He relaxed on the fold-out chair and she climbed astride his hips.
"I wish to explore the new sensation you taught me."
"What new sensation?"
"Tickling."
"Now listen here, I know you heal fast, but you've had a major battle. I don't want you to strain or hurt yourself. No playing silly games."
"I do not think you will find this silly." He reached down, gripped her hips, lifted her as if she were a doll and positioned her over his face so that she was open and exposed. He raised his head and carefully licked along the tender folds so that she wriggled and squirmed. His tongue soon found where she needed him most and he began to vibrate it, with a velocity she'd never experienced before.
"Oh God." Her whole body jack-knifed.
His thumbs moved from her hips to her sex and he opened her further to his lips and tongue.
She moaned, rolling her hips, clenching her stomach muscles as he teased her delicate folds. She wanted to ride him, to impale herself on him, she was so close to exploding.
When the tip of his tongued teased over her clitoris, she arched further but his touch was so feather light, she moaned in frustration. “Please,” she groaned.
A laugh was all she received in reply to his torment.
His answer was to tickle the tip of his tongue over the hood of her clitoris but when she strained, he withdrew.
A deep groan emitted from her throat as she thrust her hips urgently as his tongue, still feather-like, teased over her. She knew that he would not allow her to pull up off him nor mount him until he was ready for her to do so. Instead, his tongue licked her from her base to the tip of her clitoris and swirled around the top, this time intensifying the pressure.
Phoebe bucked, groaning and shivering. Her prince had an instinctive way of knowing when the waves inside of her built. He changed his rhythm to long hard licks on the top of her clitoris. She shuddered, her hips jerking, her legs trembling.
She was completely at his mercy.
And she was on top.
Her prince drew her clitoris up into his mouth, his tongue oscillating over the tip.
A ball of fire raced from the pit of her spine and exploded in her head. Another flame heated her body until it too exploded. She thrashed and groaned until finally, she collapsed, her hands barely supporting her as she moved down his body panting.
He moved her over his hips, guiding the heavy head of his manhood into place. Pausing under her, he looked into her eyes.
Nothing was ever more exciting than this. This moment of union. It was when he was completely hers and all their problems didn't exist. He was hard and hot as he filled her and she had to widen her thighs to accommodate him. His hips rolled in an easy rhythm, his pace smooth as he thrust up into her.
When she stared down into his eyes, they darkened as he lost himself in the moment. This was her time with him, every minute of it precious because she never knew what would happen next in her life with Agrat. She clasped him between her hips, locking her legs around him, and moved over him in an intense rhythm.
His hands moved to her shoulders and he pulled her down to him and kissed her deeply, so that she could taste her arousal on his lips. His index fingers thrummed over the tips of her nipples in time with his thrusts until another orgasm built. She wrapped her arms tightly around him, feeling the slide of skin on skin and the velvet sensuousness of his touch.
This time, she gripped his arms, crying out with the intensity of her orgasm. Her mind swirled as if it were liquid and she didn’t know where her body started and his finished.
His hips jerked and he growled deeply as he came deep inside of her.
Happiness overwhelmed her, so when he eased himself out of her, she held him. "I want our lives to be like this."
Agrat stroked her face. "Forever in my arms?"
"Not having to worry about what's going to come at us next."
Agrat's mouth turned down and he lifted her off him. "What you wish for is possible, but only if I kill Galaden. Come you must shower and take sustenance before I leave you. You have been through much and you should rest."
"Wait. What about you? You can't possibly go yet. You're not strong enough," she said as he walked to the end of the lounge area, opened a door that led to a hallway with several doors off it.
He opened another door to a large bedroom with an ensuite and motioned to her. The shower was roomy with two showerheads. Crystal-colored tiles decorated the walls giving the area an ethereal feel. He reached in and turned both on, took her hand and pulled her in with him. He bent and kissed her, his lips as gentle as the warm water that coursed over her. "I love you. I have always loved you, and I mean to end this curse by taking Galaden's life. I will never let you fall prey to him again. When I next see you, I will present you with his head."
She swallowed hoping Agrat's threat was a turn of phrase as she had no desire to see Galaden's severed head, despite her fear of him. A sick feeling grew in the pit of her stomach and she had a distinct urge to scrub herself clean. She wanted this crazy vendetta to stop. She picked up the liquid soap bottle and pumped some soap into her hand.
He scooped his fingers into the soap and washed over her back. "Does this not please you? You will be safe."
"I'm worried." She turned and grabbed his arm fearing that he might vanish in front of her even though they hadn't finished their shower. "Galaden has Daniel and Cassiel with him."
"Cassiel?"
Phoebe rubbed her soapy hands together and ran her hands over his body, mentally remembering the feel of him, every muscle, every ridge and nuance of his body. He was precious to her. "The son Galaden had with Rachael." She felt Agrat start under her hands.
He turned. "Galaden had a son? I thought that was a rumor."
She squirted more soap into her hand and finished washing herself, rinsed, waited until he had rinsed off and turned off the taps. "When Galaden kidnapped me, he forced me to remember my past life after you were turned to stone. I don't think my past life with him was as you thought. Certainly, in the dream he wasn't cruel. He let me keep our child, Daniel, and I raised Cassiel as my son, too."
"Daniel is most certainly my son. Why did he not dash the babe's head across some rocks in the way of our people? Galaden hated me."
"According to the dream, he wanted the boys to love one another."
Understanding dawned in his eyes. "The boys were raised as brothers like we were."
"Galaden appeared happy when he was in the nursery," she said.
Sadness pierced Agrat's expression and his mouth tightened. "Don't be fooled by your past-life memories. The creature we deal with now is not the Galaden I knew as a boy when his sweet angel nature was still apparent. He was capable of love then. This vow will consume him until he knows nothing else. He will kill you."
"I know." A shudder passed through her at the memory of Galaden's sword at her throat and the deadly intent in the angel's eyes. "It's just that I think you killing Galaden is not simple now Cassiel and Daniel are here. Cass is brave. He stopped Galaden from murdering me, even though he was ordered to stand aside."
A hiss of surprise left Agrat's lips. "The angel son disobeyed his maker? He didn't turn to stone?" Agrat opened the shower screen door and pulled two towels off the rack.
"No."
"But the angel lore is that he must obey his creator without question or his body starts to change." He put one towel around her shoulders before drying himself, his face puzzled.
"But that's my point. Cassiel did everything to stop Galaden killing me. He put his life on the line. He tested the lore. His whole body trembled but he didn't turn to stone. Galaden was furious at his disobedience, but Cassiel said he'd have to kill him before he got to me."
"The young angel is brave. A true warrior. I owe him my gratitude for keeping you safe when I could not."
"Yes, he is. Very brave. That's what concerns me. Agrat, what if Cassiel tries to stop you killing Galaden?"
&n
bsp; "Nothing will stop me exacting vengeance on Galaden." He slung his towel around his hips and strode from the bathroom into the lounge area.
Phoebe raced after him and grabbed his arm. "Agrat, stop. We have to talk about this. There's a lot more at stake than you think. Cassiel still loves his father and he saved my life. You cannot hurt him."
"I do not desire to make war on Cassiel. I am in his debt."
"What if he joins in and fights against you to save Galaden?"
Agrat pulled her to him and stroked her hair, but she wasn't fooled. Rigidity ruled his body, so she struggled out of his embrace, determined to see this problem through, but she couldn't do it naked. She saw her crumpled jeans, bra and dirty tee-shirt on the floor where she'd tugged them off. Reluctantly, she pulled them on again wishing she had a change of clothes, plus she needed to eat. Her head was spinning with hunger and this was not a time for weakness. Agrat couldn't leave without her. She spied bananas in the fruit bowl on the dining table, walked over, pulled one off the bunch, peeled it and bit into the fruit, not taking her eyes off the prince.
The prince made a chopping motion and his dagger flew from the kitchen into his hand. His eyes began to glow and in an instant, he was dressed in his battle gear.
"Agrat, wait. I'm coming with you."
"No!"
"No? You don't get to say no to me. I'm not some lowly concubine in your service."
The prince cupped her face and stared into her eyes. "That is not how I think of you. My dreams at night are full of you, of what we can have together when we are free of this curse. I want to wake up to you each morning. I want to come to know our son. I want more children with you. You are my life. I will not put you in danger."
Phoebe took his hands from her face and squeezed them tight. "I won't be left behind wondering what has happened to you. I'd rather die than go through that again. I'll never forgive you if you leave me." She looked down at her clothes. "I can't go to the hospital like this. I look like a vagrant. Take me back to my apartment so I can get changed."
"It isn't safe to put you in the path of Galaden," he growled.
"My world has been turned upside down since you came into it. Nothing is safe and I hate it. I dislike living with constant terror but if loving you means I'm not safe, then somehow I have to live with it. I'm coming."
"No!"
Phoebe dropped his hands and put her own on her hips. He'd better not leave her behind. "If Galaden breaks Cassiel as to my whereabouts, he'll come here and kill me while you're gone. There's no such thing as a safe house. There'll be no second chances for me. I'm staying by your side. I'm safer with you."
Agrat's eyes glowed red and she saw flicks of fire in the irises. Once she would have been terrified. Once she would have backed away, but she knew he would never hurt her, that he loved her far beyond all others, that he was considering her words. "I failed you."
"No. You could never do that, but you are fighting against age-old beings in a time period not your own. Until Daniel came along, you had no back up. I only feel safe when you're with me. Please try and stop your eyes glowing. It's unnerving for me when your eyeballs turn to fire even though you don't mean to be."
"Do not be afraid of me," he said but his eyes stopped glowing.
"I want you to take me to my apartment and stay with me while I get changed. Don't leave my side. Do you remember where the paramedic took Rachael?"
"New York Trauma hospital," he said.
"Right. I'm going to call the hospital and find out how Rachael is doing the moment we get to my apartment."
"Then I will kill Galaden," Agrat said.
Phoebe sucked in a long, thoughtful breath. "It may not be so easy. Daniel is with Cassiel and Galaden and don't forget, Galaden raised them both. From the short time Daniel was here and you were unconscious, I could tell that Daniel adores Cassiel. Loves him like an older brother. If you go to kill Galaden, you'll have to go through Cassiel. He still cares for his father even if they're at odds. What if Daniel defends Cass? Will you kill our son?"
Chapter 15
Rachael felt Galaden's presence pulling her from her sleep. She could hear him calling her but she couldn't respond, couldn't even open her eyes to acknowledge him. Yet her soul stirred, just as it always did when he was near. Their sense of connection went bone deep. Was she still in Phoebe's apartment? She could hear the constant beep, beep, beep of a machine that didn't sound familiar. The air smelled of antiseptic and she became aware of the buzz of people talking in the distance.
She felt Galaden's hands cupping her face. The sweet smell of morning dew filled the air replacing the antiseptic odor as his soft feathers brushed her cheek.
"Rachael? My love, come back to me," Galaden said.
She tried to raise her hand to touch him but it lay there beside her leaden, yet her psychic acuity had returned. She could sense Galaden's dismay along with his adoration of her and she wanted to reach out to him.
"You gave me the gift of your life-force and I used it to save my life. I wish to return the little of your sweet essence I have left, but it may not be enough. I will gift you with my own life-force to make you strong."
A slight tingle vibrated on her cheeks and something warm and happy seemed to enter her body. She moaned as the sensation spread from his hands throughout her. She recognized her own essence returning, her strength and her love of life enclosed within it.
"She is awakening, Father." Rachael heard the happiness in the young, melodic voice and although she didn't recognize it, a yearning to see the owner of the voice twinged in her body.
"Try holding her hand. Use your healing powers on her like you did on me after you knocked me out," said another male voice, more gravelly and deep.
"You set my wings on fire, Daniel. Anyway, this has to be done slowly. Rachael's in a mortal body. She can't take healing energy fast like you do."
A warm hand took one of hers, the sensation different from Galaden's, the palm sending in a gentle, pulsing message that spread through her. There was love in the touch, so generous, so beautiful that she tightened her fingers around the hand as if it were a safety net.
"Open your eyes, Rachael," Galaden said.
Slowly, she focused on telling her eyelids to open and kept repeating the mantra until they finally did so.
"My darling," Galaden said.
She stared up into the angel's face. "Galaden," she whispered, the words no more than a croak.
"I'm so sorry," he said, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips.
The depth of misery in his gaze was deeper than she'd ever seen. "Don't be." She put her hand to his face and stroked his cheek, knowing that whatever happened she would be there for him.
"Rachael? How are you feeling?" another melodic voice called.
She turned. Confused, Rachael didn't recognize the man holding her other hand, yet she felt she should because in some way, he seemed familiar. She blinked and opened her eyes again. Then she saw the wings. Was she in heaven? He was an angel, similar to her beloved, Galaden, but shorter with the most incredible azure-colored wings, which didn't reach the floor like Galaden's, but had bright silver tips. She opened her lips to ask him who he was, but no words came out. Behind him stood another man who looked like Agrat but who had lighter coloring and, unlike the snarling countenance of the demon, he wore a large smile on his face.
"This is Cassiel, the son you bore me in your past life," Galaden said.
Confusion clouded Rachael. "I had a child?" And an angel child at that. The thought was surreal and grasping it was like trying to gather cobwebs. She put her hand on her heart. A son. Her son. And she didn't know him. To her eyes, he was chiseled and perfect like Galaden, yet there was something lighter in countenance about him.
"Behind him stands Daniel, the son of the demon prince and the princess, Phoebe, though I raised him as my own."
"You raised Agrat's son. How good you are." She thought of the terrifying demon who she'd tried to cont
ain in Phoebe's studio. No wonder Daniel's face was content.
The angel swallowed, his face tight with emotion. "You would be proud of Cassiel and of his power of healing, proud of Daniel and the happiness he carries. I hope you would be proud of me for raising two good men. In this, I did not let you down."
"You never let me down. You're everything to me," she whispered.
Daniel flashed Cassiel a smile.
"Father, she is weak," Cassiel said. "Do not burden her with too much information."
Her brows drew together as she looked around her, struggling to understand where she was and what had happened as she took in the white walls and beeping machines. "Where am I?"
"You're in a human healing center. As soon as I am able I will remove you but you need more life-force energy," Galaden said.
"You mean a hospital," Rachael said, taking in the drip and the heart monitor near the bed.
Galaden took his hand from hers and pressed them over her heart. "Your body was preparing to move to the afterlife. I will gift you my angel energy."
"Slowly, Father. Angel energy is strong and you have isolated yourself for centuries," Cassiel cautioned.
Footsteps clattered down the corridor and a nurse entered the room, walked over and stood by her side. "You're awake. How are you feeling?" she asked, not appearing to notice the angels and the elemental demon.
Rachael wondered how the nurse managed to fit where Daniel and Cassiel had been standing but when she looked for them, they seemed to have faded. She could just make out the shape of Cassiel's wings in the background. She blinked. She looked over to Galaden who smiled at her, but he put his finger to his lips as if to signal to her not to say anything about him. Rachael wished her head didn't hurt so much. "Thirsty. My head aches. I can hardly stay awake." And I have angels around me.
The nurse poured her a glass of water and offered it to her lips.
Her Demon Prince (Forbidden Fantasy) Page 19