Ryver watched the angel prowl like a caged animal. She knew he wanted her, and as much as she hated to admit it, she wanted him right back. His blue eyes were nearly iridescent in the low light and she loved it. His face was stern, his lips pressed into a thin line, and that adorable little scar over his eye wrinkled and became more prominent. Every now and again, he would bare his fangs in her direction. It was all she could do not to visibly shiver at the sight. He was powerful. Beautiful. Confident. But that was going to be his downfall, too, wasn’t it? He was too confident. He thought he had her by the balls, but the truth was, she had only stayed this long to see what he would do.
“So what are you going to do with me?” she asked sweetly.
He looked her body up and down before answering her. Ryver could swear she could feel the touch of his eyes sweeping over her skin as if it were those large, calloused hands. “I’m not sure. I might have to tie your ass to something.”
Ryver smiled at him. “Ooooo, bondage,” she cooed.
Lucas moved quickly to stand in front of her. He bent down until they were nose to nose. “Don’t tempt me,” he growled. He felt some measure of satisfaction when her chest rose with her sharp intake of breath. She smelled so good.
“Perhaps it is you that should not tempt me,” she said back without breaking eye contact. Gorgeous eyes. Fucking Gorgeous.
“I’m not afraid,” he said softly. He leaned in closer and drew her scent deep into his lungs.
“Neither am I,” she said breathlessly. He was so close. Her lips parted without her consent.
Lucas saw her lips part and her little pink tongue darted out to lick them. Just one taste, he told himself as he moved in closer. Just one taste.
He brushed his lips across hers, just a whisper of a touch, and he had every intention of just teasing her desires. But as soon as the connection was made, little electric jolts spread from his lips down his throat and all over his body. She was soft and pliable to him and he sucked her lip into his mouth. Her taste was extraordinary and he had to have more. He pushed his tongue into her mouth and he was lost. Her hands snaked into his short hair and she dragged him closer to her.
She sucked his tongue further into her mouth and Lucas groaned. He might live in Hell, but her mouth was Heaven. He ran his hands down her arms and back up again, angling his head for better contact. She uncrossed her legs and Lucas settled his body down on his knees between hers.
Ryver had not expected her body to have such a powerful reaction to Lucas, but there it was just the same. She couldn’t get him close enough to her as he went from kissing her softly to ravaging her mouth like a starved man. She welcomed his body between her legs and she wrapped them around him to hold him to her.
He tasted like coffee and cigarettes and chocolate. All of her favorite things, but under that, he had his own taste that was musky and all male. She gripped his broad shoulders and dug her nails into his skin when he moved his mouth from hers and down her neck. He peppered her skin with tiny nibbles and kisses, making her every nerve come alive. She arched backward on her seat and would have fallen off, but he was prepared for her. He pushed the chair back against the wall to support her back while never taking his lips off her skin.
Lucas had pushed himself closer to her and she could feel the ridge behind the fly of his jeans against her leg. It was all too much and yet not nearly enough at the same time. He rocked his hips against her and Ryver couldn’t stop the moan of pleasure that escaped her lips.
“I need to see you,” he said against the skin of her neck.
“Yes,” she said on a hoarse whisper.
Lucas gently pulled the straps of her tank top down around her arms, exposing her breasts to the cool air. Immediately, her already hardened nipples strained further toward him, begging for his attention. Ryver hated that her body wanted him so badly, but she wasn’t ready to stop it, either.
“Beautiful,” he said before dipping his head low and taking one diamond hard nipple into his mouth. He flicked his tongue back and forth over the hardened nub, then bit gently with his teeth.
“Yes!” Ryver cried out, tossing her head back and closing her eyes. She held on to his shoulders with her nails and he didn’t seem to mind it at all, given the way he was grinding into her.
Lucas lowered his hands and pushed her skirt up. He held her hip with one hand and slipped the other under the soft material. Lucas growled when he discovered that she wasn’t wearing panties and nothing was obstructing his path to her core. He brushed against her sensitive skin and was pleased with her sharp breath that followed. He rubbed circles around her clit and then slid one thick finger inside her. At the same time, he turned the attention of his mouth to her other breast. He could taste her all day, he decided. “So hot,” he murmured, sucking the other nipple into his mouth.
Lucas could feel her body tightening around his hand and he began to move faster. He jerked his arm back and forth, causing the chair to scoot slightly. Her mewls were getting faster and her breath was coming in quick pants. He knew she was nearing the edge, so he pushed his thumb up to bump her clit with every stroke of his hand.
Ryver felt her body coiling tightly. How long had it been since she had sex? She couldn’t remember, but she was going to fix that immediately. She was going to ride this man until he couldn’t think straight. He bit down on her nipple and Ryver broke. Waves of pleasure crashed over her body and Lucas stayed with her while she rode them out. As she was coming back to herself, she heard a tiny click and then another, identical click.
She opened her eyes and looked into the icy blue eyes of the wolf who had brought her such intense pleasure. “That was beautiful,” he told her softly. “I’m sorry.”
Ryver couldn’t figure out why he would be sorry. That had been amazing. She tried to bring her arms up to hold his face in her hands, only to realize that she was cuffed to the pipes that ran along the corner of the room. He had tricked her. She narrowed her eyes at him as he stood before her.
“I can’t have you getting away again,” he explained to her.
All the pleasure and joy she had just found in this man drained out of her. He was only distracting her so that he could restrain her. She felt a fury building that had been born in her many years earlier when her father banished her to the Earth. It was the fury of a woman scorned. It was the sting of betrayal. If he thought some cuffs and a pipe were going to hold her, he had another thing coming.
Chapter fourteen
What kind of chaos should he cause first? Balthazar wondered to himself. This human world was full of sin and debauchery, and he couldn’t decide where to start. He thought he would start small. An act of terror, or something simple like that. He glanced over to the television where a news story about a car accident was playing. The sound had been turned off, but it was the same as every other pitiful human story. As he looked at the footage of a mangled SUV, an idea struck hard and fast. Balthazar grinned to himself and flashed himself to West Coast.
The Earth’s crust shifted and moved all the time. Humans rarely felt it, but it was there. Balthazar smiled wickedly to himself as he felt the fault line beneath his feet rumble. He looked around and was even more pleased. His demons had followed, just as he knew they would. “You have been waiting for me and doing work for me like the faithful minions you are. I am proud of you,” he addressed them. “I think it is time for some fun.”
The demons cheered and the street lights of Los Angeles flickered in the night.
“But first,” Balthazar continued, “I have to have some fun of my own.” He lifted his arms by his sides and pushed the power within him outward to his fingertips. The ground rumbled again, this time louder. “Just a little shake to wake up the city,” he grinned as he brought his hands together.
The clap was thunderous and the ground shook beneath their feet. The demons jumped and hooted, loving the anticipation. The ground began to shake and they cheered. A street lamp was the first to fall and then it was a d
omino effect. Buildings began to sway and then crumble under the force of the earthquake. The streets cracked and even at night, cars were in the path of the destruction. They smashed into each other and some fell through the openings the fault line created.
“Go forth,” Balthazar shouted over the noise. “Pillage and murder. Do your worst and enjoy it! But remember, keep it within the quake!” A hideous cackle bubbled up from his throat as he watched his demons scamper away to wreak havoc on the city. The San Andreas Fault was an easy target and Balthazar wondered if he might exploit the weakness again. No, he thought to himself, he would find something much, much better. The screams of humans was like music to his ears as they became prey to the horde he had unleashed on them. His belly filled with satisfaction and Balthazar flashed away to his next project.
***
Balthazar materialized in Russia. The wet snow of winter stuck to his boots and made sloshing noises as he tromped through it. In a matter of seconds, his feet were going numb. This was unacceptable to a resident of Hell. With the Kremlin in sight, Balthazar flashed himself the rest of the way to his destination.
The president of Russia was unaware of the demon’s presence as he typed away at his computer. “You should really check on those Americans,” Balthazar whispered to the man’s soul. “You know it’s true, Vlad. They never pulled back the Peace Keeper research. In fact, there are two in orbit now, masquerading as satellites. The fallout would be detrimental to your people. These Americans have not earned your trust.”
He watched with satisfaction as the President’s eyes glazed over and his typing turned into a search for answers.
***
When Balthazar materialized again, the weather was significantly different and it was daylight. He pulled his shirt over his nose to keep the sand out and moved forward into the small dwelling in front of him. Akmir was frantically researching, as he always did, for his employer. Always looking for the weakness the Americans would not show.
"Damned infidels," Balthazar whispered to the man's soul. "Godless creatures with no morale. They deserve everything they're about to get."
The terrorist's lips curled up at the corners when he saw what was displayed on his computer screen. This was what he had been searching for. His employer was going to be very pleased with him.
Balthazar grinned and flashed away.
***
"Hello, Simon," Balthazar purred as he materialized in front of the vampire. "It's been too long, my friend."
Simon rolled his eyes and disengaged himself from the woman's throat that was serving as his dinner. "Run along now and do not remember me," he said to her, spelling her mind with his eyes. Then, he turned his attention to the demon. "I am not your friend," he growled. "When did you get out?"
Balthazar leaned his massive body against the brick building and crossed his arms over his chest. "Now, is that any way to greet the demon who saved your ass?"
"Never gonna let that go, are you?" Simon snarled as he pulled his pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. He pulled one from the pack and placed it between his lips.
Balthazar snapped his fingers and a flame appeared at the tip of his thumb. He held it over to Simon who lit his cigarette off it. "Not a chance."
Simon made a show of taking a long drag off the smoke and blowing the cloud into the air. "What do you want?" he asked, half afraid of the answer.
Balthazar had saved his ass, a long time ago. It was long before the time when Paranormals could roam in the open, long before witches came out, before humans had even considered that vampires existed. Simon had taken a chance with a woman who he had thought to be his mate, but he had been mistaken. She loved him, of that, he had no doubt. But she was loved by another man as well. One that was not very keen to let her go. Simon had told his love about his true nature, and she had accepted him as he was. The man, however, was not so understanding when he snuck into Simon's home and found them together, Simon's fangs buried deep in her neck.
The fallout that ensued changed the way vampires lived forever. The book the man wrote, while full of myth and speculation, still haunted vamps to the present day. Simon was branded a soulless demon and had been hunted. Eventually, the army that the man assembled caught him and Simon had been staked out in the early hours of the morning, left to die by the sun. That was when Balthazar had found him. Simon didn't know who he was or why he wanted to help him, but at that moment, bleeding and dying, he didn't care. The demon had saved him and the only thing he asked in return was for a favor at a later date.
Balthazar watched with satisfaction as the vampire remembered just how much he owed him. "I have come to call in that favor," he smiled.
Simon ran his hand over his skull trimmed hair and took another deep drag of his cigarette. He knew there was no arguing with the demon and there was no way around doing whatever deed the thing wanted from him. "What do you want me to do?"
Chapter Fifteen
Antonio barged into Ash's office and nearly rolled over Mali like a steam truck. "You're not gonna believe this shit," he barked out. "It's bad," he continued when Ash raised a questioning brow at him. "All hell's breaking loose out there."
"Out where, exactly?" Ash asked slowly.
"On Earth," Antonio answered. "Everyone is doing their best, but damn it if that fucking demon isn't one step ahead of us. There is too much for just three guards and a few demons to handle."
"What's going on?" Ash demanded, standing from his chair and already moving to the room where he kept the mirror. The Mirror of the Soul allowed him to see anything he wanted, on Earth or in Hell.
"I think you should just have a look for yourself," Antonio told him. "I don’t think you would believe me otherwise."
Ash opened the door and when his mate joined him, he put his arm around her waist. There were no words needed to know that she had come to lend her moral support and to help in any way she could. The three of them watched as the mirror came to life with one touch from Ash.
The first image that appeared was not what Ash was expecting. Where he had expected chaos from the earthquake was replaced with a calm office scene. Until five men in suits entered the room.
"What will we do about this?" one man asked with a heavy Russian accent.
"Mr. President, are you sure of this?" another asked. "This is a great accusation and we must not act without proof."
"I have done my research," the President answered. "We are going to withdraw from the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban. The Americans have already done it, if they even stopped their testing at all. They have their Peacekeepers in orbit, and we shall send ours up as well. There is no advantage in being an unarmed target."
"As you wish, sir," another man said.
"Was that the President of Russia?" Antonio asked.
"Yep," Ash responded.
"Did we just witness the start of another cold war?"
"I think so."
The image in the mirror changed before their eyes.
The scene was vastly different than the first. Snow and ice had been replaced with palm trees and an ocean breeze. Antonio recognized it immediately as his home. "Los Angeles," he breathed.
The trio watched in horror as a man of Arabic descent was walking into a stadium. The signage out front indicated that a heavy metal band was playing that night.
"His name is Akmir," Ash said to anyone who was listening. No one asked how he knew that information because it was Ash and he just knew things sometimes.
Akmir walked through the turnstile and went immediately to the access doors under the seats. He pulled his phone from his pocket and typed in a few numbers. Then, he reached under a shelf and retrieved a small box. The explosion would be so small that no one would hear it, but the effect it would have on the public would be devastating.
"What's in the box?" Elizabeth asked softly.
"Polio," Ash answered her. It was scary as hell because humans were no longer vaccinated against an eradicated disease. Somehow, this te
rrorist managed to un-eradicate it and was getting ready to set it loose on the whole of Southern California. He turned his attention to Antonio. "Go," he commanded. "Take care of yours."
Antonio nodded and flashed himself away, back to his hometown and back to his family.
"I need Lacy in Russia," Ash said to his mate. "Only she can calm the Russian President down and make him see reason."
"Already on it," Elizabeth said, her cell phone in her hand.
Ash started to say something else, but it was lost as the scene in the mirror changed again.
Simon didn't have any trouble keeping his heart rate low and his breathing calm. He had centuries of practice. He didn't like what he had to do and a part of him knew that there was no coming back from it once it was done, but he had made a deal and was helpless to break it.
"Good evening, Captain," the security guard said to Simon as he entered the White House.
Simon nodded at the guard and scanned his badge. The doors clicked open and Simon walked through the metal detector. The guard inside waved him through and Simon scanned in for his shift. Years of exemplary service in the military had won Simon a place at the Presidential mansion, and now, it was going to be his undoing. As Simon entered the locker room, he listened and smelled for anything out of the ordinary, as was his usual routine.
Even his boots were extra loud on this night.
He typed in his password on his locker and the door opened. Simon placed his gun and his phone into the proper holsters and slammed the door closed. There was no point in waiting. His life would be forfeited after this, and after a millennia of living, how could Simon demand more? He didn’t have the right to. This was going to be the end and a part of Simon was grateful.
He walked to the boardroom where he knew the President to be meeting with his advisers, as he did every evening. Simon pushed open the door and took his place against the wall. The man he was replacing, a wolf shifter, nodded in acknowledgment and left his post to go home for the evening. Simon did as he always had, taking stock of the room and everyone in it.
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