“And you have no idea who this fallen angel is? He won’t tell you his name?” Rae asked concerned.
“Nope. It kind of feels like he’s testing me, like he wants me to like him for who he is and not for what the world thinks he is.”
“Well, you just have to focus on the positives. I’m sure all will reveal itself in time. You just have to be ready for when that moment comes.”
Never had truer words been spoken. I just had to hope that when everything came to light I wouldn’t run screaming for the hills. “Anyway, enough about me. How the hell did you end up owing Alec a favour?”
“To be honest, I can’t tell you the whole story because it’s not my story to tell. It’s a long story and it’s mostly Alec’s, not mine, but a few years ago, I got cut off from my Coven and Alec helped me escape. I was part of the Coven of the Unseen and I did something to incur the wrath of one of the elder witches. My punishment was that I was to be banished and cut off from the Coven’s source of power.”
Holy shit. “What did you do?”
“I helped someone who needed it and it went against the elders’ wishes. I wasn’t about to let a friend suffer because some old crone had a vendetta.” She spoke with such vehemence that I suddenly knew I did not want to piss this witch off. She looked scary.
“You helped Alec, didn’t you?”
She nodded. “I did. And I don’t regret it one bit. It brought me to you, and it made me realise that I was a powerful witch in my own right. I don’t need the connection to the Coven to be powerful, so they can go shove it where the sun don’t shine.”
That was my Rae, always looking out for those in need and being confident enough to believe in herself no matter what. Any doubts I might have had of her being different, now I knew she was a witch, vanished with that little speech. She was totally the girl that became my best friend.
We were in a fit of giggles, reminiscing over our wilder adventures, as Alec walked into the room.
“Well, you two look mighty cosy,” he said coming further into the room.
“Just catching up on old times,” I said, still giggling like a schoolgirl.
“And new times,” Rae added, her eyebrows waggling suggestively. God, she was incorrigible.
“Then I am sorry to interrupt, but I need to steal Rae away.”
“Alec, it’s ok. I’m happy to discuss anything in front of Lori. No more secrets.”
I looked between Rae and Alec, and he did not look pleased. He narrowed his eyes at us, and his delectable mouth fell into a grim line. “Fine,” he quipped, “but don’t blame me if we get into trouble.”
Rae’s musical laugh flittered round the room. “I thought you liked getting into trouble, Alec. Or have you really changed that much in the last few years?”
“Oh, I am all for getting into trouble,” he replied in a seductive drawl. “I just prefer to do it when I know the punishment will be worth it.” He glanced at me when he said it, his amber eyes brimming with amusement and something darker. It had my skin flushing and my breath catching in my throat.
“So, you want to call in your favour, do you?” Rae queried as she leant towards Alec.
He looked uncomfortable. He fidgeted in his seat and glanced at me, clearly not liking that I was here to witness this. “Yes. But first, is it safe?”
“I gave you my word it would be. It’s safe and it’s hidden,” Rae vowed solemnly. This was something to do with their shared secret and my growing curiosity burned with the need to know more. I was intrigued and, as much as I wanted to launch into a hundred questions over it, I knew it wasn’t right to pry.
Rae’s words seemed to have a calming effect on Alec. He settled back into his chair and relaxed now that the surreptitious interlude between them was over and done with. “Good. So, the Conclave has a possession problem, specifically caused by demons.”
“Ok, but how do you expect me to help narrow that down?”
“The guy who attacked Fenris managed to null the mage’s powers somehow.”
“And you want me to help find out who did that magic?”
Alec nodded. “Yep. Surely that’s a piece of cake for a mighty witch like you?”
“Hardly,” she scoffed. “Nulling a mage is powerful magic. There are probably only a handful of people who would be able to create something strong enough block the kind of magic Fenris has. And they are not gonna take kindly to me poking my nose around, or have you forgotten I’m a Rogue Witch?”
“No, I’ve not forgotten,” he said, “but we need your help. Lori needs your help. It’s her they’re coming after.”
I winced. That was a low fucking blow, and judging by the death stare Rae was levelling at Alec, she thought so to.
“Fine, I will see what I can do.” Rae turned to me and gave me a hug. “I’ll swing by later.”
I walked with her to the door. “Tequila and tacos?”
“You know it, babe. I’m sure the rest of your guys would enjoy that too.”
Her words were not lost on me. “They are not my guys.”
She laughed. “You keep telling yourself that babe.” She gave me a kiss on the cheek, and then she was gone. I was so happy my best friend was back. She brought with her a sense that I was more myself. I knew my life had completely changed, the jury was still out on whether it was for the better, but having Rae here made me feel like me. Like Rae had said earlier, she was still the same person, she could just do magic as well. Perhaps that meant I was still the same person, I just happened to be a demon too? It gave me hope that the person I was, the person who I had always been, was still the person I wanted to be. There was just more to me now then there was a couple of weeks ago.
“She’s quite the character, isn’t she?” Alec remarked as he sauntered towards me, his hands buried in the pockets of his trousers that hung perilously low on his lean hips.
“Did it take you years to become a dick, or does it just come naturally to you?”
He took another couple of steps closer, a very wolfish grin spreading across his face. It was like facing off with a predator and it had my heart racing. That was the only reason. Honest.
“It definitely takes practise, but like a lot of other things, I’m really good at it.”
Urgh. He was so arrogant, and I bet he thought he was God’s gift to women. Or perhaps he just couldn’t communicate in any other way. It was probably all an act and I realised, I could probably have some fun with that.
I took a step towards him and his eyes widened in surprise. “Hmm, I still think there are areas where you are…lacking.”
“Are you going to be the one to take me in hand?” he drawled. His eyes darkened and his cocky expression transformed into one of pure hunger. My heart raced and my stomach flip-flopped. This was a dangerous game to be playing.
“I don’t think your ego could handle the criticism.”
He slow-blinked and rolled his bottom lip between his teeth. It was so sexual to watch and I had to bite back a moan.
“I think I could take the pain.” His voice dropped an octave and he leant closer still. I could feel his breath caress my cheek. “I’ve been very, very bad. Will you take me in hand? Will you point out my flaws until I’m begging for you to stop?”
My chest tightened and my heart hammered in my throat. I needed to look away, before I did something stupid. Like give in to him. I laughed softly. “You’re such a tease, Alec.”
His lips found the soft shell of my ear. “You have no idea, love. You think my words are bad. Just wait until you see what I can do with my tongue. I can tease you a lot better with that.”
Oh, sweet Lord. Yes.
Shit, what was I doing? I took a step backwards to ease the butterflies currently somersaulting in my stomach. “Pfft. You’ll never get the chance.”
He shrugged. “We’ll see.”
“Nope. Not gonna happen,” I said with more confidence than I felt. My head was already filling with wanton images of him and his bare torso. N
ot to mention his hands, what he could do with his fingers… Fuck. I let out a ragged breath and took another step backwards, hoping that some distance between us would knock some sense back into me.
“Well, if you change your mind, you know where I am.”
He brushed past me on the way out of the room and I almost took a step after him. Almost.
As soon as he left, I let out the moan that had been threatening to make an appearance. God, what was I doing? That man was insufferable, and I was letting him get under my skin. I had set out to teach him a lesson. I wanted to put a dent in his ego, not let him tempt me into bed. I did not want to get into his bed.
Did I?
Chapter 27
ORION
I stood at the foot of her bed and stared down at the beautiful figure nestled deeply into the sheets. Well, imagined I stood. I was currently incorporeal, part of the curse of being an Angel. I couldn’t be seen by humans, but I was powerful enough to give myself form. Perhaps that was His way of dehumanizing me. Not being able to be my true self on Earth meant I was stuck to the shadows, invisible to the human eye.
But that was beside the point. I wasn’t here to ponder my existence on the mortal plane.
I was here to see her.
Lori. My precious little dove.
Manifesting on the mortal plane always drained me. It required a lot of energy to form solid mass, but I wanted to see Lori. I wanted to touch her. So, I stood there, levitating, watching her sleep as my corporal form took shape. As the seconds ticked by, I felt the soft cushion of the carpet materialise beneath my feet. It was a strange sensation going from not knowing where your limbs were to suddenly being able to see them before you. I was going to pay for this dearly tomorrow, but I knew this was worth it.
The mark pulsed warmly on my chest. Its presence was now a constant reminder of her. When I wasn’t with her, I felt her. I felt everything she did. I knew when she laughed, when she was angry, or when she was hurt.
Poor little dove. So scared of the world she had been thrown into. I tried to feel guilty about that, but I couldn’t. I needed her in my world. In the darkness. I wanted to terrorise her some more and I planned to do just that. But these games had to be played gradually. Step by little step. I wasn’t a patient creature, but for her I’d wait until the end of the world to get what I wanted.
I didn’t want to scare her away. I needed her to walk the path that I had laid out for her not run screaming for the hills. But oh, how I would love to her hear scream my name. Maybe there was time for that…
I grinned at the wicked thoughts now running rampant in my mind. In her sleeping state she let out a soft little moan. She could feel my desire. It thrilled me that she wanted me. She might not want me as darkly as I craved her, but there was time.
I took a step closer to the bed, the threads of the carpet soft against the underside of my feet. Excitement surged through me. I could feel that. Not long before I could do more.
I wondered if she knew how beautiful she was. I didn’t think she did. She certainly didn’t carry herself like someone who had been showered with praise. There was something dark beneath the surface, something she kept locked away. Something hidden and it came out for me. I had tasted it when she kissed me. Her darkness called to me and my entire body had hummed. I was going to enjoy breaking her. I would pull her apart and then rebuild her with all the pieces that made her, not just the ones she wanted to show the world.
The mattress dipped as I settled my weight onto it. Lori didn’t even stir. I reached out my hand and stroked her hair away from her face. She was so beautiful.
I brushed my lips against her cheek, placing a slow kiss there. If I had doubted my intentions before, I certainly didn’t doubt them now. I was determined to make her mine. She didn’t know it yet, but I had set her traipsing happily on a path that would bring her to me. She wouldn’t realise until it was too late. My fingers found the delicate column of her neck. I nearly moaned at how she felt under my fingers. The noose was already tied. It was just going to get tighter with every step she took.
My hand skimmed across her shoulder and along the length of her arm. A pleasurable little sigh escaped her mouth. What I wouldn’t give to taste that sound. In her sleep she rolled over, turning her face away from me and curling up on her other side. Her bed looked so warm and she looked so tempting.
I couldn’t resist. Self-restraint was not one of my strongest qualities and I wasn’t going to waste this opportunity. I slid beneath the sheets and curled up behind her. She let out a little murmur but didn’t stir from her slumber. My form become more solid as the moments passed and I felt more of her body pressed up against me as the minutes ticked by.
She burrowed deeper into my embrace and my arms curled possessively around her waist. She fit perfectly against me. Like she was made just for me. I buried my nose in her hair, trying to commit every part of her to memory. Fresh lavender surrounded me, and it was my downfall. I should leave, but I couldn’t resist the lure of staying wrapped in her embrace. I knew I would fade with the morning light and that I would have something akin to the worst hangover ever, but I couldn’t let her go.
Oh, my sweet little dove. I wasn’t ever going to be able to let you go.
She rolled back over and nuzzled her head in the crook of my shoulder. Oh goodness, if my heart could still beat it would be all aflutter. She smiled contently in her sleep and I weaved my fingers through her hair. She was so blissfully unaware of how close to death she was. Her sleep was so peaceful, and a wave of pleasure wound its way through me.
I stayed there all night, just listening to the soft rise and fall of her chest. I stayed there until the first light of dawn shone through the window and I felt myself start to fade. I placed a lingering kiss on the top of her head and whispered four little words that I hoped would ingrain on her soul.
Four words that might torment and excite her.
Four little words that would make her mine.
“I’m coming for you.”
Chapter 28
LORI
I woke up and honestly felt like I had just had the best night’s sleep ever. I couldn’t remember when I had slept so well. Maybe it was all the training the team had been putting me through that had made me so tired that I slept without dreaming. I hadn’t been haunted by that night in the alley. I had slept peacefully, from the moment I closed my eyes last night, to now. It was strange but I had felt safe and protected in my sleep, which was odd because no one else had been here.
I rolled over and looked at the spot of the bed next to me. The sheets were rumpled, depressed like someone had been there. I placed my hand in the empty spot and found it warm. No…it couldn’t be. Had someone been there? Must be my imagination. It wasn’t possible. I would have known if someone had been in bed with me.
I stretched and jumped out of bed with a surprising amount of energy. I really had slept well. And that was great. I was going to need all the energy I could get because today was my first time going out on patrol as an actual member of the team. Jasper had finally decided I was ready. The idea still scared the crap out of me, but I was looking forward to being useful. I had spent the last week feeling like a spare part, and now I was finally going to have some purpose. Yes. I still had to come to terms with being the potential destroyer of the world, but until then, I had something I could focus on, and I was actually getting good at this shit. I could hold my own in a fight and I even managed to get a few shots past Cassian’s defence. I could handle my scythe with grace and precision and my reaper and I were almost in sync.
I still didn’t know who I was going to be partnered with for my first patrol, but I knew it wouldn’t be Jasper. I figured that would just be a disaster, what with the whole constantly wanting to tear each other’s clothes off as soon as we saw each other. And I prayed to God that it wasn’t Cassian. We still hadn’t really spoken to each other since that little heart-to-heart the other day. We still trained and he still beat m
y ass, but we didn’t talk. We just eyeballed each other across the room and quite successfully managed to go through the days without seeing each other unless we had to.
I was in the middle of getting dressed when there was a knock at my bedroom door.
“Come in,” I called as I finished buttoning up my leather trousers. They were ridiculously tight, like a second skin, but they were surprisingly easy to move in and would provide some sort of protection. Although, I wasn’t one hundred percent sure that it wasn’t just someone’s idea to get me in some sexy outfit.
“Wel,l fuck.”
I turned around and found Alec staring at me with his lips parted and hunger burning bright in his eyes as they trailed my leather clad legs. He looked at me like he could see everything underneath. My skin heated under his gaze and my mouth went dry.
“Looks like we’ve whipped you into shape quite nicely,” he said.
I didn’t want to admit that I enjoyed having him look at me like that. He fired up my arousal in a way that had my head spinning and my sanity fleeing. He was pure sex and it went straight to my core. I wasn’t going to let him know that, though; he was too much of a dick to be worth my time.
“What do you want, Alec?”
He tutted at me and grinned wolfishly. “You’re no fun.”
I was very much aware that he was blocking my exit from the room and I figured that was part of his plan. He liked to see me flustered and I had learned over the last few days that he enjoyed flirting with me merely to rile me up. He had deliberately sought me out in my room for that purpose. Well, fuck that, I could play that game too.
“You’re right,” I said as I strode towards him, dropping my voice to a sultry tone. “It’s been so long since I’ve had some fun.”
He inched closer to me. “I could help with that. Do you want some help easing all that tension?”
To Crave Darkly: Trials Of A Morta: Book One Page 23