Free HardJustice by Elizabeth Lapthorne Page A

wizard?”
    Riley opened his mouth with a frown. Ben cut in with a
serious, “Please.” Riley closed his mouth again. Ben didn’t doubt the wizard
knew he was being played, but Ben was not completely using the witch as an
excuse.
    He hated the thought of her entering the apartment directly
behind him. Not only because of the danger she would be in, but also because
this time he didn’t plan to hold back. Deep in his soul, there was a core of
violence Ben had spent decades restraining. His magic in its naked, raw form
was the ability to maim, destroy and kill. When unleashed, he became socially
unacceptable to say the least.
    He was not some fluffy bunny to cuddle, cosset and take home
to Mom and Dad to show off or be proud of coupling with. He was a killer. An
Assassin. He had an unyielding aspect to his soul that most witches ran
screaming from when they caught sight of it.
    Even though he’d spent only a few days in Layla’s presence,
he wasn’t yet ready to share that less tasteful side of himself with her. In
his heart, he knew she deserved better than him, she should really be with some
happy, placid, regular wizard and not a hardened killer like himself. Selfishly
he wasn’t prepared to give her up. Not yet and maybe not ever.
    He didn’t want to think about how she’d react when she saw
his true soul. It was inevitable, he knew that, but it didn’t mean he would
knowingly, purposefully rub her face in it either.
    Some of his secret feelings must have shown on his face, for
Riley nodded, albeit with clear reluctance.
    “Sure, dude, I’ll wait out here with her. Call us when you
have the situation under control.”
    Ben leaned past Riley and planted a kiss on Layla’s lips. For
luck , he told himself, though it could just as easily be for safety as the
devout hope she wouldn’t turn away from him if she saw his true colors. She
seemed puzzled, but he didn’t get the feeling she understood his deeper reasons
for not wanting her to follow him into the apartment.
    A part of him prayed she never would see the darker side to
him.
    Ben stalked toward the front door to apartment B. He closed
his eyes and took a few deep, cleansing breaths. He focused on removing the
walls and barriers he had spent months learning to erect in his youth, all the
trappings of civilized behavior he had learned and the lessons in common
etiquette and courtesy. Ben lowered his defenses and allowed the ravenous,
deadly desires that clawed his soul constantly to come into the fore.
    Anger, hatred and his killer instinct leapt at the chance to
finally be unleashed. Ben felt himself change. He crouched a few inches lower
as he balanced himself on the balls of his feet in an eager, fighting stance.
He knew if he had a mirror his face would appear etched in perpetual challenge,
spoiling for a fight and a chance to shed blood.
    The hunger to fight, to win, to beat any and all opposition
burned within him. He unleashed the demon he believed his soul held, trapped in
the physical body of a mere wizard. Power sang through his veins, the bloodlust
—always so close to the surface—spread its wings, ready to take flight. He readied
himself for battle, a small corner of his brain hoping he could pull himself
back when it became necessary.
    His greatest fear was that one day he wouldn’t be able to
tie the beast down and return to his “normal” self.
    The demon shredded the thought, hissing malevolently in his
ear. Ben flexed his fingers, his magic rising as his skin glowed with the rush
of his power. From the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of Layla. The
demon chortled, licking his lips hungrily. Ben wrestled the thought away, not
wanting to expose the witch more than he already had.
    He knew he would lose his soul should he harm her in any
way. Ben planned to keep the demon as far from her as possible.
    With an angry snarl he took two long strides, lifted his
booted foot and kicked the door to splinters. The angry snap of the wood
fed