Shadow & Smoke

Chapter 18

Malachi was right, I didn't want to know where he was going. After I found out about his involvement as the vigilante at the Horseshoe the other night, I knew that whatever he was up to couldn't be good.

And I knew it had to do with Shiloh.

There was no way that Malachi would let what happened slide. He was pent up and ready to blow so maybe it was best if I let him do his thing before he came back to my house.

He would't hurt Shiloh, would he?

Who the fuck was I kidding? Of course he would. He hurt the asshole from the bar and his buddy for less. I could only imagine what he had in-store for my ex-boyfriend.

Was it totally fucked up that I didn't care?

Shiloh was trash. He'd put his hands on me in the past when I was too weak to stand up for myself. He'd cheated on me and belittled me. He'd kept me down for so long that it took me years to come out of my shell. It wasn't until recently that I even felt like I was living my life.

For so long, I felt like I was on the run—running away from my old life and everything in it.

Get it together, girl.

Pulling up at my house, it seemed that I was completely alone. It wasn't until I got out of the shower twenty minutes later that I felt the first initial charge in the air, followed by the spark that preceded Malachi's arrival.

"Is he dead?" I asked bluntly the instant Malachi appeared out of the shadows in my bedroom. He seemed completely caught off guard by my question.

Caught off guard but amused, he laughed, "No, I didn't. Although I have to admit, it was tempting."

I rolled my eyes unconsciously, "That's not funny."

Malachi was at my side instantly and his thumb under my chin was all too familiar by then, "I wasn't joking."

Stepping back from his grasp, I walked over to my bed and sat down. "Why not? You're a big, bad demon, right?"

I knew better than to taunt him but at that point, I couldn't help myself.

"Watch it..." He warned but I ignored him.

"No, seriously," I continued, "You're all death and souls and blah, blah, blah. Why not just off him?"

Amused with myself, Malachi was obviously not. In the blink of an eye, he was at my beside, looming over me with a hand tucked under my chin. "Eleanor..."

"Malachi..." I mocked looking up with him with wide, innocent eyes.

And then his hand was around my throat, constricting to regulate my breathing. With my arms flailing at my side, I tried to grasp onto the blanket atop my bed. Lifting me by my throat, we were crashing against the wall within seconds.

I struggled to say his name but nothing was coming out but a squeak as my body begged for oxygen.

"You like to push me, don't you, love?" Malachi purred into my ear as my knees threatened to give out. Trying to shake my head, his hand kept me in place. Releasing gently, I was allowed slow, shallow breaths until he decided to take it away again.

I nodded because I was a defiant little shit.

Malachi squeezed harder and I was beyond mortified when a soft moan slipped out on a breath.

Smiling at that, he let me go and I panted to breathe.

"Good girl."

Scowling at him as I tried to regulate my breathing, he just stood there looking pleased with himself.