“Please, Ze, it hurts! It’s too much!” Her whimpering tone echoed with her unspoken need.
“It will never be enough. I will never have enough. Trust me, Sera, I won’t let you fall.” He covered her clit again, pulling a scream from her. Her hand tightened in his hair as she pulled him harder against her.
Ze slowly slid a finger deeply into her channel, her core hungrily clamping down on him. She was so tight, her body craving things she hadn’t yet experienced, yet instinct had her hips rolling against his finger, seeking more of that perfect insanity. Sliding that one finger in and out of her slick channel, he carefully inserted a second, stretching her. His mind was alight with how tight she would be gripping his cock when he took her. Gods, if I make it through this, I deserve sainthood! His own pounding need was enough to make him pass out at this point.
Small bites of pain rushed through his body as she yanked on his hair. She was a demanding little thing. Good, he would never accept anything less from her. She held all the power, he knew he was screwed when she worked it out. He would be powerless against her wishes, her desires. Ze knew he would be a willing slave to her now that he had seen her body in such open and free abandon.
Ze was trying to kill her. That was the only explanation for what he was doing to her. Every limb felt heavy, and her body trembled uncontrollably, but she needed more. Even when she thought she could take no more from him, he drove the flames within her higher with just a touch. The feeling of his fingers sliding deep, his tongue flicking against her clit, was more than she could take. Her body came apart again. Never in her wildest fantasies had she believed that she could experience such mind-numbing pleasure, then moments later have it shadowed by the next erotic rush.
Sera had never experienced anything like the sudden explosive force of climax that hit her, sending her flying. Her brain shut down and only the sensation of pleasure infusing every muscle, every cell, mattered. She was pretty sure she screamed, or maybe it was the rushing of her blood in her ears, the pounding of her heart as the demon drove her to such an experience with barely a touch. Whimpering from the strength of her orgasm, her whole body seemed alive, every nerve ending tingling, her body trembling with aftershocks.
Ze let out an appreciative groan, the vibrations of it rumbling against her core, sending her higher. Tears rolled down her face from the overwhelming emotion and awareness that flooded her brain. She felt him pull his fingers from her body and she watched in an erotic haze as he licked them clean, another aftershock rushing through her. She let out a moan. Oh God, did the aftershocks ever stop?
Sera was not going to be moving anytime soon. Her limbs refused to listen to her commands. She opened her eyes, wonderment and happiness infusing her heart. She looked down at the demon whose head rested on her thigh. He was mumbling to himself about control and not being a rutting beast. A soft chuckle left her, and his silver eyes turned upward.
“You okay, Pixie?” It was such an innocent question, but it nearly undid her.
“More than okay.” Pulling her bottom lip between her teeth, she grinned. “Let’s do that again.”
The smile that spread on his lips was pure liquid sin, and a shiver ran through her body from that gaze. Yeah, she could die happy right now, as long as he never lost that burning look in his silver eyes.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Ze adjusted himself for the tenth time, biting back the groan that threatened to leave him at the press of his hand. If he didn’t get to a bed with Sera in the next hour, he was pretty sure his cock would fall off. There had to be a documented case of it somewhere—blue balls leading to penis loss. If there weren't, there soon would be. He was on the verge of turning demon, and that idea scared the living shit out of him. He had not been this out of control since his creation, but this little female with the innocent eyes had undone centuries of mastery over his own body. Tempting little pixie knew it, too, walking around in those skin-tight jeans and a short little t-shirt that kept riding up, exposing a flash of her lower back to his gaze.
By the gods, he was now sitting in a church filled with people, a steel rod where his cock should be, and imagining which object he was going to bend her over so he could sink into that tempting heaven. Gritting his teeth again, he prayed to whatever god would listen to a soulless demon like him for some semblance of control. This was hardly the time to be fantasizing about the ways he was going to take her and make her cry out his name again like she had earlier that morning. Four missing children needed to be found. Michael and his desire to destroy humanity needed to be stopped. He had a very full plate. Unfortunately, having Sera under him, writhing and moaning and taking her to the stars, seemed way more important. Either that or the next time he adjusted himself, he was going to apply enough pressure to his mindless, hard-as-a-rock lower brain and accept the embarrassment of releasing in the bathroom just so he could damn well think straight.
And if that twenty-something blond-haired little pervert didn’t stop looking at Sera’s cleavage, he was going to go full demon on the little shit’s ass and make him really believe in the nine levels of hell. Closing his hands into fists, he felt the bite of pain in his palms as his nails lengthened into talons. He couldn’t blame Sera. She’d spent her whole life covering every inch of skin for fear of touching someone. Now she was reveling in the experience of being able to have bare arms and wear a very low cut top—one he was going to destroy after this church meeting. He had also decided that they should exercise caution since she might need to cover up again. Just in case the powers skipped back to her. Yeah, that would work.
The horny blond twenty-year-old reached for the flyer that Sera offered him, his hand coming really close to brushing over her breast. Okay, the punk had a death wish. A low rumble began in his chest, and Sera lifted her head, fixing him with a gaze, a knowing smile pulling at her lips. He knew he was throwing off jealousy like an idiot, but he had yet to claim her, and Envy was getting impatient. His eyes locked on the little shit whose baby blues were locked on Sera’s ass. That’s it. He was a dead man. Ze’s muscles bunched as he prepared to launch himself at the fool. The sudden sensation of fingers stroking through his hair broke the jealous rage in an instant, and he looked up at her laughing eyes.
“Not funny. I’m holding on by a thread here, and you’re, well, irresistible. I can’t blame him for looking, but I will be removing his hand for coming close to touching you, and possibly his eyes for looking too long. Humans can live without eyes and hands. I read about it in a magazine once.”
Sera cupped his face and pressed a soft kiss against his tight lips. Ze’s inner Sin purred, the anger melting away. He let out a sigh and rubbed the back of his head. Yes, he was acting like a stupid, jealous fool in love. He was a demon in love, both fiercely loyal and deadly possessive.
“You’re giving me the greatest gift imaginable, just being able to be around people like this. Don’t worry, Ze. I’m all yours.” Ze grumbled and just managed not to throw her over his shoulder and storm from the church like some caveman.
“I know what you’re thinking, Ze. Behave. We’re in church, and we’re here for a damned good reason. You can go all ancient warrior on me later.” Oh, he intended to. He had booked a motel room. Okay, well basically paid off some poor sap that had been staying there—minor details. Might not be as romantic as he wanted for her, but it was a bed and a hot shower. Might as well be the gods damned Hilton for all he cared. He was having her under him. Tonight.
Before she had a chance to sit beside him, his arms snaked around her waist, and he pulled her back onto his lap, locking her there. If this was the only way he could stake a claim for now, so be it. From the soft little sigh of contentment leaving her lips, she didn’t seem to care. Her fingers slid against his, intertwining. He could smell Mr. Twenty-Something’s disappointment. The air was rife with his jealously as he stared longingly at Sera. Okay, that kid was asking for it.
Her fingers played over his arms, and a smile spread o
n his lips. It amazed him. With that one small action, she could calm the green-eye-beast that lived eternally within him. Yeah, he was done for. He had been the moment she tried to shoot him.
His brothers, minus Belor, who seemed to have fallen off the grid, stood against the back wall, the hellhounds opting to stay outside. They couldn’t enter the building in their hellhound form—it would hurt them too much. It had been decided that they should remain in hound form, given that was how people had first seen them. Any new faces in town right now would just raise too much suspicion.
Odin stood before the gathered people, the preacher beside him. He was about to get started on the speech and the request for help from the congregation. The demons were watching everyone in the room, trying to find someone who reeked of guilt or had a sin eating away at their soul. Other than normal amounts of pride, lust, and envy, most of the people in the room appeared to be clean of any major sin activity. Odin gave Sera and Ze a quick nod. If they were going to ‘read’ the memories of the people here, they needed to get started now.
Sera slid from his lap, and the pair silently exited, pulling open the door to the coat room and closing it behind them. Ze hated to admit it, but a small sliver of trepidation wound into him. What if he couldn’t do this? He didn’t have the experience she did with the memories. He just hoped that she might be able to join him again as she’d done before.
“Okay, let’s get started.” Sera kept her palm on his arm as he steeled himself against the onslaught of pain and memories he knew would be coming.
He lifted his hand and took a grip on the first coat near him. His body tensed and then—nothing. Opening his eyes quickly, he glanced at Sera and took a larger handful. He saw the frown on her face. Was he doing something wrong? She’d already warned him that fabric retained the best echoes, given the fact that it held a person’s essence the longest. So why was this not working?
“It’s not working!” Had he broken the power somehow? He grabbed the coat with both hands. Still nothing.
“Is it gone?” Fear made her voice shake, and she peered down at her own hands. Ze saw the fear running over her face. No, damn it. He didn’t want her to have her power back. She didn’t deserve this pain. Gritting her teeth, she reached out and touched the coat. Her eyes went wide.
“This can’t be happening. No, not now! Please. I’m sorry I ever wished it gone. One more time, just one more for the children. Oh God. Please!” Ze couldn’t take it, seeing her beg for something she hated so much, something that brought her such pain.
He reached for the coat, his hand moving to cover hers. The moment their fingers touched, it felt like the floor gave way under their feet as they were pulled down into the echo. It rushed around them, and his grip tightened on her hand. Ze pulled her tighter against him for fear she would be thrown into the maelstrom. It took a few moments before she opened her eyes wide. It took him a few moments, but the realization there was no pain washed over him.
“Ze, look.” The visions were not a tornado around them, unlike before. They were stationary, playing out like small movies against a backdrop of black. Blinking, she looked up at him. He had begun to associate this power with immense pain, but right now he felt nothing, no rushing of memories, no download into his mind.
“As happy as I am there is no pain, we can discuss the change in the Hindsight later. Let’s check this memory and move on to the next one.”
She nodded. They had a job to do and worrying about why the power now needed both of them to activate didn’t measure high on the need-to-know-now scale. If they could do this with no pain, better for them. Ze couldn’t shake the feeling that this was new, the pictures clearer, the voices less fuzzy. Even navigating the memories seemed to be easier. From his experience, this process had been a difficult one, but now it seemed to be ten times easier, not that he minded. Less pain was always a good thing, but changing powers were not always a positive sign.
“Nothing. Fifty different coats, and nothing. Other than finding out twelve members of the congregation are cheating on their partners with other people in the congregation. Three are gay and hiding it from their families, one is a cross dresser, who I have to admit looks good in a dress. Ten of them are playing at coming to church when they really want to be somewhere else.” Ze threw the final coat to the floor, leaning back against the wall.
“Did we miss something?” Sera stared at the pile of coats and jackets surrounding her.
“No, but we can be sure of one thing. Every coat was checked, every memory involving those kids. The fact that we’re not feeling any pain or receiving any feedback from the reading concerns me. Did we do something wrong?” Ze was starting to think his demon energy mixing with the gift may have altered it. What if he had messed it up, preventing them from being able to read whatever clues may have remained?
“No, we didn’t. Everything about the visions was the same. But this time there was no pain. That is not a bad thing. Everything I saw was clearer. I observed more than I ever have before. We just haven’t found the right person yet.”
“There are what—fifteen-hundred people in this town? Are we going to try and read everyone?” Ze’s frustration was getting the best of him. He worried about what Michael was going to do with those kids.
“I have been here before, trying to find a lead in a case with nothing happening. We will find something.” She looked so withdrawn in that second that it ripped at him. He pushed off the wall and wrapped his arms around her. He hated hope—it only served to do one thing, and that was to crush your soul when it left you high and dry. It was one of the worst sins of all, and he was glad that brother was still locked in the damn jar.
The pair exited the coat room. The meeting would be done any minute, and they still had a few more assembly locations to check. Sera moved toward the door, and Ze pulled her up quickly, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. He looked around the church entry hall, trying to determine what had his spidery senses tingling.
“Demon.” A voice Ze knew and didn’t much like came from the door.
Instantly, he pulled Sera behind him. The sunlight streaming through the door grew brighter and brighter until it was nearly blinding. From the light stepped an angel, dressed in a suit, and sporting a clean-cut goatee. His honey eyes peered out from behind dark, messy hair. Black and silver wings touched the floor behind his heels. He opened his hands to show he had no weapon, his gaze never leaving the demon.
Sera gasped as the light vanished. Ze knew why. Gabriel looked nothing like the angel that had attacked her. He was clean, well dressed. Even Ze had to admit the angel was handsome. He didn’t give off the same sick aura of insanity and blind madness Jophiel had when he attacked. Gods, had it really been only thirty-six-hours ago? So much had changed in such a short amount of time. Right now he stood unguarded, his hands held before him in a gesture of supplication. He made no move to attack or defend. Ze tensed, his whole body ready to attack, muscles hard as he gathered his strength.
“Gabriel.” Sera could run to his brothers, they would protect her—he hoped. Gabriel was the general of the Malakhim, his prowess in battle well known. Ze figured he could hold him off for a few moments to give Sera time to get away.
“I’m not here to fight, Beelzebub. I am here with a warning. Damn it, I wish this could be different. I wish I did not have to stand before you now. But I can’t idly sit by and allow Michael to continue down this path.”
“Nice speech. Bit rehearsed, maybe throw a joke in next time. Lighten the mood or something.”
Sera watched the angel from behind Ze. The disdain in Ze’s voice was more than apparent, and she couldn’t help but feel proud of him. He would stand against the world if he had to. At least this one wasn’t running at her with a glowing blade, trying to murder her on her lawn. She saw Ze glance toward the door. His brothers should be in the next room, but wouldn’t they have sensed the angel’s presence and been out here by now?
“I froze the roo
m, Envy. Your brothers will not be coming out here to disturb us. Believe it or not, demon, I have never wanted to harm you or those you hold dear. I believed what Michael dreamed for this world was right—removing the sin from humanity. Those too weak to fight against the darkness would be eliminated from the earth, leaving behind those who were pure at heart. Those who would bring about a new world of peace and light.” He sounded so supremely arrogant and superior. Fucking asshole.
Behind the demon, Sera felt anger boiling in her blood. He’d just spoken so coldly about the mass murder of billions of people. He called them sinful as if that were all human beings were capable of. She knew the man who now shielded her took lives, but only those lives that could never be saved. This ‘angel’ talked as if every mortal were evil and all needed to be removed from the planet. How could he be so blind as to disregard the lives of others, as if they were less than him?
Her feet moved against her will, and she emerged from behind Ze. He was so busy staring down the angel, he didn’t notice her moving at first. He reached for her belatedly, but Sera was already standing before the angel. She lifted her hand, then a crack resonated in the lobby when her hand connected with his face. The angel stared at her in blatant and absolute shock. He blinked, lifting his hand to his jaw, a scowl marring his handsome features. He touched his face, wincing.
Sera glowered at him, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks as he continued to stare at her. “How dare you! How dare you put yourself above us as if you were some kind of god! You hold the power of life and death in the palm of your hand, and yet you play with us like a spoiled child burning ants with a magnifying glass. Can you not hear yourself? No one is pure—least of all you. You make me sick, deciding who’ll live and who’ll die based on whether or not someone committed sin.” He opened his mouth to reply but shut it again as she pinned him with her glare. She hoped he felt two feet tall. She hoped he felt damn stupid.
Envy's Kindness (Seven Deadly Sins Book 2) Page 16