Beg Me to Slay by Unknown Read Free Book Online Page B

demons?”
    He stared at her for a second. Probably trying to gauge just how freaked out she would be. Finally he replied, keeping his voice down. “Hingo demons reproduce by ingesting the flesh of females and then regurgitating it back into the wounds.” He paused. “Her body becomes a cocoon of sorts. They bury the female for a few hours and the new Hingo demon digs its way free.”
    She shivered in spite of the warm sun on her skin. “We need to stop him.”
    His rough voice was heavy with conviction. “We will.”
    Tegan turned toward him, the wind pulling at her hair. “That demon in my parking lot. He said his master was looking for me. You were right—it is me he wants…”
    Gabe watched the waves and then stared at his hands.
    “Damn it.” Her fingers tingled, her lungs constricting. Tegan closed her eyes, forcing herself to breathe, slow and steady.
    “You okay?”
    She shrugged without opening her eyes. “I forget what okay feels like. Just give me a second to shake this off.”
    His large hand rested on her back, and for a moment she tensed, ready to bolt. Slowly his touch moved up a couple of inches and then back down, and gradually she realized she found it almost soothing.
    Once the anxiety dissipated, she sat up watching the waves. “Sorry about that. The anxiety attacks still dog me when things start feeling out of my control.”
    “Nothing to apologize for.”
    “The day we met, when you took me to get a burger.” Her gaze met his. “Now I get what you were saying about taking the time to watch a sunset. If I accept these demons are real, that the one who attacked me is still out there, who knows which sunset could be my last?” Her voice drifted off as she swallowed her emotions and turned to watch the waves. “I’m going to my parents’ tonight.” She let out a humorless chuckle. “Might not get another birthday with them.”
    He took her hand in his, and the awareness of him reassured her, calming some of the panic that welled in her chest. “I never said that. We’re going to find this thing and kick its ass all the way back to hell.” His voice softened. “But there’s strength in family. You’re going to need all you can get.”
    She glanced over at him. “You sound pretty confident.”
    His gaze connected with hers again. “If you lose hope, it’s too easy for fear to settle in.”
    Her mouth tugged at the corner as she nodded. “That’s pretty Zen for a guy who killed a demon in my parking lot this morning.”
    His smile warmed her all over until her toes curled in her shoes.
    “I’m full of surprises.” He glanced down at his jeans, stained with green demon blood. “I’m also in need of a clean pair of pants.”
    “There’s a mall not far from here.” Tegan stood up, grateful that her legs were stable again. “But you’re still not coming with me tonight.”
    …
    Gabe wandered through the H&M men’s section in search of new jeans. No sense spending more money than he had to on clothes. Most of them were ruined within a couple weeks anyway.
    Tegan had barely spoken on the drive to the Forum Carlsbad shops other than to complain about not having her car. It was probably for the best, but he had to fight to keep from trying to get her to smile. Seeing her unhappy chafed him.
    I shouldn’t give a shit.
    But apparently he did.
    He grabbed a pair of blue and a pair of black jeans. “How dressy is this party?”
    “You’re not coming.” She kept scanning the men’s shirts.
    “Well if I were going with you, would either of these be all right?” He held up both pairs.
    She shrugged, but he thought she might be holding back a smile. This woman left him hungry for more. “The black ones would be all right, if you were going.”
    He tucked the jeans under his arm and made his way to the table of shirts. He stood behind her, trying not to notice the spicy sandalwood scent of her hair. The temptation to get closer ate at him. Memories of seeing his past