by Brenda Trim
She stepped back, trying to dislodge his mouth. He suspected she wouldn’t reject his cock, but something as close and intimate as kissing was too much for her at the moment. With a smile playing at the edges of his mouth, he continued to kiss her and follow her movements until the backs of her legs hit the bed. With one hand in the middle of her chest, he pushed, and she landed on her pert little ass with a small bounce.
“That’s right. You’re part human. And it was you that joined the alliance and changed the fate of cambions.”
Dante paused and tugged the plain blue shirt over his head. It meant something that this female saw him. Not many recognized how much effort he put into changing the course of life for cambions. Before he joined the Alliance, not many realized his kind were creations of the Goddess Morrigan.
“What can I say? We’re more than sex-crazed demons. We were created to do more. And, I’m about to show you how much more.” He growled as he popped the button on his jeans.
The large, four-poster bed had a lush, dark blue and charcoal bedspread. She scooted backward until she reached the pillows that sat at the headboard. Not stopping in his pursuit, Dante prowled across the bed toward her.
“That sounds like the sex obsessed side of you talking.” Her gaze was heated, as well as, half-fearful, half-hopeful. He wanted to believe she was considering staying by his side, but he refused to be distracted.
One of his hands trailed up her bare thigh. “I’m infatuated alright, little evergreen. And, I’m going to make you scream my name as you cum for me.”
He watched the blush cross her cheeks and swore he lost his heart to her as she held his gaze and spread her legs. There wasn’t even a hint of uncertainty. She wanted this as much as he did.
“Promises, promises.” Her eyes were bright with excitement.
He swallowed and pushed her shirt up her torso. He would never get enough of this sexy female. She was fucking perfect. Her nipples were hard and puckered when he bared her body to his gaze.
“I always follow through on my vows. And, I swear this night will not end until you are hoarse from shouting.” With a groan, he brought his body over her and shut out the rest of the world and retreated from the reality that waited.
Kissing her lightly, he licked and nipped her lips as he unzipped his pants. His shaft was hard and ready to go. He needed to wait before getting naked or this would be over far too soon. He had far too many plans for his mate before he let her rest.
He let his hand trail up her stomach. His fingers toyed with the underside of her boob before tweaking her nipple. She reacted like a match to gasoline. She arched up and claimed his lips with an intensity that stole his breath. She tangled her fingers in the fine strands of his blond hair.
His inner beast wanted more of his mate. Dante broke away from her mouth and kissed a path down her neck to her breasts. Her sweet flavor burst across his taste buds. Her back was off the bed and Dante wrapped one arm around her to hold her close to his skin.
She cried out when his arm brushed the stubs along her back. The sound was one of pleasure. With a light touch, he felt along the wing stubs, loving the way she shuddered. His little evergreen liked having her slits fingered.
Wetness gushed from her core and she clawed at his pants. “Someone’s eager.”
“Yes, you need to move this along.”
He chuckled. “Patience, little evergreen. I have plans. And, you will be shouting soon enough.”
His head dipped and he kissed her plump breast while his fingers explored her wing slits. He sucked one of her ripe, red nipples into his mouth. Her breasts filled his hands perfectly. And, her body was incredibly responsive to his ministrations.
Before he knew it, hands were clutching his head and she was holding him to her. He turned and laved attention on her other breast. By the time he levered himself on one elbow, she was panting and writhing beneath him.
He loved that she didn’t deny her desire for him and either couldn’t hide or didn’t bother to hide her responses. With every ounce of pleasure that he gave her, she gave him energy. It was like he received a shot of adrenaline directly to his heart.
He moved his hand from her back and over the soft, supple flesh of her flat stomach. His erection jerked against his fly when he reached a neat thatch of curls that were soaked with the evidence of her desire.
Slipping one finger into her folds, he rubbed her clit in slow circles. Her hips gained a rhythm of their own and rubbed his hand against her pussy. She writhed and lifted her hips into his touch while he teased her clit and kissed his way down her body. Her bright brown eyes connected with his blue ones when he settled his head between her spread thighs. He couldn’t imagine a better view than the one he had at that moment.
“I’m not screaming yet. So much for!” Her words trailed off in a scream when he sucked her sensitive nub into his mouth. Caramelized vanilla had his taste buds dancing in delight.
A smile of satisfaction on his lips, he released her nub and ran his tongue through her slit, licking her soft skin. With one finger, he teased her opening as he swirled his tongue across the hardened little bud. Her moaning increased and her thighs clamped around his face. She didn’t want him going anywhere. He could live right there for the rest of his long life.
She shifted her body and moved in her chase for her orgasm. Listening to her body’s messages, he plunged one finger inside, fucking her slowly with the thick digit. Within minutes, she was bucking and screaming. “Fuck, Dante!”
His name on her lips sounded right. He was her lifeline and she was his. Her core clamped around his finger and her body tightened before she exploded. The energy he gained from her climax had him seeing stars and panting himself. It overflowed from his body and became painful as he tried to hold it all in and store it for the long days ahead. Never before had he been so energized with giving a female pleasure. Typically, his kind needed to give and take their own pleasure to be fed. Everything with Chloe was unusual.
He was afraid of what he felt for her. It was everything. When she was at her peak, he tugged open his pants and surged up, driving into her. He was balls deep in a second and she was crying out his name again.
“You’re going to scream for me again, little evergreen.”
“Shit. It’s too much” Her core was fluttering around his cock in another release while he pounded into her, building her toward another peak.
Her eyes were squeezed shut as she writhed and mewled and thrust her hips to meet his movements.
“No such thing.” His words were grated out of clenched teeth because at that moment his mate mark was an inferno on his shoulder. The pain spiraled through his body adding a sting to his pleasure.
Dante kissed the side of her neck and squeezed one of her breasts as he plunged in and out of her tight pussy. His mind went blank, his only thought about exploding with his mate. Chloe was a greedy little bird and it didn’t take long before she was screaming his name once more.
Her core tightened around his shaft and it was impossible to move more than a few inches in and out. He was robbed of reason when she bucked against him. With great effort, he pulled out until only the tip was inside her and thrust back in. The force made her head hit the pillow above her head and bounced the headboard on the wall.
She felt so fucking good he never wanted this to end. He belonged inside this female. Stop thinking about the impossible. He pounded her into oblivion. Sex with a Fated Mate was everything his friends had told him it was. He twisted his hips to the side and locked his gaze with hers right when he hit that spot inside her. He loved the way her mouth formed an O and her eyes rolled back in her head.
There was still so much they had to learn about one another. He prayed she wouldn’t walk away when this was all over. He needed her by his side and not just for sex. She was spunky and kept him on his toes.
Her hands traveled over his chest and to his back. He pinched one nipple then let it go so he could lift her leg over one of h
is arms. It allowed him to spread her legs to their widest angle so he could go deeper and take as much as possible. They moved in unison. Her rhythm turned choppy as she rode the razor’s edge of release.
He was desperate to climax with her. Her fingernails dug into his pecs and her hips matched his movements. He reached between their bodies and increased his thrusts. She detonated a second later, squeezing his cock as she climaxed.
His shout was hoarse, and he continued moving as much as her body would allow. Within seconds, he followed her over the edge into the abyss. In a blinding second of clarity, her mind was open to him and he knew all her fears as well as her resolve.
She enjoyed what she experienced in his arms but was afraid of his darkness. She also refused to open herself to love. Several thousand years ago she was burned and that has been eating at her all this time. There was a long road to proving his loyalty to her. She’d erected a barrier around herself and there wasn’t so much as a chip in the cement barrier.
How could Dante convince her to take a chance on him? History proved to her over and over again that love was complete bullshit. Dante was convinced the reason the Goddess created Fated Mates was to combat the ugliness relationships had been tainted with. If Dante had a choice, he was fairly certain he would deny his desire for more to protect from inevitable heartache.
Except he would never break her heart. He needed to find a way to prove to her that he would never go anywhere. In the meantime, he would do what was necessary, so he didn’t become a risk to those around him.
And, he wouldn’t leave it to Zander to take his life. He’d do it himself and save his friend the burden of carrying that through eternity. The Vampire King had done so much for him and his kind. It was time he paid it forward.
There was a kernel of hope deep in his heart that he couldn’t smother entirely. It sprouted when he buried it and was vying for life inside him. That tiny part whispered there might still be a way and encouraged him to show Chloe how much she meant to him while he had the chance.
Chapter 15
Chloe was gone. She left that morning and Dante hadn’t been able to sleep a wink since. He couldn’t believe she walked away from him. That kernel of hope lulled him into believing he would win her over before he lost her entirely.
He was full charged and sated at the moment, but before long he would need to consider taking his own life. Killing a supernatural wasn’t easy. They’re immortal, or nearly so. Only beheading or removal of his heart would end his life. Demon poisoning would weaken him, making it easier to remove his heart or head.
He’d have to procure some demon venom and keep it on hand, so he could jump off a bridge or building. That would send his skull flying from his body and keep him from healing until all life bled from his body.
A lump formed in his gut now that he had tentative plans in place. It wasn’t an easy pill to swallow, but he needed to know what he was going to do so he couldn’t change his mind when the time came.
There’s a lot to do before you die, dickhead. Pouring himself some coffee, he grabbed a pastry and took a bite of the sweet, cheesy danish. His mind continued to churn over details of his plan when something hit him between the eyes.
Chloe was right. The demons in New York aren’t recreating the events in New Orleans to bring Lucifer over. They’ve not seen one single shred of evidence of the dark symbols at each of the sites they’ve encountered.
What were they planning? There was no doubt in his mind it involved Chloe. Otherwise they wouldn’t target her. She’s smart enough to avoid capture again. Like she said, she could fight her own battles. She was a fucking Warrior Angel for fucks sake.
Axel entered the kitchen and opened the fridge. He stood there for several seconds before grabbing a bagel and cream cheese. “Where’s your angel?”
“Gone. I assume she went back to her friend’s house.” Dante fought the urge to rub the ache in the middle of his chest.
The connection he shared with Chloe flared last night and for hours there was this brilliant gold thread binding them together. It faltered before he woke up and now was nothing but smoking remnants. It left him empty. That hurt almost as much as his mating brand did.
“What the fuck do you mean gone?” Zander’s voice was at a roar as he entered the room followed by Izzy. “She’s no’ safe out there on her own. We fought off two groups of demons last night.”
“Don’t yell at him dad. I know you’re scared I lost my power, but that’s not his fault.” Izzy laid a hand on Zander’s arm.
Dante’s heart skipped a beat. He’d been so worried about his situation that he’d forgotten that development from last night. “Are you sure you lost it? That Behemoth was a middle level demon. Perhaps you aren’t capable of killing those of his level.”
Izzy turned to face him, and he sucked in a breath. The sorrow in her eyes was unbearable. “I used to be able to kill all demons. When I was taken to the Underworld, I eliminated any that approached me.”
Zander pulled Izzy into his embrace. “We doona know why you lost that ability. Could be a natural development.”
Izzy shrugged out of her father’s grip and took Axel’s bagel from his hand. “There’s nothing normal about this and you know it.”
Dante hated seeing the princess so pissed and hurt. “You’re right, Izzy, but you haven’t lost everything. And it’s good you discovered your limitations now. You can approach situations accordingly.”
Izzy gave him a smile and took a bite of the bagel. “Why did Chloe leave? Aren’t you her Fated Mate?”
Dante sighed and sat on a stool at the island. “She is my mate, but she isn’t bound by the same urges as us. I couldn’t walk away from her to save my life. She, however, has to choose me in order for her to reciprocate.”
Izzy took another bite and hummed while she chewed it. “Don’t lose hope, Dante. The Goddess wouldn’t give you an angel for a mate unless she was certain you would end up together. She cares more than you know for her children. All of us. And, she’s constantly maneuvering so we are given the best match for a mate. It’s all she does.”
Emotion closed Dante’s throat off for a few seconds until he got his shit together. The thought of keeping the hope was enough to bring him to his knees. He’d spent the entire morning convincing himself he needed to forget her and move forward with what little time he had left.
Dante bobbed his head. “We need to figure out how to proceed. The demons aren’t doing what they did in New Orleans, but they are up to something and my mate is at the center of it.”
Zander leaned against the counter and crossed his arms over his chest. “Och, there’s no doubt aboot that. They’ve targeted her more than once now. I still believe it’s all in an attempt to bring Lucifer here, even if they’re using another approach.”
Dante’s blood froze in his veins. Regardless of what happened between him and Chloe, she was at the center of demonic activity in New York. They wouldn’t stop until they had her.
Axel set his mug down and met Dante’s gaze. “We should find your angel and make sure she remains safe. At least until this shit is dealt with.”
Dante narrowed his eyes and took a step toward the shifter. “She doesn’t want me. I won’t force her to stay here with me. And she isn’t without skills.”
Zander stood up and held out a hand. “No one is saying she can’t defend herself, but what if he sends half a dozen spider demons or more for her? She can’t fight them all off. And, we can’t let them get ahold of her. Who knows what they will accomplish with her in their grasp.”
Dante turned and left the kitchen. He pulled his phone from his back pocket and called the number Chloe had given him last night. There was no answer. Entering the supply room, he loaded up on knives when the others joined him.
He ignored them and selected the number for Tris that was in his recent contacts list. Thank fuck Chloe had used his phone. “Hello.” The female sounded sleepy and annoyed when she answered.
“Hey. This is Dante. I’m Chloe’s…well I’m looking for her. Is she with you?” Dante’s breath caught in his throat and his gut churned.
“Hello, Dante. No. Chloe hasn’t been here since she returned to your house yesterday. Did she never show up?” The fatigue left her voice, turning it to steel.
“Yes, she did.” Dante briefly told her what happened leaving out the life altering sex they’d shared. “Do you have any idea where she’d go?”
“Fucking hell. She goes to work and home. Chloe has no other friends really.”
Dante stuffed one arm into a jacket then the other. “I’m going to check her place. If you hear from her, please call me.”
“Will do. I’ll check around and let you know if I find anything.”
Dante hung up the phone and turned to the Dark Warriors. Everyone was loaded up with weapons and ready to go. “Stick close. The Goddess only knows what we will encounter when we get to her place.”
They’re out the door and he was heading down the street before anyone could respond. She lived across town. It didn’t take too long to get to the subway. His mind played through when he found his angel battered and broken on the tracks. She was close to death.
Nausea was pummeling the back of his throat by the time he arrived at his exit. Zander and Izzy were at his side as he reached her apartment complex. “I’m going up the fire escape. You go in through the lobby.”
Zander clapped his shoulder and nodded before he and Izzy were off. Jett prowled by his side. “I don’t sense anything nearby. There’s a good chance she is hiding somewhere else.”
Dante glanced at the other male. Jett hadn’t been happy from the moment he found Chloe, but the male was trying to reassure him. No doubt Dante’s terror over her was palpable. That’s how it was with a Fated Mate. He should be locked in the thick of the mating frenzy.
Initially, those were often the urges that usually took center stage when a couple first meets. Dante wasn’t blessed with something so pleasant. Instead, he could hardly breathe, and his heart was racing while he tried to find his angel and make sure she was ok.