Underworld Lover (A Guardian Angel Romance #2)

by haron Hamilton

  She did not remove her hands from around his neck, so he began kissing her wrists and worked his way up the inside of her right arm. He kissed the indentation at the base of her neck, and then with a hot tongue tasted her flesh all the way up to her jaw. He claimed her mouth at last and Audray felt herself climax, lurching as he plunged his tongue deep inside her. Her fingers went to his shirt she began to unbutton, but then got frustrated and ripped it open, popping the buttons and sending them flying throughout the room.

  “You like destroying clothing?” he asked. “How nice.”

  The words were pearls to her ears, sending ripples of heat down her spine. Her pants were too hot; she felt moisture as if she’d run up ten flights of stairs.

  “Do you like to talk—”

  “Yes, during sex. I like to talk during sex. I like to tell you how you make me feel.” He stopped abruptly and looked down at her, his shirt hanging open, his tanned pecs and abs ready to slam into her breasts. “Unless you don’t like it.”

  Audray sighed. “I like it. I like it very much.”

  “What else do you like, my queen?”

  “I like being your queen.”

  “Yes. I am your humble servant.”

  He raised himself and removed his shirt, shoes, and pants, in that order. Audray’s red sweater had migrated to up around her neck, exposing a red satin bra. He removed the sweater. While breaching the ridge of the red fabric with his tongue, he removed the device with quick flick of his hands and released her breasts to his hungry mouth. His tongue laved her nipple while one large hand squeezed the white flesh of her other breast and made her moan.

  Fully naked, he pulled her spine up to press into him in a sitting position while his hands looked for a way to remove her leather pants.

  Audray laughed, letting her head fall back as he held her.

  “What? What, my queen?” He kissed her neck under her chin.

  “We have to cut off the pants. But don’t hurt the boots.” She pouted, holding her elbows together to squeeze her breasts in front of his eyes. “Don’t hurt my boots.”

  He thought about this a minute, seemingly torn between kissing her tits again and trying to figure out how he was going to remove her pants. He looked down at her hips.

  “Such a shame. These are so lovely on you,” he said as he lightly caressed her leather-clad thighs. Her skin tingled under the heat of his touch.

  “Then I’ll keep my boots on.” She lay back against the coverlet, arms above her head, breathing in the sight of his naked body sitting next to her, watching the rise and fall of her breathing.

  He stood. She watched his enormous erection bob with each step he took as he searched the room for something. She got a last glimpse of his smooth ass as he exited the bedroom, still searching.

  “Ah hah!” she heard him say from the other room, as he walked into the bedroom with a large black handled carving knife.

  “No need to worry, your worship. I am good with a knife. I used to shave with one eons ago.”

  “You are old, then?”

  “Experienced,” he said as he sat on the bed and covered her mouth with his.

  “I’m counting on it,” she whispered.Audray sat up, her hands traveling over the tops of his shoulders. “What were you?”

  “Later,” he said. He undid the three silver snaps just below her bellybutton, attempting to lodge two fingers there, but he could not reach.

  Audray stopped his hand and looked at him. “Tell me. Tell me what you were.”

  “Don’t you mean what I am?” He took hold of her hand and kissed her fingertips, then the palm she offered to him.

  “What you are is part of who you were. I want to know about the man who is going to carve off my favorite pants and pleasure me to oblivion.” She looked as his patient face developed a wrinkled brow.

  Although hesitant, he began, “Among other things, I was a kingmaker.” Audray traced his lips with her fingers. She kissed him as he said, “I was the royal stud for a king who could not father an heir.” Audray saw his eyes narrow with bitterness.

  “And?” she asked between kisses.

  “And until now, I never enjoyed it.”

  Audray threw herself backwards, landing on the bed. She entertained a wicked thought. Not sure what revelation she expected, Audray was sure she had not heard the whole story. She decided to play with him a little.

  “But you were good at it, I hope.” She frowned and then laughed when she got the reaction she was hoping for. He pinned her arms above her head, one large paw still gripping the shiny knife. He kissed her hard, almost taking her breath away.

  “I was the best,” he said at last, his breath washing over her face, sending erotic feeling throughout her whole body.

  He smiled at the small trap she laid for him, apparently delighted he had gotten snared in it.

  She looked at him and knew he would be her rock. What came out of her mouth surprised her. “Heal me. Heal me, Jonas.”

  “With pleasure,” he answered. He carefully slipped the knife down the front of her pants and twisted it so the blade was facing up. She watched the bulge in his bicep as he worked the knife under the smooth leather until it gave way. Audray felt her flesh exposed at her waist, down her thigh, as Jonas peeled the leather and spread it apart. He kissed the top of her panties and got dangerously close to the swelling between her legs. She could tell he inhaled the scent of her sex and gave her back a gentle moan.

  He quickly took to the other leg, and then set the knife down on the floor. He removed the rest of her leather, leaving her red panties intact, not a hair of her body harmed. Every cell craved him.

  “I like it when panties match the boots,” he said as his eyes danced. He licked his lips again when she smiled back at him.

  “Never thought about that when I put them on, but I can see, this is a detail I must adhere to.”

  “Only if it is your pleasure.”

  “My pleasure is your pleasure.”

  “Yes,” he said as he slid the see-through panties down her hips. He carefully pulled them down her thighs, then over her knees as he raised her booted legs, holding her ankles together with one hand. At last the panties were fully removed. He set her legs down.

  “I like how you can be gentle too,” she said.

  “I can be gentle with gentle things.” He smiled, inhaled, and parted her knees. One finger moved over the slit in her peach and then buried itself in the liquid of her lips. He turned his head to watch her as she felt him explore her delicate region, gently claim her body and soul, with all the time in the world, with the patience and practice of a lover with only the desire to please for as long as possible.

  He tasted her, and yes, the feel of his moustache on the insides of her thighs was Heaven itself. The sandpaper of his tongue called her forth as he watched her being pleasured, as if content to watch.

  He obeyed when she pulled on his shoulders, calling him to climb his hard body over hers and press against her. She turned her head to the side as he held her wrists with one large hand. His groin was searching her entrance and Audray found herself for the first time ever overcome with anticipation. He found her, began his slow movements inside her as she arched up from the pleasure it brought her. The awakening in her soul was a surprise. He eased himself to the hilt and groaned. The sounds from his chest brought tears to her eyes.

  He gently rode her as she wrapped her red boots around his waist, forcing herself against him with each of his thrusts. He held her head between his hands and searched her eyes. She allowed him to see her tears, to see how she needed him, and trusted him with the knowledge that she knew she would die without him. She felt some ancient pairing foretold long ago and knew she would never ever let him leave her side.

  She awoke in the afternoon, grateful for the warm chest behind her, the thick arm drawn over her waist, the feel of his breath on the back of her neck.

  Grateful. Is this what love is?

  She rubbed his arm an
d he awoke. He had attempted to sleep inside her, but she felt him discover he had slipped out.

  She rolled over to face him, planting a kiss on his lips. “We have work to do.”

  He rolled onto his back, planting his massive forearm on the pillow above his head with a thud. “So soon?”

  “Unless you can convince me otherwise,” she said as she played with his cock, squeezing his balls. Like magic, his enormous shaft sprang to life.

  “The wrong thing to say to a practiced royal stud, if the lady wishes to do anything but stay in bed all day.”

  They made love in the shower too, and then Audray told him just as the sun was setting she needed to return to the Underworld. With him.

  Jonas found some jeans that almost fell off her. He secured them with one of Peter’s ties, but as he stood her up, he found he could slide the pants right off her ass so easily, he helped himself further. They didn’t finish their dallying until past dark.

  She smiled in the limo transport as he held her hand and kissed her fingers. No doubt the transport could be one of their future liaison destinations, but she wasn’t sure of a driver being present and she didn’t want an audience. Not on this day.

  At the arrival depot, Jonas helped her from the car. He walked beside her as her red boots and baggy jeans brought on attention from onlookers.

  “We go to the director’s office,” she told him. He nodded. Once there, a small crowd had gathered outside the building, listening to the two surviving winged angels tell a story of horror.

  “Excuse us,” Jonas shouted out. “Let the lady enter, please.” He pushed aside one of the bloodied creatures, who sneered at him.

  Audray saw a council of elders had assembled, obviously to discuss Peter’s demise. She was going to say something to them, when she heard Jonas speak up.

  “The director appointed her just before his death.” His booming voice echoed down the halls of the building. “He sent for me to bear witness to the accession of the directorship,” he said as he held up a wrinkled piece of parchment. “I hereby appoint Audray Steele to the title of Director in my absence,” he read. “All the powers that have been vested in me, I hereby give to her.” Audray watched as several people nodded in agreement.

  “A proper election will have to be conducted,” one of the elders shouted out.

  “I shall call for such within sixty days,” Audray proclaimed. “Until that time, I thank you for your loyalty.”

  There was a scattering of clapping, but the crowd had not known the new director that long. Audray felt weak acceptance of the situation.

  She found Jonas’s finger and pulled him slightly to her side as she made her way through the crowd and up the steps to the director’s office.

  “Where did you get that paper?”

  “Oh, this one?” He held up the parchment. “It’s actually a poem I was working on. I have more of this paper and I think can create a reasonable document, given a little time.”

  “You’re amazing.”

  “I’ve heard it before. But I like hearing it from you.”

  The inside had been a beehive of activity. Papers and books were strewn about. It looked to Audray like a pack of unruly children had had their way with the place for several hours. She completed her inspection of the anteroom, and then opened the door to the director’s inner office. It too had been ransacked, but more respectfully, she noted. Surveying the damage, she knew it could be worse. Her eye was drawn to the chair, which seemed to call to her. She sat down, put her red boots on the black obsidian desktop, leaned back in the chair, and sighed.

  “Jonas, thanks for the vote of confidence. Our minds think alike.”

  He smiled. “Anything for you, my queen. You have far more than my vote of confidence, madam.”

  This was all working out nicely, Audray thought. She rather liked the royalty slant to things. Perhaps it was time the Underworld had its first ever queen. “I think we should get started whipping this place in shape, don’t you?”

  Jonas went to the door, closed and locked it with a loud click. “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

  Chapter 44

  “Where are we going, Josh?” Melanie was looking outside at the countryside zooming by.

  “You’ll see.” He knew she would never guess.

  “Are we going far?” They were on the two-lane highway between two small winery towns. “I haven’t packed anything.”

  “Neither have I. We’ll be there shortly. What you’re wearing is fine.” He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, but quickly got his focus back on the road. “Haven’t you learned to trust me yet?” He flicked his gaze back to Melanie.

  Melanie’s smile was wide, showing her perfect white teeth, filling his heart with delight. “I don’t care as long as I’m with you, Josh.”

  He knew she was impatient. He loved playing with her and her moods, one of a handful of things he still possessed now that he was human. “You’ll see. Not far now.” He squeezed her hand.

  They drove past vineyards and a couple of antique shops. Just past a large tasting room, they turned right into a nearly abandoned parking lot in front of a restaurant overlooking vineyards.

  “Hungry?” Josh asked as he turned off the car motor.

  “I guess.”

  He could tell Melanie was more than a little disappointed.

  “Josh, you don’t have to do this. You can just take me home. I’m not sure I can think of food right now. My nerves are a mess. And what’s poor Travis going to do when he finds Felix and the police?”

  “My best guess is they’ll close the shop down because it’s a crime scene, Mel. Travis will be sent home, trust me.”

  “I’d better call him.”

  Josh shrugged and pulling over into a parking lot while Melanie left Travis a message on his cell phone.

  “There. Feel better now? I don’t want you distracted in the slightest.” He leaned in and kissed her pouty lips until they formed a smile.

  “But we’re going to eat? I thought maybe we would be alone.” She grinned, showing him what she was thinking.

  “Indulge me, love.” He waved his eyebrows up and down and got out of the car. He came around to open her door and when she exited, he pulled her to him. With the sounds of the traffic skating down the two-lane highway in the background, he kissed her. “Hmmm.” He licked his lips. “That tasted wonderful.”

  Melanie blushed. Josh grabbed her hand and led her not inside the restaurant, but to the left side, in front of a metal sculpture. The piece was about fifteen feet tall and consisted of a number of stainless steel feathers welded and bound together such that it looked like a giant stainless steel pair of wings.

  “This is what you brought me to see. Wings?”

  “Not just wings, angel wings, Mel.” Josh held up his cell phone. “Let me take your picture, see if you would like yourself as an angel.”

  “Not all angels have wings.”

  “I know that. Just stand right there in the middle.” Josh took her picture with the digital camera inside the phone. “Here, you do the same for me.” He handed over his cell. He gave her the biggest smile he could muster.

  When she finished, he looked at the two pictures on the tiny screen. “See, you’re an angel, just like me.” Josh showed her the image of her smiling form, the large stainless steel feathers extending out both sides at her back. She laughed. He showed her his picture.

  “My angel,” she said as she ran her finger over the image. “Whatever would we do with those wings if they were real?” She scanned his mouth, hungry for a kiss.

  “I’d find a way to detach them, and then put them on while you rode me through the sky. What a time we would have, my little one.”

  “Oh Josh, I don’t really want to go to a restaurant.” She slid her palms under his shirt, playing with the zipper on the front of his pants.

  “Patience, patience. Come have a glass of wine. I have to do something.”

  The bar inside the
restaurant was empty. “We aren’t serving dinner yet, but you can have a drink if you like,” the bartender said, as he gave them a warm smile.

  “I would like to have you watch over her for a few minutes, ten to twenty at the most.” Josh said. Melanie looked at him with a frown. “I am going to run a quick errand, love, and will be right back, okay?” Josh felt an awkward pause, as if Melanie considered he was abandoning her.

  “Miss? What can I get for you?” The bartender’s request seemed to draw her away from her mood.

  Josh kissed her on the cheek and was gone. Excitement was brimming; his head was swimming with ideas. This was going to be a wonderful night.

  Melanie sipped on the red Merlot she had selected. She watched the afternoon sun pour gold light on the bright green vines. The sky was blue, with just a few clouds. She wondered what Father was doing. She wondered what kind of a place Heaven was, and she wondered why angels, who could live forever and do practically anything they wanted, would choose to live the mortal life of a human. And then she remembered Josh and how bored he had been with his immortality. It struck her how fragile her human life was. And she almost had lost it. Forever.

  The wine felt good at the back of her throat. She sighed. Was it because she was in love that the colors were so vivid? Did everything smell and taste that much better than before just because Joshua was in her life? Did he have that effect on her? Or, did he awaken her to all her senses, heightening every experience? Her arms and her legs missed him just in the few minutes he was gone. Her heart lived for the chance to feel him next to her again.

  “I’m back,” he said behind her. He extended his arm, showing off two dozen red roses. He leaned his chest against her back and kissed the side of her face.