Page 61 of The Mating Fire
He shrugged. “Not truly in my nature. I am a demon.”
She wondered about that. Definitely he had powers, and his seductive nature loaned itself to being an incubus, but he wasn’t evil. She sensed Jared hid his true nature from others.
Maybe like me, he doesn’t want to get hurt again.
The sun began to sink lower by the time they left the bar and went outside.
“Now where?” she asked. “Can we go someplace else to test out my powers? All we tested out was your ability to change television channels.”
“True. We could return home to Peru.”
Returning to the castle wasn’t a good idea. The stone walls felt restrictive, prison-like. How he tolerated it, she had no idea.
“It’s early.”
He craned his neck, looking up at the sky. “How about more training, only this time in the open? I’ll assume my incubus form. There’s a field in northern Florida that is a perfect place for battle.”
Jared teleportedthem to a meadow she’d never visited before. Harper looked around with appreciation. Pink and lavender wildflowers carpeted the meadow, and a live oak tree stood as a lone sentinel amid the blooms.
“This is a good spot – wide open – for you to test your powers.”
“Or to simply relax and enjoy nature. Trees. Flowers. Wide open meadows.” Harper was tired of lessons. After the fun they’d had, she didn’t want to return to the serious Jared.
Not replying he stepped away. Jared transformed before her stunned gaze. His incubus form had leathery wings ending in sharp tips, short but prominent black horns atop his head. His black hair was shoulder-length, flowing like silk. A leather loincloth covered his bulging sex.
Jared flexed his muscled biceps. Metal armbands engraved with odd carvings seemed to tighten.
Harper licked her lips, watching him. A demon, but a sexy one, whose scent enticed her. She inhaled deeply. The air seemed sweet and replete with the scent of wildflowers, pine and meadow, and pure male.
This should be a challenge. Jared as a human proved distracting, but this…
“Defend yourself, mortal.” His voice sounded deep, threatening.
Dying sunlight glinted on his sharp black horns. Horns that could nick and tear and pierce.
Kill.
Lethal combat with an incubus demon who’d walked the earth far longer than her, who had battle skills beyond her meager attempts.
“I’m not going fight with you, Jared.” Holding out her hands, feeling the sun’s warmth, she wiggled her fingers. “You could hurt me.”
Worse, I could hurt you.
“I could surprise you. Better, you could surprise me.” Jared backed away a few steps and folded his arms across his chest. “We’ll never know until we try. You need practice, Harper. You need to test your powers on a demon form and this…”
He stretched out his wings. “Is the best you’ve got right now. If your magick can hurt me, we’ll know you can adequately protect yourself against another demon on a power hunt.”
Harper’s good mood vanished. Was this to be her life, a roller coaster of emotions and experiences, with happiness not lasting long before hurling toward the next disaster? Always having to watch her back because some hangry demon wanted to drain her dry?
“I can’t attack you.” She held out her hands as if to push him back.
Without another word he lunged and slashed at her with talons that suddenly emerged from his fingers. A line of fire burned across her palms.
“Ow!” She stared at the lacerations. “What the hell did you…”
No warning, he lunged again. This time she danced away, holding out her hands.
“Defend yourself.” Unsmiling, he attacked again.
