by Cynthia Eden
The look in his eyes told Josephine that Malik was way beyond any sort of control. Uh, oh.
“But you can always touch me, my Josephine. I like having your hands on me.”
He was hot and hard beneath her touch.
“You gave me your blood.”
“I was…” Helping.
“You could have let me die right there. Then the tally mark would have faded. You’d be free.” He caught her hand in his fingers. Brought it to his lips. Then he pressed his mouth right to the mark, kissing her wrist.
And sending a wave of intense, toe-curling desire surging through her.
Since when had her wrist become an erogenous zone?
His tongue slid over her pulse point. Her racing pulse point.
“B-bullshit,” she called before her eyes rolled back into her head. She had to focus. And not moan. “You’ve gotten drunk on sin, you’ve been with every woman you could find.” This guy was no untried virgin. “You have—”
“I only want you.” He stared at her as if she were the center of his world.
Dammit. She surged onto her tip-toes. Reached for him—
His mouth crashed onto hers. Or hers crashed into his. Either way, she was kissing him. He was kissing her, and the need that she’d been fighting flared like wildfire. Desire filled her veins. Her nipples ached. Her sex yearned. She needed.
His tongue met hers. He seduced. Caressed. Had her moaning. Had her wanting to rip off his clothes and see just what else the guy could do with that very skillful mouth of his.
Biting an angel might be off the table.
But having sex with him? She wasn’t one to usually mix business and pleasure, but this time, with Malik, maybe she should make an exception. Maybe—
He lifted her up. Held her with that easy strength of his and her legs wrapped around his waist. His cock shoved toward her. Thick and hard and just awesome. She rocked against him and hated that the clothing was in their way. She wanted him naked. Wanted to be naked.
Yes, she was crossing lines. All kinds of lines. So the hell what? She’d be taking him in, alive, and they could both have an awesome memory to keep during the long centuries ahead. Yes, she’d be taking him upstairs, returning him to Luke…after.
“No one else,” he rasped as he kissed his way down her neck. “Only you. Always you.”
She loved it when a lover licked her neck. And he even was biting, a light nip that had her shoving her hips harder against him. Vamps loved bites.
“This is a mistake,” Josephine wanted to be clear on this. “I’m still taking you in.” This was just need. Raw desire. Desperate lust.
He was probably still reacting so strongly because of her blood, despite his story about always wanting her. And as for her…
When was the last time a lover had made her need this desperately? When was the last time she’d responded this way? When someone made your body go molten, why the hell would you walk away without getting that pleasure while you could?
She’d never been with an angel before. And he’d never been with anyone.
Anyone.
Wait. Maybe this was wrong. But it just felt so wonderfully right.
“This…you don’t want me.” Her nails dug into his shoulders. “It’s the blood. It’s making a link. Making you feel—”
“You made me feel. When I wasn’t supposed to feel anything. When there was only supposed to be duty.” His head lifted. He stared into her eyes. “I’m earthbound. You can feel me. I can touch you. There is nothing I want more than to keep touching you.”
And she remembered the way he’d been the first time she’d seen him. The shock in his voice as he’d said, “I can touch you.”
Luke was one hard-core bastard. The angel had a weakness, all right. And it was her. But…
Maybe he’s my weakness, too. Because she’d never wanted anyone this much.
Screw doing the right thing. Right had never been her strong suit. “We have forty-eight hours.” Actually, less than that because the clock had long since started ticking. “Let’s use them.”
His eyes widened. “Josephine—”
She kissed him. Dipped her tongue into his mouth. The hard length of his cock jerked against her. She wanted him in her. Wanted to see him go absolutely wild. “Ready for some sin?”
Chapter Six
Fire raged inside of him. An uncontrollable desire to take and take and take. Josephine was in his arms. Josephine was kissing him. Josephine wanted him.
This was reality. It wasn’t some twisted, desperate delusion.
Real. Finally, real. Still, Malik found himself rasping, “You…want me? You…”
“I’m saying yes, and I’m saying it loud.” Her breath hitched out. “I’m also saying now because I don’t want to wait.”
Malik didn’t think he could wait. His cock was so hard he ached. He wanted to be in her. Wanted to make her go crazy for him. Wanted to see what Josephine’s beautiful face looked like when pleasure took her.
When he took her.
He’d dreamed of having her, but never thought he would. Never thought he could. But if Josephine was saying yes, if she wanted him—
His wings stretched behind his back as he pulled her closer. He flew them to the bedroom where the massive king-size bed waited.
“Your wings are gorgeous.” Her fingers stroked over the tips of his feathers, and Malik shuddered. She wouldn’t know how sensitive his wings were. Wouldn’t know that her silken touch was pushing him ever closer to the edge.
His control was holding, barely. He had to keep it in place long enough to make sure that Josephine found pleasure. He wanted her to know pleasure with him. She’d had other lovers, he knew—he hated the bastards. He wanted to make her forget them.
He’d never been with anyone else. Angels didn’t lust as a general way of life, but he had. For her. Something about Josephine had grabbed him from the first moment he’d seen her. Just because he didn’t have sexual experience, though, that didn’t mean Malik didn’t understand how to bring pleasure. He’d lived for centuries, and he’d wanted Josephine for a very long time. So he’d had plenty of opportunities to figure out just what he’d do to her. Just how to make her go insane for him.
He stripped away her clothes. Slowly. Carefully. She was the most gorgeous thing he’d ever seen. Small, petite, but with lush curves that had his heart thundering against his chest. When he stroked her breasts, when he licked the tight, dusky nipples, her head tipped back and she gave a ragged moan.
Good. She liked his touch. He needed her to like it. He needed her to crave it. To crave him.
Down, down he moved. Her thighs parted for him. He wanted to kiss her core. Wanted to put his mouth on her sex but as he stared at her…the need grew ever stronger. Rougher. Wilder. A darkness was inside of him, fighting to break free.
“Malik?”
He couldn’t speak. Speech was beyond him. What he wanted most was right there—she was there. Spread out before him. Waiting.
Waiting for him.
He pushed her thighs farther apart.
“If this is your first time, you really don’t need to—” Her words ended in a gasp because his mouth was on her. He wasn’t hesitant. He feasted. He licked and sucked and every taste just drove his lust to a more feral degree. Every taste made him want more. He’d never get enough of her. Never be able to—
“First time, my ass,” Josephine choked out as her hips shoved against his mouth. “Yes! Yes, right—” She gave a little scream.
He could have sworn he felt her pleasure. And he wanted more. Her pleasure tasted so sweet. He kept licking her, growling out his own desire because he wanted more, more—
“Malik!”
She was crying out his name in pleasure. His name. She wanted him. If he didn’t have her, he’d go mad. He knew it.
She’d been the one keeping him sane for so long…
His head rose. He lifted his lips, still tasting her. She stared at him, her brea
th panting out, the tips of her fangs just visible beyond her parted lips.
“That was…one hell of a start.” She smiled at him.
And he just—he was lost.
He positioned his cock at the entrance to her body. Wet, hot, open. For him. For him. He caught her hands, threaded his fingers with hers, and he kissed her. Kissed her even as he thrust into her.
As soon as he plunged into her slick heat—
There was no more control. There was only need. Primitive. Primal. A consuming desire that obliterated everything else. He withdrew, thrust deep, pounding into her again and again. Her legs locked around him, and her hips shoved up to meet him. Malik tore his mouth from hers. Kept thrusting. Even harder. Even deeper.
Her mouth was at his throat. Her lips pressed to him. She licked him. He felt the faint edge of her teeth as she scraped against him—
Then she shoved him back. “I won’t bite. Promise, okay?”
He wanted her teeth in him. Wanted everything she had to give.
But Josephine was on top now, riding his hips, and she was fucking gorgeous. His hands fisted the sheets. Tore them. She rose up, sank down. Faster. Faster.
Pleasure took her. From this angle, he had the perfect view of her face when the climax hit her. Her eyes lit, her breath shuddered out, and she called his name. Malik felt the contractions of her release all around his cock.
He let go of the bedding. Grabbed her hips. Yanked her tighter against him and erupted within her. The release slammed through him, powerful, far more intense than he’d expected, and he kept surging inside of her. The pleasure wasn’t stopping. Wave after wave swept through him. He was drunk on the release. Drunk on her.
Wild.
Addicted.
This…this was the feeling humans and other paranormals got every time they had sex? This madness? This mind-numbing pleasure?
Lucky bastards. He wanted more.
Josephine’s breath heaved out. She stared down at him. Splayed her fingers over his chest.
He wanted more, and he would have more.
***
A knock sounded at Lawrence’s door. He didn’t glance over his shoulder. He was too busy working. He’d managed to score a vampire’s tear, but so far, that was the only ingredient. And if he didn’t find the other items—
The door flew inward. Lawrence gave a quick scream as he whirled around. “Josephine, you didn’t give me enough—”
The man standing there smiled at him. “I’m not Josephine.”
No, no, he wasn’t.
“There’s an angel in town.”
Lawrence’s hands were behind him, flying across the table as he searched for a weapon. For something that might possibly save his ass.
“And I hear…that angel paid you a visit.”
“No…” Yes. “Josephine came to see me.” He tried to inject confidence in his voice. This was bad. Very, very bad. “We’re friends. I’m under her protection—”
Laughter. “Everyone knows Josephine Saint doesn’t have friends.”
True. Dammit.
“But I’m not after Josephine.” The man smiled at him. Power—a dark, dangerous magic—covered him like a cloak. “Not this time. Right now, I just want the angel. You’re going to help me get him.” The man shrugged. “And if you don’t, well, then I’m going to rip you apart.”
***
“You’re a liar,” Josephine said as she stared down at Malik. He was still inside of her. Still big and thick and she was still feeling the aftershocks of pleasure. Her hands pressed against his chest. “I don’t much care for liars.”
His fingers were tight on her hips. “Josephine—”
She arched against him, giving herself another rush of pleasure even as she muttered, “First time, huh? What the hell was that, beginner’s luck?” Because the sex had been phenomenal. The orgasm absolutely bone-meltingly great.
“It was my first time.” His jaw locked. “And I’m really hoping for a second…”
If she didn’t get off the guy, they’d be heading for that second. Though, technically, she’d come twice already, so a third orgasm would be—
Focus, Josephine.
She slowly slid her body off his.
He growled. It was a rough, animalistic sound. Very un-angel like. Her eyes narrowed on him. His wings had vanished again, and she’d rather liked his wings. She’d never felt anything so soft before. And…did his teeth look a little sharper?
“I like being in you, Josephine.”
She’d rather liked him being in her, too. But she moved away from the bed. Stood there, naked, and put her hands on her hips. “This doesn’t change things.”
His gaze was on her body. He looked hungry. No other way to describe it.
Mental note, angels make for great lovers.
He didn’t speak. Just kept staring. She cleared her throat. Twice.
Malik blinked, shook his head, and looked up at her face.
“Hi, there.” She smiled, flashing a bit of fang. “Did you hear what I said?”
Once more, he shook his head.
Her smile wanted to widen. The angel could be cute. “I said…” She made herself lose the smile because this was about business. “Nothing has changed. You get that, don’t you?”
Malik sat up in bed. The covers pooled near his hips, but there was no missing the heavy arousal that he still sported. “You’re right.” He seemed a little surprised. “Nothing has changed.” His head tilted. “I still want you just as badly as before.”
Her heart stuttered a little.
“I think I may always want you.”
“Yes, well,” she tried to be flippant because suddenly Josephine felt very uncomfortable. Maybe it was the way he was looking at her. Like she was the best Christmas present he’d ever gotten or something weird like that. I’m not a present. Ask anyone. I’m a punishment. “They do say you never forget your first.” If she’d been his first. If she’d—
“There is no way I could ever forget you. And you are my first. I don’t lie.”
So that was the story that circulated about angels. They couldn’t lie. But they could twist the truth. “I’ve seen amateurs in bed. Men who need a guidebook.”
He blinked. His face hardened a little.
“You’re no amateur.”
“I’ve been around a very, very long time, and I’ve witnessed a lot of things.”
So her angel had seen sex, huh? “Are you sure you didn’t watch me with—”
“I didn’t.” His face was definitely harder now. More like lethal. “If I had, I would have needed to kill those men.” His gaze fell to her breasts. And his eyes seemed to glaze over.
Okay. She snagged her shirt. Yanked it on.
He frowned. “You didn’t need to dress. I love your body.”
“And I think yours is incredibly hot.”
He straightened.
“But we have business to discuss.” And she had some major angsty regret happening. Because she’d never had sex with a target and then—then given him up. At least she wasn’t killing Malik. That was something. She was just sending him back to where he belonged. “I don’t want to have to drag you kicking and screaming upstairs.”
A furrow appeared between his brows. “I’m not going back.”
“Why not? Just what is it that is keeping you—”
“I have a mission, too, my Josephine.”
“I’m not your Josephine.”
He looked a little hurt.
Angels. “What. Is. Your. Mission?”
Now he glanced away from her. “You won’t like it.”
“There is already very little about this situation that I do like.”
His shoulders stiffened. “I’m…sorry. I can try again. I can make it better, if you—”
“Whoa! Hold up. I’m not talking about the sex.” Her thighs were still a little quivery, not that she’d mention that fact to him. The whole reason she’d just jumped from the bed as if she’d been sca
lded? Because the sex had been too good. It had unnerved her. Or maybe the angel was the one doing that. “The sex was great.”
Now his eyes slid to her. “I want more of you.”
And she’d like to spend a few weeks locked away with the angel. But…forty-eight hours. “What mission do you have?”
Suspicion slid across his face. “Why?”
“Because maybe I can help you.” Holy hell, why had those words just come out of her mouth? She didn’t help anyone! At least, not without turning some kind of serious profit, she didn’t. A woman had to build her nest egg, didn’t she? Eyes on the long-range prize. Only right then, her eyes were on the angel. No, on the fallen.
He rose from the bed. The sheet stayed behind. Her eyes dropped, then Josephine yanked them right back up.
“You would help me?” Malik asked.
“If you agree to go back without a fight, it seems like a fair trade.”
But he shook his head. “I will never go back.”
“Look. Malik—”
He touched her cheek. “You feel like silk. Your skin is so warm and smooth. I couldn’t touch you before. You couldn’t hear me when I called to you. When I tried to warn you…” His hand fell away. Fisted. “I will not go back to that. I will not go back to not feeling. I will not go back to the shadows. If I tried, after what we’ve done, after the glimpse I’ve had, I would truly be in hell.”
Great. So by having sex with him, by giving in to the greedy demon of lust and jumping the guy, she’d made him all the more determined not to fly back to his home.
“Going back isn’t an option.” He yanked on a pair of jeans. Jeans that clung tightly to his powerful thighs. Thighs she’d ridden once and wouldn’t mind riding again.
Not now. Not. Now. Josephine tried to keep her voice steady. “Don’t you get it? I have to take you back. I have a deal with Luke.”
“I know.”
Her brow furrowed. “Were you there when I made the deal?”
Instead of answering, his head turned to the right. Toward the open bedroom door. He frowned.
She touched his chest. Hot. Hard. Yummy. Not now! “If I don’t take you back, then Luke wants me to kill you.”
Because he’d said that Malik would change. That he would become something dangerous. Hell on earth. Had those been his exact words? No, but he had said something like that.