The Keepers of Hell Box Set

by Danielle James

  Sleep did find her and rather quickly. With his scent everywhere and his skin under hers, Laura didn’t have much choice but to dream about him. She was lying on top of him, kissing his lips and sucking them into her mouth. Whenever his fangs scraped her own lips, it spurred her on for more. Laura raised her head and looked at those eyes again. In her dream, they were focused and dark, filled with the kind of hunger one wouldn’t satisfy from food. He hungered for her.

  His arms were wrapped tightly around her, his hands on her ass. He was holding her to his body as he ground his erection into her. Laura kissed his neck, committing his taste to her memory, licking his salty skin. She no longer cared that he was naked and she was fully dressed, but in her dream she had no insecurities. She ripped her shirt off and pushed her breast to his mouth. He latched on quickly, sucking the hardened nipple into his hot mouth. Laura rotated her hips, moving them back and forth, until his cock bumped against her clit with every movement. Nothing had ever felt so good before, and she continued to ride the wave of pleasure he provided.

  "Laura," his voice called to her, urging her onward. She moved her hips faster, loving the look of tortured pleasure on his face as she did so. The pressure built, and Laura knew she was about to climax. She pushed her body harder against his unwilling to stop. And then, the dam broke. The orgasm hit hard and fast, forcing Laura to cry out.

  And then she opened her eyes.

  Jamie was underneath her, that wild, hungry look in his eyes. Her body was still quaking when she realized that not only did she just have the equivalent of a wet dream, but she had climbed on top of him and used his body shamelessly. "Oh no," she gasped and tried to get up, but he held her firm in her place.

  "That was the single hottest thing I have ever witnessed in my entire life," he rumbled in his sexy bedroom voice.

  "I was asleep," Laura tried to explain. "I didn’t mean to."

  "I loved it, please don't apologize." Jamie pushed his hips up to her for good measure. His eyes rolled back for a moment and Laura groaned. "And please don't stop," he begged. "Please."

  “Jamie, we can’t,” she tried to argue.

  God, he loved the sound of his name on her lips. “Just let me hold you a little longer,” he told her.

  “Anyone could walk in,” she reminded him.

  “Isn’t that part of the excitement?” he said with a wicked smile. “I’m just not ready for you to stop touching me.”

  Laura wanted to stop, but even more than that, she wanted to make his eyes roll back again. She moved her hips again, slightly, and he hissed out a breath. “Please,” he had said. She looked down into his eyes and she knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he was hers. She was in charge. She felt powerful, and not in a magical way. The hulking man beneath her was completely at her mercy, and from the look in his gorgeous eyes, he was happy to let her take control.

  “Fine, but I want to touch your skin,” she said softly. She reached between their bodies to grab the hem of his shirt, pulling it up. He lifted his torso and helped her by ripping the shirt over his head. Laura spent a moment just looking at his tanned skin and rippling muscle. Around his neck was a silver chain with two rectangular tags on it. Dog tags.

  Laura picked them up and studied them a moment. She could feel Jamie’s eyes on her, but for the moment, those tags held a significant part of her interest. She didn’t bother to ask if he ever took them off, she knew he didn’t. It wasn’t just a piece of jewelry to him. It was a symbol, a talisman to him, much like a witch’s talisman. It reminded him of an oath he took and the men and women he fought with. It gave him strength and courage. To Laura, it meant something else. It was a token of something bigger than one man. A promise he made. A symbol of strength and loyalty. She placed it gently back on his chest when a sparkle of silver caught her eye.

  “Nipple rings?” she asked with a raised brow. Jamie shrugged. Taking her finger and thumb, she lifted the silver ring attached to his right nipple. His nostrils flared. Man, that was sexy. The rings, the way he reacted when she touched it, all of it. “Does it hurt when I touch them?” she asked him.

  “Not at all,” he said, “but they are very sensitive.”

  “Really.” Laura rubbed her fingertip across the taught nipple and Jamie hummed in pleasure. Oh, he liked that, so she did it again. She used her other hand to give the same attention to his other pierced nipple and Jamie groaned out loud. His hips were moving now, steadily grinding his erection into her core. She put aside the pleasure he was inadvertently giving back to her, and focused on him.

  Leaning down, she flicked her tongue over one of those rings. Jamie sucked in a breath and his hand went to the back of her head, holding her to him.

  “Fucking right,” he moaned. Laura smiled and did it again. Jamie’s hips were rocking underneath her, pushing her to the limits of her self-control, but she didn’t stop. Instead, she wiggled her way off of his body, lying to the side of him instead.

  “Why did you leave?” he asked.

  “I want to watch you,” she whispered, tugging on his nipple with her fingertips.

  Jamie let her go with one hand and snaked it down into the waistband of his pants. Laura’s eyes followed and the sight of him touching himself caused her insides to tighten. She reached down and popped the button on his fly open, allowing him more room.

  She should have expected his penis to be every bit as beautiful as the rest of him, but when it sprang free of the confines of his pants, Laura was still shocked. Smooth, tan skin covered the iron-hard cock, his hand closed around it. His hand just barely closed, which meant her much smaller one would not. She watched as he moved his hand up and down the shaft slowly, fully aware that he was watching her watch him. It was incredible.

  “You like to watch,” he stated, not questioned.

  Laura jerked her eyes back to his and felt herself blush. “I guess I do,” she admitted.

  Still watching his face, Laura brushed his hair back and laid her hand on his neck. His skin was blazing hot to the touch, but not with fever. She tucked her elbow under her and propped her head on her hand, using the other one to touch his skin lightly. She trailed her fingers down his neck, over his collar bone and down the center of his chest.

  “Yes, touch me,” he groaned, pushing his head back into the pillow. He was still watching her, his eyes damn near glowing in the low light.

  Laura bit her lower lip and then lowered her head to his. She had kissed him in her dream, but she wanted to know if his lips were as soft as she had dreamed. Brushing her own mouth over his, Laura savored the feel of his lips. They were soft. Slowly, she explored them, tasting and feeling, and Jamie let her set the pace.

  It took all of his self-control not to toss her onto her back and plunge inside of her. That wasn’t what his mate needed, though. She needed to trust him, and this was a huge step in the right direction. She feathered her lips over his, her tongue darting out every now and then. He wanted to ravish her mouth, but he forced himself to stay still under her ministrations. When she sucked his bottom lip into her mouth, he couldn’t hold out any more. He used his free hand to fist the back of her hair, angling her head for a better connection. His tongue shot out, entering her mouth, and then retreating again. He held her mouth hostage, thrusting his tongue in and out, fucking her mouth like he wanted to do to the rest of her body.

  She finally freed herself from his hold, throwing her head back and sucking in a deep breath. “Damn,” she cursed, and then he saw her intention in her eyes. Without a word, she ducked her head down and took one of his nipples into her mouth. A bolt of electricity shot from his sensitive nipple straight to his cock. He fisted himself tighter, moving his hand faster than before.

  “Fuck,” he growled, “Yes, suck hard.”

  Laura did as he asked as he held her head tight to him. She could see the movement of his hand growling faster and more desperate. She released his tiny nipple only to latch onto it again. This time, harder. As she sucked, she flick
ed her tongue over the nub like she would have liked, and from the way his hips shot off the bed, he liked it too.

  “Laura,” he moaned, shifting his hips. “More.”

  She gave him more. And then, she bit him and not nicely, either. Her teeth sank into his flesh and Jamie cried out.

  “Fuck me fuck, fuck, ahhhh,” he shouted as his leg kicked at the sheet and his hips came off the bed. Laura watched as he froze for a moment and then he came. Hot semen landed all over his exposed stomach, covered his hand, and even landed mere inches from her face at his chest. His body collapsed and he let out a breath.

  “I was going to make it longer,” he said apologetically, “but you bit me.”

  “Like a bit of pain, do you?” she teased.

  “Apparently so,” he laughed. “We need a towel.” As if by his command, a towel appeared at the foot of the bed. “Well, that’s convenient,” he said.

  “I think I heard one of the angels saying they always had what they needed,” Laura told him, still watching him as he picked up the towel and wiped his belly clean.

  “In that case, we need a bigger bed,” he laughed.

  The cot turned into a full-sized bed in the blink of an eye. “Yep, definitely convenient.”

  “This is so much better,” Laura said, snuggling into the soft mattress. “Still not big enough for two, but better.”

  “Now,” Jamie said, looking at her with heated eyes, “It’s your turn.”

  Laura knew exactly what he meant, but she stopped him. “No, I already had my turn. You have a big day tomorrow, and you need rest. Sleep.”

  Jamie looked at his mate with awe. She may not have been ready to take on the idea of being his mate, but she was already acting the part. Taking care of him would be an instinct that she wouldn’t be able to deny and, eventually, she would offer her blood to nourish him. Did he even need blood now? He wasn’t sure. The urge to bite was strong but not from hunger. He wanted to mark her.

  “Sleep,” Laura told him again. She cuddled into his side and allowed him to wrap his arm around her. She closed her eyes but did not sleep until she heard his breathing slow and become steady. Only when Jamie was resting did she allow herself to sleep again.

  Chapter Nine

  Shelly couldn’t believe the words that were coming out of her mouth. “We have discussed it, and I’ll do it,” she said.

  “Are you absolutely certain?” Ryver asked her. They had all convened back in the office once more to try and figure out the next move.

  “Yes, and do it fast before I change my mind,” Shelly told her.

  “I’ll be with you the whole time,” Jake reassured her.

  “I think we all should see,” Ash said, pushing his seeing mirror out into the main office. “Normally, I am the only one who can see in this mirror, but I think with the right combination of magic, we can all see what Shelly sees.”

  “I can arrange that,” Ryver told him. “Come on, let’s get you comfortable,” she said to Shelly. She led the demon to a comfortable chair and had her sit down before taking her hands.

  Lucas watched as Ryver took Shelly's hands. The spell had to be said just right, and she was the best person to do it. Her magic was both good and evil, given her heritage, but she chose to act on the side of good—her mother's side. Ryver had been banished from Hell, and Lucas had no doubt that her reclamation in Hell was a direct result of him claiming her as his mate. He would do it again. And again.

  Shelly closed her eyes and leaned back on the sofa. “Just listen to the sound of my voice,” Ryver said softly, lulling the demon into rest with her song-like voice. “Let everything else float away, let your mind wander.” At first, letting go of everything was difficult. How the hell was she supposed to do that? Her entire existence had been one giant stress ball, but the more she listened to Ryver’s soft words, the more she relaxed. Lacy was likely playing a role in the relaxation. Shelly wasn’t going to question it, though. If the angel wanted to help, she would take it.

  “I want you to clear all thoughts from your mind,” Ryver continued, “and think only of Balthazar. I want you to remember what he looks like, what he smells like, and even the sound of his voice. I want you to reach for the blood bond you share and bring it to the surface.”

  Shelly did as she was asked, focusing solely on her father. She heard Ryver whispering a spell, but the words did not register in her mind. All she saw was Balthazar. He was somewhere far away, somewhere cold. She could feel the gooseflesh on her own arms. Someone gasped, but shelly ignored it. Snow. There was snow everywhere.

  Jamie watched with everyone else as the mirror clouded over and then became clear again. Antonio had been right, Balthazar was in the Arctic. From the look of all the snow, Antarctica. It was as if they were all seeing through his eyes as a team of humans used a large drilling machine to dig down into the ice. The last horsemen, he thought. The demon was going after the final horseman. Balthazar barked orders at the workers, but it wasn’t a language Jamie knew. The intent was clear, though. Hurry. He was pushing the humans harder to find the box. Then, the demon passed in front of an ice wall that was so shiny it had a mirror effect. He heard Laura gasp from her cage and his attention turned to her. She shook her head and sat silently.

  “We have to go,” Ash announced. “Before he finds it.”

  Ryver broke the spell, severing the connection Shelly had with her father. “Stay here, rest,” she told her.

  Everyone geared up for battle. The angels, who were clad in normal street clothes, changed immediately into their battle gear. Ash opened a cabinet on the wall and began strapping knives to his body. Then he opened a second compartment in the same cabinet. “We aren’t taking any chances,” he said as he pulled a long, black dagger out of the cabinet and then another that was silver and gold. “Blade of darkness,” he said about the first one, “Spear of Destiny,” he said about the second.

  Jamie had already been filled in on those two blades. One could kill any demon, the other any source of evil, and rumor had it that the spear was used to kill Lucifer. It still bore the stains of Jesus’s blood. Shit just got real. It was time to fight. He checked the guns on his hips and turned to Laura. “I have to go,” he told her.

  “Go,” she said. “Get him.”

  “Will you be alright?” he asked her.

  “What am I going to do?” she asked with heavy sarcasm. “Get going before they leave without you.”

  “I’ll be back,” he promised her before flashing away with the others.

  Laura knew he would be. Jamie was honest, determined, and loyal to a fault. She admired that about him. She didn’t want him to know that she was in the middle of a meltdown. He didn’t need that. But she had seen the image in the mirror and her heart skipped a beat. She sucked in a breath and forced the air in and out of her lungs. She knew him. The sound of his voice jarred something loose in her memory and the images began to come in rapid succession. It was all she could do to hold it together until the angels left.

  “We shall work together, and we shall rule the whole of the Heavens and Hell. Come with me, my beautiful pet,” the demon said. Not Balthazar, someone else. Shax. His name was Shax. “Noctumnus corrisorery,” he said.

  Laura remembered the feeling that washed over her. It was as if her will was no longer her own. She followed Shax on autopilot, knowing what she was embarking on was wrong but unable to stop herself.

  The visions fast forwarded to the moment when Ash came to her for the amulet. She made it for him and pretended to be his friend.

  And then things changed. Shax stopped coming around and instinctively Laura knew he was dead. But the spell he had put on her was not. Anger that he left her filled her soul and she set out to find another who could keep the promises he made.

  She saw herself free Balthazar from his prison.

  Everything Jamie had told her was true. Her memory returned faster and faster. Balthazar had seen the spell Shax put on her, but he reinforced the magi
c. Twisted her sense of morality so that she would hate the angels and everything they stood for. Bile rose up in her throat as she watched the memory of the demon kissing her and more.

  What had she done?

  It became too much and Laura dropped to her knees, tears streaming down her face. What had she done?

  She cried uncontrollably for so long that she ran out of tears. There was no way she could ever make up for the things she had done. Ash was right, he should have killed her. She didn’t deserve to live, and she didn’t deserve Jamie.

  The sheet on her bed lay half ass on and off the bed. Laura knew what she had to do to make it right. She got to her feet and grabbed the sheet. Ash had been a good warden to her and supplied her with everything she was going to need.

  ***

  Jamie took to the air once they arrived on the icy land mass. He thought the cold would bother him, but it didn't. His wings pushed against the frigid air as he soared over the area. Ash had given him the task of finding Balthazar's dig site, but Jamie thought it was more so that he could get some much-needed practice with flying. Covert mission? No problem. Gunfire and grenades? Sure. Jump out of an airplane? Of course. But fly on his own? Well … he still needed a little work. Jamie was not easily dissuaded, though, and he jumped at the opportunity to use his badass wings.

  He had mastered take-off and even soaring, but changing direction and landing were different. Managing his altitude was also a difficult task, especially in this temperature. If he flew too low, he would be seen by the demon or even humans. If he flew too high, ice would form on his feathers and he would drop from the sky like a rock.

  Pushing one fist out in front of him, Jamie leaned to the right to check out what appeared to be little huts or tents. He knew he was doing an imitation of Superman, but he didn’t care. Hell, he felt like Superman. He had a great gig, his mate was coming around to him, and he was an angel. As far as he was concerned, his life—or afterlife, as it were—couldn't get much better.