Touched by Fire (Demons of New Chicago #1) - Kel Carpenter Page 0,54

. . . I can’t let you slip through my grasp. I’ll give you time. You’ll find that I’m a patient man, but Piper . . .” He paused in front of me and leaned in. Eyes like the winter skies pulled me into their depths. “I always get what I want.”

“You’re not a man,” I said.

He grinned savagely. “You’re right, I’m not. I’m so much worse.” He brushed a fingertip over my clothed forearm. “And so much better.”

I snorted, rolling my eyes. “That’s what they all say.”

He paused, frowning. “Who is this ‘they’?”

I couldn’t tell if this was a moment where his knowledge of my world and our euphemisms fell short, or if it was jealousy. Primal. Lethal.

If I had to guess, I’d say it was probably both.

I stepped back, and his hand dropped from me. This conversation was coming dangerously close to flirting, and I didn’t flirt. Not with human men. Not with supernatural men. And certainly, not with demons.

“Is it possible for someone to have more than one atma?” I asked, changing the subject. Ronan narrowed his eyes.

“Why do you ask?”

“Why do you? We keep doing this, going around and around in circles. I need answers. Either you can give them to me, or I can find someone else.” I crossed my arms over my chest and lifted an eyebrow. “So which will it be?”

Ronan didn’t seem to like this exchange of power. Unfortunately for him, I didn’t give a shit.

“No,” he said after a moment. “There’s only ever one atma, and if you lose her”—he snapped his fingers—“that’s it. No second chances. The madness will eat you alive as your power grows until you self-destruct. Now, why are you asking me this?”

I lifted one shoulder in a disinterested fashion, preparing to bait him. If Nathalie couldn’t go find him now that I’d been taken, this was my next best shot—and the backup plan to the first one. “Call it curiosity. I met another demon. He also claimed I’m his atma.”

Ronan froze. Black fire actually erupted at his hands, and it took all my willpower to not step back as its dark heat bathed my face.

“He’s lying.”

I shrugged again. “He said I smelled like his atma. I don’t know how specific these things are. Maybe you’re lying. Maybe neither of you are, and the universe just thought it would be funny. Either way, I’m not bonding to either of you fuckers.”

The fire winked out, and Ronan took a couple of ragged breaths.

“Are you playing me, Piper?”

I froze. “What?”

“Are you trying to make me—what’s the word—jealous? Trying to incite my wrath? You won’t accept my bond, yet your body begs so sweetly . . .” His eyes trailed down my form as if he could see and feel it begging. “I want more than your body, though. I want your mind. I want your heart. I want your fucking soul.” He stepped toward me. “It’s mine, Piper. I know that. You know that, even though you’re fighting it. No one else gets a cut. I do not share. So are you playing me? Because every time I’ve been near you, your magic comes out to play. Yet, you say another demon calls you his atma. Did your magic respond then? Did you?”

He was leaning close, and the scent of dark magic, midnight shadows, and a musk that I couldn’t place enveloped me.

Time slowed as we stared at each other.

And then he said in that voice of dark desire, “It didn’t, did it?”

“My magic lashing out isn’t a sign of some great bond or love or whatever you want to call it. You’ve said yourself, it’s rage. Pure, unequivocal rage. Maybe you should be asking yourself why it didn’t respond to him?” I said softly, steel edging my tone.

I could tell he did not like that answer.

“I suppose it doesn’t matter. Either way, you’ve said what I needed to know. You’re with another demon, and you’re asleep when you shouldn’t be, which means you’re in grave danger.” Ronan stepped away, his gaze troubled. I had a feeling there was something he’d figured out that he wasn’t saying.

“Where are you going?” I asked as he stalked away into the void.

Ronan paused and looked over his shoulder, dark promise in his eyes. “Don’t enter a blood-exchange with him.”

I blinked. That wasn’t what I expected him to say. “Why?” I prompted.

“It could kill you.”

19

Ronan

She was playing with fire.

While she’d revealed more than she realized, she was also holding back. Hiding something. I