Echo, Mine by Georgia Lyn Hunter

a booted foot into the demonii’s belly, dropping him to his
knees. He snapped at Echo, cutting her a quick glance. “Why the
hell did you keep me out of your thoughts?”
    “I needed to focus. Besides, I was killing
them long before I met you—” She ducked a punch and swept out her
leg, knocking the hulking demonii’s feet out from under him. He
dropped like a rock to the asphalt, a raucous snarl escaping
him.
    “You may think I'm still green when it comes
to fighting,” she threw back at Aethan. “But I can kill
these fiends. And I'm frustrated as hell with you!” She wiggled her
fingers at the demonii, who jumped up and circled her. “Come and
get me.”
    Urias ! This female of his would drive
him batshit crazy! Frustrated? She had no idea what true
frustration meant. His teeth ground together and he ducked a blow
to his face. The demonii’s lust corroded Aethan’s gut like acid.
Just because the fuckers needed new souls to survive, didn't mean
their other body parts didn't function.
    The demonii held out his palm to the earth,
stealing nature’s energies to form a lethal hellfire bolt. Shit!
Aethan summoned his sword. It materialized in his palm, the black
blade gleaming in the moonlight. He lunged, his sword descending in
a deadly arc. He decapitated the demonii and made short work of the
other asshole, too.
    As their bodies turned to ash and crumbled
to the asphalt, he whirled to his mate.
    “Stay back, Aethan,” she warned.
    “Then kill the fucker, or I will.”
    As long as there was no damn dark portal
shimmering nearby, he’d let her have her way. His fingers clenched
the hilt of his sword so he wouldn’t go over and finish off the
horny bastard.
    But dammit, he didn't like seeing even a
scratch on her.
    The part of him that wasn’t going caveman
protective—his fighter side—took in her movements and checked her
for weakness in her reflexes. She ducked another blow from the
demonii, spun around, and kicked him hard in the chest. The
dickhead grinned. He probably considered it a prelude to some
sexual fantasy of his. Asshole.
    As much as Aethan wanted her safe, he
realized she needed this. Hell, she trained even harder than he
did. The only time he’d seen Echo in action was when the demonii
horde had come after her at the castle months ago and she fought
them—but that had only been for a few minutes, before he’d hauled
her to safety…she’d been mortal then. Now she was faster, even with
her dangerously high heels. And she moved like a dream.
    She was so fucking hot—hell, who wasn't
turned on by a fighting female?
    She cut him a knowing look as if sensing the
shift in his thoughts. Aethan let his sword shimmer and settle back
on his biceps and crossed his arms over his chest.
    She kneed the demonii in the groin. His
guttural roar echoed in the alley. “Did you think I was some
hapless woman you could prey on, a victim whose soul you could
steal?”
    “I’ll tear out your throat—and drink your
blood before I reap your soul!” the demonii screeched. He lunged
for her. Echo didn't sidestep but met him dead on—yanking Aethan’s
heart to his throat at the danger—her obsidian dagger glinted in
the pale moonlight, and she plunged the blade into the demonii’s
chest. He dropped to his knees in shock.
    “You gave up yours when you stole that first
soul, you’re definitely not getting mine.” Yanking him back by his
hair, she sliced right across his carotid in a brutal swipe. Black
blood sprayed. “Tonight, the streets will be much safer without
you!”
    “I was barely a minute behind you and you
get into trouble,” Aethan growled, exhaling a harsh breath, needing
an outlet for his fear. “You took on a demonii.”
    She turned from the decomposing body and
snorted, crossing to him in those high-heeled boots with a sexy
sashay of her hips, her chest still heaving from the fight—the
buttons still undone. “I believe you doubted me the first time we
met, too.”
    At her cocky