Free Demon's Caress: Demon Heat, Book 1 by Crystal Jordan Page B

Just as Shax had done to her. She had been so unfair to them, too afraid of how good connecting to them felt—better than anything with Shax had ever felt—to believe that they would be any different that him. But as that realization hit her, she also had to ask herself what she was going to do about it. A century of terror closed her throat, her breath hitching hard against her ribs.
    She swallowed hard. “Call it in, would you, Kobal? Let’s get out of here before the cops come sniffing around.”
    “Of course.” He fished his cell phone out of his pocket.
    Within moments, they were dragged into the nothingness between time and space. They appeared in Samael’s office, but he wasn’t there. She could feel him in the room beyond. The hellmouth. Sending Bruno to his final destination.  
    She staggered a little, the sizzle of all the energy still firing in hot pulses. Raum reached out and caught her, drawing her into his arms.  
    “Just relax for a moment.” His voice was rough with concern, not an ounce of patronization in his tone. “That’s a lot of power to funnel, especially with our bond so small. You did damn good.”
    Warmth flooded her at his words, his actions, his tenderness. Shax had rarely touched her outside of sex, and she hadn’t realized until right now how much that simple act had denied her. She let herself lean against Raum’s broad chest, relaxing as his hand rose to bracket her neck and massage her tense muscles. Just for a moment, and then she stepped away.
    Kobal came up behind her, rubbing her shoulders and slipping his hands up and down her arms. “You were amazing. I was worried we might fry your nerves, but we had to trust you.”
    They had to trust her. When had Shax ever trusted her? Never. He’d always doubted her, and made her doubt herself. Their bond had made her depend on his opinion of her. She’d floundered under his lack of faith, making it a self-fulfilling prophecy.
    They’d been together for years, and every assignment had made it worse for her, cutting any self-assurance she had out from under her. In one day, Kobal and Raum had shown more confidence in her than Shax had in years. Their actions tonight spoke far louder than words ever could.
    Samael was right. They were right. They were the perfect for her.

Chapter Five
    Samael stepped out of the room that held the hellmouth. There were explosive flares of light, roaring fire, all reflecting off of obsidian walls. Maron winced away from the noise and glare, turning her face aside until her boss shut the heavy black doors behind him. He looked a little pale, drawn, as though forcing Bruno down to hell had taken a lot out of him. Maybe it had, but Maron was still buzzing from the connection with her partners. It occurred to her that Samael had no one he connected deeply with, despite his efforts to shoehorn his agents into the bonds of Triads.
    “Another successful assignment. Nicely done.” He glanced between the two men, then arched an eyebrow at Maron. “Well?”
    What was she going to do about her partners, that was what he wanted to know. Accept them or reject them and insist on another female partner? Such a simple question, with such a complicated process to get to an answer. The idea of partnering with anyone besides Raum and Kobal, regardless of their gender, was repugnant. It made her stomach clench in sickened dread. What should she do then? There was only one thing she could live with.  
    She took in a breath, forcing herself to face the one fear she hadn’t mastered in her long existence. Love, and the way it made her weak. Vulnerable. But that was only if the person you loved didn’t love you back. That was only if you let yourself be owned by that love. Raum and Kobal wouldn’t hurt her. Of that, she had no doubt. The very thought of her being harmed had affected them deeply—she’d felt it through the thread of their bond tonight. And yet they’d trusted her to do her job in the face of