Demon Deception (The Resurrection Chronicles Book 5)

by M. J. Haag

  Shaking my head, I let myself in and found more supplies in the living room. Excitement fluttered in my stomach. He'd seen I'd been here, then. And, he couldn't be far away.

  “Let's get settled in,” I said.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Within thirty minutes, Caden was happily sitting up in his playpen, playing with some toys, and Lilly was contentedly watching a cartoon. I explored the house, looking for anything else that might occupy the kids. There wasn't much beyond the necessities, which was perfectly okay. Rick, Julie's husband, had promised that he would return with some kid toys on the next scavenging trip. As a father of two fully grown adults, he'd know what Lilly and Caden would like.

  As I explored, I tried to come to terms with the fact that this would be my home, a place I could call my own. And, I felt safe here. Something I thought I would never feel.

  My exploration led me to the master bedroom. There hadn't been any reason to enter it earlier, but I did so now, curious about Kerr.

  The rich blue bedding complimented the pale blue walls. Grey and white patterned curtains covered the windows. A dark brown, long dresser occupied one wall. Two nightstands boxed in the bed. There wasn’t much in the room, but it was clean and neat. And, it couldn’t have been more perfect.

  Feeling nosey, I checked the dresser drawers. More women’s clothing close to my size were neatly folded on one side. The other side of the dresser held men's clothes about Kerr's size. A very domestic setup that made my pulse jump a little. Bits of doubt and nerves continued to bubble up inside of me and I wished Kerr would hurry up and come home so we could talk.

  Leaving the dresser, I moved toward the bathroom and saw a novel on the closest nightstand. A doctor romance. I picked it up, wondering why Kerr hadn’t gotten rid of it when he’d moved in. Setting it down, I went to check the bathroom before going back downstairs.

  Lilly smiled at me and returned to her movie, which Caden was watching through his playpen. I picked him up, holding him close and giving him all the cuddles and kisses he’d allow.

  When Lilly’s movie ended, I took both of the kids upstairs. It felt weird getting ready for bed without having actual permission to stay. But, I truly didn’t want to go back to Julie’s until Kerr decided to show his face again.

  Dressed in a tank top and a pair of shorts from the dresser, I snuggled into the large bed to wait for Kerr. The house was quiet and the bed very large. It reminded me of the nights Lee had gone out to be with his girlfriend, leaving me alone with Lilly. I’d felt so very pregnant and unwanted then. That same loneliness crept in again now.

  Did I honestly want to spend the rest of my life reliving that scenario? I rubbed my face and curled on my side. Life was too precious to make a mistake.

  Then, I remembered the moment when Kerr had kissed me and growled. The need in every touch. Those moments were real.

  And, just like that, I knew it wasn’t Kerr who’d been faking but me. I had noticed him the moment I saw him watching me as I stitched up Ghua. The fear I’d felt that I’d blamed on his differences and raw strength had been a lie, a self-deception so I wouldn’t fall for another man. I hadn’t wanted to set myself up for the level of hurt Lee had caused me. But, life was too short to hesitate out of fear of rejection.

  I was done hesitating. Now, I just needed Kerr to come home.

  I meant to stay awake, but I was too comfortable and too relaxed.

  It felt like only a moment had passed when a soft touch, barely a whisper of contact, woke me. I held still as fingers trailed down my arm from shoulder to elbow. My pulse picked up speed. Kerr had finally come home, and as I'd guessed, he didn't mind me in his bed. Not at all.

  I opened my eyes and looked at him. He lay beside me, already under the covers.

  “It's about time,” I said.

  His gaze swept over my face. I could see the hunger there, and it kindled my own. I quickly tamped it down. I needed to set him straight before—

  “Why are you here?” he asked. It wasn’t said in accusation but uncertainty.

  “Because I was tired of waiting for you to show up and ask me to come live with you. I was starting to think you planned on avoiding me forever.”

  “Never.”

  I reached up and gently traced the line of stitches that looked well on their way to being healed.

  “No matter what you’re thinking or what doubts you have, don’t leave me alone like that again. It felt too much like you were trying to say goodbye. Moving on.”

  He closed his eyes, his expression turning to one of pain. The hand resting on my arm clutched at me.

  “I will never move on,” he said roughly.

  “Prove it.”

  Heart pounding, I leaned forward and gently pressed my lips to his.

  For a moment, he did nothing. Then, he growled and gripped me tight. I found myself on my back, pinned against the mattress. The feel of his massive erection branded my thigh.

  “Mine,” he whispered, his gaze holding mine. “I’ve waited lifetimes for you, and I’m done waiting.”

  He kissed me hard, each swipe of his tongue more aggressive and demanding than the last. Caged, all I could do was kiss him back. My hands rested on his shoulders, holding on for dear life.

  His hips moved against mine, stealing all rational thought. I wanted Kerr. Needed him.

  Desperate for air, I tore my mouth from his and turned my head to the side. Kerr took that as an invitation to kiss his way down the column of my throat. I was panting by the time he reached my collarbone and barely felt it when he began lifting my tank top.

  He grunted when he got it high enough to free my breasts. They ached for his attention. Instead of moving to them, he moved lower and kissed my stomach. Too late, I remembered my stretch marks and tried to cover them with my hands. He pulled my hands aside, pinning them against the mattress as he continued to pepper me with kisses.

  “I love your marks,” he said against my skin. “They show you survived a great battle.”

  I grinned and fought not to laugh.

  “It was a close battle,” I said. “I felt I was dying a few times.”

  His trail of kisses led upward, and my humor vanished the moment his tongue laved my nipple. My hips bucked, and he grunted before repeating what he’d done. My hips bucked again.

  When his teeth lightly scraped my skin, I groaned. Impatient, I got up and pulled my top off before he could stop me. He sat back on his heels, giving me a spectacular view of his thick shaft, and watched me shimmy out of my bottoms.

  His gaze remained fixed on the strip of hair between my legs.

  “You are beautiful,” he said.

  I grinned.

  “You are the sweetest man ever. Come here.”

  I lowered myself to the mattress and crooked my finger. Instead of covering me with his body again, he did a face dive between my legs. I squealed and slapped a hand over my mouth to smother any further sound from emerging as his tongue explored every crevice I possessed. I twitched and writhed beneath him.

  “Right there,” I panted when his tongue moved over my clit. “That’s the spot that’ll make me come.”

  “Come?” he said, lifting his head.

  “No, don’t stop.”

  “But where are you going?”

  I groaned into my hands then propped myself up on my elbows to look down at him.

  “Come is slang for orgasm.”

  “Oh. Yes. Drav told us about that.”

  “What?”

  “He heard about it from an audio book. He was the first to learn women like their pussy’s licked.”

  I stared at him, stupefied.

  “I like the taste.” He leaned down and dragged his tongue over my folds without looking away. The direct eye contact plus being able to see exactly what he was doing reignited the heat the conversation had almost doused.

  “What else do women like?” he asked before repeating the stroke.

  “That. A lot of it.”

/>   He grunted and flicked the tip of his tongue over my clit again. My eyes rolled back in my head.

  “That, too?”

  “Yep.”

  His lips closed over the little nub, and I was lost. Tension coiled in my limbs and stomach with each suckle until everything shattered and I fell apart. I couldn’t see straight when I opened my eyes.

  “Oh,” I breathed. “That was amazing.”

  Kerr kissed his way up the length of me, stopping to kiss my breasts. When he suckled those, I closed my eyes and relaxed into the sensation.

  His mouth left my skin, and his fingers traced over my stretchmarks.

  “Do you want to sleep?” he asked.

  I opened my eyes and smiled at him.

  “No. I’d rather find out what it feels like to have you inside of me.” I reached out to stroke the length of him.

  His breath hissed out, and he closed his eyes.

  “Unless you’d rather sleep.”

  I leaned forward to kiss his chin.

  He growled and lifted himself over me. I blatantly hooked my legs around his hips and nudged him closer until his chest touched mine and I could feel the head of his cock at my entrance.

  “Just take it slow, okay? You’re a bit bigger than I’m used to.”

  He kissed me hard, stealing my breath and shifted his weight to one arm. With his free hand, he cupped my cheek. Holding my gaze, he eased forward. The pressure and stretch burned for a moment until he withdrew. When he advanced again, he slid in further. The tight fit meant that I felt every ridge and bump on his shaft. It also meant he hit every good place I possessed. I groaned and arched up into him.

  “Again,” I panted when he withdrew.

  “Mine,” he whispered before pressing all the way to the hilt.

  I moaned and rotated my hips, grinding against him.

  He growled and grabbed my hips. I thought he’d tell me to stop moving. Instead, he held onto me as he set a steady pace. There was no long, slow build of tension this time. When I came, it exploded out of nowhere, the walls of my channel convulsing so hard that Kerr’s movement faltered. With a grunt, he thrust again, and I felt his release inside of me. The heat of his cum filled me as his cock continued to jerk. I held on tight, riding the lingering spasms of my own orgasm.

  When we both finally stilled, hot and sticky, Kerr pressed a kiss to my temple

  “Ghua said that Eden will let Ghua lick her pussy again after they shower. Can we shower?” he asked.

  I opened one eye and looked at Kerr.

  “You want to go again?”

  “Yes. As many times as you will allow. Ghua says that Eden allows three before she needs a nap.”

  I opened my mouth, ready to tell him he better not trade bedroom stories with any of the other fey then realized it was pointless. I’d seen how lonely and bored they were, wandering around out there. The talk wasn’t meant to be disrespectful or done with any hint of malice. It was only something they did to pass the time until they found a woman of their own. And without that talk, Kerr would have never known what to do.

  Smiling, I wrapped my arms around Kerr’s neck and gave him a long, slow kiss.

  “I’m pretty sure we can beat Ghua and Eden’s record,” I said. “Let’s go for four.”

  A rumble came from his throat as he picked me up.

  “We can work on the second round while we’re in the shower.”

  * * * *

  I woke up slowly. The warm cocoon of the bed clung to me, making me want to stay there just for five minutes longer.

  I stretched out my leg, searching for Kerr, but the space beside me was cool. Frowning, I opened my eyes and saw I was alone. I sat up and winced. My legs hurt and my lady parts needed a “do not disturb” sign for at least two days.

  The faint sound of Lilly’s voice reached my ears. Moving quietly, I gingerly crept down the hall and found Kerr in the guest bathroom brushing out Lilly's hair.

  “Miss Julie put two braids in,” Lilly said in all seriousness. “I liked two but I think I could have more like Byllo. He had four in his hair.”

  “I will put five in your hair.”

  I smothered my smile. Kerr sure did have a competitive streak. I wondered if it was a fey thing or if he was more competitive than most.

  “Thank you, Kerr,” Lilly said. “What happened to your face?”

  He frowned slightly, and I could see the uncertainty in his gaze.

  “He got hurt trying to protect me,” I said, stepping forward.

  Lilly’s gaze flicked between Kerr and me.

  “You're very brave. Thank you for keeping my mommy safe.”

  “What would you like for breakfast?”

  “Kerr said he can make pancakes.”

  “Pancakes it is. I'm going to go check on Caden.”

  Kerr’s gaze lingered on me as I left them. I could see the desire there. Even after four rounds last night, he wanted more. I shivered, torn between wanting more and wondering just how sore I’d be if we tried it.

  Shaking my head, I opened the door to Caden’s room and found him standing up in his crib. He wasn’t making any noise, just holding onto the side and looking around his new room.

  In just a handful of days, Caden had changed so much. He was regaining weight by eating like a champ. Prior to the earthquakes, he hadn’t needed nightly feedings. But, for the last several nights, he’d woken in the middle of the night, wanting a bottle. I was glad he slept through last night, though.

  “Hey, little man,” I said picking him up. “You hungry for some breakfast.”

  “Mum-mum-mum,” he said softly, setting his head on my shoulder.

  I held him tightly, trying not to cry. He’d been saying mum since six months but had been so quiet the last few days.

  “Yep. Mum has you, Caden. You’re safe now.” I pressed a kiss to the side of his head and turned to go downstairs.

  Kerr stood in the doorway, watching us.

  Smiling, I walked up to him.

  “Did you sleep well?” I asked.

  “No. But I did not want to sleep.”

  I chuckled.

  “Yes, I remember. So do my lady bits.”

  He wrapped his arms around us and set his forehead to Caden’s.

  “She should not be talking about her lady bits in front of you. I will feed her breakfast than speak with her privately in our bedroom about this. Do not worry, my Caden.”

  I snorted a laugh.

  “You have no intention of talking when you get me back in that bedroom, do you?”

  Kerr looked at me, his lips curving in a first ever smile.

  “There will be noises. It will be close to talking.”

  I stood on my toes and gave him a quick kiss.

  “Feed me something amazing, then we’ll see if I’m up for anymore talking.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Several car horns blared outside, disturbing our comfortable pancake breakfast in the kitchen.

  “What is it?” I asked, looking at Kerr.

  “Danger. Take the children upstairs. You will be safe.”

  He plucked Caden from his highchair and handed him to me. Before I’d made it two steps, someone pounded on the door. Lilly hugged my leg as Kerr answered it. Julie rushed in.

  “You need to go to Whiteman,” she said, looking at me. “Jessie and Byllo are on their way here with their kids. I’ll stay, too.”

  As she spoke, she took Caden from me.

  “What’s going on?” I asked.

  “Here? Nothing. We’re perfectly safe. However, there was an incident at Whiteman. Get your shoes and jacket. You need to go.”

  Lilly didn’t loosen her stranglehold on my leg.

  “I don’t want you to go, Mommy.”

  I looked at Lilly’s terrified face and picked her up.

  “I promised Mr. Davis that I would help them if they needed me. Promises should never be broken.”

  “But sometimes they are,” she said. “Daddy left
and never came back.”

  My heart broke a little for her.

  “No, he didn’t. But when I left, I came back. And I’ll do it again. Do you know why?”

  She shook her head, and I pointed to Kerr.

  “Because Kerr will keep me safe. He always does.”

  She looked at Kerr, her bottom lip trembling.

  “Do you promise to bring Mommy back?”

  “I promise,” Kerr said.

  “Promises should never be broken,” she repeated, her tone full of warning.

  “I understand,” he said. “I will keep your mommy safe and bring her back before dinner.”

  Lilly nodded and let go of my leg.

  I hurried to get my jacket and boots on then kissed both the kids.

  “I’ll see you at dinner.”

  Outside, Eden and Ghua were waiting for us, along with Shax, Tor, and Gyirk.

  “What happened at Whiteman?” I asked.

  “Some infected breached the fence by throwing trees over it,” Eden said, looking worried.

  My mouth dropped open.

  “How in the hell did they do that?”

  “Don’t know. They’re not that strong. Ghua and I are going to see if we can figure it out. These three are going to stick around and make sure the kids are safe. Byllo and Jessie will be over with Timmy and Savvy soon, too. Ready?”

  I looked at Shax.

  “Keep them safe.”

  He nodded, and Ghua picked Eden up at the same time Kerr swept me off my feet.

  In less than a minute, we cleared the wall around Tolerance and were racing toward Whiteman. Infected were all over, but so were the fey.

  “Why are they so close?” I asked.

  “I don’t know,” Kerr answered.

  “Will the kids be safe?”

  “Yes. I promise,” he said, weaving through the trees.

  He moved so quickly I gave up trying to watch for infected and just hid my face against his chest and listened. A faint clamor of moans and grunts steadily grew in volume. It was a sound I knew well from my time traveling with the fey. They were fighting a horde of infected.

  “There,” Eden said.