“How, by kissing me again?”
That sounded appealing but it wouldn’t prove anything other than she still felt attracted to him, unless he wanted her to kiss him when he was nine feet tall and black all over.
“Change,” Erin commanded and got comfortable on the bed, sitting with her legs crossed and her hands in her lap so she didn’t flash Veiron.
He looked uncertain.
“It’s the only way. Show me the other side of you, the one you think I fear, and I’ll show you that it doesn’t scare me.” Well, it didn’t scare her as much as he thought it did anyway.
“Very well.” Veiron stepped back, coming to stand in an open space in the large pale room.
He looked up and stretched one arm above his head. Erin realised he was checking the ceiling height. He seemed pleased that he couldn’t touch it. Was that his measure for how much he grew?
He took a few deep breaths, looked as though he was going to go through with it, and then stopped and glanced at her. “You’re sure about this?”
She nodded. “I want to see you as you are, Veiron. You don’t have to hide around me.”
He drew a slow breath, his chest expanding with it, and blew it out.
“Wait,” she said and he blinked. “Will bad guys come if you change?”
They hadn’t so far when he had been showing his wicked side but she didn’t want to risk being found.
Veiron shook his head. “No. There are protection spells on the house. No one will sense me.”
Erin nodded again, satisfied that he wasn’t about to alert his own kind to his location by using his powers.
His eyes began to change. Were they always the first thing to alter? Was the occasional hint of red around his irises a warning that he was on the verge of turning demonic?
Pale golden flecks swirled amongst the scarlet, entrancing her. They gave his eyes an otherworldly look and she couldn’t drag hers away. The skin around them darkened, slowly turning black. The change swept outwards from there and other things began to happen. When the black reached his shoulders, his jaw tensed and he began to grow, muscles expanding at the same rate as his height. His jeans disappeared, replaced by a black swath of material that covered his hips, and darkness continued to sweep down his legs. By the time it reached his feet, Veiron stood three feet taller, the top of his head close to the ceiling, and at least twice as broad as he had been.
He wasn’t finished.
He growled, exposing rows of red sharp teeth, twisted his head to one side and wings grew from his back. He stretched them as wide as they could go, so the longest feathers touched the walls either side of him. They were beautiful, crimson feathers shining in the lamplight, stealing her breath. She stared at them now, drawn to watching the way the scarlet slowly drained downwards and dripped from there to the floor like blood, revealing black feathers beneath. When the red was gone, the feathers fell away in clumps, falling into the blood and exposing black leathery membrane beneath. Finally, a large claw grew from the joint in the top of each wing. Veiron flapped them and then furled them against his back.
Erin had expected to feel some residual fear but all she felt was compassion. He stood before her, demonic, vicious-looking, but there was no trace of pride or any threat of danger. His eyes were downcast, body held in a way that made her want to stand and cross the room to him, and wrap her arms around his thick waist to let him know that whatever he was feeling, she was there for him.
He was nine feet tall, black all over, and his eyes glowed like the fires of Hell, but he was still Veiron. His features hadn’t changed. They had only grown larger. He was like a slightly scarier and black Hulk.
Erin hated to see him staring at the floor, braced for a reaction he was convinced would be negative. She wanted to prove to him that he couldn’t be more wrong about her. She wasn’t afraid of him.
He was still Veiron.
She would prove that.
Erin got to her feet on the bed, wobbled a bit on the soft mattress, and then straightened, facing him. His gaze slid to her and he frowned, turning his expression evil and vicious.
“Come to me.” She held her hand out to him.
He didn’t move.
Erin held both hands out to him and tried again. “Please, Veiron.”
He huffed, sounding every bit the beast, and slowly approached her. She still wasn’t quite eye level with him even when she was standing on the bed. Erin flexed her fingers to stop them from shaking. She didn’t want Veiron to think that she feared him, even when she did a little. He was so big up close, his eyes blazing red and gold, reminding her of the fiery rivers of Hell.
Erin lifted her hand and lightly ran her fingers down his cheek. His black skin was rough beneath their tips. He sneered and took a step back. She caught his thick arm in both hands so he couldn’t distance himself again. He might want to believe that she was scared of him but she wasn’t going to let him.
The tattoos that curled around his biceps and up to his shoulders were still visible, the red showing on his black skin. She traced them upwards and he closed his eyes, exhaling through his nose. Erin swallowed and continued, stroking the muscled incline of his shoulders to his neck.
From there, she swept both of her palms up to catch his cheeks. They were huge against her hands, making them look tiny. When she bravely ran her right thumb across his lower lip, his mouth opened and he hissed through his sharp red teeth.
“Look at me, Veiron,” Erin whispered and he obeyed, his black lashes lifting to reveal those incredible eyes. She stared into them, studying the way the flecks of gold shifted amongst crimson. He blinked slowly, eyes never leaving hers, calm and quiet. She felt as though he was a feral beast, a lethal predator, and somehow she held him under her control.
Erin leaned in and gently kissed his lips.
He instantly changed back, his mouth moving against hers the whole time and his hands coming to claim her waist. Erin slid her arms around his neck when he was short enough that she now towered above him, and sighed into his mouth, enjoying the soft sweep of his lips across hers.
Veiron drew back again. “Why did you do that?”
Erin brushed her palm across his cheek and felt sorry for him when she saw hope and anger battling in his eyes. What sort of life had this man led to make him believe that a woman could never like his other side?
“Because I wanted to, Veiron.”
He closed his eyes and lowered his head. Erin stopped him, lifting his chin, not wanting him to hide away from her. She wanted him to see in her eyes that she was telling the truth and she had wanted to kiss him when he had been demonic. She hadn’t done it to prove anything. She had done it because it had felt natural and she had still desired him. Demonic or not, he was still the most gorgeous man she had ever met. He was still Veiron.
“No one has ever kissed me when I’m like that.” Those low-spoken words stirred pity in her soul and she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him.
“Do you believe me now?” she whispered into his ear and kissed the lobe.
Veiron nodded, pushed her back, and kissed her again, his lips searing hers, dominant and hungry, everything she had wanted their first kiss to be. She leaned into the kiss, a burning need for more igniting inside her, and tangled her tongue with his. His fingers tightened against her back, pulling her flush against his body, and Erin moaned.
The door opened.
“God, Veiron, put it away... you’ll scare the poor girl!” Taylor’s voice was a high-pitched squeak of horror.
Veiron growled and pulled away, and Erin looked down in time to catch a glimpse of his hard length. Impressive didn’t cover it.
Unfortunately, Veiron did. He waved a hand and his black jeans snapped back into place on his legs, spoiling her fun.
“I brought you some clothes, Erin,” Taylor said, her gaze fixed on the floor. “And Einar needs to speak to you, Veiron.”
Veiron sighed. He looked back into Erin’s eyes and she s
miled, showing him that it was fine and he should go and speak to Einar. It was probably more important. Her heart screamed that nothing was more important than where that kiss might have been heading. She told it to shut up. Veiron would come back soon enough and she would be waiting for him when he did, and they would continue where they had left off.
He smoothed his palm over her cheek.
“Are you sure you’ll be alright alone?” he said, deep baritone making her insides flip and heart warm.
Erin nodded. “I’ll be right here, stuffing my face like a pig.”
“You need to sleep. Get some rest and I’ll come check on you later.”
She didn’t nod this time. She didn’t want to sleep. If she closed her eyes, she would relive everything she had been through, or worse, she would start seeing the terrible things that often haunted her dreams.
The only times she hadn’t had nightmares recently were the two instances where she had fallen asleep on Veiron.
He kissed her cheek. “I won’t be long.”
Erin managed a smile. He padded barefoot from the room, leaving her alone with Taylor. Erin sat on the bed and picked at the fruit again. Taylor set the clothes down on a chair in the corner of the room. Erin appreciated the offer but the thought of dressing like Taylor didn’t appeal. She didn’t want to give Veiron a reason to see Taylor whenever he looked at her, not when she had just started believing that he might be telling her the truth and might be over the part-demon beauty.
Taylor sat on the bed beside her.
And grinned.
“So, you want the dirt on Hell boy or not?"
Erin smiled and nodded.
CHAPTER 11
Burning.
Everything was burning.
Not Hell this time. London. Erin’s city blazed below her. Sirens wailed, drowning out the screams of dying people and the murderous shrieks of the creatures responsible for their demise. Buildings crumbled and spewed flames so hot they reached her even though she was high above the horrific scene.
Flying.
The sound of wings beating air surrounded her.
Her wings.
She looked down at her waist. Strong male hands held it. Not her wings.
“Veiron?” she said, sure that he was the one behind her, holding her close to his body, carrying her away from the terror of her city burning to the ground.
They reached an area beyond the fiery inferno and destruction and he set her down on an untouched rooftop. The black tar was sticky beneath her feet, melting from the heat of the fire only a few hundred yards away.
He walked around her and Erin frowned and backed away a step.
Not Veiron.
The angel before her had snow-white hair and eyes as pale as frosted grass. He wore rich blue armour edged with silver and his silver-blue wings stretched and then furled against his back. Twin curved silver blades hung at his hips, knocking against the rectangles of metal that protected his backside and groin.
“Who are you?” Erin said, her voice wavering. The world distorted, trembled beneath her feet, and a building in the distance collapsed, sending a huge plume of ash into the air.
“Your guardian angel.” Those words were calm and cold, as void of emotion as his jade eyes. He drew his blades and held them down at his sides and Erin moved another step backwards, eyeing them and then the flat rooftop.
She didn’t know this man and instinct said to keep some distance between them. “Where are you taking me?”
“Somewhere you will be safe.”
Why didn’t she believe those words? He spoke them with warmth, with a flicker of concern across his handsome face, but they felt cold to her, unfeeling and dark. Wherever this man intended to take her, she would be far from safe.
“Come, Erin.” He sheathed one blade and held his left hand out to her. “We must go now before it is too late.”
The ground shook again.
Erin threw a glance around her at the flames now licking up the sides of the building. The heat of them scorched her skin, driving her away from the edge, closer to the angel stood in the centre of the roof. She had no choice. It was go with him or die here.
Erin swallowed and held her hand out to him.
Their fingers almost touched.
Veiron came up out of nowhere behind the angel, launching high into the air, his double-ended spear held above his head in both hands with one of the curved blades pointed directly downwards at the man’s back.
Only he didn’t look like the Veiron she knew. No black armour or long scarlet hair. His armour was blue and silver, the same as the angel’s, and his pale wings shone in the light of the fires blazing around them. His hair was short now, wild on top, and no tattoos adorned his powerful arms.
He yelled and came down hard at the man in front of her, one knee tucked up to his stomach and the other leg stretched out long behind him.
The angel turned with his blade in a blur and knocked Veiron’s spear aside.
“I should have put you down when I had the chance,” the angel snarled and attacked.
“Veiron!” Erin screamed and ran for him.
Everything slowed and then fell apart. The world unravelled around her and a new nightmare constructed itself in its place. Endless black caverns lit by an inferno that shattered the basalt around her. Tall black rock spires towered over her in a semi-circle, closing her in. Before her, a huge obsidian fortress rose so high into the air that she couldn’t see the top of the spiky towers.
A muffled cry brought her attention snapping down to the wide black curved steps and the tall arched entrance of the fortress.
Veiron.
Erin ran forwards across the black paved courtyard.
A man stepped out from behind Veiron and hauled him up, holding him suspended off the steps by his neck. The man’s golden eyes slid to her and his handsome pale face contorted into a cruel smile.
The Devil.
“Leave him alone!” Erin shouted even though she knew it was useless. Her gaze flicked back to Veiron. Black ribbons of smoke held him now, threaded around his arms and legs. They slowly tightened and she gasped as they cut into his flesh and crushed his obsidian armour against his chest, forearms and shins. Blood streamed down his limbs and dripped to the floor beneath his feet. Erin kept running, heading straight for him.
She hit an invisible wall just three metres away from the steps.
“Please... you’re hurting him!” Erin rained her fists down on the barrier, tears filling her eyes.
The smoke dissipated and Veiron crashed to the floor, hitting the curved black steps at a vicious angle. He tumbled down them and lay close to her feet, broken and bleeding, barely breathing.
Erin crouched and pressed her hands against the invisible wall that separated them.
“Veiron?” she whispered and her tears cut down her cheeks, hot and fierce. Her heart ached so painfully that she couldn’t breathe. “Please wake up. Let me know you’re alive.”
He wheezed. The action caused blood to pump from the slices across his stomach. It poured over his skin and pooled beneath him, spreading outwards towards her. Her heart wrenched when he moved, slowly pushing himself up onto his elbows, and tore his battered chest plate away. It clattered across the black paving and landed at the Devil’s feet.
The Devil stepped over it and approached, neatening the cuffs of his black jacket and shirt, so casual that she wanted to punch a hole in his head to wipe the snide look off his face.
Veiron almost made it into a sitting position, swaying violently all the while. Erin flinched when the Devil pressed one polished leather shoe against Veiron’s chest and slammed him back down with such force that the black paving splintered beneath him.
Veiron choked up blood.
“Leave him alone!” Rage curled through Erin’s veins, heating it and driving her to action. She smashed her fists against the barrier and let out an inhuman growl. “I swear I will kill you if you hurt him.”
The
Devil didn’t heed her words. He stepped up onto Veiron’s chest and positioned his other foot against Veiron’s chin. He was going to snap his neck.
Fear pounded in Erin’s blood, her heart beat violently in her chest, and dark red flames flickered over her hands and licked up her arms.
The sight of them seemed to please the Devil.
He smiled at her, a glimmer of sick satisfaction crossing his face, and then shoved his foot forwards.
Erin screamed, threw her hands out in front of her, and everything exploded into a bright crimson fireball.
She shot up in bed.
Darkness surrounded her.
Erin breathed hard, pulse racing and limbs trembling, cold sweat trickling over her bare skin. Her stomach twisted and turned, and she doubled over, fighting the urge to throw up. It wasn’t real. It wasn’t real. It was just another bad dream. She could still smell the stench of burning flesh and Veiron’s blood.
Could hear the Devil laughing.
The door burst open, flooding the room with blinding white light, and Erin threw herself away from it. Her heart leapt into her throat, her legs tangled in the sheets and she hit the floor. She clutched the green bedclothes around her, shaking all over, and peered over the top of the mattress to the door.
A shadowy figure stood in the bright doorway, a long blade in one hand.
It reached into the room.
The light flicked on.
Veiron.
His bright crimson eyes scoured the room, as though looking for an intruder, and then settled on her. They widened and concern filled them.
“Erin?” He stalked into the room. “I felt you panic and I thought someone had come for you. What’s wrong?”
She couldn’t look at him. She felt so stupid. It had just been one of her usual nightmares and he had come rushing in like the cavalry, sword in hand, ready for battle. She picked herself up off the floor, weak knees threatening to give out, and pulled herself back onto the bed. She didn’t stop shaking.
What on Earth did she look like? She was soaked with sweat, trembling, and her heart was still pounding against her chest.
“Turn out the light.” She burrowed into her knees, feeling like a fool for getting so worked up over a dream. “I look like a mess.”
Her Demonic Angel (Her Angel Romance Series Book 5) Page 12