by Misty Dietz
Damn you, smooth seduction.
She was an intelligent woman. She could rationalize what was happening. See it for what it was.
She should stop it.
Check on her people.
See to her responsibilities.
But…
That one word.
Skin.
His called to hers. An elemental longing that reason couldn’t appease.
She held eye contact with him as she unpinned her hair, the fall of the tresses like a cleansing rain on her soul.
She ran unsteady fingertips from her neck to her areolae, down her belly to slip between her legs.
Then she reached for him.
She was going to kill him with that look in her eyes.
He would tear apart any other man who happened to see it.
A hundred lifetimes. A hundred lifetimes walking alone across a barren desert would be worth that look. He couldn’t suppress the low growl that rumbled up his throat as her nails scored his back. He looked down at her, the V of her parted thighs open to him, her narrow landing strip of tawny hair slightly darker than the tresses floating around her shoulders. He hardened to the point of pain beneath the towel. His hands advanced from her knees up to the fleshy, delicious part of her thighs, then skated his thumbs over the plump, pink skin he ached to bury himself in. Kat moaned and leaned back against the wall-to-wall mirror, one hand over head, her fingers clearing paths through the misty fog on the glass.
He brought her to the brink, then eased the pressure, not ready for her erotic sighs to stop. Her eyes were pools of stormy aqua. Perfect.
“Ari.”
He reached behind her ass to yank her flush with his body, lifting her up and down slowly to grind against the soft, textured towel covering his erection until they were both breathless. When he pulled back to drop to his knees, she grabbed his face in her hands, keeping him on his feet. She kissed him like she’d never let go. His stomach jumped when her nimble fingers went to the towel at his waist. When the towel dropped, he sprang free and one thought…
Mine.
Nothing else.
She hooked her heels against the backs of his thighs and shifted her legs wider on the counter. He watched their bodies come together. Something dark and dangerous moved through him to see his body fill hers, her lithe limbs so accepting, her darkness so hungry for his. He pulled out, pressed back in—fuck, yes, home—setting a steady rhythm that tested the limits of his control. His core element burned, firing up, banging the Roman shades at the window in his ache to bond with her.
“Meld with me.”
She closed her eyes, nuzzled his neck where his pulse hammered, then not too gently bit the fleshy part of his ear. “Ari, I want...”
“Want what, North? This?” He hitched her up against his hips, grasping under her thighs as he rubbed her against his pelvis and seated himself all the way. “Bond with me. Say it.”
She moaned. He pulled out and drove back in, her breasts bouncing with the force of their lovemaking. He shook his head, sending water droplets flying until he realized she was making them bead all over the room. He felt them gather across his body—like her hands touching him everywhere. I’m not going to last much longer if you keep that u—
Her orgasm rocked the room in a blast of warm water that sluiced down their bodies, ran down the mirror, and dripped from the counter. The exquisite convulsing of her body pulled him over the edge to follow that sharp blade of pleasure.
To follow.
Follow you anywhere, he pushed at her, looking into her eyes.
She ducked her head to his chest, wrapping her arms around his trunk, making tenderness swell in the wake of their passion. He hoisted her into his arms and carefully made his way over the wet tiles of the floor to the shower.
He set her on her feet, tilted her chin to look up at him, then kissed her softly. Her eyes were now a gray blue, uncertain.
And afraid.
She opened her mouth to speak, but his fingers pressed against her lips. “Shh. Don’t say anything now. I won’t pressure you anymore. Let me care for you a little while longer. Then we’ll go down and face the monsters.”
Chapter 16
Ari’s regret and ensuing apology had seemed sincere. Even more heartening, he seemed to be focusing on what she wanted, instead of what he thought she wanted. And of course, the sex was still amazing so…
The hell with it.
She was going to enjoy him—work side by side with him—for whatever time he was hers. His love and support strengthened her. She’d be a fool to deny it.
A greater fool to deny herself of it.
And perhaps it was time to return some of that love and support. Honest emotion and a new priority would maybe dampen her father’s awful voice in her head. She didn’t want to feel guilty anymore. Wanted to move on from the blame of her sister Mary’s death. Her mother’s murder. Her father’s suicide.
If only Ari hadn’t been called away so suddenly. He and Alexios had left AQUA a few minutes ago to assist at Spencer’s San Francisco club, IGNIS, where the Rephaim had somehow managed to blow a hole in the wall of his reliquary. Not good.
Katherine stood before her AQUA closet, staring at the designer clothes she’d accumulated from shopping trips all over the world. Her closet at her other home was even more extravagant. The carefully hung, color-organized ensembles, shoes, and jewelry weren’t just a hobby she enjoyed. It was more pathetic than that. It had been a desperate attempt to replace—or at least forget about—the man she loved far more than any liberated, independent woman should. She’d been as lost as Stark in his desire to erase the pain of his past. But instead of heroin, she self-medicated with shopping. Using objects and outward trappings to prove to others how worthy she was.
The pity was, looking the part never made her feel it inside.
But if she was worthy of Ari’s love, maybe she was okay.
If she only knew how long he’d be around this time…
She frowned, hopping on one foot while she zipped up her ankle boots, and then hurried downstairs. With each step, the tenderness of her groin reminded her of Ari’s loving. Her top-of-the-line vibrator was definitely a poor substitute.
Your desire is desperately distracting, North. You’d better be alone and thinking about me, not eying another male.
She paused at the foot of the stairs so the others wouldn’t see the goofy smile on her face at her mate’s mental growl. That he could so effortlessly reach through the ether to connect with her was actually more comforting than she cared to admit. I’m not good at reassurance, Viking. May I interest you in a sarcastic comment? And hurry back, she added, speaking only to herself. His telepathic chuckle was like a caress. Just be careful, okay?
You, too, he said. I hate to be away from you, especially with Leviathan suspiciously off the radar. Be on guard for anything, and whatever you do, do not touch the relic.
I’ve been fine without you for the last three years. I think I’ll survive.
He didn’t reply, but she could feel his unease. She sighed as she came down the newly repaired hallway, remembering the unfortunate altercation with Siolazar. She bypassed the tall potted palms to approach the wide bar where Jade was lining up new chrism oil bottles. The priests had clearly brought extra supplies with them. Thank goodness.
Jade whistled. “Damn, girl, you’re glowing. But with a sex-god Viking taking care of you, I shouldn’t be surprised. Seriously, you look great, honey.”
“Thanks.” Katherine examined the bodies in the Devil’s Trap on the dance floor. Only six of them. Her heart rate sped up. “Where’s Kai?” She turned back to Jade. “If he’s not healed by now...”
Jade chuckled without looking up. “Put your claws away. Ari made Father Angus exorcise Kai first. He’s in the break room grabbing lunch with his sister and the priest.”
“What about the other priest—Father Murphy?”
“Alexios and Ari took Murphy to IGNIS to help wi
th the shit storm there.”
“As they’ve done the exorcisms, have either of the priests shown any ill effects from the Nephilim toxin?”
“Ari was really careful about that, but thankfully, no. Looks like it only affects Purifiers because of the way you guys suck the essence into your bodies, unlike the priests who use the sacred ritual.”
“Good.” Katherine exhaled, her neck and shoulders relaxing as she moved down the second, then first tier of tables toward the dance floor where the possessed watched her approach with shifting gazes. Usually the newly possessed were a noisy lot, flocking to nightclubs where the normal chaos of the setting made it easier for them to hide their crazy. But during the low-key hours before the club’s opening, this calm behavior on their part was eerie. “Why are they so quiet?” she asked.
“They must’ve worn themselves out when they watched the priests work on the others,” Jade said. “I ‘spose they’re conserving their energy to fight Father Angus when he comes back from lunch.”
It sucked that they had to do all the exorcisms the old-fashioned way, but she and other Purifiers couldn’t afford constant tainting by the Nephilim blood. And there was no way they could take the Chains out of the reliquary.
So, time to stop gawking at these freakishly quiet possessions and get to work. She’d almost reached the break room when a well-built man with a steel-colored beard and spiked hair emerged from the kitchen wearing pink jeans and a short-sleeved gray clerical shirt and collar. And behind him…Kai.
Katherine smiled at the young Hawaiian, her heart easing when he nodded with an answering smile. His color looked good, and though his warm brown eyes didn’t quite project that peaceful serenity she’d yearned to bottle a million times in the last decade, his comportment was calm.
She held out her hands to the priest. “It’s about time you two stopped stuffing your gourds. You’ve kept me waiting.”
Father Angus bypassed her hands and went in for a sturdy hug. “Happy to see you, too, lass.” He stepped back and thwacked her shoulders, his arm-sleeve tattoos shadowed in the darkened hallway. “Seems like ages since we stuck it to Asmodeus’s bastards at TERRA.”
Her lips twisted in a wry smile. “Indeed. Maybe because we both almost died.”
“Och, that hardchaw Viking wouldn’t ever let that happen to you. What’s the story on you two anyway?”
She decided to let the Viking inquiry pass as much as it made her stomach swirly. “Not much juicy gossip around here.”
He chuckled bawdily. “That’s not what I heard with my own ears a couple hours ago.”
Ooo-kay then. Her face heated as the priest stepped aside to bring Kai into the conversation. The men shared some unspoken communication that had her glancing between them.
“Katherine, may I have a word in private?” Kai asked.
His soft-spoken words made her heart begin to pound. Had she missed something in his demeanor? She stared at him for a moment before she turned and led him down the hallway to the business office she shared with Jade and Stark. Once the door was closed, Katherine reached for Kai’s hand, the gesture making her feel exposed, but unwilling to let it stop her. She hadn’t been much of a mother figure to him these past ten years, but she’d done her best to clothe, house, feed, and educate him and his older sister. He’d been a boy of eleven, Konani just fifteen, when she’d found them. She’d probably always feel they were hers—even when they were old. The thought of them someday not being around… She swallowed past a hard knot in her throat. “You had us worried, Kai. How are you feeling?”
His other hand came up to sandwich hers between his two palms. “I’m grateful to be free of the demon, but I feel awful that I’ve been living a lie…which led to my possession. I could’ve hurt you, my sister, or the others.”
Katherine shook her head. “But you didn’t. You fought the demon and were ready to kill yourself to prevent that. No more guilt. It’s a poison that eats away at your insides.” She should know. “You are the gentlest soul I have ever known. And if this is about you being gay, you have nothing to feel guilty about.”
Kai’s eyes widened. “You knew?”
She smiled. “For about two years.”
He looked down at their joined hands, then quickly back up at her, trying to read something in her steady gaze. Finally, “You’re not ashamed of me?”
His whole body was shaking. She dropped his hands and pulled him in for a hug. “God, no. I’m the one who should be ashamed for making you wonder.” She held on to him until his quivering ceased, then brushed at her eyes and pulled back. “Love is a gift no matter who it comes from. All I want for you is to be happy.”
Kai squeezed her again, rocking her side to side. “Where would Konani and I be without you?” When he stepped back, his smile shone like diamonds in the snow of Ari’s homeland. “You gave us new life when we had no hope. Now, I feel like I am reborn once more. Thank you.”
She couldn’t imagine anyone finding those children and not doing anything. “Just so we’re clear, the next time you have such a huge weight on your mind, don’t wait so damn long to tell me. And no more guilt. Got it?”
He nodded with twinkling eyes. “That ‘no more guilt’ also applies to you, you know. As my role model, you’re obliged to take care of yourself, too.”
Katherine snorted. “Your role model, huh? That might be the biggest lie you’ve ever told, brat.”
“I love you, Katherine. I also want you to be happy.” He leaned down to kiss both her cheeks, then walked out of the office, quietly closing the door behind him.
Katherine stood staring at Jade’s bulletin board filled to the brim with notes and pictures that called to mind happy times. How had she managed to have such wonderful people in her life?
And they even loved her.
She thought about that—really thought about it—for the first time as she slumped down into the sumptuous white leather chair she’d bought for Jade after seeing her admire it in a catalog. Jade had cried when it was delivered, going on about how thoughtful it was. Katherine had imagined it was only because of the price tag.
Yet Jade had also cried that time when Katherine had brought her her favorite flower she’d picked along the side of the road on her way to work.
Katherine sat in Jade’s chair and ran her fingers along the buttery-soft armrests, smiling as a strange new lightness settled in her chest.
Maybe it was finally time to let go of the past. Time to believe she deserved the love of the special people in her life. They hadn’t stuck around for no reason, right? She paid well, but so did a lot of other places where they wouldn’t have to deal with demonic horrors on a near-daily basis.
And of course, there was her Viking.
She reached into the ether to find him. To tell him she wanted him back as soon as possible. When she found his essence at IGNIS, there was a startle and a sudden disturbance, which meant he was engaged in battle. She gathered her strength and sent as much power as she could through their connection, praying to the God who’d given her this second chance that Ari would prevail and come back to her.
And that she would overcome the evil that was currently on her own doorstep.
And inside her.
She stood and was on her way to gather all her staff so they could devise a strategy for dealing with Leviathan, Siolazar, and the rest of their problems when a knock sounded. She opened the office door to find Father Angus. “Is everyone okay?”
“Aye, rest easy, lass. Jade dispatched me to find you. She figures you’d be the least surly with me since I haven’t had much chance to annoy you yet.”
Katherine shook her head with a smile as they walked side by side down the hall toward the dance floor. “I hear you’ve had a full morning of exorcisms. I feel terrible that I’m not able to assist in my usual manner. You’ll have to refresh my memory on how to do things the old-fashioned way.”
“We’ll do fine. Things aren’t as bad here yet, not like what Spencer�
��s dealing with, with Archdemon Baal at IGNIS. For whatever reason, your archdemon is acting the maggot with you instead of going full-court press.”
She stopped and turned to him. “Then you should be at IGNIS fighting Baal with the others.”
The priest hooked his arm through hers to continue walking them toward the Devil’s Trap, where the possessed broke their silence to strike up bone-jarring shrieks. “Life is going on as usual here on Oahu for most everyone, but something is brewing. I’m sure you feel it,” he said.
“But—”
“Michael instructed me to remain here. That’s all I need to know.”
Interesting. Or unnerving. She wasn’t sure which it really was yet. “Is the Archangel appearing to you?”
“Well, not exactly. But trust me, the scary bugger’s getting his message across.”
Katherine nodded: that she knew all about. She looked at the bedeviled humans, feeling her unease about Ari’s absence fade. This was her purpose. To heal humans for as long as she could. It didn’t matter if they deserved it or not. That piece of the puzzle wasn’t hers to judge. And that made her happy because, wow, she thought being in management was tough? End-of-life judgment had to take the cake. Talk about a headache. “How do you want to do this? Each one together, or divide and conquer?”
Father Angus assessed the writhing mass of bodies and cracked his knuckles. “I think we make a go of ‘em together. They’ve had a chance to perk up, and I’m not liking the look of that gouger on the right.”
Katherine agreed. The man was built like a wine barrel, and his eyes had already started blinking in and out of that black, empty gaze that meant his soul was losing the battle. She narrowed her eyes and smiled. “Let’s do him first.”
“You have a streak of the devil in you as well, do you not?” He returned her smile. “But then, I suppose you Guardians have to have a little black in your marrow to carry your yoke.”