by Cynthia Eden
“They weren’t wolves,” Leo told her flatly. The flames had lit up the scene. “They were hellhounds.”
“I-I…know,” Trina gasped. “I saw…”
“They took the form of wolves because Ramiel wanted me to think the local pack had attacked.” Leo turned his head toward his brother. “Attacked because of your command.”
Luke swiped a hand over his face. “I haven’t told any wolves to attack humans. And Ramiel? Shit, isn’t that the tight-ass angel who spends so much time glaring at everyone? Judgmental SOB—”
“Ramiel betrayed me,” Leo said and the pain of that truth tore at him.
Mora eased to his side. “He’s telling the truth, Luke. I saw it all, in one of my visions. Ramiel was behind the attack. He was the one who has been summoning the hellhounds.”
Now Luke stalked toward them. With a wave of his hand, he had the last of the flames sputtering out. The bodies were gone. “Why in the hell would an angel want to do this? If he sent the hounds, then that means he was the one behind the first attack on you, Mora, centuries ago. There’s no reason why he would want—”
“Ramiel has visions,” Mora informed him, her voice soft. “I think he had a vision that was clearer than mine. And he was trying to make everyone see what was so wrong.”
A dull ringing sounded in Leo’s ears. “We should get out of here.” He pointed to Trina. “Get to safety. I’ll find you later—just protect yourself, okay?”
She nodded and took to the sky.
The knot in his stomach grew tighter. He watched as she disappeared. He’d wanted her gone because…
I didn’t want Trina to hear this part.
Mora’s fingers curled around his.
“I couldn’t heal her,” Leo whispered. He had to swallow down the rock that had lodged in his throat. “And I couldn’t save Merius.”
Luke let out a frustrated growl. “Since when can’t you save angels?”
Leo glanced at his brother. “Since when…can you?”
Luke blinked. “What?” Then he threw up his hands. “No, no way. No.”
Mora’s hold tightened on Leo. “I need to scry again…scry for both of you, but I know things have changed. Your fates have changed.”
“Not enough for me to heal an angel!” Luke blasted. “That’s impossible. I rule the dark. I don’t have any power over the light paranormals, I don’t—”
“Yet you just saved an angel,” Leo replied. There was no denial possible. “Want to try explaining that?”
Luke looked away from him. “Not like it’s the first time we’ve used our powers together to help someone. Wasn’t me. It was us.”
Leo wasn’t so sure of that. “Luke—”
But Luke’s wings flew out from his back. “If Ramiel was the one summoning the hellhounds, I’ll find him. I’ll make sure he doesn’t bring them back on this earth again—”
In a flash, Leo was at his side. His hand clamped around his brother’s arm. “No, I will.”
Luke stared at him. Their faces were the absolute same. Their eyes the same. Their power?
Different.
One was supposed to rule the light.
One was bound to the dark.
“You expect me to believe you’ll kill one of your precious angels?” Doubt was heavy in Luke’s voice.
“I’m not so sure they are mine.”
Luke frowned at him. “If you don’t control the angels any longer, then who—what—do you control?”
Once upon a time, twin boys were born. One was predicted to be a bearer of light, the destined ruler who would protect all humans. He would fly through the skies and guard from above. He would be on the side of good. The righteous.
The other twin…his fate was to be much darker. No goodness was seen in his future. Witches feared him on first sight. Seers turned away, shuddering at the visions they saw.
Because he was born for darkness. Every creature that hid in the night would bow to him. He would rule them. The world would fear him.
He would do very, very bad things.
Leo shut his eyes as he remembered the story of their past. “I think you know.”
“Screw that.” Luke ripped away from him. “Here’s the deal, brother. If Ramiel summons the hounds, they’ll rise again in twenty-four hours. That’s how the spell works—twenty-four hours. You’re on a ticking clock, got it?”
Leo’s eyes opened.
The wind beat at Leo’s body as Luke took flight.
And in seconds, Luke was gone. Ash drifted around Leo. He felt the light touch of Mora’s fingers on his shoulder. “You understand what’s happened, don’t you?”
He put his hand to his chest. Inside, his beast was clawing and fighting to break free. “I understand that no matter what else fucking happens, you’ll always be mine.”
A tear slid down her cheek. “Leo…”
“Mine.” Then he took her into his arms and flew them the hell away from there.
***
Leo took Mora away from the blood and ash. Away from the location of a savage truth he wasn’t ready to face. He flew her back to Vegas, back past the busy streets and to the outskirts of Sin City.
Back to…
“Resurrection?” Mora gasped in his ear, her shock plain.
He lowered them down in front of her bar. A bar that was no longer burned to ash. A bar that wasn’t wrecked.
A bar that was…almost perfect again.
“Turns out,” Leo murmured as he kept a tight hold on her wrist, “it was a fitting name for this place.”
Her jaw had dropped. She stared at the ramshackle building in wonder. “This matters, Leo, more than you even realize.”
He stared at her. “I have a confession.”
Her stunned eyes swung toward him.
“I didn’t save Dax. He’s not alive because of me. But I’m a selfish bastard, and when you looked at me like I was a hero, like I’d done the right thing and made you proud, I just went with it.” He eased out a slow breath. He felt like some nervous kid.
She blinked. “What? But Dax said—”
“Yeah…” His thumb slid along her inner wrist. Her frantic pulse raced beneath his touch. “About that. I’m guessing he doesn’t know I have a twin. Dax saw someone with my face and just assumed it was me.”
She licked her lips—those delectable lips that had haunted him forever. “You’re saying that Luke saved Dax.”
“Becoming a habit, isn’t it?” His thumb stilled. “He saves the day.” Leo paused. “So what does that mean I do? Destroy it?”
She glanced away from him, her gaze sliding back to Resurrection. “You didn’t destroy this place. You rebuilt it.”
“Magic can fix almost anything. It was actually easy to repair this place. Getting the humans to forget they’d battled a four alarm fire here? That was the tricky part.”
“Why?” She wasn’t looking at him. “Why do this?”
“Because the place mattered to you. And I wanted to give you something because you matter to me.”
She took one step toward the building. Another. Her hand slid free of his grip, but Leo just fell into step behind her. Vaguely, he had the thought that he might just follow her anywhere.
So how far fucking gone and obsessed was he?
Mora reached the main door. She tried to turn the handle, but it was locked. A wave of Leo’s hand produced the key, and then they were inside.
“It’s the same.” She spun around in a circle, her gaze flying in every direction. “You fixed everything.”
For you.
He waited until her stare came back to him. And when it did, tension swept between them. Less than five feet separated them, but he thought that was a good thing. He needed to be away from her for what would come next.
Behind her, he could see the big mirror that hung over the bar. His reflection was in that mirror, and he looked dark. Intense. Dangerous. He eased out a slow breath. “I can be more than a monster.”
“I
never said you were—”
“I know. I know what’s coming.” He kept his own voice low. Kept his control in place. It was a battle, though, because his beast was changing. “You think I can’t feel it? Inside?”
She took one step toward him, but then stopped herself. “Leo…”
“I can’t heal angels. I couldn’t even convince the humans to forget the fire here…I had to call in some vamps to do the deed because they owed me a few favors.” He laughed, and the sound was bitter. “I’m going to kill an angel. I want to hunt him right now and rip him apart. That’s not something the Lord of the Light does.” He forced his hands to unclench. “But Ramiel sealed his fate the instant he went after you.”
She stared at him. Her eyes were so deep.
“We both know what I am. That old prophesy has followed me for my entire life.” Leo couldn’t look away from her. “The real question is…can you handle it? Can you handle me?” Even as he asked the question, he feared her answer. If she was afraid, if she wanted to leave him, could he stand back? Could he let her go?
“I can handle anything.” She gave him a smile that broke his heart. “Haven’t you heard? I’m Fate. Immortal. Everlasting.” Mora closed the distance between them.
“You’re Mora.” You’re mine. I can’t lose you. I will fight anyone and anything for you. He pulled her against him. Their bodies brushed. His hand rose and curled under her chin as he tipped back her head. “This is it…the only chance I can give you.”
“A chance to do what?”
He could stare into her eyes forever. “To run away from the big, bad beast.”
Mora licked her lips. Then she rose onto her toes and pressed her silken lips against his. “You are bad.”
His muscles locked down.
“And I know you carry a beast inside of you.” She nipped his lower lip. “But I will never, ever run from you. Not again.”
Then it was done. No going back. Not for either of them.
He took her mouth, kissing her with a rush of passion and driving need. Mora. His Mora. Not afraid of him. Even knowing the darkness that plagued him, his beast…
She still wanted him.
He could taste the desire in her kiss. Feel it in her touch. Her nails were raking down his arms. Her breasts—with her nipples tight—were pushing against his chest. Her mouth was greedy on his. So eager.
Desperate, just as he was.
He picked her up in his arms and carried her to the long, gleaming bar. He sat her on the edge, and her legs splayed open. He stepped between them, the position putting his cock right at the entrance of her body.
“Clothes are in the way,” Mora gasped.
He waved his hand. Gave a stray thought with his magic…and their clothes were gone. She was naked before him. Her hands flew back and slapped down on the bar top as she arched against him. His cock was heavy and full, so ready to thrust deep into her.
But he didn’t. Not yet.
Leo took her nipple into his mouth. Sucked. Licked. He used his teeth in the softest bite. She moaned and arched toward him. Mora was wet. Hot. The heat between her legs pressed against him. It would be so easy to sink into her.
Like sinking into heaven.
Better.
He kissed his way to her other breast. Licked and nipped and savored. He loved the moans she gave in the back of her throat and the way she whispered his name. As if he were the only man in the world who mattered to her. As if…
As if I were just a man.
His hand slid between her spread legs. He stroked her sex, bringing her need to a fever pitch. Leo felt as if he’d explode any moment, but he didn’t want to let go. Not yet.
When you touched paradise, you didn’t just let go.
You fucking savored it.
He thrust two fingers into Mora. She was so tight and hot that he thought he’d go out of his mind.
And he knew…
Must taste.
He bent before her. Pushed her thighs farther apart. Then Leo put his mouth on her. Her whole body jerked at the brush of his lips against her sweet sex, but Mora didn’t pull away. She arched toward him. And he licked and sucked and worked her with his tongue and his fingers until she wasn’t just whispering his name any longer.
She was screaming it.
Mora came against his mouth, and he loved the taste of her pleasure. He licked his lips, wanting every last drop of her, then he slowly rose. His dick was rock hard, his control shredded. She was the only thing he saw. The only thing that mattered in his world.
The obsession that had haunted him for centuries.
“Why do you always make me wait?” Her husky voice was the most sensual temptation.
“You’ll never wait again.” He drove into her. His hands grabbed the bar’s edge, and he held on with an iron grip. The beast in him wanted to take and take and take, but Leo knew he couldn’t.
Not from her.
He withdrew, then thrust deep, driving right against the edge of her clit and making her shiver against him. She was tight and wet from her release, and he knew she was sensitive. So making her come again for him…
Easy.
He thrust. Withdrew.
Her sex squeezed his length, and his eyes slammed shut, but even then, he could still see her. Every inch of perfection, his dream.
He drove into her again. She climaxed once more, gasping out his name.
This time, he was with her. His thrusts became harder, wilder, and then he was erupting inside of Mora. Sinking into her and never, ever wanting to let her go.
She was the one thing that made his world better. The one thing that he needed.
He kissed her neck. Took in her sensual scent.
As long as he had Mora, Leo had everything that he needed. Everything he wanted.
Without her…
His eyes opened. He pulled his hands away from the bar and his fingertips trailed gently down her arms. Her breath came in ragged pants—so did his. Her eyes still gleamed with pleasure, and as he stared at her, Mora smiled.
It was a smile that she gave to a man, not a beast.
I can’t be without her.
His chest burned. There were so many things that he wanted to say to Mora. But…
His gaze fell to the bar and he saw the deep, claw marks that he’d left in the wood. He hadn’t even realized that his claws had come out. Had his beast been that close to the surface? So close that he could have hurt Mora?
Stunned, Leo withdrew from her. He eased back, still staring down at the deep marks etched into the wood.
Her fingers trailed over those marks. She stayed up on the bar top, naked and sexy, and didn’t seem to realize just how much danger she was truly in.
I’m the danger. His heart pounded faster. “I…I can fix that.” I can fix all of this. I can make everything right…
Couldn’t he?
But Mora shook her head and his chest burned even more. Burned as if fire were churning inside of him. “Mora…”
“I don’t want it fixed.” She looked up and a smile was on her face. A smile? “I want to be able to look at these marks and remember exactly how they happened. I want to remember that we were so wild for each other we didn’t care about anything else.”
His control had been too frayed. “I could have used my claws on you.” He took another step away from her.
Her laughter followed him. “I don’t think so.”
He rubbed his chest. She was naked. He was naked. And, shit, he couldn’t think when she just sat there, her breasts bare for him and her body tempting. He waved his hand and clothes appeared on him, then her.
Mora sighed. “Disappointing. I’d rather hoped we were just getting started.”
She hoped—
“I could have used my claws on you!” Leo said again, voice ragged. “And you want my touch again? Why?”
Her gaze hardened. She jumped off the bar and landed on her feet. Then she stalked toward him. “You wouldn’t use them on me.”
Fuck, fuck.
She put her hand on his chest, resting her palm right over his heart. “I’m not afraid of you, Leo. I know exactly what you are.” She rose onto her toes. She licked his jaw.
He shuddered.
His dick jerked. He’d just had her and already…Want her again. Always want her.
Her hand curled around his neck and she pulled him toward her. Their mouths were barely an inch apart. “Do you think I’m afraid?”
“Maybe you should be.” He wanted her fucking mouth. He wanted her—again. Always.
“I’m not.” Her right hand was around his neck and her left still rested against his heart. “Sometimes, I’m afraid for you, but I’m not afraid of you.”
What?
“I also think,” Mora continued, voice ever so careful, “that you’re the one who is afraid. You know what’s happening and you think—”
“That I’ll lose myself? That I’ll give in to the beast inside of me?” Yeah, he did know. Neither one of them had said the words at that carnage scene in the desert. They’d flown away from that terrible place, and then he’d fucked her. Why? Because to him, fucking her was more necessary than breathing.
“No more doubt.” She bit his lip.
He growled.
“I think it’s time for you to truly see.” She glanced over her shoulder and peered at the mirror that hung over her bar. “I’ll show you the future. Good. Bad. Everything in between.”
“Yes…”
She licked his lower lip. “But first, I want something from you.”
Anything.
“I want you to tell me how you feel. About me.”
Like she didn’t know. Like everyone didn’t fucking know. “There’s a reason Ramiel targeted you. Why he sent those hellhounds after you.”
She stared into his eyes. Her scent was making him drunk. “He wanted to break you,” she said and her lips twisted. “He should have known you were stronger than that.” Mora pulled away from him. Turned to fully face the mirror. She looked up and her gaze met his in the glass. “I don’t have enough of a hold to matter that much to you. You lived for centuries without me. I realize…I understand you’re not tied to me, but I just wanted to know that I mattered, a little bit, and—”