no move to sheath her blade. He wasn’t surprised. She was infamous for being cautious to the point of paranoia. Probably how she’d stayed alive so long.

“Speak.”

He lowered his hands. “Before I tell you, I want you to know that I am not your enemy and, in fact, we are after the same demon.”

She cocked one eyebrow but remained silent, waiting for him to continue.

“I have demon blood in my veins.”

She flinched, and her blade came up.

But he was prepared this time.

He blocked her arm and quicker than she could see he grabbed her other arm, swung her around and pressed her tight to his body, effectively pinning both arms to her sides.

She struggled against him, cursing up a storm. There were even a few choice words he’d rarely heard before, especially from female lips.

“Stop,” he grunted. “I told you, I am not your enemy.”

“Then why are you restraining me?” She tried to dig her boot heel into his shin, but he moved his leg in time.

“Because you’re trying to hurt me.”