by R C Knight
~~~~
Keira pushed Zane onto the bed. “I need you inside me now!” she commanded as she pulled off her jeans and threw them on the floor.
“Keira, I –” Keira placed her hand over his mouth.
“Shh. No talking.” She slid her hand into Zane’s jeans and grabbed onto his cock. “I need you. I’ve been waiting for so long.” She slid off his jeans and took his cock into her mouth. Zane’s body tensed as he sighed with pleasure. She worked him quickly, taking him deep into her throat. Her eyes sparkled with delight as he finished in her mouth. She smiled up at him and licked her lips. She pulled him off the bed and led him into the bathroom.
Zane pulled off his shirt as she started the shower and stripped. Keira went into the water and beckoned for him to join her. He walked into the warm water, his cock instantly going hard as he watched the water flow over her breasts. He pushed her against the wall, hungrily taking her lips into his. She moaned as she rubbed her body against his and arched her back.
Zane penetrated her mouth with his tongue, his actions filled with an urgency he didn’t understand. She began to move her hips against him, he moaned as she grabbed his cock. He broke contact and quickly turned her around. He thrust his cock inside of her as he reached around and grabbed her breasts. She screamed in ecstasy as she braced herself against the slick wall. He slid one of his hands down to her clit, his fingers moving in slow circles. She arched her back, pushing her ass into his hips. He increased his speed, his release building into a climax. Her moaning grew louder and faster until she screamed again. Her pussy contracted around his cock as she orgasmed, bringing him to his own release.
He gently removed himself from her and handed her the bar of soap. She grabbed the soap, her face filled with satisfaction. They washed quickly and returned to the bed. Keira cuddled into him and quickly fell asleep.
Zane stared into the darkness. He should be ecstatic right now, after all he was alive and had a woman who loved him. Although he knew she wouldn’t admit it unless he felt the same way. What the hell is wrong with me? He wondered as he rubbed his chest. For some reason, it felt as though his heart was being torn in two. And he didn’t know why.
~~~~
Aria sat in her room alone, a bottle of whiskey on the bedside table. She had spent a few hours down at the hotel bar. She watched with fascination as Jackson and Liam picked up women and brought them back to their rooms. Riley was keeping himself busy as Ryder and Kai’s wingman. He was determined that they would enjoy all that Earth had to offer while they were here. Myra and Eliza had gotten drunk off a bunch of fruity drinks and started dancing with a group of men.
She enjoyed watching her friends have fun and relax. She had sat at the bar, waiting for Zane to come back downstairs. After a few hours she gave up, bought the bottle of whiskey she had been drinking, and returned to her room. The room was nicely furnished; a pile of books had been set out on the dresser. A note was placed on the books, I thought you’d enjoy these. Zane. She smiled as she picked up one of the books and flipped through the pages. She sat on the bed, grabbed the bottle of whiskey, and took another drink. Her whole body was beginning to feel funny, a tingle running underneath her skin.
A loud knock sounded on her door, breaking the peaceful silence. She jumped, almost dropping her bottle as she placed it back on the table. Her head began to swim as she stood up from the bed, she threw her arm out to steady herself. Another knock jolted her into movement. Slowly, she made her way to the door and opened it.
Zane came barging into the room and began to pace back and forth. She stared at him in confusion as she closed the door and made her way back to the bed, sitting down before she became too dizzy to stand. She watched quietly as Zane walked from one end of the room to the other. Damn she’s beautiful. He thought to himself. Her hair was down, still damp from the shower. Her bright green eyes were watching him. She was only wearing a t-shirt and boy shorts.
“Is there something wrong with me?” he finally asked, stopping in front of her.
“Not that I can tell.” Her eyes ran up and down his body. He was wearing a tank top and loose pants. His muscular arms were straining as he flexed his hands. “Did something happen?” she asked, grabbing her whiskey and taking another drink.
He shook his head. “No. Nothing happened! That’s exactly my point.” He threw his hands in the air. “So why the hell do I feel like I’m betraying you?” he asked hesitantly.
“I.” She paused; her mind filled with confusion. “I don’t understand.” Zane stared at her, his blue-hazel eyes filled with confusion, sadness, and something else she couldn’t identify. Slowly, she rose to her feet. “Did I do something wrong?” she asked, the innocence in her voice broke his heart.
He shook his head. “No. You could never do anything wrong.” He walked up to her, gently placed his hands on her face and kissed her. She was hesitant at first, but he could feel the tension leave her body as she began to kiss him back. He pulled her body close to his, kissing her deeply, pouring all his feelings into the kiss. He knew he shouldn’t have done it, but every time he was around her, he felt like an invisible string was pulling them together. Slowly, he stepped back.
“What was that for?” she asked breathlessly, her bright green eyes seemed like they were staring directly into his soul. He ran his hands through his hair, wondering what the hell he was supposed to do now.
“I shouldn’t have done that,” he said as he turned and bolted out of the room. Aria stared at the door as it slammed shut. Well that was unexpected. She looked around her room, suddenly feeling extremely lonely. Slowly, she laid down on her bed and curled up on her side. Warmth had spread through her body as Zane kissed her, an electric connection she couldn’t explain. Now, all she felt was the cold of loneliness as she drifted off to sleep.
Chapter Seventeen
Earth
Zane was sitting on a small wooden chair in his room, watching the sun rise through the window. What the fuck am I doing? he wondered as the sun’s golden rays sparkled across the blue water. He pulled out a cigarette and lit it, taking a deep inhale as he looked around his room. Keira was still asleep and naked on the bed, barely covered by the sheets. Zane couldn’t deny that she was extremely seductive and a very tempting woman. She was everything any man in his right mind could want. Plus, her knowledge of explosives was a huge turn on. They always say beware of the fiery ones, they’ll either burn your loins or burn your house down. Zane chuckled to himself.
He looked at the corner of the room where they had piled what was left from the chests they had stolen from the demons. Thankfully, they had only lost some of their gold and weapons on the horses that had been stolen. They still had enough money to buy provisions and supplies for the next year, if not longer. There was one full set of armor along with two breast plates and two sets of leather pauldrons. He would distribute the armor based on who it fit the best. There was a nice pile of enchanted daggers and one short sword. Those daggers will fit nicely hidden in our jackets, he thought to himself as he picked up one of the daggers and balanced it in his hands. He looked out the window and sighed in resignation. Looks like I need to wake up Keira and get ready for the meeting.
Everyone had gathered around a long, rectangular table in the dining hall. All of them had gotten pancakes and scrambled eggs, their faces full of delight as they ate. Zane and Keira were the last to arrive, sitting down at the head of the table. “We need to secure a boat that can fit the horses.” Zane looked around the group, “Bishop, you should be able to handle that.” Bishop nodded in agreement. He looked over at Aria, who quickly averted her eyes. “Liam, I’ll need you to take Aria and her team to Delaware.”
“Won’t that leave you short on crew members for your ship?” Liam interjected.
“We’ll just have to make do with what we have,” Zane sighed. “Now, there’s a small fishing village there where we can pick you up after I retrieve my ship. You’ll be in charge of the loot and our weapons
.”
Aria’s eyes filled with anger as she looked over at him. “Why can’t we go to New York as well?”
“And why not take the weapons?” Ryder interrupted.
“Because you are angels,” Zane emphasized. “You stick out like a sore thumb. We’re going to Gideon’s city; you’d be spotted in a heartbeat.” He paused and pointed at some of the other people in the dining hall, most of them were staring at the angels. “My point exactly,” Zane said with authority. He looked over at Aria, his heart dropping as she avoided eye contact. “As for the weapons, they have been enchanted. We would be killed immediately if anyone saw them, and the demons would have them destroyed. However, I will have everyone on my team stitch the enchanted daggers into their jackets.”
“I see,” Ryder responded, a look of resignation on his face.
“Once we make land, we’ll purchase a small wagon and tarps to keep what we have hidden. However, we need to find a way to make you guys,” Zane waved his hand at the angels, “less angelic.”
“We could rub dirt on their faces,” Jackson chuckled, a smile across his face.
“That could work,” Bishop added. “Some soft clay and mud might be enough to make your skin look not so perfect.” Myra and Eliza looked mortified, while Kai began to laugh.
“You want to put mud on us!” He laughed loudly. “Like that wouldn’t look out of place at all?” Kai continued to laugh as he looked around the table. A frown formed on his face. “You aren’t serious, are you?”
“Do you have a better idea?” Bishop retorted hastily.
“I do.” Keira spoke up. “I have some makeup. It would be easy to dull their appearance.” Ryder and Kai looked at each other, clearly uncomfortable with the idea. “Oh please. I’m not going to give you bright red lipstick and blue eyeshadow!” Keira laughed. “I’ll just make your faces look less, perfect.” She exhaled slowly as she stared at the men.
“Perfect,” Aria responded, a small smile on her face. She looked at Zane, defiance in her eyes. “You need one more person to man your ship properly. Therefore, I’m going with you to New York.” His heart skipped a beat as he stared at Aria. In all honesty, he was hoping to keep her out of harm’s way. Which was ridiculous, because she could probably kill all the demons in New York by herself.
Keira looked back and forth between them. She could tell Zane wasn’t sure what to do and Aria was determined to go even if she didn’t have approval. “I think it’s a great idea,” she interjected, lightly patting Zane’s shoulder. “We need an additional person since Liam is needed to make sure they go to the right place in Delaware. Plus, I would like to get to know her better. It’s not every day you get to travel with angels.” Keira smiled at Aria.
Zane pushed his hands through his hair, looking around the group. Keira’s face was full of excitement. “Fine,” he sighed in resignation. Ryder turned and whispered into Aria’s ear, distrust on his face. Aria whispered back, clearly angry with whatever he had told her. Ryder frowned, then looked over at Zane.
“Why should we be taking orders from you?” he asked, the sound of disapproval filled his voice.
“You might be skilled in killing demons, but we were raised in this world. Surviving and evading demons are some of our talents,” Zane emphasized. “Right now, you’re supposed to stay under the radar. So, for now, you will listen to me. When it’s time to go on a demon killing spree, I will ask for your advice.”
Ryder stared at him like he was looking into his soul. Disapproval filled his eyes. “Very well. We will do it your way. For now, at least.” He looked over at Aria and whispered into her ear.
“Well I’m glad that’s settled. We’ll go into town today to stock up on supplies, and Keira can buy more makeup.” Zane looked around the group, his stomach growled with hunger. “Now, let me get some food since you fuckers ate without me.” He stood up from the table and walked over to the buffet, Keira followed.
~~~~
Aria watched as Zane and Keira left the table. She was happy that Keira had encouraged Zane to let her come along to New York. However, she felt an unwanted pang of jealousy every time she looked at those two together. Get over yourself. It was one kiss. Clearly, he was just curious. There are plenty of men here. She couldn’t help but stare at the happy couple as they filled their plates.
“Are you alright?” Ryder asked.
“I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?” she responded quickly.
“Because you won’t stop clenching your fists and you just growled a little.” He glanced over at the buffet where Aria was staring.
“Oh.” She forced herself to unclench her fists and started to smooth out the tablecloth to keep herself busy. “It’s nothing.”
“You better fix whatever happened between you two,” he responded. “You don’t need that kind of distraction on the battlefield.” Aria sighed as she looked at Ryder, her shoulders slumped forward in defeat.
“Am I just an open book to you?” she asked quietly.
“No. I’ve just seen that look on your face before. And as your honorary big brother I am very protective.” He paused thoughtfully. “So, fix it or I’ll have to step in. And I can guarantee you won’t like my way of fixing it.” Ryder cracked his knuckles to emphasize his point. Aria sighed as she watched Zane and Keira laugh while making their way back to the table.
“Don’t worry.” She looked him in the eye. “There’s nothing to fix. Everything is as it should be.”
Chapter Eighteen
Earth
The next day arrived quickly. Bishop had secured them a ship that was leaving at midday. Zane and Keira were already waiting outside the hotel, smoking and joking while drinking their hot coffee. The autumn air was brisk and chilled Zane, even with his jacket on. Bishop and Mikayla joined them, huddling together against the cold.
Zane leaned into Bishop and whispered in his ear, “Keira is more physically demanding than I thought she would be.”
Bishop chuckled. “Don’t worry. It’ll slow down after a while.”
“I doubt that,” Zane sighed. “She has an insatiable appetite.” He stretched his back, hoping to relieve his tense muscles. The rest of the group began to arrive, all of them clutching their hot coffee for warmth. Aria was the last to arrive, a male was walking next to her and had his arm around her waist. She giggled as he whispered something into her ear then hugged her goodbye. Ryder saw the couple then looked over at Zane, a smirk on his face.
“Alright, let’s go,” Zane mumbled as he turned away from Aria. They retrieved their horses from the stables and secured their belongings in the saddle bags. Bishop led them to the port where a small boat waited for them. The captain greeted Bishop with a handshake and welcomed them aboard. They secured the horses and were shown to the cabin. Chairs and tables were scattered around the cabin, the lanterns on the tables created a warm glow.
Bishop placed a canvas bag on one of the tables and ushered everyone over. “I found these when I was at the market yesterday.” He pulled out a black cloak. “I got one for everybody. The hoods will help to hide your faces.” He nodded at the angels. “Plus, it’s getting cold out, and it’s only gonna get colder.”
“This is great,” Zane responded as he smacked Bishop’s shoulder. He grabbed the cloak and tossed it on. The cloak fell to his calves and the wool was warm. He smiled as he secured the decorative brass clasp in the front. The rest of the group picked out their own cloaks, a mixture of grey, black and dark blue.
Aria pulled on her dark blue cloak then sat at the table in the corner. Ryder came over and joined her, his grey cloak swaying as he walked. “I see you found some entertainment for yourself last night.” He smiled as he sat next to her.
“Yea.” She smiled, a soft blush on her cheeks. “Might as well enjoy the freedom while we can.” She looked over at the group. Kai was sitting at a table with Riley and Jackson, they were laughing so hard Aria was surprised their lungs hadn’t collapsed. Eliza and Myra had taken the other corner t
able, they were gawking at the men, giggling like schoolgirls. Zane and the rest of his group had sat at the table that Bishop had placed the cloaks on. It seemed they were having an important conversation. “So,” she nodded towards Zane’s group. “What do you think of them?”
“I’m not sure I trust Zane,” he responded with a grimace. “I feel like he’s hiding something from us, and I don’t like it.”
She nodded sadly. “I’ve noticed that as well. I think it’s because he doesn’t trust us. It’s obvious he’s skeptical of the reason we are here.”
“Well he needs to get over himself. This world doesn’t revolve around him. It’s a coincidence we happened to find him. Our mission would’ve been the same whether he was here or not.” He glared towards Zane.
“And?” she goaded him.
“And I don’t like the way he looks at you,” he hissed.
“How exactly does he look at me?” she wondered aloud.
“Like he owns you. You should’ve seen his face when you walked out with that guy this morning.” Ryder chuckled, a small smile of approval on his face.
“Maybe that was the plan.” Aria laughed. “Anyway, I shouldn’t tempt him. Keira is good for him. Besides, we’re only here for a short time. We should avoid as many complications as possible.”
“I agree,” he responded, searching her face for the truth. “You should inform Myra and Eliza though. They look like they want to jump all the humans they can while we’re here.” He chuckled as he looked over at the girls. “I’m honestly surprised Eliza hasn’t tried anything yet. It seems like she’s just trying to have as much fun as possible. Maybe Gabriel didn’t give her a secret agenda.”
Aria looked at Ryder, her face set in concentration. “Maybe,” she responded hesitantly.
“Anyway,” he continued. “The rest of his group seems to be straightforward. I like Bishop, he’s probably my favorite.”
“That’s only because he acts like you’re the greatest thing to walk this earth!” she laughed.