by Emma Shade
“Mara, a man only wants sex and,” Coren started, but I held up a hand to stop him.
“Watch who you put in that man category, Coren. Lest you put yourself in the same.” I turned on my heel and away from Lor and Coren.
They continued to stare each other down, and I turned the corner on Main and in the direction of a coffee shop.
“Men,” I grumbled.
“Yes, men are the bane of our existence.” A man leaned against a bakery’s brick wall. His blond hair rimmed his ears, his nose said Roman God, and his body curved with muscles behind his fitted shirt. He inspected his nails and then looked at me. At least I thought he looked at me. He hid his eyes behind dark sunglasses. “But they make good soldiers when necessary.”
I reached for my sword, only to realize Coren still had it. Stupid, stupid, stupid. “Who are you?”
He followed my hand in search of my sword and smiled. “I’m not here to hurt you. I’m here to enlighten you.” He took a step forward. “My name is Aralim.”
I inspected his dark jeans, blue T-shirt, and his gorgeous face. He hadn’t appeared threatening. Panda bears didn’t either, though, but they’d rip you to shreds if you get too close. Aralim might be deadly.
My chin lifted, and I spread my feet in anticipation of a potential fight.
His eyebrow quirked at my stance. “Some demons can be angels, some angels can be demons. Always remember the highest waterfall has more than one leap.”
“What in the fuck does that even mean?”
“Mara?” Coren’s voice came from close by.
I looked back at Aralim, but he was gone. Simply vanished into thin air. No smoke left in his absence. Was he a ghost? A figment of my imagination?
“Over here,” I called out, my eyes searching the surroundings for the mysterious visitor. If another creature popped up to give me a “warning,” I was going to scream.
“Everything okay?” he asked, handing over my sword.
Taking it from his hands, I tucked it into my belt sheath. I refused to mention the stranger because there was no use in worrying him. “Peachy. Where did Lor go?”
Coren rolled his eyes. “He’ll meet us at your apartment tomorrow evening. The sun is coming up and we all need some rest.”
I nodded and looked over the area, including the rooftops. I’d have to ask Raven what demon wouldn’t smell like the stench of Hell. Aralim had smelled like lilacs and honey. If I saw him again, I’d ask what kind of cologne he used because Raven and I would buy stock in the shit.
Once we arrived back at my apartment, Coren pulled a few ingredients out of my pantry.
I observed him pour some sort of mix in a bowl. “When did you have time to buy groceries?”
“They have a thing called the internet and you can get groceries delivered.” Coren shook his head as he added milk. “It’s quite amazing, actually. I wish we had this when we had to hunt for food.”
“I tend to forget how old you are. At least if the apocalypse happens, you’ll be able to hunt for our food.”
He stopped his mixing and frowned. “Don’t joke about that. It’s not funny.”
Holding my hands up in surrender, I said, “Sorry. I didn’t realize joking about something impossible would be a sore subject.”
“What makes you think it’s impossible?” He poured the mixture in a hot pan.
“The myth is just something used to scare us all.”
Flipping the pancakes, he bit his lip but remained quiet. Too quiet.
“What? Do you know something I don’t know?”
He cleared his throat and tapped the spatula on the counter twice. “The apocalypse is highly possible. Actually, it could be closer than you could even imagine. One mistake, one wrong move, and the world would become a war zone in an instant.”
“Be realistic. The world already has war and famine. Sure, we could potentially have another world war or possibly another depression era.”
“What would you say if one person could cause the entire thing?” Coren removed the pancakes and added more mixture to the pan.
“Is that what they told you in Hell?” I snorted. “Because last I checked, the place was filled with gossips and liars.”
“Not exactly.” He placed a plate of steaming pancakes in front of me. Then dug in the cabinet for syrup.
My eyebrow rose in annoyance. “You’re always good at evading your time in Hell, aren’t you?”
He poured syrup on his pancakes until they resembled sticky soup. “I find that being evasive keeps them guessing.”
After he held the bottle up, I took the syrup from him. “You could say it’s withholding the truth, too. Being deceptive isn’t always a good thing.”
“Maybe. Maybe not,” he said and took a bite of his breakfast. He chewed and shrugged. “Deception isn’t always a lie. Sometimes it’s keeping things concealed for protection of those around us. Do you think you’d like to know everything Raven and Death face with each deceased?”
I shuddered. “No. I’d have nightmares forever.”
Coren held up his fork and made a checkmark in the air while he chewed.
His breakfast was close to being done and I’d yet to take a bite. We finished our plates in comfortable silence. The sun was up and exhaustion caused me to slide my half-eaten plate away. I wanted to watch some television and fall asleep, but Coren slept on the couch.
He seemed to understand what I wanted and said, “You can watch television until you fall asleep. I’ll sleep on the floor.”
I shook my head. “No, you can sleep on the couch as long as you don’t touch me. You can recline back and I’ll scrunch up. I’ll be out in no time, anyway.”
Nerves quivered through me. Being this close to Coren in an intimate setting wasn’t something I’d experienced since I’d began my demon-hunting career. But, it was only a couch, not a bed. I took a deep breath and curled up on one side of the couch, Coren on the other. I turned on an older sitcom and watched as long as I could before my eyes felt heavy.
CHAPTER 26
No one expects an angel to set the world on fire.
I snuggled closer against the warmth, a heartbeat a lullaby against my ear. Strong arms wrapped around me and pulled me closer.
The comfort of being embraced...wait.
My eyes snapped open and I took in my surroundings. The television now played an unknown movie. My sleep-riddled brain hadn’t caught up to my predicament. All I knew was that I was comfortable and warm on the couch. Until I looked down and saw an arm around my waist.
“Good morning,” Coren said, his voice muffled against my back.
I blinked a few times, trying to comprehend why I was on the couch. I rolled over and stared at Coren in confusion. He nuzzled against my neck, his warm breath fanning across my skin. His hair was mussed from sleep, and sometime during our sleep session, he’d lost his shirt and slept in only jeans. Not only that, but my shirt had ridden up and his hand caressed my bare stomach.
“What happened to you staying on your side of the couch?” I asked.
“I did.”
“Then why are we...” I couldn’t say cuddling. It wasn’t in my vocabulary.
His mouth curved into a sexy grin. “Actually, you were the one who moved. I bet you weren’t asleep five minutes before you flipped around and laid your head in my lap. Not that I mind. This is nice.”
I tried to get up, but Coren pulled me back down. “What are you doing?”
His hand lowered to my beltline. “Just a few more minutes?”
I opened my mouth to protest, but his fingers made their way to the front of my panties and I inhaled a sharp breath. When he flirted with each side of where I now wanted his fingers, my hips bucked on their own accord.
Coren kissed my neck as he brushed a finger against my clit and then went lower. He dipped inside of me and then back again. When he began to pay special attention to my clit, I groaned as my legs spread to allow him better access.
His har
dness pressed against my leg, and I snuck my hand in his jeans to wrap my hand around him. He hissed in a breath as my hand caressed his erection. Heat blossomed low in my belly, spreading to where his finger played.
I turned my head and kissed him. Our tongues mingled, and I groaned in his mouth, which only spurred him on more. My hand quickened around him, and his lungs heaved along with mine. His mouth moved to my ear, his tongue licking along the outer lobe.
Like a fire slowly spreading, the orgasm rocketed through me. I screamed out something unintelligible.
Coren shuddered. “Fuck.”
Wetness coated my fingers as he came. We both breathed in puffs of air as we came down from our climax. Sweat beaded along my brow, but I didn’t have the strength to wipe it away just yet.
He reached behind him and grabbed his shirt from the back of the couch. “Wipe your hands on this for now. I’ll help clean up as soon as I catch my breath.”
Cleaning my hands with his shirt, I chuckled.
His head tilted as he studied me. “What?”
“An orgasm is a great way to wake up.” I winked.
Laughing, Coren gave me a quick kiss and then removed himself to take care of the mess I helped him make.
This felt normal, this felt human. While I never imagined I’d sleep with Coren’s arms around me, I had no idea I’d allow him to touch me so intimately. Yet, it felt right in some weird way.
I sat up from the couch and smiled in satisfied bliss. He had redeemed himself from the front he’d put on when I’d met him. Coren may be a demon, but his heart was anything but evil. My smile fell when I realized Lucifer would kill Coren if he knew I cared for him. I glanced at the bathroom as the water shut off. I’d have to make sure my boss never, ever found out about whatever was going on between Coren and me.
Footsteps in the living room caused me to look up. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
I looked at him and took in every feature, every muscle, his honeyed eyes, and his presence in my apartment. I had no clue how long he’d be here, or how long it would take my boss to kill us both.
I gave him my best fake smile possible. “Nothing. Thinking about how much time I have left.”
Coren sat beside me on the couch and kissed the top of my head. “I won’t let anything happen to you. I’d risk my life if it meant you’d get your soul back.”
I closed my eyes. That was exactly what I was afraid he’d say.
*****
Night had fallen and demons had risen in droves.
My sword vibrated so many warnings that my fingers were becoming numb. Lucifer was testing us tonight. At first, there were small gremlin creatures with moving teeth, then a goat-like being with two heads, and now we had killed an ezzamuth, a beast resembling a spiny tree, complete with bark skin.
I rested against the wall with my sword, my hand dripping green, murky blood.
Raven rushed in and looked about as haggard as I felt. “What shit is this night?”
“Fuck if I know.” I shrugged.
She took off with her prey and I glanced at Coren. He held a long sword in his left hand and observed our surroundings. I had no idea where he’d gotten his sword, but it was deadly. The handle’s dark metal wrapped around his hand and the double-edged blade was razor-sharp. I watched it cut through a demon as if was made of butter and not scales.
Blood splattered his skin in an array of colors, testimony of the multitude of demons we had executed together. His sinewy muscles flexed with each movement, and with the lethal sword in his hand, he resembled a Roman warrior. A sexy warrior at that.
“Quit looking at me like that,” he murmured.
“Like what?” I surveyed the street instead of gawking at him.
Coren placed his fingers under my chin and moved my face to look at his. His lips met mine for a steamy kiss. When he pulled away, he smirked. “I can’t be distracted and do my job at the same time.”
“Tsk, tsk,” a rasping voice said from behind us.
We both reacted in an instant, but my sword pushed into the demon’s throat first. This one appeared humanoid with eyes the color of tangerines. Black hair cascaded down its back. Despite the odd mouth and weird-colored eyes, if you glanced at it, you’d think this was a person.
“You’ve been a bad girl.” It laughed with multiple rows of teeth like a shark.
“I thought you might have had a dick for a tongue, but you only have teeth.”
“I don’t think I’m the one who had a dick in their mouth. Right, hunter?” The demon turned its attention to Coren for a quick moment before looking at me again. “I bet my liege would love to know what his bitch has been up to.”
My heart stuttered once. Demons loved gossip, and it would be a matter of hours before my boss knew about the two of us. Once he did, we’d be dead in a matter of minutes. Or I’d get to watch Coren die, or vice versa.
“Do you think we’d let you get a chance to tell him?” Coren asked, his voice low and dangerous. “There are ways to keep you from opening your big, ugly mouth.”
The demon raised his chin in defiance. “Once I’m back in Hell, you can’t stop me.”
I kept my sword steady, but I knew the demon was right. Once Raven brought his soul back, he’d blab. I opened my mouth to say something but snapped it shut as I looked at Coren.
Coren’s smile was evil. His expression was malicious and vile, all of which caught me off guard. I had never seen wicked cruelty on his face before. This was the demon side of Coren, and that part of him craved chaos and death.
He stepped around me quickly and whispered in the demon’s ear. If a demon could pale, this one had. Pure fear crossed its face as it turned to run. Coren snatched it up by the hair and rammed his sword through the demon’s back. He whispered in its ear again, and I strained to hear what he had said. The only word I caught was “almawt-u” before Coren twisted his sword and the demon went limp. He yanked his sword out of the now-dead demon and its body fell with a sickening thud.
The whole situation reminded me of the possessed woman from the bar, only this was a full-on demon. Yet, Coren hadn’t decapitated this one, and that was the true way to send one back to Hell. Right?
I waited for Raven to show. Glancing around us, I frowned.
“She’s not coming,” Coren said. “I couldn’t risk the dagdriman spreading our secret.”
I swallowed and turned around to face him. “Don’t you have to decapitate them?”
“If you want to send them back to Hell, yes.”
“Wait.” I glanced around him to the demon, but it wasn’t there anymore. Demons didn’t vanish into thin air unless they faded in and out, that was. I knew without a doubt that one had died and dead demons couldn’t fade. As Coren predicted, Raven hadn’t shown. “It’s gone. What did you do to it?”
“The best way to describe what I did is I expelled the demon.” Coren shrugged. “Sort of like an exorcism.”
“How in the fuck can you expel a demon, when the thing is an actual demon?” I shook my head in disbelief. “And how, as a demon yourself, can you do that?”
“Let’s say somebody from a divine background taught me everything I know.” He winked. “But the beasty won’t be running back to Lucifer any time soon. We have to be more careful now.”
I blinked. Be more careful? We’d kissed in public twice, once under drugs, and touched each other for the first time this evening. I swiveled on my heel and left him standing confused.
He caught up to me and we walked beside each other in silence. While I had feelings for Coren, I couldn’t risk either of our lives. Not now, not when we were so close to finding a way to save my life.
“What are you thinking?” Coren asked.
We rounded the corner to Elm Street. “I’m thinking about getting revenge.”
“You know,” Coren replied, “I think Confucius said, ‘Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves.’ We should both take caution with those words or we could all be de
ad before the time is up.”
I nodded. Sure, vengeance may seem like a fool’s errand, but I was going to lose my soul anyway. Why not go down swinging?
*****
We had walked for about four blocks when the hair on my arms rose. The air felt thick and unpleasant.
I swiveled around in alarm, scanning our surroundings. Whatever was near was powerful.
“Are you okay?”
My eyes narrowed at Coren. “Can you not feel that?”
“Feel what?”
My sword rattled so hard against my back it practically rang. This wasn’t good.
Pulling my sword free, I pivoted to observe everything. The streets were empty, as this neighborhood was free of bars and nightclubs. Then I saw him.
My blade vibrated in my hand again, and with a dead run, I headed in the direction of an alley across the street. I heard Coren’s feet pounding steps behind me, but I ignored them for the moment.
A man stood in the alleyway, his chest heaving. He was shirtless but had jeans hanging low on his hips. A poor woman lay at his feet, blood pooling below her.
“You piece of shit,” I said, causing the man to turn in my direction.
His eyes were flamingo pink with black streaks throughout. They were so unique it surprised me and I stumbled to a stop. Recognition dawned. My mouth gaped as I stared at Aralim.
Smirking, he nodded in greeting. “Wondered when you’d show up.”
“Well, I’m here.” I twisted the sword around with one hand. “What are you going to do about it?”
“Nothing.” His gaze darted to Coren, and then back to me. “I’m ready for my fate.”
Blinking in shock, I froze but still held my blade at the ready. “You’re ready to go back to Hell?”
“Who said I was going to Hell?” He smirked. “Always the jury, judge, and executioner.”
“Whatever. You’re nothing but a spineless asshole.” Twisting my sword around again, I stepped closer to him.
He turned his attention to Coren. “Is she always like that?”
“Always,” Coren answered.
This time, I looked at Coren. I used my sword to point to the man. “You know him?”