by Brenda Trim
“I was thinking about the last time I enjoyed the taste of someone that much,” Rhys replied. She flushed at his words, curios if he was referring to their passionate kiss. If she wasn’t mistaken, he was reliving everything about their encounter and planning their next. She didn’t know how the man got so distracted when they were far from safe. He was on a critical mission to save the world, yet there was not one hint of worry or concern at the moment.
Mammon laughed heartily, breaking the tension of the moment. “Spoken like a true cambion.”
Rhys finally broke eye contact with her, turning to their host and shrugged. “It’s what I am. So, what other news is floating between the circles nowadays? Surely, an angel’s escape and a wayward son aren’t the headlining news.” He placed a palm on her leg under the table and gave her thigh a squeeze.
Studiously ignoring the way her body reacted to his touch, Illianna continued eating her meal, enjoying every bite as she wondered what game Rhys was playing now. She was coming to realize that he was skilled at getting information while seeming innocuous, but she knew he was anything but harmless.
He was a skilled warrior and obviously dedicated to his Goddess. She could see why the Goddess had chosen him as one of her champions. He was so much more than the playboy image he portrayed most of the time.
Mammon signaled one of his servants and a man quickly made his way to the head of the table and held out his arm. Mammon picked up a slender knife and sliced into the man’s wrist, held it over his goblet and allowed the blood to flow freely, filling the cup. She’d been right, he was drinking blood.
Observing the man closely, she saw the clench to his jaw and the tightening around his eyes. He wasn’t there of his own free will. He was a prisoner just like she had been with Lemuel. Her stomach turned knowing that however Mammon got fresh food to his domain, he’d brought this innocent man, and several others, along with it.
“Sadly, the activities down here aren’t what they were in the early days when we were all establishing our territory. It’s all rather boring,” Mammon finally replied, setting his cup down and moving onto the food. Illianna was shocked how he masked his brutality with gentility and grandeur.
“Someone must be keeping you out of the loop then,” Rhys baited, watching their foe closely, “because I could swear I heard something big was going down at Lake Crocytus. Something to do with Lucifer and Kadir.”
Mammon laughed, but the sound was fraught with tension and barely-banked hostility. “You are the one with incorrect information. I spoke with the Dark Lord right before dinner and everything was status quo in the Ninth Circle. Lucifer is still furious at that simpering fool for failing to fulfill his mission. I suspect Kadir won’t last long once he does return. Kadir is an overconfident buffoon and frankly the day won’t come soon enough when we are rid of him.”
Illianna had seen Lemuel communicate via a crystal sphere that he called a shedim and assumed that was how Mammon had contact with others, as well. She had never seen Lucifer in person and had no desire to.
Rhys hid his reaction to the information, but Illianna sensed his relief and confusion. Clearly, he had expected Lucifer to already be free. “Well, you would know better than anyone. I imagine you have enough to offer that your information is fairly reliable,” Rhys said playing into the greed and avarice that ruled the fallen angel.
Mammon visibly preened in his large chair. “I have only the best and don’t hesitate to use it. Having accurate information in the Underworld is almost as important as gold and gems.” The men talked while she finished off one plate and went back for seconds, plus dessert. She wasn’t sure when they would have food after they left. She contemplated shoving food down her top or asking for a to-go box, but couldn’t help notice the way Rhys played with his food.
“You haven’t eaten more than a few bites,” she blurted aloud before she could sensor herself.
Rhys turned his head and smiled in that way that held no mysteries. “I plan to have my fill very soon.” Anticipation and trepidation raced through her veins.
*****
Rhys closed the door behind them and leaned against the wood panel, trying to get his libido under control. He was close to the edge and the pain from his mate mark was worsening with every passing moment, making the erection he’d had throughout dinner unbearable. Illianna eyed him warily and backed away from him.
“Your kind and mine don’t get along so well,” she said warily, trying to avoid what she had to know was coming. He wasn’t about to allow her to escape. He was going to have his mate. There was no other for him now.
“That may be true, but there are always exceptions to the rule.” He pinned her with a look that revealed his desire and need for her, closing the distance between them. She was his Fated Mate and he was not about to hide what his inner beast wanted. Her, writhing beneath him.
She was skittish yet he continued to follow her until the backs of her legs hit the bed and she landed on her pert little ass with a small bounce. The large, four-poster bed had a lush, burgundy and gold bedspread. She crawled backward on her hands and feet until she reached the volumes of fancy pillows that sat at the headboard. Not stopping in his pursuit, he prowled across the bed toward her.
“Are you calling in your options now?” she asked, half-fearful, half-hopeful, if he wasn’t mistaken.
He allowed one corner of his mouth to tip and pulled her boots from her feet. Having a mind of its own, his hand trailed up her calf, wishing the leather wasn’t between his hand and her skin. “Yes, Illianna. I’m going to make you scream my name as you cum for me.”
He watched the blush cross her cheeks and swore he lost his heart to her as she looked shyly away then right back at him. She held his gaze, trying to hide her uncertainty. He paused when his hand reached the button of her pants. “Are you with me, Angel?”
She swallowed and nodded her head, eyes bright with excitement. In her mind they may be oil and water, but she liked it. He brought his body over her and shut out the rest of the ostentatious room, doing his best to create a retreat for them from the reality that waited.
Kissing her lightly, he licked and nipped her lips as he unbuttoned her pants. She reacted like tinder to dry grass, meeting his kiss with an intensity that stole his breath. She tangled her fingers in the fine strands of his hair.
His inner beast was clamoring for more, making Rhys break their kiss to pull her slinky top over her head. She propped herself to make the task easier and Rhys’ hand brushed the stubs along her back. He felt the wing stubs as he ran a hand over her flesh, noting the way she shuddered. He knew it turned her on when he touched her there and was rewarded when she began tearing the rest of her clothes off, helping him to remove his own clothing when she was completely nude.
“Eager, are we, Luscious?”
“Yes, I want this over with,” she expressed, claiming his mouth in another kiss.
She tasted of lemons and sunshine, intoxicating him. He knew she was trying to keep distance between them, but he wasn’t having any of that. He tangled tongues with her as his fingers explored her small breasts. Her nipples were bigger than most and responded readily to his ministrations.
“We have many hours until we leave and I plan to use them to my advantage. I will be the best fed cambion in Hell.” He chuckled at her gasp, lowering his body to take her nipple into his mouth. Her gasp turned into a moan.
Before he knew it, hands were clutching his head and she was holding him to her. He levered himself on one elbow and kissed and sucked both breasts, responding to the signals her body gave him. She may deny her desire for him, but she wasn’t able to hide her responses. Her fulfillment was like a shot of adrenaline to him, and like a junky, he wanted more.
His free hand traveled over the soft, supple flesh of her flat stomach to a neat thatch of curls that shielded her sex from view. Slipping one finger into her folds, he found her wet and ready for him. His body demanded he take her right then and there, but
he wanted to taste every inch first.
She writhed and lifted her hips into his touch while he teased her clit and kissed his way down her body. Her eyes connected with his when he settled his weight between her spread thighs. He had the best view in any world right then, from her glistening core to her bright silver eyes.
“I thought you were going to make me scream your name,” she challenged through panted breaths as he continued to look his fill.
He lowered his head and laughed, feeling lighthearted despite the circumstances. “Oh, you will be, that I can promise.” With that, he dipped his head and ran his tongue through her slit, licking her soft skin. He used one finger to tease her opening as he sucked her clit into his mouth and swirled his tongue across the hardened little bud. Her moaning increased and her thighs worked, sliding up and down grinding in a way that brought her ultimate pleasure. He plunged one finger inside, fucking her slowly with the thick digit.
Within minutes, she was bucking and screaming, “Oh, Rhys!” She shouted his name like a plea and lifeline. The energy he gained from her climax was what he usually gained from full intercourse with other females. Never before had he been so energized with giving a female pleasure. Typically, he needed to give and take his own pleasure to be fed, but not with Illianna.
He knew she was afraid of what she felt for him and he held her, gentling her from her peak. He wanted to surge up and drive into her, but he needed to take more care than that.
Keeping his finger inside, he added another, preparing her for his shaft. “And now, Angel, you are going to scream for me again.”
“I don’t know if I can.” Uncertainty crossed her features and he captured her mouth, spearing his tongue into her mouth, mimicking what his cock wanted to do to. The action set off spasms, making her clench around his intruding fingers as she mewled in need.
“Yes you can,” he murmured against her mouth, replacing his fingers with his cock. By that time, his mate mark was like an inferno above his shaft and pain spiraled through his groin. That pain eased as he thrust into her in one smooth motion.
Balls-deep inside her, Rhys stilled his movements to allow her body to adjust to his girth, kissing her the entire time. His little angel was a needy kitten and it didn’t take long before she was writhing beneath him once more. She bucked against him, robbing him of reason.
He pulled out until only the tip was inside her and thrust back in. She felt so fucking good he wanted to pound her into oblivion. He’d heard his fellow warriors describe sex with mates and had been jealous about how responsive their mates had been. He was grateful now he hadn’t understood because the descriptions paled in comparison to the reality.
He thrust his hips downward, locking his gaze with hers. They were still learning each other’s bodies and her hands traveled over his chest and back. One of his hands went to her breast and he played with one and then the other. He spread her legs to their widest angle so he could go deeper and take as much as possible. They moved in unison. Fever rose sharply in her rhythm as she rode the razor’s edge of release.
He was desperate to make her cum with him. She must’ve agreed because she clawed his shoulders and lifted her hips, matching his movements. He angled his hips to hit her in just the right spot and she detonated, squeezing his cock as she climaxed. He thrust as much as her body would allow and followed her over the edge into the abyss. In a blinding second of clarity, her mind was open to him and he knew all her hopes and dreams, as well as, her fears.
She wanted the ecstasy she found in his arms, but was afraid of the darkness in her desire for him. She also feared she would be rejected in heaven. His mate had been stolen from her home and tormented in Hell for a hundred years. All she wanted was to return to her life in Heaven as an angel.
How could Rhys ask her to give up on having that again just to be with him?
CHAPTER TWELVE
Rhys closed his fingers over the disk around his neck. He hadn’t taken the necklace off since his mother had placed it there all those years ago. With perfect clarity, he recalled the tears brimming in her eyes as she told him he couldn’t stay with her in the Goddess’ realm, but as long as he had the medallion, she would always be with him. He was giving up the only connection he had to his mother and it felt like his heart was being torn apart all over again just like the day when she had banished him from her side.
At the time, he didn’t understand that the sexual creature he had matured into had no place in Annwyn and he believed she didn’t love him anymore. He had come to understand very quickly that cambions didn’t belong where she lived. Their sexual need was too high, especially one at the cusp of maturity who would do whatever it took to sate those cravings.
Having her necklace close to his heart had reminded him that she loved him more than anything and had helped keep him grounded. Now, as he unclipped the hook, he was giving up that connection to her. Placing the enchanted chain into Mammon’s hand, he barely bit back a sob of grief. He was losing his mother all over again, but could do nothing less to ensure his Fated Mate’s safety.
“This will be my crowning jewel, ensuring my place for centuries to come,” Mammon barked, satisfaction showcased by his shit-eating grin.
Rhys, Illianna, Dante and Kellen stepped to the exit. “Will that even fit around your wrist, Jabba?” Rhys chuckled, using humor to brush away the suffocating grief. Grief did him no good at the moment, and they had still a job to do. There would be time later to acknowledge what he had been forced to give up.
Mammon turned red and Rhys wondered if he was going to keel over and die from a heart attack or something. Not that immortals died from heart failure, but the male was one fat, fucking bastard. “I told you stop calling me names,” he snarled at Rhys.
Dante grabbed Rhys’ elbow. “And, that’s our cue to leave. Thank you for your hospitality,” the Cambion Lord uttered, bowing his head.
“Are you certain I can’t change your mind, Illianna?” Mammon asked, in a last ditch effort to convince her to remain by his side. He couldn’t force her or harm any of them because of the oath he had given in exchange for the necklace. Still, Rhys held his breath waiting to see how his angel responded while biting back his reply.
He wanted to clamp his hand over her mouth and answer for her, but he refused to be yet another jailer. She deserved to be in charge of her own destiny after what she’d been through.
Initially, he had been upset that his Fated Mate had to choose him and wasn’t driven by the same compulsion as he was, but once he realized her independence was stolen from her, to coerce her into a mating would only add insult to injury. He wanted his mate more than anything, but it would mean so much more when she chose him of her own free will.
Without hesitation, Illianna stepped up next to Rhys and faced Mammon. “My place is not here in Hell. My place is in Heaven, so there is nothing you can do to change my mind.”
“So be it. Best be going before your father’s men get here,” Mammon laughed, making Rhys curse. He had betrayed them anyway.
“We should have known better than to trust a fat fuck like that,” Kellen spat as he kicked into a run, crossing into the Fifth Circle.
Rhys pushed Illianna into movement in front of him and they crossed behind Dante and Kellen. The flames licked at his skin as they left behind a laughing Mammon. “We should’ve gutted that fucking pig!I” Rhys bellowed. “I can’t believe I thought his greed would outweigh his allegiance to the others.”
Illianna stopped walking and put her hands on her hips. “Why are you so surprised? They’re demons, for God’s sake. That’s what they do!”
Rhys flinched at the venom on her words. “Let’s get something straight right now, Angel. I am nothing like the vile demons that call this plane home, so don’t treat me like I am.” He inched closer and practically touched her nose with his. “If it weren’t for us three demons,” he sneered the term, “you’d still be a slave in chains in my father’s domain. If nothing else, that deser
ves your respect.”
Her eyes widened in alarm and she blanched. “I wasn’t referring to you three, merely pointing out that we aren’t dealing with upstanding creatures. I’m sorry for not making myself clear. So, where do we go now?” she asked, changing the subject, clearly uncomfortable.
Rhys sensed her regret and decided to let it go. He glanced around, getting the lay of the land and scanning for danger. He hadn’t been on guard when he’d come through and was grateful that hadn’t bit them in the asses. They could have walked right into an ambush.
In the distance was a river, water black as night. The souls fighting on the surface told him they were at the banks of the River Styx. Everyone was familiar with the lore that those who were violent during their lifetime were relegated to battle each other on the surface of the river in the Fifth Circle. He’d never been there and had to admit the sight was grisly. The souls viciously tore at each other. Had they been corporeal the river would have flowed red.
Dante and Kellen had continued ahead and were stopped near the trees on the bank. A chill skittered down Rhys’ spine as much from the noise of battle as from the chill in the air. Rather than the high velocity winds or the freezing rain, the temperature reminded him of a crisp, autumn Seattle night. He looked to Illianna, “Shall we?” he asked and started walking when she nodded.
When they reached the edge of the water, he looked down and noticed that it was a clear glassy black and there were countless souls trapped beneath the surface. “Are they trying to drown themselves? They don’t seem to be fighting to get to the surface.”
He bent and picked up a rock from the ground, skipping it across the water and through the countless beings. It was eerie to watch the rock skate across the surface and through the transparent souls as if nothing was in its way.
“Those are the sullen. This is the price for living a life of repressing your anger,” Illianna responded.