Moreen sat at her desk, trying to work. She’d figured out the computer and the program, and had been imputing numbers all afternoon long, but every once in a while she would take out a mirror from her desk and look at her hair. Kissy had cut it just above her shoulders and layered it, thinning it out just a bit so that it cupped her face. He’d taught her how to style it, and in the three days since it had been cut, she thought she’d gotten pretty good at it.
Paran had thought so. Thinking of him made her put down the mirror. She wondered where he was, who he was talking to. She thought about going to look for him, but she knew that all she had to do was step outside the office and he’d be there. He’d assured her she was safe from Paschel while she was in the Cave of Pleasure, but he still insisted on knowing where she was at every moment.
It was a little disconcerting, but it also made her insides tingle. She had a mate, and not just a mate. A demon mate. The idea of it was still too hard to handle.
He had stayed at her house since Paschel’s appearance. Paran’s home was magically protected, and Paschel couldn’t get in. But his brother could get into her apartment, and Paran was afraid of what his sibling would do.
“It doesn’t really matter,” she had said. “I don’t have much of anything for him to steal.”
“I’m not worried about that. He could plant evidence of a crime, or bring someone in here to kill, and then frame you for it.”
Moreen had stared at him in horror, not wanting to believe what she was hearing. But she knew it was true, knew from meeting the man that he would stop at nothing to make his brother miserable. And taking his mate away from him would do just that.
And Paran added that, by staying there, he not only protected her and her apartment, but also protected the one person she’d cared about for the past seven years: Mrs. Weinstein.
Though he had held her close every night, he hadn’t made love to her again, telling her he wasn’t sure if he could control his emotions if he did.
“I don’t want to leave Paschel any opening,” he’d said as he climbed into her bed. “Until we’re sure what’s happening, I’ll hold you, and we can play once I find a decent protection charm, but I can’t be inside you until I figure a way past this. I won’t risk your life that way.”
No one had ever said something like that to her before, and she wasn’t sure how to respond. So she had put her head on his shoulder and fallen asleep in his arms. It was the first time in years something like that had happened, and when she woke up the next morning, she’d felt as if the world had changed overnight.
She rubbed her stomach as the idea ran through her again, a mixture of excitement and fear taking over. Just thinking about him made her tingle.
“Strange, isn’t it? It scared me at first, too, but you’ll learn soon enough that you won’t be able to live without him, like I did with Matuse.”
Moreen studied Aliya, who stood framed in the doorway.
“I brought soft drinks, unless you’d like something harder.”
“I’m on probation. I’m not allowed to drink, especially in a bar.”
“Oh, of course. Well…” She held up the glass, then put it on the desk. Moreen was tempted to fling it in her face, and then she remembered the way Aliya had tried to apologize to her for what happened in high school, the way her eyes had glistened with tears when Moreen had told her to go get screwed.
She took the glass and stood, a little bit of satisfaction running through her when Aliya backed up, suddenly on the defensive. Moreen sipped her drink and watched Aliya relax just a little.
“So, you saw the lightning and lights and everything when you fucked Matuse.” More satisfaction when Aliya winced at her crude words.
“Yes, but it didn’t come as quickly as it did with you and Paran. And there was no lightning. Your bond must be very strong.”
“No, I just hadn’t had sex in forever. I probably would have reacted that way to anyone.”
Aliya’s laugh was soft. “It doesn’t work that way. The mating call only comes with a bond. And I’m so glad you found each other.”
“I’m sure you are.” Moreen sat back down and toyed with her keyboard. “I don’t think I want to be nice to you anymore. Please leave.”
The room grew silent, and Moreen wondered if Aliya would object, would say something about not wanting to leave, something about wanting them to be friends. Instead, she turned and left without saying a word.
“That was very mature.”
The sarcasm in Paran’s voice made her sigh. “I have work. I think you should leave, too.”
“You can’t get rid of me that easily. Remember, I’m your mate.”
She cocked her head at him. “Whatever.”
Moreen shivered when he gave her a wicked grin. “I have a present for you. Stand up.”
She looked away, determined not to respond to him. As much as she liked the idea, she’d changed her mind after seeing Aliya. No matter what he believed, she didn’t fall for this supernatural mating crap. She was her own person, and would live the rest of her miserable life on her own.
When she didn’t stand, he moved toward her, sitting on the edge of the desk and dangling a necklace in front of her.
She studied the gold stone, attached to a silver chain. “I don’t wear jewelry.”
“You do now. This is a citrine. It’s normally a protection stone, but Matuse, Makin, Anuis, Alois and I have placed a very powerful spell on it. As long as you wear it, Paschel cannot harm you. You must take it and wear it of your own free will or the spell will not work.”
She fingered the gem, thought about telling him she didn’t believe that crap. Then she thought about Paschel and the anger permanently etched in his face. What would happen if Paran wasn’t near her when the demon reappeared?
She took the necklace and slipped it over her head, the tear-shaped stone dropping under her blouse and in between her breasts.
Paran put his index finger in her blouse and pulled it forward so he could look down it. He nodded in approval. “That way he won’t know it’s there until it’s too late. And it’s close to your heart. Keep it there. Never take it off. Never show it to anyone. Promise me.”
The pleading tone of his voice trickled up her spine. She knew if anything happed to her, he would never forgive himself, but that’s what Paschel wanted, wasn’t it? To make Paran miserable? “I promise.”
“Good. Now, we need to talk about why you were so rude to Aliya just now. She was trying to be nice, you know.”
“She doesn’t know how to be nice.”
“You don’t know that, because, as I’ve said, people can change. Her transformation to Djinn is almost complete. She can no longer do evil.”
“She’s done enough bad things in her lifetime to cancel out any good she could ever do.”
The look in his eyes made her shrink in her chair. “You must think that of me, too. After all, I spread nothing but evil in my lifetime.”
She pushed back, wanting to put space in between them. “You said you changed when you were a teenager.”
“For a demon, teenage years are around two hundred. I did a lot of damage in the two hundred years before then. And yet I managed to forgive myself, and to reinvent my psyche. What makes you think she couldn’t do it in thirty human years?”
“Because she’s a bit—” Moreen bit her tongue, then grimaced.
“Your attitude is appalling,” he said, shaking his head. “At least try to be nice to her.”
“I did. I was nice, at first. I mean, I have a lot of bad memories where she’s concerned.”
“Memories that are better left behind.” He leaned over and kissed her forehead. “Your attitude stinks, Moreen.”
“Thank you.”
He kissed her gently, then ran his tongue up her nose, the ball scraping along the bridge.
She pushed him away. “Leave me alone.”
“That’s just a promise of what will happen later, when you’ve finish
ed work. Promise me you’ll stay in here until I get back.”
“I have lots of work to do. Go and do whatever and I’ll be here. Just me and my bad attitude.”
“I’ll be back in a tick.” He winked, and then disappeared.
She returned back to her work, attacking it with gusto. About an hour later she looked at the clock, then looked toward the door, not knowing why. He hadn’t said how long he was going to be gone, and it wasn’t as if he would use the door; he never did. He just popped in and out at will.
Another half hour later and panic began to set in. What if he never came back? What if he’d read her mind and seen that she was backing away from the mating idea? What if he’d decided he’d had enough of her bad attitude and was washing his hands of her?
“Paran?” She whispered his name, her hands shaking. “Please come back.”
No answer.
She pushed away from the desk and went into the hallway. It was deserted, the quiet creeping up her spine like malevolent beings trying to work their way into her heart. “Paran?”
Her hands shook hard now, her palms sweating. Where was he? He had to have heard her. What if Paschel had found some way into the Cave of Pleasure? What if he’d hurt Paran?
“Paran!” She was in full panic mode now, her heartbeat out of control, her stomach threatening to lose the little bit of food it held. Why wasn’t he answering her calls? She jerked her head toward the main room, then turned to look the other way where a door opened on its own. Beams of light filtered out and she didn’t hesitate.
Convinced Paschel was inside, hurting the demon who was fated to be her mate, she ran down the hall, barreling into the room. The door shut behind her. The floor was covered in a thick fog and her clothes stuck to her body, damp from the humidity.
She spied another closed door and moved toward it.
It creaked open as she neared. Heat poured out the portal, and the fog had turned into steam. She could hear water trickling down from somewhere; she wasn’t sure where. She reached inside her blouse and clasped the gem tightly. She wondered if she could use it as some sort of weapon against Paschel, maybe stab him in the eye with it or something.
“Paran?” She stepped inside.
Suddenly, the door slammed shut behind her.
“I thought you promised me you’d stay in your office until I got back.” She turned toward Paran’s voice and found him standing there, a towel wrapped around his middle. “These are Turkish baths. This is the warm up room. Take off your clothes so you can sweat a little before we go into the main room.”
“I don’t believe you. You expect me just to strip like nothing’s happened? You scared the hell out of me. I thought your brother had gotten hold of you. Why didn’t you answer me?”
“I was testing you. News flash. You failed.”
“What?” Her mouth hung open in shock. “Are you kidding me?”
“No.” He moved to a low-slung stone bench and stretched out, running his hands along his naked thighs. He waved his hands and her clothes disappeared.
She put her hands on her hips, staring daggers at him.
“I beginning to think you couldn’t follow directions if your life depended on it,” he muttered.
“You—you… demon jerk! You scare me half to death.”
“I told you he couldn’t get in here. Didn’t you believe me?”
Rather than give him an answer, she turned and stormed to the exit, pulling on the door handle. But it refused to open.
Sweat beaded on her forehead, trickling down the sides. “Let me out.”
“I rather fancied a fuck. I’ll make you scream.”
She tilted her head back and howled, screaming at the top of her lungs. When she looked back at him, he was laughing, his shoulders shaking.
“That’s it, scream some more. Let them hear you all the way to Queens.”
She rushed at him, her feet sliding on the wet floor. But when she got to the spot where he had been, it was empty. She glanced around, her anger rising when he poked his head around the door to the main room.
“Looking for me?”
Moreen sprinted toward the door, sliding through it into the dimly lit, and very hot, room beyond. Water flowed down the stone walls, gathering in huge marble basins. Benches long enough for a man to lie on sat between stone columns. The room was empty except for the two of them.
“The early version of the sauna. Public bathing and a good sweat. Shall we work up a good sweat?”
“If you think I’m going to have sex with you, you’re insane.”
He advanced on her. “Insane? It’s long been supposed that I was. I think I’m not, though.”
She glanced back at the door to the warm up room. It was shut, and she knew there would be no way she could open it.
“That’s right. You’re mine. All mine. I should spank you for not following your promise.”
“You should kiss my ass.”
“With pleasure.”
Her body hit the floor, her breasts pressing into the tiles. Despite the rough surface, it didn’t hurt. She tried to push up, but the water on the tiles made it impossible. His lips were on her buttocks, placing small kisses all over. At times he nibbled on her. When he ran his tongue in between her buttocks, the ball sliding over her rosette, she arched up into him.
“Yes.”
“Like I said: mine.” He grabbed a handful of her bottom and squeezed, hard. He let go and slapped it.
She squealed. “More.” He moved to the other cheek and did the same thing, squeezing harder. “Paran!”
“You will learn.” He slapped both sides, and then he lifted her hips, kicked her legs apart and entered her in one long thrust, his cock sliding into her wetness easily.
He pumped her hard as she clawed at the floor. The heat burned inside her body, the lightning visible again, the colors bright. She felt as if they were joined together, never to come apart, his cock firmly inside her pussy.
The moisture on the floor began to bubble and dissolve, evaporating into steam that rose into the air with a hiss. As he continued to pound into her, the water in the basins began simmering. It took her a minute to realize that it was the heat from their joining that was affecting the water, literally setting it to boil.
Tears flowed down as he continued his sweet assault. “Paran, I—I need… you…”
The balls from his piercing raked her insides as her muscles clasped his cock. The ring hit the sweetest spot she knew, the pleasure of it almost unbearable. She came in a burst of light, her skin feeling as if it would explode.
Lighting bolts danced across the air, and she felt him clasp her hips tighter as he screamed out a word she didn’t understand. Loud cracking noises filled the room. The columns were shaking, but it didn’t matter to her. They could collapse around them for all she cared. At least she would die happy, with Paran buried deep inside her.
Sweat poured from them both, coating their bodies and making them slick. She squeezed him again, heard him utter an oath she didn’t understand, and then his body went stiff. His hot seed poured into her, and she felt as if he would flood her insides. He raked his fingers over her back and she yelled out as she came again, her pussy pulsing with their combined energies.
He collapsed on top of her, biting her shoulder and licking the path his teeth left.
“Now you truly are mine,” he said. “All you have to do is say it, say you belong to me. That I belong to you. That we belong together.”
She tried to catch her breath. Around them, the tiles glowed red, as if they were coals on a fire. “Yes.”
“If you so desire, give yourself to me as I just gave myself to you. But know that once it happens, it can’t be undone. We will be bonded forever, until death.”
There was no hesitation on her part. Desire and the urge to belong replaced any fear she had. In her heart, she knew this was right. Knew this was her destiny. Knew that she loved him. “I belong to you. You belong to me. We belong together.
”
“I promise to love you, to honor you, and to see that no harm ever comes to you.” He licked her ear. “It is a solemn vow I make to you.”
She turned to him. “I promise to love you, to honor you. And I’ll try to obey. That’s a solemn vow.”
His laughter filled the room. “Do more than try, wife. And never forget you’re bonded to a demon. I have ways of making you behave.”
She snuggled back into him at his use of the word wife. “No you don’t. It hasn’t worked yet. And, as good as it sounds, we’re not legally married.”
“Then I need to become more creative, wife.” They were floating in air now, with her spooned into his body. “And yes, we are. The bonding is stronger than any legal arrangement in your world.”
“Will it be like that every time?” She traced her fingers along his arm, loving the feel of him.
“No. That was the bonding call. We can try and repeat it, though. I’m game if you are.” He put his hands on her breasts and massaged them, tweaking her nipples. She melted even further into him, wanting to crawl inside his skin with him if she could, stay in his arms forever.
“Great gods of thunder.”
They both turned toward Matuse, who stood just inside the doorway. Aliya was behind him, a huge smile on her face. She put a hand on his shoulder and tried to pull him from the room.
He jerked away from her, then shook his head. “Look at my baths. You’ve practically destroyed them.”
“Deal with it, pup,” Paran said. “And if you can’t fix it, leave it till the morning and I’ll do it. But stop whining. My wife and I are tired, and want to rest.”
Within seconds, they were nestled in a huge bed. He held her close, his breathing even in sleep. She glanced around, wanting to see where they were. Then she decided it wasn’t important. Closing her eyes, she kissed his shoulder, then feel asleep, nestled safe in her husband’s arms.
Chapter Eight
“I can’t believe we stayed in my rat hole when you had a penthouse on Park Avenue.” She stared out at the expanse of Central Park through the huge windows of Paran’s apartment. Her apartment.
To Rub, Honor and Obey Page 7