Remembering what he taught her, she threw her weight backwards, making her body vertical. Harper then dug her heels down as she beat her wings harder and harder. And she somefuckinghow came to a smooth stop a couple of inches above the bed of the ravine.
And there was her mate, leaning against the rock wall, looking impressed. She guessed he’d pyroported there – she didn’t care. All she cared about doing was beating the ever-loving shit out of him.
Letting her feet touch the ground, she bore down on him. “You insane motherfucker! I could have died on impact!” Before she could smack the bastard, flames roared around him, pyroporting him away.
“But you didn’t,” he said from behind her, a smile in his voice.
She whirled on him. “Sheer luck saved me!”
“Technique and muscle memory saved you,” Knox corrected. “You came to a perfect stop. Well done, baby.” She’d done better than he’d expected.
“You frightened the shit out of me!”
“I did, but are you scared of falling anymore?”
Her mouth opened, but no words came out… because no, she wasn’t. “That was sneaky,” she said, narrowing her eyes.
“But effective.”
Harper couldn’t deny that, and his smirk said he knew it. “Don’t be smug.”
“Don’t sulk,” he said.
“You’re supposed to be teaching me how to fly, remember?”
He moved to her and cupped her neck. “I would have caught you if necessary; you know that.” She was never at any risk.
“That’s not the point.”
He held out his hand, and she reluctantly placed hers in his. “I’m going to hold onto you until you’re comfortable in the air. Even though you’ve mastered ascending, flying is somewhat different. You associate being balanced with standing upright and having your feet on the ground. You’re not used to moving horizontally or relying on wings to move your body. Try not to kick your legs.”
“Why would I kick my legs?”
“Because you’ve always relied on your legs to get you where you want to go – even swimming, you use your legs. It’s instinctive to move them, but it will affect your balance.” He squeezed her hand. “Ready?”
She took a preparatory breath. “Yeah.”
“Ascend.” Together, they gracefully moved upwards until they were a quarter of the way up the ravine. “Good. Now tip forward, but beat your wings at the same time. Forget your legs, they’re not going to move you. Only your wings will.” She wobbled a little at first, but soon enough she was in position. “That’s it.”
Following his every instruction, Harper focused on moving only her wings as they flew hand-in-hand in loose circles, going higher and higher. She was enjoying herself… until she quickly glanced down and swore. She hadn’t realized they were that high.
“You’ll be fine.”
“Okay, but don’t let go.”
“Tuck your legs up to your stomach.”
She frowned. “Why?”
“Do it.”
So she did, and then she was squealing because he made her do a forward flip. But she wasn’t angry. In fact, she was laughing. Her demon was having the time of its life, what with all the adrenalin pumping around Harper’s system.
“Baby, look.”
“What?” That was when she realized he’d let go of her hand. And, of course, she dropped like a lead weight. Cursing, she slowed her descent and came to a sharp halt in the air. She scowled at her mate as he flew in circles around her. “I should have known you’d let go.”
“How will you learn if I’m always holding your hand?” Curling an arm around her waist, Knox pulled her close. “You’re tired. Come on, we’ll fly to the top and then we’ll go home.” Once they reached the top of the cliff, he pyroported them straight to the bathroom. “We both need a shower. Then we can go over all the security measures for Saturday.”
“You think Crow will strike at the shindig, don’t you?”
“The Underground will be packed with people, which makes it the perfect time for him to make his move.”
“The doormen of the club can watch out for him.”
“Yes, but he could have another demon teleport him to the Underground for a price.” It was what the dark practitioners had done when they’d snatched Harper. Knox wasn’t going to overlook the possibility of it happening a second time. “If one of the Horsemen can teleport, they could sneak him inside.” Like Harper, Knox’s money was on Alethea being Crow’s puppeteer. “The point is we have to be ready for anything.”
“We know he likes guns, so there’s a strong possibility he’ll just open fire.” She helped him shove down her jeans and panties before kicking them and her shoes aside.
“Which is why we’ll be surrounded by the sentinels and members of the Force. But guards or no guards, you don’t leave my side.” Knox whipped off her shirt and bra. And froze. “Fuck.”
Harper smiled a little shyly as he stared at her new nipple ring. “Devon did it for me. You approve?”
Knox gently thumbed the ring on her unbranded breast, and her soft moan shot straight to his thickening cock. “You know I don’t like rhetorical questions.” He flicked the ring again, watching her face carefully. “Does it hurt?”
“It did until a few hours ago.” Demons thankfully healed fast.
“Good.” So unbelievably turned on it wasn’t even funny, Knox swooped down and curled his tongue around her pierced nipple. Her fingers pulled at his hair – a demand for more. He gently tugged on the ring with his teeth, and her body curved into his with a breathy little moan. Knox quickly shed his own clothes and then tapped her ass. “Shower.”
Harper stepped into the walk-in shower first, and he turned on the water. The LED ocean-blue lights came on just as the twelve-inch square rain shower sprayed down on them. Then his mouth was on hers, greedy and possessive; kissing her so fiercely that her head spun. He tasted of him and wine and the water raining down on them. His hands stroked and squeezed her ass as his tongue and teeth devastated her senses.
Her breasts seemed to swell and her pussy clenched, needing to be filled. Needing him. A kiss shouldn’t have this much power over her body, but it did. He did. His knowing, confident fingers traced and shaped her. She shivered and goosebumps rose on her skin.
Knox broke the kiss and sat on the bench. “Come here.” As she moved to stand between his legs, he scooped up her breasts and held them to his mouth. “All for me.”
He feasted on her breasts – there was no other way Harper could describe it. His teeth grazed and bit. His tongue licked and swirled. Each tug on her nipple ring caused a jolt of pleasure in her pussy. And when he drew her unpierced nipple deep into his mouth and sucked hard… oh, that got him some bonus points. All she could do was cling to his solid shoulders.
Finally, he lifted his head and his mouth once more took total command of hers, swallowing every sigh and moan. “In me.” She hated how needy she sounded, but she was so desperate to be fucked, she was shaking with it.
Knox tapped her full lower lip. “First, I want this mouth wrapped tight around my cock.” Defiance glittered in her sapphire eyes, and he slowly arched a brow. “It’s mine. Mine to fuck whenever I want to.” Her jaw tightened, but she slowly got to her knees. “Good girl.”
Good girl? Since Harper was seriously considering slapping his face, she wasn’t sure the word “good” was the right choice. She needed him in her, dammit. Her nipples were tight and throbbing, and her pussy felt hot and painfully empty.
“Harper.”
It was a warning and it vibrated with power and authority. Curling one hand around the base of the long, full cock bopping in front of her face, Harper took it into her mouth. She sucked and licked for all she was worth, knowing exactly what drove him to the edge. His hand held the back of her head, controlling her pace, and he whispered little compliments in a thickly possessive voice – told her she was perfect for him, made for him, would only ever belong to hi
m.
Harper jerked as an ice-cold fingertip circled her clit, sending a tremor quaking through her. Instantly, that all too familiar burn began to sizzle her nerve endings. Motherfucker. The psychic finger expertly rubbed and flicked and plucked at her clit. She moaned around his cock as she bucked her hips, seeking more. Then two cold fingers abruptly drove deep inside her. She gasped in both shock and pleasure.
“Shush. Take it.” Knox worked the psychic fingers in and out of her, fueling the fiery ache he’d sparked inside her pussy. Her mouth was sheer fucking heaven and he couldn’t help but savor it. He’d taught her what he liked, and she always gave it to him. But when he felt the telling tingle at the base of his spine, he knew he had to stop her. “Enough, baby.”
Harper almost sobbed as the psychic fingers dissipated, making her pussy tingle and throb. If he didn’t get inside her soon, he really was going to get bitch slapped.
“Up,” Knox ordered. The sight of her gorgeous mouth all red and swollen made his cock pulse. “Do you want my cock in you, baby?”
She swallowed against the urge to tell him to fuck her now or go fuck himself. She knew one word would get her exactly what she wanted. “Please.”
Knox shot to his feet, lifted her, and pinned her against the tiled wall. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he slammed home; burying himself balls-deep in one smooth, possessive thrust. Her pussy – blazing hot and deliciously slick – clamped and rippled around his cock, and what little control he had left simply went.
Harper dug her nails into his back as he pounded in and out of her, stretching her hypersensitive walls. His dark eyes bore into hers, blazing with raw need. He was brutal and relentless. He was also parting her slick folds so he hit her clit with every feral thrust. Bastard. She was wound so tight, she could burst. “Fuck, I’m gonna come.”
“Not yet,” growled Knox. Her eyes bled to black, and the flesh on his back beneath her hands heated and prickled, but the pain instantly became pleasure. He was being branded, he instantly realized. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Fingers digging into her thighs, he hammered into her harder. Faster. Deeper. Those black eyes blinked, turning sapphire blue once again. “Make me come, Harper,” he rumbled against her mouth.
The words were like a trigger. Harper shattered with a scream, tightening her legs around him just as her pussy squeezed and milked his cock. She felt him swell inside her, and then his spine snapped straight as he exploded. Harper sagged over him, quaking with little aftershocks.
Knox kissed her neck as she came down from her orgasm. “We need to get to the mirror so I can find out what it looks like.”
It was only then she recalled that her demon had branded him. “I’m curious myself.” Their demons were bold and very possessive, so she doubted it would be at all understated.
Knox gently set her on her feet and turned off the spray. He wrapped a towel around her before grabbing one for myself. Then he angled his back to the mirror so he could see the brand. It was more like an extension of the one on his nape and expanded across both shoulders. It was masculine and tribal with solid black lines and pointed curves.
Rubbing her hair with a small towel, Harper said, “It makes you look even more like a bad-ass than you already do.” It was pretty hot, in her opinion. “Like it?”
Sensing that she was a little nervous about his answer, Knox turned to her and drew her close. “What do you think?”
Judging by the rock-hard cock now digging into her stomach… “I think you kind of like it. Or, at least, you like that the demon branded you.”
He brushed his mouth across hers. “I like both. And I really like this nipple ring.” He thumbed it through the towel. “I’m going to enjoy playing with it. Often.”
“As long as those psychic hands don’t start playing with it in public.” Her eyes narrowed as a lopsided smile curved his mouth. And she knew she’d just stupidly planted that idea in his head. She should just slap herself. Really.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
For Harper, everything about this particular spa created a serene, peaceful, and deliciously restful atmosphere. Not just the warm and cozy décor, but the incense burners, the relaxing soundtracks, the herbal aromas, the low lighting, and the snug fluffy robes. But right then, she wasn’t feeling restful. In fact, as Belinda stood at her side reading out the itinerary for the next day, Harper just wanted to whack the she-demon around the room with her own clipboard.
Harper was at the spa for a reason – a surely perfectly obvious reason: to relax. Simple.
Of course, it wasn’t an easy thing when she was extremely conscious that the shindig would begin the following evening. By some miracle, though, Harper had been relaxing. As the massage therapist had kneaded and stretched her skin with fingers coated in a tingling oil, her body had loosened until she was like melted wax against the padded table.
Now she was clasping the edges of said table to stop herself from taking a swipe at the cambion, who had barged into the private room with her little clipboard firing out reminders… as if there weren’t four half-naked women being massaged right in front of her.
She wouldn’t let Belinda get to her. She wouldn’t. Inhaling a deep breath that was filled with citrus, Harper concentrated on the hands that were working magic on her muscles and the feel of the warm stones on her back. Her muscles were a little sore, thanks to her last flying lesson. God bless spas and —
“Are you even listening to me?” asked Belinda.
Harper sighed. “Honestly? No.”
Belinda planted one balled up hand on her hip. “The event takes place tomorrow evening. There is still a lot that needs to be done.”
Devon groaned in annoyance. “You do realize we brought Harper here to get her mind off all that stuff, right?”
Belinda gave Devon a haughty look. “This is much more important than a massage. These things need to be addressed now if the event is to run smoothly.” She turned back to Harper, but her gaze was on her clipboard. “A beauty team will arrive in the afternoon to take care of your hair, make-up, and other such things.”
“Not necessary. I can deal with all that myself.”
Belinda gaped. “You can’t seriously prefer to do this yourself. For heaven’s sake, you can’t do this yourself.”
Khloë looked up from her magazine. “Why can’t she?”
Belinda ignored the imp. “Harper, surely you want to look your best for Knox. You don’t wear much make-up; you would have no idea how to —”
“If I covered my face with layers upon layers of make-up and did my hair in some fancy twist, it would piss him off,” said Harper. “He doesn’t want a fake version of me.”
Belinda’s lips flattered. “I’ll speak with Knox about it.”
“Snitches get stitches, you know,” Khloë told her.
Glaring at the imp, Belinda spoke. “My job —”
“Is not to hang around him like a bad smell,” said Khloë. “But you use every little opportunity to call him or go knocking on his office door.” Khloë flipped her page extra hard. “Just so you know, he thinks it’s pathetic. We laugh about you, like, a lot.”
Cheeks flushing, Belinda turned back to Harper. “I’ll cancel the team.”
“Wasn’t so hard, was it?” said Harper.
Belinda flapped her arms, almost knocking over the tray of oils and lotions. “I’m trying to help you, Harper. If you go to that event looking like nothing but a warmed-up version of yourself, you will embarrass him in front of the other guests. Is that really what you want?”
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